halcyon house

a worker owned cooperative holistic wellness center

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  • Tracy Murphy – Winter 2025-Spring 2026 featured artist

    Through vibrant color and fearless emotion, Tracy Murphy turns her own story of survival into art that heals and connects.  Murphy is a contemporary oil painter and cancer survivor from Western Wisconsin, and an alumni of the University of Minnesota Fine Art Program and the Milan Art Institute.  Her emotionally charged works invite collectors to see themselves reflected in her paintings, and to experience art as a journey of healing and transformation.  With bold contrast and expressive compositions, her paintings become a visual story of the beauty of transformation.  Each painting reflects her belief that art has the power to heal, both the maker and the beholder.

    Check out her website at:

    www.tracymurphyfineart.com

    Want to find out more about our featured artists?

    Featured Artists
    Josh Jones
  • Winter grieving

    Winter grieving

    It has been said that winter is the time for grieving. We at Halcyon House have experienced some personal losses recently and are thankful for the wonderful community around us.

    We hope to cherish our loved ones during the holidays, share some tea and hot cocoa, and make the most of our time together.

    Josh Jones
  • What is neuro-regulation?

    What is neuro-regulation?

    Neuro-regulation is using different tools to modulate your nervous system.

    How do we know that we are in a fight or flight (sympathetic) nervous system?

    • Rapid heart rate
    • Shallow and/or rapid breathing
    • Chest breathing
    • Poor digestion/elimination
    • Tense muscles
    • Scattered/unfocused thoughts
    • Decreased memory
    • Angry or agitated emotions
    • Feelings of wanting to run away/escape

    What are some tools we can use to move our nervous system toward more ease?

    • Diaphragmatic (belly) breathing. Think low (in the body) and slow. Subtle/smooth.
    • Extended exhale breathing. Breath in through the nose and slowly out through pursed lips.
    • Gentle movement (like yoga or stretching). Especially twists!
    • Rocking or swaying.
    • Calming music, lighting, smells.
    • Relaxation using guided apps such as “Insight timer”
    • Grounding: feeling your body on the chair, bed, or floor.
    Robin Davidson
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  • Winter Digestive Cleanse

    Winter Digestive Cleanse

    Winter digestive cleansing is something that many people want to do to start the new year fresh. The tendency is to want to juice fast; however, in the winter that is very hard on the body—especially in Northern Minnesota. My suggestion has always been to do a kitchari cleanse to give your digestion a rest while nourishing your body in a gentle way. Kitchari is an Ayurvedic Indian recipe that uses split lentils and rice to make a complete protein. Spices are balanced between all five tastes: sweet, spicy, salty, pungent, and sour. If you are feeling the desire to fast this winter, try kitchari cleansing. Here is a great recipe to get you started: Kitchari Recipe 

    Jennifer Montgomery
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  • Winter

    Winter

    As winter approaches, we find ourselves in the most Yin time of year. This is a season of going inward, conserving energy, slowing down, and honoring rest. Let these months guide you back to yourself. Find your rhythm in the season: seek out warmth, joy, and light while not overextending yourself. A mindful balance of activity and introspection will help keep the yin and yang healthy.

    Jakki Overby
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  • TCM warming broth

    TCM warming broth

    Cold and cough season has arrived. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the lungs, which open to the nose and mouth through the respiratory passages, are considered the most delicate of the five yin organs and the easiest for external influences to affect. These external factors are described as six types: 

    • Wind
    • Cold
    • Dampness
    • Dryness
    • Heat
    • Fire

    Coughs are most often linked to Wind, though Wind frequently combines with other influences such as Cold, Heat, or Dryness, depending on seasonal conditions. Wind enters from the back of the neck and ankles. Wrap up in a scarf or buff to keep your neck ‘wind gate’ covered!

    Here is a quick and easy recipe to nip that cold in the bud:

    • 1 green onion, white portion, thinly sliced
    • 1 clove of garlic, sliced thinly
    • 1-2 thin slices of fresh ginger, unpeeled
    • 1 to 1.5 cups of bone broth or water

    Bring the water or broth to a boil, add ingredients and turn down to a simmer after a few minutes. Strain and cool a few minutes to a comfortable temperature. Serve in a mug or bowl.

    This may induce a slight sweat which helps expel dis-ease from the body. Snuggle up in some blankets, but if you feel damp rinse off and put on dry clothes.

    Jakki Overby
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  • Fall recap

    Fall recap

    Our Open House was so much fun! It was great to meet some new folks and chat with familiar faces. Although, our pup Sunny had decided to help herself to some chocolate cookies the night before so I went straight from the vet to the open house with no sleep! She’s fine and may have learned her lesson?

    I feel excitement for this time of year where social gatherings start happening indoors. There is a renewed sense of investing in inner growth, whether it be reading a book, enjoying a deep discussion with friends, focusing on a hobby, making treats or gifts for others.

    Take care of yourself and check in on your friends. It is a time to build community connections.

    Josh Jones
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  • What is craniosacral therapy?

    What is craniosacral therapy?

    We’ve been asked this question many times since I began offering this service at Halcyon House. Here’s a brief description of a very nuanced therapy:

    It is a hands-on technique that was developed by Dr. John Upledger (Osteopath) in the 1980’s while working at the University of Michigan. He explored the nervous system

    connection from the brain through the spinal cord (cranium to sacrum). This connection was through a connective tissue covering called dura mater and cerebral spinal fluid that flowed inside it. He discovered that by moving the bony parts of the system, it allows the

    fluid to move more freely. He found that you can feel this as a physiological rhythm. This craniosacral rhythm can be felt through the practitioner’s hands with very light touch.

    What can someone expect when having a craniosacral therapy session?

    • Lying in a comfortable position on a massage table with clothes on
    • Very light touch in different parts of your body to assess
    • Focused attention to areas of the body that present with restriction
    • You might feel physical or emotional responses during and after the session
    • A return of your system to homeostasis (general health/well-being)
    • Relaxation

    Typically, I will recommend sessions every 2-4 weeks for 4 sessions to assess the effectiveness. You should notice progression/improvement over this time. I will also provide you with additional practices that you can do between sessions to support this progress.

    Interested in a session?

    Robin Davidson
    Sara Sheppard
    Robin Davidson
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  • Staying present

    Staying present

    Staying present in the now is one of this life’s greatest challenges.  Over the years I have practiced many different meditations, breathing techniques, etc. to overcome the overwhelming desire to be anywhere but this present moment. There are a few that I always end up coming back to because they work for me.  In the energy class that I am teaching on Wednesdays, you will learn one of the techniques that I have been practicing and playing with for 25 years. My intention for this class is to share something that works for me with this community. As with all meditations it is simple, but not always easy. It involves working with the imagination and that doesn’t work for everyone. It’s ok, there isn’t a single meditation, or exercise, or hobby that works for everyone. The fun challenge is finding what centers you, brings you joy, and motivates you to action in co-creating your experience here. So run, sit, paint, meditate, sip tea and contemplate the universe, just do it with the presence of now. 

    Jennifer Montgomery
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