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Greensboro. N.C.
Alternative healing provides new curative methods
Cory Williams
Staff Writer
Some people treat them with
skepticism, others with undying
loyalty.
Either way, the alternative healing
club is going to stick around at
Guilford for at least another year.
The club's purpose is to teach the
Guilford community about the many
different ways to heal the body with
out going to the hospital or taking
pain-killers.
"The club just tries to educate peo
ple about the many different healing
modalities out there," said junior presi
dent Heidi Kessler. "The focus of the
group is to bring in guest speakers,
whether they are Guilford students,
Guilford teachers, or members of the
Greensboro community, and have
them talk about what they do."
The club decides which guest
speakers to invite at the regular meet-
Guilford welcomes the return of the student-run Greenleaf Co-op
Caitlin Adams
Staff Writer
Greenleaf, the coffee cooperative
located in the basement of
Mary Hobbs, began as a conversation
two and a half years ago between then
sophomore Vanessa McGreevy and
others on the porch of Mary Hobbs.
The original co-op opened in the
Underground in 2003, continuing
through the 'O3-'O4 year. When the
booths and gritty cigarette smell of the
Underground were removed in the
beginning of this academic year, so
was the co-op.
Guilford gave $50,000 to the co-op
to start over from scratch and re-open
in Mary Hobbs.
"Overall, I think a space like this is a
really needed thing on campus," said
senior and co-op member
Kammaleathahh Livingstone. "A lot of
people have given us Congrats,
because this was sorely needed."
Greenleaf opened April 5, making a
profit that paid for all the supplies, such
as coffee and milk.
"It is nice to have somewhere to go
that's not such an intense study place,
to hang out and sip coffee," said junior
Ben Taylor upon his first visit to
Greenleaf.
Sophomore Ruth Murray said: "It is
cool. I am back the second night. Last
night some guy challenged me to play
chess and I beat him in three moves."
FEATURES
ings (Monday at 5 p.m. in Boren
lounge). Members ask about various
interests or healing methods they are
curious about. Then the club works to
bring people knowledgeable about
those methods to the school.
All the guest teachers have one
thing in common: they all practice
non-traditional methods of healing.
Guilford senior Rebecca Nau lec
tured on the art of massage therapy
earlier this semester.
"Guest lecturer John Ryan discussed
the merits of neuro-linguistic program
ming, a cognitive technique that
involves visualization and changing
inner dialogue to change everyday
behavior patterns.
Other past events included a show
ing of the movie "What the Bleep Do
We Know" and a guest speaker, junior
Peter Raines, who discussed quan
tum touch - the practice of channeling
energy through the hands into a
wounded or sick person.
The co-op houses eight tables made
by junior Joe Szyleyko, some of which
have engraved chessboards and chess
pieces. Szyleyko made the tables from
plywood and two- by- fours.
Psychology professor Eva Lawrence
donated a couch and papa-san chair.
Students donated two other couches,
creating an inclusive environment in
the space.
Co-op visitors are to enter and exit
through the backdoor of Mary Hobbs
that leads directly into the basement.
Before the opening of the Greenleaf,
co-op members met with Mary Hobbs
residents to communicate the hours
and listen to any concerns.
"Most of the concerns were about
noise," said Livingston. "We agreed
that we would only have bands and
open mic's on the weekends."
"It is a great thing to have on cam
pus," said senior and Mary Hobbs resi
dent Clelie Steckel. "But I think it might
be compromising the living situation of
the residents."
"I think it is wonderful," said junior
and Mary Hobbs resident Jesse Bryan.
"My only concern is that our kitchen is
not blocked off." The basement of Mary
Hobbs also houses a kitchen for its
residents.
"Co-ops were created in the first
place when there was some sort of
lack for resources," said Livingston.
"We don't exactly have a lack of
access to resources here (at Guilford),
Practitioners of quantum touch try to
address the root of a problem as
opposed to the effects of a problem.
"I don't like the idea of treating
symptoms instead of the actual prob
lem," sophomore Inslee Hackett said.
"These healing methods usually focus
on treating the person as a whole."
Though the club is thriving, it was
originally treated with skepticism by
members of Senate. At one point,
Senate told them to wait until next
year to seek ratification.
However, the club has grown
steadily since its official recognition by
the school. Though in the middle of its
inaugural semester, the club has wit
nessed ever-climbing membership
levels.
On average, up to 13 people attend
weekly meetings.
Some events generate as many as
25 interested people.
"It's really cool to meet people who
talk about how much the techniques
but what I think is lacking here is com
munity cohesion. I think the co-op, on
a very broad level, is about people
coming together under that idea and
trying to create more community."
The Greenleaf provides a physical
space, while Counter Culture Coffee
provides organically grown free-trade
coffee. Hot and iced teas and syrups
come from Fortuna Enterprises, while
bake-goods come from Ninth Street
Bakery.
Prices range from a shot of espresso
for $1 to a flavored double macchiato
for $2.90. A 12 oz. coffee is $1.50 and
there is no extra charge for soymilk.
"We determined a lot of the prices
from the cost of goods and we marked
it up a little bit to be able to expand the
product and plan for the future," said
Livingston. "I personally want it to be
more than just a space."
"I think that there is a lot of desire on
campus to take action," said junior and
co-op member Bryan Cahall. "The co
op provides a space for the cultivation
for other projects."
"Eventually I would love to see that
Guilford have a cooperative program
much like Oberlin's," said Livingston.
"When you come in as a student, you
are wondering which co-op you want to
be involved in."
A statement written by co-op mem
bers in January, reads: "Progress is
reflected in the organization's new
name: the Guilford College Student
April 15, 2005
www.guilfordian.com
work for them," said Kessler. "So
many of the techniques are proactive
and healthy, I think it makes sense
why so many people like them."
"I've learned ways to center yourself
and to reduce stress," said first-year
Ashley Campbell. "I believe in a lot of
it'. So much of it seems unexplain
able."
Nevertheless, skeptics remain.
"I don't really believe in [alternative
healing] that much," said sophomore
Chris Lampkin. "I think traditional
medicine is better. That stuff seems
fake."
All such doubters receive the same
reply: go to Boren Lounge on Monday
at 5 p.m. to experience alternative
methods for yourself.
"The club's primary goal remains
education," Kessler said. "We want to
show people what options are out
there and let people make their own
decisions."§€
Cooperative Association (GCSCA).
The appellation aligns with the idea
that we seek to support and promote
the implementation of a wide variety of
cooperative initiatives; the co-op is not
merely a coffee shop."
"GCSCA is not exactly up and run
ning yet," said Livingston via email.
"The ideas and vision are there."
"There is a'lot of racial division and I
really want the co-op to be claimed
and owned by everyone, the vision is
that it is here for everyone," said
Livingston. "Something I have been try
ing to do is talking to the director of
multicultural educations Sekinah
Hamlin and Holly Wilson, the Africana
coordinator."
"The administration cannot imple
ment anti-racism by itself any more
than just making sure there is a quota
that is met," said Cahall. "A lot of times
it seems like that if there is a certain
demographic obtained than we are
suddenly progressive. But it requires
actually being anti-racist. This would
provide a space and a home base for
those kinds of issues."
"I don't have the idea that we are the
ones that are going to be taking this
on, that this is our project," said
Livingston. "We want to be conscious
of these issues and help address
them, I don't think the co-op can solve
them. It can be one thing that adds to
the solution instead of creating more
conflict."^