I live in suburban Victoria, and about 5 minutes from my house at the end of a dead-end road on the fringe of the University of Victoria campus is a natural wonder called Mystic Vale. All around people go about their business, shopping, attending school, visiting and driving, driving, driving. The large majority of people in their Toyotas, Fords, and Chevrolet Subdivision S.U.V.’s are unaware of the existence of the Vale. To me, Mystic Vale is a metaphor for wellness, many people go about their busy lives as human doings and are unaware of the beauty of high level wellness which is in such easy reach.

But I can push the metaphor a little further. I’ve told many people about the Vale and have actually introduced them to its beauty. They are all impressed with its massive trees, moss upholstered rocks, plashy stream, and carpet of ferns, and yet somehow never find the time to go back. Even though we know the magic of high level wellness we allow ourselves to be seduced by the blandishments of urban life, somehow hoping the houses, cars, TV shows, and things bring us happiness and health.

Dean Ornish noted that "nothing will make us happy", which breaks down to "no thing" will make us happy. There’s an old saying that goes, "The best things in life aren’t things".