• Home
  • Meet Andrea
    • Retreat Facilitator
    • Amazing Collaborators
    • Speaking History
    • Testimonials
  • Upcoming
    • Call of the Dark Moon
    • Virtual Women's Circle
    • Soul of the Labyrinth
    • IN PERSON Women's Circle
    • Atlas of the Heart SUMMER BOOK SERIES
  • Coaching
  • Speaking
    • Speaking
    • Find Your Voice Project
    • Pilgrimage Ministry
  • Books
  • Retreats
    • Retreats & Workshops
    • 3 Minute Retreats >
      • 3 Minute Retreats
  • Blog
    • Blog Thoughts
  • Calendar
    • Contact
Anam Nostos House
  • Home
  • Meet Andrea
    • Retreat Facilitator
    • Amazing Collaborators
    • Speaking History
    • Testimonials
  • Upcoming
    • Call of the Dark Moon
    • Virtual Women's Circle
    • Soul of the Labyrinth
    • IN PERSON Women's Circle
    • Atlas of the Heart SUMMER BOOK SERIES
  • Coaching
  • Speaking
    • Speaking
    • Find Your Voice Project
    • Pilgrimage Ministry
  • Books
  • Retreats
    • Retreats & Workshops
    • 3 Minute Retreats >
      • 3 Minute Retreats
  • Blog
    • Blog Thoughts
  • Calendar
    • Contact

Anam Nostos House Blog

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

my hand in yours

7/21/2022

2 Comments

 
Picture

When you read these words, what is the first thing that comes to your mind?

Personally, I have a very vivid picture from a recent experience. I have had the privilege and honor of walking with people in their final days of life. It is an experience that some will never walk, either by choice or happenstance. For myself, it was asked of me, a call.

When I read these four small words recently from a friend, the depth of their meaning became larger than life. An image that is close to my heart is clear, the memory still alive in mind. My hands holding my dear friend’s hands wrapped in a rosary that was so sacred to the both of us from a time where life and beauty consumed us. The words…rang true in a deeper way than I expected.

When the final days of your life are upon you, do you see yourself alone or do you see someone by your side?
To be able to have the honor to hold someone’s hand who is leaving this life, is beyond words that I could write simply here. And to be honest, they are sacred moments, that I want to hold close to my heart and respect the soul crossing over.

But then if we were to take a step further away from the idea of death, my hand in yours, is the epitome of human connection.

How often in this life have you found yourself in the simple act of holding someone’s hand? A love interest, a child, a parent or just a friend. It feels to me as if this is always associated with love, but in fact, I have held the hand of many in different contexts and levels of connect.

Human connection.

The act of touch is such an important physical connection. It is complicated and impassioned for most, while some find it an incredibly difficult act to receive or offer to another.

Touch is an intimate experience and for some it is not always associated with positive feelings. Those are ones whose stories need to converge with healing to be able to relearn this most basic human expression in the most honest and humble of ways.
Hand in hand can bring comfort, a sense of peace and a feeling of safe haven. Our world can be a lonely place and something as simple as holding one’s hands can enhance the emotional need to not feel alone.

Volunteers in retirement homes and hospice care will sit by the bedside of those who will not say a word in their pain and fleeting breath but hold their hand to let them know someone is there. They are not alone. It is a very genuine experience I have always believed that those in comas can sense and understand all that is around them.

The body is a mystical form which no one can utterly understand the true depths of its existence and how it processes the surrounding life.

I have had a ministry in Lourdes, France for over 20yrs where I walk with those who are quite ill or dying. They come for the healing waters. Without revealing the sacred prayers or journey into the baths, I will say that I have held countless hands as I walked them into the water.

Between the human connection reminding them that I walk with them our eyes connect along with the touch and to the peace and prayer they are walking towards, it is the greatest human spiritual experience of my life.

So, as I age, the act of touch has transformed itself into many different experiences of acceptance, on many distinct levels. I am grateful that I have taken the chance on human connection and turned what was once an evil thought to one that is the most beautiful experience I have embraced on my journey.

Ask yourself if you are open to human touch. If you shy away from it, it brings you fear, or is something that you just cannot fathom…go deeper into the why.

Listen.
​

Walk yourself home to the human connection we all desire, and you will find yourself once again.


​More Blog Posts here...

2 Comments
Robyn
7/26/2022 10:59:12 am

Andrea - I just read this beautiful & thoughtful piece of yours. Thanks for sharing this very intimate & special part of work you do with others. It’s a truly wonderful gift to be with others on their walk to the next world & I’ve had some very privileged time with others in this way & it is life changing for those who remain behind. I can only imagine the comfort of holding hands with for your friend & your writing here a lovely tribute to her - hand in hand is a sacred place for sure . Thank you again for reminding me of all the rich connections we need and are able to give one another. I enjoy your writing style too & wanted to share that . I hope to read your first book soon & I so want to ask if you have a summer or spring retreat I can attend ( any dates yet : ) I’ll be out of town for your fall retreat & really wanted to come but made a promise to my husband a few months ago to go with him to DC for a meaningful event. If I get the other retreat date early I’ll put it on my calendar & get a spot . I know Nicky loved your retreat & hopefully I can get her to go with me next time . Take care & talk with you soon . Robyn

Reply
Andrea Kanelopoulos, Author
7/29/2022 03:34:08 pm

Thank you so much for taking the time to share such beautiful thoughts! It means more than you know...Our February Retreat is closed to those in the healing field, but I am hoping to do another OPEN beach retreat in April. I will know shortly and stay tuned on the website. Peace to you!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    Picture

    Follow US

    Author

    Andrea creates, builds, and offers her teachings and hands on life tools based on her journey healing her body image after a 14yr battle and life of trauma. Her vision always is to help others live a full life with the journey they are given.

    View my profile on LinkedIn

    Listen to Andrea on WEHC 90.7 Talking about OWNING OUR STORIES & ED

    Featured Product

    Categories

    All
    3 Minute Retreat
    Care
    Happy
    Health
    Intention
    Love
    Loveyourself
    Meditation
    Mindfulness
    New Year
    Self
    Selfcare
    Selfcaresunday
    Selflove
    Time
    Today
    Wellness

    Donate HERE

    Venmo
    ​
    Paypal

      Contact Us

    Submit

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    February 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    July 2019
    June 2018

FOLLOW US

paypal button

Venmo 
Amazon Wish List​


Picture
Copyright © 2012
​Anam Nostos House
​276-206-1696
  • Home
  • Meet Andrea
    • Retreat Facilitator
    • Amazing Collaborators
    • Speaking History
    • Testimonials
  • Upcoming
    • Call of the Dark Moon
    • Virtual Women's Circle
    • Soul of the Labyrinth
    • IN PERSON Women's Circle
    • Atlas of the Heart SUMMER BOOK SERIES
  • Coaching
  • Speaking
    • Speaking
    • Find Your Voice Project
    • Pilgrimage Ministry
  • Books
  • Retreats
    • Retreats & Workshops
    • 3 Minute Retreats >
      • 3 Minute Retreats
  • Blog
    • Blog Thoughts
  • Calendar
    • Contact