Lily Wilson grew up in Bemidji, MN, and visited Grand Marais with her parents while she was in high school. During these vacations, she says she “fell in love” with Cook County, the Big Lake, and the area’s forests and trails.

Now she’s back to stay. Last August, Wilson opened Earth Body Healing in the newly renovated Birchbark Building. Her goal, she says, is to create “space for healing of the mind, body, and spirit.”

Wilson has created Little Fox Botanicals made with herbs from the boreal forests of northern Minnesota

Medicine from the boreal forest

Wilson became interested in natural forms of healing while she was a student at Bryn Mawr College, where she majored in German and anthropology. She was drawn to anthropological studies of healing, especially herbalism, or plant medicine. “That’s where my heart lies,” she says. 

As an herbalist, Wilson is largely self-taught, though she has taken classes online and at North House Folk School. The results of her work are Little Fox Botanicals, which are made by hand in small batches, with herbs that are sustainably wild-harvested, locally grown, and organic. “This is herbal medicine from the boreal forests of northern Minnesota,” she says.

Little Fox Botanicals include four preparations: two for use on the skin, one with anti-inflammatory properties, and one that is a bug deterrent. They are available at her studio in the Birchbark Building and across the street at Joy & Company. Shoppers will also find them during holiday markets at the Hub, Hovland, and Grand Portage. 

Hawaiian spiritual massage

Wilson’s interest in natural healing also led her to study massage. She is a recent graduate of the Maui Academy of Healing Arts in Paia, Hawai'i, and has passed the nationally recognized Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination. At the Academy, Wilson studied a wide variety of techniques, including Swedish massage, neuromuscular therapy, and hot stones. But her special interest is Mana Lomi massage, developed by Maka'ala Yates after years of studying and practicing Hawaiian healing concepts with his Hawaiian teachers.

The name Mana Lomi can be translated as “Hawaiian spiritual massage.” Practitioners of Lomi use long rhythmic strokes, often with their forearm. This form of massage emphasizes work with the muscle attachment sites, activating receptors in the muscles, allowing them to release. Muscles are then soothed with calming Lomi strokes. 

“It’s an extremely therapeutic and relaxing form of massage. It’s also much easier on the practitioner,” says Wilson, who notes that massage therapy is a physically demanding job and therapists sometimes suffer injuries.

Because she wants to make massage accessible to as many people in Cook County as possible, Wilson offers “mini massages” on Saturday afternoons. She also plans to offer mini-massages during the holiday markets at the Hub, Hovland, and Grand Portage. “These 15- or 30-minute sessions are a more affordable option than the usual 60- to 90-minute session,” she says.

Yoga: More than a workout

During her time in Maui, Wilson also trained to become a yoga teacher. Her interest in yoga began in college when she signed up for a class in gym. She also took online classes and developed her own practice. Her yoga studies fit well with her work in massage and herbalism. “Yoga is more than a workout. It’s not just physical exercise. It’s a time for healing of both mind and body,” she says.

She completed a 200-hour teacher training program at Maui Yoga Shala. The program included instruction in anatomy and body mechanics; yoga history, philosophy, and spirituality; the study of physical poses or asana; and much more. In addition, she taught public classes several times a week for five months. 

Wilson specializes in vinyasa, a fluid and dynamic practice in which students flow from one pose to the next, moving in harmony with the breath. A typical class might begin with a meditation, followed by a warm-up of gentle stretches, leading into a sequence of flows, deep stretches, balances, back bends, and a cool down, concluding with a time of relaxation and a chant. 

Wilson also has training in yin, gentle, and restorative yoga; yoga nidra; breath work; and meditation. She currently offers “Foundations of Yoga,” a six-session private course that is appropriate for either individuals or small groups of up to four people. In addition, she teaches public drop-in classes every Friday from 6 to 7 pm in suite 6 in the back of the Birchbark Building. (The entrance faces the DQ parking lot.) “Just bring yourself, your mat, and good vibes!” she says.

To learn more about Earth Body Healing, call or text Lily Wilson at (218) 556-1874. Or email her at [email protected]. You can also visit www.earthbodyhealingllc.com.