Kneipp doctor Dr Martin Spinka writes for the new year 2019:

I believe that we Kneippers really have a gift in that we can achieve something that Pastor Kneipp called hardening through small impulses that can be easily integrated into our daily routine - daily "Kneipp". With his understanding of hardening - the regular, measured exposure to natural stimuli - we gain resistance. We gain this resistance in all the pillars - in all the pillars that we nurture. All the pillars were important to Kneipp. But you know as well as I do that the "order of life" was most important to him. Gaining resilience or hardening in the order of life means that we learn to resist the things that are not good for our order of life. To resist actions and behaviour that bring disorder and chaos to our inner being.

So if I want to find peace during the "quietest" time, it might help to spend 2-3 minutes in silence every day. Associate this time with a "trigger", an external symbol that will then always be associated and linked in your brain with this inner calm. Daily quiet time in front of a candle and/or ringing in the silence by ringing a bell would be suggestions. I wouldn't be surprised, I would just like to see the wise words of Father Kneipp confirmed if, in a year's time, "triggered" by the many candles in Advent and the little bells at Christmas time, you suddenly become completely silent and peace returns to you. Then you will have brought together modern neurobiological knowledge and traditional Kneipp therapy - hallelujah!

We absolutely must meet in 2019, as this is the year in which the Kneipp regional association board must be elected. To this end, a general assembly of the provincial board and the chairmen and chairwomen of the KACs will be held on 23 March 2019 at 9 a.m. in the "Eliassaal" in Linz, Friedensplatz 1, with the election of the provincial board. I cordially invite you to attend and ask you to register by calling 0660 533 70 50 (Maria Haslehner, my surgery assistant, will take your registration).

I wish you an active and, when the time is right, peaceful Kneipp year 2019!

Yours sincerely

Chairman of the Upper Austrian Kneipp Association

Dr Martin Spinka