Sunning Hill Retreat Presents “A Hymn to Life” Art & Mindfulness Experience at The 2026 International Congress on Integrative Medicine and Health
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
From April 20 to April 23, 2026, Sunning Hill Retreat presented “A Hymn to Life,” a multi-day immersive art and mindfulness experience, at the Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City during The 2026 International Congress on Integrative Medicine and Health.
During the four-day professional conference, Sunning Hill Retreat created a space that felt different from the usual rhythm of meetings and presentations; a place where attendees could pause, breathe, reflect, and reconnect with themselves and others. More than 200 participants attended the event; clinicians, educators, policymakers, Congress board members, committee members, and staff, students, and trainees.
An Inward Journey Through Art and Mindfulness
Curated by Sunning Hill Retreat, the experience was centered around the abstract artwork of artist ZHEN-RU. The journey was designed to gently guide participants from simply viewing the artwork to noticing what was happening within themselves.
This was not a traditional art exhibition--it was a quiet mindfulness journey. Within the space, participants were invited to step away from their professional roles and busy schedules by taking them back to the fundamentals of life and utilizing the senses. The experience started with focusing on breathing to becoming present with what they saw and felt.
The artwork left room for each person’s own interpretation. There were no fixed answers and no single way to experience the pieces. Through color, texture, movement, and stillness, the installation invited participants to slow down and notice emotions, memories, and inner spaces that are often overlooked in daily life.
Many participants found reflections of their own stories, grief, pressures, hopes, and longings within the works. The experience concluded with group reflection sessions, where attendees shared openly in a safe and supportive setting. In these moments, art became more than something to observe; it became a bridge for trust, vulnerability, and human connection.
Voices from Leadership
“This experience reaffirms our belief that art, mindfulness, and contemplation can help people return to clarity, balance, and inner connection,” said Cherry Huang, Curator of the event and CEO of Sunning Hill Retreat. “We were honored to offer this space within such an important international medical and academic gathering. As we often say, healers need to be healed.”
Samantha Simmons, CEO of Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine & Health, shared her reflection: “I have never experienced anything quite like this in my life. What they created was a whole experience. The compassion and love they bring is something you can truly feel. I am so grateful that so many of our attendees were able to experience it. This was a gift — a rare act of generosity and a shared human journey. To have people show up in the world this way, helping us heal together, is truly extraordinary.”
Practicing the Mission of Whole-Person Health
From physical interaction and meditation to art viewing and shared dialogue, “A Hymn to Life” reflected Sunning Hill Retreat’s understanding of whole-person health: true well-being is not only about the body, but also about emotions being seen, the inner self being grounded, relationships being renewed, and the value of life being gently affirmed.
In medical, scientific, and educational fields, professionals are often trained to look outward toward patients, systems, data, and outcomes. “A Hymn to Life” offered a rare opportunity to look inward, allowing participants to reconnect with their own emotions, vulnerability, resilience, and humanity.
This experience was also a living expression of Sunning Hill Retreat’s mission. We will continue to create spaces that bring together art, mindfulness, nature, and reflection in support of emotional restoration, inner balance, and whole-person well-being.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to every participant, volunteer, partner, and organizer. Your openness and sincerity transformed this experience from an exhibition into a shared journey of mindfulness and connection.
We hope that everyone who was touched by the experience carries forward a rediscovered sense of gentleness and stillness into each next chapter of life.
About Sunning Hill Retreat
Based on Long Island, New York, Sunning Hill Retreat offers wellness and retreat experiences that integrate art, mindfulness, nature, and reflection. In a fast-paced world, we create accessible pathways to inner peace, balance, and whole-person well-being through the art of mindful living.
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