What begins as a routine trip to the dentist can, in rare cases, spiral into a fight for survival — and, for one Saint Lucia wellness entrepreneur, a complete reinvention of her life’s work. Crystal Soleil’s story in a new international bestseller shows how a terrifying medical moment can spark a career dedicated to healing others.
In “The Moment We Rise,” Saint Lucia wellness practitioner Crystal Soleil shares how a dental emergency changed her life and inspired a new career.
CASTRIES, SAINT LUCIA, November 15, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Crystal Soleil, who wears many hats as an international bestselling author, holistic wellness practitioner, abstract artist, and the founder of Soleil Holistics in Saint Lucia, opens up about a near-death experience in The Moment We Rise: Stories of Healing, Purpose, and the Courage to Choose a New Beginning. Released on September 9, 2026, this anthology featuring 15 authors climbed to the top of bestseller lists in several categories — including Biography Reference & Collections and Mental & Spiritual Healing — across the United States, Canada, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom.
In her chapter, titled “The Peace I Found Within,” Soleil recounts a medical crisis that erupted after what she assumed would be an unremarkable dental procedure, and how it reshaped both her personal life and professional path.
The trouble began after she received a pain-relief injection just before leaving the hospital. Waiting in a car for her husband, Soleil suddenly felt alarming symptoms take hold: her body grew heavy and unresponsive, her face went numb, and blood started trickling from her nose. Unable to speak or move, she knew something had gone terribly wrong.
When her husband returned and saw her condition, he rushed to get medical help. Soleil was hurried back into the hospital. As doctors and nurses worked to stabilize her, she recalls hearing one of them say she could not find a pulse.
Though terrified at first, Soleil describes a striking shift in her mental state during the crisis.
“Moments earlier, I had been terrified. I wanted to live. I wanted more time with my son and the people I loved,” Soleil writes. “Gradually, the fear quietly melted away.”
She remembers feeling a deep sense of calm even though she thought she might not survive. That moment challenged everything she believed about fear and made her wonder whether peace really depended on what was happening around her.
“For the first time in my life, I understood that peace was not dependent on circumstances,” she writes. “It existed beyond them.”
Soleil's physical recovery stretched across roughly three months. During that time, a holistic practitioner introduced her to mindfulness, breathing exercises, meditation, Reiki, and yoga. These practices rekindled interests in energy work, healing touch, artistry, faith, and service — interests she had explored earlier in life but had set aside.
As her health returned, Soleil went on to formally study body massage and energy healing. She eventually founded Soleil Holistics, where she now blends massage, mindfulness, and complementary wellness practices into her work with clients.
The ordeal also changed how she helps others cope with stress, uncertainty, and personal hardships. Instead of focusing only on physical recovery, Soleil began exploring how mindfulness and self-awareness can help a person feel more balanced overall.
“What I discovered through one of the most frightening experiences of my life was that the peace I had been searching for had been within me all along,” Soleil writes.
Soleil's chapter drives home a central message of The Moment We Rise: unexpected events can push people to rethink their priorities, chase new passions, and make major life changes.
The anthology gathers 15 authors who share personal stories of illness, grief, trauma, relationships, shifting identities, self-discovery, and unforeseen paths to purpose. Compiled by Vickie Gould, founder of Life Changing Energy, and released by Morning Oak Publishing, The Moment We Rise follows the international bestselling anthologies The Call Within: Finding Purpose and Sparking Transformation and Whispers of the Soul: Stories of Resilience, Awakening, and the Power of Healing from Within.
All proceeds from The Moment We Rise go to Brighter Healing Foundation, supporting its mission to broaden access to holistic healing education, tools, resources, and support. The book is available in eBook and paperback formats on Amazon.
About Crystal Soleil
Crystal Soleil is an international bestselling author, holistic wellness practitioner, abstract artist, and founder of Soleil Holistics in Saint Lucia. A licensed massage therapist, mindfulness practitioner, and energy healer, her work includes massage, mindfulness, and complementary wellness practices. Her writing explores personal transformation, resilience, and the insights that can emerge through difficult life experiences. She previously contributed the chapter “Awakening to My Life’s Purpose” to the international bestselling anthology Whispers of the Soul: Stories of Resilience, Awakening, and the Power of Healing from Within.
For media inquiries or to connect with Crystal Soleil, email crystalsoleilauthor@gmail.com.
Vickie Gould
Vickie Gould International, LLC DBA Life Changing Energy
+1 517-798-6299
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Why it matters: Soleil’s journey from a medical emergency to founding a holistic practice illustrates a growing shift toward integrative wellness — and the power of personal storytelling to inspire that change. Her experience suggests that even the most frightening events can become catalysts for new careers and deeper purpose, a message that resonates far beyond Saint Lucia.
