The Hawthorn tree, with hundreds of species worldwide, grows abundantly in Vermont and New England.  It has a long history in both Eastern and Western healing traditions.  In Chinese medicine, Shan Zha (Hawthorn berry) is used to support heart and digestive health and is a favorite herb of Dr. Borja.  In Celtic and Druid lore, Hawthorn is considered sacred, associated with love, protection, and ecological harmony—its flowers feed pollinators, its berries nourish birds and animals, and its branches shelter nesting birds.

The enso is a sacred Zen Buddhist symbol, painted with a single brushstroke in a single breath.  Its circular form represents life, unity, and wholeness.

Our logo brings these two sacred symbols together: from the open, imperfect enso grows the healthy, life-giving Hawthorn, reflecting interconnectedness with nature and the Yin-Yang duality of existence.  The concentric circles at the base of the design symbolize order emerging from chaos—a powerful metaphor for the healing journey and our vision at Integrative Osteopathic Family Medicine of Vermont.

The logo was created by Portland-based artist Bobby Finch, who beautifully captured our mission and values in this design.

Thank you for reading!