self-care

Last night I was reading an article in a massage therapy magazine about sports massage. College athletes who were trying out for professional teams were receiving daily massage during their training. The result was fewer overall injuries and quicker recovery from the injuries that did occur. This really isn’t news to anyone in the business of bodywork. We know that lengthening the soft tissue creates a greater range of movement and flexibility that helps protect the body. What really struck me about this article was the use of the word “prehab”.

I had an insightful flash that prehab isn’t just for athletes. We can all benefit from noticing our weaknesses and restrictions and preparing ourselves for challenging situations. We can prevent the need to rehab from injuries by being proactive and taking charge of our health.

In the same way that I like to “pre-hydrate” before a hike, I can prehab for a long car ride or a conference that involves sitting in an uncomfortable chair for several days. I can prehab for a stressful situation like a court date, an exam, or a holiday dinner with the in-laws. I think everyone is aware of the upcoming stressful events in their lives- they are those entries on our calendars that make us cringe or reach for chips or chocolate or vodka. I’d like to propose a more effective and healthier alternative: stress management.

Reducing our overall stress level allows us to better deal with acute situations that activate our fight or flight mode. Strengthening the relaxation response in preparation for difficulties ahead does not guarantee it will all be rainbows and roses, but will certainly reduce the impact on our state of mind. Practicing stress management helps prevent injury (including melt downs or blow ups) and helps us recovery more quickly.

Rather than being a victim to circumstances, we could invest our resources into prehab. Let’s face it, stress happens. Sometimes more than others. There’s no reason to be caught off guard when it does. Taking responsibility for our physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being demands that we take action. The cost of rehab is generally higher and includes more pain than preventative measures. I’m all for anything that removes extraneous suffering from my world. Prehab has just become an important part of my self-care regime. Starting now.

Prehab

Last night I was reading an article in a massage therapy magazine about sports massage. College…
Dr. Christiane Northrup wrote a brilliant article about the psoas being the most vital muscle in the body. That’s quite a definitive statement, right?! She does a fantastic job of establishing body-mind connection and explaining the importance of releasing the constant fight-or-flight reflex to enjoy optimal health. Not only am I experiencing the truth of her words from the inside of my own body, but I’ve witnessed it countless times in my bodywork clients.

I highly encourage reading what she has to say. She includes things to observe in yourself as well as tips for regaining balance, all in easy-to-understand language. Check it out here!

Psoas Rules!

Dr. Christiane Northrup wrote a brilliant article about the psoas being the most vital muscle in…
This morning I took a yoga class where the instructor offered an optional intention of extending unconditional friendliness, first to ourselves and our bodies, and then outwards towards others. I hopped on board right away, touched by the simplicity and power of this expression. In just two words, he summed up my approach to health and healing.

Let us approach our bodies with friendliness. No matter what. For me this meant backing off quite a bit during class as I was feeling tired and somewhat fragile. Rather than pushing through fatigue or forcing my body to hold poses it wasn’t really up to, I chose friendliness and rested frequently. I had planned to do a vigorous practice as I was feeling stiff and wanted to let go of accumulated tension. My body’s innate wisdom had a different plan for me, and because I was willing to listen, I benefited greatly.

This philosophy is also how I approach bodywork. So often we treat our bodies as the enemy; something to be conquered or beaten into submission, punished or ignored. Thousands of times I’ve seen pain melt away during a session in which I used friendliness as an intention rather than aggression or manipulation. To me it is intuitively obvious that we don’t lessen suffering by hurting one another or ourselves.

This newfound clarity has inspired me to behave differently. I’m decided to make friends with my body; to respect, honor, listen, cherish, and treat her with kindness. I will speak to her lovingly and give her the support she needs to thrive. It’s high time I make unconditional friendliness an internal priority rather than merely an external one. After all, my body will be with me for the rest of my life, we might as well be the best of friends!

Unconditional Friendliness

This morning I took a yoga class where the instructor offered an optional intention of extending…
I’m really focusing on the somewhat radical belief that pain is a message, from our bodies or our spirits, indicating that something needs our attention. When we acknowledge it as such, and receive the message we can then make the appropriate adjustments. This acceptance and taking of responsibility may or may not result in the lessening or elimination of the pain, but will absolutely promote a deeper healing from within.

I’ve been working with a client who’s recovering from an auto accident. She has both good days and bad days. On the days when she’s feeling pain, she will often take a muscle relaxer. Then she says she feels better and can do the things she wants to do. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with that. However, then she perceives a false sense of strength and well-being and tends to overdo. She thinks she’s feeling better, but actually she’s just feeling less. She’s missing out on the message from her body to rest or slow down or take it easy. Then that sets off a whole other chain of events as her recovery is set back by harmful activity.

Over the course of the 60 minutes we spend together, she’s starting to see that overriding her body’s request to have down time for healing is actually creating a longer period of recuperation. She’s recognizing that forcing her agenda of returning to her former state of athleticism before her muscles and nervous system are ready is causing her to feel worse in the long run. She’s coming to the awareness that the pain she experiences is an important message.

By no means am I suggesting that she stop taking the meds. Really that’s her decision and it’s not for me to know whether or not they are helpful. What I’m suggesting is that if she chooses to take them, to remember that she may have shot the messenger, but that doesn’t make the message itself any less important. As she learns to honor the input her body is readily sharing, I have no doubt that her healing will progress much more quickly. She can choose to feel less AND honor her body’s request. It’s just a matter of being mindful.

Pain as a Messenger

I’m really focusing on the somewhat radical belief that pain is a message, from our bodies…
In addition to private sessions and teaching classes, I’ve been offering community Reiki in center city Philadelphia for the past several months. While being quite a different format than traditional treatments, I’ve come to really look forward to these events. It’s a great opportunity for those who are curious about Reiki to experience the healing energy in a super-affordable way. While Reiki is always gentle, being in a community setting seems to diffuse the energy making it less intense, although it is just as powerful. Think sprinkler, vs. hose. Both get the job done, but the delivery method is extremely different.

I’m really pleased to partner up with Paige Chapman, owner and operator at Mama’s Wellness Joint to present another Community Reiki on Tuesday, March 29 at 7:30 pm. What a great way to unwind and get some support during the middle of the week. We’d love to have you join us and get “soaked” by the Reiki sprinkler! Wear comfy clothes and arrive a few minutes early to get settled in and set yourself up to relax on the floor with blankets and bolsters. $10-$20 suggested cash donation.

If you’re wondering what the heck Reiki is and why you’d want to experience it, check out my website for more information. It truly is a magnificent technique for healing on all levels: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. It works well with all other treatments and is safe for everyone. Best of all it creates a sense of deep inner peace that is simply divine. Put it on your calendar and come receive some healing energy.

Community Reiki Clinic

In addition to private sessions and teaching classes, I’ve been offering community Reiki in center city…
I taught a Reiki for Self-Care class this weekend. It was a great joy to attune three new practitioners to this powerful healing art. I’ve condensed my Reiki 1 curriculum down to the bare essentials of what students need to treat themselves in order to be active participants in their own well-being. In two and a half hours I cover the basics of what Reiki is, where it comes from, and how we can use it in our daily lives to boost our immune systems and relieve stress. It truly is so simple that one afternoon can change our lives.

I saw a friend afterwards who was surprised that the class was so brief. “How do you teach people to feel energy?” she wanted to know. I was stunned for a moment, as I have absolutely no idea how to do that! Practicing Reiki over more than a decade has opened up my receptivity to feeling energy, but no one ever taught me this skill. I realized that she thought sensing energy , blockages, and auras was necessary to practice Reiki. Luckily it isn’t.

I was grateful to address this misperception because it gave me insight as to why some people might feel unwilling to take my class. It had never occurred to me that someone might be worried that they couldn’t feel energy and would therefore not be a successful Reiki practitioner. Since Reiki energy is spiritually guided, practitioners need not worry about how it is distributed. I teach a series of hand positions that targets all organs, glands, and chakras to cover all the bases. Once students have been initiated through the attunement process, they simply follow the series to tune-up the whole system, or place their hands on or near an area of discomfort for minor first aid treatment.

It really is that simple! We don’t need to detect any negative energy or blocked energy or weak energy. We don’t need to investigate anatomy or physiology or pathology. We don’t need to speak with our inner children or higher selves. We just turn on the juice and let it flow where it’s needed. The hand positions are actually just suggestions that give our minds something to hold onto. The mere intention to flood ourselves with healing energy turns on the tap. The Reiki takes over from there, allowing us to sit back and soak it up. It’s sometimes hard to imagine that something so powerful can be so simple. And that, my friends, is the beauty of this miraculous technique!

Learning Reiki

I taught a Reiki for Self-Care class this weekend. It was a great joy to attune…
This year, I’m trying something different with my New Year’s Resolutions. While I do have some very specific daily and weekly goals, I’m allowing myself a great deal of flexibility. For example, on January 1, when I found myself on an airplane at the hour I’ve designated for exercise, I didn’t get agitated. When I awoke on January 2 feeling quite exhausted after traveling home from spending nine days chasing toddlers around, I allowed myself to go back to bed and rest.

Some people might say I’m lazy or undisciplined. I prefer to think that I’m discerning. I’ve set a primary intention to be happy, healthy, and free this year; and this intention supersedes all other goals. I find great comfort in this structure of flexibility. It allows me the liberty to decide each day if the well-designed routine I’ve created is the best strategy to align with my intention, or if there’s a more effective option.

It’s not my goal to be my own drill sergeant or to cross off a lengthy to-do list. Certainly the ego enjoys such tasks and is strengthened when I ignore the call for rest or gentleness in favor of rigid discipline. But Spirit encourages me to actively engage in life in a way that honors all of me, and that’s where the flexibility comes in. This is not a failure to stick to my resolutions; rather a refinement that allows my resolutions to work for me and my highest good.

I invite you to think of the intention behind your goals. Get in touch with the feeling that you’re hoping to create in the new year. And recognize that while your plan might be sensible and solid, there will be days, even weeks, when it just won’t be healthy to push on through to earn that gold star. (P.S. There is no gold star!) Because I enjoy it and recognize the tremendous benefits to my overall wellness, I’m going to exercise tomorrow morning. Unless I choose not to. I must assess those reasons for myself when the time comes.

Flexi-lutions. The evolved, flexible resolutions of 2016.

Flexi-lutions

This year, I’m trying something different with my New Year’s Resolutions. While I do have some…
When giving a Reiki session, it’s pretty obvious to me that there is an overflow of energy. The client naturally receives an abundance of Reiki, but the excess will spill over, filling the room and beyond. Pets are able to sense this and are drawn to the room where I am working when I do outcalls. People comment on the “good vibes” in my office space and sometimes I joke about creating a Reiki café where people can hang out and soak up healing energy. This is because Reiki is not confined to the limits of time and space. Let’s just say that universal energy is pretty darn miraculous! I’ll probably never intellectually understand how it works, but I’m astounded again and again by its vast power and unfathomable-ness.

I’ve been observing this phenomenon for over a decade, so when I was invited to offer a Community Reiki Clinic at a wellness center, I wholeheartedly agreed. It’s my hope that Reiki will one day become a popular source of wellness maintenance. Therefore offering people the opportunity to receive a treatment in a group setting got me pumped. This lowers the cost significantly, making it available to a much wider range of recipients than those who are able to schedule frequent one-on-one sessions. It’s also a great joy for me to watch the transformation that takes place on people’s faces as they relax for an hour in a Reiki-infused environment. And I get to rotate through the room several times delivering personal attention and connecting with each participant.

When learning how to give a Reiki treatment, we are taught that it is our intention that opens the channels for Reiki to flow. In the beginning, it might be helpful to use a few words (“Reiki on” or “May Reiki flow through me now for the highest good of Sally.”) for the mind to accept the power that lies at our fingertips. Eventually though, it’s enough just to think about Reiki and poof! The energy is flowing strongly. I’ve been experimenting with different “settings” for distributing the ki (life-force energy). I call the setting for hands-on Reiki “Super Soaker” after the popular water gun that releases a strong stream of water. This is the setting most practitioners rely on during treatments. I’ve also been using a “Fountain” setting, for filling the room with Reiki, and a “Sprinkler” setting as if I am watering the garden of participants resting before me.

I can only imagine that there is a limitless variety of ways to share healing energy. I always encourage my students to be creative and to experiment with different styles. I’m delighted to discover a new format of practicing that is more affordable and accessible to more people. I’m even more excited to remember that I am limited only by my thoughts, and that as I open up to the realm of Limitless Possibilities, I will be led to new ideas and circumstances that will expand my growth and ability to serve. I look forward to my experiments with the even more new settings and the opportunity to share them with you. If you’re in or near Philadelphia, check out Mama’s Wellness Joint for the next Community Reiki Clinic.

Community Reiki Clinic

When giving a Reiki session, it’s pretty obvious to me that there is an overflow of…
I like to think of my health as a savings account. Every day I make deposits and withdrawals based on my thoughts, words, and actions. Obviously I want to continuously increase my balance, so I aspire to make more frequent and larger deposits than withdrawals. This way I am giving my body the support it needs to do its job of being well and energetic.

Stress seems to be the number one withdrawal to our health accounts in modern society. Whether it be at work or home, from family or society, financial or social; it seems inescapable. Worse yet, it often drives us to seek comfort in activities that further deplete our health such as over-drinking, -exercising, -eating, numbing out in front of the TV, or any type of distracting behavior that saps our life-force energy. When these withdrawals exceed our healthy deposits, we make ourselves more vulnerable to disease and discomfort.

Perhaps the most healthful thing we can do for ourselves is to practice kindness; not only towards others, but also towards ourselves. This looks different for each person as our passions and challenges are all unique. For me, being kind to myself means planning nutritious meals and regular mealtimes, making time to rest, meditating, reading inspiring books and blogs, and dancing. These are all activities that make me feel great and boost my energy. And they all take time, special props or settings, and a good deal of effort.

I have discovered a super-power for creating limitless deposits with little effort. I’m talking about daily application of Reiki healing energy. Reiki is a powerful healing technique that uses gentle touch to flood one’s body with universal life-force energy. This is the same energy that the immune system uses to function at maximum effectiveness. Most people don’t have the luxury of scheduling an appointment every day with a professional Reiki practitioner, so I am a huge proponent of self-treatments.

One of the great things about Reiki is that is can do no harm. For this reason, it’s super easy to learn and to treat oneself. There are no prerequisites or special abilities involved. I’ve distilled the essence of what people need to know for self-use into a three hour class that promotes a simple sequence of hand positions that is my absolute top recommendation for maintaining wellness. Even better, it’s easy to give oneself a dose of Reiki “on the fly” in stressful situations or during downtime. Think meetings, airports, subways, exams, family holiday dinners, and busy checkout lines.

If you’re interested in making daily contributions to your health savings account and becoming your most vibrant self, I am here to encourage you to take a Reiki class and commit to giving yourself the gift of a 10-20 minute blast of healing energy daily. If you live in or near Philadelphia, I’d like to invite you to my Reiki for Self-Care: Banish Stress from 2016 class on Sunday, January 17. We may not have control over the amount of stress that life deals us, but we absolutely have the power to manage it with daily practices of self-care and kindness.

Daily Health Deposits

I like to think of my health as a savings account. Every day I make deposits…