I’ve been testing and sniffing and consulting with a colleague and master aromatherapist about creating delightful essential oil blends.
They are each designed to evoke a particular physiological and emotional outcome AND smell divine.
Choose from one of the four mixes and elevate your healing experience.
Calm: lavender, bergamot, and frankincense
Ground: spruce, sweet orange, and vetiver
Uplift: tangerine, cypress, and petitgrain
Balance: lemongrass, rosemary, and geranium
Some medical conditions don’t pair well with these oils- they are pretty potent medicine and need to be treated with respect. It’s important that you share any conditions or if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, with your therapist.
The special for May is a free upgrade with a 90-minute Reiki-massage if scheduled by May 31, 2024.
Prepare yourself for a next-level healing experience! I hope to offer this as an add-on for all appointment types in the future, but for now the 90-minute combo is the way to go.
Aromatherapy is finally here!! I’ve been testing and sniffing and consulting with a colleague and master…
I spent a lovely hour in the woods the other morning. It’s pure therapy for me to be outside amongst my tree friends. Today I visited a tributary of the creek and found it to be rushing instead of its usual trickle.
We’ve had abundant rain lately, along with occasional flooding of major thoroughfares and copious mud puddles. A bit more dramatic than usual, but isn’t that the way things have been?
While I was enjoying the fresh air, the sounds and beauty of nature and the sunshine, I realized that this little waterway was a reflection of what I’m sensing in life.
Things are really moving fast these days! Perhaps it’s the energy of Aries, where assortment of heavenly bodies are currently clustered, the effects of the recent eclipse, or… well, who knows exactly, but I’m guessing you’ve felt it too.
What really popped out on my walk, though, was that the water flows fastest where the creek bed is narrow. In the places where it widens out, the water slows and becomes more leisurely.
This was one of those ding-ding-ding moments where something that seems completely obvious clicks into place in a deeply satisfying way.
If I want to enjoy the benefits of these quickly moving currents, focusing my attention on where I want to go AND how I can surrender to the flow will amplify my efforts.
It’s the combination of using the power of my intention combined with riding the natural energies that will yield the greatest results. I can choose to narrow my focus and feel like I’m kayaking through the rapids or I can diffuse my focus and feel like it’s a lazy, slow inner tube float.
Both are necessary for me in my personal life and business, but different goals call for different methods.
If you’re finding the flow to be too fast, too activating, maybe even overwhelming, zoom out and place your attention on the bigger picture. It’s likely your nervous system is all riled up and could use some soothing, but you can’t really feel that when you’re riding the rapids.
Likewise, narrowing your focus might help you to catch a lift on those rushing currents and bring some excitement and inspiration into your efforts.
I chose the latter and found myself being carried by exciting inspiration. I have some new services brewing, a potential collaboration for a new workshop and a new blog: A Soul’s Journey, found on Substack.
The cool thing about Substack is that it’s reader-supported rather than ad-supported, and I’ve made most posts available for free while offering twice-monthly guided practices for paid subscribers. If you’re interested in exploring the spiritual realm with me, I hope you’ll join us over there.
And if you’re interested in staying up to date on events and services I offer, please join my monthly newsletter.
And if you’re interested in receiving a session, I would delighted to work with you, no matter if you’re wanting to go narrow and fast, or wide and slow.
I spent a lovely hour in the woods the other morning. It’s pure therapy for me…
Yowza. I’m hearing a lot of reports from folks who are feeling daunted by the next phase of their healing journeys. It seems a lot of wounds and imbalances are coming to the surface; while this can be quite uncomfortable, it’s better than having them festering beneath the surface preparing for sneak attack.
If you’re feeling this way, know that you aren’t alone.
Whether it’s taking that first step or leveling up, overwhelm might be an unwelcome companion on this trip. There’s so much information out there, it’s hard to know what is relevant for you and where the heck to begin.
Misaligned habits, unprocessed trauma, limiting beliefs, cultural conditioning, suppressed emotions, dysfunctional relationships, unhealthy environments, outdated coping mechanisms, and chronic stress can all contribute to lack of wellness. To make it extra-interesting, many of these factors get tangled together and it can be difficult to trace to their origins.
It can be A LOT!
And… all journeys begin with just the first step. In my experience, managing stress is a wise place to start. Stress affects all of our bodily systems- digestion (gut health, we are learning, is the cornerstone to wellness), mental/emotional state (another cornerstone), quality of sleep (yup, this too!), cardiovascular capacity (need I say it?) and detoxification (mmhmm…) in particular.
By addressing chronic stress, we can free up life-force energy from perpetual survival state functioning and allow it to support the body’s innate healing abilities.
I’m not talking about a tropical vacation or meditation retreat or retirement. While that might be the route that you choose, it’s possible to learn to metabolize the effects of stress rather than avoiding it altogether through a complete lifestyle makeover (again, that may be for you, but don’t freak out if it isn’t!).
When I feel overwhelm bubbling up and my shoulders creeping up to my ears, I find moving my body to be a miraculous remedy. A few songs spent dancing (or thrashing!) about my living room can work wonders. Deep breathing, being in nature, expressing my thoughts and feelings (within the safe confines of my journal), singing, chanting, time spent on a creative project, laughter, and Reiki are all elements that help me manage the stress of the world.
Now you might read that as an assignment and think, well how in the world am I going to do all of that?
Good news! You don’t need to do it all. Choose one thing and start there. I’ve been at this for decades, and my healthy habits have accumulated over that time, bit by bit, but I started with just one thing.
One strategy is to choose the action that will have the biggest impact.
For me, that’s Reiki, a powerful but gentle healing energy that grounds me and activates the physiological antidote to stress.
Another strategy is to choose the easiest thing to implement as that will build your sense of accomplishment and encourage progress.
For me that’s also Reiki! How easy is it to absorb healing energy?
Your circumstances are obviously different than mine, but I feel confident that there’s something you can do today that will help. Ten conscious, deep breaths. A walk around the block. Watching a silly cat video. Calling a friend who knows how to listen.
It doesn’t need to be perfect, and it needn’t be the solution to all your problems. Just one thing that helps you feel calm in the moment. Just give it a try!
And if you want some Reiki healing deposited in your wellness account or some soothing bodywork, that’s what I’m here for! Book a session and I’ll do the work and you can sit back and receive.
And subscribe to this blog! I share lots of tips and tricks about holistic wellness, monthly specials and metaphysical tools. On most devices, the button to subscribe is found on the lower right corner.
Yowza. I’m hearing a lot of reports from folks who are feeling daunted by the next…
Spring has definitely sprung here in Philly! It’s a great time for clearing out any energy that might have gotten blocked or stagnant over the winter.
To support this spring cleaning and the challenging energies that many are facing, I’ve decided to keep the five package remote Reiki special rolling for another month. Goodness knows, lots of people can use lots of healing energy at this time.
Reiki is an infusion of spiritually-guided life-force energy that fosters relaxation and relieves stress and pain, stimulating the body’s innate healing abilities and freeing us up to pursue our goals.
This is a holistic healing treatment that addresses the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and energetic bodies. It brings our beings into balance and helps align us with our passion and purpose.
Remote treatments are received from the comfort of your own space for maximum impact, minimum effort. We have a short phone call to clarify your needs, then disconnect so I can focus on the treatment. Afterwards, I follow up with an email, sharing any pertinent information.
Shedding old skins, cultural conditioning, limiting belief systems, outdated coping mechanisms, releasing trauma, poor self-worth and ancestral healing are all UP these days. Reiki can help get things moving where they’d been stuck and give us the energy we need to keep going in the face of adversity.
For those of us in any kind of transition (divorce, moving, menopause, having kids, kids growing up, grieving loss), those who are beginning a new project and those who are burning the candle at both ends, some extra support and nourishment can make a huge difference. If your energy is depleted, stagnant, stuck, stale or altogether missing, Reiki can fill up the tank.
5 session packages are $400 when purchased through the end of April and good for an entire year. That’s a $100 savings compared to the one-off price and $50 less than the usual five package rate.
Spring has definitely sprung here in Philly! It’s a great time for clearing out any energy…
A good portion of my work is focused on helping folks with chronic muscle tension and the resulting discomfort. Let’s just say I have a fair amount of job security; thanks to the stressfulness of modern-day living there’s no shortage of tension.
I’ve learned some interesting things over the past 20+ years doing massage and Reiki in addition to finding balance in my own body.
Very frequently a protective mechanism is involved and stimulating the muscle(s) to contract. Fighting against a contracted muscle is an arm-wrestling match you can never win.
It could be the nervous system activating the reflex that attempts to ensure your survival by preparing to fight or flee. It does this by tensing the muscles in your extremities.
It could be an old injury, long forgotten, and the resulting movement pattern that continues on long past it’s helpfulness. It could be an emotional upset or energetic blockage.
What these things all have in common is that they are not effectively treated by pummeling, stretching, thumping or mashing a tense muscle.
Protective mechanisms respond to creating a sense of safety and awareness in the body. Gentle, non-invasive, non-painful touch can communicate to the part that is standing guard, hyper-vigilant and overprotective, that it’s ok to let go. Once that message is received, the muscles can relax effortlessly.
Rather than trying to force the muscles, which btw are only following orders from the nervous system, to release, in my work I go right to the command center and convince the boss that it’s time for a new strategy.
This is why a lot of DIY approaches fail. Stretching a muscle that is on high alert/lock down might feel good in the moment, but it does nothing to change the reason why the muscle is tight to begin with. Same goes for getting your GF, BF, BFF, spouse, sister or neighbor to jab an elbow into the knot.
If you’re not experiencing relief from your current approach, I’d like to suggest trying something different in order to invite different results.
Makes sense, right?
I specialize in gentle massage and Reiki treatments to reduce stress, pain and suffering. These are not your ordinary sessions! My clients report deep transformation and relaxation because I communicate with the command center rather than attempting to overpower muscles.
Book yourself an appointment and let’s get started on rewiring your nervous system and giving your muscles a break.
A good portion of my work is focused on helping folks with chronic muscle tension and…
I get so frustrated when doctors diagnose arthritis and lead people to believe that there is nothing to be done about the pain they are experiencing. Gah!
True. There is no cure for arthritis. AND that doesn’t mean that it is a sentence to hopelessness and increasing discomfort.
We’re talking about inflammation of one or more joints. It can be quite unpleasant when left untreated. But don’t despair. It’s possible to manage inflammation and to create space in joints that might be jammed together because of tense muscles or imbalanced movement patterns.
(If you’re over 20, I can practically guarantee you have at least one imbalanced movement pattern; perhaps from an old injury that didn’t heal 100% or repetitive actions from a job or hobby.)
It’s possible to have arthritis and to minimize the resulting pain. I see it all the time and feel it in my own body. We can only benefit when reducing inflammation, tension and misalignment. Why not give it a try?
Reiki is an amazing holistic healing technique that utilizes spiritually-guided life-force energy to reduce stress and pain. Stress is a primary driver of inflammation. It stands to reason, and has been backed up by my 20+ years of experience, that minimizing stress can provide relief to inflammatory conditions.
Processing suppressed emotions is another result of this modality. Releasing anger and worry and grief that might be stored in the body blocking the energetic flow can help joint issues. And will help prevent us from tipping over into red zone where cortisol triggers more inflammation.
You know what doesn’t help joint issues? A diagnosis presented without hope of a remedy. It’s unclear to me why the medical establishment hasn’t grasped this fact yet. Despair feeds tension that puts greater strain on the joints.
Reducing stress and re-establishing a healthy flow of energy in the body can support the reduction of muscle tension. This encourages circulation, providing the muscles with fresh oxygen and removes cellular waste, reducing pain in the muscles which can trigger a cycle of clenching, pain, clenching and more pain. It also allows for more space in the joints.
Reiki can also support body awareness and increase access to inner wisdom, helping us to notice when we’re using poor body mechanics and guiding us to new patterns or even therapies, such as Somatics, Feldenkrais or Gyrokinesis that promote balanced, healthy movement patterns, or products that activate the body’s innate healing abilities.
It might take time to relearn how to sit, stand and move in alignment, meet with and metabolize feelings and trauma, manage stress and reduce inflammation. This is what holistic healing looks like: addressing the causes of imbalance rather than trying to eliminate the effects while carrying on with the offending behavior. It’s possible that these causes have been developing for decades; reversing this requires some patience and self-compassion.
But with some attention, effort and consistent Reiki support, there is hope of finding greater comfort and ease in the body and peace of mind.
To me, that seems like a much better option than doing nothing and bemoaning the doctor’s verdict.
I’d be delighted to work with you if you’re interested in pursuing Reiki treatment, or massage if you’re in the Philly area. If that’s not your thing, I’d encourage you to explore one of the movement therapies I listed above, an anti-inflammatory diet or some form of herbal or homeopathic support. Most importantly, know that there is hope, as hope is one of the greatest medicines available.
I get so frustrated when doctors diagnose arthritis and lead people to believe that there is…
Another great talk from Tosha Silver.
If you’re too busy to listen for 10 minutes, here’s what I want you to know.
Believing that giving is better than receiving is like thinking exhaling is more important/righteous/spiritual than inhaling.
NOT sustainable!
And a recipe for depletion, burnout or even illness.
I see it in my Reiki practice all the time. People will allow themselves a session to receive compassion, attention and healing energy when everything falls apart and they just can’t go one more step on their own but won’t come in for feel-good or even preventative care.
They’ll let me fill up their tank and then they’ll go give, give, give, scraping the bottom of the barrel giving the last crumb kind of give, wait another 2 months until they can’t get out of bed, and then contact me.
Can you relate? If you’re reading this, I bet you can!
Tosha offers a simple prayer: Turn me into one who can receive as well as give. 💕
You can start rewriting your story and become a balanced giver/receiver no matter how entrenched you are in the old narrative.
And if you want some Reiki support, I’m happy to comply. I can tap into the universal supply and share it with you in a session- either in my Philly office or a remote session where you don’t have to get dressed or go to yet another appointment.
Another great talk from Tosha Silver. If you’re too busy to listen for 10 minutes, here’s…
I’m delighted to announce some in-person classes coming soon! Both will be held in my Mt. Airy (a neighborhood of Philadelphia) studio. Space is limited, registration is required.
Anyone can learn Reiki! You don’t need any special psychic skills or healing abilities. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never meditated or eaten kale, if you don’t practice yoga or wear crystal jewelry or baggy pants.
If you’re open to new ideas and want to actively participate in cultivating the optimal health and vitality available to you, this is your way in.
My passion is helping ordinary, busy folks find their own unique path on the healing journey. I endeavor to make energy healing as accessible and doable as possible. You can cultivate a daily routine if you enjoy structure and/or practice on the go if you prefer freedom and spontaneity.
During class, you’ll receive an attunement (the initiation provided by a Reiki Master) which will gently open your energy pathways and connect you to this healing energy.
Afterwards, you’ll be able to effortlessly tap into Reiki and direct it at will. Whenever you want! Lifetime access without any membership fees.
If you’re interested in learning how to use Reiki exclusively for your personal wellness, healing, empowerment and personal or spiritual development, Reiki for Self-Care will provide all that you need to get started.
If you’re interested in offering treatments to others or perhaps become a professional practitioner, Reiki 1 is your starting point. We cover everything in the Self-Care course plus how to give a session to friends, family and pets.
I’m delighted to announce some in-person classes coming soon! Both will be held in my Mt.…
There are loads of reasons you might be experiencing, or teetering on the edge of, burnout.
Doing all the things without support from society or family or the workplace is a common source of depleted energy.
Chronic stress is exhausting. And insanely epidemic.
Avoiding our emotions takes an extraordinary bite out of our reserves. Consistent worry and attempts at controlling life or other people are heavy drains on our batteries.
Feeling like you’re lost and alone in a hostile world is another factor that saps energy.
These issues slowly (or not so slowly!) drain life-force over time. If it’s not replaced on a steady basis, the body, mind and spirit suffer.
I think of my life-force energy much the way I do money. I want to have more deposits than withdrawals. I want to spend wisely and curtail all waste. I want to invest in ventures that bring the greatest returns.
It sounds simple, right? Maybe. That doesn’t mean it’s easy. Some obligations are non-negotiable, no matter how draining they are. Some phases of life require a hefty expenditure of energy with delayed benefits. Sometimes the perfect storm hits us out of the blue and catches us off guard.
Don’t get me started on menopause!
Many of the remedies our society points to are not helpful at all. Scrolling on social media, alcohol, binge watching trashy TV and comfort foods might bring momentary relief but don’t actually nourish us in any meaningful way.
If the problem is a deficiency of life-force energy, then deposits of the same are the only true medicine. These can come from time spent in nature, connection with uplifting people, joyful movement, creative projects, and pleasure.
Sadly, these activities might not seem accessible from the vantage point of burnout.
Which is where Reiki comes in. Reiki is a holistic healing technique that bathes the recipient in spiritually guided life-force energy and stimulates the body’s innate abilities to restore itself. It’s the easiest, safest, most powerful strategy I’ve discovered in over 25 years of exploring the journey of healing.
If you need to start making some deposits in your life-force account, look no further. To make things even easier, you have the choice of staying in your fuzzy pajamas and receiving an infusion without leaving home. Or coming to my office in your fuzzy pajamas. 🙂 No judgment here.
While I provide sessions year round, for the month of January, I’m offering 24% off all in-person and remote Reiki treatments. Book by the 31st to take advantage of this deal and get started on the road to recovery.
Luminous Heart Reiki & Massage 