Bless your Beautiful Heart

Image Credit: Andrey Gorshkav

I had the amazing opportunity to give a massage to an 89 year old woman last week, and it left quite an impression on me for many reasons. It was the first massage this lovely soul had received in her entire 89 years of life. The simple fact that she walked into my office and was willing to lie down on my massage table with complete trust was a miracle in itself. But I was most moved by what she said to me.

"Bless Your Heart", she said, with wonder and awe in her voice. In those three words I heard so much reverence, appreciation and honor. It truly floored me. I was reminded of my Grandmother, who uses that phrase often,  always in such an endearing, true and loving way.

I want to share these words with you too, with hopes they can bring some of that awe and wonder into your heart too.

So, Bless Your Beautiful Heart.

Bless that rhythmic life-sustaining force pumping nourishment to every cell in your body. Bless that luminous center of compassion, which when awakened is bright enough to send love to each and every soul on this planet. Bless the scars and the cracks that run through, across and over your heart, and even those spots that seem to have broken in half,  because that is what makes your heart open to love. As Leanord Cohen sings , "There is a crack, a crack, in everything, that's how the light gets in."

Bless your beautiful heart.

Deeper Connections with your Baby during Pregnancy Sessions

Pregnancy Massage can enhance the overall health of mother and baby during and after pregnancy. The nurturing touch of massage can provide ease and comfort during this transformative time in a woman’s life. By reducing stress hormones massage can reduce birth complications, ease labor and improve infant health.  Massage assists with shorter labor for expectant mothers, reduces the need for medication, eases postpartum depression and anxiety, and contributes to a shorter hospital stay.

 

As a trained Birth Doula, Jessica holds sacred space for women to relax into a peaceful experience of pregnancy and birth.  During a prenatal massage, women often experience relief from stress and pain and a deeper connection with their babies.  Jessica welcomes the opportunity to assist you before, during and after the birth of your baby.

  

Additional Benefits of Prenatal Massage

 

Reduce insomnia

Relieve fatigue

Reduce headaches

Reduce back, joint & nerve pain

Help control blood pressure

Strengthen the immune system

Improve the circulatory system

 

Your Prenatal Massage Session

 

Prenatal massages are usually one hour in length. During your first session we will review your health history & intake form and discuss your goals and expectations. You should check with your health care provider before beginning any new therapy during your pregnancy. If you are experiencing health problems or have a high risk pregnancy, please bring written permission from your doctor. Please contact Jessica if you have any questions.

Bodywork treats more than the Physical

When I tell people I do massage and bodywork for a living I usually hear one of two things. “Oh, if only I could justify that kind of frivolous luxury”, or “I tried that once. It didn’t help!”  These comments usually stem from a lack of knowledge about the vastly different forms of bodywork available.  The bodywork I practice is a highly intuitive, integrative therapy that is very different from what is traditionally offered in a spa, clinic or massage chain. In addition to more typical requests to help relieve stress or treat a pulled hamstring, I often hear a call for help on the spiritual, emotional or energetic levels. 

Image by Asif Akbar

 The biggest turning point in my career was when a new client walked into my office and said, “I’m here for spiritual comfort.  I have pancreatic cancer and I only have two months left to live.”  This man’s confidence in the healing power of touch and presence inspired me to begin practicing in earnest a type of bodywork that integrates body, mind and spirit.   

Most often what I hear from new clients is something like, “I’m here because I feel a blockage in my lower back, and nothing I try to do to release it is working”.  During sessions, they often uncover fear, sadness or anger from early childhood or even before.  Sometimes they are surprised at what they find, and other times they have been working on this same issue for years and feel frustrated and hopeless with a seeming lack of progress.

For these clients, what seems to work best is a certain type of touch. Sometimes what is needed is a gentle, listening touch, and at other times it is a very deep, specific pressure.  This touch seems to provide clients the space to identify a spiritual or emotional issue they need to resolve. Oftentimes the issue lies buried beneath layers of muscles that have been contracted for months or even years, in which case traditional massage techniques are also used.  This intuitive touch, along with gentle coaching, guides clients towards a heightened sensory awareness that often results in a meditative state.   Along with this expanded state of awareness come deep relaxation, calm acceptance and a willingness to see and question limiting feelings and beliefs.

Our issues truly are in our tissues.   Studies have shown the negative effects of traumatic events on our bodies even when we have long since forgotten what happened.  For example, imagine that you are in a fairly serious car accident, and at the moment just before impact, your entire body tenses up and is flooded with fear and panic. You think, in fact, that you may be about to die. After the accident and the time it takes to recover from any acute injuries you’ve suffered, your brain may register that you are healed and safe, but your body tension does not relax.   You now feel an increased level of danger, unrest or anxiety and your body tension turns into chronic pain. It is not only the violence of traumatic accidents that gets lodged in the body.  The grief of a past or future loss, childhood memories of abuse or neglect, or even natural life transitions can become embedded in the body and manifest in various ways (e.g. pain, tightness).  

 The dear man who walked into my office with only a few months left to live put his faith in my hands. As we worked, his body relaxed layer by layer until his awareness was focused on the center of his being. What he was able to discover there was a deep well of inner peace, surrender and acceptance. His face was joyful as he told me he was ready to leave this world for whatever was next.  

There is an intricate connection between body mind and spirit, and bodywork can help integrate these seemingly disparate parts of us. The next time you notice pain in your body, breathe deeply and put your attention on the sensations of your body. Ask, “What is here for me to learn?”  You may be surprised by the wise answers you will receive from within.

Setting Limits

Throughout each day I think of many interesting and helpful things to blog about, but then as soon as I sit down at the computer my mind goes as blank as the page. Which explains why it's been over a year and a half since I've posted a blog (!!).  Today I decided I would write anyway. Even if it has nothing to do with bodywork or wellness or anything at all.

This morning it rained. The beautiful, blessed, drenching rain was a symphony for early morning drowsing. But yesterday, as the clouds gathered and humidity rose, I felt my muscles and joints gather tension and pain as if the moisture was gathering in my body too. I woke this morning aching and fuzzy, and as I looked at my schedule I realized I had a four hour chair massage fundraiser and 3 hours of bodywork on the books. 

Instead of berating myself for making such a poor choice (I am well aware that kind of day is overtaxing to my body, mind and spirit), and then forcing myself to do what I had agreed to do, I simply picked up the phone and cancelled my afternoon clients. 

I cannot begin to describe how good that felt. Instead of the all too familiar "tough love" approach, I was finally parenting myself with patience, care, and logical limits.

Unbelievably, before I finished the second text the aches and pains had completely disappeared from my body and my spirit soared. It was as if my body no longer had to try to set my limits for me, because I had finally taken on that role for myself.

I am left wondering how often do our bodies manifest symptoms to try to get us to slow down? What would have happened had I listened to that little voice that said, "Hey, that's a little too much work for one day!" If  we started listening to those voices, would our bodies stop creating so much pain and anguish?

I'm so grateful  for this beautiful rain today! I'm so happy for the opportunity to learn how to set better limits for myself. And I'm so excited to post a blog, even if it's not really about anything at all!

Image credit Michael Smolla

For the Mamas

Happy Mother's Day! I think of my Mom a lot this time of year! I'm missing her a lot, because the distance between us hasn't allowed a visit for a while.

When I was growing up  I spent hours with my mom in the garden and the kitchen. Growing food, harvesting and preserving jars of tomatoes, peaches and cucumbers, and lots and lots of weeding! We also scoured the meadows and forests for wild flowers, herbs,  and mushrooms (of course always on the look out for fairies).  I have fond memories of drying herbs on cookie sheets or paper bags, or on lines strung up in dark corners of the house. In the summertime she always had a gallon or two of herbal  tea brewing outside in the sun.

My Mom made a delicious blend of peppermint tea and apple juice that we all loved, but what stands out most in my memory is the raspberry leaf tea that was the staple beverage of our house. We weren't milk drinkers, and my mom chose raspberry leaf tea as our primary source of easily assimilated calcium, which, along with it's ample supply of Vitamin C, made this beverage highly nutritious for growing bodies. 

When I reached that long awaited rite of passage of womanhood, my first menstruation, raspberry leaf increased dramatically in value to me. My mom taught me to relieve my menstrual cramps and other premenstrual symptoms with the herb. My mom knew that raspberry leaf tea has been used widely by herbalists and midwives to tonify the uterus both before, during and after pregancy. These attributes are due to fragrine, an alkoaloid that strenthens the musles of the pelvic region, including the uterus.  It's benefits are reported to include reduced miscarriage and increased fertility. 

Susun Weed, a wellknown herbalist, attributes the following benefits to Raspberry leaf: 

~ Increasing fertility in both men and women. Raspberry leaf is an excellent fertility herb when combined with Red Clover.

~ Preventing miscarriage and hemorrhage. Raspberry leaf tones the uterus and helps prevent miscarriage and postpartum hemorrhage from a relaxed or atonic uterus.

~ Easing of morning sickness. Many attest to raspberry leaves' gentle relief of nausea and stomach distress throughout pregnancy.

~ Reducing pain during labor and after birth. By toning the muscles used during labor and delivery, Raspberry leaf eliminates many of the reasons for a painful delivery and prolonged recovery. It does not, however, counter the pain of pelvic dilation.

~ Assisting in the production of plentiful breast milk. The high mineral content of Raspberry leaf assist in milk production, but its astringency may counter that for some women.

I recommend doing a bit of your own research before starting any herbal therapy, but my opinion and that of many others, is that the the vitamin and mineral content of raspberry leaf is beneficial for any body. 

I usually get my herbs from Sunrise Natural Foods awesome bulk herb department.  It's easy to brew the tea at home.  Usually I start with a quart jar with 2-4 tablespoons of raspberry leaf, add very hot water to the top, cover, and let it sit anywhere from 1/2 hour to overnight. I then strain and drink a cup at a time, hot or cold. Lately I have been loving a blend of raspberry leaf, nettles and red clover, all excellent herbs for women's health.

Listen to your liver

In Chinese Medicine, spring is a time traditionally associated with the liver. Attending to the health of your liver is very important this time of year. I'm not a practitioner of Chinese Medicine, but I've learned a few things I thought you might find interesting. Most of what I've learned is a combination of what I've read in the book "Healing with Whole Foods" by Paul Pitchford, from Julie Ormonde at my beloved  Auburn Community Acupuncture, and in a fabulous class I took last year at One River Medicine in Meadow Vista, California.

Though the liver is most often credited simply with detoxification of the body, Chinese Medicine attributes many other health issues to liver health and function.  For example, tendons and their associated muscles are more easily strained and torn when the liver is imbalanced.  This is because qi (energy) gets stuck in the liver due to stagnation caused by overeating heavy, rich foods. Since qi is supposed to flow through the body and maintain the proper distribution of fluids and this stagnation limits that flow, muscles and tendons are less supple and flexible during stagnation.

Most people would never guess that their aching muscles are a message from the liver! Liver imbalances also cause symptoms including anger, impatience, frustration, impulsiveness, mood swings, goiters, cataracts, glaucoma, poor eyesight, allergies,fatigue, indigestion and menstrual problems, among many others.

To thoroughly treat a liver ailment, it would be best to see a practitioner of Chinese Medicine.  Unlike in Western Medicine, diagnosis and treatment is rarely if ever simple and straightforward. There are, however, a few simple ways you can treat your own liver stagnation.

One way to clear liver stagnation is to administer pressure to the the acupressure point outlined below. Liver 3 is located in a hollow on the top of your foot below the gap between your big toe and the next toe, between the 1st and 2nd metatarsal bones. To stimulate this point, place your right heel in the juncture between the bones that attach to the large and second toes and gently knead the point for approximately thirty seconds. Then switch sides to stimulate Liver 3 on your other foot. If you would like help locating this point just ask me at your next session!

 

There are also foods that can help clear stagnant liver energy. Some of the recommended foods are:
Lemon, lime or grapefruit,   members of the onion family, mustard greens, cardamom, cumin, fennel, horseradish and lemon balm.  Also helpful are sweet rice, strawberry, peach, cherry, pine nuts, cabbage, turnip root, cauliflower, broccoli and brussel sprouts, sprouted beans and seeds, mushrooms, rye, asparagus, amaranth, quinoa and alfalfa.

Spring time is a great opportunity to cleanse and clear the body, mind and spirit. Eat lightly, drink plenty of water, get some good bodywork, and look into your emotional states.  Look for healthy ways to express your anger instead of repressing it or taking it on those around you. Write it down, breathe deeply, go out into the woods and yell at the top of your lungs or scream into your pillow.

I would love to help if I can. Let me know if I can point you in the direction of additional resources as you take advantage of this wonderful time of the year.

Listen to your liver, and have a great Spring!

Are you feeling the need to be Cleaning House? I am ... Body, Mind & Spirit!   We notice now that the days are increasing in length and we are reminded of the coming of Spring! With more light coming in, some of us can now see the things we need to let go of. I'm hearing a lot of my friends speak of giving away possessions that are no longer needed, and I myself am feeling a strong drive to do some deep cleaning at home. As home and possessions are cleaned and sorted, it seems to allow a cleansing of thoughts and feelings as well. Cleansing the body works in a similar process. Over months or years of accumulation the body's systems become burdened and less efficient. Periodic cleansing allows the body to have the space it needs to re-organize, becoming lighter and more efficient. That means More Energy, More beauty, More Aliveness. "When one completes a cleanse, energy flows cleanly through the body.  The charismatic qualities of bliss, joy, and happiness arise more easily. You will feel a change in your thoughts, emotions, judgements, and motivations. One's focus and concentration are naturally drawn to higher things.  You will eventually discover that there is  no limit to how healthy and happy we can be." -David Wolfe Here are some very basic but powerful steps to take before your cleanse begins. 1.  Drink more water 2.  Add lemon to your water 3.  Cut back on sugar and flour 4.  Eat more raw fruits and vegetables 5.  Cut back on meat and dairy products 6.  Re establish healthy bacteria in your digestive system by taking probiotics (found in fermented foods or supplements) Remember, each small step, if made with consistent effort, leads to new, healthy habits! ......And don't forget to schedule regular Bodywork during your cleanse.... That's right ....  book a session. While you're blissed out on the massage table, the session is helping your body rid itself of toxins. Increased circulation of blood and lymph helps transport wastes out of the body, reduce cellulite, and improve the feel and condition of the skin.  Read more on the benefits of bodywork here