Thai Yoga Massage and Jetlag

Thai Yoga Massage is pretty useful for most sorts of physical and emotional recovery (so my clients tell me).  A sub-set of my clients, however, specifically use my Thai Yoga Massage to help them recover from jet-lag.

Pictured left is one of those clients: she not only has a romper-stomper of a work schedule, but she's also 7 months pregnant!  Familiar with her crazy, demanding, international-travelling schedule for many years now, she had the foresight to plan out deliciously comfortable days of solace spent at home to enjoy her pregnancy: time with her hubby and cat, Zeus (yes, that's him perched above her head on the pillow), lounging by her gorgeous, Mediterranean-inspired garden, baking, and sleeping in her own bed!  My client loves being at home, because she doesn't get to be there much, and in addition to home comforts, she's added my Pregnancy Thai Yoga Massage into the mix.

With her expanding belly comes the typical pregnancy-related symptoms of lower back aches, neck and shoulder pain, tiredness, less-than-optimal circulation, and weight gain.  Add in hours spent on her feet, dexterous work with her hands, countless hours stuck sitting on a plane, and global time changes affecting her sleep...well, you can see why she'd enjoy a Thai Yoga Massage after she arrives back in home.  Since she's working right up until her due date, my client likes to book me around her flight times, and I usually see her the morning after she gets in.  And Zeus gets a bit of cat massage too!

Never Too Busy For My Body

This blog is a shout-out to all my compliant clients.  What does that mean?  A compliant client is a client who listens to your advice, and applies themselves.  In being open to my professional advice, and taking the suggestions to heart, my clients make incremental lifestyle shifts toward life-positive habits that help them in the long run.

Not all clients are compliant, mind. you.  And that's OK -- it's not a judgement.  They just have other priorities.  The things is, if you're not going to heed a professional's advice and hurtle headlong, making zero adjustments in your life, just remember to ratchet back your expectations of healing yourself if you're not gonna do the homework.  In other words, don't expect any changes.

I asked a current client why she's so open to my suggestions.  And mind you, this woman is no slacker in general: she's 110% busy.  Busy with a capital B.  Bi-zay.  Manages a high-profile business, has an upside-down work schedule, is super intelligent and ballsy, is mother to a teenager, has a very full family life, works out regularly and frequently, AND party plans on the side.  When I asked her why she bothered with the simple suggestions I made, she quickly said, "I might be busy, but I'm never too busy for my body."

Touché!  It's all in her attitude that generates her ability to take care of herself, and consequently, be able to keep all the spinning plates of her full life in balance.


My client is humble enough to know she's not perfect.  And I'm not the perfect practitioner for everyone.  But together, by listening to one another, she hopes to better herself, and I hope to help her achieve her health goals.

Pregnancy Thai Yoga Massage for the Hearing Impaired

To the left is a photo of the collection of all the Post-It Notes my client and I scribbled to one another during her Pregnancy Thai Yoga Massage with me.  I worked with my first pregnant deaf client the other week (I don't mean to offend, but is it totally un-PC to call someone deaf?).  She didn't tell me beforehand she was hearing impaired, so I had no idea...not until she parked and got out; I yelled hello from a distance, but saw that she didn't react.  It wasn't until she walked through the gate, and looked up and saw my mouth moving that she pointed at her ear.  A-ha, I got it.

I didn't feel prepared, but very quickly, I found that body language was easier for me to communicate in, than verbal (go figure, being a massage therapist and all...).  Gesturing to her feet, I asked her to remove her shoes by the front door.  With a smile, I gestured for her to follow me to my studio.  She set her stuff down, and sat as I handed her a pen and my consultation form.  As she filled her info out, I had the brilliant idea to scribble my first notes: "Hi! FYI: Bathroom is down the hallway to your right, just in case.  I will ask you 1/2 way through the massage in case you need to go, OK?"  :)  Having to clam up forced me to be creative with my words, and also, more precise.  "Massage starts lying on your right-side.  I will prop and support with pillows, and keep you warm with a blanket.  Any questions, just let me know."

Have you ever felt like talking is a lot of hot air?  That much the time we spend speaking is just that...and not much listening?  I sure do.  But I am not hearing impaired, so I don't have the choice to block people's voices out, unless it's by avoidance.  But oftentimes, I wonder if talking is just filler.

Not so with my pregnant client.  I began my massage, and unlike my usual clients, there was no talking...just the soft sounds of kundalini mantras playing and keeping the vibration up.  Without verbal reassurance, all she had to go on was feeling comfortable with my touch...and I was keenly aware that my touch was one of the strongest trust builders she had.  As I kept massaging her, my initial anxiety over lack of preparation melted away into appreciation for the silence.  It allowed me concentrate deeper, and focus on body language to convey, totally and completely.

As we hit the halfway mark, I tapped her on the shoulder.  Most of my pregnant mommas appreciate the pit stop.  She was no exception, being nearly 7 months on.  During her break, I scribbled more notes: "Forgot to tell you, baby may move more due to you relaxing.  Your ribs and upper back are tight, so extra room gives baby room to move around."  She wrote back, "It's what the baby and I need!"

And so began a flurry of note scribbling, punctuated by nods and smiles of approval!!  It was really fun!  I found that my face, particularly the jaw, was really relaxed from not having to use it for facial expressions, other than genuine smiling.  I wrote my observations, and she wrote her back.  Felt like communication in a more purer form.  A connection was made...we got one another.

At the end of her 90 minute massage, I wrote, "U feeling OK?  Questions?  I'll show you a yoga stretch for opening up your ribs and lungs OK?  Will help stretch backs of legs too."  She wrote back, "The more I feel good (some pain) when you stretched me, the more I realize I really want to sign up for pre-natal yoga.  It's what I and my body needs."

Wrapping it up, I wrote, "If you have any questions, feel free to email me anytime.  I can always go over what we talked about over email...I'm sure you got a lot on your mind anyways." :)  She nodded and responded with the nicest compliment of all: a very generous 20% tip, and the words, "Whenever I am back in town, I will be in touch."

The Ideal Client

Oftentimes, I get asked, "What's your ideal client?"

People ask this as if an ideal client is like a unicorn, rare and mysterious, and very difficult to find.  Possibly extinct, or a figment of the imagination.  Perhaps that's true for how you feel?  But for me (and you might think it's weird), all my clients are my ideal clients.

I don't subscribe to the notion that finding your ideal client is hard.  But there is a carefully-added caveat to my belief: finding your ideal client isn't hard, IF you work on yourself first.  What do I mean by that?

Well, possibly you've read/heard about the E-Myth?  Michael Gerber talks about learning to work ON your business, and not just IN your business.  In a similar vein, kundalini yoga's philosophy of practicing a daily sadhana (the time you spend communing and connecting with the Infinite) works on releasing physical/emotional/spiritual blocks, so that you can manifest and be happy, holy, and healthy.  Business is just an extension of you, especially when you run your own business -- it just a branch of who you are, how you do things, communicate, and consequently, how things manifest for you.  Ask yourself, "Is there something that isn't working for me, that keeps repeating?"  Pay attention to these signs, and perhaps it's time to problem-solve your dilemma.

Working on clearing yourself isn't necessarily fun, but as Yogi Bhajan liked to teach, "Commitment is the first step towards Happiness."  I used to attribute the adjective "hard" to everything: Life is Hard, Work is Hard, Relationships are Hard.  Why did I set myself up for such a fall?  It is not hard, if I do my homework, just like in school.

Personally, I spend my early mornings practicing sadhana.  I do this right when I wake up, and it's usually in the wee hours of 3 or 4am.  With kundalini yoga and meditation, I clear myself, scrub the barnacles off the proverbial hull, and set my sail right, checking the weather report for wind and rain.  Each day, I set sail and life's experience can be a breeze. Without sadhana, all that I do, see, and touch can turn into a perfect storm.

So to drill it down to business clients: all my clients -- past, present, and future -- are ideal.  They pay me for my knowledge, and respect my time, and I in turn do all that I can to help them reach their health goals and feel good.  We joke, laugh, and relax during their Thai Yoga massage sessions.  It's good times.  But that is because by definition, I have set my own personal and professional bar.  The rest is just a matter of time unfurling....

Inflammation and Heartburn During Pregnancy

Heartburn during pregnancy.

This past weekend, I saw a 29 week pregnant momma, who, rather than experiencing morning sickness, experienced heartburn 10 weeks into her pregnancy, and a painful inflammation in the ribs at 5 months.  I could see that the chest pain was very uncomfortable for her and it really bothered her.  Not only that, but it was affecting a previous mid-back spinal injury that happened years back, but was now flaring up again, as a result.

As I touched her body, I could feel two things:

1. An overall lack of muscle tone, and 
2. Muscle tightness and rigidity.

Neither of these muscular symptoms are feel-good factors for a regular woman, much less, a woman that's pregnant.  If you're lacking muscle tone, the muscles aren't strong enough to hold joints in place, and consequently, your posture suffers.  If you're tense and tight, then it's easy to feel pain from inflexibility, and lose range of movement.  Moreover, for the pregnant, expanding body, this tightness is like a strait-jacket on the body, constricting blood flow, limiting essential nutrients to the fetus, and causing things like heartburn.  Yes, your body has the ability to confine you if you don't listen and see to its needs!

Stretch to avoid strait-jacketing yourself!

During her Pregnancy Thai Yoga Massage, I paid close attention to her upper back, shoulders, and chest.  And gave her deep, rib-opening stretches to allow greater breathing room, and space in between her intercostals.  The treatment wasn't easy for her to stomach (haha, couldnt' resist the pun), but afterwards, she sat upright, and felt much better.  She was en route to her baby shower, so I gave her a very effective side-opening stretch that she can do every day to keep her ribs and lungs open.  I also prescribed a daily routine of swimming and/or pre-natal yoga, until the inflammation and heartburn went away, so that she is not reliant on heartburn medicine that directly affects her growing baby.

August 2011 Numerology

Forecast: Rapid Change, Impulse Control, Tribal Connection

The month of August shifts us into a highly charged emotional field of energy. We want what we want, and we want it now! There is an inherent impulsivenessroaming through our five senses, so watch out as you pass by the ice cream shop—you may feel the Jamoca Almond Fudge-Triple Ripple calling your name. It is okay to indulge a little, after all it’s summertime. Just try to have a contained “freak out,” as opposed to feeling that it’s a mission from God to finish the entire party size bag of potato chips. You may have noticed that I have used examples of food twice to illustrate how people will be expressing their emotional imbalances. This is because the number 3 appears in the sublayers of the month, and 3 represents food. Three is also the emotion of anger when it is expressed in the negative polarity. Don’t steal anybody’s Twinkies, or you could be in for a fight.

Humor is important now, and also the ability to have fun in social settings—parties, a backyard barbeque, volleyball at the beach, a game of badminton, or rollerblade free-for-all are all ways to let off steam and release stress. The number 8 for August represents issues of power and authority. We won’t like having anyone telling us what to do, and this sentiment will be felt especially by children. Keep the kids busy, or they will be driving you up the wall. Your frustration as a parent or caregiver will likely be expressed by over-reacting in the area of discipline (power number 8 at play!), when it is your creativity that is required to make the best of it. Children and teenagers just want our attention and acknowledgement, so would it really mess up your Day Planner schedule if you sat down on the floor and picked up a crayon to draw with your child? If your teenager imagines that there is no way you could ever understand what they are going through, find an old rock anthem on YouTube.com and let them listen to it. Talk about how you used to feel frustrated as a teenager, and maybe you won’t appear so totally uncool to them anymore.

There is an especially important aspect to this time, and that is the appearance of the number 12 in the Base calculation (Base is: 8-August + 4 total Year = 12). The number 12 represent tribes, and the need to feel included in a group of peoplewhose energy is of a similar spirit. There is a link between this month of August and the calendar year of 2012, as the number 12 appears there too. Notice who is around you, and the opportunities to connect with others of similar interests and inspirations. This is important now, as things will be changing so swiftly next year that at times you may feel like Dorothy in the “Wizard of Oz” during the tornado. The overall number for 2012 is a 5, and 5 represents rapidly changing circumstances. This will be much easier to navigate with a certain level of emotional support and connectivity.

It is nothing short of tragic that a brilliant young talent like Amy Winehouse had to die at such a young age. Where was her tribe? Maybe it was the wrong group of people, or maybe no one cared enough to step up to the plate. In the movie “Avatar” when someone was ill the entire tribe would gather to help heal that person. Through linking their energy and chanting together they were able to dispel the darkness in another’s spirit.

Make this a time of renewed hope and vision for yourself and others, as we all move through this powerfully transformational time in human evolution. As Yogi Bhajan said:

“You have two enemies; fear and duality. Say “No”. That’s it. When you are afraid, just say, “No” and God will take care of it for you from that minute onward. I’ll vouch for it. Trust Him. Dwell in Him and be gracious. Tomorrow’s world is hoping for you to come through as saviors.”

Would you like to know more? Nam Hari can do a personal reading for you, either in person or ovr the phone. Hidden away in the numbers of
your birth date are the secrets to your life’s happiness and greatest potential. Nam Hari specializes in the area of relationships, and will guide
you in understanding the parallel and diagonal lines of energy connecting you to another person. Information is power, and a clear vision of the
future is your best friend. Nam Hari Khalsa 310-202-8937 or 575-305-0017; email:namhari17@gmail.com

Captain America Did It

I get asked all the time why my programs are on a weekly basis treatment schedule.  Typically my programs come in two lengths: 10 week starter intensive, and a 6 month flexibility training program.  Studies show that the human body begins to shift old patterning and change on a cellular level in roughly 8-10 weeks.  And since the Thai Yoga massage works to stretch your entire body, every joint is rotated and muscle flexed, it takes time.

I wish I had a magic wand to wave and say otherwise, but I'm no miracle worker. I had a nice engineer client ask me, just the other day if he could shrink the intensive program down to 5 weekly session.  After his evaluation, it was revealed he had a ways to go in his range of motion, being very inflexible indeed.  I replied, "Well, Captain America needed at least 6 months to train up!  Not sure what we can achieve in 5 sessions...!"  :P

Too Much Sitting

Is this you?

Yesterday, I spent the day with my SEO/Webmaster, as we worked on overhauling and updating my website.  We had quite a few changes to make, so I arrived at her office by 10am.  What inadvertently happened was that the meeting reminded me of the type of continuous, immobile sitting my clients generally do -- day in, day out.  And the toll it can take on your body.

It isn't that I've not experienced office jobs like that before: I certainly have, working previously at dotcoms, and various other corporate jobs. And it's not like I don't sit in front of my laptop, doing admin work for Melt Therapy -- I totally do.  But since opening my business, and working in Thai Yoga Massage, I don't tend to sit for such long, continuous periods of time: my body gets me up, I walk around, practice yoga, and when I massage, I'm constantly moving in an energetic flow.  Yes, my body gets tired, but in no way does it get tired the same way constant sitting does to my bones, muscles, and energy level.

Posterior tilt of pelvis while sitting.

After 2 hours of focused computer work, I turned to my webmaster, and said, "I'm hungry.  Wanna get lunch?"  She replied, "I'm OK...not hungry, just gonna keep working.  You go ahead."  Um, OK.  This response is something I used to do working at dotcoms too -- forgetting to eat, only focused straight ahead at my monitor at the task ahead.  I go out, experience the LA sun on my face, and find a tasty Thai vegetarian restaurant, and am back at hers in 45 minutes.  Guess what?  I find her locked in the same, exact position as when I left!! OMG.

We work until 5:30pm, but towards the end, I am fidgety as all hell.  She's  eaten some brie and cracks and drank nothing the whole time I've been with her.  Or peed.  On the other hand, I got up, drank Kombucha, peed several times, took a 20 minute nap, and did some downward dogs!!  I couldn't help it!  I wasn't trying to be a slacker!  My body just wasn't enjoying or used to that much sitting.

I was really grateful for my webmaster's dedication, focus, and attention, and we managed to get a nice chunk of the website done.  I really empathized with her style and type of job, having done it for a decade myself.  And it was a good reminder of my clients' daily lives, and why they come to see me and get stretched out.  All in all, the day made me a better practitioner, empathic to the plight my client's body's go through.

Enduring Healing

A lot of my clients have said, "I've gone to massage therapists before, and it all feels good during the session, but the minute I walk out the door, my tension is back!"  Have you ever had that happen?  You want relief and go seek out the best thing possible, only to be disappointed at the temporary result?

I don't mean to get all Buddhist on you, but ask, in the greater spectrum, what really is everlasting?  OK, OK, so that wasn't helpful to you, who's probably sitting poorly in front your computer reading this.  I can only speak about my own experience, and I let each of my clients know that my treatments last up to four days.  "Four  days," I hear you saying, "that's it??"  Well, yes -- I'm not going to lie, and that's the report straight from my clients' mouths.  Four days of relief that came naturally, with no preservatives, or additives, or nasty side effects.  Four days of feeling more fluid in your body, more at ease, sleeping better, and moving with more energy.  What's the alternative?  Advil?  Wine?  Some hits from the bong?  

Which brings me to why I don't work like a typical massage therapist: I typically see clients on a weekly basis.  You might think this is extreme, time-consuming, and expensive.  It is (but so are the alternatives).  But here's the honest truth: given the shelf-life of my treatments, it's also about the time that you'll probably do something silly with your body, and hurt yourself somehow.  You might go and run harder than normal and pull a muscle.  Or you might go travelling and return a wreck from being crammed into an airplane's seat.  

I'm not saying those things to be a jerk (those examples are actual feedback from my clients!), but most of my clients are super active, highly productive people: they DO a lot.  My clients generally work long hours, love playing with their families, and they really love their sports activities.  And when you do a lot with your life, you're liable to mess up your body!  It's really about probability.  Which is why I work on-going with my clients, so as to offer a consistent system of rejuvenation.  Aside from getting progressively more limber, and feeling peace of mind, my clients tell me that having work done on their body on a consistent basis helps them recover faster.  

For example, I've experience working with golfers.  A really odd sport to be combined with Thai Yoga massage, you might say, right?  Truthfully, they sought me out, not the other way around (when this phenomenon started, I had never hit a golf ball, much less knew what a Birdie was. Now I do).  Golf is a game that relies upon flexibility first and foremost.  Before strength, and even before power...you must be flexible enough to torque yourself up in that weird twisted position, like a coiled spring, and unleash that energy to whack a tiny little ball, hoping to drive it into a really far away tiny hole.  Say what you will about golf as a non-sport, but I've tried it, and damn, it's hard!  Contorting your body over and over again into that weird position is not normal, and results in some serious wear 'n tear.

But I digress...back to my golfing clients: they are all pretty much fanatical about the game.  They love it with a passion that sends them out into the wee hours of the morning to tee off.  Golf gets them out of the house on the weekends, exasperates their spouses, and makes them spend ridiculous amounts on new equipment.  But I've yet to meet a golfer who liked to take time out to warm up and warm down with generous amounts of stretching.  It's just not built into the game (though a few drinks at the 19th hole is...go figure).  So the smart ones come and see me: they are so passionate about their game, they want to minimize their recovery time -- when the back's killing you, the feet hurt, and you're exhausted -- so they can go back the next day and do it all over again.  

So, long story short: I don't think there's anything that's permanent -- healing is a process.  The body is regenerating all the time, and you're trying to live in it the best you can.  But you get to choose, also, activities for your health: activities that are life-positive, and ones that are life-negative.  And like a lot of things in life, these activities, when repeated over time, compound.  You have the choice of compounding something that's inherently negative to your being, or positive.  Most of my clients find me because they've already tried the alternatives (and maybe had even a few operations too) to help boost their health.  Receiving Thai Yoga massage isn't for everyone, but unlike weed, alcohol, or Valium, I don't have anything else to offer except life-positive healing, in the form of compassionate touch.

    

Help for PMS

Bloated belly

Every time I work on a female client (who's not pregnant), I ask, politely, how's her period and elimination.  It's not a traditionally exciting subject, or because I'm trying to get personal, but from a Thai yoga massage practitioner's point of view, your organs are one of the most important regions for me to cover.  Why? Your organs are your engine.  In my experience, however, it's also one of the least talked about, and neglected regions.  Yet, it's also one of the most loaded.

Been there, done that!

PMS, peri-menopause, and constipation: these are all issues I've addressed with my stomach massage.  The massage, at first, isn't the most fun thing in the world, but as a woman speaking to another woman, I can only empathize with experiencing my fair share of heavy flow, soaking over my panties, having to wear two pads at once, cramps, headaches, constipation, and overall irritable moods.  It completely sucks, and through swimming, diet, yoga, and meditation, I refuse to just give into my PMS...there are definite healthy routines we, as women, can do, in order to stabilize our hormones.  We just have to search for what fits us, apply ourselves, and not resign ourselves to the hype (how many of you hate hearing, "Oh, you must be on the rag!" GROAN!).  

The belly and pelvic area is also a center of creativity.  Heck, babies come from there.  If I were to get all yogic on you, the 2nd chakra is one of creativity.  Sexual intercourse and sexuality also are associated.  And yet, the hip region is one of the most consistently neglected spots on the body (I can't tell you how many times a client says to me, as I'm working around there, "Wow, that's super sensitive!"  Probably 90%).  I don't know why, but I'm not really interested in that: I'm all about pain relief.  

I'll just give some case studies:

1. Client A, aged 37, told me she absolutely dreaded her periods.  For as long as she remembered, they were fraught with pain, misery, and sometimes a visit to the hospital.  The pain was so intense, she sometimes passed out.  In the course of our working relationship, she revealed she'd been molested at an early age, but showed signs of denial too.  Not being a psycho-therapist, all I could do was work on her belly.  After 3 months of consistent work, her periods came and went with no drama, which flabbergasted my client, because it seemed too good to be true.  The massage work also reduced her lower back pain, which had been constant.  By not dealing with the emotions surrounding the molestation, however, as soon as she quit seeing me, the period pains came back with a vengeance.  And her back flared up to the point where she had a couple of operations (not good in my book...I abhor operations and think they should be total last resort).
2. Client B, aged 45, was experiencing peri-menopausal symptoms, and hadn't had her period in several months.  She was super bloated, and constantly had her not-happening-period on her brain.  It was revealed also that she'd been a victim of child molestation.  I worked on her 5 weeks in a row, and she finally did get her period.  Much to her amazement, it was without pain or cramps.  The period, she said, just came.  And it wasn't it's usual clottiness.  Nope, it was light and clear, and no fuss.  She thanked me profusely.
3. Client C, aged 50, sees me just so she can have regular bowel movements.  When we first started working together, she felt lucky to poo once every four days.  Wow, I said.  Client C was not willing to try a different nutritional diet, but willingly let me work on her.  Her BM's come every other day now.

I've noticed my women clients are more open to my working on them in this manner (men are a bit closed off, which is a bummer, since I'm guessing they probably have their fair share of BM issues).  Something about the pressure of being a woman -- the double standards, the desire to have a flat stomach -- we suck and hold so much in that it's just not good for us in the long run.  

The Power of Naps

Just jotting a short post in between clients: OK, here's what I've noticed with experience, and what I like to inform my clients: It's OK To Nap.

In particular, and especially with really wound-up, and/or inflexible body types, I let my stiff clients know that after I've worked on them, with the release of tension, they're likely to be yawning and their bodies will tell them that they're sleepy, heavy-feeling, and just plain drowsy.  And that's the perfect opportunity to allow themselves to nap.  Napping after a session with me is like hitting the body's reset button: it allows your body to integrate my work!  Remember: deep relaxation is the key to stress relief -- I can't emphasize that enough!!

But a lot of us are resistant to napping.  Somehow, somewhere, we received the message that napping was a bad habit, that it is no good.  We got to thinking that napping means you're lazy.  Or maybe you've simply unlearned how to nap, i.e., "I can't do it!"  It's simply not true, and definitely when my clients see me, I remind them -- nay, give them permission -- to nap afterwards.*

True story: recently, a client told me that after her first Thai Yoga massage session with me, she went home and slept for thirteen hours straight!  I asked her if that was OK. She replied, "Oh my God, it was so great!  I've never slept that long in my life, and it felt awesome!  Like the sleep of the angels!  I so needed it.  I woke up totally refreshed!"  OK, so that's the most extreme(ly positive) case I've ever received feedback from -- but it goes to show you how much our bodies need time to rejuvenate and heal themselves through deep relaxation and quality sleep.

*Best to drink a nice glass of room temperature water beforehand, to help flush out toxins and remain hydrated!


   

Cat-ssage

WARNING: This is an entirely SILLY post.  About my experience with cats and massage.

Milo the cat gets in on the massage action...

Sometimes, when I make house-calls, I have clients with cats.  It's super cute to be in the middle of working, with my client all passed out, and her kitty shows up, and starts to massage alongside with me.  That is, have you ever seen cats kneading a pillow, getting it ready for them to sleep on?  Yeah, it's like that...their two front paws moving up and down.  It's really sweet to watch and funny as hell.  The best is when they move to my client's stomach and start going there --except then my client usually needs to pee...  LOL!

   

Numerology Forecast for July 2011

Written by my gifted friend Nam Hari Kaur Khalsa...

Clarity of Consciousness in Rapidly Changing Circumstances

The month of July brings about a time of increased sensitivity in our most important relationships. Whether it’s marriage, work, or friendship, we will find ourselves hypersensitive to the slightest perception of misplaced loyalties. Number 9 is in the Heart meridian of this month, and 9 is the most sensitive number. When it flips to the negative polarity it can be quite jealous and resentful. It is also interesting to note that 9 is the number of mystery and illusion, so our first read of certain circumstances may be fueled more by our own emotions than actual reality. It is necessary to get the facts straight before opening your mouth and committing to a particular point of view.

It will be difficult to get out of commitments or promises at this time; the verbal cement will be drying rather quickly and leave little room for adjustments later. Your own words can come back to haunt or help you, depending on how well you have chosen them.

The 7 of this month (July) represents issues of trust and emotional boundaries. The question will arise, “Who can I trust, and who must I politely maneuver away from?”

Both the numbers 7 and 9 have a resonance with secrets, so be very selective with whom you share any personal information. As harsh as it may sound, Yogi Bhajan once said, “Never share in friendship what can be used against you in animosity.” We need to be our own best friend first, and not set ourselves up for the fall. Self-reliance is one of the greatest virtues we can have in these times. Remember, the flow of electrical energy from the higher spiritual planes to planet Earth is increasing, and not everyone is in a position to handle this increased electrical current. An old house will sometimes need to be rewired so it can be brought up to “code,” so that it can handle the increased voltage in a safe way. Many of us need to be brought up to code too! The previous level of prana (life force vitality) we ran our life on is no longer enough to maintain a happy and creative existence. This is why we have the expression, “He or she is burned out.”

An important aspect of the number 7 is solitude and sanctuary, so now is the time to create an emotional and physical time out from the world in order to stabilize ourselves. We have just passed the midpoint of the year, and 7 represents a time of strategy and adjustments. Allow yourself to go deep within to determine who is helping you, and who is hindering you in life. There will likely be someone that you need to distance yourself from, or let go of completely. Set new boundaries for yourself so there may be a better balance between the outflow and inflow of energy in the “spiritual physics” of your life. Because of the increasing intensity of the overall transition period we are in, there is the need to protect ourselves from “emotional vampires.” Dramatic as this sounds, it simply means that there are people who will devour your positive energy with their endless need for drama (part of the “old code” wiring system). Some people are the leading character in their own soap opera, so remember that you always have the power to change the channel.

Seven is the Water element, and drinking lots of water will help to cleanse and balance your lymphatic system. When the lymphatic system is overloaded it contributes to the feeling of bitterness. The thought, “People are just no good!” is a creeping vine of this emotional negativity. Now is the time to sweat it out of your system, and by doing so you will find yourself refreshed and relaxed. Sit in a sauna, take a eucalyptus mineral salt bath, or run on the beach. Do something to purge out any festering dark feelings you may have. A new wave of opportunity is around the corner in August, and you need to have a crystal clear clarity of consciousness to decipher the subtle clues in the new information coming your way. Break free from the re-run scenario of life, where you end up wondering, “Why does this always happen to me?” Train yourself to recognize the tilt of the first domino tipping over, so you don’t create a sequence from which you can’t bear the consequence. There is a beautifully simple meditation called “Balancing the Nervous Energies.” Yogi Bhajan said that this technique will “make you sharp, and give you the edge over another person.” Our ability to act and respond to rapidly changing circumstances is an increasingly essential part of life. This meditation is so powerful, it is recommended to practice it only 3 to 5 minutes.

Allow yourself to relax and renew in this season of 7, and know that your new found clarity will guide you to the higher ground of spiritual awareness.

As Yogi Bhajan has said:
“In our human relativity, our sensitivity, our mental projection, and our mental activity, there’s going to be a great change. It is very essential for the human race to be watchful, to be creative, and to be equipped with a positive channelizing method for mental energy.”

Call Nam Hari Kaur to set up your personal reading. Hidden away in the numbers of your birth date are the secrets to your life’s happiness and true potential. Nam Hari specializes in the area of relationships, and your questions on love, money, and destiny line fulfillment are answered. 310-202-8937 or 575-305-0017 email: akara@cybermesa.com.

Letting Go

Last Saturday's pre-natal yoga class, I emphasized to my mommas the conscious ability to relax and let go. Do you ever feel in your body (and mind) this build-up of energy? It can come in the form of tingling, buzzing, irritation, anger, or pain. A churning in the heart? You might need to practice listening to your body more in order to sense what I'm talking about, so just give it a chance.

There is a basic human need to want to possess. We collect stuff. Like things, people, places, ideas, thoughts, hurts, emotions, traumas, etc. What we're not taught in school is how to actively let go in a safe way. This can be for positive things AND negative things. For example, with my yoga practice, I build up a lot of energy that needs some place to go...even by doing something positive, if I don't let go of this energy consciously, it can convert into something harmful (or bad feeling) in my body because it's trapped, caught in my body.

Giving birth is the ultimate letting go, which is why I chose to speak directly to my students. A soul, a child -- its energy -- is building up inside of you, and it is up to you, woman, to learn how to embrace your body's tides, and train yourself to be strong but also to know when to let yourself go...melt your body into its primal flow. Breathing into contractions and labor is a must. I think if more women got in touch with this ability to let go, we'd see a reduction in c-section rates and shorter labors (my hope!).

How did I teach my class? After every posture in the kriya, students came to rest. Inhale: gather the energy about you, locate it. Consciously imagine, on exhale, that the energy diffuses and rises away from you. I had my students do this after every posture: feeling the build-up, then mentally, actively letting that energy go.

Sometimes I see it as a cloud lifting off of my body, rising up like steam. I mentally say, "Oh Universe, I release this energy (anger/irritation/pain/etc.) back to you. I don't need it right now. It doesn't serve me. Thank you...I let it go." Because energy surrounds us, is us, we must never fear of letting go...we can always get that energy back if we really want it (but who wants pain from the past??). So just breathe and mentally, consciously let go. This is the first lesson in relaxation you can do for yourself.

Upcoming Special Deal from Yelp!

Shhhh, not to spill the beans, but I've been working with Yelp on a special deal: starting tonight at midnight (that's Tuesday, June 14th, 0000 hours),  Yelp is offering this discount on Melt Therapy services: Half Off 90-minute Thai Yoga Massage at Melt Therapy!

If you've ever wondered what it's like to work with me, or know someone who might be interested, check on my Yelp listing, where it will be posted!  But don't wait too long!  The Deal runs out Wednesday June 15th at 11:59am.

June 2011 Numerology Forecast

As written by my friend, Master Numerologist of the Universe, Nam Hari:

The month of June brings a fresh new wave of energy to the planet. There is a sparkling spiritual effervescence now available to us, and we can use this energy to fuel our dreams and visions. June is the best month of the year for marriage, as well as starting a new business. Even if you are already married you may consider having an “Inspiration Ceremony” to rekindle the original spark of your commitment together. You and your spouse can write down 5 things they like about the other, and would like to experience more of. This can be as simple as, “Honey, I just love to hear you singing in the kitchen when you’re putting the dishes away!”

We are longing at this time for a greater experience of loyalty and physical presence in our lives from those we care about most. “Are you with me or not?” is a strong part of our internal dialogue at this time. Any lack of loyalty, or even worse–betrayal, will send sparks flying. The number 6 (June) is the Fire Element. This heat of passion can inspire a beautiful romance, or it can burn the house down.

Fire is very purifying, and you can be your own Shaman by using this ritual. Just go to the corner drug store and pick up a bottle of 91% rubbing alcohol, and a package of Epsom salts. Scout around the house or garage and find a steel bowl or cup, as well as a clay planter base or 6” x 6” flat piece of wood. Place the bowl or cup on the planter base or wood piece for support, and add a handful or two of the Epsom salts to the steel bowl. Then add about two ounces of 91% alcohol to the Epsom salts, and light it with a match. Stand back, ’cause the flames will shoot up! Then, holding the base, walk around your home chanting a mantra which resonates with your desired intention. It could be Rakhe Rakhanhaar for protection, or the “Triple Mantra” for clearing obstacles and negative psychic projections. Chant the mantra while steadily and carefully holding the flame as you move from room to room. When you have finished, sit and thank your angels for their support, and ask them to help you keep your new energetic space clear.

This is a very powerful ritual which will cleanse a lot of negative or stuck energy. However, it is important to note that maintaining this new clear space is the other important component to your well being.

Have you ever played a board game like “Monopoly”? Most of us as children have played this game. The interesting thing is that as adults, many people are still playing games, and will try to engage you in their particular version of a “rigged game.” This happens in relationships, where one person will flip open the new adult version called “Manipulation Monopoly,” crack a big Cheshire cat grin, and say, “Wanna play?” After a few rolls of the dice you land on their high priced “Park Place” square, and realize you can’t afford the rent, which translates into the currency of their emotional baggage. Never play someone else’s game. Number 6 represents issues of protection, and our ability to recognize hidden agendas.

In yogic science 6 is the Arc Line, a frequency of white light which emanates from the forehead. The Christian faith refers to it as the halo. A strong Arc Line allows us to focus and not be swayed by someone else’s pressure or opinion. You will have an instinctual sense of what is true or false when your Arc Line is strong. It is important to develop the strength of your Arc Line now so you will be able to filter through the intensity of information we are all being bombarded with on a daily basis. Six is the third eye point, or Agia Chakra. Agia means fire. Our third eye needs to be strong and clear so we may rest in the eye of the storm and feel unruffled. A strong 6th chakra also gives us the ability to instantly know how to move forward through challenging circumstances, while gauging and conserving our energy.

I have used the word “energy” six times in this article, because everyone on the planet is now being faced with the dilemma of realizing they need to be able to generate their own positive energy field in order to be attractive to themselves and others. Joyful positive energy is a very sexy-cool thing!

In the early days of Women’s Camp in New Mexico, Yogi Bhajan shared many yogic techniques. One of the best that I can recall is the gutka. He explained that in the farmlands of northern India there was an irrigation system which also had a water wheel so people could easily draw water for their use. Sometimes the water wheel would begin to spin so furiously from the intensity of the flow that it would almost break. Yogi Bhajan said that the villagers would use a gutka, which was a wooden pin or spike, to stop the wheel from spinning, thereby maintaining the wheel. He then explained that our own mind can behave like this at times, spinning wildly out of control. The technology he gave to stop the negative flow of thought is the mantra Ek Ong Kar Sat Gur Prasad, Sat Gur Prasad Ek Ong Kar, to be chanted out loud or silently while focusing at the third eye point for five repetitions. Now you have your gutka!

Purify yourself this month with the positive polarity of the Fire Element. Cleanse your home and consciousness with the aforesaid techniques, and see the dramatic changes in your life as you are now able to move forward with a clear vision of the future. If you would like to experience the ultimate cosmic boost, head on out to the Summer Solstice retreat in the Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico. Six represents family, and you can be with your kindred spirits for 8 days of meditation, yoga, music, fun and really great food! I’m going… see you there!

Call Nam Hari Kaur to set up your personal reading. Hidden away in the numbers of your birth date are the secrets to your life’s happiness and true potential. Nam Hari specializes in the area of relationships, and your questions on love, money, and destiny line fulfillment are answered. 310-202-8937 or 575-305-0017 email: akara@cybermesa.com.

Thai Yoga Massage: How Does It Work?

A new client recently asked me, after we finished her second session, "I have tried stretching before myself, and read about different ways of stretching.  Why is your method so effective?"

To explain, yes, there are different styles of stretching...here's a list:

Static Stretches

• Static Stretching
• Passive Stretching
• Active Stretching
• PNF Stretching
• Isometric Stretching

Dynamic Stretches

• Ballistic Stretching
• Dynamic Stretching
• Active Isolated Stretching

For the sake of this post, I'll not go into detail on each style (you can look it up on the Internet yourself).  Thai Yoga Massage, as assessed by CHEK practitioner, involves dynamic stretching.  According to Brad Walker, author of The Anatomy of Stretching, "Dynamic stretching is slow, gentle, and very purposeful.  At no time during dynamic stretching should a body part be forced past the joints normal range of movement. Ballistic stretching, on the other hand, is much more aggressive and its very purpose is to force the body part beyond the limit of its normal range of movement." (pg. 24)

I don't suppose you've ever over-stretched yourself with ballistic-type stretching, and maybe even hurt yourself?  I know I have.  It didn't feel pleasant, and if I wasn't in this professional stretching business, it might have turned me off completely to stretching by myself!  The body remembers very quickly what feels good and what doesn't, and sends your brain a signal recording that moment.  It's no wonder many of my clients tell me, "I hate stretching.  It's boring, I don't know what to do, and even if I could, I'd need someone's help to get into it properly without hurting myself!"  

When I'm working with my client, using Thai Yoga massage, I am listening with my hands just how far to take their body.  My teacher, Asokananda, was German, so his philosophy was, "Pain! Das ist GOOD!"  I, however, take a different approach, and only wish to bring my clients' bodies to their threshold...this is the threshold between Good Pain and Bad Pain (yes there is a difference!).  Bad Pain is beyond your threshold limit, and generally causes trauma, not to mention pain.  It just doesn't make sense to me to cause someone's body to tighten up in defense: that's the opposite result I want to produce for them!!  Good Pain is therapeutic, takes you just up to your threshold, prompting your brain to understand a new limit that's OK, and helps release blockages. This is the zone of my Thai Yoga massage: I mindfully stretch you in such a way that your brain simultaneously feels safe, but is monitoring what I'm doing to your body, and acknowledging a new range of movement.  Essentially what this does is re-program your brain and body to accept a new limit...a limit that offers a far greater range of movement!  

That is why, in a nutshell, Thai Yoga massage is one of the most effective ways of stretching: it's safe, gentle, and progressive in helping the body open up.  By opening up, my clients report feeling new surges of energy, which translates to more productive, healthy living -- this is stagnant energy that finally had somewhere to go/release from the body.  Also, due to joints opening and muscles loosening gradually, my clients feel pain-free.  One woman told me recently, "I did a 7 mile walk last weekend, and I was amazed: no pain in my hips, knees, or legs...nothing like I used to have!"  It's gratifying to hear her response because to me we're generally so used to living with, being resigned to pain in our lives and bodies.  We forget to listen to our bodies as they cry out in pain, and then grow numb out of our neglect and ignorance.  

A DJ friend of mine once said, "Never settle!"  I don't suppose Thai Yoga massage is for everyone, but I am pleased to be able to show my clients a new perspective on living: one that is flexible, energetic, and pain-free.

  

Stretching = Healthy

Recently, I started working with two new clients, both of which expressed interest in gaining flexibility in order to feel healthier.  They were stagnant in their life and exercise for fear of hurting themselves due to muscle stiffness.  Their simple request reminded me of how yogis and chiropractors alike talk about how one's age is not measured in chronological years per say, but rather, in the flexibility of your spine.

My chiro explaining my pain in the neck!

As a yoga practitioner who's sustained her fair share of car accidents (4 total), not to mention numerous falls and scrapes throughout my life, I'm always faced with physical limitations in my practice.  My chiropractor's x-ray shows that I have a condition called "military neck" -- the bones of my neck forming a perfectly vertical line, rather than a nice C-curve to help balance the weight of my skull.  The military neck constantly reminds me of its presence, be it through stiffness, or the inability to do a complete neckroll without cracking and twinging.  It's a feeling of awkwardness, and this feeling can sometimes translate into pain.  The yoga practice keeps my body in check, and pain at bay because I am constantly moving myself into different positions, lengthening and contracting muscles and rotating joints.

When our bodies tighten up (many times without us being aware), it sends a direct message to the brain of "It's not OK to do that. We shouldn't go there."  Even though this message may have started out as a valid signal (to save you from accident), over time, this message might turn into a stress reaction that gets repeated in a looping pattern that unconsciously ends up limiting our full potential.  We start to cave in to false message, without even realizing it, and incrementally restrict ourselves from achieve, exploring, and feeling the fullness and pleasure of life.

So it's a welcome pleasure to watch a new yoga student, upon even just doing warm-ups, say to me, "I feel healthier because I'm stretching!"  I see a change in her face, like a lightbulb went off, and an inner radiance shining.  Perhaps it's the blood circulating, perhaps it's the Guru working beside her.  Either way, it's a pleasure as a yoga teacher to be able to elevate someone's life for the better.  Even if you don't do yoga, I highly suggest finding some system of stretching: it is not just something you do here and there and expect results.  Maintaining your flexibility is like compound interest -- it adds up over time!

Meet the Doulas Pregnancy Social

I just ran across this on Yelp events and it looks like this is a really nice and relaxed thing for expectant parents in the San Fernando Valley.  Here's the details:

What/Why:

Come talk with local doulas & lactation consultants and meet some other expectant parents!

This FREE event is a great opportunity to find out more about what birth & postpartum doulas and lactation consultants do and how they can help you during your pregnancy, during birth, and after you have your baby. We will have several short talks about these subjects plus a Q&A period and then you will have the opportunity to mingle with the different professionals, get their information, and maybe find the right one for you! You'll also get to make some new friends who are also about to have a baby!

Thursday, June 9th 7:30-9pm

Call us at 818-380-3111 or email info@shopthehaven.com to RSVP.

Held at...
A Mother's Haven Boutique & Educational Center
15928 Ventura Blvd, Ste 116, Encino, CA 91436
818-380-3111  

May Numerology Forecast

My friend Nam Hari isn't doing her numerology forecasts via video but at least you can still read the full May forecast here.

Key points for May 2011:

• It's not beware, it's be aware.
• Get your ducks in a row.
• How is my health, and is there room for improvement?

Memorable quote: "It's not the weight that breaks you, it's how you carry it." -- Lena Horne

Honest Doula Review

I'm glad my friend Tracy decided to review this doctor.  The more I work with and know doulas, it's shocking sometimes the things that go on in moments of precious vulnerability, and the difficulty of hospital administration vs. patient needs/rights.  There are very good doctors, but then there are really scary doctors in which you place you and your family's health and lives into.

Tracy's info: http://tracyhartley.com/

After Baby Arrives: Keep the Cocoon

One of the perks of my job is that I get to see the transition point from pre-natal to post-partum.  I get to work with pregnant mommas, and help them adjust throughout their pregnancy.  My doula, Pati Garcia (aka Chula Doula), is there during the labor and right after.  Then I support the momma and newborn with massage -- it's a beautiful circle.  If we're lucky, we get to work with the momma and family again, with the next kid!

Here's some things I've noticed, massage-wise, for a new momma.  It's always a treat to return and meet the newborn baby in person, after spending so much energy and time with them in utero -- it's like meeting an old friend!  And the babies I've gotten to know are super calm and relaxed.

Who's that cute monkey?

A lot of times, when I arrive for the first post-partum massage, mom has placed baby separate from her.  This is a natural thing to do (after all, mom is receiving the massage), but what I found is that babies want to remain next to mom, and also, from my point of view, we are continuing holding the safe, nurturing, protected space which we three were all connected in prior to baby's arrival.

The baby's sensitivity to its surroundings and a mother's sensitivity to the needs of her newborn child makes it important to keep the cocoon -- that crucial bond -- between them.  I often feel a sense of honor and privilege to be in this supporting role, and I ask the mom to cradle her baby while I'm working on her.  To me, the umbilical cord may be cut, but energetically there is no separation between momma and baby just yet.

Baby Mae and her momma Aimee share a
peaceful moment during my massage.

To the left is an example of how I work: mom and baby are closely connected.  They are cosy and comfortable.  A blanket covers them both, and they are joined in a moment of peaceful relaxation.

Feeding and changing diaper time is budgeted in, so many times, my post-partum massages can take anywhere from 2-2.5 hours.  It sounds like a long time, but for the momma, this is really crucial time to help recover her body and energy level.

Lastly, a frequently asked question is, "How soon can I get a massage after giving birth?"  My experience has been to work on a new mom as soon as two days after childbirth.  There is a very swift transition from the rigors and exhaustion of childbirth to having to be aware and alert for your baby, so the quicker mom is on her feet and feeling re-oriented in her body, the better and more able she is to care for her newborn.

My Mind is Non-Stop When I Meditate!

A Meditation Reminder: my pregnant yoga student asked me this morning, "When I meditate, my mind is not still -- I'm thinking about work, and errands, and all sorts of stuff.  I don't think I'm meditating right if all that stuff's coming up!"

I told her, "You, in fact, are meditating correctly.  LET thoughts come up.  Think of meditation as a safe space, a sandbox, for your mind chatter to release.  You may think of all sorts of things: sad thoughts, violent thoughts, pornographic thoughts, angry thoughts, silly thoughts...let that all come to the surface.  The space you hold for meditation is a safe mental dumping ground.  You may find you have lot more thoughts...in this case, do more meditation.  Why else do you think people have a hard time relaxing or falling asleep -- a lot of times, it's the same thoughts swirling around as the day before!  The more you give yourself the opportunity to meditate, the more headtrash you clear."

Meditating consistently clears headtrash!

Meditation for Strong Nerves

Just wanted to share with you a meditation that I've been doing.  Practicing this meditation helps calm my mind, and I feel a zing of energy afterwards!  It helps protect you from irrationality.  Best of all, you can practice this meditation anywhere!

Instructions:

Mudra: Sit in Easy Pose with a straight spine.

Women: Hold your left hand at ear level, and connect your thumb tip and tip of ring finger.  Fingers nails don't touch.  Place your right hand in your lap, connecting your thumb tip and tip of the little finger.

Men: Hold your right hand ear level; connect your thumb tip and tip of ring finger. Fingernails don't touch.  Place your left hand in your lap connecting your thumb tip and tip of your little finger.

Eyes: The eyes are 1/10 open, looking straight out.

Breath: Long and deep, but not powerful.

Time: Start with 11 minutes and work up to 31 minutes.  To end the meditation, inhale deeply, open your fingers, raise your hands, and shake them rapidly for several minutes.  Relax.