I found a really cool blog on breathwork (Dennis Lewis). He says this about our culture, and works with the breath to help us come back into balance:
“We live in a culture in which everything is continually speeding up. This puts an ever-increasing load on our brain and nervous system. This means that our nervous systems are constantly on alert. Now the nervous system, which is extremely flexible and adaptable, eventually learns to adapt to this faster way of living and the enormous strain it puts on our perception. It adapts to this higher level of stress as though it were a normal thing. But the problem is that while this higher level of stress occurs and our nervous system adapts to it, the health of the body is being undermined and the immune system is being undermined. We need to become convinced of this fact.”
Take a moment to just notice your breathing right now. Can you feel the air come in through your nose? Is there a sensation of breath in your throat? Chest? Ribcage? Belly? What parts of your body move with your breath? Is your breathing short, shallow, easy? Are you aware of any particular emotion when you tune into your breath?
Here is another post of his with a simple breathing exercise for anxiety.
Would your sweetie like a massage? I have created a fun little addition to my beautifully wrapped massage gift certificates for Valentine’s Day. They will include an option for your choice of Kate’s Magik Pure Essential Oil in Eros or Healing blend. Please see this page for more info or to order. (Photo by John…
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Spiritual and meditation teacher OSHO said, “All senses are on the same level and there should not be any hierarchy. But you live through the eyes: eighty percent of your life is eye-oriented. This should not be so; a balance has to be restored.” (See the full OSHO blog post here.) We do use our…
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My friends have been talking about “Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead” and I finally watched it on New Year’s Eve. You can watch it for free (legally!) here. It’s a great documentary about a typical Aussie guy who uses juicing to lose a lot of weight, cure his rare autoimmune condition, and help others in…
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My husband and I don’t usually do a ton of holiday shopping, but we wanted to do more of ours on Queen Anne this year and succeeded. I popped into charley + may and found a couple perfect gifts—a t-shirt designed by a local Queen Anne graphic designer and a book about bikes my husband…
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Tags: Blue Highway Games, Bustle Caffe, Caffe Vita, charley + may, Five Spot, Holiday, Joanna Morgan Designs, Le Reve, Local Shopping, Love Actually, Mezcaleria Oaxaca, Perplexus, Queen Anne, Queen Anne Dispatch, Scrooged, Seattle, Skookum Clothing, Stuhlbergs, Top Pot, Video Isle
Remember, Today is the… *Queen Anne Holiday Magic Event* FREE 10 Minute Massages 4-8 p.m. TODAY Beautifully Wrapped Gift Certificates 20% off ALL DAY Buy One or a Few for Family, Friends, or Yourself! To Purchase: Call Anytime All Day Email Anytime All Day Drop-In Between 4-8 p.m. (sorry, discount not available online) Please enjoy…
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Queen Anne’s Holiday Magic this year is Friday, Dec. 2 from 4-8 p.m. The shops along Queen Anne Avenue on Upper Queen Anne in Seattle will have special events and refreshments. Santa will even be at Home Street Bank! I am participating by offering FREE drop-in mini massages from 4-8. And ALL DAY on the…
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Since this is the month of Thanksgiving, I am reflecting on what I’m grateful for once again. Most of my clients are community-minded people living on top of Queen Anne Hill in Seattle. I love living and working here as well. It is such an amazing neighborhood–beautiful, walkable, tight-knit, and supportive, with creative and dedicated…
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Tags: Capitol Hill, Downtown, Gratitude, Madison Park, Magnolia, Massage, Queen Anne, Seattle, Shoreline, Thanksgiving, Travel
How? The stress hormone cortisol negatively affects the immune system by reducing killer cells. But among many other benefits, massage has been shown to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and significantly reduce cortisol. A review of the research literature is here. Even one brief massage has positive effects, but scheduling regular massages—especially during stressful periods—is…
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This article talks about a study which showed that massage was more effective than “usual medical care” for back pain. Specific, structural massage and Swedish relaxation massage were both correlated with less pain, improved mobility, and better functioning. Depending on the client’s needs, I like to blend these techniques for the best of both worlds. …
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