So, I now have a classier looking website!
www.massageforte.tk
And a Facebook page, as you can see. Obviously, I'm finally starting to try and let my own business take off. I'm still at the spa four to five days a week, but I love my job so much that I think I'll just fit some massage in everyday! Why not? : )
I'm being a little sarcastic about working everyday, but I really do love my job/my life.
Best Decision Ever Made!
Coming soon:
Reiki!
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Sunday, May 15, 2011
an exercise in reclaiming my soul...
We are afraid of how our actions and appearances are perceived by others. Some of us are so intimidated by the perceptions of others, that we act as if we actually have negative amounts of thought or caring towards the thoughts of others. We can be too critical of people, especially if they are a stranger, and sometimes to the people who are closest to us. We can be too critical of ourselves. We sometimes have trouble trusting one another.
I've been thinking a lot about the effects of the devastation in Japan, and the way that the people there have been so respectful of each other. It is amazingly heart warming to think of a country in crisis, carrying on in a calm peaceful manner, waiting patiently in lines for hours upon hours carrying their children, and waiting for it to be their turn to receive food and supplies. No one was pushing, shoving, yelling, complaining, and no one was looting! I thought about this for a while, and then I thought about the U.S. How would we react in that kind of situation? I'm sure some people who survived Hurricane Katrina already know the answer to that question.
The reason I'm bringing this up is because I think it is obvious that the love felt between people in this country could be improved upon. We need to do away with the "every person for his/herself" mantra. I know that we would all feel a lot better if we felt like we could lean on one another. We need to stop sweeping over emotions with sarcasm. We need to stop making fleeting judgments about strangers. This is easier said than done, we are all imperfect, and I know I am guilty of judgment and inappropriate remarks that I absolutely don't mean. We've turned cruelty into comedy, but too much cruel comedy turns cruelty into actual feelings, and then every person ends up standing alone without love or support, and chuckling at the downfall of others without remorse.
In this country we are raised to be judgmental, of ourselves and others. We are raised to view society as hierarchical groupings instead of one unified tribe.
There are so many layers of hurt feelings, anger, and corruption to work through for us, but it doesn't have to be such a taxing project. If everyone were to become a little more aware of their thoughts, feelings, and angry sarcasm, and tried to project more love and trust towards strangers, and especially people you may not feel so great about, a big step could be taken to make the people of this country more unified, and then more unified with the rest of the world and the universe.
We should be less afraid of each other, and have more love for one another.
Maybe some of your attempts at trusting a stranger won't work out as well as you would hope, but at least you made an effort and hopefully the stranger can learn something from that experience if you handle it creatively.
It seems as though the thing that many of us are the most afraid of is each other.
This is at least what I have recently noticed about myself.I've been thinking a lot about the effects of the devastation in Japan, and the way that the people there have been so respectful of each other. It is amazingly heart warming to think of a country in crisis, carrying on in a calm peaceful manner, waiting patiently in lines for hours upon hours carrying their children, and waiting for it to be their turn to receive food and supplies. No one was pushing, shoving, yelling, complaining, and no one was looting! I thought about this for a while, and then I thought about the U.S. How would we react in that kind of situation? I'm sure some people who survived Hurricane Katrina already know the answer to that question.
The reason I'm bringing this up is because I think it is obvious that the love felt between people in this country could be improved upon. We need to do away with the "every person for his/herself" mantra. I know that we would all feel a lot better if we felt like we could lean on one another. We need to stop sweeping over emotions with sarcasm. We need to stop making fleeting judgments about strangers. This is easier said than done, we are all imperfect, and I know I am guilty of judgment and inappropriate remarks that I absolutely don't mean. We've turned cruelty into comedy, but too much cruel comedy turns cruelty into actual feelings, and then every person ends up standing alone without love or support, and chuckling at the downfall of others without remorse.
In this country we are raised to be judgmental, of ourselves and others. We are raised to view society as hierarchical groupings instead of one unified tribe.
There are so many layers of hurt feelings, anger, and corruption to work through for us, but it doesn't have to be such a taxing project. If everyone were to become a little more aware of their thoughts, feelings, and angry sarcasm, and tried to project more love and trust towards strangers, and especially people you may not feel so great about, a big step could be taken to make the people of this country more unified, and then more unified with the rest of the world and the universe.
We should be less afraid of each other, and have more love for one another.
Maybe some of your attempts at trusting a stranger won't work out as well as you would hope, but at least you made an effort and hopefully the stranger can learn something from that experience if you handle it creatively.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
update.
I officially have a space to practice massage on my own, in downtown Ithaca on N. Cayuga Street!
Let me know if you would like more details, or want to schedule a session. Other than that, I've been working on trying to create a website and Pat and I have been moving into a new place, which is coming together nicely but still needs a lot of work.
More to come soon! (after I feel established in my new home)
Also, my beautiful princess cat, Maxine, has been really sick this past week and has been in the hospital for the last couple of days. Keep your fingers crossed that she will make it through, and send her all the love you can. She is the best/toughest/most wonderful-amazing cat!
Let me know if you would like more details, or want to schedule a session. Other than that, I've been working on trying to create a website and Pat and I have been moving into a new place, which is coming together nicely but still needs a lot of work.
More to come soon! (after I feel established in my new home)
Also, my beautiful princess cat, Maxine, has been really sick this past week and has been in the hospital for the last couple of days. Keep your fingers crossed that she will make it through, and send her all the love you can. She is the best/toughest/most wonderful-amazing cat!
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
reflexology and acupressure
I don't usually realize how long and hard winter is until the first spring-like day, which happens to be TODAY for me! And then I feel a sigh of RELIEF! I saw the first crocuses in bloom and other little green sproutings this morning, and it looks like some of the honeybees that I adore survived the winter! Happy day!!!
So, in celebration...here's something super fun!
Reflexology is a healing therapy that uses pressure on certain areas, or reflex points, primarily on the feet or hands, but sometimes ears, to effect other areas of the body. There is a brief history of reflexology on the National Reflexology Association's website. It's really easy to do to yourself, and it feels really good. If you can get someone to do it for you, it feels even better! In my experience, people seem to be more relaxed and rejuvenated after a twenty minute reflexology session, than an hour massage, but it probably depends both on the person and the therapist.
Positive energy and good intentions are key, of course.
If you are ever in a situation where you feel it is best to keep your shoes on, you can think of this hand chart instead, and give yourself an energetic massage on whatever ails you.
I know these images are pretty small, so hopefully your computer can zoom, or you can just search for larger images on your own if you can't read the labeling. Some reflexology charts vary from others, but they all show you a pretty similar general layout.
Another hands-on-self-help thing that I find extremely useful, is knowing specific acupressure points to press when I'm feeling specific emotions or sensations. You simply press the chosen area with gentle to firm pressure, whatever feels good to you, and take some deep breaths, try to relax and feel your circulation increase and your life force energy flow.
For example, Pericardium 6, corresponding with the Supplemental Fire element, is a point that often helps me with motion sickness, general nausea, or other stomach discomfort. It is located about two finger widths proximal to the anterior (the hairless side) of your wrist, in the center of your arm, right between two tendons.
Large Intestine 4* is helpful in relieving anxiety, panic attacks, and for distracting from pain being experienced anywhere else in the body. The Large Intestine meridian corresponds with the Metal element. *You should not press this point if you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, but otherwise press away! It's located on the top of the hand in the muscle that forms the web between your thumb and index finger.
A few points that are great for relieving headaches are Bladder 1 (Jing Ming/Bright Eyes), Bladder 2, and Gall Bladder 1, all located around the eye. These points will all also help with many eye dysfunctions, tiredness, or irritation. The Bladder meridian corresponds with the Water element, and Gall Bladder corresponds with Wood, which is the element of SPRING!!!
I hope you enjoy poking and prodding yourself for therapeutic purposes, and try doing it outside because it's getting so lovely out there!
So, in celebration...here's something super fun!
Reflexology is a healing therapy that uses pressure on certain areas, or reflex points, primarily on the feet or hands, but sometimes ears, to effect other areas of the body. There is a brief history of reflexology on the National Reflexology Association's website. It's really easy to do to yourself, and it feels really good. If you can get someone to do it for you, it feels even better! In my experience, people seem to be more relaxed and rejuvenated after a twenty minute reflexology session, than an hour massage, but it probably depends both on the person and the therapist.
Positive energy and good intentions are key, of course.
 |
| .stolen from google images. |
 |
| .stolen from google images. |
Another hands-on-self-help thing that I find extremely useful, is knowing specific acupressure points to press when I'm feeling specific emotions or sensations. You simply press the chosen area with gentle to firm pressure, whatever feels good to you, and take some deep breaths, try to relax and feel your circulation increase and your life force energy flow.
For example, Pericardium 6, corresponding with the Supplemental Fire element, is a point that often helps me with motion sickness, general nausea, or other stomach discomfort. It is located about two finger widths proximal to the anterior (the hairless side) of your wrist, in the center of your arm, right between two tendons.
 | |||
| Sorry for the poor quality of these images, they were taken with a phone. |
A few points that are great for relieving headaches are Bladder 1 (Jing Ming/Bright Eyes), Bladder 2, and Gall Bladder 1, all located around the eye. These points will all also help with many eye dysfunctions, tiredness, or irritation. The Bladder meridian corresponds with the Water element, and Gall Bladder corresponds with Wood, which is the element of SPRING!!!
I hope you enjoy poking and prodding yourself for therapeutic purposes, and try doing it outside because it's getting so lovely out there!
*thinking of peace and happiness, and sending it to Japan, but hoping for peace and happiness for all beings*
Thursday, March 10, 2011
red cheeks, red hair, hot stones
As a brand new baby in the massage community, my self confidence has been waning a bit. In school, I was in a class of sixteen other folks who were at the same level as me. We were all being bombarded with the same level of information, and learning it in the same order, at the same pace. At work, I'm with therapists who have a wide variety of experience levels, some of whom have been practicing for decades, and when I look back at myself I feel a little ignorant. Since, I'm lucky to even have a job this soon after my training, I know I shouldn't complain...so I'm not. I'm simply expressing that I'm feeling an extra push to continue educating myself, so I've started researching different workshops hoping one of them will restore my confident energy (this, of course, is after I tried some other extreme and unproductive things, like dying my hair bright red and eating a pint of ice cream). There are so many options, that I think I'm just going to pick whichever workshop is being offered first.
In the meantime, I'm supposed to be working on my Hot Stone massage training at work. I've been skeptical to real therapeutic value of hot stone massage, and had thought of it as purely a luxurious, high priced spa treatment. I thought that there wasn't any more, and probably less, therapeutic value to hot stone massage than sitting in a sauna or taking a bath...until I received a hot stone massage. Those rocks can hold a lot of heat, and if they are at a good temperature (but cool enough not to burn your skin, ouch!) they melt stress and tight muscles like butter! No joke. It's like magic. Heat can penetrate pretty deeply into the muscle tissue, and causes almost instant relaxation. I think the specific contact you get with a basalt stone, compared to sitting in a hot bath or sauna makes all the difference. The temperature contrast of the area being worked on, to the rest of your body, sends direct messages to your brain and then to your areas of tension, and they just give up and stop holding on. It's lovely, and the difference in muscle tone is physically palpable afterward.
One super fun fact about Hot Stone massage, is that basalt is a volcanic rock. It came out of a volcano! In terms of energy healing, that probably scores hot stone massage major points. Molten Mother Earth is being used to heal your body with her ancient wisdom and pure intention, grounding your spirit in your physical being.
m a g i c .
I have to admit that learning to massage people while holding hot slippery rocks is not helping to strengthen my confidence at all, but I'm working on it.
Everything is a process.
In the meantime, I'm supposed to be working on my Hot Stone massage training at work. I've been skeptical to real therapeutic value of hot stone massage, and had thought of it as purely a luxurious, high priced spa treatment. I thought that there wasn't any more, and probably less, therapeutic value to hot stone massage than sitting in a sauna or taking a bath...until I received a hot stone massage. Those rocks can hold a lot of heat, and if they are at a good temperature (but cool enough not to burn your skin, ouch!) they melt stress and tight muscles like butter! No joke. It's like magic. Heat can penetrate pretty deeply into the muscle tissue, and causes almost instant relaxation. I think the specific contact you get with a basalt stone, compared to sitting in a hot bath or sauna makes all the difference. The temperature contrast of the area being worked on, to the rest of your body, sends direct messages to your brain and then to your areas of tension, and they just give up and stop holding on. It's lovely, and the difference in muscle tone is physically palpable afterward.
One super fun fact about Hot Stone massage, is that basalt is a volcanic rock. It came out of a volcano! In terms of energy healing, that probably scores hot stone massage major points. Molten Mother Earth is being used to heal your body with her ancient wisdom and pure intention, grounding your spirit in your physical being.
m a g i c .
I have to admit that learning to massage people while holding hot slippery rocks is not helping to strengthen my confidence at all, but I'm working on it.
Everything is a process.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
look at me, an LMT! (i'm a big girl now)
I am a NEW addition to the thousands of massage therapists currently working in this state/country/world. I'm not exactly sure how many massage therapists inhabit this state or this country or the world, but I do know that there are a ton of them living in the same city as I am, in Ithaca, NY. So if you are a person that likes a huge selection with many options and getting a massage has been on your to-do list, just come to Ithaca to select a therapist, there are endless nooks and crannies filled with LMTs waiting to work.
Last Thursday, I found out that I passed my NYS board exam (with a pretty good grade, might I add!), which means I can keep the job at Rasa Spa that I so quickly, and luckily, obtained right after graduating from massage school!! So far, I gotta' say, being a licensed massage therapist has been pretty lovely. People are so grateful when they experience my work, and it really makes me feel like there is a radiant light beaming from my chest when they express how helpful I've been in assisting their healing process. This of course, is why I studied massage in the first place, to be able to help people "reclaim their bodies" (not a permanent blog title, by any means) as well as their mind and spirit, and in doing so, makes me feel amazing and helps me to constantly brighten my insides.
The most important and amazing thing that studying and practicing massage has really brought to the surface of my consciousness is that physical being and emotional being are practically the same thing. They are so closely intertwined, it really can be difficult to decipher where one ends and the other begins. I feel like everyone is somewhat aware of this interconnectedness, but lately working with so many different folks it has sometimes really left me in awe/laughter/tears. Hopefully, this blog will serve as a place for me to talk about massage techniques and other whole health topics and how amazing they are. I am so excited about this new chapter of my life, and that I get to share it with so many people. I can't wait to sign up for some continuing ed courses, and extra certifications. I just feel totally in to all of it!
This blog is a test of my ability to keep track of anything/communicate with the public while maintaining the use of appropriate adult language and thoughts. I am also planning on finding my own space to work from that is not affiliated with a spa (which may include my attic, look out!), so this is a way for people to be updated on that as well.
Let's see how it goes! I'm going to try not to fizzle out with this blogging thing. Everyone's doing it right? How hard could it be? (but I don't know anything about all this HTML stuff so I don't really know how to make my blog look beautiful, and not canned...maybe someday)
Last Thursday, I found out that I passed my NYS board exam (with a pretty good grade, might I add!), which means I can keep the job at Rasa Spa that I so quickly, and luckily, obtained right after graduating from massage school!! So far, I gotta' say, being a licensed massage therapist has been pretty lovely. People are so grateful when they experience my work, and it really makes me feel like there is a radiant light beaming from my chest when they express how helpful I've been in assisting their healing process. This of course, is why I studied massage in the first place, to be able to help people "reclaim their bodies" (not a permanent blog title, by any means) as well as their mind and spirit, and in doing so, makes me feel amazing and helps me to constantly brighten my insides.
The most important and amazing thing that studying and practicing massage has really brought to the surface of my consciousness is that physical being and emotional being are practically the same thing. They are so closely intertwined, it really can be difficult to decipher where one ends and the other begins. I feel like everyone is somewhat aware of this interconnectedness, but lately working with so many different folks it has sometimes really left me in awe/laughter/tears. Hopefully, this blog will serve as a place for me to talk about massage techniques and other whole health topics and how amazing they are. I am so excited about this new chapter of my life, and that I get to share it with so many people. I can't wait to sign up for some continuing ed courses, and extra certifications. I just feel totally in to all of it!
This blog is a test of my ability to keep track of anything/communicate with the public while maintaining the use of appropriate adult language and thoughts. I am also planning on finding my own space to work from that is not affiliated with a spa (which may include my attic, look out!), so this is a way for people to be updated on that as well.
Let's see how it goes! I'm going to try not to fizzle out with this blogging thing. Everyone's doing it right? How hard could it be? (but I don't know anything about all this HTML stuff so I don't really know how to make my blog look beautiful, and not canned...maybe someday)
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