What Is Shiatsu?

Shiatsu Heals Your Whole Self 

Feeling good is bigger than the moment and has its roots in our patterns, beliefs and history. Shiatsu addresses these with movement, stretching, self-reflection, acupressure and cellular retraining. More than technique, shiatsu reflects a mind/body philosophy based on the thousands year old healing methods of Asian, Native American and Indigenous People everywhere. Both practical and natural, you leave feeling relaxed, energized and graced.

Early healers corrected imbalanced thoughts, beliefs, choices, inheritance, DNA, emotions, relationships, nutrition, movement, spirit, everything, through observable mind/body energy channels, or meridians. They spent thousands of years studying, interacting, affecting and balancing meridians for holistic health. When modern science discovered exactly how and what our body communicates, it contemporized this metaphorical body/energy language with terms like cell receptors, neuroscience and molecules of emotion.

In traditional medicines, “energy” equals life or life-force. Our life-force expresses through our physical, mental and emotional health. We enjoy good health when our life-force remains unblocked and balanced. A practitioner observes symptoms such as a tight muscle or unproductive frustration and understands them as energy imbalances, treatable through herbs, bodywork, acupuncture/pressure, dialogue, etc. By correcting one issue, like back stiffness, we heal all associated physical, mental or emotional concerns such as closed-mindedness or quick temper.

A model of efficiency, Chinese Medicine simultaneously diagnoses and treats imbalances. For example, discussing your emotional troubles illuminates the concern, relieves it, changes it and your back feels better. Palpating for blocked energy concurrently unblocks the energy, heals the underlying cause and improves your state of mind. And, what took years to damage may ultimately take years to heal.

Shiatsu moves and frees your body, mind and emotions, the foundations of life.

The Basics

Shiatsu blends Asian and Western Medicine by moving more than traditional meridian therapy. The therapist uses fingers, hands, knees, feet, toes and their whole body to stretch, compress and use acupressure to balance out the meridians. Done on a large floor futon, both receiver and practitioner have ample space and support to move comfortably. The receiver remains clothed, aiding in self-reflection and relaxation.

Happy New Year From Rita and InSpire Massage

Happy New Year from Rita and InSpire Massage

Thank you for being such a great support this year. What a long strange trip it's been.

To show my thanks, in my unique little way, I created a short meditation video card if you click on the link below.

In Peace and Love,
Rita

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syr0YevkmyU

Peaceful Gingerbread People

We all know that peace starts within. When our body feels good, we feel more peaceful. When we make good choices, our mind feels peaceful. Here's a great feel good gingerbread cookie recipe for the holidays (which also means it's great for upset stomachs).

Raw Gingerbread People

1/2 cup ground flax seeds
1 1/2 cup ground nuts (pecans, walnuts) finely ground in coffee mill
3 tsp freshly grated ginger (finely ground) or more to taste
15 drops stevia (I prefer the NOW brand as it’s not bitter- you can add more maple syrup if you’d like to skip it)
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/8 cup water, or more to adjust proper consistency

1) Blend all ingredients together in large bowl.  Add more water as needed to create a consistency that sticks well when shaped into gingerbread people or shapes with cookie cutters.

2) Roll out using light dusting of flour (use flour such as rice flour if you want them to be gluten-free).

3) Make sure you roll out dough to same thickness for all your cookies or you will have different levels of "done-ness" from dehydrating.  Cut into desired shapes, aprox. 1/2 inch thick.

4) Decorate with raw seeds, nuts, cacao nibs, dried fruit like goji, cherries or cranberries, etc.

5a) If you’d like to keep them raw and healthier: Dry in dehydrator at aprox. 110F for 8-24 hours, depending on whether you want cookies to be slightly chewy or crunchy.

5b) If you’d like them to be more like the cookies you remember: Bake in a 300 degree oven until they have the consistency and crunchiness you prefer.
Makes aprox. 18-20 mid-sized gingerbread people.

The Scent of Peace

Our sense of smell instantly transports us into specific memories and states of mind: happy, sad, excited, melancholy. A wonderful tool, smell lets us quickly tune in and respond to our environment. Smells often operate below our consciousness, influencing our hormones, reactions and thoughts. For example, the smell of baking helps sell a house, making it feel personable, warm and inviting. For the holidays especially, a basic understanding of aromatherapy helps you invite peace and calm into your inner and outer life.

Our bodies respond best to natural smells. After we inhale, scent molecules key into special nasal receptors, telling our bodies the difference between more complex natural scents and sharper petrochemical compounds. Artificial scents trigger immune responses such as irritability, itchy eyes or asthma whereas pure essential oils cause much fewer allergic reactions. I suggest using pure essential oils and natural plants for the healthiest and most effective aromatherapy. Many candle and air freshener companies blend essential and synthetic oils to cut costs, so look for pure, unblended oils at your local health food store.

For a peacefully scented holiday, start with a clean palette. Take an hour or two and air our your home with fresh air. This helps release any dustiness, mustiness and unpleasant odors which you may not notice. Fresh air brings a sense of clarity and possibility to a space.

For clean, new thoughts, especially for unpleasant holiday memories, place cedar chips in your drawers and/or cedar boughs around the house. Many tribal cultures burned cedar as a sacred incense to call in soft, fresh energy. It may simply remind you of nature's quiet and healing presence.

For a more sacred or reverent atmosphere, I suggest using frankincense oil or resin. Use the oil in a diffuser or burn the resin by placing it on burning wood or an incense charcoal. Many cultures use this spicy scent in spiritual ceremonies, evoking quiet and respect.

To promote calm and improve digestion, use ginger, peppermint and clove scents. You can bake gingerbread, make peppermint tea or candies, or use the oils in a diffuser. Ginger and peppermint relieve all sorts of nausea when you feel ill or overfed; why restaurants commonly offer mints at the end of a meal.

For a generally peaceful holiday, I like citrus scents like orange, lemons or lemongrass. As a centerpiece, you can stack up oranges, lemons and limes in a bowl, put cloves in an orange and hang it as decoration, simmer orange or lemon peel in cider or warm water or add the essential oils to a diffuser. Citrus adds an unexpected and fresh scent, reminding us that life is sweet and tomorrow is another day.