A week ago I was inspired to rekindle my meditation practice. When I started Thai massage, almost 7 years ago, I had daily, morning meditation time. As my practice, business, and life has become busier and busier, my solo meditation practice has waned.

I think my practice had lessened because I felt I was being meditative all day long during my sessions with clients--that I was fulfilling my daily "meditation quota" by giving Thai massage to others. Ha Ha Ha! While this is true, it's only partly true. Being in that calming, peaceful place with clients is not the same as being by myself with a solo practice.

I was first encouraged to kick-start my meditation by Sherif, the Vedic astrologer I saw a few weeks ago. He said that meditation is a huge part of my chart--that it should be a huge part of my life--being still, emptying, and listening. I was then encouraged again a week ago by Colleen, a friend and fellow Thai massage therapist, whom I trade with and who is an associate therapist with my company. She was describing her recent commitment to a daily, solo, meditation practice, and how meaningful it had become for her. This 2nd nudge was all I needed to commit to a practice again.

It's nice that I have an instantly-ready meditation room, just waiting for me :) My massage room has all of the essential elements, and many more, to make a meditation practice divine. I've been talking with my clients and friends this past week about how enriching this renewed practice has become for me--I've become re-inspired to write creatively and am currently working on a young-adult fiction book set in the Chartreuse mountains in France--personified sunflower fields; magical, green elixirs that hint at life's meaning; and the contrast of nature and religious order. All very fun and interesting--

But as I've been discussing my meditation practice with clients, they've been intrigued on having a game-plan for their own practices--so here is the scoop on some key ingredients for starting your meditation practice:

1. Set a specific time frame every day. Mornings are usually best--the world is quiet--your mind will be as well. Evenings are difficult because you'll have more tendencies to fall asleep, and your mind will be more active from the day. I meditate in the mornings.

2. Choose a specific place. In your house/apartment, organize a small space that can always stay as your altar space--just large enough so that you can sit cross-legged and be able to lay down supine and stretch out. I have my massage room. It's best if this space can stay permanent--like a corner of your bedroom or a completely separate room.

3. To Altar or not? In your newly created meditation nook, make space for a small altar. World Market and Target sell low tables--just a few inches off the ground- -this is perfect for an altar. Have 2 or 3 candles, incense that you can light as you start your practice, and other images/statues/special objects that are meaningful and inspiring to you.

4. Some Organization. I like my little rituals, my little routines in the morning, and I enjoy this with my meditation practice. I get my room prepped, first thing, when I wake up--I turn the space heater on; I turn the rice cooker on to heat up my Thai compresses; then I light my altar candles, start the incense, and prep the pillows and blankets. I start with Seated meditation-- bolstering up my Sits-Bones with a pillow so it takes some pressure off my low back. I sit facing my altars. After 15 - 30 min of the Seated practice, then my compresses are steamy and yummy, and I place them along my back and neck and lay over them for the next 15 - 30 min. I have my knees and ankles bolstered to keep my low back comfortable--I cover myself with a cozy blanket--I place an essential oil on my 3rd eye and temples--and I cover my eyes with an eye pillow.

5. Music. I've been listening to Tibetan Singing Bowls mixed with Ocean sounds and gongs. It's lovely. The bowls resonate, the gong is struck, and the ocean's ebb and flow are weaved together. It helps for clarity and awareness.

6. Letting go of the "M" word. For many people I talk with, the "M" word, is a scary, bad word. Most of us think we know what meditation is but in actuality we don't really know. Most of us naturally label it in our minds as something that we could never do--only Buddha-type people could do it. I thought this way when I first encountered the "M" word. In college I was introduced--and I dreaded the practice--it actually was an assignment with one of my English Literature classes--"Contemplative Poetry". So you need to let go of what you think you know about meditation.

7. You will never stop your thoughts. Meditation is not about stopping your thoughts--the goal is not to be free of thoughts. This is impossible. We are thinking beings--we can't cease everything, but what we can do is notice and become aware of what we're thinking. This is beneficial because many times we are stressed and/or depressed, and we don't really know why. What is the root cause? Where are these feelings/emotions coming from? When we meditate, we begin to notice--we begin to quiet and calm--and when we access these calmer/observer places instead of the reactive/performer ones the answers and ideas can flow more freely. Enlightenment is not necessarily the end result--it is part of the process-- small sips of stillness resonating--even for just 5 seconds--awareness for even 5 seconds is Enlightenment.

8. Commit to 2 weeks, every day, 15-30-45-60 min. Start with 15 min and let it build each time. You will start craving it. And don't worry about doing it correctly or incorrectly--just show up in the space--and that will be more than enough. If one day you feel like doing some light stretches before seated meditation, go for it. Mix it up and listen to your body and spirit and what it needs that day.

Namaste and Kap Kun Kah, Hillary Olsen Hilliard

Foam Rolling is a Self-Myofascial release technique that is used by athletes and physical therapists to inhibit overactive muscles. This form of stretching utilizes the concept of autogenic inhibition to improve soft tissue extensibility, thus relaxing the muscle and allowing the activation of the antagonist muscle.

The Foam Roller is commonly used on these muscle groups: Gastrocnemius, Latissimus Dorsi, Piriformis, and TFL/Iliotibial Band. It is accomplished by rolling the foam roller under each muscle group until a tender area is found, and maintaining pressure on the tender area for 30-60 seconds.

We recommend for many of our clients to buy a foam roller and have it for at-home care. Just a few minutes of self-massage on the foam roller can go a long way in elongating time between massage sessions and in reducing muscle pain and tension in between sessions.

The above picture is the foam roller sold at Target stores. Online the price is $24.99. Call your local Target store to see if they have some in stock--most likely they do--in the exercise section.

Many athletic clubs have foam rollers in the weight machine area, so you have that option as well. We recommend you have your own at home so you're ensured to do it more often.

Heat is also recommended before foam rolling (10 - 15 min)--taking a hot shower, salt bath, or using heated Thai compresses or other heat packs on the areas before foam rolling will reduce the intensity.

Ice can be used afterward to prevent you from feeling sore from the rolling--15 minutes on and off for several rounds.

While Thai massage involves "Assisted Progressive Stretching" and many yoga-like techniques, there are many occasions when people are hyper-mobile, overly mobile in their joints--whereby the joints stretch farther than is normal. In these cases, certain stretches could be harmful instead of helpful.

For example, if I stretch a client and notice that her limbs seem to "flop" in and out of stretches--easily going into hamstring stretches, hip openers, shoulder openers--but when I see this openness along with very tight muscles, connective tissue, and attachments, then I become curious and cautious.

In this circumstance, I would direct the treatment away from excess, deep stretching to focus on heat therapy and acupressure so as to focus deeply on the muscle and fascial release.

The most common hypermobile situations I've seen with clients are in these areas: ankles, knees, hips, and shoulders. The injuries tend to be: ankle strains/sprains, low back pain (caused by both hyperextension behind knees and overly mobile hips/pelvis), and shoulder dislocations. You can be hypermobile in one, two, or all of these areas.

The best solution for treating hypermobility is to combine deep acupressure, heat therapy, and PNF stabilizing techniques during the treatment and to prescribe stretches and exercises for the client to do at home in between sessions.