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Greetings!
Welcome to the October issue of the Caring Palms newsletter. This month, we have an extended Reiki class schedule with a new class added in December, and an article for you.
I hope you like what we have here.
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| A Hot Month |
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September turned out to be a hot month for Caring Palms. Unfortunately, this was not due to a huge amount of sessions but high temperatures and a failure of the air conditioning system. The A/C systems in Caring Palms' building are water cooled, and on the 14th, the water pump went out. It took two days for the pump to be replaced with a new one and another day to fix it after it broke. While the people in the other offices can work on their computers (using fans to keep cool), massage can not be done in temps around 87º or higher. Caring Palms spent three days with its doors shut.
But this story gets better. When things finally got fixed, the A/C unit that cools the Zen treatment room died and had to be replaced. That unit got installed on the 25th. Two days later the unit that cools the rest of the office stopped working and got repaired in the 29th. Yes, it has been a warm and interesting month.
Everything seems to be working now, and with luck, it will continue to do so. Caring Palms does apologize for those sessions that had to be cancelled or postponed. We know how one's schedules can really be messed up when these things happen, but it could not be avoided. Hopefully, with things working, this should not have to happen again anytime soon. Again, thank you for your understanding. |
| Economic Times |
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Many years ago, there was a song that proclaimed "The times, they are a changing." That is no less true today than it was back in the 70s. Back then, we were going through major changes, culturally, socially, and politically. Today, it is economically (which eventually filters down to the other three). The cost of everything goes up, while the quality goes down.
It is a much harder world to survive in filled with stresses and problems that we never thought we would see. And how long this will go on for is not known. Most people hope that things will get better in the next year, but there are those that are afraid it won't. As people, we suffer because we go without things that we should be getting, like healthcare. There is always a toss up: go see the doctor, or put gas in the car so I can get to work to earn the money that puts food on the table and gas in the car.
But one thing we miss is that by not taking care of ourselves, we are making our problems worse, and making it more difficult to get to work to earn the money needed to survive. As a healthcare provider (and yes, massage therapists are healthcare providers) and healer, I like many other therapists tend to be more concerned with my clients than with my own health issues. What I learned was that if we healers don't take care of ourselves, we eventually can't help others. The same is true for anyone providing for a family or just themselves.
Health has to be a concern. This is true whether we are talking about seeing a doctor to take care of problems, or getting massage or Reiki to relieve some of the stress from dealing with the world. The key is that whatever your situation, you can not put your health on the back burner. Find a way to take care of yourself or you may not be able to do anything else. |
| Modality of the Month |
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Hawaiian Lomi Lomi Massage
The ancient art of Hawaiian Lomi Lomi has been practiced for hundreds of years. The gift of healing was passed down to the "chosen one" who spent their life practicing the healing arts. Kahuna's (healers, shaman) were taught to use thumbs, hands, forearms and elbows to massage. It wasn't uncommon to have hot rocks placed on injuries or have the Kahuna walk on your back. Kahuna's were even known to use a mild form of hypnosis, instilling feelings of well-being. They believed they could transfer their own vital energy into a person who was sick.
Hawaiian Lomi Lomi was kept secret within families for most of its history, until Kahuna Aunty Margaret Machado decided to teach anyone who wanted to learn "the loving touch". Aunty says, "Lomi Lomi is a loving touch. When they feel loving hands on their body, they'll respond, "she loves me, she'll take good care of me, and I'm going to get well."
So, what is the difference between Lomi Lomi and any other massage? That is a difficult question to answer. Clients have said, "It's as if you are right inside of my muscles and you know exactly where to go and how deep to go." "The pressure points melt, your hands and elbows feel strong and loving as if they are guided." I don't know how elbows and forearms can feel loving, but that is what clients say! Lomi Lomi feels like many different techniques put into one flowing system. It has a rhythm and flow that is soothing and feels complete.
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| Special Hours - One Week Only |
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Due to Everest University being closed the week of October 6th, Caring Palms will be able to take 5pm or 6pm appointments during that time. Normally, Caring Palms can not take weekday appointments after 4pm because Brian teaches evenings at Everest. But with the school being closed between semesters, he is available for those that like later times. |
| Reiki Class Schedule |
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The following is a list of currently scheduled Reiki Classes. Each class (unless otherwise marked) currently has a status of 'Scheduled'. This means that a date has been set, but no one has signed up for it yet. Once a deposit has been received for a class, the status will be 'Confirmed'. The current schedule is as follows:
Reiki 1
- October 11 (Saturday) 11am - 5pm
- November 8 (Saturday) 11am - 5pm
- December 6 (Saturday) 11am - 5pm
All classes are open to anyone wanting to learn this unique method of hands-on healing. The cost for each class is $100 no matter what level of Reiki the class is for. A 50% deposit ($50) is required a minimum of seven (7) days prior to the class date (or permission of the instructor) to reserve a space in the class. Classes with no deposits received by the deposit date will be cancelled. All class statuses may be viewed on the Reiki side of the web site under 'Class Scheduling and Schedule of Classes'.
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| Watch for the November Sale |
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Starting in November, Caring Palms will be having its annual holiday gift certificate sale. This features the popular 'Buy 4, Get 1 Free' sale. Watch for the November newsletter for sale dates. |
| Returning Clients |
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This month Caring Palms saw three clients that it has not seen in some time. It is always nice to see people that have been away for a while, to catch up, to help them through whatever issues they have. (When a client does not return in a year's period, they become marked inactive.)
All three clients wanted Reiki (which seems to have been popular this month). Two needed it to help calm them to get through some current stress. The other lives out of state, and when he is in the area, comes for a session. It is nice to be remembered when people return to town for whatever reason. Caring Palms has several clients that come back this way once a year or so, and they remember to look us up.
It is nice to appreciated by our clients, and we appreciate them. |
| Support Local Businesses |
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In today's times, more and more of the businesses around us seem to be closing. Because of the economy, people are not spending as much on things that they consider luxuries, even though some of those 'luxuries' may even be necessary to survive the times. Most of the service industries are hurting. This includes restaurants, hair salons and barbers, theaters, and yes, even massage therapists.
I was surprised to see a restaurant close that has been here since we moved to Jacksonville 12 years ago. Small businesses are closing left and right. Even the Sonic around the corner has shut its doors, which shows the times are affecting franchise businesses as well as those singly owned.
Caring Palms urges you to support your local small businesses as best you can. They are there to serve you, and exist only through your support. Spread the word about your experiences to get new people to visit these local businesses so they will be around to serve you in the future. Local businesses care about you, and will do more for you than large corporations. Visit your local businesses and see what they can do for you. |
| Being Controlled |
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| by Brian Dean
Control. We are, in our own ways, control freaks. We want to feel in control of ourselves and our surroundings, but all too often we don't have control at all. Maybe it's time to let go.
One of the things we all want to feel is in control of our lives, our destiny. But truly, there aren't many of us that are. We spend our time being buffeted about by forces beyond our control. All too often the main one of those is our job.
I remember when I was working at my day job. No matter what I did, no matter how good I was, I had absolutely no control. To quote a recent movie, I was like a plane without a rudder, "wind blows north, I go north."
While we need control, we don't need to control as much as we do. Something I see all the time when I work on people, how I will move their arms or legs, and they will try to move it for me, trying to guess where I'm going with it. It is better for them if they just release control and let me move the limb, but they can't give up control on anything.
Sometimes we need to release, to let go, not to the point that we are rudderless, but to the point where we can be gently directed. We still have control, but are freer to float, rather than stand stiff.
The martial art Aikido is based on the principle of non-resistance rather than strength. Rather than block a punch and then strike (basically exerting one's will), the Aikido practitioner gets out of the way of the punch, letting their opponent's motion carry them. Force moves in a straight line. Aikido movements are circular. Force comes in the form of an attack. The person doing Aikido will move out of the way allowing the force to become part of the circular movement, and then released on a different line. It is less control, but a greater effect.
There was one scene in the movie "Serenity" (which the previous quote came from) where the pilot of the starship Serenity is trying to fly between two warring fleets bent on destroying them. His comment is "I am a leaf on the wind. Watch me soar."
What this shows is someone letting go of control enough so that they can move with the forces around them, yet be in control enough so they are not blown around haphazardly. This person is not stiff and rigid. They are moving with the wind, bouncing, changing direction as needed. They are able to move and bend, to go with the flow. This is where we need to be. Surprisingly enough we don't do it by tightening control, but by releasing it. Scary huh? Well, of course it is. But rather than giving into fear, give into hope. |
| Can We Answer Your Questions? |
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You have Questions? Maybe we have answers.
Each month, we write articles on a variety of subjects. Is there something that you would like to see us write about? Do you have questions that you 'd like answered? Do you have questions on massage? On Reiki? On energy work in general? Submit your questions or requests to Brian@CaringPalms.com and we will try to see if we can answer them for you. | |
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