In one of last month's articles, I talked about moving like water, the ebb and flow resembling a dance.  Well, a good session is like a dance.

Any healing session is a dance where two people come together to become one for a while, then part.  They become partners in a process, the process of healing.  They work for the best results, making the most of their time together, client and therapist as one.  When that happens, it is a beautiful thing. 

A good therapist reacts to the client's needs, creating movements, using energies, making symmetry based on what information is picked up from the client.  And this information is usually non-verbal, and most likely in the form of energy rather than physical movement.  This combination of messages sent via energy and corresponding movements create the dance where therapist and client are one.

Depending on what is being done (energy work / massage), and what styles are being used, the dance can flow easier.  With energy work, there is energy received from the client and energy sent from the therapist.  Unless the therapist is just blasting in energy, symbiosis is achieved creating a balance based on what is needed (and most of this is happening on a subconscious level).  For example, Reiki achieves its own balance based on what is needed.  It automatically senses the need and adjusts itself to that. 

With massage, some styles are more amenable to the dance, though all do become willing partners.  With Swedish, there is flow, but there is also routine.  (Most therapists start with a routine that they modify based on the client's needs.)  Freestyle modes like Esalen lend themselves to be a more willing partner in the dance.  They have no routine, just movements.  The therapists starts moving and whatever their intuition calls on them to do, they do at whatever location they feel directed to be.  Again, a partnership of communication translating to movement and flow.  Dance partners letting energy move between them, directing them, flowing together, becoming one.

Energy.  Unseen, intuited communication.  They become the music.  Need.  Ebb and flow.  Movement.  These become the dance, the dance of healing.  Two souls intermingling to a beat that is there just for them.  Coming together, becoming one.  Enjoying the time, the beauty of the encounter.  Then parting, both better for the experience.  Enjoy the dance of healing.

Note: To see last month's (or any previous) newsletter, go to any side of the website and select "Newsletter Archive" in the right-hand column. 

• June 4 (Saturday) 11am - 5pm  Closed
• July 9 (Saturday) 11am - 5pm  Confirmed
• August 6 (Saturday) 11am - 5pm
• September 10 (Saturday) 11am - 5pm
• October 8 (Saturday) 11am - 5pm
• November 12 (Saturday) 11am - 5pm

The following is a list of currently scheduled classes.  This class is a two-day class worth 12 CE hours for Florida massage therapists.  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:

• August 13th - August 14th  (Saturday 9:00am - 5:00pm and Sunday 10:00am - 4:00pm)     Confirmed

Note: Check with the hotel for special room rates.  

Maximize your results with less effort. Utilize the science of martial arts and apply it to massage. Body Mechanics and Advanced Techniques for Massage Therapists is designed to reconnect the massage therapist with proper body mechanics and techniques showing how to work without hurting oneself and how to apply deep pressure with little effort.  The class being part lecture, part hands-on practice uses theory, stances, centering, and the proper use of body strength from martial arts and applies them to the art of massage therapy.  Students will learn how to focus their energies and use their body to do deep work with less effort and not get hurt.  This class will help anyone to work deeply with less effort no matter if one is 90 pounds or 250 pounds.  This class is for both the seasoned therapist and the new therapist.  It will show moves everyone is familiar with, but in a new light as well as moves many people may not have seen before (which have been taken from Lomi Lomi, Esalen, and other styles).  The idea is not to dictate how to practice, but to show better body mechanics which the therapist can adapt to what they do.  This is true whether they adapt all of it or just part of it.

Early last month, I worked on a real dog.  Yep.  Four legs, furry, wagging tail, licking tongue.

One of my students is a photographer (among other things) and has been working with the local humane society to help get dogs adopted.  She knew about this one Dalmatian and asked if I would do Reiki on him. 

Friday was found on Good Friday (hence the name) with his sister in a ditch.  Both dogs are about six months old.  Someone had seen the dogs' pictures online and adopted the sister.  Unfortunately, at this point in time, it was probably a bad thing to do to separate them.  Apparently both dogs are not doing well.  Friday has not been eating, been laying around, and not walking. 

The lady fostering him was very concerned that he was not going to be with us long.  Friday kept turning his nose up at any food.  Finally she tried some vegetarian dog food and he seems to like it.  (I didn't know something like that existed.  As it is most dog's nature to eat meat, yet she does have a dog that gets sick when he does.  So for instances like this, there are companies that make dog food that is based on vegetables instead of meat.)  At any rate, my student passed on the information and I contacted the foster mom.  She brought the dog up to me at the studio.

She carried Friday in and set him down in the middle of the lobby.  I immediately got down to his level and talked to him and petted him.  He sat down next to me and let me pet him and kiss him and hug him and tell him he was a good boy.  I did Reiki on him for a while until he got up, walked over me and laid down in the hall.  I was told that he never walks over people.  She said he liked me.  (Most animals seem to like me.  There are those that don't from time to time, but most do.  The neighbor has three dogs that will come see me if they get out.  Her cat does the same thing, and I seem to be the only one she will not claw.)

After giving him his time for a few minutes, I got down on all fours and patted my hands on the floor and called 'Come here, Friday."  He got right up and came over and laid down near me.  So, I lay there on my stomach, on the floor with two hands on the dog.  I stayed there doing Reiki for about 40 minutes.  And he stayed there and let me. 

When I was done, his foster mom put the leash on him and asked him if he would walk or need to be carried.  I walked to the door and called him.  He got up and came right over to me.  She was thinking he would not walk out onto the surface of the parking lot, but when I did the same thing, he came right out to me.  I told her that I want to know how he is doing and if possible to see him again before he goes to his adopted family.

Over the last day or so, Friday has been doing well.  She told me he was a pain in the butt the other day.  He didn't eat, and didn't want to go out.... until it was time for her to go to work.  Then he wanted out and ate and ate.  So, normal puppy stuff.  It looks like he decided to stick around, and I really feel that the Reiki helped. 

About three days after I saw Friday, she posted a video on Facebook of him playing (actually instigating play) with her other dogs.  I couldn't believe that it was the same dog and actually had to ask if it was.  She said that it was amazing what a little food and some Reiki could do.  Yes, Reiki.  It's not just for people anymore.

Friday's foster mom asked if she could pass my info onto the people that adopted Friday's sister.  I told her to feel free to.  Hmm, could this be a new career?  The Dog Reiki-er?

At Caring Palms, we pledge to do the best work we can at every session.  We not only do this to continue to earn your business, but because we believe that you deserve the best care possible every time you are here.  This is true whether it is massage, or energy work, or classes.  This is our promise.  This is what we will continue to do.