Guided Imagery and Meditation

The following may be read aloud by a leader while others meditate, or may be read by an individual, then practiced from memory.

Rest on the floor in a supine position. Bring your attention toward your breath. Notice the depth of your breath and the rate. Breath deeply from your diaphragm, fully inflating then fully deflating your lungs. Imagine that the air rushing into your nostrils is warm, orange sunlight energy that fills your lungs with zest and power that resonates into your whole being. Imagine that the air you exhale is carbon-laced waste--a charcoal smoke of negative energy. Every cell in your body has a bit of this waste, expel it as you fully empty your lungs. Then reinflate your cells with the orange glow of energy.

Focus your thoughts at your feet. Think of the work they do for you supporting your weight every day. Sense the warm energy seeping into the souls of your feet and tingling in each toe. Flex your toes, then feel your feet fully relax. Now move to your lower legs and cleanse the cells of your muscles there with each breath --honor the work your legs do to balance and transport you. Fill your calves with relaxing warmth. Move the warmth into your upper legs and feel them become weightless on the floor. Without conscious thought, your legs mobilize you daily. Praise them with each breath and welcome healing energy into your muscles. Move your thoughts to your pelvic region and visualize the vastness of its functions. Relax your abdomen and allow the orange warm air to travel to your digestive processes, helping your body nourish every cell. Focus again on your chest and the rate and depth of your breath. Each filling and expelling of your lungs is complete and even. Allow the relaxing breath to become second nature, to become a part of a natural healing process.

Fold your hands together over your chest and give thanks for the work they do.
The nimble quality of your fingers is enhanced with each breath and your hands gain strength and passion to work for you. Sense the relaxation of your arms and allow them to feel weightless.
Each breath brings air warmly into your nostrils. Your face is relaxed and the tension escapes all of your facial muscles with every exhale. Think of your brain as a wonderful muscle that flexes or expands with the challenges presented it daily. Fill your brain with the orange glow and feel peace enter your emotions. Feel your brain sending the warm energy through your nervous system and into every cell of your being. Every cell is rejuvenated and enlightened. Refreshed and relaxed.

Now open your eyes for a minute and look up at the room around you-we feel what it is like to be entirely relaxed, yet mindful of your surroundings. You are in total control of every cell and you are fully aware of your self. Now take your being into the world --refreshed and renewed. Sit up slowly and continue your mindful breathing.

The Journey Continues

My life’s focus has evolved through occupations that work to heal mind, body, and spirit. With an
undergraduate degree in Religion and Sociology, I went on to Seminary and explored the
intellectual and spiritual aspects of human development and inner healing. While in grad school,
a career emerged in the field of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment. I learned skills
in this arena for over a dozen years and worked to develop treatment plans that were as holistic
as possible. I made a goal to leave the draining dual diagnosis treatment pursuit by age 40 and
succeeded in that goal by landing a job in the bicycle industry, thus combining vocation with
avocation by addressing my love of bicycling. Later, when managing a Running/Triathlon store, I
was able to work with customers’ personal physical fitness goals. We took pride in our capacity
to approach the complete package of needs through a thorough network of relationships with
health care providers, including massage therapists.

This brings us to now, as I enter into consideration of an education in Massage
Therapy, an occupation that envelopes the complete person. Massage Therapy addresses the
stress of employment, family, and physical strains from exercise. As the Baby Boomers age,
the prevalence of aches and pains will increase and the demand for whole-health treatments will
increase accordingly. Additionally and fortunately, sports participation by all age groups is on
the increase and more folks are learning that the power of human touch is immense. This
presents a great business opportunity and also provides an opening to educate our fellow
Wisconsinites regarding natural wellness modalities.

I am excited by the potential here and want to be a part of this mission, whether it be via private
practice, or by joining an existing care team.

Welcome to Massage Therapy Journal

The touch of the human hand brings warmth, comfort and wellness. Massage allows the body, mind and spirit to succumb to relaxation and form a harmoniously functioning organism. This blog will be your chance as a client, or potential massage client to tap into my brain as I fill it with knowledge from the classes I attend at Wisconsin Institute of Natural Wellness.Our first trimester is complete and I am able to tell you the name of all 206 bones in the human body. We have now moved to learning the muscles and the task is very challenging. I am grateful to the many of you who have contributed to my education by allowing me to practice massage techniques on you. You are becoming the foundation of my business.Stay tuned for health related articles and progress reports from the Massage School.