Poem by Hafiz

Even after all this time
The sun never says to the earth,
“You owe me”.
Look what happens with a love like that.
It lights the whole sky.

Hafiz

~Claudia

Stillness and movement

I like to think about the relationship between movement and stillness.

    Sometimes, when I am in Tuscany and when I sit still, I notice how much life there is around me.  The lizards, for example, love the hot stones and move incredibly quickly.  Their torso and delicate long tail move in an S shaped manner, like snakes, rarely moving their legs separately.  They are very shy and to have them come closer I remain completely still.  They advance with a few very quick moves and then they stop as if frozen;  all that still moves is their beating heart.  Their coloring matches the grey walls, so when they stop they blend into the wall unnoticed.  And the pretty green ones can hide in the grass or the laurel bush and pretend to be a leaf.
The birds and butterflies as well move their wings to accelerate; then they stop fluttering and let themselves be carried by the air until again they use their wings.  A continuous rhythm exists between moving the wings and then swooping in stillness.

Some time ago I listened to a talk on sacred geometry by Drunvalo Melchizedek.  He said that when spirit comes into matter it comes through a vortex.  Before anything materializes and becomes “the thing”, whatever it is, there is movement.  In embryology, for example, one can observe movements in the embryonic fluid forming the organs.  Once the organ is formed (stillness), it develops it’s functions, which is again movement.

Looking at any formation in nature - stones, trees, horns of animals or flowers, one can see the movements of growth.  For example, how long a tree has lived is visible in the rings of wood in the tree trunk.  Once one begins to observe and reflect on such processes one can see similar ones everywhere.  

Practicing taichi we strengthen the awareness of what is moving and what is still in the body; what is relaxed and what is energized works side by side, creating calm and internal energy.

Between the in- breath and the out- breath there is a little pause, a moment of perception, stillness.

In the human body constructive and breaking down processes work constantly and simultaneously.  The former ones restore and replenish when we rest or sleep;  the latter ones accelerate when we are active and moving, and are necessary for the transformation of food.  Keeping them in balance maintains our health.

“Find stillness in movement and movement in stillness”, is a fascinating window into the mysteries of life, balance, harmony and health!

 ~Claudia

Massage as a musical experience

 A number of clients have told me that they experience my massages musically.  Some also mention that they have strong visions of colors.

That is indeed how I approach a massage.  There has to be a beginning, an end, moments of stillness and an overall flow with smooth transitions. The hand movements transmit various qualities; creating space and suction to draw tension out, percussion and firmness to stimulate circulation, rapid movements and slow ones, rolling, kneading and holding, lifting and pressing and more.  In one hand movement alone there can be softness to let the tissue give way (piano), leading to a movement like kneading or percussion (forte) and ending possibly with a nerve stimulating feathering over the part that has been worked on (pianissimo).

  Before the beginning, is the prelude.  This can be a simple holding to connect, a rubbing or rocking of the body, a way of greeting and acknowledging the person that has come for help.
It offers an experience of my touch to let the client know what is to come.  The curtain is opened, the work can begin and the time of the session is all about the client.

Now the beginning:  I only use high quality oils.  The oils have different qualities and help to support the intention of the massage.  They enter the skin and bloodstream and have various effects; warming, soothing, detoxing, contracting, awakening and stimulating or overall harmonizing.  It is also possible to use a combination of oils.
As I apply the oil I can already feel many things-the health and temperature of the skin and tissue, underlying restrictions and the flow of breath.  I use light flowing and uplifting movements to spread the oil and before I work deeper into the tissue and muscles.  Translated to sound or color it would be an andante gracioso in pastel colors.

Everything has been prepared now, the body is warmed up and the main work can begin with all the bells and whistles.  It is important to have an overview of the whole, even when concentrating on individual parts that need work, always keeping the agreed upon intention in mind.  One can ease into each movement or technique, accelerate or slow down to go deeper in the middle of it, and smooth things out at the end.  A living organism can only be approached in a living way, therefore I try never to become mechanical or routinized in the use of my hands.  Deeper pressure will slow the flow or even end in holding, like a fermata, before continuing on.  Trying to melt away congested, adherent or strained areas in the tissues, muscles and tendons needs full concentration, patience and breathing in the hand movements.  Nothing can be forced.  That’s where we experience the depth of our destiny, the deeper colors and tones of our life experience, our limitations and obstacles.  In a symphony this would be the main theme.
There is a conversation between my hands and the body I am working on; in particular the areas that I have been asked to address.  By differentiating the quality of touch the tissue softens and breathes again.

Towards the end of the massage my hand movements bear a quality of closure.  In the last 15 minutes I will not “open anything up” anymore, or in musical terms start a new theme.  I most often end my massages at the feet.  Massaging the feet gives me a chance to relate to the whole person as I did in the beginning.  Working the reflex areas on the feet that relate to the areas that earlier in the massage received the most work, can be a wonderful finale and a second chance to let go and release tensions.

And then at the very end peace and silence.  A few minutes of nothing.  No holding, no movement, no more intention.  Just being and letting the body absorb and resonate.  The client now has time to him or herself alone.
When relaxation has been achieved the restorative forces can do their part, as in sleep.
So much can happen in the silence after the last vibration of sound has dissipated!

~Claudia

Health is individual

What is Holistic Health Counseling?

    “When Health is absent Wisdom cannot reveal itself, Art cannot become manifest, Strength cannot be exerted, Wealth is useless and Reason is powerless” Herophilus, 300BC

     Holistic Health Counseling addresses health from a point of view that understands that nourishment for us is good food. But equally important, if not more so, are loving relationships, is spirituality, is needed and meaningful work and movement that we enjoy.   We can feel “fed” and carried through nature experiences, playing with children, singing, prayer and meditation, conversation and pursuing our passions to the point of even forgetting to eat!  We also have experienced how the absence of these primary forms of nourishment can drive us to use food as a substitute.   Working with a Holistic Health Counselor gives the client/patient permission to explore all avenues that feed him/her, which then allows them to put their diet into perspective.
    There is a myriad of ways of eating and a confusing variety of diets flooding the consumer market.  A very common disappointment for many is that diets usually don’t work.   More often than not the weight or the addiction will come back.  Worse, people can get sick from following someone else’s diet instead of listening to their own body’s messages.  Each individual has their own biochemistry and has to find out for themselves what foods serve them best.  What we eat should depend on what the seasons offer, level of activity, time of life, gender, how fast we burn the food and what we are trying to heal.  During a six months program guided by an Holistic Health Counselor, the client has time to test and try out which foods support him/her the best.  A mother, for example, may end up eating what the children left over and may never have the time to think about what would nourish her.  Or a person struggling with weight and fatigue may want to explore fresh pressed juices and more raw foods in their diet.  There are many dietary theories but the approach Holistic Health Counseling takes, is to work from the inside out and to relate to the messages our body gives us.
What we put into our mouth connects us most intimately with nature and the cosmos.  Through the process of digestion we make plant foods, animal foods, grains and fats completely our own.  They become our blood which then builds and maintains all the cells, organs and structure.  As we become aware of the depth of the connection we have to the earth we inevitably become better stewards.  As Holistic Health Counselors we promote fresh, lively, organic and biodynamic whole foods as opposed to fragmented, refined, industrialized, chemicalized and processed products.   Nature provides nutrients in a team, designed to help the human body absorb them optimally.  For example, stripping grains of their oils and the bran cuts down on essential vitamins, minerals and fiber.   Refined products are empty calories.  They leave us forever unsatisfied and, devoid of nutrients, they deplete the body’s reserves.  A double whammy!  Healthy, clean and whole foods nourish the human organism and help to rid the body of toxins and chemicals.  Whole foods significantly reduce cravings and bring back a sense of wholeness, of owning our body again.  The physical body anchors our spiritual being. The more our bodies are filled with fake, artificial foods that make us sick; the more we treat our sick bodies with drugs, the less we feel in charge.  Who owns this body?  Who steals our (w)health?
     Holistic Health Counseling also teaches clients about the energy of foods, how they grow and are cultivated, and how foods are prepared.  A rare steak is grounding and energizing for some people, whereas a sweet desert can make one feel relaxed, happy and elated. Grilling, steaming, sautéing or cooking in the pressure cooker all affect us differently.  The energy of steaming is more gentle and loosens tension we may carry in the body, whereas frying or pressure cooking has a contracting effect supporting a focused mind.  Considering the energy of food and food preparation is a joyful discovery and a potent tool for creating balance.
    The nutritional world focuses a lot on numbers, percentages, calories and rules regarding diet.  Holistic Health Counseling supports the whole person in their context to achieve their health goals through lasting changes in individualized diet, enjoyable lifestyle choices and greater awareness for the environment.
    Health is individual.  Health is what allows us to act upon what gives our life meaning.  It is precious.  Whatever a person’s particular health challenge may be, the body will get better, when given a chance, because it is designed to create balance.  When we are in balance, we are healthy.
    Holistic Health Counseling is a critical part of social change.  In our world where global warming, issues of resource stewardship and enormous inequities call on our conscience and our will, taking charge of our daily health before chronic conditions set in is part of being a modern day activist.


       ~Claudia