peaceful abiding

Karuna Contemplative Living posted a link to this the other day.

Take some time, take a breath.

Preparing to Practice
Taming our mind through shamatha meditation, or “peaceful abiding,” is the most important thing we can do. Through peaceful abiding, we learn to rest fearlessly in our natural state, which is basic goodness. We experience basic goodness when we relax deeply into how things are, without wanting to change them. This is why we meditate. Even though we may think we don’t have time to practice, the stability, clarity and strength we’ll discover through meditation can make our life simpler and less pressured.

The first step is to establish a basic routine. When will you practice, and where? Once you settle on a regular time, stick to it. A successful meditation practice is a consistent practice. Ten to twenty minutes of sitting practice a couple of times daily over a lifetime is good.

Create a proper environment for practice—a place that is comfortable, quiet, and clean. Buy a proper meditation cushion. Prepare the body for meditation with yoga, a martial art, or simply stretching. A supple body helps support peaceful abiding. So does eating properly.

Prepare your mind for practice by assessing how it feels before your session. Be compassionate and honest in this; each day is different. If you’re feeling speedy or drowsy, a slow walk or a cool shower might help your meditation before you start. If you’re just out of the office or an argument, reading about meditation can provide a helpful bridge to the cushion.

have chair, will travel

You guys, I got to work with the wonderful and gracious employees of Pigeon Toe Ceramics yesterday. I am basking in the after-glow of a local small business that not only makes beautiful hand-crafted ceramic treats, but also cares for their employee's wellness and health.

Thanks, Pigeon Toe, for a wonderful day!


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Are you a business owner? Do you want to thank your employees for their hard work? Do you want to treat your office to a day of relaxation? Contact Stephanie for rates.

New Studio (SE PDX) Open House

Since the beginning of the year, I set the intention to find my own studio for massage. It has been delightful meeting new therapists and sharing space with some great bodyworkers, however I was called to create my own space for my clients and my work.

I am happy to announce that I will be moving into a gorgeous studio in Karuna Contemplative Living, in great company of Anandi Gefroh, the proprietress of this meditation supply store, and another licensed massage therapist, Wes Burden, specializing in Somatics and sound therapy.

Find us at:
1725 SE Hawthorne Blvd.
Portland, OR 97214

Come say hello at our Open House: Thursday, June 11th 6:30-8:30pm.

injurious feelings

As the days get sunnier and beckon us to play, and we begin to move our bodies more (often in new or renewed ways), we might find ourselves with some aches, a little pain or tightness.

I woke up one morning this week in a tremendous amount of pain. I stretched a little, and got ready for my day. I worked, and found myself not walking my walk, my body contorted, wincing with every step.

What do we do when our body isn't working how we expect it to? I went through a little denial "It's nothing big," I thought, "it will go away in a couple hours."  The pain subsided, but I had a long day ahead; running around, driving, and massage clients. By the time I could kick my feet up, I was sore.

I laid on my mat, took thirty minutes -I was convinced I didn't have- to stretch, a slow, meditative session of stretching and breathing.

The next morning it was worse. I could hardly get out of bed! I cried as I got ready for another long day. I got to work and hobbled along, until I couldn't. I call my chiropractor and he got me in an hour later.

I was reminded of what of some my clients feel when they come to me; desperate, in unbearable pain. I wanted to feel better, right now! But, after my adjustment I felt worse.

I went home drew a hot bath, soaked in Epsom salts. I slathered my pain with Sombra warming gel, and got back to my day. It wasn't until 10 hours later, that I felt like I could fully use my body again. I am still recovering, still allowing my muscles and bones to return to their alignment, still allowing myself to slow down enough to listen to what my body needs.

Immediate relief can happen, but sometimes our bodies take their own pace to heal. What are some of your self-care habits that help you body heal?

take five: open those shoulders!

Most of us suffer from internal rotation of the humerus and upward rotation of the scapula (Think: over-stretched shoulders creeping up and forward as you slouch over your computer). Our upper trapezius is tight and tender, our rhomboids are achy, and our pectoral muscles are weakened, and our necks are strained. Some great things to do, take a deep breath and raise your shoulders to your ears, and as you exhale lower your shoulders down and back.

I suffer from frequent and malicious migraines, I have several comforting stretches. Fish Pose is one of them, and one I suggest for anyone who sits too long at a computer, or desk, or book, or suffers from pain due to repetitive motions in the shoulder, arms, and neck.

Fish Pose (matsyasana):
The unsupported version of this pose is lovely. It can be a deep release and stretch.

For a relaxing, more inactive stretch/opening of the shoulders, chest, and throat, try restorative fish pose.

Restorative Fish Pose

Lying on the ground, place a bolster, or two blankets (one rolled under your spine, the other folded under your head -if needed) along your spine and neck.

Bring your arms out to a T, palms facing up.

Lay for 5-10 minutes. Focus on breathing deeply, and smoothly. When you are ready to move, slowly roll to one side. Then use your arms to bring your upper body in to a seated position.

fluid motion

I took a wonderful course this weekend which focused on the fluidity of the spine, evoking our aquatic days. Undulation, a technique for spinal bodywork, is based in structural integration modalities, like Hellerwork and Continuum.

"Undulation, a fluid movement through multiple joints that include waves, bends, and curves, can be used as a tool..." to get through dense myofascial restrictions (stiffness) and revitalize lost range of motion due to our postural habits and repetitive-use injuries. (Anita Boser, LMP, CHP).

There are some common misconceptions when it comes to our bodies, that through idiomatic phrases, our bodies (and minds) believe is true. This class helped to unmask these words, and redefine, or rather, return to the definition via the evolution of our connective tissues and the past uses of the spine. The Spinal Column, evokes a solid, upright, rigid support. However, our spines (and our boney structures, in general) can do incredible things!

video: Emilie Conrad speaking about the fluid connective tissue that is the spine, as a Continuum teacher demonstrate the beautiful and free movement that our bodies, in health, hold.

Another broader cultural habit is to assume that once our bodies are in a state of injury or decreased motion, that we must adjust to or work around this new habit, greatly decreasing our body's entire range of motion. Bodywork and manual therapy (massage) restores our bodies to their highly functioning state, through the movement of fluid (lymph, blood) to the connective tissues (muscle, bone) and, by the breaking up of adhesions (places where the fluid surfaces of the body are no longer simply gliding, but stuck in fricative, decreased motion).  If we continue to encourage limits of our range of motion, we impress into our muscular memory, solidifying our dis-ease, a reduced range of motion that eventually can effect our entire body. With self-care practices and hands-on bodywork encouraging stretching and movement, we could hope that we could create patterns of a little more movement, instead of a little less movement.

So get up, stretch, and let your spine dance. Free your structure with fluid motion!

for dark winter months, a cold remedy

This yearly combination of darkness, a calendar full running around, hugging and cheek-kissing, and the over-sugaring of the holidays has brought a cold to a few of my housemates. I have evaded it (for now) with a few simple rituals that I'd love to share with you:

1. Plenty of water!

Drink room temperature water (my naturopath suggest half your body weight in ounces), to help keep your body hydrated, as we tend to crank up our thermostats or crowd around smoky fireplaces!

2. Daily exercise!

I wake up every morning and get my heart-rate up for thirty minutes. There is nothing like sweating it out!

and most importantly...
3. Fire (fights the cold) Tea!

This has been my go-to beverage for a couple years now, I don't recall where I picked it up (some old remedy typed onto some other blog), but it always proves delicious and restorative! Whoever is in my home, especially in the winter months, will be handed a mug of this if they are feeling under the weather, a last ditch effort to NOT GET SICK! The recipe is simple: Ginger, Black Pepper, Cayenne, Lemon Juice, & Raw Honey, in Hot Water. Mix to your taste, sometimes I want it spicy-er, other times a nice spicy/sweet balance. As I sip this I like to pretend that the tingly feeling is really the Spice knocking out all of those pesky germs!

the goods + your favorite mug

fresh grated ginger, cayenne, cracked + whole black pepper (whatever you are feeling)

juice (half of) a lemon, add it to your spices

add a spoonful of honey, and stir in hot water

give to your ailing, but soon to be better loves