Massage with a Caring Heart

Off to explore the wonders of Bali. Returning August 19. In my absence, please contact Mary Elliot, at 805-450-9933 or Asia Warren, at 805-722-0777.

We have a new office-mate at the Gibian Wellness Center. Naomi Romulo is a recent graduate of a 4-year energy healing program. She will be presenting her work at the center on Saturday, August 14th, at 2pm.

In her words:
Life offers so many gifts that we do not seek out, are unable to receive, or even reject simply out of lack of awareness and understanding.  I am offering a free informational talk simply because I am inspired and hopeful about this body of work and I want to raise awareness and understanding of Brennan Healing so we can all benefit more greatly from this gift. 

The Barbara Brennan Schools of Healing are a “cauldron” that holds, sparks, and enables deep personal growth.  For those with the longing to become healers or those who long for a powerful catalyst in their own transformation I would like to share my experience of BBSH.  There are three schools, in Florida, Austria, and Japan.  The US school offers a Bachelors of Science degree program.  All offer a Professional and Advanced Studies programs.

To everyone I would like to present Brennan Healing as a viable option in health care.  The work is wholistic.  It can powerfully effect physical, psychological, and spiritual wellbeing.  Each client’s journey to greater health is supported (and also held and sparked) by the hands on healing work done with a Brennan Healing Science Practitioner.

I hope to see you August 14th, 2pm, Gibian Wellness Center, 1522 State St.  My phone number is 451-3932.  You can also RSVP to naomijahtro@hotmail.com

With sincere hope for greater expression of your divine essence,

Naomi Romulo

A new client recently asked me the difference between accupressure points and trigger points, and how that difference informed my perspective when I blended thai massage and barefoot deep tissue. Her question points to the fascinating interplay between the energetic and physical, and this is how I have come to understand it (this may evolve, and others may have different understandings!)

Many textbooks on, or related to, Energy Meridians use the following analogy: Meridians are like rivers, the energy flows within channels, and the flow is either blocked (stagnant energy) or excessive. Needles or fingers are used on specific points along the meridians and the aim is to restore harmonious flow, by either removing or adding more energy (encouraging extra energy from one meridian to shift to the one that is lacking, or vice-versa). The work is based on a body of knowledge that understands how energy pathways work in the body and are interrelated. A healthy flow is restored energetically.

In the case of Trigger Point work (or generally deep tissue), the perspective is clearly physical, looking for tension areas or what feels like knots (often a knot feels like a pea to me.) This approach uses knowledge about muscles, movement, and body mechanics and aims to restore optimal muscle function.

If we go back to the river analogy used to describe energy pathways, restoring optimal muscle function is in way like removing a rock or debris in a river, and helps remove stagnation and restore optimal flow in those rivers. So say you have a tight shoulder. I can press on what is commonly known as the Trapezius Trigger Point 2, and also happens to be pretty much the location for Gallbladder 10. I am relieving the physical tension caused by muscle dysfunction, but I am also clearing blockage on Gallbladder 10 which allows more easeful flow of energy.
It happens that most of my training has been in Barefoot Deep Tissue and Trigger Point Therapy. In Thai massage, the perspective is more global and aims at restoring overall wellness, so my understanding of how all the energy pathways work together is limited.

The best approach depends on each individual’s situation and preference. Ultimately, a good acupuncturist can address both physical and energetic problems, while the techniques I offer are most effective in addressing physical issues and will incidentally improve energetic ones.

In the session together with my new client, I started with a Thai massage approach and switched to Barefoot work once she was side-lying. I have found that this type of work is wonderfully effective at addressing tension areas in the glutes and shoulder muscles, which in this and many other cases appear to be physical in nature. The overall effect provides a deeply satisfying experience. Once I switch to Barefoot work, I keep the flow very similar to the one in Thai massage, though I slow down a bit and focus my attention on the physical sensation of the muscles.

Give yourself a little reflexology session whenever you want!

This little tool is very affordable, and using it regularly will do your feet, and your whole body, a great deal of good. You simply roll your foot on the roller, either from a seated position, or standing, which will also help enhance your balance. The rolling motion stimulates meridian points and reflex zones, which then help support organ function. It also helps stimulate circulation which can be very helpful for swollen feet and ankles. I keep mine on the floor near my bed and use it almost every day. Just a couple of minutes makes a difference!

This mother’s day, give your mother, or the mother of your children, a special gift that will do more for her than a beautiful flower bouquet or a box of chocolates.

Give her an hour (or more!) of blissful relaxation.

Beautiful Handmade Gift Certificates

$65 for 60-minutes
$90 for 90-minutes

Please contact me for details.
I will be available to do massages on Mother’s day, please schedule in advance.

Those of you already familiar with my work know a little bit about trigger points. A trigger point is a microscopic contracture knot that is sensitive when pressed upon. It can cause pain locally or in a specific referred pain pattern. For example, trigger points in the gluteus medius muscle cause a specific type of pain in the lower back. Pressing on those trigger points helps release the contraction and eliminates the pain. A large part of deep tissue massage focuses on this work, and I often teach my clients how to address their issues on their own.

The following book is an invaluable resource to learn more about this technique and how you can apply it yourself.

Recently a client came to me complaining about severe pain between her fourth and fifth metatarsals (those are the bones on your feet that connect to your tarsals- your toes). She had been diagnosed by both an orthopedic surgeon and a podiatrist as having Morton’s Neuroma, also known as interdigital neuroma, which is a nerve inflammation believed to be caused by an enlarged nerve confined between the deep transverse metatarsal ligament and the pressure from the ground with each step.

Both specialists suggested surgery to remove the inflamed nerve, cautioning that success wasn’t guaranteed. My client, wary of surgery and reluctant to be off her feet for six weeks following the procedure,  asked me if massage could help.

Following some research I found an excellent article by Tim Agnew, a kinesiologist based in Sarasota, Florida. As with most acute conditions that can be helped with massage, real healing happens when the client becomes involved in the process. Following my previous knowledge from my training and Tim Agnew’s recommendations, I focused my work on trigger points on the various calf muscles that can contribute to the pain pattern, and I performed gentle massage and stretches in the affected area to help create some space so that the inflamed nerve wouldn’t cause so much discomfort.

We also used guided imagery to support her healing process, which was recently hailed as an effective adjunct tool in Massagetherapy.com

While my client did experience some relief, significant change can happen if she herself daily performs the prescribed stretches and massages her foot as directed. We will see in a few weeks if a weekly massage and her own commitment to solving her problem will have the desired result.

As part of the curriculum in my first massage class we had to read Roger Jahnke’s “The Healer Within”. It was and still is one of the most influential books in my personal life and in my career. Several years ago I had the wonderful chance to take a five day Tai-Chi and Qi-gong workshop with Roger Jahnke. We are very lucky to have  him teach a class next Sunday here in Santa Barbara, at Yoga Soup. I strongly recommend this to anyone interested in improving their health and becoming an active participant in their well-being.

MEDICAL QIGONG-A Practical Portal to Transcendence and Light

Sun 4/11 | 2-5pm – Roger Jahnke, OMD | Yoga Soup

LEARN THE 9 PHASES OF CULTIVATING QI
From Discovering to Dissolving, the 9 Phases or Gateways lead not only to healing the body, but to exploring the timeless/boundless eternal nature of Spirit and the experience of Oneness (known in ancient Chinese as the Supreme Ultimate).

With over 30 years in clinical energy medicine and 8 research trips to China, Dr. Jahnke is a masterful teacher who will share with us this practical and profound method that will include:
*body practice *breath *philosophic exploration *mindfulness practice

Roger Jahnke, a doctor of Oriental Medicine, is the author of The Healer Within and The Healing Promise of Qi, the director & chief instructor of the Institute of Integral Qigong & Tai Chi, and a co-founder of the National QiGong Association.

Cost: $35 preregister, $40 door. This workshop is a fundraiser for Maya Shaw Gale’s Medical Fund

Click here to view website.

I was first introduced to this recipe when my friend and fellow massage therapist Mary Elliott made it for me. I loved it so much that I immediately found it on the internet. The recipe originally comes from the Esalen Cookbook, a collection of recipes from the Esalen kitchen.

Serves 4 to 6

1/3 cup Bragg Liquid Aminos or tamari soy sauce

1/3 cup lemon juice (I love using Meyer lemons)

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 medium red onion

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1    pound fresh kale (I much prefer using Tuscan Kale, also known as Cavalo Nero)

The recipe also calls for 1/2 cup sunflower sprouts  and 1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts. I have never been inspired to add these myself.

Combine the Bragg or soy sauce and lemon juice in a blender or whisk in a bowl.  Slowly dribble in the oil as the blender turns or as you whisk vigorously.  Slice the onion into half moons and  marinate in the dressing as you prepare the rest of the salad.

Toast the seeds in a heavy bottomed pan (cast-iron is the best) over medium heat until seeds are just golden and fragrant.  Toast each seed type separately as their size requires varying roasting times.  Cool to room temperature.

Destem the kale.  Slice kale leaves into 1/4 inch ribbons (very important!)

Toss the seeds, spouts, and kale with the onions, and as much dressing as necessary to lightly but completely dress the kale.  Thoroughly massage the kale with your hands.

The salad keeps well for a day or two, and I like adding some cucumber and/or avocado to stretch it and change it up a bit.

While my professional expertise and training have centered around bodywork and massage, cooking delicious healthy meals has long been a passion of mine, and this blog provides me the opportunity to share some of my favorite recipes and food insights. I’d like make clear that I am not a nutrition expert and that none of the entries in this category qualify as professional advice.

Simply, they offer a window into the notion that healthy nutritious food can be delicious and interesting too. Part of cultivating a healthy lifestyle involves embracing a healthy diet. Depending on where you are at in your “food journey”, shifting to more health conscious habits may seem daunting and very uninspiring.

May this blog section inspire you to try new foods, whether you’re just starting to pay more attention to what your put in your system or  whether you are a seasoned health foodie!