I would like to try Acupuncture, but...

It's Monday morning and you all are probably working, sneaking in time to cyberbrowse while working. 20 days left. The search for the ultimate gift. The one that makes up for the long nights, short days and basically time that you wish you had with that loved one. This year why not give just that? The gift of time. The gift of a blank mind where a person can feel completely cared for, soothed, pain free and present for themselves. The soothing scents, sounds and feel of a really great massage is like a tandem meditation.

The good news is the Holidays are coming!  The bad news is that along with them comes the stress of having too much to do and too many places to be on top of our normal schedule.  So what is the game plan to avoid stress and anxiety?  Read on for some answers...

 

Plan ahead for the holidays starting right now.  We live in such busy times that if we don't plan ahead, then we plan to fail.  Get out your calendar and note dates to remember, places you have to be and schedule in time for organizing and executing your holiday plans.

I am proud to introduce our newest blogger, Roger Rutz, L.Ac who will be Tsubomono (point man) for all things acupuncture! Watch this space for all your questions about this ancient healing art.

Do you feel it? Maybe you are feeling it right now. That pulse pounding sense of wiredness directly under your skin, the thing that wakes you from a sound sleep with that feeling of dread. The nameless boogieman  under the bed - are my kids ok? Will I find a new job? Will I be able to pay my mortgage this month? Is my family healthy?

Yes its the raw undercurrent of stress that is so often the background noise that is running us. What sane person would not be reacting to what's happening in the world right now?

I just found a new business in town that is part of a national franchise that features automated 20 minute mini services that feature steam, massage and photo facials that equal high end spas but at a fraction of the cost. How? They are all by machine. No Human touch is involved. The concept sounded intriguing to me. As we become a more plugged in society than ever the whole concept of human interaction has become so devalued that even to relax we need robots. Wow, for the business owner this must be great! Never complains, no health care costs or issues and broken parts can be replaced. The initial set up is quite costly, over $225,000 and for a mere $99 per month the member gets unlimited use of the spa services subject to scheduling the room/machine time. But what machines can listen when a client cries over a loss parent, or confides that their marriage is ending, or laughs at the stupid day he has had. What machine can supportively ask clients to breathe through discomfort or educate the client about proper stretching to avoid the next injury?Are we really so uncomfortable with touching that we'd rather have a machine do it? Gosh I hope not. Yet I am game to try this new concept to see how it works, The Unspa. Now at a location near you.

Is it my imagination or does time speed up at this time of year or does the space time continuum slip just a bit so that we are all a bit more sleep deprived, sugar buzzed caffeinated and crabby just as the days get shorter? Wasn't the idea of the winter holidays to STOP, reflect and be grateful for what we have and share in the warmth of hearth and home. Now it seems to mean RUSH to SHOP,  work harder, see friends less and want more than we possibly can use or need. I am trying to get back to basics this year as regifting has become the new recycling, be green instead of mean, slow down instead of speed and give kindness and massage instead of stuff. Check out our Hearts and Hands for the Holidays project to join us as we pledge a percentage of what we earn in December to give to Bridges Communities, a Dupage based organization that helps people who have lost their homes get back to a nice place to live. 

Hello body+soul spa retreat friends and fans!

Well you knew it was just a matter of time before this opinionated massage therapist started posting thoughts about bodywork and the latest in massage news, health and wellness topics and other posts of interest here!

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