Sit

It all begins with you. Here. In this moment. Listening to your heart, mind and body. Accepting. Allowing. Sitting, breathing and trusting that you will find your stillness. You only have this moment to live. Yes. This present moment.

Taking a breath in consciously. Following it and keeping your attention on it until you reach the top of your inhale. Then keep your attention on your breath. And follow your exhale out, remembering to relax the shoulders.

This is a part of the practice of sitting meditation. A regular practice in sitting meditation is care of the self, attendance of one’s own needs in the present moment without judgement. A regular pranayama and meditation practice can help train us to detach from our racing thoughts and just let them go.

Stretch

“Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self.”

~ Bhagavad Gita

Making time to move our bodies every day is an act of self-care for your whole being. Committing to a regular mind, body and spirit practice reinforces the gift of attendance to ourselves. When we have sat with or moved with our bodies and thoughts, we feel better, simply put.

Massage

These techniques are all ancient by the way, including this one. We are not reinventing the wheel here. Mindfulness, yoga and massage therapy are all ancient technologies from which we continue to benefit.

Ashi Atsu, translated from “foot pressure” in Japanese, is an ancient, luxurious style of therapeutic massage. The therapist’s main tools are her clean, soft, intuitive feet. She stands on the table, and with her body weight and gravity, she safely delivers the perfect pressure for your body. Just imagine feeling the long soothing body glides from calf to shoulder blade; the slow, calm compressions on your hips and forearms; expansive breaths and meditative stretches.