As the seasons change so do our bodies.  In the winter the dominant dosha is the earthy-watery kapha.  We tend to eat more, sleep more, and move a big slower.  Spring is a time of shedding the layers and rejuvenating our bodies. If we have too much build up of kapha from those cold wintery months it can be a recipe for illness in the spring.  Spring is a great time to lighten ourselves physically, mentally, and emotionally through changing our patterns of eating, moving, and interacting.  Check out this list of ways to put the spring back in your step and lighten your load this spring.

• Clean it out!  Spring cleaning can happen on many levels.  It’s easy to remember to transition the clothes in your closet, but how about the foods in your kitchen?  Replace the heavy pastas, oatmeal breakfasts, dense cheeses, and wintery root vegetables with some lighter items.  Integrate some lighter grains into your diet such as quinoa, millet, or amaranth.  As the days get longer and the sun gets warmer, begin integrating more raw vegetables into your meals and snacks.  If you live in cold Colorado like us, mark the date of the first farmer’s market on your calendar and look forward to returning to fresh local foods!
• And how about those clothes in your closet, papers on your desk, toiletries jammed into your bathroom cupboard?  Spring also means usually a lot of unsettled weather so when you run into one of those rainy (or here in Colorado, snowy) days, take the opportunity to clean things out. Create more space in your space.  You are much more likely to roll out your yoga mat if there is room on the floor and the dishes are done!
• Turn up the fire in your yoga practice; create some internal heat!  If you’ve been enjoying yin yoga all winter, throw in a vinyasa class once a week.  If you let the pranayama go by the wayside during your practice all winter, draw your attention to uddiyana bandha for a whole yoga class and see how you feel afterwards.  And if you have let your sadhana, whether it be yoga or biking or running, slip away during those cold wintery days, recommit to a routine!

Spring is a time of rebirth and renewal.  If you set some goals at New Year’s and you don’t even remember what they were, springtime is actually a much better time to do some intention setting.  Plant the physical, emotional, and spiritual seeds that you are willing to water and tend to, and begin cultivating those qualities that will bring you closer to the person you can become at any moment.  Happy planting!

Sarah

http://www.yogajournal.com/health/1721?page=5

The two words I have been using to describe my experience when people ask having just returned from a 10 day silent meditation retreat in Eastern Colorado.  The practice of Vipassana is an ancient technique taught by the Buddha about 2500 years ago to help alleviate the suffering/unsatisfactoriness we experience because of our habit to crave pleasurable feelings and have aversion to unpleasurable feelings that arise. Because the pleasurable experiences always arise and pass away, and unpleasant experiences continue to arise in our lives, we continue to experience dukkha.

The Dalai Lama says, “the purpose of life is to be happy.”  One can only achieve lasting happiness when we can truly let go of our desire for our experience to be something other than what it is.  Throughout the retreat Mr. Goenka kept reminding us to experience our sensations, “as they are, not as we want them to be.”  Experiencing the present moment “as it is” including the pain of your kneecaps feeling like they are going to pop off, itches on your face that don’t seem to leave, and the feeling like you are on a 45 degree slope trying to hold yourself up while keeping your hands folded WITHOUT developing any aversion to the sensations or craving for alternate sensations turns out to be the challenging part of Vipassana practice.

The idea is that if we can develop equanimity in our meditation practice it will radiate out into other areas of our lives.  Having a regular practice of equanimity (experiencing life without craving or aversion), the old sankharas (mental formations or habit patterns of the mind) begin to be released from our unconscious mind which continually reacts to objects and experiences.  This is Vipassana on a theoretical level.

On the practical level one must first develop samadhi, or right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.  In the Theravada tradition samadhi is cultivated through the practice of anapanasati, where one develops mindfulness of breathing in order to sharpen the mind.  Concentration is necessary for a successful and productive meditation practice.  In the context of a traditional 10 day Vipassana course, the first three days are devoted to developing samadhi through the practice of anapanasati.  Does this mean on day four when practicing Vipassana that I had perfect concentration? Far from it!  My mind mostly wandered into the future….what was the first meal I was going to cook when I got home, planning a dinner party for my mom, making truffles, how I was going to work on bruised relationships in my life, future travel plans, how many cups of coffee I would drink the afternoon I got home, and on, and on…. Developing samadhi is a lifelong practice (if you are a lay practitioner, meaning you don’t spend all day every day in meditation). And this is where I recommend you start if you are looking for a little more calm, relaxation, understanding, and happiness in your life.  Start with the breath.

Start cultivating concentration by taking whatever amount of time you have in your day: 30 minutes when you wake up, 10 minutes on your lunchbreak, 5 minutes before bed, and focus your awareness on the breath.  In traditional Vipassana you utilize the nose and the area above the upper lip for focusing on the breath. Don’t count; don’t use words; just notice. This is step one.  After your 5, 10, or 30 minutes are done, take stock of your body and mind.  How do you feel?

Keep this practice and if you are interested in diving deeper where the real results are, find a teacher.  If you have already began to cultivate samadhi through your practice of anapanasati, you will have taken the first step on a journey that may lead you to more peace, more happiness, and more love in your life.

May all beings be happy.

As part of the 25 on 25 campaign, Escape Bodywork Boutique is offering a special promotion. On March 25th only, you can purchase a 30 minute massage for just $25. That’s $20 off the regular price.

Massages are redeemable from 3/29 to 4/12. Call (970) 765-8065 to purchase. Limit one per person.

Ayurveda is based on thousands of years of people noticing how different human bodies work recognizing that we all have different constitutions and need to take care of our bodies based on our individuality.  Ayurveda is “an art of daily living” in the fullest sense (Lad, 2002).  It is not a quick diet or a set of prescription pills to make you feel better.  Rather, it offers the individual an opportunity to understand their own unique body and create daily rituals and eat food that supports their personal health and happiness.

Rather than treating or masking the symptoms like western medicine, Ayurveda works to undermine the causes of illness, discomfort, or imbalance in the body.  The concept of Ayurveda has changed my life in one way in particular: noticing relationships between my body and the food I eat, the climate I am in, the activities I participate in, and my daily rituals.

Next month I am going to talk about specific constitutions, so until then begin to notice those relationships.  How do you feel after you eat a cold bowl of ice cream, a steaming plate of veggies and rice, a cold raw salad, a warm bowl of chicken soup, a damp bowl of oatmeal, etc.  Do you feel differently if you decide to go for that run, go to yoga class, or hit the slopes for even an hour?  What triggers anger, jealousy, or greed in you?  Begin to make connections between the thoughts, feelings, emotions, and physical states that you feel aren’t serving you and what your daily pattern looked like that day or week.  A great way to do this is to do simple journaling if you’ve never thought about how foods, exercise, and your daily ritual make you feel.  Don’t forget to record your emotional status too.Begin to take notice.  If we can relieve the cause of our suffering, we can move towards health and happiness.

Lad, Vasant. 2002. Textbook of Ayurveda.

Starting this March, Escape Bodywork Boutique will feature a different treatment every month. We are excited to offer the most diverse menu of services in Crested Butte. However, sometimes such an extensive list of choices can be overwhelming, especially if you’re unsure about what exactly a specific treatment is. Featuring a different massage each month provides us with the opportunity to explain the various treatments on our menu and encourage you to explore the different experiences available through massage therapy.

This March we are featuring the Abhyanga massage. As I researched Abhyanga in preparation for writing this article I came across a website that thoroughly and simply explained Abhyanga. The following text is taken from www.wisegeek.com/what-is-abhyanga-massage.htm:

Abhyanga massage is a type of massage therapy which is used by practitioners of Ayurveda to treat their clients. The massage involves liberally covering the client in oil and then using smooth, gentle movements to rub the oil deeply into the body. Ayurvedic practitioners recommend that people receive abhyanga massage every day to keep their bodies balanced, healthy, and focused. Some schools in India offer certification in abhyanga massage, and some Western massage schools may offer brief courses which go over abhyanga techniques.

According to the principles of ayurveda, everyone has a specific body type known as a dosha. There are three doshas: pitta, kapha, and vata, and everyone has a specific balance of doshas which must be addressed in ayurvedic therapy. The idea of specific body types appears in many Eastern healing techniques, and it requires practitioners to be extremely flexible, as they must be able to formulate treatments on an individual basis for their clients; in abhyanga massage, your dosha determines what kind of oil should be used, and what sort of ingredients should be added.

Traditionally, abhyanga massage is performed in the morning, to clarify the mind and stimulate the client for the day. The client lies on a specially designed table, and the massage therapist pours warmed and specially formulated oil over his or her body. Sesame and coconut oils are commonly used, along with an assortment of herbs. The oil is allowed to soak in for several minutes before the massage therapist begins, using rhythmic, gentle strokes with the whole palm.

In some cases, two massage therapists may work on the same client. Abhyanga massage differs from many Western massage techniques in that it is not deep. It is meant to nourish the body with touch and rich oil, and while it certainly promotes healthy circulation and and joints, it does not deeply penetrate the soft tissues of the body. Abhyanga massage may also be paired with shirodhara, an Ayurvedic treatment which involves dripping warm oil or milk onto the forehead.

An abhyanga massage can last up to an hour. After the massage is over, the client is encouraged to shower to take a steamy bath to encourage absorption of the oil. A regular routine of abhyanga massage can be very beneficial for the skin. For people who cannot manage a daily massage, practitioners of Ayurveda recommend that people oil their feet, hands, and heads daily with an oil formulated for their dosha.

(www.wisegeek.com/what-is-abhyanga-massage.htm)

If Abhyanga sounds appealing to you, we encourage you to come in and experience it for yourself. As an added incentive, if you book an Abhyanga appointment in the month of March we will take $10 off. We hope to see you soon!

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with someone special by enjoying a Dual Escape couples massage in Crested Butte, Colorado. Tables are placed side by side so you can share the experience. Feel free to choose the treatment of your choice. Add essential oils for an additional $5 per person. Openings are filling up so call today to book your appointment. (970) 765-8065.

Gift certificates are also available for purchase. This Valentine’s Day give the gift of wellness to the person or people who are important in your life.

Start 2010 off right by creating the tradition of receiving a massage every new year.  We’d love to support your wellness initiative by offering you $10 off when you book a Dual Escape couples massage for New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day. Together you will relax and begin the new year on a positive note.

Call 970-765-8065.

COME CELEBRATE OUR GRAND OPENING

Please join us at Rumors Coffee & Tea House this Saturday, December 12th from 7-9 p.m. for free chair massage, henna bodyart, giveaways, snacks and refreshments.

Book a massage during the party for 1/2 off the regular price. Or, get your holiday shopping done early with the purchase of a gift certificate, which will be sold for that evening only at 30% off.  Bring your Butte bucks as we are accepting them.  We look forward to seeing you!

SARAH’S GRANOLA RECIPE

I like to cook. I like to bake.  Sometimes what I make turns out tasty, sometimes not.  However, I have a few staple recipes that turn out great every time.  This is one.  This granola is great as a snack, breakfast item, or a desert.

Melt 2/3 c. coconut oil with 1/3 c. honey (or agave, brown rice syrup, or maple syrup, or combo).

Pour over 4-5 cups of oats.

Add MANY tablespoons of cinnamon, 2 t. vanilla, and 1 1/2 c. of your favorite dried fruit/nut combo (e.g. cranberries, almonds, and sunflower seeds).  I usually also throw in some ground flax seed and sometimes I’ll add other spices like ginger, and nutmeg.

Line 2 pans with parchment paper and bake at 325 for ~15 minutes. Watch for the mixture to turn slightly brown.

Don’t mix it. Just set it on the counter for a few hours. Break it up and store it.  This is a great crunchy granola!  Tastes great with plain soy milk, hemp milk, or better yet…homemade oat milk!  Bon appetit!

Do you know someone who needs a massage? Nominate a community member who deserves a FREE 60 minute massage from Escape Bodywork Boutique! Between December 1st and 15th, leave nominations at the drop box in Teocalli Tamale or outside the Escape office door at 115 Elk Ave Suite F. The winner will be announced January 1st on our website. The contest will be held monthly with nominations being accepted from the 1st through the 15th of each month and the winner announced monthly on the first. We encourage you to participate each month.