May
5
2010
Kara
For anyone who routinely gets massage, or even just treats them self to one from time to time…you owe it to yourself to head over to Atmah Ja’s on Broad Street and experience something unique. For Atmah Ja, the practice of massage is about more than just the body, as she adeptly integrates meditative stimulation of the mind.
I was fortunate enough to experience a “Beat to your Creative Bliss” massage last Monday evening. And the experience didn’t just begin upon entering the beautifully designed massage room that clearly reflects Atmah Ja’s world travels, but rather it began the moment I entered the gallery.
The Art of Core Consciousness is filled with the beautiful artwork of Iamikan. The pieces in and of themselves are meditative and full of expressive energy. The window near the back of the gallery was open, letting in a fresh, spring breeze and revealing an intimate and charming courtyard with greens nearly spilling through the windowsill. The sound of the courtyard’s fountain was trickling softly throughout the gallery, and you could make out the subtle scent of incense. In short, the gallery was a stimulation of the senses. Simply being aware of the energy in the room while taking in the colors and textures in each of Iamikan’s pieces creates a form of preparation to the practice you are about to embrace.
“Beat to Your Creative Bliss” is a full body massage that jolts and stimulates a sluggish body with an upbeat, percussive massage. Of course, like any good massage, it was relaxing and felt good on the muscles. But it was so much more than that. This practice was designed to refresh and reboot the mental body, relieving old obsolete thought patterns trapped in an internalized physical system.
The experience Atmah Ja offers is an exchange of energy and meditation. During this practice she stimulated the flow of meridians, or lines of energy, and directed this creative force into every corner of my body. The meditative breathing that I had come into, sent prana (or life force) to all chakras, and as Atmah Ja stimulated each pressure point, I was able to breath our combined energy directly to her touch.
Overall, what this experience opened in me was a well needed opportunity to awaken my body and mind and shake away any haze that was preventing me from seeing my life clearly.
Through the use of pressure points and deep tissue stimulation in tandem with Atmah Ja’s transferring of energy, I was brought to a refreshed and awakened mind. This was true to form, as this particular style of massage is designed so you can leave the gallery in an ideal state to find a quiet place to meditate, reflect and wholly prepare for your life’s next endeavors.
An old song says: “There might be a little dust on the bottle; don’t let it fool you about what’s inside.” If you’d like a clearer look at the complexity inside yourself, head on over to The Art of Core Consciousness and try one of Atmah Ja’s unique forms of massage. You’ll be so glad you did!
To reserve an appointment for massage with Atmah Ja, call 843.323.8341 or visit The Art of Core Consciousness Yoga and Massage
1 comment | tags: art, massage, massage therapy, meditation, metitative breathing, prana
Dec
16
2009
Rae
“Tis the season to go crazy…. fa la la la la la la la la!” Thanksgiving is over and the lights are on and out everywhere, the rush has started and in the craze of worrying about gifts, cards, family and how to afford the gifts can easily put us in a bad mood. BUT “tis the season to be jolly,” right? YES…despite the anxiety driven commercialism of Christmas, we can slow down and embrace the reason for this season. The reason for the season is to extend abundant love for another and celebrate the birth of Christ who is The Light, Truth and Way.
We just started the Advent tradition in my family and we are on day six and it has truly set our days in motion with purpose. Traditionally Advent is celebrated in the evening, but we gather in the morning to center our day, to symbolize the light of Christ overcoming darkness. The wreath is a visual reminder that God’s love is eternal and never ending. There are three purple candles that represent royalty or the coming of the King. For the first three weeks we light the purple candles, the first week we light one purple candle, the second week we light two purple candles and, the third week we light all three purple candles. On the fourth week we light a pink candle that reminds us of God’s love. On Christmas day a white candle is placed in the center of the wreath to signify God’s purity. Every morning we sit around our table and follow this simple reading by St. Andrew’s Church that centers our day. One of us lights the candle and repeats, “May the Light of Jesus Christ come into this house.” We add our minds, hearts, thoughts, and bodies. Then we all say together, “O God whose word all things are made holy, put your blessings on this wreath, and may it remind us to slow down our hectic pace and make our hearts ready for the coming of Christ your son and our Lord.” We take thirty seconds because my kids are four and two, to sit in silence and focus our gaze/drishti on the light. Then together we say the Lord’s the prayer.
It has been such an enriching experience for us as a family and myself personally that, I have incorporated the candle meditation into my classes, as each student lights each other’s candle and looks at each other in the eyes and says, “The Light in me, sees the Light in You.” This is the English translation of “Namaste,” a greeting in Sanskrit that literally translates, “I bow to you.” It is a way to not only greet your fellow neighbor but also honor the person’s spirit within. I often end classes with, “I bow to the Divine Truth that has created each and every one of you.” We all are created in the image of God, designed and hand crafted with gifts and talents to offer the world. “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:4-7). During this season of gift giving, may you find the time to slow down and perhaps reflect on the special gift that you are, designed in the image of God. Jesus came to earth in the body to teach us what love looks like and He invites us to go to Him in our bodies with praise and thanksgiving, as we offer our bodies in prayer with poses.
Son Salutation to the Lord’s Prayer
Created By JeanneAnne Copleston, HYT
Peace and Health,
Rachel Glowacki, RYT
www.sunraeyoga.com
3 comments | tags: Christmas, Faith, Holy Yoga, meditation, poses, prayers | posted in Yoga experts
