I hope everyone has sat down and made some great goals for the Year of the Tiger coming up. Since we have been in operation for two years now, and are still a ¨baby school¨, we have lots of goals.
We do wish all a Happy New Year, with lots of good health, wealth and happiness. And throw in a very big dash of Pura Vida with that!
30 dic 2009
22 dic 2009
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
From Costa Rica School of Integrative Massage to you, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! May the coming year bring you peace, love, happiness and pura vida.
21 dic 2009
Holidays in Costa Rica
Christmas in Costa Rica is a blast. Our students are still here long enough to enjoy some of the festivities and we all enjoy all the cooking and foods.
Title - A Tico Christmas
by Michael L. Smith
As in other parts of the world, Christmas in Costa Rica is a time for celebration and parties, sharing and reflecting. The month of December is electric with thoughts of the season, and busy with preparations for festivities, family get togethers and vacations. In late November decorations begin to appear in downtown shops, and by the second week of December everybody has lights strung, cypress wreaths hung and Christmas trees decorated. And you can be sure that here, too, stockings are carefully in place awaiting the arrival of the Baby Jesus.
The traditional Christmas tree in Costa Rica is a big evergreen branch, a small cypress tree, or dried coffee branches. The "tree" is decorated with white paint and brightly colored strips of paper. Lights and small colored balls, a variety of small figures and lace are also used to adorn the greenery. A gold star is placed on top as a symbol of the Star of Bethlehem.
Christmas was first celebrated in Costa Rica in 1601 when then-Governor Don Gonzalo Vásquez de Coronado organized nationwide festivities.
A very popular Latin American tradition--the portal--is a nativity scene constructed of mosses and grass, colored sawdust, cypress twigs, black paper, silver glitter and figurines representing the birth of Jesus in the manger. Along with the traditional figures of Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, shepards, the three wise men and the ox and mule, Costa Ricans commonly add extra embellishments like dolls, little farm animals, tiny toys, fruits and berries, and lights.
While Costa Rican families spend a great deal of time arranging their portales just right, tradition says that families who don't own a home must use a portal that has been received as a gift--then the holy family will help them get a house of their own. The portal is often placed under the tree (along with the presents) but may sit on a table, platform or on the floor in a corner of the living room. Wherever it is, it occupies a position of honor and is a point of pride in the home. The people put a lot of effort into making each year's portal better than the last and the displays frequently outgrow the space under the tree or on the table and begin to monopolize a large part of the living room.
Christmas tree with portal
The figure of Baby Jesus is placed in the portal at midnight on December twenty-fourth. That's also when the adults open their gifts. The children are told that the Baby Jesus brings their gifts while they are sleeping. Nowadays, Saint Nicholas has also become an important part of the custom and his rotund presence is everywhere.
Posadas take place during the nine days before Christmas. Originating in Spain and Mexico, the posada consists of a group of neighbors getting together at a different neighbor's house each day to act out the pilgrimage of Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem. This is accompanied by singing and praying, snacks of the season, and lots of tamales.
The Misa de Gallo, Christmas Mass, takes place at midnight on December twenty-fifth. That is the night that many families enjoy their traditional Christmas dinner.
The origin of the portal is attributed to Saint Francis de Asis. It is said that in the thirteenth century, St. Francis started making belenes-- representations of the birth of Christ-- with figures of humans and animals.
Throughout the month of December there are parades, carnivals, parties, and religious processions in all corners of the country. The tope has been celebrated in Costa Rica since colonial times. Originally the activity when bulls were cut out of the herd to be used in the bull fights, for the past forty years it has been a formal parade of horses down the main streets of San José. Riders from across the country come to the city to show off their best mounts and formal duds. Today's tope includes much more than stately horses and their proud riders. Other folkloric elements have been introduced such as horse-drawn carriages and the famous hand-painted oxcarts.
The tope is complemented with a grand parade complete with floats, marching bands, dancing girls and clowns. This also runs down the main streets of San José, turning the city into a sea of partying humans. For many Costa Ricans this parade is the party event of the year.
Bullfights are synonymous with the season's festivities in Costa Rica. Popular since the colonization, they take place in the Zapote Arena every night during the festive season. The bulls are never harmed in the Tico version of the bullfights. The most popular phase of the Tico bullfight is the run when dozens of young men race into the ring en masse with the intention of frightening the bull and provoking it to attack. Although the bull is never harmed, occasionally one of the men is gored. The whole thing is a performance designed to release adrenaline, relieving the frustrations of the past year.
Thanks to the Costa Rican government every worker in the country has extra money in December to spend on gifts. The aguinaldo is a government declared Christmas bonus, given to every employee in the country by his or her employer. It is equivalent to a full month's pay. Costa Rica was a Latin American pioneer in the establishment of this mandatory bonus. There is also a special drawing worth several million colones held during December by the National Lottery Commission. As Christmas Day approaches, much of the electricity in the air can be attributed to this Lotería Navideña.
On New Year's Day all Tica housewives prepare for the coming year by sweeping out the house, from one end to the other, removing the past year's bad luck and beginning anew.
Traditional seasonal foods include the tamal (corn flour dough stuffed with potatoes, vegetables and pork or chicken, then boiled in plantain leaves) (here is a recipe for Costa Rican tamales); pupusa (tortilla with cheese, corn and whatever); vigoron (cabbage, tomato, yucca and fried pork rind, served on a plantain leaf); and grilled pork, chicken and sausage. Many Costa Ricans have adopted the foreign custom of eating turkey and ham, as long as they are accompanied by the traditional Costa Rican tamal. Rompope is also in great supply. Known by North Americans as eggnog, it is generously fortified with dark rum or brandy.
The closing ceremony to the Christmas season isn't until January sixth (traditionally the date the three wise men arrived to worship Jesus) when neighbors get together for a special prayer for the Baby Jesus. Family and friends pray the rosary and sing Christmas carols. Then food is offered and the portal disassembled and put away until next year.
Baby Jesus
Feliz Navidad, Próspero Año Nuevo, and may the Baby Jesus leave a gift for you under the Christmas tree.
Title - A Tico Christmas
by Michael L. Smith
As in other parts of the world, Christmas in Costa Rica is a time for celebration and parties, sharing and reflecting. The month of December is electric with thoughts of the season, and busy with preparations for festivities, family get togethers and vacations. In late November decorations begin to appear in downtown shops, and by the second week of December everybody has lights strung, cypress wreaths hung and Christmas trees decorated. And you can be sure that here, too, stockings are carefully in place awaiting the arrival of the Baby Jesus.
The traditional Christmas tree in Costa Rica is a big evergreen branch, a small cypress tree, or dried coffee branches. The "tree" is decorated with white paint and brightly colored strips of paper. Lights and small colored balls, a variety of small figures and lace are also used to adorn the greenery. A gold star is placed on top as a symbol of the Star of Bethlehem.
Christmas was first celebrated in Costa Rica in 1601 when then-Governor Don Gonzalo Vásquez de Coronado organized nationwide festivities.
A very popular Latin American tradition--the portal--is a nativity scene constructed of mosses and grass, colored sawdust, cypress twigs, black paper, silver glitter and figurines representing the birth of Jesus in the manger. Along with the traditional figures of Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, shepards, the three wise men and the ox and mule, Costa Ricans commonly add extra embellishments like dolls, little farm animals, tiny toys, fruits and berries, and lights.
While Costa Rican families spend a great deal of time arranging their portales just right, tradition says that families who don't own a home must use a portal that has been received as a gift--then the holy family will help them get a house of their own. The portal is often placed under the tree (along with the presents) but may sit on a table, platform or on the floor in a corner of the living room. Wherever it is, it occupies a position of honor and is a point of pride in the home. The people put a lot of effort into making each year's portal better than the last and the displays frequently outgrow the space under the tree or on the table and begin to monopolize a large part of the living room.
Christmas tree with portal
The figure of Baby Jesus is placed in the portal at midnight on December twenty-fourth. That's also when the adults open their gifts. The children are told that the Baby Jesus brings their gifts while they are sleeping. Nowadays, Saint Nicholas has also become an important part of the custom and his rotund presence is everywhere.
Posadas take place during the nine days before Christmas. Originating in Spain and Mexico, the posada consists of a group of neighbors getting together at a different neighbor's house each day to act out the pilgrimage of Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem. This is accompanied by singing and praying, snacks of the season, and lots of tamales.
The Misa de Gallo, Christmas Mass, takes place at midnight on December twenty-fifth. That is the night that many families enjoy their traditional Christmas dinner.
The origin of the portal is attributed to Saint Francis de Asis. It is said that in the thirteenth century, St. Francis started making belenes-- representations of the birth of Christ-- with figures of humans and animals.
Throughout the month of December there are parades, carnivals, parties, and religious processions in all corners of the country. The tope has been celebrated in Costa Rica since colonial times. Originally the activity when bulls were cut out of the herd to be used in the bull fights, for the past forty years it has been a formal parade of horses down the main streets of San José. Riders from across the country come to the city to show off their best mounts and formal duds. Today's tope includes much more than stately horses and their proud riders. Other folkloric elements have been introduced such as horse-drawn carriages and the famous hand-painted oxcarts.
The tope is complemented with a grand parade complete with floats, marching bands, dancing girls and clowns. This also runs down the main streets of San José, turning the city into a sea of partying humans. For many Costa Ricans this parade is the party event of the year.
Bullfights are synonymous with the season's festivities in Costa Rica. Popular since the colonization, they take place in the Zapote Arena every night during the festive season. The bulls are never harmed in the Tico version of the bullfights. The most popular phase of the Tico bullfight is the run when dozens of young men race into the ring en masse with the intention of frightening the bull and provoking it to attack. Although the bull is never harmed, occasionally one of the men is gored. The whole thing is a performance designed to release adrenaline, relieving the frustrations of the past year.
Thanks to the Costa Rican government every worker in the country has extra money in December to spend on gifts. The aguinaldo is a government declared Christmas bonus, given to every employee in the country by his or her employer. It is equivalent to a full month's pay. Costa Rica was a Latin American pioneer in the establishment of this mandatory bonus. There is also a special drawing worth several million colones held during December by the National Lottery Commission. As Christmas Day approaches, much of the electricity in the air can be attributed to this Lotería Navideña.
On New Year's Day all Tica housewives prepare for the coming year by sweeping out the house, from one end to the other, removing the past year's bad luck and beginning anew.
Traditional seasonal foods include the tamal (corn flour dough stuffed with potatoes, vegetables and pork or chicken, then boiled in plantain leaves) (here is a recipe for Costa Rican tamales); pupusa (tortilla with cheese, corn and whatever); vigoron (cabbage, tomato, yucca and fried pork rind, served on a plantain leaf); and grilled pork, chicken and sausage. Many Costa Ricans have adopted the foreign custom of eating turkey and ham, as long as they are accompanied by the traditional Costa Rican tamal. Rompope is also in great supply. Known by North Americans as eggnog, it is generously fortified with dark rum or brandy.
The closing ceremony to the Christmas season isn't until January sixth (traditionally the date the three wise men arrived to worship Jesus) when neighbors get together for a special prayer for the Baby Jesus. Family and friends pray the rosary and sing Christmas carols. Then food is offered and the portal disassembled and put away until next year.
Baby Jesus
Feliz Navidad, Próspero Año Nuevo, and may the Baby Jesus leave a gift for you under the Christmas tree.
18 dic 2009
Ayurveda in Costa Rica
I found the following article very accurate as far as our experience here in Costa Rica. When we study Health in class we cover a little ayurveda.
ayurveda
By Richard Barone
Ayurvedic formulas for health are popular with Costa Rican men and women. In a country where you grow up knowing all the names of medicinal plants and their uses, Ayurvedic medicine has skyrocketed in popularity. Primarily because of its effectiveness and the similarity of many plants here to ones in India where Ayurveda, which dates back tens of thousands of years, comes from. An alternative for more common store shelf health items, the Himalaya line has done a lot to bring Ayurveda to the masses.
Excellent lines of natural and homeopathic health remedies can be found in yoga and specialty stores. For those on a Costa Rica vacation combined with intensive therapies like cleansing and fasting or chemical and alcohol detox it means a readily available variety of quality products.
Health seems to be a primary reason for people to visit and subsequently return to stay here. The environment anywhere in Costa Rica is refreshing. Though I was initially apprehensive of the hot and dry season, it was not nearly as dramatic as those I experienced growing up in the Midwest.
The plants that grow in the different zones assure Ticos of a constant supply of fresh food and herbs to keep their health vibrant. The outdoor vegetable markets held weekends in most towns are a joy to stroll through. You will see beautiful fresh fruits and vegetables, some that will surely be new to you. No worries, it’s all time tested to please.
Costa Rica has rich, fertile soil and having a garden to enjoy and eat from is a dream come true. Even the compost heap becomes an adventure to visit when you know the schedule of wild visitors that come to pick it clean. So much clean air and green scenery full of sunlight act as the best medicine to turn back that biological clock.
A lotta laughter, ancient Ayurvedic knowledge and Costa Rica’s excellent environment, it’s a sure formula for paradise on Earth.
ayurveda
By Richard Barone
Ayurvedic formulas for health are popular with Costa Rican men and women. In a country where you grow up knowing all the names of medicinal plants and their uses, Ayurvedic medicine has skyrocketed in popularity. Primarily because of its effectiveness and the similarity of many plants here to ones in India where Ayurveda, which dates back tens of thousands of years, comes from. An alternative for more common store shelf health items, the Himalaya line has done a lot to bring Ayurveda to the masses.
Excellent lines of natural and homeopathic health remedies can be found in yoga and specialty stores. For those on a Costa Rica vacation combined with intensive therapies like cleansing and fasting or chemical and alcohol detox it means a readily available variety of quality products.
Health seems to be a primary reason for people to visit and subsequently return to stay here. The environment anywhere in Costa Rica is refreshing. Though I was initially apprehensive of the hot and dry season, it was not nearly as dramatic as those I experienced growing up in the Midwest.
The plants that grow in the different zones assure Ticos of a constant supply of fresh food and herbs to keep their health vibrant. The outdoor vegetable markets held weekends in most towns are a joy to stroll through. You will see beautiful fresh fruits and vegetables, some that will surely be new to you. No worries, it’s all time tested to please.
Costa Rica has rich, fertile soil and having a garden to enjoy and eat from is a dream come true. Even the compost heap becomes an adventure to visit when you know the schedule of wild visitors that come to pick it clean. So much clean air and green scenery full of sunlight act as the best medicine to turn back that biological clock.
A lotta laughter, ancient Ayurvedic knowledge and Costa Rica’s excellent environment, it’s a sure formula for paradise on Earth.
17 dic 2009
Massage School Finances
As this article points out massage school is not free, nor cheap. Of course we feel it is well worth is, but that does not make money. The following article has some good ideas about affording massage school. Our school does provide a payment program which has helped some students out.
Financial Aid For Massage School Training
Attending a good massage school will not be cheap!
massage therapists financial aidThat certainly does not mean that receiving first-rate massage therapy training will not be affordable. Anyone with a desire to begin or continue their education in a chosen field should be prepared to examine and understand the various financial resources that are available. There are a variety of funding options to help you achieve your goal of becoming a massage therapist.
Student Loans
We won’t even attempt to try and fully explain all of the different loan options available through government and private sources. What we can do is identify the key lending programs so you can get the ball rolling.
* Federal Loans – You may be eligible for loan assistance through the federal government. First, you must determine if the massage school you would like to attend is eligible to participate in the federal loan programs. This will require proper accreditation from authorized agencies. Check with your school admissions office to see if the school is eligible.
You will first be required to fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This will determine your eligibility and the amount of the loans for which you qualify. These loans are available directly to the student and for parents of dependent students. FAFSA will also determine eligibility for other federal grants, work-study and other types of financial aid.
* Alternative Loans – These loans are arranged through private lending institutions. These companies offer special education or career training loan programs. The interest on these loans is typically higher that the federal loans so they should be considered only when you have exhausted all of the federal options.
Scholarships
* As opposed to student loans, scholarships do not have to be repaid. Consequently, they are worth the effort it will require to track down and apply for them. Specific scholarships for massage schools or massage therapy students are rare but that shouldn’t discourage you. Many scholarship programs are available for students based on economic need, ethnic background, academic achievement, career aspirations, hobbies and interests or for a host of other reasons.
You can use a scholarship search program like FastWeb to find scholarships for which you may be eligible.
Veteran’s Benefits
* Those that have served in the U.S. armed forces may qualify for education subsidies from the U.S. Veteran’s Administration. Surprisingly, only about one-third of all veterans use the education benefits available to them. Veterans with an eye on a massage therapy career should contact the VA and explore the possibility of obtaining education funding.
Individual Massage School Programs
* Make sure that you speak to the massage schools you are investigating to see if the school offers any programs that will help fund your training. Some schools offer a payment plan that will allow you to spread your tuition program out over a period of time rather than paying it all up front. Many of these programs are interest free.
* Work-study and part-time job placement may also be available at a massage school.
Most students in a post-secondary school or career training program will assume some level of debt to finance their education. You must decide how much debt you are comfortable with. But with all of the financial aid options available, you should be able to structure a funding package that allows you to pursue your massage therapy goals.
Financial Aid For Massage School Training
Attending a good massage school will not be cheap!
massage therapists financial aidThat certainly does not mean that receiving first-rate massage therapy training will not be affordable. Anyone with a desire to begin or continue their education in a chosen field should be prepared to examine and understand the various financial resources that are available. There are a variety of funding options to help you achieve your goal of becoming a massage therapist.
Student Loans
We won’t even attempt to try and fully explain all of the different loan options available through government and private sources. What we can do is identify the key lending programs so you can get the ball rolling.
* Federal Loans – You may be eligible for loan assistance through the federal government. First, you must determine if the massage school you would like to attend is eligible to participate in the federal loan programs. This will require proper accreditation from authorized agencies. Check with your school admissions office to see if the school is eligible.
You will first be required to fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This will determine your eligibility and the amount of the loans for which you qualify. These loans are available directly to the student and for parents of dependent students. FAFSA will also determine eligibility for other federal grants, work-study and other types of financial aid.
* Alternative Loans – These loans are arranged through private lending institutions. These companies offer special education or career training loan programs. The interest on these loans is typically higher that the federal loans so they should be considered only when you have exhausted all of the federal options.
Scholarships
* As opposed to student loans, scholarships do not have to be repaid. Consequently, they are worth the effort it will require to track down and apply for them. Specific scholarships for massage schools or massage therapy students are rare but that shouldn’t discourage you. Many scholarship programs are available for students based on economic need, ethnic background, academic achievement, career aspirations, hobbies and interests or for a host of other reasons.
You can use a scholarship search program like FastWeb to find scholarships for which you may be eligible.
Veteran’s Benefits
* Those that have served in the U.S. armed forces may qualify for education subsidies from the U.S. Veteran’s Administration. Surprisingly, only about one-third of all veterans use the education benefits available to them. Veterans with an eye on a massage therapy career should contact the VA and explore the possibility of obtaining education funding.
Individual Massage School Programs
* Make sure that you speak to the massage schools you are investigating to see if the school offers any programs that will help fund your training. Some schools offer a payment plan that will allow you to spread your tuition program out over a period of time rather than paying it all up front. Many of these programs are interest free.
* Work-study and part-time job placement may also be available at a massage school.
Most students in a post-secondary school or career training program will assume some level of debt to finance their education. You must decide how much debt you are comfortable with. But with all of the financial aid options available, you should be able to structure a funding package that allows you to pursue your massage therapy goals.
16 dic 2009
Did you know that our school is on Facebook? Check it out at Costa Rica School of Integrative Massage and join us.
15 dic 2009
Stress Management Over the Holidays
As we prepare to party out the year and welcome a New Year let's try to remember these tips to keep the time stress free. The following article has some great tips for all to remember. Let's enjoy our celebrations in a sensible way and reconnect with family and friends. Our students will be happy to return home and get moving with their families as well as new jobs.
So Black Friday has passed you by, and Cyber Monday is today, and you are behind on your holiday stress management already.
Sounds like you might be buying into what the retailers always want us to think, there is not enough time, not enough Zuu Zuu dolls, not enough money so you had better get yourself filled up with adrenalin and cortisol and charge out to slay the retail dragons.
The implication of scarcity is a key component in advertising of all kinds, and conversely, that abundance can be had with just this one more purchase, and perhaps you have heard the kids mentioning a preference or two.
If I am not careful, and I am not discerning in regards to my thinking and my breathing and my exercise and my nutrition and my sleep and my stress management, I will fill up with adrenalin and cortisol, which is the chemistry of stress (it happens really fast, in less time than it takes to blink my eyes)and keep that stress chemistry in place in order to live up the ideals of consumption that my culture is telling me I should live up to.
Holiday Stress Management Antidote
Stress management programs always focus on what to think about, and that is part of the holiday stress management solution.
What those programs neglect to teach however is that I may sustain gratitude thoughts, for example, for a few minutes, and those gratitude thoughts will change my chemistry in a healthy direction, a non-artery clogging direction, but I can switch right back to stress chemistry as soon as I contemplate the unpaid mortgage payment and try to figure out how to do both Christmas and the house payment.
So the key to holiday stress management is a balance of stress and relaxation thoughts which happen regularly.
There was a time when we did not have to schedule relaxation and stress, when stress happened only at those moments when we needed to fight for our lives, and if we came out of that struggle still alive, then we rested.
That is how our bodies stress response is supposed to be used. We were relaxing in between episodes of hunting, and in many indigenous cultures, that is still the norm, work to gather food for a day or two, then work on spirituality for several days.
Not in our culture, where we are invited to constantly stay stressed, so we have to plan relaxation, and I think we need to do relaxation in short bursts, and then re-learn to keep it going for longer periods until we learn to keep the stress response a choice again.
If the stress response happens inside me, then the contentment response must also happen there, which means holiday stress management is based on what I think, and how I breathe, and managing those two aspects of human experience is free, although I am sure someone is working on a way to tax the two.
Of Course There is a Hard Hitting Really Effective Holiday Stress Management Tool to Buy...
I began looking for stress management tools as part of a very important struggle that I began about 30 years ago, and I have tried many.
Luckily for us, research has given us tools like neurofeedback, or eeg biofeedback, which helps us train attentional styles in HZ. or cycles per second.
Great tool for ADD/ADHD and alcoholism, to name two, and Heartmath, which is the tool I am going to speak to for holiday stress management.
Heartmath or heart rate variability biofeedback is a tool that helps my train the brain in my heart, the brain in my heart that no one knew about not too many years ago, to beat coherently based on thoughts and breathing. That heart brain is affiliative and cooperative, by the way.
That brain in my heart, which is actually the heart's own nervous system, will learn and make decisions based on real time feedback from a computer screen in short order.
The kicker about heart rate variability biofeedback is that once I have trained my heart to respond to feedback, and to generate long periods of coherent heart rate variability, I can cue the coherent heart rate simply by remembering my cue thought.
(Remember, it is a perception of "lack" which cues us to make a stress response, and then go shopping and buy stuff to feel relaxed again, so a thought about someone you love should cue a different physiology, correct?)
No shopping necessary, and I can generalize this physiology to other stressful holiday thoughts, for example, having company over when you would prefer that there not be any company.
Are you a golfer, anxiously awaiting spring, or a student getting ready for the SAT or ACT college admissions test, or are you worried about emotional eating during the holidays?
All of those issues can be complicated by runaway stress, and the heart rate variability biofeedback tool impacts stress in a heart beat.
Worried about your brain fitness? Learning the heart rate variability biofeedback process actually opens up the higher perceptual centers of the brain for better brainstorming.
Most brain fitness writers say that we can enhance our brains natural ability to grow new neurons every day, and our brains natural ability to form new connections (neurogenesis and neuroplasticity) by taking care of the pillars of brain fitness, which are physical exercise, nutrition, sleep, stress management, and novel learning experience.
Looks like Heartmath is a perfect fit for holiday stress management, and even New Year's Resolutions.
I like to use it because it helps me to sustain an attitude of gratitude.
Merry Christmas to you, and may your heart beat coherently this holiday stress season.
Michael S. Logan is a brain fitness expert, a counselor, a student of Chi Gong, and licensed one on one HeartMath provider. I enjoy the spiritual, the mythological, and psychological, and I am a late life father to Shane, 10, and Hannah Marie, 4, whose brains are so amazing. http://www.askmikethecounselor2.com
So Black Friday has passed you by, and Cyber Monday is today, and you are behind on your holiday stress management already.
Sounds like you might be buying into what the retailers always want us to think, there is not enough time, not enough Zuu Zuu dolls, not enough money so you had better get yourself filled up with adrenalin and cortisol and charge out to slay the retail dragons.
The implication of scarcity is a key component in advertising of all kinds, and conversely, that abundance can be had with just this one more purchase, and perhaps you have heard the kids mentioning a preference or two.
If I am not careful, and I am not discerning in regards to my thinking and my breathing and my exercise and my nutrition and my sleep and my stress management, I will fill up with adrenalin and cortisol, which is the chemistry of stress (it happens really fast, in less time than it takes to blink my eyes)and keep that stress chemistry in place in order to live up the ideals of consumption that my culture is telling me I should live up to.
Holiday Stress Management Antidote
Stress management programs always focus on what to think about, and that is part of the holiday stress management solution.
What those programs neglect to teach however is that I may sustain gratitude thoughts, for example, for a few minutes, and those gratitude thoughts will change my chemistry in a healthy direction, a non-artery clogging direction, but I can switch right back to stress chemistry as soon as I contemplate the unpaid mortgage payment and try to figure out how to do both Christmas and the house payment.
So the key to holiday stress management is a balance of stress and relaxation thoughts which happen regularly.
There was a time when we did not have to schedule relaxation and stress, when stress happened only at those moments when we needed to fight for our lives, and if we came out of that struggle still alive, then we rested.
That is how our bodies stress response is supposed to be used. We were relaxing in between episodes of hunting, and in many indigenous cultures, that is still the norm, work to gather food for a day or two, then work on spirituality for several days.
Not in our culture, where we are invited to constantly stay stressed, so we have to plan relaxation, and I think we need to do relaxation in short bursts, and then re-learn to keep it going for longer periods until we learn to keep the stress response a choice again.
If the stress response happens inside me, then the contentment response must also happen there, which means holiday stress management is based on what I think, and how I breathe, and managing those two aspects of human experience is free, although I am sure someone is working on a way to tax the two.
Of Course There is a Hard Hitting Really Effective Holiday Stress Management Tool to Buy...
I began looking for stress management tools as part of a very important struggle that I began about 30 years ago, and I have tried many.
Luckily for us, research has given us tools like neurofeedback, or eeg biofeedback, which helps us train attentional styles in HZ. or cycles per second.
Great tool for ADD/ADHD and alcoholism, to name two, and Heartmath, which is the tool I am going to speak to for holiday stress management.
Heartmath or heart rate variability biofeedback is a tool that helps my train the brain in my heart, the brain in my heart that no one knew about not too many years ago, to beat coherently based on thoughts and breathing. That heart brain is affiliative and cooperative, by the way.
That brain in my heart, which is actually the heart's own nervous system, will learn and make decisions based on real time feedback from a computer screen in short order.
The kicker about heart rate variability biofeedback is that once I have trained my heart to respond to feedback, and to generate long periods of coherent heart rate variability, I can cue the coherent heart rate simply by remembering my cue thought.
(Remember, it is a perception of "lack" which cues us to make a stress response, and then go shopping and buy stuff to feel relaxed again, so a thought about someone you love should cue a different physiology, correct?)
No shopping necessary, and I can generalize this physiology to other stressful holiday thoughts, for example, having company over when you would prefer that there not be any company.
Are you a golfer, anxiously awaiting spring, or a student getting ready for the SAT or ACT college admissions test, or are you worried about emotional eating during the holidays?
All of those issues can be complicated by runaway stress, and the heart rate variability biofeedback tool impacts stress in a heart beat.
Worried about your brain fitness? Learning the heart rate variability biofeedback process actually opens up the higher perceptual centers of the brain for better brainstorming.
Most brain fitness writers say that we can enhance our brains natural ability to grow new neurons every day, and our brains natural ability to form new connections (neurogenesis and neuroplasticity) by taking care of the pillars of brain fitness, which are physical exercise, nutrition, sleep, stress management, and novel learning experience.
Looks like Heartmath is a perfect fit for holiday stress management, and even New Year's Resolutions.
I like to use it because it helps me to sustain an attitude of gratitude.
Merry Christmas to you, and may your heart beat coherently this holiday stress season.
Michael S. Logan is a brain fitness expert, a counselor, a student of Chi Gong, and licensed one on one HeartMath provider. I enjoy the spiritual, the mythological, and psychological, and I am a late life father to Shane, 10, and Hannah Marie, 4, whose brains are so amazing. http://www.askmikethecounselor2.com
14 dic 2009
Outlook
In reviewing the United States Department of Labor outlook for massage jobs I found the following article very informative for anyone considering studying massage.
Job Outlook [About this section] Back to Top Back to Top
Employment growth for massage therapists is expected to be faster than average for all occupations with very good job prospects, particularly for those seeking part-time work.
Employment change. Employment for massage therapists is expected to increase 20 percent from 2006 to 2016, faster than average for all occupations. Employment will grow as more people learn about the benefits of massage therapy.
Increased interest in alternative medicine and holistic healing will translate into new openings for those skilled in massage therapy. Healthcare providers and medical insurance companies are beginning to recognize massage therapy as a legitimate treatment and preventative measure for several types of injuries and illnesses. The health care industry is using massage therapy more often as a supplement to conventional medical techniques for ailments such as muscle problems, some sicknesses and diseases, and stress-related health problems. Massage therapy’s growing acceptance as a medical tool, particularly by the medical provider and insurance industries, will have the greatest impact on new job growth for massage therapists.
Massage is an increasingly popular technique for relaxation and reduction of stress. As workplaces try to distinguish themselves as employee-friendly, providing professional in-office, seated massages for employees is becoming a popular on-the-job benefit.
Older citizens in nursing homes or assisted living facilities are also finding benefits from massage, such as increased energy levels and reduced health problems. Demand for massage therapy should grow among older age groups because they increasingly enjoy longer, more active lives and persons age 55 and older are projected to be the most rapidly growing segment of the U.S. population over the next decade. However, demand for massage therapy is presently greatest among young adults, and they are likely to continue to enjoy the benefits of massage therapy as they age.
Job prospects. In States that regulate massage therapy, those who complete formal training programs and pass the national certification exam are likely to have very good opportunities. However, new massage therapists should expect to work only part-time in spas, hotels, hospitals, physical therapy centers, and other businesses until they can build a client base of their own. Because referrals are a very important source of work for massage therapists, networking will increase the number of job opportunities. Joining a State or local chapter of a professional association can also help build strong contacts and further increase the likelihood of steady work.
Female massage therapists will continue to enjoy slightly better job prospects, as some clients—both male and female—are uncomfortable with male physical contact. In 2006, 84 percent of all massage therapists were female.
Job Outlook [About this section] Back to Top Back to Top
Employment growth for massage therapists is expected to be faster than average for all occupations with very good job prospects, particularly for those seeking part-time work.
Employment change. Employment for massage therapists is expected to increase 20 percent from 2006 to 2016, faster than average for all occupations. Employment will grow as more people learn about the benefits of massage therapy.
Increased interest in alternative medicine and holistic healing will translate into new openings for those skilled in massage therapy. Healthcare providers and medical insurance companies are beginning to recognize massage therapy as a legitimate treatment and preventative measure for several types of injuries and illnesses. The health care industry is using massage therapy more often as a supplement to conventional medical techniques for ailments such as muscle problems, some sicknesses and diseases, and stress-related health problems. Massage therapy’s growing acceptance as a medical tool, particularly by the medical provider and insurance industries, will have the greatest impact on new job growth for massage therapists.
Massage is an increasingly popular technique for relaxation and reduction of stress. As workplaces try to distinguish themselves as employee-friendly, providing professional in-office, seated massages for employees is becoming a popular on-the-job benefit.
Older citizens in nursing homes or assisted living facilities are also finding benefits from massage, such as increased energy levels and reduced health problems. Demand for massage therapy should grow among older age groups because they increasingly enjoy longer, more active lives and persons age 55 and older are projected to be the most rapidly growing segment of the U.S. population over the next decade. However, demand for massage therapy is presently greatest among young adults, and they are likely to continue to enjoy the benefits of massage therapy as they age.
Job prospects. In States that regulate massage therapy, those who complete formal training programs and pass the national certification exam are likely to have very good opportunities. However, new massage therapists should expect to work only part-time in spas, hotels, hospitals, physical therapy centers, and other businesses until they can build a client base of their own. Because referrals are a very important source of work for massage therapists, networking will increase the number of job opportunities. Joining a State or local chapter of a professional association can also help build strong contacts and further increase the likelihood of steady work.
Female massage therapists will continue to enjoy slightly better job prospects, as some clients—both male and female—are uncomfortable with male physical contact. In 2006, 84 percent of all massage therapists were female.
11 dic 2009
10 dic 2009
9 dic 2009
Dry Season
Costa Rica is in dry season officially. It is a little early this year, but so nice. We have been having morning yoga in the park to celebrate the beautiful weather. One more morning of yoga class before our session ends for this year. It has been a great one and hopefully all have learned and grown from it.
8 dic 2009
Coffee Scrub
Grandpa was walking by the school room today while we were doing coffee scrubs. This is what he saw, a little peeping Tom. He passed the camera over and we got the cute face on the other side from the inside of the school room.
I guess it was just too much for him to resist all the girls in bikinis rubbing coffee all over themselves. He sure looks amused for sure.
The following is a great article about coffee scrub and I sure have to agree that it is awesome. Can't tell yet if any cellulite has been lost, but we will keep trying.
How To Make a Coffee Body Scrub
Exfoliate Your Skin with Added Benefits for Half the Cost
Casey Nicholson's picture
By Casey Nicholson
Difficulty: Easy
Cost: $1-$50
how to make coffee lotion
The coffee we all love so much has many uses beyond just waking us up in the morning. One of those uses is to create a coffee body scrub. It’s usually just the high prices that deter us from enjoying the benefits of exfoliating body scrubs. Since most of us have a canister of coffee grounds in the kitchen, creating this scrub will be easy, beneficial, and most of all, cheap! Not to mention that the coffee itself has added benefits for your skin and body that many body scrubs do not provide.
Before we go into any recipes, let's discuss why a coffee body scrub is so much more beneficial than the everyday scrub. This information was provided by CancerLynx.
1. No more cellulite. While coffee is wonderful for many reasons, it is actually the caffeine it contains that provides the added health benefits as a scrub. When coffee is applied to the surface of your skin, it helps redistribute fat cells and decrease the formation of cellulite.
2. Problems with varicose veins. Many people accept varicose veins as a necessary evil--either as a sign of getting older or a predisposition inherited from Mom or Dad. Now with a coffee body scrub, you may be able to prevent varicose veins or even make them vanish! The caffeine in a coffee scrub acts as a vascular restrictor--shrinking blood vessels, thus helping to reduce varicose veins.
Now that we know why the coffee body scrub is so useful, we can move on to the recipe. The recipe for a coffee scrub is very simple, including only three main ingredients.
* 2 cups of coffee grounds (Brand does not matter--the cheaper the better.)
* 1/2 cup raw sugar or sea salt
* 2/3 tablespoon of massage oil (Any plain, cheap massage oil will do.)
1. Mix these three items together in a bowl.
2. If you wish to make more coffee scrub for later use, you can easily double the recipe.
3. When it comes to making a coffee body scrub, you also have a few add-in options:
* Brown sugar - Brown sugar adds a sweet smell, as well as a coarse texture that helps to rejuvenate your skin. Add until you reach the texture desired.
* A dash of cinnamon - Adding cinnamon will give your scrub a stronger sharper scent.how to make coffee lotion
* Vanilla extract - Vanilla extract gives your coffee scrub a sweeter smell. It also thins the scrub out a bit, if that is the texture you are going for. It may also make the scrub more soothing to the skin.
* Perfume oils - Perfume oils make an excellent addition to your exfoliating coffee scrub. These oils are usually pure and highly concentrated, so they have a very strong smell. Adding just a dash of perfume oil to your scrub will give it a marvelous scent. The nice thing about the oils is that the tiniest bottle will last forever, especially if you are using it only for this purpose. Also, perfume oils come in many different scents, from flowers all the way to name brand colognes and perfumes.
4. Keep these tips in mind when considering add-in options:
* Be cautious with perfume oils. Although they smell wonderful, if you are planning to apply the scrub to your face, the perfume oil may be too strong. This is especially true for sensitive skin.
* Try to avoid any items you may be allergic to. Many oils and scented items may seem to complement your recipe perfectly, but take caution in case you are allergic. Read all ingredients carefully before adding anything new.
When the scrub is complete, be sure to apply it to wet or damp skin. The best time to do this is in the shower so that you can rinse it off after application. Apply the scrub directly to your skin and rub it in circular motions with your fingers, or use a washcloth or loofah. Remember the circular motion helps to distribute the caffeine to eliminate cellulite and varicose veins.
If making something homemade, even something as simple as coffee body scrub, is simply not your style, there are a few companies out there that sell coffee body scrubs.
Michelle Daniel from Cozy Moments: Bath, Body, Home offered some suggestions for add-in ingredients used in their Hazelnut Coffee Sugar Scrub, a very efficient exfoliating scrub combined with skin-drenching oils.
* Pure cane sugar - Excellent as a gentle exfoliator.
* Sweet almond oil - Known for its ability to soften, soothe and recondition the skin, this oil is a great addition to many body care products and is quickly and easily absorbed into the skin. Contains a high percentage of iron, calcium and potassium as well as vitamins B1, B2, B6 and beta-carotene.
* Apricot kernel oil - Apricot kernel oil is easily absorbed and very good for sensitive, dry or inflamed skin.
* Vitamin E - A fat-soluble vitamin in eight forms that is an important antioxidant. Vitamin E is often used in skin creams and lotions because it is believed to play a role in encouraging skin healing and reducing scarring after injuries such as burns. Although originally extracted from wheat germ oil, most natural vitamin E supplements are now derived from vegetable oils, usually soybean oil.
Now that you know the benefits of the coffee body scrub, and how easy it is to make (and personalize), what are you waiting for? Get out there and start mixing! Your skin will look great in no time at all!
Casey E. Nicholson
7 dic 2009
Hydrotherapy
We are studying hydrotherapy this week in classes. I find it absolutely amazing to see the healing properties of water and water related modalities. The following article gives a good overview of hydrotherapy and the many properties involved.
updated 6/26/04
Hydrotherapy
An introduction to healing with water
by Paul Ingraham, Registered Massage Therapist, Vancouver, Canada
Hydrotherapy is healing with water. More exactly, hydrotherapy is healing by heating and cooling. Water in its many forms just happens to be a very convenient substance for heating and cooling the human body.
I teach hydrotherapy skills to most of my clients. Hydrotherapies are useful, safe, simple and inexpensive. Anyone can use hydrotherapy to increase their health and vitality, and to speed healing from injuries and illnesses. It’s not a miracle cure — but it is an effective healing tool that no one should be without.
Water in its many forms just happens to be a very convenient substance for heating and cooling the human body.
Actually, most people already practice simple hydrotherapy. We have many cultural habits — like hot baths — that are hydrotherapeutic. If you have ever dipped your feet in a cool stream on a hot summer’s day or put a cold pack on a sprained article, then you already know something about hydrotherapy. But just a little education can add a lot of value to hydrotherapy.
There are some simple reasons why hydrotherapy is so useful …
Helping out the body
The body is constantly trying to warm itself up and cool itself off. Sometimes, it needs some help.
A lot of physiological energy is devoted to the temperature balancing act. The whole system for temperature control is complex and surprisingly effective. Unfortunately, it isn’t perfect. We can’t always keep our tissues at the ideal temperature.
We particularly struggle with temperature control when we are sick or damaged, and so hydrotherapy is most helpful at those times. It is a great service to your body to help out with a little hydrotherapy. Energy that would have been spent struggling to maintain the right temperature can be used for healing instead. Hydrotherapy treatments that seem unremarkable when you are healthy can turn out to be very potent when your system is challenged by an injury or an infection.
Hot and bothered
The treatment of inflammation in particular is another reason for the broad healing powers of hydrotherapy.
The process of inflammation always occurs with injury - you know it by the pain, swelling, heat and redness. It is a healthy response to any kind of tissue damage, and you couldn’t live without it. However, the body often over-reacts to trauma, which can be painful and counterproductive. Simple cooling in these situations is arguably one of the oldest and most useful healing tools ever devised.
Unfortunately, many people still rush to put a hot pack on a fresh injury, especially muscle strains. Except in a few very special cases, this is an error. Never heat a fresh injury - you’ll make it worse, not better, because you will aggravate the inflammatory process.
Moving blood around
The stimulation and control of circulation is another reason that hydrotherapy is effective. The circulation of blood is the major method by which the body regulates temperature. Therefore, it is possible to use hydrotherapy to manipulate and improve circulation significantly.
The need for proper circulation is even more important than the need to reduce inflammation when injured. Good circulation can make the difference between healing in a week or never healing at all! “The rate of flow of the blood determines the state of nutrition and the functioning of every cell in the body” (Frederick Erdman). Overall health also depends heavily on proper circulation.
“Pain is the prayer of the nerve for better blood.” — Mortiz H. Romberg
updated 6/26/04
Hydrotherapy
An introduction to healing with water
by Paul Ingraham, Registered Massage Therapist, Vancouver, Canada
Hydrotherapy is healing with water. More exactly, hydrotherapy is healing by heating and cooling. Water in its many forms just happens to be a very convenient substance for heating and cooling the human body.
I teach hydrotherapy skills to most of my clients. Hydrotherapies are useful, safe, simple and inexpensive. Anyone can use hydrotherapy to increase their health and vitality, and to speed healing from injuries and illnesses. It’s not a miracle cure — but it is an effective healing tool that no one should be without.
Water in its many forms just happens to be a very convenient substance for heating and cooling the human body.
Actually, most people already practice simple hydrotherapy. We have many cultural habits — like hot baths — that are hydrotherapeutic. If you have ever dipped your feet in a cool stream on a hot summer’s day or put a cold pack on a sprained article, then you already know something about hydrotherapy. But just a little education can add a lot of value to hydrotherapy.
There are some simple reasons why hydrotherapy is so useful …
Helping out the body
The body is constantly trying to warm itself up and cool itself off. Sometimes, it needs some help.
A lot of physiological energy is devoted to the temperature balancing act. The whole system for temperature control is complex and surprisingly effective. Unfortunately, it isn’t perfect. We can’t always keep our tissues at the ideal temperature.
We particularly struggle with temperature control when we are sick or damaged, and so hydrotherapy is most helpful at those times. It is a great service to your body to help out with a little hydrotherapy. Energy that would have been spent struggling to maintain the right temperature can be used for healing instead. Hydrotherapy treatments that seem unremarkable when you are healthy can turn out to be very potent when your system is challenged by an injury or an infection.
Hot and bothered
The treatment of inflammation in particular is another reason for the broad healing powers of hydrotherapy.
The process of inflammation always occurs with injury - you know it by the pain, swelling, heat and redness. It is a healthy response to any kind of tissue damage, and you couldn’t live without it. However, the body often over-reacts to trauma, which can be painful and counterproductive. Simple cooling in these situations is arguably one of the oldest and most useful healing tools ever devised.
Unfortunately, many people still rush to put a hot pack on a fresh injury, especially muscle strains. Except in a few very special cases, this is an error. Never heat a fresh injury - you’ll make it worse, not better, because you will aggravate the inflammatory process.
Moving blood around
The stimulation and control of circulation is another reason that hydrotherapy is effective. The circulation of blood is the major method by which the body regulates temperature. Therefore, it is possible to use hydrotherapy to manipulate and improve circulation significantly.
The need for proper circulation is even more important than the need to reduce inflammation when injured. Good circulation can make the difference between healing in a week or never healing at all! “The rate of flow of the blood determines the state of nutrition and the functioning of every cell in the body” (Frederick Erdman). Overall health also depends heavily on proper circulation.
“Pain is the prayer of the nerve for better blood.” — Mortiz H. Romberg
6 dic 2009
Manuel Antonio
Our students spent the weekend working at Manuel Antonio beach on the Pacific side of Costa Rica. It was an awesome experience and we all enjoyed the sun and surf. As you can see by the picture the view was great. Manuel Antonio is our favorite beach so far in Costa Rica. We have not see all of them but we are working very hard at it.
3 dic 2009
Therapy
Massage is Therapy. I read that recently on a blog and couldn't agree more. If I am ever in a bad mood, or feeling a bit stressed nothing can calm me like giving a massage. It is "meditation in movement and service".
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