The Body Sacred

Well..

I have had too many coincidences and doors magically open to believe in coincidences and to not believe in the magic of life. I am convinced (and I took a lot of convincing) that I am doing my soul's purpose for this lifetime and that a lot of "unseen helpers" have been working diligently to get me to just trust the process. I could present all the cold, hard documentation of my life long journal, but that's volumes of really, really bad times. Years of what I now know were painful lessons that were the only way I would come to know true Forgiveness, Compassion, Self-Love, and Gratitude. Pain blossoms into Wisdom if we let it. Grace, Divine help, carried me through. I was (am still) constantly being guided to believing this -- That I was put here, in this time and place, to heal with my hands and my heart.

 

In a nutshell..

After getting my BS in Management Information Systems and working as a software programmer for years, I felt as though my work was not fulfilling on a deeper level. As a teen, I used to go along with my dad who is a deacon on visits to people who were in hospitals, nursing homes, and occasionally, psychiatric hospitals. These visits made a great impression on me. They led me to jobs working at the ARC as a Direct Support Professional, obtaining a Teaching Assistant Certification while I substituted, working as a Certified Nursing Assistant in a nursing home, and working in direct contact with customers as a pharmacy technician. With each position, the focus of spending time, one on one with individuals and easing their situation in some way, was the common thing that made my heart soar. At one point in my life I was diagnosed as having the symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis. I went to an incredibly compassionate and knowledgeable physical therapist to get some relief from my pain. After several sessions, she asked me “has anyone even touched you?” on my numb arm and face. I told her “no”. Within two weeks my symptoms were gone for good. I wept in her arms as she told me, “Honey, you don’t have MS”. From that point on, I wanted to help people through compassion and touch.

 

With great wonder and awe, I have learned the loving art and science of massage. My education with the staff at the Finger Lakes School of Massage has taught me not only the technique of many different modalities, but how essential being fully present with someone and holding the intention of the highest good for each individual, is. I continue to grow to love many different modalities, from Swedish to Shiatsu to Reiki which are just a few of things I offer at The Body Sacred massage space . 

 

I have seen, heard, and felt too much to believe that we are just these beautifully, intricate, complex bodies that just stop existing when disease and decay take our last breath. With the world suffering from the Covid-19 pandemic, compassionate human touch has become both rarer and more important than ever due to the necessary safety measures of social distancing and mask wearing.  Decades of studies have shown that humans need compassionate touch from other humans to thrive, not only as infants but throughout our entire lives. I believe compassionate touch and truly being present and connecting with my clients is an honor that is, indeed, sacred.