Holistic Wellness for Mind and Body
Empowering health through personalized massage and yoga. Experience balance, relief, and well-being in a nurturing, inclusive environment.
30+ years
Veteran-Owned and Woman-Owned Business
Experience in Health and Wellness
Holistic Wellness Services
Experience personalized massage and yoga sessions for balance, relief, and overall well-being.
Customized Massage Therapy
Diverse Yoga Classes
Offering private prenatal, restorative, hatha, and trauma-informed classes to enhance your practice.
Welcome to Blue Horizon Body and Soul.
I hope the services I offer can meet your vision of health and well- being. I am not a healer, nor do I fix. I am what is known as a bodyworker. I work with clients to address their pain and discomfort. We work together with a client- based approach.
Integrating breathwork and meditation for deeper relaxation and mental clarity in every session.
The first step is to contact me. Next, we arrange a Zoom or facetime video session for a 30- minute introductory conversation. At this time we can discuss the client- history and assessment forms, review them together, where I can clarify any question you might have. Next: Schedule a second in- person appointment: The physical assessment. This is where we pay the most attention because our conversation may loop us around to the cause of the issue. Allow me to say- the Root Cause Analysis:
Posture
Muscular balance
Medical history- the intake form you completed
Injuries
Compensation for injuries
What is your profession
How many hours each week are you required to work at the computer
Do you travel to and from work
Sensations: numbing, tingling, discomfort
knotty areas- rarely addressed for what they are: trigger points
Habits- what are your activities, what do you like to do, children, grandkids, are they young, do you carry, hold, run with them
Who is your doctor? Medical team? Are you open to referrals if our sessions do not meet your needs?
This time is spent focusing on you. As you share your life, you paint the picture of where the problem invariably lies, how we can address it together, and if you are willing to continue with the homework plan I assign you with. We focus on "YOU." This is time well spent to help us navigate toward success. Physical, emotional and spiritual well- being come into balance when we can address where the problem lies, the cause and work on the solution together to heal.
Not always with a cultivated awareness, some called it "bad luck", "unfortunate", my parents typically called me "clumsy". Regardless, I have experienced more than my share of injuries over the past 45+ years in the sports, coaching, and the health and wellness arena. Some incidents were due to my ability to be in the wrong place at the right time, others, caused by other human error.
In so sharing, I can confidently state: "I understand pain." Let me reiterate this: "I get it. I have lived pain."
Pain is real, especially to the person who is living with it. More times than not I was advised to:
Have a surgery
Quit playing sports
"Stop coaching- why are you working with kids when they are not yours?"
"You can no longer participate in Yoga and Pilates"
"Change your attitude"
"Just get over it"
"You are better off... you should be glad"
"Don't take any meds, not even Tylenol, it's all bad"
"Just move through it"
"No Pain, no gain!" (baby boomer advice)
"God is teaching you a lesson"
The one I dislike the most is "Just breathe, you will feel better!
" REALLY??!!!"
Come on, folks. Life is to be shared, experienced, lived well caring, for others. The God I know, honor, and love doesn't believe in hurting anyone or causing us confusion. Our lives and the path we took brought us to the place we are at. We have the choice to be proactive.
I understand this advice comes from people who mean well, they only have good intentions because they do not want to see you suffer in pain.
Are you ready? Because this is where I ask you to do some hard work. Facing adversity is hard. Really hard. I will do this with you, we take this step by step. What I need for you to do take the first step. Begin to advocate for yourself. No one knows you like you do. Know one has lived in your body alongside of you. No one can feel pain the way you do. What you feel is yours.
You didn’t come this far to stop
The quiet mind seeks power within the tranquility of the mind
A multipurpose tool with many benefits
Improve Focus, Concentration & clarity
Meditation is an ancient art practiced by many cultures
Meditation is a means by which you can calm your active mind, until it becomes more quiet. Reaching this level of a "Peaceful Mind" takes practice, though the journey of exploration is well worth the effort and time put into it. Regardless of the level achieved, there is a tension release as you begin to progress. Can a person ever achieve the level of where they begin to focus all of their energy and attention on one thought or area? Yes, eventually. Please don't let this discourage you, however. Meditation is not the goal- it is a tool that helps you on the journey of life. Each learning stage cultivated through meditation is well worth the time spent.
For example, having meditated for well over 50+ years, working on this website was a challenge to my calm demeanor. I won't delve deep into a tangent on this. What I would like to share is that my purpose of mentioning this is regardless of the minutes, days, months, and years of time you spend cultivating this practice, there will be challenging moments. Why? Because, my friends, we are not perfect.
There are scriptural stories in numerous faiths that share we grow in practice not by cloistering in a dark, hidden room, cave, mountaintop where we exclude ourselves from others. Rather, it is in the immersion of life and the hardships we experience (for me the introduction of technology is my nemesis), that we truly reap the cultivation of our practice.
Why practice meditation? There are various reasons people meditate. Throughout my journey in life I have discovered when I notice, pay attention to the sensations that course through my body and mind, this benefits me. I often (still) have to step back and "reflect", "analyze", "consider", "view", "reminisce" on what is going on, how I feel, mentally, physically, spiritually.
My faith is my stronghold, steadfast, and true. For those who read and study scripture, the Bible mentions "to meditate" or "meditation" 23 times: Psalms, Joshua, Genesis, and Philippians. Many cultures and faiths embrace meditation. When you think about this across the board, this commonality means something. So, let's try to take a moment together to see how this works.
The Practice of Meditation- an inward focus to contemplation:
The ability to choose not to dwell on every thought, having the ability to discard the thoughts of lesser value
The knowledge you can take your mind off negative emotions such as worry, hate, fear, anxiety, simply by choosing to think of something else
The ability to organize your mind into categories of thought, such as positive thoughts, negative thoughts, memories, fantasy, illusions, reality
The ability to enhance your memory
The ability to be able to put things into proper perspective with stability of emotion and thought
The ability to experience gratitude
To feel energy both as softness and strength
Gain conscious control
This is a progressive practice that requires patience and the willingness to practice
Meditation can help you feel connected, grounded- with life and all living things. Nature- are not all aspects of nature spectacular? Communication starts from within and then cultivates to where you can improve your communication skills, enhance motor skills and increase self- confidence and awareness with self, then others. To have an emotional connection with others builds bonds, strengthens our spirit, contributes to the building of our personality.
Learn to explore and begin to build the foundation for:
JOY
Happiness
Peace
Quieting the clutter and confusion within
Release of stress and tension as the mind learns to become clam, at peace and clear
Cultivation of inner harmony
Unwind
Henry David Thoreau wrote:
“You can travel the world over to find the beautiful, yet you must carry it with you, or you will find it not.”
Be patient with yourself. Invite self- compassion and kindness. When you first start meditating your thoughts may be restless and scattered. We will try several techniques to help you find one that may work for you.
Meditation is not something you can feign or force. It has to be genuine and pursued patiently. Meditation and relaxation are the ultimate tools to rebalancing the body and mind.
Sound Meditation- create a phrase that is meaningful to you: (i.e.) “Kindness speaks through its actions”; Strength through softness”;” Inhale calm- exhale tension”; Gentle music in the background.
Create visualization- visualize an object that is not present- think of something meaningful to you, the color, shape, texture and smell.
Visualize Yourself In Nature…. A beautiful meadow of flowers, a deserted tropical beach, a mountaintop, white windswept clouds, air laced with the essence of springtime flowers, the soothing sound of a quiet stream.
Experience the Moment…Observe the stimuli of the environment, all the sensations of your body, savor the golden moments like a precious gift.
If you would like to try a practice, try the following brief breath work:
Find a comfortable seated or supine posture(lie face up).
For the next several moments, allow yourself just to be. It's okay, just be. Notice the movement of your breath, the sensations your body feels as you breathe. Please remember, there is no wrong way to do this.
Notice your breath as you breathe in and as you breathe out. Feel it, don’t change it. Just be aware of the process.
Try several rounds, and attempt not to judge this process. Breathe in, breathe out. Allow yourself just to be aware of how your body is and feels while breathing. A simple focus on the inhale and exhale, and how the body shifts with each movement of your breath.
What seems to be happening as you do this? The chest as it rises and falls, the muscles and oxygen warms the tissues, the air temp as you breathe in; the air temp as you breathe out.
A calmness underlies all action. Just as tension accumulates in the body so does calmness. Tension and calmness manifests in the breath- the mind is capable of concentration and creativity.
For those who have participated in Sports, Thespians, Dance, this is referred to as efficiency, in medicine health, in living this experience was once considered comfort, but now respiration recognized for decreasing the Sympathetic Nervous System (fight, flight, freeze), contributing to mental health. In Yoga and Massage Therapy this is known as balance.
The state of meditation can be unpredictable, liable to catch you off guard and suddenly you feel "off", notice something changed. This is common, you did not do anything in error.
Many years ago, I studied a meditation course where the instructors compared meditation to quicksilver. The definition of Quicksilver in Websters: Mercurial, sudden, quick change, moody, able to flow, to move almost as if it was alive. A simple disturbance, body waver, the mind momentarily catches a ride on a cloud. The muscles may contract, and there you have it, you feel tense. This is when you Invite both body and brain to return to a basic round of breathing. Yes, you start over. Okay, so maybe 1 minute, 2, 5 minutes. Eventually, gradually, you begin to notice subtle changes. Where did these come from? Wait, I actually sat still for 7 mins, 10, 15, 30 mins. This is when the mind and body actually "yoke", become one with the other: yoked, joined, a union. I won't say like a marriage because marriages don't necessarily yoke- it takes 2 people to commit, be steadfast. As one individual, you can train your mind to work together, for the collective whole of yourself- a union of body, mind, and now here comes the spiritual aspect- you- the content of who you are, your inner resource, spirit, soul, the belief system that is your internal compass. When this happens you become whole. Remember, this takes practice.
There are several techniques you can try:
Complete Breath
Slow Deep Breathing
Breath of Victory- technique of inhaling and exhaling through the nose; as you breathe in you tighten the throat muscles (like sipping through a straw) allowing the incoming air to make a hissing sound, or “haaaa” sound, on the back of your throat
Allow your awareness to follow your breath- try to follow your breath- for example, you might say… “Breathe/ Breathe Out”
Begin to focus on the present moment- this can be done by creating a passive mind and to concentrate on something pleasant
Sense withdrawal- sound, visual, smell, taste, contact- this overrides distractions and turns focus inward. Be totally aware of every sound, sight and smell.
Follow your mind’s lead with effortless silence.
Listen to your breathing and become one with your inward journey
Attention without attachment- noise and outside distractions will not disturb your meditation- to be aware of things yet focused on your train of thought
Draw awareness to spinal alignment
Focus on Breath
Release Tension
Concentration Exercise: begin concentration on a single object, idea, thought or problem. EXPLORE anything and everything which has a connection to your subject. If your mind wanders off course, remind yourself of the main focus and gently bring your attention back.
Sometimes we just need to pause.....
Meditating To Soothe Your Soul
The massage was transformative! I felt completely balanced and rejuvenated afterward. The yoga classes are also incredible, promoting relaxation and clarity. Highly recommend!
Katie H.
★★★★★
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