Retreat & Heal

Sometimes life gets in the way of how we think we should be living and changes our perception for the better.   After a series of accidents, surgery's, infections and a cancer scare all within a year’s time ignoring the possibility that my health and well being were in significant danger was no longer an option.   At this point I believed there were specific actions and decisions that undoubtedly contributed to my illnesses.  Patterns were being repeated over and over again. Time only heals when you let it.  The time was now.  

Even resourceful, emphatic, driven women get knocked for a loop too.  I needed help. I desired a better life.  I believed I deserved a better life. A life filled with health, wealth, love and the time to enjoy it all.  At the rate I was going I wasn't going to succeed at any of these.  I needed a respite, a vacation, time away to reprogram and recover.

Where should I go…. A resort?  No.  A spa?  Love a good spa but, No.  A retreat? YES. I needed a retreat!  A total withdrawal from ordinary activities to commune with myself in pray and reflection.  In other words complete Peace & Quite.

A friend of mine suggested I check out Sedona AKA Slowdona.  Perfect I thought.  I began researching retreats.  The first one I looked at was the one I booked.  I looked at many others but I kept coming back to Retreat & Heal.  Retreat & Heal!

As a massage therapist I found myself drawn to the former massage school owners Annie & Jerry Lawrence.  I went with my gut and booked my retreat. It would prove to be one of the best experiences of my life.

That which I was seeking was causing me to seek a deeper understanding of my personal relationships. Retreat and Heal helped me to identify the underlying causes of my addictive emotional patterns.  My goal:  free myself from physical and emotional pain, to make room for all the new and wonderful people, experiences and spaces undiscovered in my mind and ultimately my life.

If this sounds familiar and you've noticed what you’re doing isn't working any longer or serving your purpose then perhaps it time for a serious overhaul.

The journey was a series of endless moments of peace and happiness, tears and sadness, clarity and joy. Every step I take I take in gratitude for all I have and yet to be. The result, I have no pain.  The pain is gone. There is only light.  The light that shines from within and is all around us all the time.  The light of God and it is brighter then the Sun.

WORLD MASSAGE FESTIVAL 2012 LAS VEGAS

    I recently attended the World Massage Festival at the Tuscany Suites in Las Vegas Nevada, August of 2012. This is my third year attending and I must say it gets better and better with each year. Mike Hinkle and his better half Cindy do a fabulous job scheduling top notch instructors, guest speakers and vendors at this event. Students and practitioners from all over the 

county participate in the classes. Seeing old and making new friends and connection is what the WMF is all about. In addition gaining those much needed CE’s in various modalities and by attending lectures.

Notably, this year I met Mark Lamm President of the BioSync Research Institute in California. Mark and I spoke at length about using the boundless power (CHI) available to us that encourages greater and faster progress for our clients. For Mark it’s all about the CHI. Generating your CHI energy comes from your Core. The practitioner will experience less stress, tension and wear and tear on their body as a result of tapping into the non-muscular CHI energy. The BioSync method is about utilizing whole body movements. Thank you Mark for your awesome presentation and wisdom.
Another great presenter at the conference was American Shaman Jenny Ray of the Cedar Stone School of Massage. Jenny uses natural stones to aid in the healing and relaxation of her clients. One of the main points I learned from Jenny was regarding sanitation. How to protect yourself and your clients from MRSA. In order to keep ourselves and our clients safe and free of disease we must first take the necessary precautions to ensure the cleanliness of our environment and our equipment. Washing our sheets in bleach and using other cleaning products found at spavelous.com will help prevent the spread of community MRSA; a common (too common these days) staph infection resistant to most antibiotics. Valuable and informative information. Thank you Jenny.
There were many wonderful vendors displaying their goods and demonstrating their skills this year. I was able relax and meditate on a Biomat – those Far Infared negative Ions pulsing through my body made 20 minutes on the mat feel like a 6 hour sleep. And in a city like Las Vegas who couldn’t use that!
Many blessings to Darcell Neibaur who dedicates her time and practice to helping child burn victims. Darcell’s talented hands massaged my aching feet with a reflexology treatment. My tired dogs no doubt the result of 115 degree heat and long walks down Las Vegas Blvd. All the money she earns goes directly to the Shriners Institute in North Carolina. Thank you for your service Darcell.
Looking forward to attending the 2013 World Massage Festival in Long Beach CA. Come and join me next time!

nj.pamperedspiritspa.com

MASSAGE WITHOUT BORDERS

OUT OF THE RUBBLE: It’s been a month since the superstorm crashed into our lives on the eastern seaboard. The devastation is tremendous and the burden weighs heavy on our hearts for those who lost everything.  I can say with absolute certainty if you live along the coastline in NY, NJ, MD, DE you lost something.

I grew up on Jersey Shore and though I lived in many states beyond Exit 98 I can’t remember a better summer then those spent in Point Pleasant, Seaside Hgts, Manasquan, Asbury Park, Sandy Hook and I can go on and on. The Jersey Shore is what makes living in NJ seem worth it.

Sometimes it takes a natural disaster to bring on the kind of grace, good will and solidarity necessary realize we are all in this together. But where do you start? So much debris, total chaos in the streets, national guards on the corners with guns, strangers in your neighborhoods, homes without power and people without homes!

I asked the ultimate question; where can I best serve? The answer was clear.  I grabbed my massage chair and a couple Pampered Spirits and we went help the people that help people.  We massaged firefighters, first responders, national guardsmen & women, FEMA workers and their supporters from LBI to Point Pleasant.

Still I wanted a cause that I could gauge something more. Then I got a call about week after the storm from my teacher Gloria Coppola asking how some of our massage colleagues made out during the storm.  I personally knew four therapists effected.  Some lost their homes others lost some possessions including their massage equipment. Gloria shared a story of an angel who called out to her for assistance for another colleague; Lisa Mayer who lost her home in Ortley Beach.

And so the outreach begins. In a weeks time a strong network of Massage Therapists Helping Massage Therapists who are surviving the effects of Sandy was built. Two weeks post Sandy and the distribution of massage tables gifted by Oakworks and 3B American supplies, along with some food baskets donated by Massage Pro CE, Gift Cards gifted by Massage magazine along with of host of other donations made it to many massage therapists and their families.

Massage Pro C.E. created this organization to help massage colleagues and now it has morphed into a full blown Non-Profit; Massage Without Borders.  Its Mission: To provide an immediate call to action to support our colleagues those that have been affected by the devastation of Sandy!

The Board Members are set and Massage Without Borders will soon be official as a non profit organization.  We just started helping our colleagues and we look forward to many more years of being here. Let's build a strong network of colleagues to support each other and keep it going. 

I am proud to be a founding member of Massage Without Borders. My name is Bridget Riley Turnbach and I am a Massage Therapist Helping Massage Therapists.

Please contact us at massagewithoutborders.org or  nj.pamperedspiritspa.com for more information on how you can help or if you need assistance.

Pampered Spirit finds home at Meridian Hospitals

Recently, The Pampered Spirit partnered with Meridian Health Care Systems and Circles Concierge out of Boston Massacuttes to offer in-room treatments to patients. As massage therapists and company's across the country know this is a moment to rejoice! Spa services are a welcome addition to health care facilities.
The Pampered Spirit, a New Jersey based premier mobile spa business, has partnered with Circles, one of the largest concierge services in the U.S., to offer a complete line of spa services to patients at Meridian Hospitals.
Spa services are now available in-room. The services are available to all patients of the medical Centers, designed to address non-clinical needs. The menu offers a wide array of massage options, including back, neck and shoulder massage, hand and foot reflexology and even pre and post operation Reiki sessions. Also offering nail care for the hands and feet as well as grooming services including; women's cut and style, men's haircuts and shaves. Pampered Spirit Technicians working within the hospitals must undergo rigorous screening process not only with Circles Concierge but Meridian Hospitals as well.
As the business owner I am extremely pleased with the growth and success in working in a hospital setting to bring these much needed services to people experiencing a hospital stay. Partnering with an industry leader such as circles paves the way for continued growth in attracting other location partners.
The Pampered Spirit is no stranger to the health care industry, currently operating throughout New Jersey adult senior communities, long term care facilities and private home appointments, along with a number of local businesses to offer corporate/workplace massage and other wellness workshops. In addition we offer customized spa parties which are the perfect addition to your bridal party, birthday, anniversary or bachelorette party. We bring everything to your location.

It is the vision of The Pampered Spirit to make service affordable and available in hospitals, businesses, hotels and events where normal spa service are not available. For more information visit www.thepamperedspiritn.com