philly spa

Moments

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Posted by Gwyn MacDonald

I just had a lovely moment.

I was walking back to my house after visiting Fante’s in the Italian Market. A fabulous cooking/baking supply store, it also has a small coffee bar with one of those iced drink machines that is filled with the most amazing cappuccino granita!!!! It is so amazing that one (a.k.a. me) must be careful not to stop by everyday just to make sure the recipe has not changed… ha!

As I was strolling home, sipping my afternoon treat I was gazing up at the super blue sky and all of the fluffy, glowing white clouds and I realized… it’s so QUIET! For a minute, maybe two, no cars passed by, no compressor noise from the new houses being built across the street, no forklifts hauling wares back and forth. Just the sky and a mild breeze and a pigeon floating down from it’s perch on a near by rooftop. Now it wasn’t silent… the compressors from the giant butcher shop were running and I could hear the hustle and bustle from the market half a block down. But there was a quiet stillness, just for those few moments. I stood and watched the clouds morph and glide into a new configuration and smiled deeply. Then a car pulled out of a parking lot and some folks walked by and the moment had passed. But I was so glad I caught it!

I have this quote from Zen teacher Katagiri Roshi that I keep on my shelf of special things, “Every moment is enormous and it is all we have”. Just moments, lots and lots of them, but really just moments. Remembering to be aware and open to them, paying attention even when they aren’t as sweet as the one above, that’s the key!

P.S. Add this little moment to your musical playlist: Evan Lurie “Selling Water By the Side of the River”. Lovely album! And there is a song called “Moment”. It’s 51 seconds long and it’s gorgeous.

 

Massage Therapist Insider Series: What Should I Wear During a Massage?

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Posted by Alicia McCarthy

Receiving bodywork requires a lot of trust in your massage therapist. Sometimes a bond is created instantly, and oftentimes said bond requires some time (hopefully by the end of the hour!).

One aspect of the vulnerability that bodywork encompasses is being comfortable with your body. In a deep tissue or traditional Swedish massage the preferred state is to be unclothed. I am often asked (with a certain degree of shyness), “How much should I take off?”. The answer varies depending on the person and depending on the type of treatment you set out to receive.

Going completely bare can have its advantages. It allows the therapist to access the glutes, which is an area that holds a huge amount of tension for some people. The therapist may be more inclined to use longer strokes that connect different parts of the body, akin to the traditional Lomi-Lomi massage that originated in Hawaii. It’s also nice to feel free under the sheets (that’s my personal preference when it comes to getting a massage).

Leaving your underwear on is completely acceptable as well. Feeling secure and safe is important to the process of relaxing. As I therapist, I always strive to adapt to the needs of each individual person, and those needs can be different on any given day. In many forms of Asian bodywork, it is essential that you remained clothed so that the limbs can be moved and manipulated without having to consider proper draping techniques.

When it comes to your healing process, you should never feel like you can’t ask a question about what is right for you during your massage. Who knows maybe you’ll try going bare and never look back!