Hello.
Here we are in September.
In the US, Fall is beginning to move in on us.
My girls are headed back to school.
My days are being filled with daily rituals again- sunrise runs from home, early morning coffee making, picking flowers and vegetables from my garden, cooking a little, walking the kids to school. I look forward to these days. The days of summer still hot in my mind from the adventures with friends. The days of traveling to foreign countries, and the days of friends raising my kids.
I feel lucky to be alive, and even luckier to be living a life of purpose. To be creating works of art with colleagues I admire. To share stories with my children. To feel both joy and sadness on deep levels. I relate all of these experiences to touch.
Touch is the gateway to presence.
Touch can come at us expectedly- a sweet kiss or a long hug. An offering of a hand. A wiping away of tears.
But touch can also be asked for- please hold me. Kiss me. A massage.
Or we can be touched emotionally- a loss of someone we love, an act of kindness, or a great play that undoes us.
This month, I’m thinking a lot about the need for touch.
I’m remembering the way my father use to rock me in a rocking chair as a kid. The sun would be going down and he would turn on his favorite blues artists and we would rock away. When my husband and I first began creating our own home together, a rocking chair was one of the first things I asked for. I was touched to have a dear friend gift me a beautiful family rocking chair of her own.
I’m also remembering receiving my first massage. Many years ago while running competitively, my massage therapist would only treat me if I agreed to do her self-care homework. She pushed the envelope on comfort and pain, but also made me look hard in the mirror at my own practices of self-care or lack thereof.
I’m remembering the death of my mother and how I didn’t want anyone to touch me physically for a long time. Somehow, the idea of touch would break me open emotionally and I was scared for anyone to see that part of me.
These days, I seek out touch regularly.
I fall asleep with a hand on my heart and the other on my belly (more about this in my daily practice). I receive monthly acupuncture and massage. I have found that these two combined with my daily physical output are necessary for my mental, emotional and physical health. On the days that I can, I try to carve out alone time before or after these sessions to process where I am at. This helps in my self reflection time and puts me in a space to be able to give back to my family and community. When I skip these practices of self care, I often find myself to be working and moving from a place of overdrive. I no longer consider them luxuries, but necessities to a well functioning life.
Over the years I’ve learnt that touch is essential to well being.
I have been known to ask my husband to hold my hand more. I remember how embarrassed I first was to ask, and then how good it felt when he listened to my request. In a small sense, it brought the distance I felt into something much more tangible.
I also always offer supportive touch in all of my workshops, classes, and retreats. I think without touch, we miss a huge milestone to our own healing. Whether you receive touch from a friend, a partner, a teacher, or a wellness practitioner, touch has the power to heal and transform our lives. If, we are ready to receive it, and when we are not, my hope is that your voice or your actions can communicate otherwise.
Daily Practice-
Hand to heart and hand to belly.
This is my nightly practice. It is my time to connect with my breath, practice gratitude, and reflect on the day. You can do this before crawling into bed, on the couch, alone or out loud. I most often do this lying down as soon as I crawl into bed. And if you’ve ever slept in a bed with me, you know this to be true, in fact, I think a few of you out there even have photos of me laying in this shape:)
I believe this practice rewires the brain. Rather than feeling the weight of our lives, I feel the lightness and temporariness in all that is. Try it and let me know how it goes.
For this month only: Healing Sessions In Touch-
This month, I’m offering two days to receive healing touch from me. As a licensed massage therapist, I offer sessions in my home space for 60 or 90min time frames. Touch is essential to our well being, healing, and ability to process trauma. In my practice I offer reiki, deep tissue, swedish, and essential oils. I believe that through touch our body is brought back into balance. I will also offer you homework for your own self-care to continue on your own healing journey. Our process of healing can be supported by wellness practitioners, but ultimately, must be practiced by each individual. In my sessions, I will offer you tools (yoga, self massage, daily rituals) to take home to care for you.
These days, I don’t practice often, so for September I’m offering two days: Friday September 20 and Friday September 27 to book either a 60 or 90min session with me. A 60 minute session costs $85, and a 90 minute session costs $110. Cash or check only please.
You can also gift this to someone else, or pay it forward and purchase a session for a stranger whom I will select. Someone who might not be able to afford a session on their own can be treated by your offering. Or if you have been saving up one of my gift certificates, now is the time to cash it in to support your well being.
Listening to-
Ram Dass ( great spiritual teacher) and East Forest.
Together these two spirit guides have co-created. Ab beautiful new album. Ram Dass is transitioning out of this world and is gifting us with his teachings as East Forest plays musically. The album is called: East Forest and Ram Dass, and my current favorite song on it is called: I Am Loving Awareness, featuring Krishna Das).
This is a great (almost ten minute track) to meditate to or breathe in.
Gatherings-
I am currently on my Vibrant Living Italy retreat with Julie Jeske in the heart of Lucca in Tuscany. This has been two-year dream collaboration combining our strengths and expertise to bring all the pieces together. Together, we are exploring, sharing, moving, learning, and loving together. Our group is exploring daily yoga in our private villa, pool time, wine and olive oil tastings, cooking classes, and conversations around:
-Healing Ourselves, Healing Our World
-Practicing Presence Amidst Chaos
-Awakening Your Heart
-Aligning Our Chakras
-Sensing Center
-Sensuality, Intimacy, and Presence
If you missed out on this trip, please join me for one more weekend retreat this year, and some community yoga practices in Portland, Oregon. I look forward to seeing you on your mat or out in the world.
- Be Love/D in Portland, Oregon with Atieno Bird October 11-14
- Community Yoga Classes at Portland Playhouse (studio): Ongoing through December 2019
Be Love/D is open to women of all life experience to come play in your body and in your heart as we explore movement, theatre, and nature together in Portland, Oregon. This retreat is co-led by Atieno Bird and I. We will explore psychodrama as a means to healing ourselves, daily yoga, an intimate singer songwriter gathering at the Portland Playhouse studio space, and two theatre outings (The Wolves at Portland Playhouse and In The Heights at Portland Center Stage).
Community Yoga Classes at the Portland Playhouse are back! Classes are $10 for a drop in, and free to artists currently working at the Playhouse.These classes support the Education programs at Portland Playhouse, so feel good and give back to our community at the same time.
No one will be turned away for lack of funds or experience, classes are open to all levels- yoga, music, meditation, rest, and essential oils. Bring your own mat, please. Mark your calendars and come play, move, and breathe together. Bring a friend and walk to coffee with us afterwards.
My hope is that these classes will build community, connection, and balance in our lives. Please help spread the word to your family and friends! Then go for coffee or brunch after class. I'll start with these dates and then see how it goes. Please let me know if you have any questions or feedback. I'm excited to see how these might take off or not.
Community Yoga on Saturday and Sunday mornings 9-10:30am,
$10 suggested donation fee. No one turned away.
Sunday September 1
Saturday September 21
Sunday September 22
Saturday October 5
Sunday October 20
Saturday October 26
Sunday October 27
Sunday November 10
Saturday November 16
Sunday November 17
Saturday November 23
Sunday November 24
Saturday November 30
Sunday December 1
Saturday December 14
Sunday December 15
A Prayer for You-
May September recharge you, and nourish your inner being. May you feel love move from your heart and through your fingertips. May you radiate light, and share in the darkness that is coming with Fall. May you find touch in your interactions with those closest to you, and may you linger, just for a moment, in the power of this interaction. Touch heals our hearts and brings us into the present.
Hands to the Heart,
Nikki
