Massage & Bodywork

NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2018

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READER FORUM SAVVY SELF-CARE What a lovely article in the most recent issue of Massage & Bodywork ["Open Your Heart and Release Your Shoulders," by Heath and Nicole Reed, September/October 2018, page 30]. I really appreciated the emphasis on the physical and spiritual care of our bodies. I was, however, a little startled to read, "Ayurvedic medicine associates the shoulders and arms with Anahata chakra." The classical ayurvedic medical texts do not discuss chakras at all. In ayurveda, we look at srotas, dhatus, doshas, hetu, and lingam. Chakras come from the science of yoga. If we have training in yoga, we may also think about a chakra, but ayurvedic medicine itself does not consider this. In our modern age, individual practitioners mix and match and make our own associations, but attribution of an overarching concept to the wrong tradition shortchanges both traditions—in this case, ayurveda and yoga. KATHY GEHLKEN SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA Author response: Thank you for sharing your feedback, and I'm happy you enjoyed our emphasis on taking care of ourselves. We believe this is an extremely undervalued act of loving kindness. Our intention would never be to misrepresent traditions, especially from the esteemed sister sciences of ayurveda and yoga that have revolutionized the way we approach personal and interpersonal healing. That said, we are not experts in ayurveda medicine, especially regarding the classical medical texts you mention. We base much of our understanding and research of ayurveda as taught and written about by David Frawley and Vasant Lad. From page 135 in Frawley's book Yoga & Ayurveda, he writes, "The chakras are also important in ayurvedic healing, particularly relative to the prana and mind, which works through them." Nicole and I are always looking for how things are interconnected, and how these connections contribute to our own health and wellness, and Let us know your thoughts about the magazine! Email editor@abmp.com. how these can inspire others' exploration of interconnection, wholeness, and completeness to experience a multitude of self-care possibilities. I appreciate your passion for ayurveda and yoga and agree with you about the importance of honoring these distinct healing traditions. Thanks for your perspective, as it infl uences our own growth, expansion, and experience of self-care. HEATH REED A LIKE-MINDED PROFESSIONAL I just fi nished reading an article in the September/October 2018 issue of Massage & Bodywork written by Bob Benson, about a clinic called "Bodywise Wellness" ["Dream Bigger," page 78]. At the end of the article, in the postscript, Bob and "Natalie" write that they would be "exceptionally pleased to see individuals with an entrepreneurial spark, a passion to teach, a drive to help address client pain, and a desire to lead to consider forming their own clinic." I am writing to you because the model and description of this clinic mirrors very closely what I have been doing for the past 2.5 years and what I am creating. I couldn't believe it when I read some of the things written from the therapists, like how they are different and unique, how they listen and work with the client to get to the source of the problem, dealing with specifi c needs of each individual client, educating the public, quality of assessment and therapeutic work, and how continuing education is expected and desired. I am working diligently to grow my business. My main focus has been to provide a clinic where good therapists, of like mind and talent, can make a great living doing what they love to do, and not have to get another job to supplement their income. I want people to think of my clinic when they are in pain and know they can get substantial and immediate relief. I was pleased to see that "Natalie's" vision was the same and that she has succeeded. When I recently went over my client reviews, the descriptions they gave of my work and my clinic were very similar. I am working hard to take my clinic to the next level and beyond. Some people say my clinic has grown at a good rate, and I think it has, but I know it can be much more, and help many more people— therapists and clients alike—and I am anxious to get it to that level quickly. Thank you so much. This article proves to me that my dream is defi nitely doable and will be a reality one day. LORAINE HANSEN HIGHLAND, UTAH Yo u r M & B i s w o r t h 2 C E s ! G o t o w w w. a b m p . c o m / c e t o l e a r n m o r e . 13

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