Revisiting The Energy in Healing

After a very hectic few months I have started to focus on healing myself again before my baby comes. I am 7 months pregnant with my first and have been warned over and over again to take care of myself now because it will not happen again for a long time. I decided to restart Dalahare healing, which has always given me wonderful results. They are at BODY every Monday. It also made me think of an article I wrote some months back about energy work. If you haven't read it, I hope it gives you some insight to all the different forms of healing we have to offer.

-Kendra

As printed in the September 2008 Sun Monthly

The Energy in Healing

Santa Fe has a worldwide reputation for being a healing destination. In addition to having one of the highest number of massage therapists per capita, the city also offers a variety of experiences that go beyond spa massage by offering services that create healing. I have met many people who have moved here specifically to practice healing work and to work on healing for themselves.
Energy work is one the numerous types of healing that are offered in Santa Fe. Practitioners use less-familiar terms such as qi, chakras, auras and energy fields to describe the health and inner flow of our bodies. Many types of energy work — such as Reiki, qigong, shiatsu, Seimei (meaning “vital life force”) and polarity therapy — are based on Eastern philosophies and have been around since the early 20th century. Other practices, such as tantric or pranic healing, are based on ancient Hindu beliefs and have been used for centuries. In addition to these practices, newer forms of energy work have evolved such as Dalahare, a stress-relief and healing methodology developed by notable healer Launi Hansen 15 years ago with the assistance of a scientist and physicist.
The concept of energy work is that we are all made up of energy that constantly ebbs and flows. In Chinese medicine it is called qi, pronounced “chee.” Some relate it to the blood that flows through our veins and the breath that fills our lungs. When we become stressed or ill, this creates a blockage. The energy stops flowing through the body correctly, leading to illness, stress and fatigue. Benefits from energy work differ for each person, but can include relief from tension, pain and stress; the release of stored physical, emotional and mental trauma; better food and vitamin absorption; and increased support of the immune system. The principle is that when we are relieved of stress, we can heal ourselves. Launi hansen states of dalahare, ''its about spiritual harmony and also creating emotional freedom in the physical body which enhances healing.'' she also states quite simply that ''the goal of dalahare is to establish a deeper peace and greater understanding of self''.
In energy work, the hands of the practitioner either do not touch or are gently laid on the body, and usually the client is fully clothed. It is a wonderful option for someone who may feel uncomfortable getting undressed for a massage. The practitioner moves his or her hands over the body part that requires healing or may follow a set pattern of movement to get the energy flowing throughout the body. Qigong works a little differently from other forms of energy healing: instead of lying on a table, individuals move their own body in positions similar to those of tai chi.
These forms of healing can come across a little on the unconventional side to someone who has never had the experience, but the results can be undeniable. I spoke with someone who practices shiatsu, and she said that after giving a treatment to people, she often notices drastic differences in their appearance: their shoulders drop and their skin looks plumper. “The most amazing thing is when they notice that their shoulders have dropped, they haven’t even been aware they were holding them in a tightly raised position.”
I was skeptical in the past, but personal experience has led me to highly recommend energy work. There are some elements that are hard to explain because the experience is unique to each person. The first time I experienced Dalahare, for example, I had no idea what to expect. What I found was that I went into an almost trancelike state, that point where you are just about to fall asleep, but are still conscious. I felt a slight tingling sensation. Afterward, it felt like I was floating in a dream and was the most relaxed I have ever been in my life.
Getting the best results with energy work requires some ongoing treatment, so it is best to work with someone with whom you feel comfortable. There is no quick fix for anything, though some people feel wonderful after just one treatment. Take advantage of all the opportunities we have in Santa Fe and give energy work a try. The results may amaze you.

Health & Relaxation are not just for women

Women, do you invite the men in your life to join you at the spa? Do you encourage them to seek out treatments on their own or maybe accompany their daughters for a day at the spa? It is important to acknowledge that a body treatment at the spa can be a way of honoring a man’s inner peace, physical strength, and internal well being.
If there were a science to figuring out men and their relationship to spas, we who work at and frequent the spas would know it inside and out. But it’s so sporadic that the issue is really more cultural than scientific. I say lets take the challenge of looking at all things; boys, men, spa, and do I dare say emotionally related. From the dressing rooms of Victoria’s secret to grocery store lines, us women can and do talk about our bodies & feelings. But where is it normal for men to do this? If there are places, they often tend to make a big deal about the pairing of men and well umm . . .emotions. As though those two don’t naturally go together. Where are the male spaces for all things feeling related to be normalized and not emphasized?
Since I was a young girl my mother always took me to female bathhouses where women of all ages and emotional states bathed together. I knew as a little girl this is the place where women came to talk with their bodies, about their bodies. But what little boys are exposed to this when they are young? Where can they be in the midst of men of all ages, to be present, absorb, and hopefully understand without ever awkwardly using the word emotion? The most interesting thing about emotions, for men and women, is that you don’t have to do a single thing verbally to fully express them. Science other than spa science shows that translating your intangible thoughts into tangible words through the physical activity of writing is one of the healthiest ways to express oneself. I recently was given a beautiful Royal typewriter from 1966, in pristine condition, and the best part is, it doesn’t type. So when I am really stressed out I take my typewriter in the backyard and type pages and pages of everything I am thinking and feeling. Then I pull out those blank pages and feel like I expressed, it’s out there, and its over, I don’t have anything left over to reflect on. Writing is not the only way to release, though. Maybe the science behind getting men to embrace the spa as women have, lies in the concept, that the tiniest of sighs as you zone out in a massage can equal that of a thousand words.

The Adventurous Spa

One of the greatest pleasures of traveling is to visit a local spa to try the local treatments. Spas frequently feature treatments that reflect the region’s natural resources, and often will incorporate local beauty secrets into high end facials and body treatments. The goal of all of these spa trends is ultimately the same; to detoxify, rejuvenate, relax, improve skin texture, and of course beautify! But, as many of us spa lovers know, enjoying the unique processes of special spa treatments is equally important as the end result of glowing skin and relaxed muscles. The following spa treatments range from simply unconventional to intriguingly quirky. They truly make one question, how adventurous are you when it comes to beauty and therapeutic wellness?



When traveling to the Czech Republic, spa loving tourists flock to Chodovar brewery to indulge in their infamous herbal beer bath. Bathers soak for 20 minutes in a reinvigorating concoction of dark beer, mineral spring water, and a mixture of aromatic herbs. This luxurious bath comes with a free pint of Chodovar’s naturally brewed high quality beer!



If your next vacation takes you to Turkey, Malaysia, Japan, or Korea, your feet are in for a treat with a session at a Dr. Fish resort. Adventurous people in need of a pedicure remove their shoes and dip their tootsies into a tank full of Garra Rufa fish, also known as nibble fish. These tiny toothless fish feed on dead skin and calluses, giving feet an extremely effective (and painless) pedicure. The sensation of a Dr. Fish treatment is likened to a tingling machine.



In California, the trendy facial du jour comes straight from the sea in a protein rich caviar facial. This treatment boasts powerful antioxidants and ultra hydrating moisturizers that smooth fine lines, promote collagen production, and lift the skin. This facial’s power comes from the high mineral content naturally found in high quality caviar.



If you’re not planning a trip anytime soon, or you simple prefer a stay-cation instead of traveling, we have many special body treatments here at BODY. If you’d like to experience a locally derived treatment, try the Sedona Mud Bodywrap. This staff favorite will detoxify your entire body while reconnecting you to the healing properties of the Southwest.

- Keryn