I LOVE LIVING IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST!!

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   My first sentence in my “About Me” section, I choose that…HA! I had to do it. This place we live in holds so many reasons to be excited to LIVE!

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   I love how the second I walk out my door I find an infinite amount of possibilities. I love to spend my time in the backcountry. Whether it’s skiing the backcountry at Crystal Mountain, back packing in the Cascades, rock climbing anywhere from Squamish BC to Smith Rock Oregon, making my way to the summits of the glorious peaks and volcanos of our beautiful region, or getting on my road bike and exploring all of the nooks and crannies.

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   But I also deeply enjoy slowing down by working in my vegetable garden. Sitting outside listening to, as well as watching the comings and goings of life is so nurturing. Cooking for my loved ones, or cuddling up to watch a movie with my husband on a cold wet Pacific Northwest evening. They all fill me with absolute content.

 

   The above will set the tone for my introduction to Soma. My path to Soma is a little different than so many others' path. So bear with me….

 

   No. Pain and injury did not pave my way. Instead my adventure with Soma started with a little glimmer hanging out in my peripheral.

 

   You see, I have lived for many years in the very area that the Soma Institute resides.The beginning of my Soma story starts while I was living and working at Crystal Mountain. Living in an area that houses so many athletes who all live close to where Soma graduates and students set up their practices; it’s easy to see why Soma was in my peripheral. The buzz for Soma was heard, and I listened.

 

   Everything that I was hearing about Soma was almost as if I was listening to a fairy tale. Stories of other athletes, friends, and co-workers; who were in pain from previous injuries. They spoke of how Soma was “just different”. They spoke of balance, structure, a series of sessions, before and after pictures……pain gone…. movement restored…ease in the body! I had heard these words over and over again. I could no longer see it as a fairy tale hearing of so many great results.

 

   Now, I have definitely have had my share of spills, falls, tumbles, smacks, and whacks with such an active life in the mountains. Even so, I never felt my injuries, past or present, ever amounted to long lasting pain or restricted my physical activities. So, I just listened to others stories with complete intrigue and curiosity but, never found myself to be a good candidate because I felt “ok”. I was not in any pain. Working at a ski resort has many benefits…. financial gain is NOT one of them. If I was going to make such an investment I better be in serious pain to justify the cost……Or, so I thought….

 

   I did manage to gift myself Somassage sessions here and there over time. Never actually pulling the trigger to go through the series. It was not until I had come to a point in my life where change was happening so quickly all around me. This time in my life propelled me into making big decisions on how I would choose to live my life. Ensuring that I not only live for adventures, but that I also live to nourish my mind, body, and soul. This was the time that I finally gifted myself the Soma sessions.

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   I would like to say that I wish I had not listened to my inner voice telling myself for so many years that my body was not damaged enough to deserve going through the series. I would rather not say that I wish I had done this sooner. Instead, I feel that Soma came to me on this level just when I needed it to. This is my process and I am ever grateful for it.

 

   While my body may not have been screaming at me with a painful back, or any of the other standard symptoms that leaves a body crying out. I found very quickly in my first session that this work is not exclusive to people living with chronic pain. My first series session opened my mind and really blew me away. I walked out of that session not knowing that I could have ever felt so good. It’s hard for me to articulate what my inner experience was. I can say though; that my experience was most definitely not of a normal massage that left me super relaxed and ready for a nap. As many have said before me…this was different. I immediately felt new possibilities with in my structure. I felt lighter, more vertical, and more available to process daily stresses and heavy information. Clear minded. I also felt a freedom in my movements when I did not even realize I was restricted!

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   Again, I was not living with chronic pain, but it would not be long before I would find myself in that place if I had continued to ignore what my body was telling me. All of those spills, tumbles, and whacks I mentioned earlier actually did have an effect on my body. My structure was re-organizing itself and I was developing compensations to help my body deal with the traumas. Slowly over time these traumas were creating a body that was blocky, weighed down with effort, and less efficient. It was not until I received the sessions, then used my body with all of my adventures that I realized how limited I really was.

 

   I have always held a curiosity for the human body. At one point I was making my way to become a nurse. I soon found that yes, nursing would bring me a great access to knowledge of the body. But, this would not fulfill what I was yearning for from deep within.

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   My curiosity and strong belief in the results of Soma, the place I was in at that time in my life, coupled with the fact that my first Soma series was done by Denise Foster Scott (a wonderful practitioner, as well as a core instructor at the Soma Institute…and a plethora of other titles), and the encouragement from my husband had all guided me to enroll in the training at the Soma Institute. A decision that has completely changed and enriched my life.

 

So, here we are now. My Soma story. A little long winded and yet so, not the whole story. For another time I suppose.

 

In the end, Soma has deepened and initiated my own body awareness. All of those physical activities that are so important to me are done now with a full body/mind connection. My own Soma journey has been deeply personal and so expanding.

 

My hope is to bring to my own clients at the most; a fulfilling pain free life. And, at the least; walk away with a new appreciation and awareness of their own amazing bodies.

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Thank you for taking the time to read! Now, let's work on Balancing YOUR body ;)

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