“She who hears music feels his solitude peopled at once,” wrote the post Robert Browning. And anyone who’s ever been uplifted by a favorite tune when feeling blue knows exactly what he meant.

For thousand of years, people have used sound and vibration, including music to relax, access deeper states of consciousness, and heal their bodies. Practices like chanting and drumming or using Tibetan singing bowls and Chinese meditation gongs, are just a few examples of how sound and vibration are incorporated into daily life. In nada yoga, the yoga of sound the human voice and classical Indian instruments are used as a path to self-realization, opening the spiritual channels and harmonizing the physical body. “The ultimate goal of nada yoga is self- realization through connecting with the anahata naada, the unstruck inner sound or the sound of our True Being.” says Shanti Shivani, a nada yoga teacher, vocalist, and sound healer.

Whether its chanting mantra or singing along with your favorite CD, sound and music have the power to change your mood, and maybe your health too. Research suggests that music can have beneficial effects on health ranging from reducing chronic pain to improving the recovery of stroke victims. “ The ancient traditions all say that we are sound, we are frequency,” say Shivani. “Western scientists are discovering that the ancient knowledge is correct.

The next time you are stuck in traffic, feeling stressed and overwhelmed, feeling under pressure or are just having a difficult day, pop in your favorite CD or turn on some soothing music and let the vibrations of the music soothe your mind, body and soul.
Feel the music and vibrations melting your stress away.

Namaste,

Rochele M. Lawson, RN,AHP,CMS

As an Ayurvedic Health Practitioner I love sharing the wonderful qualities ofhealing that this beautiful science has to offer us. Today I would like to share with you some information regarding the healing of self – Abhyanga.

The Ayurvedic practice of self-Abhyanga or warm-oil massage, dosha oil specific, is a soothing treatment for all body types. Depending on the Dosha or body type of the person doing a self-Abhyanga, the oil used during the massage is specific to the needs of the dosha at that time.  Some excellent oils to use for self -Abhyanga are Organic Sesame, Coconut and Sunflower. As a self-care treatment, it is traditionally done in the morning, before bathing or showering and is especially useful as a daily ritual in the winter months. With Abhyanga the warm oil penetrates the skin; its lubricating quality is complete and balancing on all levels. It is very nourishing for the body.

Self-Abhyanga is used to help direct ama (toxins) from the tissues to the organs of elimination. Done regularly it can improve circulation and digestion,  it relaxes the nervous system, nourishes the skin, creates feeling of groundedness and focus and increases immunity and radiance which results from good digestion and strong immune function.

Plan to spend at least 10 minutes massaging the entire body after coating it in oil and then resting for at least 10 minutes before washing the oil off. If you do not have time to rest and let the oil sink in, try lubricating the body in oil before beginning the massage to give it more time to sit on your skin. Remember to be careful when getting into the bath tub or shower due to the oil on your skin. Do not put any oil on the bottom of you feet.

Once in the shower allow the warm water to run over your body for a few minutes before adding soap.

Enjoy the benefits of radiance and know that by performing a self -Abhyangamassage on yourself that you are committing an act of self love which is all encompassing and beneficial to the mind and the body.

Boost your Immune system, increase your circulation, and stimulatedetoxification naturally by giving yourself a self- Abhyanga today!

Enjoy and let the healing begin.

Namaste,

Rochele M. Lawson, RN,AHP,CMS