Just Breathe

The holidays are quickly approaching, and this can be a very stressful time of year. Personally, I've been struggling to find a way to get through every day this week between trying to finish my to-do list for the holidays (I celebrate both Yule and Christmas), be present with my family (we had an emergency this week), wrap up my year end projects, deal with cancellations and the messy and dangerous sidewalks after the recent snowstorms that hit New England (it is snowing again today), keep up with my husband and our chores around the house, and pay enough attention to my cats.

After trying to get my attention, and me snapping at him to shush, a short while ago my coon cat gave me a look of utter disdain and ran and hid behind the futon in my office. I took that as a sign. I sat down on the futon and just breathed. I noticed my heart was pounding and my thoughts were racing. Wow, I was surprised! I had no idea I was feeling enough pressure to be physically stressed out because I hadn't taken the time to check in with myself all week.

So, I decided to stay there and keep breathing slowly, exhaling longer than inhaling to remind my body to relax. I inhaled for a count of four and exhaled for a count of 6. Gradually the tension left my body, and my breathing naturally became deeper and longer. Then I noticed a gentle, growing feeling of peace and calm. The music playing in the background sounded sweeter, even the snowfall outside my window looked prettier. After a few more moments of this, my cat came out of hiding. He gave me a critical once over, and then, satisfied, jumped up on the futon and licked me affectionately. Boy do I feel better now.

Take a hint from my cat. If you are busy, under pressure, feeling rushed, or stressed, just take a few minutes to breathe slowly. Ignore your racing heart and mind, and let your long slow exhales relax your body and bring back some peace and joy, the tidings of this holiday season.

From Grinch to Guru

Ah, the original version of my previous post was published on The Huffington Post this evening. You can read my article From Grinch to Guru here...

Lessons from the Grinch

The holidays used to stress me out. They made me so miserable that I even tried different ways to persuade my family to stop celebrating the holidays so enthusiastically. I was like the Grinch, trying to stop Christmas because it wasn't any fun for me and usually made me sick, too.

There were three things about Christmas that made me miserable - gifts, sweets, and celebrations. My panic about finding the perfect gifts to fulfill my family holiday obligations began each year right after Labor Day. And then when the holiday season began to crank out the sweets, candies, cookies and pies that everyone loves to make and give this time of year, my stress would escalate. I hated to offend and disappoint, but my body does not process sugar well. Either I felt bad saying no and declining treats, or I ate them and became physically ill. By the time the December marathon of family gatherings, work celebrations, and parties with friends came along, I would be exhausted, achy, and sick from the tension, sweets and stress. It was miserable, and I'd end up in bed for a week in January recovering from the toll the holidays took on my body, mind and spirit.

One year, I just couldn’t go through with it. I turned the holidays over to everyone else and took a break. I let my husband manage the presents, and I said "No" to sweets, invitations, and everything else. I stepped back, and from a calmer perspective, to my surprise, I remembered what the holiday traditions are all about. Just like the Grinch who made this discovery in the beloved tale by Dr. Seuss, I reconnected with the reason why we have holiday traditions every year - to celebrate the people and relationships that enrich our lives with love, respect and gratitude.

Most importantly, I realized that I owed it to myself to find an approach to the holidays that let me stay in touch with the meaningful aspects. This meant being relaxed and fully present for those special moments of connection with others. I finally settled on an approach to the holidays that I really enjoy. It’s a combination of prioritizing my own well-being, going with the flow, and finding moments to cherish. I enjoy the holidays now because I stick with the 10 guidelines for stress free holidays that work for me year after year now. You can read those guidelines here.

Homeostasis

The root of well-being is balance.

Heck, science has word just for this. It's homeostasis: n. The ability or tendency of an organism or cell to maintain internal equilibrium by adjusting its physiological processes. Our bodies know how to maintain internal balance to keep us alive, for the most part, no matter what choices we make. Even symptoms of stress, disease or illness are just techniques our bodies use to bring us back into harmony. It's only when our bodies have been out of balance for so long, often through our own lifestyle choices, or through the sheer years of old age, do we reach such a point of such damage and degeneration that there is no returning.

While we can't avoid the inevitable, we can postpone it for as long as possible. Learning to make choices and take actions on our bodies that are in harmony with the internal balance that our bodies (and spirits) need is the path to well-being. It's a life-long journey.

How to rest more

One dynamic that is particularly challenging in our culture is balancing our innate needs for rest and movement. When we are super busy all the time, always moving, or regularly tense or anxious, our bodies bring us back into balance by manifesting symptoms that land us in bed so we can rest and rejuvenate and return to homeostasis.

When your goal is wellness, the challenge is developing awareness of what's out of wack and practicing techniques that get you back to middle ground before you get stuck, burned out or run down. We're all different, so what's out of balance for one person is totally unique and may not be the same for another. If you're not sure where you are in the spectrum, you can always ask a trusted friend or family member for their honest assessment.

Once you know what you need more of (or less of), you are empowered to take action to get back to equilibrium. It's a dynamic dance though, which is why I think of wellness as a life-long practice. It's not what you do today or tomorrow, it's the culmination of all the little choices you make every day over the length of your life.

Ok so philosophy aside, there are practical techniques you can practice to bring yourself into balance. If you need to relax more, you can schedule downtime for yourself and practice doing leisure activities. Just like when you begin an exercise program, you're most successful if you take baby steps. Start with just 5 or 10 minutes three times a week.

Start with a leisure activity that gives you something to do while practicing rest and relaxation like reading a book, petting an animal, knitting or painting. Eventually you might add 10 more minutes onto your sessions and a few additional days a week and flex your skills with some intermediate activities such as reflecting on your life, writing in a journal, or drinking a hot beverage in a cozy room. As you work up to a deeper state of peace and calm and become adept at being still, you might try more advanced resting techniques like sitting and looking out your window observing life, or meditating and quieting the mind.

It might seem silly, but I'm sure you know someone who does not know how to relax and rest. It's a skill that can be developed with practice - I promise. And the benefits to your health, your sanity and your well-being are priceless. For more information about what relaxation is and what it isn't, take a look here.

Stress was my biggest imbalance

Stress was my biggest imbalance prior to these treatments. When I started the treatments, I became more aware of the physical imbalances in my body. Reiki helped to ease stress and I believe physical awareness helped me to feel more balanced and less stressed. I experienced more connection to energetic fields around me, more sensitivity to what sets me off (to eliminate from starting), and more energy flow in my body. I am very pleased and will continue to get treatments. - Whitney W.

10 Tips for Stress Free Holiday Season

Read the story of how I developed these 10 Tips for a Stress Free Holiday season in my article From Grinch to Guru published on The Huffington Post....

1. Eat a Balanced Breakfast every day during the busy holiday season to manage your appetite and keep your energy up.
2. Sleep Enough each night so you'll be sure to make good decisions about what you're eating and how you're spending your time & money this month.
3. Put Your Well-being First by making self-care a priority. Make time every day to relax and rejuvenate so you look and feel your best.
4. Say No to commitments, events (and foods) that don't nourish you or enrich your life.
5. Go With the Flow when things don't turn out how you expect. Don't let hassles become a roadblock.
   
6. Cherish the Moment. Remember when you were a child and delighted in small and unexpected magical moments?
7. Smile Freely at everyone you encounter. Never underestimate the power you have to change a situation with friendliness.
8. Take a Break. There are only so many hours in the day so put non-essentials on hold while you ramp up for the festivities.
9. Ask for Help when you need it. And return the favor when you can. That's what friends and family are for.
   
10. Indulge a little. The holidays only come once a year, so give yourself permission to be joyful!
    

Holiday Season - Take a Break!

One way to make this busy time of year most enjoyable is to be fully present in the moment. How do you do that? By relaxing, resting enough, and having enough time for what's important - family, friends and the traditions of whatever holiday you celebrate this time of year. Peace will be your personal gift if you can take a break from working so much and just let yourself cherish the little things and magical moments that happen this time of year. I encourage you to prioritize what's important and make time to celebrate!

In honor of this holiday season, I am giving myself a the gift of relaxation and wellness by taking a break from regular blog posts and wellness ezines until January 2008. Stay tuned for the last edition of 2007 - chock full of wellness tips and advice for the holidays - which will be coming out on December 12th!

I wish you peace and wellness, and that you float through the holidays stress free.

If you need any ideas on how to do that - don't hesitate to call me at 617-429-1793 or email me at joannascaparotti@gmail.com.

Be well!
Joanna

PS. Wellness is a life-long journey. Feel your best with personalized solutions for stress, fatigue, tension and worry.

PPS. Looking for a meaningful gift for friends or family? Give them the gift of vitality with a gift certificate for relaxation with Reiki or a personalized Wellness program. Treat the people you love with a gift that shows how much you care by helping them reduce stress, relax, feel peaceful, rejuvenate, energize and alleviate muscle tension and pain. This is the kind of gift that keeps on giving. Call 617-429-1793 or email joannascaparotti@gmail.com to order your gift certificate today. Checks, Paypal, Mastercard and Visa accepted.

PPPS. Do the holidays ever stress you out? Or do you suffer from seasonal symptoms like fatigue, irritability, the blues or trouble focusing? Here's a solution for you: Float through the Holidays this season with peace and bliss with your very own personalized deep relaxation and rejuvenation program. In addition to one hour of Reiki each week or every other week, as an added bonus we'll look at your current challenges to peace and wellness and create solutions.

This is a great value - only $55/session when you buy the Holiday Special package!

Don't pass up this great opportunity to give yourself or a loved one the gift of peace and bliss this holiday season. Call 617-429-1793 or email joannascaparotti@gmail.com to book your special now! Offer expires January 31, 2008

A trusted resource

Joanna is fabulous at what she does because she really cares about you as a client and your personal needs. I felt very comfortable and supportive while receiving my service from Joanna and I left feeling refreshed, lighter and uplifted. I highly recommend having Joanna treat you for any of your ailments - or for mere relaxation. She's a trusted resource...and a wonderful woman all around. - Brenda S.

A superb Reiki experience

Joanna provides a superb Reiki experience. I was newly pregnant and had bronchitis. Also, I hadn't slept well in nearly 6 weeks. A couple Reiki sessions made a big difference. They helped with my congestion and helped me to relax. -Laura T.

Great feeling of wellbeing

I regularly visit Joanna for Reiki, which is a very relaxing and rejuvenating healing technique. Just being in Joanna's presence calms me down after a stressful work week. Her prices are reasonable given the great feeling of wellbeing I have after her Reiki treatments. I highly recommend Joanna if you need stress relief or specific assistance healing injuries or chronic illness. -Julie B

Genuine Caring

Joanna is a true professional in her field with a genuine caring and special attention to her clients between visits to ensure client satisfaction and well-being. - Peter F.

Important part of my self-care process

As a full-time business owner with major workaholic tendencies, it can be hard to get me to relax and take care of myself so that I can continue taking care of my clients, family and friends. Working with Joanna has become an important part of my self-care process. Our semi-regular Reiki sessions relax and ground me, and help me carry that grounding through my regular activities. Over time, I've found that I listen to my body more, and will now take downtime when I need it - and I'm actually more productive! I highly recommend working with Joanna. - Dani N.

Easy to open up to

I would highly recommend Joanna. She has a great way of dealing with people and easy to open up to. - Lanie D.

I have never felt so relaxed and comfortable in my life.

When I signed up with Joanna, I knew I would be processing some difficult emotions over the next few months. Also, my work had really been tiring me out. The sessions with Joanna helped immediately. We talked about self-care, and she helped me come up with specific plans to manage my energy more effectively. The reiki sessions were amazing. Reiki is definitely a “you have to try it to believe it” healing modality. After one session with Joanna, I was hooked. She helped me with the emotional issues I was going through at the time, both in the short and the long term, and helped me feel better in the present moment. Joanna was wonderful. I have never felt so relaxed and comfortable in my life. I definitely felt more relaxed and grounded after just one session with Joanna, and the improvements are coming all the time. Each session brings me closer to health and balance. Joanna is brilliant at what she does. I have had reiki treatments in the past by other practitioners, but there is no comparison. -Anna M.

She is very good at what she does

Joanna is very skilled with Reiki. She is a patient teacher who is able to effectively communicate with her students. She is very good at what she does, which is help people relax, and eliminate stress from their lives. - Cathy F.

Hours as of November 1, 2007

Reiki & Wellness Sessions Available:

* Sunday 3pm - 8pm
* Tuesday 9am - 8pm
* Thursday 11 - 8pm

At Union Square Acupuncture 21 Bow Street, Somerville, MA

Schedule your appointment by contacting Joanna at 617-429-1793 or joannascaparotti@gmail.com

I feel totally rejuvenated

Here are more thoughts from a client who just finished a four session program for stress reduction. Her enthusiasm makes me blush! LOL!

Now, through Joanna’s treatments and support, my life is coming back into focus and my internal energy flow is where it needs to be! I could not be more pleased! Joanna IS the Reiki Master!

Where should I start? To begin with, my sleep has been the best it has been since I was a little kid! Next, I feel totally rejuvenated. I am now able to regain focus whenever my mind starts to drift, allowing me to concentrate on the tasks at hand. Also, Reiki has allowed me to remain grounded during the difficult times in my life. As a result, I am able to make more sound and rational decisions, as well as keep my own health in mind when making life-changing choices.

For anyone who is skeptical about Reiki (and holistic approaches to medicine, in general), as I was before starting with Joanna, I encourage you to try one or two sessions. This was an eye-opener for me, as I am sure it will be for you! Reiki and the healthful channeling of one’s energy is a MUST and should become as routine to one’s schedule as seeing the dentist (only more frequently, of course)! - Stephanie H.

Winter blues

These simple techniques from the Mayo Clinic may make a difference in preventing or alleviating winter blues:

Let there be light. Make your home sunnier and brighter. Open blinds, add skylights and trim tree branches that block sunlight.

Get out. Get outdoors on sunny days, even during winter. Take a long walk, eat lunch at a nearby park, or simply sit peacefully on a bench and soak up the sun.

Exercise regularly. Physical exercise helps relieve stress and anxiety, both of which can increase SAD symptoms. Being more fit can make you feel better about yourself, too, which can lift your mood.

Take care of yourself. Get enough rest, eat a balanced diet and take time to relax. Don't turn to alcohol or unprescribed drugs for relief.

Practice stress management. Learn how to better manage stress. Unmanaged stress can lead to depression, overeating, or other unhealthy thoughts and behaviors.

Socialize. Stay connected with people you enjoy being around. They can offer support, a shoulder to cry on or a joke to give you a little boost.

Take a trip. If possible, take winter vacations in sunny, warm locations.

For those waking up and leaving work in the dark, dawn stimulation is another technique that might help boost energy levels by giving your body the light signals it needs to function optimally. According to Biobrite, a company that makes sunrise alarm clocks, our bodies evolved to waking with the sun. So waking up to a simulated dawn can help you feel refreshed and in a better mood when you awaken.

Another idea for boosting your energy this time of year is a series of Reiki sessions. I created a special program called "Float Through the Holidays" specifically for those suffering from winter blues, fatigue, irritability, and trouble focusing. Find out more here...

3 Days After He Feels Even Better

A client of mine recently said after a four session package...

Some sessions had immediate effects, but 3 days after I tend to feel even better. I've been feeling better overall, but know it's a process. Less anxiety, sleeping better and accepting the present. The series met & exceeded expectations. The upkeep week-to-week really helped me in the process & I look forward to future sessions. - Peter F.

First good night's sleep in years

I found this one on Yelp.

I was very skeptical about the whole Reiki practice at first, but after having just 1 session with Joanna, I am SOLD!!! Joanna and her practice of Reiki are amazing! I had the first good night's sleep in YEARS after my first session, and my life seems to be getting back in balance. I am now a regular!! I HIGHLY recommend Reiki & Life Celebrations with Joanna to everyone! - Stephanie H.

Holidays and Food

Do you ever find it challenging to eat just enough and not too much or too little during the holidays? If you're like many people I know - eating right can be pretty tough during the holidays when all kinds of festivities are going on all around you. I am sure if you pick up almost any magazine in the checkout line at the grocery store you can find tips on how to eat right during the holidays. There are many ideas, techniques, and strategies out there. Here's mine:

It's called conscious eating, and the concept is explained in depth in the book Conscious Eating by Gabriel Cousens, M.D. His idea is that the difficulty in maintaining a healthy diet is not the food, but rather our emotional and mental relationship to food because for many people the act of eating and what you eat is a source of security and comfort, a way to deal with difficult feelings, stress, tension and painful things in their lives. Cousens describes conscious eating as an art, an approach to eating that involves awareness of yourself - your nutritional and emotional needs - and developing ways to meet both.

The art of conscious eating can be cultivated by:

• Paying attention to and trusting your body's messages about hunger and thirst
• Listening to your inner wisdom on how you feel physically, emotionally and mentally and taking the steps to meet those needs.
  
• Knowing when you are hungry and thirsty and only eating and drinking at those times.
• Knowing when you are not hungry or thirsty, and not eating during those times. Instead, figure out what you really need and do that.
  
• Learning how to eat only the right amount of food that energizes and enhances your life by paying attention how to feel as you eat and after you eat.
• Eating regularly, knowing the length of time it takes between meals to become hungry again and spacing your meals accordingly.

So, how can conscious eating help you stay healthy during the holiday season? Well keep in mind that for most of us the holiday brings extra stress0rs - whether it's just a matter of being extra busy and tired from doing so much, traveling, old family patterns that get to us every time, loneliness or any other emotional response we have to this highly charged time of year. There can be a lot of complicated factors that subconsciously lead us to eating and drinking, even when we aren't hungry or thirsty.

So every time you go to eat or drink something, do a quick check in. Am I hungry or thirsty? Yes - great! No? Why am I reaching for this food or drink? What do I need? Rest, relaxation, to say something to someone, a good cry, to celebrate and enjoy the moment? Whatever is going on under the surface - find out what it is and then decide if you really want to eat that food or if something else would satisfy you better.

Much less stressed

This is what one of my clients said recently after doing a series of four weekly Reiki sessions for stress, low energy, not sleeping well and unable to focus at work.

I am amazed! I definitely feel much less stressed. Better focused. During the week I am able to step back from situations & somewhat take the anxiety / panic out of daily situations. I am sleeping better more nights of the week than before. I feel more relaxed & able to make clearer decisions. I will definitely continue working with Joanna. -Angela D.

Float through the Holidays

Do the holidays ever stress you out? Or do you suffer from seasonal affective symptoms like fatigue, irritability, the blues, or trouble focusing? Whether your schedule is busting at the seams, you don't want to leave the house, or the usual holiday stressors are looming on the horizon - the best thing you can do for yourself to float through the holidays with peace and bliss this fall is to make self-care a priority.

I've said it before, and I'm sure I'll say it again - schedule an appointment with yourself to relax and rejuvenate every day, or at the very least every week. And, keep this appointment with yourself like it's a date with someone important to you. (I hope you are important to you.) Taking this time out on a regular basis is the key to being energized, staying calm, and feeling good about all the decisions you have to make during the busy time of year - about what you eat, what you buy, how you spend your time, etc...

I recommend you pull out your calendar right now and set aside your self-care appointments before the holiday invitations start coming in. The trick is to honor these appointments with yourself by saying no to invitations that conflict, or if you can't or don't want to say no to an important event, rescheduling your self-care appointment to another time that day or day that week. The key is making self-care a priority and sticking with your commitment to relax and rejuvenate. This will also help you avoid the cold and flus going around - you can read more about that here...

Now if you're one of those people that find it much easier to keep an appointment for self-care if someone else is meeting you there - I have created a Float Through the Holidays Program just for you. Meet me at my office every week or every other week through the holiday season for an hour of deep relaxation and rejuvenation with Reiki. As an added bonus, during our time together, we'll look at any stress, tension, fatigue, or worry challenges in your life and create solutions for you. Would you like to Float Through the Holidays? Or know anyone who would like to? Call or email me to find out how one of these holiday special programs can help you make that happen.

Cold & Flu Season!

Cold and flu season has begun! Relaxation is the best technique you can use to ward off both and recover quicker if you can't avoid it completely. I've said it before, and I'm sure I'll say it again: stress and tension (both emotional and physical) uses up precious energy that your body could be spending to keep you healthy. Freeing up that energy can give you the boost you need to avoid the virus going around your home or workplace, or help you cut the time it takes for you to get back to normal.

When your energy is flowing strong and optimally, and you're resting enough for your body to stay ahead on repairs, you are much less likely to come down with a cold or the flu. However, if your energy reserves are low, your body might not have enough fuel to stay ahead of the "bugs" going around this time of year. When you sleep and when you relax deeply, your body focuses on digestion and repairs. So if you're run down or already sick - you can help your body with the healing process by deliberately relaxing deeply.

Reiki is fantastic for colds and flu (or preventing them). Not only does it help you release tension, thereby freeing up energy, it also gives your body an additional energy boost that it can use to neutralize a virus or bacterial infection. Reiki is great as a treatment when you feel something coming on, but it's even better as a preventative to alleviate the chronic stress and tension that sets you up to be more susceptible to what's going around. Give me a call or email to find out how Reiki can help you feel your best this cold and flu season.

Also, take a peek at the simple relaxation techniques you can do at home...

Relaxation for Cold & Flu season

One way to lower your chances of coming down with a cold or the flu this season is to practice deep relaxation on a daily basis. Often relaxing deeply will give you an energy boost because the energy your muscles were using to stay tense is now directed back into the body system and available for you to repair damage, neutralize a "bug", or simply to recharge.

The most simple at home technique for deep relaxation is to sit comfortably and breath slowly. Inhale for a count of four, pause briefly, and then exhale for a count of 8. Repeat for 5 or 10 minutes until you feel peaceful and calm. You can do this simple breathing exercise anytime and anyplace - while sitting in traffic, in a meeting, waiting in line, while on hold on the phone, when you first wake up, in bed to help you fall asleep, etc...

Another way to release tension is to check in with your body after you've done some of the breathing above. As you notice any areas of tension, let them relax. If this is difficult, try contracting the tense areas first and then releasing the muscles. Or imagine breathing into the area and letting go of tension on your exhale. Or if sitting still doesn't appeal to you, try some gentle twisting or rotating of your torso and limbs to loosen up stiff areas. Stretching in this way can warm up muscles and get your energy flowing well again.

Any of these techniques, when practiced regularly, can help reduce stress and prevent that run down feeling that indicates that you're more susceptible to catching that cold or flu going around.

Open House & Community Celebration

Hey! We are throwing a party at Union Square Acupuncture on Saturday November 3rd!

Somerville - The staff at Union Square Acupuncture is celebrating its commitment to the community by throwing an open house and community celebration Saturday, Nov. 3, from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. for residents, clients and supporters. All are welcome to 21 Bow Street in Union Square for appetizers, beverages, and discount coupons off acupuncture, massage and Reiki sessions. Check out the rest of the article in the Somerville Journal about our event here...

For more information, call 617-718-7555 or visit www.unionsquareacupuncture.com.

What is relaxation anyways?

Cultivating a state of relaxation that stays with you day in and day out makes a significant difference in your health, helps you achieve your career and life goals, and makes life as enjoyable as possible. Yet it's not something that our culture really understands, especially how to practice it. I have been talking to my clients quite a bit recently about what relaxation is - and what it isn't. I've found there are some common misconceptions about relaxation that make it seem hard to achieve, undesireable or just plain old mistaken for "entertainment" or "leisure" activities like sports, working out and hitting the night life.

Being relaxed is not: grogginess, sleepiness, or tiredness. Sometimes when you relax, you become aware of how tired you already were because you are better able to hear your body's signals - but the need for rest is what it is - it is not relaxation.

Relaxation is not fatigue or lethargy either. Rather, when relaxed, your muscles and joints flow; in fact, all of your body systems flow easily because they are not disrupted by tension. Tension, believe it or not, actually wastes energy and can wear you out. It takes fuel to keep those muscles contracted, and that energy you spend keeping up the tension habit could be used for something you enjoy doing. With practice, you can retrain your muscles to be more efficient by staying relaxed and free up more energy to fuel your life.

Relaxation is not a state of being so laid back that nothing bothers you and you never have difficult emotions. That state is called apathy! Rather, relaxation is being comfortable enough to accept your emotions as they are, without giving them any more or less importance than is necessary. It's about being calm enough to respond to a situation with your mind and heart, not reacting from a place of fear or pain. It's about having enough calm stored up that even when life throws you curveballs, you have the resiliency to get back to your center quickly.

Relaxation is a state of calm responsiveness, where your body and mind are at rest but ready to respond to whatever situation arises. When I think about an expert on relaxation, a martial arts master from those late 80's movies pops into my mind. He is someone who is very clearly at ease with his body and tuned into how he can use it well. In addition, this guy is usually smiling and enjoying the moment, whether it is dangerous or not. He is very aware and alert to everything going on around him, but he is at rest and calm. He does not react to situations, rather he responds calmly using the least amount of energy necessary to deal with it and accomplish his goal.

Now, of course we aren't all going to become a martial arts master, but everybody can learn how to be comfortable with their bodies and emotions, and maintain an alert, focused mind that can appreciate the moment no matter whether it is exciting, joyful, dull or difficult. We can even learn how to respond instead of react. (For more on that take a look at my emotional energy series of posts...)

There are many active and passive ways to cultivate the art of relaxation. While some require discipline like martial arts, qigong, yoga, and meditation, there are others that require less work from you like bodywork, hypnotherapy, going to a spa etc... I've found a pretty cool way to train the body with a series of Reiki sessions combined with breathing cues. I've had great success using this with my clients. How you cultivate relaxation in your life is really up to you - what's important is that you do it.

Adjusting to Fall

Did you know that you can maximize your energy levels by adjusting your food and exercise to match the season? Now Autumn is in full swing, and it's chilly! It's a lot more work for your body to stay warm, but you can ease the process by focusing your diet on warm dishes using seasonal foods to give yourself that extra nutritional boost and exercising regularly to heat your body up! Adding pungent and spicy herbs can warm you up too: garlic, oregano, thyme, onions, cayenne, chili, curry, rosemary, basil etc...

Colds, congestion and constipation are pretty typical this time of year. We're too busy to rest and exercise as much as we need or we indulge on sweets during the holidays or all of the above! These conditions are simply signals from the body that you need to simplify and cleanse a bit. To balance out: rest, hydrate, exercise and eat plenty of seasonal produce, especially in soup our stew form. Even the seasonal fruit is cleansing for your system. Check your local farmer's market, but it's likely you'll find these seasonal foods available: cranberries, apples, pears, pomegranite, oranges, pumpkins, squashs, turnips, parsnips, beets, brussel sprouts, peppers, and sweet potatoes, garlic, and onions.

For many this time of year also means going to and leaving work happens in the dark. You might not be getting enough sunlight to regulate your body's rhythms so that you feel your best. If you can, expose your hands and face to the sun outside daily in the morning for 5-15 minutes to let your body know it's time to be alert, awake and energized. If you can't get outside, consider investing in a natural spectrum lap and give yourself a light treat every morning during breakfast for 5-15 minutes. The resulting alertness and focus is quite amazing!

You are how you sleep!

I did some research last week about sleep, and I found a lot of great information here on the National Sleep Foundation's website.

Did you know that not getting enough continuous sleep can affect your memory, make it more difficult to exercise, harder to focus and complete work, and affect blood pressure, blood sugar, and kidney function? Sleep is important!

Here are some tips from the National Sleep Foundation on how to get the best night's sleep!

1. Stick to the same schedule for going to bed and getting up every day. Even on weekends! This helps your body stay in tune with the circadian rhythms that regulate your sleep.
2. Have a relaxing bedtime routine that you follow every night.
3. Make your bedroom conducive to sleep - keep it dark, quiet and cool!
4. Make sure your mattress and pillows are comfortable and supportive! How old are yours?
5. Use your bedroom only for sleep - don't engage in activities that are stressful, exciting or anxiety producing.
6. Finish eating 2-3 hours before bedtime so your digestive system can rest with you.
7. Exercise regularly, a couple of hours before bedtime. It can take as much as 6 hours for body temp to go down after a workout, and a cooler temp is associated with falling asleep.
8. Avoid caffeine close to bedtime.
9. Avoid nicotine - when used close to bedtime it can make it more difficult to fall asleep.
10. Don't drink alcohol close to bedtime. Alcohol disrupts sleep patterns, causing middle of the night awakenings.

What have you done for yourself lately?

I asked myself this question on Sunday evening, after many days in a row working without a break. What have I done for myself lately? My life is mostly stress free, and I love my job. I eat right, work out, and wake up refreshed in the morning after a long night's sleep raring to get to work. That's just it though, even though I take pretty good care of myself - I still work too much and don't make enough time for self-care!

So, I booked myself a Reiki session, and it was the best thing I could have done for myself. I went in there there feeling pretty ok, and I came out feeling fantastic! Whether you're stressed out by aspects of your life, or if you're feeling pretty good most of the time - taking time to treat yourself is so important! Feeling fantastic after an hour of relaxing with someone else doing the work was worth every penny - so I'm signing up to get a session every month! I mean, hey why feel ok when I can feel great? What do you do for yourself regularly so that you can feel great too?

There are all kinds of modalities you could try or places where you can go to relax, including coming in to see me for a Reiki treat! If you're feeling stressed or run down, you will definitely feel better after one session, but for lasting rejuvenation you'll want to sign up for a weekly package. Even if you're someone like me that feels pretty good most of the time, you can recharge up to fantastic by treating yourself monthly. Repeated sessions recharge your energy and train your body to relax deeply so that you feel your best more often.

Since I believe regular self-care is so super important, there are a couple of different packages available to fit your lifestyle! A single session is $65, but a package of 4 is only $60 a session, or a package of 8 is only $50 a session. And for the super busy, there are shorter sessions $35 for one time, or a package of 4 for $30 each. Your recharge and relax package is yours to use how you prefer - schedule yourself for regular weekly or monthly self-care, or split the sessions with a friend or family member. Would you like to know how a package could work for you? Call me at 617-429-1793 or email me at joannscaparotti@gmail.com to schedule a free 15 minute consultation!

Whether you come for Reiki or prefer another way to relax - schedule some self-care for yourself this week and make it a regular thing on your to-do list!

urban vitality

A wise man once said to his daughter:

Anyone can find peace and well-being in a gorgeous natural setting. A truly accomplished person can be at peace and be well no matter where she is in the world.

I heard this nugget of wisdom about 10 years ago, and my own life experiences have shown me the truth in it. For years, I would feel my best only when visiting or staying in the countryside - the silence, trees, fresh air did wonders for my sense of well-being. I even ran away to Vermont for almost a year, trying to make a life there because I craved to feel that well all the time. Eventually, I realized though, that well-being comes from within, not without, and that I could have the peace and vitality I craved living at home, near Boston, close to everything I enjoy in life.

This is what Urban Vitality is about - finding the inner vitality and wellness that is just waiting to unfold - even if you live in the most urban setting. You can feel as fantastic as you could feel on a retreat to the mountains, right here, right now in your own hectic city life. Urban Vitality is dedicated to showing you how.

how to practice compassion

There is a very simple Buddhist technique for developing compassion, which also happens to have the side effect of training the body to relax deeply while experiencing uncomfortable emotions. Use this technique first for developing compassion for yourself - for any difficulty, ill-health, frustration, pain, worry or concern that is weighing on you. You can also use this technique for forgiving yourself or others, to release the emotional hold of a trauma or betrayal on your life.

Find a place where you can sit comfortably without being interrupted for about 20 minutes. Take a few deep breaths in and out slowly to relax and center yourself. On an inhale, bring to mind what is painful or uncomfortable for you. Imagine bringing it into yourself fully, keeping an open mind and open heart about whatever you feel. Just allow yourself to feel without judgment. When you exhale, send out the intention of relief from pain or discomfort, send out the intention for peace and happiness. Repeat for as long as you can, or until you feel peaceful.

You can take this practice one step further in developing compassion for others. On your inhale, breathe in that which is painful and unwanted in the world with a sincere wish that others can be free from suffering. Keep an open mind and heart, and allow yourself to experience your emotions without judgment. When you exhale, send out the intention of relief from pain and suffering, send out the intention that you and others experience peace and happiness. Repeat as long as you can.

compassion as a path to relaxation

While our brain's interpretation of sensation may be fooled into perceiving seperateness, there is a part of our being that knows and can sense that everything is interconnected and moving in relation to everything else. We may not always be aware of the interconnection between everything in the universe, but we have this wisdom inside of us.

"Wisdom by itself is not enough. Compassion by itself is not enough. You have to have both." - author unknown

One way to develop awareness of this interconnection is to develop the skill of compassion. Compassion involves the willingness to feel pain and fear, to move beyond it to a state of wholeness. When you practice generating compassion, you can expect to feel discomfort.

"When your fear touches someone's pain, it becomes pity. When your love touches someone's pain, it becomes compassion." - Stephen Levine

Compassion practice involves learning to relax and allow yourself to move gently towards what scares you. The trick is to stay with the emotional distress without judging or resisting it. Let the fear and discomfort soften rather than harden you.

"The mind which is in the heart" is the source of all compassion

By developing compassion first for yourself, and then for others, you become more able to sense the interconnection between all living things on the planet. Through compassion you develop the capacity to be open to difference and things outside of your control because you no longer need to avoid things which make you fearful or uncomfortable.

When you are no longer using your energy to avoid fear or discomfort, you are free to relax deeply and enjoy life fully.

Emotional Energy in the Body

In the article, Take Charge of Your Health, located in her online library, Caroline Myss says that:

Everything that is alive pulsates with energy and all of this energy contains information. Your physical body projects an energy field that extends as far as your outstretched arms and the full length of your body. It is both an information center and a highly sensitive perceptual system. We are constantly 'in communication' with everything around us through this system.

Within your energy field exists emotional energy, which is created by your internal and external experiences. These experiences can be both positive and negative, fleeting or long-lasting:

• Past and present relationships
• Profound or traumatic experiences and memories
• Belief patterns and attitudes, including all spiritual and superstitious beliefs

Your emotions reside physically in your body and interact with your cells and tissues.

Emotional energy contributes to the formation of cell tissue, and forms an energy language which carries literal and symbolic information. In this way, your biography--that is, the experiences that make up your life--becomes your biology. Your body contains your history--every chapter, line and verse of every event and relationship in your life. As your life unfolds your biological health becomes a living, breathing biographical statement that conveys your strengths, weaknesses, hopes and fears.

Every thought you have travels through your biological system and activates a physiological response. Some thoughts--like fear--are like depth charges, causing a reaction throughout your body; a loving thought can relax your entire body. Some thoughts are more subtle, and still others are unconscious. Many are meaningless and pass through the body like wind through a screen.

Stay tuned for upcoming posts on how to use this understanding of emotional energy in the body to release energy drains and re-fuel your life!

The seven habits of highly successful people

In 1989, Stephen Covey published a book called The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People which become a classic over the years. While Covey wrote about these habits in terms of workplace success, I believe these habits can also be applied to personal goals, especially health and well-being.

Here's my summary and interpretation of Covey's ideas:

1. Be Pro-active. Choose how you respond to situations instead of reacting from a place of fear, stress or emotion without thinking about what you'd like to achieve first. This is where you anticipate difficult situations or challenges to your state of wellness and brainstorm solutions. For example, I keep an allergy health journal where I have tracked over the years which foods, exercises, and healthy habits work well for me in managing seasonal allergies that I can refer to anytime I'm feeling stuck about how to increase my energy or lessen symptoms. This also refers to stepping back and taking a few deep breaths to think about your priorities instead of reacting in the heat of the moment. Training your body to relax with breathing is a simple and easy tool to shift you from "reactive" to "proactive".
   
2. Begin with the End In Mind. Set long-term intentions and use visualization and affirmations to manifest them. I talk about how to do this in my post about creating healthy habits here.
   
3. Put First Things First. Prioritize your time based on your long-term intentions. Make time in your schedule for all tasks that will help you achieve your important goals, and save seemingly urgent, less important tasks for later if you have time. This means scheduling time for personal healthy habits, self-care, rest and relaxation first.
   
4. Think Win/Win. Seek out mutually beneficial solutions to problems that solve not only your needs but others or all parties involved. Talk to your friends, family and co-workers about your wellness intentions. Seek out ways to support each other's intentions.
   
5. Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood. Listen closely to other's concerns first before responding and talking about your own as a way to increase the likelihood of clear communication.
   
6. Synergize. Work with others in creatively collaborative ways that value differences, problem solving, innovation, and strengths. There are so many ways you and your friends and family can work together to help each other achieve health goals, and perhaps even go out into the greater community to encourage and inspire others too.
   
7. Renewal. Keep your energy and productivity up by taking care of yourself first through a carefully chosen lifestyle. The key to wellness is a balance of rest, relaxation, nourishment, movement, purpose and awareness.
   

10 tips for creating habits

1. Give your new habit it at least one month of practice to form
2. Decide ahead of time when to fit it into your schedule and make an appointment with yourself
   
3. Make it routine. No matter how you are feeling or what is going on in your life, practice your habit during the scheduled time even if that means you only do it for 5 or 10 minutes instead of the whole block of time.
   
4. Assess how it's going weekly and adjust it to better fit your life as needed
5. Pick something you enjoy doing - don't add a chore to your life
6. Get support from family, friends and co-workers
7. Find a buddy to do it with
8. Make a list of all the positives that this new habit brings into your life and refer to it when discouraged or frustrated
9. Anticipate ways you might resist your new habit and brainstorm ways to overcome them.
10. Honor your physical, mental and emotional state. Don't force it if you are really struggling. Evaluate what is making it hard for you.

Wellness Assessment

Wellness Assessment
Rate how true these statements are for you - Always, Sometimes, or Never

• I feel in control of my life.
• I am optimistic about the future.
• I know I can change m life when I decide to.
• I love my work.
• My home environment is relaxing and comfortable.
• My work or school environment is enriching.
• I have a belief or value system that sustains me.
• I sleep at least 7 hours a night.
• I wake up refreshed and rejuvenated.
• I have down time or quiet time every day.
• I have regular hobbies or pastimes.
• I have chronic muscle tension or aches & pains.
• I am often anxious, overwhelmed, or tense.
• I feel stressed or burned out.
• I have family or friends I can count on.
• I have a rich and rewarding social life.
• I eat healthy, wholesome foods.
• I eat regularly, not too much or too little.
• I have as much time for myself as I need.
• I am in excellent health.
• I am happy with my body and fitness level.
• I exercise regularly (at least 30 min 3Xweek).
• I have no debt.
• I have few worries or concerns.
• I am not addicted to caffeine, smoking, drugs or alcohol.

What do you think is keeping you from feeling great at this time? Has this improved or worsened over the past 6 months to a year?

What have you already tried to overcome the challenge outlined above?

What do you think it will take to help you feel better?

What would you like to accomplish?

Call me at 617-429-1793 or email me for a free consultation on how a wellness program can help you feel your best!

Solutions for Stress

Do you need to reduce your stress?

Wellness begins with understanding the challenges that prevent you from feeling great and then learning simple healthy habits that fit into your lifestyle to overcome them and keep you feeling your best all the time.

Feeling your best is about creating the right balance of awareness, relaxation, nourishment, and movement in your life, and this is what you will learn how to do with the step-by-step wellness program I’ve created to help people like you feel great!

How does it work?

First, we meet for a free consultation to briefly assess what’s keeping you from feeling your best and discuss what areas you want to improve. (You can preview the wellness assessment we'll use here.) Then, I show you how we can help you meet your goals, and you choose the wellness package that best meets your needs and fits into your life.

For the duration of the package, we meet regularly, and you practice techniques, receive personalized instructions and homework on how to create the right balance in your life for feeling great. Want to know more about the techniques used in the wellness program? Look on my website here.

Why get a personal strategy for reducing stress?

Some people know what to do to feel their best all the time. The rest of us need to learn! After becoming a corporate burn out, I spent six years studying world cultures and various health modalities to learn how to become and stay well. Once I learned the secrets and time-tested techniques to maintaining wellness, I dedicated my life to helping others to quickly learn how to become and stay well too.

You don’t need to study for many years like I did! A personalized wellness program will give you all the information, tools and techniques you need to feel your best! The rest is up to you!

Creating healthy habits that stick with you

There is a wise woman adage that says that if we give ourselves all the nourishment that we need, our bodies will cleanse and heal on their own. I very much believe in this adage, as I have seen it work in my own life and countless times in others. Our conscious minds think they run the show, but really the part of you that is aware of thinking and feeling is just one aspect of a greater intelligence in your body and mind. When you focus your mind on healthy, enjoyable habits, everything subtly shifts to bring them into being. The bad habits fade away without you even realizing because your attention and energy is fully engaged in the positive feedback of the wellness you are creating.

So, how do you create healthy habits that stick with you? Choose a habit to add to your life that is enjoyable and simple such as adding an extra hour in bed every night. While you're at it, figure out what problem this new habit is going to solve. Once you've identified what you don't want anymore, be sure to frame the desire in terms of what you do want. For example: "I am going to create a healthy habit of sleeping 8 hours a night because I am tired of feeling tired all the time" can be transformed into "I am well rested and energized all day long" or "I sleep 8 hours a night, and I am focused and productive all day".

This is called a positive affirmation, and it is the secret to creating healthy habits that stick with you. It works because whatever you focus your energy and attention on is what you manifest in your life. By keeping your attention on what you want instead of dwelling on what you don't like, what you're afraid of, or what you feel bad about, you are training your body and mind to notice all kinds of opportunities to act on your new healthy intentions.

What do you do with your positive affirmation? Every morning when you start the day, spend three to five minutes envisioning your affirmation. It works best in the morning before your mind is full of all the things you need to do during the day. This can be in bed before you get up, in the shower, or as I did during my commuting years, on my way to work. Take a few deep breaths to focus and bring your affirmation to mind. Imagine or visualize yourself doing and being in this new way. Really try to see, hear, smell, and imagine it in all details. Try to feel it in your body. Then get on with your day.

Just like riding a bicycle

You know how you can learn how to ride a bicycle or ice skate as a kid, and then not do the activity for many years but somehow as soon as you try it again you remember how? That is because our bodies have fantastic memories, and you can use this to your advantage to feel your best. Remember how you practiced riding your bike or learning to skate over and over again until it was easy? What you were doing while you were having all that fun was programming your body with all the muscle movements needed for the skill of bike riding or ice skating. In the same way, you can train your body so your muscles learn the skill of deep relaxation, which can serve to alleviate stress and tension when life gets hectic or tough.

These Reiki packages are designed so you can simply and easily program your body for deep relaxation. At your weekly session, your muscles and mind practice relaxing deeply, and it sure feels great while you do it! Each time you come in, it becomes easier and faster to release tension, just like how each time you practiced riding your bike or ice skating it got easier and more graceful. Since it takes at least 30 days to create a new habit, I recommend choosing a four week discounted package as the "beginner course" in training your body to relax. I also offer eight week packages at an even more discounted rate for those serious about programming their bodies and minds to relax deeply.

Here's the best part about these packages - during our weekly sessions we train your body and mind to associate certain cues with releasing tension, relaxing and rejuvenating. So by the time our relaxation training program is complete, you will be able to cue your body to relax anytime you notice you are starting to feel stressed or tense. It's just like riding a bicycle!

Reiki training registration form

Find out about Reiki training or register for an upcoming program here.

Fall Cleaning

I don't know about you, but my summers are busy! There are so many fun things to do, that I don't want to stay home and keep my house organized and clean. The weeks rush by in a bustle of activity, with piles of mail, laundry, and projects waiting for me to give them attention. Now that summer is winding down, I am ready to begin my annual Fall Cleaning.

I'm sure you've all heard of Spring Cleaning to freshen the house and your body after the long, dark cold months. A Fall Cleaning is similar - the goal is to let go of any excess junk that's piled up over the summer, tend to things that have fallen by the wayside during the fun summer months, and set up some healthy habits to carry me through the holiday season. It requires a bit of examination of all areas of your life that contribute to your health and happiness to see if there is anything that needs attention. For most of us, these include your home, your health, your lifestyle & habits including diet and exercise, your R&R time, and your relationships.

There are (at least) two ways to approach Fall Cleaning. The fast way is to make a mental checklist of your life priorities, and then quickly review the state of your home, your body, your energy levels, and your relationships to see if how you are spending your time and energy is in alignment with your priorities or not. If you find a few things that aren't optimal, consider making some changes over the next couple of months.

The more in depth approach is to get out your trusty pen and paper and make some lists. For each aspect of your life (relationship, diet, exercise, health, home, work, etc...), make three columns labeled Energizing, Draining, and Needs Attention. Then for each aspect of your life write down everything that comes to mind that is energizing, everything that is draining your energy, and everything you've put off that needs attention (procrastination drains your energy too!)

Once you have a clear picture of what's contributing to your well-being - congratulate yourself and continue on with these healthy habits! Then look at what's draining you and needs attention and make some time to address them. I

Checklist for letting go of clutter

Getting rid of my stuff is hard to do! If it were easy to do this, my house (and probably yours) would not be so cluttered and overstuffed in the first place! How do you decide to whether it's time to let go of something or not?

The technique I've developed is using a quick priority checklist. Here's what you do: Make a list of your top priorities for your home or office. Mine are comfort, breathing room, easy to find, and currently useful in my life. What are your priorities?

For each item that you are evaluating - run down the checklist. Does it meet any of your criteria? Yes, then keep it. If it doesn't, let it go. It is only taking up space and contributing to unnecessary complexity in your life.

In fact, this checklist comes in handy when you're considering investing in a new item. If it doesn't meet any of your criteria - then don't let it become clutter!

Streamlining your space

A few weeks back, I talked about how streamlining your home and office is one way to keep your energy up for fueling your life. If you missed the post about Saying No and Letting go, take a look here. That discussion inspired me so much, I am determined to go through my whole house by the end of the fall. Honestly - this is a pretty daunting project, so I did some research to find out what experts had to say about how to streamline and organize your home, office and life.

The first tip I found was to break down large projects into smaller, more manageable chunks! What a great idea! Instead of trying to find the time (and energy) to rehaul my entire home in one fell swoop, I decided to break it down by room and how much time I spend there. Since I spend most of my time in my office studio, I started there. Currently, I'm working on the closet and storage area since the bedroom is the next place I spend significant time. I plan to work on the kitchen and pantry once the bedroom is complete, and then move onto the livingroom, library areas and bathrooms.

Once I got my mini-projects, I wondered how to streamline. I found advice from another expert who recommended analyzing the area to identify problems, and then taking it a step further to figure out why these problems were happening and how to address them. So, taking my closet for example, I discovered it was hard to find anything or really know what was in there because it was crammed full of stuff and clothes. Why? Because I kept putting more and more items in there and never took anything out. The solution in my case - get rid of stuff!

Depending on the type of problems in your space, the solution is going to vary. If you aren't sure what is going to work in your situation, take a look at the myriad of resources on the internet. Organizing 101 on About.com has a lot of useful links, or Get Real Solutions for Your Home on iVillage. While you're there, you might even want to find out your Organizing Obstacles with the help of Vicki Norris.

In summary, this is what the experts had to say about how to start streamlining and organizing your space.

1st - break down large projects into smaller chunks
2nd - analyze the space to identify problem areas
3rd - determine the cause of the problem
4th - come up with a solution before you move on to the next area

Good luck!

My journey to wellness

I was a hi-tech corporate burn out in just three short years after graduating with a BS in Comp Sci from UMASS Lowell. This was during the big hi-tech boom at the end of the 90's. First I was working 60 hours a week preparing for the apocalypse at midnight on 1/1/00, and I thought "Oh I'll relax and chill out once that impending disaster has passed." Then before I knew it, I was wrapped up in working 80 hours a week on this or that cool new thing for the newly exploding internet marketplace. Months and months went by - eating breakfast, lunch and dinner provided by the company to keep us working day at night. Exercise? Who has time to exercise when you are at work 10-12 hours a day and commuting another two hours. For a while, I had this uneasy feeling but I tried to ignore it. My intuition was telling me this was not how I wanted to spend my life, and one day I just had enough. I was exhausted, overweight, and miserable. I felt that if I didn't do something RIGHT NOW to change my life path, I would live out the rest of my adult life tired and sick. I made a vow to myself to recover my sanity, health and well-being, and then figure out how to stay well! So, I stepped out of the rat race, and it was just as well because shortly after that the hi-tech boom ended and people were laid off in droves.

Over the next 6 years, I experimented on myself and studied various disciplines with masters and teachers. I went to an acupuncturist religiously for a couple of years to bring my energy back into balance and release an allergic pattern my body had developed. At the same time, I worked one on one with a Tai Chi master who taught me awareness of Chi and how to re-energize. He also taught me the philosophies of Taoism and the importance of balance to well-being. I had a dramatic healing with a Reiki Master which inspired me in later years to study and learn with two other Reiki Masters to become a Reiki Master Teacher myself. For two years, I apprenticed with local expert herbalists to learn how the energy of plants can facilitate healing in the body. For about five years, under the compassionate and nurturing guidance of several female teachers, I also undertook to heal the spiritual and emotional aspects of myself through introspection, reflection and exercises. I also spent several years of these years to earn a Masters of Science degree in Natural Health where I studied homeopathy, nutrition, healthy lifestyle habits, human development, psychology and the psycho-spiritual aspects of health and well-being. (Oh yes, I was busy! I also worked full or part-time during these years, and tried to start up my own business more than once as well!)

It took a lot of hard work, but I healed my mind, body and spirit. In addition to returning to wellness, I learned how to STAY well too. Some people, especially those raised in more traditional cultures in the far east, know what to do to feel their best all the time. The rest of us, deprived of this knowledge in our culture and our schooling, need to learn how to maintain wellness in the midst of the chaos of 21st century living. Once I learned the secrets and time-tested techniques to maintaining wellness, I dedicated my life to helping others to feel better too. For a while, I tried jumping back into the rat race to see if I could help people from within the system, but it is hard work fighting against "the way things are". After giving my all to turning the Titanic, I decided I better find another way to help people or risk having to start over again on my wellness journey. About six months ago, I decided to jump ship, get on my own zippy little boat, and spread the message about wellness. So, I started this business dedicated to showing others how to feel their best and stay that way!

Find out more about my background on my website here.

New Schedule as of 9/1/07

Reiki & Wellness Sessions Available:

• Sunday 3 - 8pm
• Tues 3 - 8pm
• Thur 11 - 8pm

At Union Square Acupuncture 21 Bow Street, Somerville, MA

Schedule your appointment by contacting Joanna at 617-429-1793 or joannascaparotti@gmail.com

Reiki Shares

Reiki Shares are study and support groups for Reiki practitioners of all different levels. During a share, we share Reiki with each other for well-being and personal healing, ask lots of questions, compare experiences, practice old and learn new techniques.

I am pleased to be hosting Reiki Healing Shares on the fourth Sunday of the month at Union Square Acupuncture for local Reiki practitioners of all levels and from any school or background. Please RSVP as space is limited. Contact me at joannascaparotti@gmail.com

Upcoming Reiki Healing Shares
When: Fourth Sunday of the Month
Time: 6-7pm
Cost: $5-10 sliding scale
Who: any Reiki 1 or above practitioner
Bring: yourself, snacks, questions and ideas
Dates:
August 26th
September 23rd
October 28th
November 25th

Connecting to the Source

In my previous postabout maintaining your flow of energy, I gave an exercise for recharging your spirits when your energy is low. Here is another simple technique adapted from qigong. This meditation provides an opportunity to connect to a vast source of energy (or spirit depending on how you see things) that is always available to you.

Stand or sit comfortably with feet flat on the floor and back straight. Visualize your head reaching out into the universe. Imagine your feet rooting deep into the earth. Visualize the front of your body reaching out beyond the horizon in front of you. Feel the back of your body reaching out into the universe behind you. Expand your left and right sides out beyond the horizon into the universe. Reach your attention out infinitely in all direction, like a growing sphere. Hold for a moment. Then bring your attention to the energy center of your body - located near the navel. Visualize that expansive sphere shrinking and condensing into a point in your center. Hold for a moment and absorb the energy from the source available to you. Release again out in all directions. Pause. Condense. Absorb. Repeat for 5 - 20 minutes.

Maintaining the Flow - Part 2

Last week I talked about maintaining your energy flow through what you eat and physical exercise. Take a look here if you missed that post. Now, let's look at moving your energy directly through intention and visualization.

Here is a simple exercise to get energy moving – I find that in a pinch at work, waiting in line, sitting in a car, or any other situation where I can't get up and get moving that I can revive my spirits doing this. It's especially useful in a situation where you can't stop to rest and really need some extra oomph to push through a slump.

Sitting or standing comfortably, close your eyes if possible. Feel your feet touching the floor. Bring your consciousness down through your feet, through the floor to the earth. Bring yourself down deeper and deeper into the earth until you reach the hot core. Take a moment to collect that fiery, vital energy and bring it back up through the earth through the floor into your feet. Bring it up through your legs to your root chakra at the base of your spine, in the pelvic area. Imagine anchoring that connection in your chakra and feeling the energy flow through there.

Retrace your steps back to the core of the earth, and bring energy back up through the earth, through your feet, through your root to your belly chakra that is located halfway between your pubic bone and your bellybutton. Imagine anchoring the line of energy in your belly.

Then repeat again going back down to the core of the earth and bringing vitality up through your feet, your root, your belly and into your power chakra located in your solar plexus at the base of your ribcage.

After you anchor the connection there, repeat this exercise moving the energy up from the earth and anchoring it in each of your chakras. Next is your heart at the center of your chest, then your throat, then your third eye at the forehead, and finally your crown just above the top of your head. When the energy flows up through you and out your crown, imagine it flowing gently down through your aura back to the earth like a waterfall.

Now your body and your energy is flowing naturally.

The new and improved YOU!

I updated my website.

Does any of this sound like you?

I work really hard and for long hours.

I have a jam packed schedule of commitments and to-do lists.

I am a busy parent: juggling work, home and childcare.

I would feel better if I could just...
- stop feeling so tense or stressed out
- be calmer and centered more of the time
- stop feeling so worried or anxious
- slow down long enough to stop feeling run down
- find time to relax
- have more energy to get through my day

In less than an hour, you will feel better or it is free!
With only a 30 or 60 minute Reiki session, your well-being is guaranteed to improve. If you don't feel better at the end of your session, you don't pay. Try it risk free. You're worth it! I can help you to relax and rejuvenate.

Would you like to improve your wellbeing?

New Rates & Packages

Want to relax and feel great?

Find solutions to stress, fatigue, tension and worry here

Call 617-429-1793 or email joannascaparotti@gmail.com to schedule a session so you can start feeling better.

Services & Rates

New Rates as of September 2007

Wellness Services Phone Consultation
15 minutes ... FREE

Single Reiki Sessions
30 minutes ... $35
60 minutes ... $65

Reiki Packages
*may be used by individuals, families or groups*
Package of 4 - 30 minute sessions ... $140
Package of 4 - 60 minute sessions ... $240
Package of 8 - 60 minute sessions ... $400

Wellness Programs

One Month
60 minutes weekly ... $240
90 minutes weekly ... $350

Two Months
60 minutes weekly ... $400
90 minutes weekly ... $600

Policies
If you are not satisfied with your session, a full refund is guaranteed. Take a look at the rest of my practice policies.

Maintaining the Flow - Part 1

While we are busy tending to our social lives, we may find that the summer has slipped by in a bustle of activity without much time for conscious thought about taking care of ourselves. The end of summer may find us exhausted and sluggish.

To keep energy levels high for maintaining our busy lifestyles, we must remember to flow through the seasons like Mother Nature. A diet that is light and cool is key to balance during the hot months, and as the cooler weather approaches keep the body warm with more grains and root vegetables. Lucky for us, we are blessed in summertime with the watery, cooling fruits and vegetables of the earth this time of year. These wonderful foods are available at farmers markets or local grocers. Fresh and raw or cooked, for optimal wellbeing, make these foods a staple of your diet during the summer and early autumn months. In addition to providing water to help with hydration, fruits and vegetables are packed with essential vitamins, minerals and fibers which nourish and assist our bodies in preventing heart disease, certain types of cancer, and contracting viruses and infections.

An important aspect of health is exercise. Moving the body increases circulation and not only stimulates the digestion, it stimulates the body to release toxins whose build up can cause sluggishness and fatigue. This time of year provides so many opportunities to get outside and get moving. It may seem counterintuitive to be physically active when you are tired, but more often than not, doing so gets your energy moving and alleviates fatigue.

Joanna's hours and rates

For the rest of August, I have appointment times available at Union Square Acupuncture on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Fridays. Take a look here for my current rates and services.

Just some advance notice of upcoming changes: in September, my single session rates will be going up due to rent increases. Also my schedule is probably going to change, but it has not been determined yet.

A life of their own?

Returning home after a 20 day vacation provided the opportunity to look at my home, my office and my schedule with a fresh perspective. After living out of one suitcase for three weeks, everything seemed so much more complicated than necessary. My feeling on this was cemented while I was looking for an important document and wondering why there were five or six different places that it might be found. I wasted an hour searching, when I could have used that time to finish a project, or even better, had an additional hour at the end of the day for self-care and relaxation.

I wondered why there are so many places for important documents all over my apartment, and while I was at it, I also wondered why there are so many email accounts for me to wade through, so much junk mail to recycle, and so many different places I keep track of invitations and appointments. It appears that when life is hectic and busy, sometimes things just seem to have a life of their own and multiply until you put a stop to it.

The solution to making more free time and energy for non-work pursuits is to streamline and simplify! Conserving energy by not dispersing it in multiple unsatisfying directions is one of the keys to becoming and staying energized and well. There are many different approaches to simplifying, but I don't want that to get complicated either. I am going to stick with these two maxims: Say No and Let Go. For instance, I can solve dilemma about the missing document by Saying No to multiple locations where I toss things and instead designate a specific location and make a point of using it.

How many different areas of your life would benefit from using these phrases to focus, streamline and simplify? I imagine there is more than one! Here's an exercise in using them:

Pick one area of your home or office that seems to have the most life of it's own. In my house, it's usually the kitchen! Take a look around and identify the items of particular concern. In my kitchen, the recycling and those plastic grocery bags are out of control; in addition, there seem to always been more dishes than we can handle. Now, brainstorm ways to simplify by Saying No and Letting Go. I can Say No to plastic grocery bags at the store by bringing reusable canvas bags, and I can Let Go of the hundreds sitting there by putting them out with the recycling. As for managing the large piles of paper and plastic recycling that is often tripped over in my kitchen, I could start Saying No to buying individually packaged items at the grocery store, opting instead of bulk good whenever possible. I could also Say No to catalogs by having the companies take me off their mailing lists, and Say No to junk mail by getting my address off those lists too. I can also Say No to my laziness and make more of an effort to bring the recycling out to the bins before it piles up. As for dishes, I can Let Go of keeping 8 settings accessible for every day use by putting half of them away for special occasions.

Which part of your house (or maybe your job) seems to have the most life of it's own? How can you streamline and simplify by Saying No and Letting Go?

Deepen your commitment to self-care with Reiki 2

Reiki is a healing practice not only for others, but more importantly for yourself. Those who have received a Reiki 1 attunement and completed the 21 days of self-Reiki are eligible to take Reiki 2 training. It includes more in depth commitment to self-care, meditation and visualization practice, how to create a healing space, introduction to the Reiki symbols, Reiki for emotional and mental healing, distance healing, and more practice giving Reiki to others. After the Reiki 2 attunement, you have increased capacity for directing Reiki flow to yourself, loved ones and clients, if you so choose. During the training you have the opportunity to practice the techniques, give and receive Reiki.

The next Reiki 2 training course begins in September. It meets on Sunday afternoons from 4:30-6pm at Union Square Acupuncture on Sep 9, 16, 23, and 30. The registration fee is $100 and includes Reiki 2 manual. Registration is open!

Email me at joannascaparotti@gmail.com or call me at 617-429-1793 to reserve your spot now. Class space is limited!

Learn a simple self-care tool for relaxing

As I tell my students, Reiki 1 training provides you with some simple techniques for easily moving yourself into a state of deep relaxation. Not only can you release physical and emotional pain with Reiki, by alleviating the stress on your system from holding tension, you will sleep better and have a stronger immune system. The next Reiki 1 training program meets on Tuesday evenings four weeks. It's only $75 to learn this valuable tool for increasing and maintaining personal vitality, and registration is now open. Registration fee includes Reiki 1 manual and Certificate at the end of the course.

Reiki 1 training meets 7:30-9pm at Union Square Acupuncture
Aug 28, Sept 4, Sept 11, Sept 28

Email me at joannascaparotti@gmail.com or call me at 617-429-1793 to reserve your space now! Class size is limited!

Back from Vacation

Hello everyone!

I am back from a 20 day vacation to visit friends and relax with my husband in several cities in Canada. I'll be getting back into the swing of things over the next couple of weeks, so stay tuned!

Hope you are well!
Joanna

Back in August

Dear friends,

I will be away from my phone, blog and email on vacation from July 11 - 30, returning to the office on July 31. I look forward to catching up with you in early August!

If you're looking for wellness tips while I'm away, take a look at my archives here, or sign up to receive my bi-weekly wellness ezine.

I've got some great events planned to take place at Union Square Acupuncture in August, and I hope to see some of you there.

• August 5 Reiki training begins. Reiki 1 meets 10:30-12p & Reiki 2 meets 4:30-6p. Registration will be open until August 5th. Send me an email or leave a message if you'd like to sign up. Reiki 1 cost = $75. Reiki 2 cost=$100
• August 5 Reiki community clinic from 1-3pm, 15 minutes of relaxing bliss for $10
• August 12 Reiki share/study group for any Reiki 1 practitioner in the area $10
• August 18 Union Square Farmer's Market Health Fair - come by to see our table!
• August 19 Community Wellness Clinic ~ Reiki 15 min/$10, Massage 20min/$15
• August 26 Reiki share/study group for any Reiki 2 or above practioner in the area $10

Be well! See you in August!
Joanna

Change your environment to energize you

Now that's you've taken a closer look at your environment to understand how it affects you, the next step is to make it work for you. There are some things you can't control, and that's why you can "snack" on energy boosting activities to counteract the draining effects of things you can't change.

What about the things you can change? Here's a list of ideas on how you can tweak your environment so that it has more of a positive impact on your energy levels.

• listen to enjoyable music with headphones, surround sound or just turn on the radio
• put up pictures of soothing vacation destinations, role models that inspire you, or loved ones and pets around you in your office
• tape reminders to your computer moniter to "breathe" or "take a break"
• shut your office door for a couple of minutes, or hours
• add a plant to your desk or working area to provide oxygen and trigger relaxation
• choose soft or comforting fabrics to wear while working
• take the train to work instead of driving, so you can relax on the way to & from by reading, listening to music on your ipod, and people watching
• play nature sounds in the background or set up one of those small water fountains
• burn incense or light a scented candle (or wear aromatherapy perfume if you can't burn anything)
• substitute herbal tea for coffee and enjoy not only the taste but the aromas
• bring a book of jokes to work and take a joke break and share laughs with others
• clean up all the clutter, find everything in your office a home, and throw out the rest
• put a natural incandescent light bulb in a lamp on or near your desk
• set your computer background to something peaceful and soothing
• change your route to work so that it goes through a park or avoids a major intersection or construction site
• use a fan for background white noise
• put your phone on "Do Not Disturb" for periods of time throughout your day so you can focus on projects
• put a "Do Not Disturb" sign up on your office door (especially if you work from home and there is family around who might want to interrupt you)
• find something to appreciate about the person at work who gets under your skin the most

What will soothe and energize you?

Revitalize with energy "snacks"

I posted previously about paying attention to the "food" in your energy diet, asking you to consider how you feel after exposure to different elements in your environment. This is part two of the series. Take a look here if you missed the original post.

You may have discovered that some things you encounter every day actually deplete your energy - maybe it's sirens down the street, construction in your neighborhood, or the guy two cubes over who bangs things around on his desk. It could even been the phone ringing off the hook or the clutter in your office that drains the joy right out of you whenever you think about it too much. Whatever it is that's depleting you - the great news is that you have the power to optimize your energy diet and reverse the flow.

Oh sure, it would be ideal if we could eliminate the things that are draining, but that's not realistic in 21st century urban america. There will always be loud noises, electro-magnetic rays from televisions, microwaves, cell phones, etc..., and people who push our buttons throughout the day. The key to revitalizing (and maintaining) your energy is to make sure you include nourishing energy "snacks" throughout your day, especially after exposure to things that diminish your well-being.

Energy "snacks" help you recharge in only 5 to 15 minutes - and planning for several throughout your day (and keeping an emergency stash on hand for unpredictable situations) will keep your energy and your spirits high. What's revitalizing for you may be different than for someone else - it varies depending on preferences and temperment. Here are some ideas to start you off on brainstorming your own energy booster "snacks" to include in your day.

• putting on headphones (or surround sound) to listen to music that uplifts you


• and dancing around the room


• tickling a child (or willing adult) and sucumbing to giggles


• sitting quietly with eyes closed


• taking several deep breaths


• running up a flight of stairs


• stretching at your desk


• locking yourself in the restroom for a few minutes of alone time


• doing a somersault or cartwheel


• singing at the top of your lungs or humming quietly


• petting your cat, dog, gerbil, etc...


• contemplating the view out your office window


• doodling on your notepad


• meditating


• doing a quick series of yoga poses or holding one long pose


• calling a good friend for support and encouragement


• hugging someone you care about


• losing yourself in a good novel


• eating something slowly and deliberately, paying attention to every flavor and sensation


• go outside and let yourself feel the sun and breezes on your skin


• tell someone a joke and laugh with them


• watch something ridiculous on youtube that makes you smile or laugh


• give advice, support and encouragement to a friend


• smile sincerely at a stranger, maybe even say hello

The trick is to come up with a list of things that boost your energy, and then pick a couple of things off the list to charge you up throughout the day. You may even want to take a pro-active approach and put them right into your schedule.

How to relax before your vacation even starts!

I am about one week away from a 21 day vacation from work. As a fairly typical American who habitually works too much, it was tough to give myself permission to take this much time off to relax. (I'm not even sure I've taken this much time off as an adult ever.) It's even harder to ignore all the "what ifs...?" running through my mind of all the things that could go wrong while I'm away or worries about losing the momentum that is beginining to propel my business along without quite so much constant hard work.

The days leading up to my trip continue to be challenging as I try to fit in all those last minute meetings with clients, wrap up loose ends, finish my projects scheduled for completion prior to the trip, make reservations, pack for the trip, clean my house, get to the gym, and stay calm, cool and collected. Whew! I think sometimes getting ready for vacation is more work than... work!

I know that R & R is so important for over well-being, which is why I made this trip a priority even though the timing may not feel completely comfortable. Allowing the vacation preparations to cause stress is counterproductive to my goal of R & R, so I have dug into the bottom of my bag of tricks to come up with some tools to get me through the pre-vacation push as peacefully as possible.

My first step was to make daily appointments with myself between now and take-off for all the self-care things which keep me feeling energized and happy. This includes enough time to sleep, a morning meditation, getting to the gym, dates with loved ones, and unplanned down time. Yep, that one probably sounds funny - an appointment for unscheduled time - but it works! I commit to a date with myself where I don't pre-plan what I'd like to do; instead, I tune in to my desires or needs and spend the time spontaneously.

The second step was to take a critical look at my to-do list and decide which items are priority and truly need to be completed before the trip. I found a number of things on that list that I would love to complete before the trip, but they weren't crucial so I set them aside for when I return. Then I delegated some of the tasks by asking for help and handing them over to someone very competent whom I trust with the responsibility of completing them while I'm away.

This exercise resulted in a smaller, more manageable list of tasks, which brings me to the third step. I promptly scheduled all of the tasks as appointments in my PDA so I wouldn't have to worry about forgetting something or when I was going to fit an errand in. Now, everything I need to do and know before my trip is organized at my fingertips.

Of course, life has this way of turning the best made plans topsy turvy, so I put plenty of extra time in between appointments. So as my last step, I decided to view any obstacle or challenge over the next month as an opportunity for adventure.

summer Reiki training

Reiki training quickly provides you with the skills and simple technique for easily attaining a state of deep relaxation which is beneficial for boosting your immune system, reducing stress, alleviating aches and pains, and regulating sleep.

The next Reiki 1 training program meets four Sundays from 4:30-6pm in Somerville starting Sunday August 5th. It's only $75 to learn this valuable tool for increasing and maintaining personal vitality.

Reiki 2 meets four Sundays from 10:30-12pm at Union Square Acupuncture also starting August 5th. Cost: $100

Take a look at the upcoming Reiki schedule with Joanna at Union Square Acupuncture here.

Email joannascaparotti@gmail.com or call 617-429-1793 with your name and phone number to register for any of the upcoming Reiki events.