Caring Palms Massage and Reiki is looking for a female therapist(s) to add to its staff of talented individuals. This person could be full or part time. Caring Palms pays 50% of the billed amount before discounts. All discounts come out of Caring Palms' end. All tips go to the therapist in full. If you are interested, or you know of anyone that might be interested, please have them call Brian at the studio at 904-246-2206, or email him at brian@caringpalms.com to schedule an interview.

For the last month, Caring Palms has been working on a mobile version of its website. While a lot smaller and a bit simpler from the regular site, it covers a lot of information from the services we do to what to expect from your visit, to our staff. You can even read about each massage style and see videos for those that have them. And you can connect to online scheduling to book a session. Simply go to the website at www.caringpalms.com and if you are on a cell phone, you will be redirected to the mobile site. If wish, you can still go to the full site from there to see class schedules and such, but that is better viewed from a computer or tablet.

Caring Palms wants to thank Tim Springer of SpringMarkets (www.springmarkets.com) for creating this wonderful looking site. He brought with him the magic touch and knowledge of what looks good.

Caring Palms has made another move into the high tech world we live in by offering Online Scheduling of appointments. If you want to make an appointment for a massage or Reiki session, and we are unavailable to take your call, you can now book online. From the main website, online booking is available from the 'Massage Styles' page and the 'What is Reiki' page. From the mobile website, it is located on the 'Services' page. Simply click on the button to take you to the automatic scheduling system. From there, you can choose the type of session you want (Reiki, Swedish Massage, MFR) and length. You can also choose which therapist you want your session with. Online scheduling is also available through the Caring Palms Facebook page.  On the bar that lists Timeline, About, Photos, select 'More' and then 'Schedule Now'. As we can not answer calls when we are in session, this gives you another option to schedule a session. We hope you like it. And if you want, you can still email or call to talk with us and schedule appointments that way.

Online scheduling, a new high tech way to connect to something very old world. 

It is with sadness that we announce that Ashlee Mojica has left Caring Palms for other opportunities. We appreciate the time she gave us and the care she gave our clients. We especially appreciate her 'holding down the fort' during the times that Brian had to be out of state. We are sorry to see you go, but do wish you continued success in the future.

by Brian Dean 

As I write this, I am sitting on an airplane heading from Baltimore to Jacksonville. Having a few moments to reflect (actually more like two hours), I think of the things that have happened in the last seven days. First off, it has been a whirlwind series of events that I don't recommend for anyone, yet I know many will go through it. You see, I am coming back from burying my father, or as I tend to think of it, burying what he left behind as he transitioned to the other side.

My Dad passed to the other side seven days ago at the ripe age of 93. We knew this was coming. The cancer he had been fighting for many years finally caught up to him. We knew this was coming as he told us back in October. We got to make a visit up to see him just before Thanksgiving and got to take him out on a country drive to get apples in Pennsylvania where he got to see the leaves changing. Four weeks ago, he went into hospice.

The emotions are hard, as they are in these situations. And we got through all the things everybody else does. There is the loss, the knowing that you will never see him again, at least on this side. There are the tears which are threatening as I write this (and the realization that this may not be the best place to do this as I can't get up and walk away). But what else does one go through when they are an energy worker and a medium? A lot.

For an energy worker, at least one that has grown as much as I have, there is the sensing when he is around, the feel of his touch, the knowing that he has been looking over me. Then there are the little messages from spirit, or should I say games. (There was a song years ago called "Games People Play'. I think we should write one called "Games Spirits Play".) When I landed and got to my rental car, the first song that came on the radio was "Looking Through My Father's Eyes". When we were at the church that he attended for over 50 years, meeting with the interim minister, he was there. I got the feeling he liked this man as did I. He was on my right as the minister took us through a short prayer. Maybe the joke was that he finally got me back into a church.

The viewing and service was something else entirely. As an empath, this is a very difficult time, blocking out other's grief. And I was making it worse as I was sending out a lot of my own. The room was small and there was this thing in this casket at the front of it. I was not about to go up and look at it (as I had not when my mother passed) as I didn't want my last vision of him to be this. At the same time, when I glanced that way, it really just looked like a wax figure that didn't resemble him at all. Classifying myself as spiritualist, is like being Klingon in beliefs. It was just an empty shell. It was no longer him. I know this because he wasn't there, he was around.

The reverend gave the sermon, telling about my Dad, information that he had gotten from my brother and I. A good part of the time, Dad was standing to the reverend's right. When I astral projected, I could interact with him a little. I saw him, a much healthier version than I had last seen. I said "Hey" and he smiled. With my eyes open, I could see the energy signature. And I could see when it moved.

At the grave site, it was very somber. The minster did his thing, and it gave finality to it. Then, the bugler started playing taps. As a veteran of World War 2, he received military honors. They even folded the flag and gave it to my brother. That was heart wrenching for all around. As I walked away from the grave, I noticed my daughter walking by me, waiting for the moment when I would fall apart. I managed to keep it at bay. Dad was there as well. I knew he would be. And I think Mom was with him.

My brother and I got to talk a lot through this process, and found things we did not know from each other. And we learned different stories of the same events. And we laughed. Dad was a simple, yet complicated man. And I know he will be around as Mom has been since her passing. It just took a while for me to develop enough to notice and know it was her.  

One thing my brother kept saying was that "I guess he's in a better place now."  I know he is in a better place now, relieved from the pain and limitations that he had in his last year.  I saw him. I know how much better he is. 

And the bigger joke is that I will probably talk with both of them more now, than I did when they were on this side. That's the medium part. I look forward to the conversations.

The following is a list of currently scheduled classes.  This class is a two-day class worth 12 CE hours for massage therapists.  Each class (unless otherwise marked) currently has a status of 'Scheduled'.  This means that a date has been set, but no one has signed up for it yet.  Once a deposit has been received for a class, the status will be 'Confirmed'.  The 2015 schedule is as follows:

• April 18 - April 19  (Saturday 9:00am - 5:00pm and Sunday 10:00am - 4:00pm)
• May 19 - May 20  (Tuesday 9:00am - 5:00pm and Wednesday 10:00am - 4:00pm) Confirmed
• June 20 - June 21  (Saturday 9:00am - 5:00pm and Sunday 10:00am - 4:00pm)
• August 18 - August 19  (Tuesday 9:00am - 5:00pm and Wednesday 10:00am - 4:00pm)
• October 17 - October 18  (Saturday 9:00am - 5:00pm and Sunday 10:00am - 4:00pm)
   

All classes are scheduled to be held at the Caring Palms Studio.  Should the location change, that change will be on the website and students notified. 

Maximize your results with less effort. Utilize the science of martial arts and apply it to massage. Advanced Body Mechanics and Techniques for Massage Therapists, is designed to reconnect the massage therapist with proper body mechanics and techniques while putting a new twist on things and showing how to get more pressure with little effort. While it does go over some basics, it takes body mechanics to a new level where every move involves the use of the therapist's entire body so they can work without hurting themselves. The class being part lecture, part hands-on practice takes positions, centering, and the proper use of body strength from Japanese martial arts and applies them to the art of massage therapy. It also shows how to focus one's energies to increase their strength with simple exercises meant to teach the student how to 'think' beyond where they are working so they can get deeper into the client and to channel their energies to the point of thought. The student will learn how to focus their energies and use their body to do deep work and not get hurt. This class will help anyone to work deeply with less effort no matter if one is 90 pounds or 250 pounds. This class is for both the seasoned therapist and the new therapist. It will show moves everyone does, but in a new light as well as moves many people may not have seen before. The idea is not to dictate how to practice, but to show better body mechanics which the therapist can adapt to what they do. This is true whether they adapt all of it or just part of it.

 
NCBTMB and Florida Board of Massage Approved for twelve (12) Continuing Education Hours (CEUs)
Class Cost: $300 Early Registration (at least 19 days before the class date)
                    $350 within 19 days of the class date

This class is for licensed massage therapists or anyone that regularly uses massage in their practice.  For those looking to learn basic massage for relaxation for their partner or friends, see the website on the Massage For Couples classes. 

To sign up for classes, go to the website and select Continuing Education, Advanced Body Mechanics and Techniques, and Class Schedule to see additions and changes or to sign up.

Caring Palms has two rooms for rent to a holistic arts practitioner.  This person could be a practitioner of accupuncture, reflexology, hypnosis, massage or any similar modality.  If you know anyone interested, please have them call Brian at Caring Palms.