Caring Palms Massage and Reiki
Newsletter
December 2014

In This Issue

Holiday Closures

Gift Cettificate Sale

Block Party/Small Business Saturday

Six Words Published

The Art of Caring Palms

Reiki Share

A Year of Growth

Spiritual Joking

Reiki Class Schedule

Advanced Body Mechanics and Techniques

Musiucal Chairs

Rooms For Rent

Caring Palms Hosts Mediumship Classes

Modality of the Month

Brian Offering Readings

Caring Palms Promise

You Have Questions?

Quick Links

The Caring Palms Website

Join Our List

Forward This Newsletter

Did you know that Caring Palms offers a Referral Bonus? Forward this newsletter to people you know, and if they come in for a session and give your name, you will get $5 off your next purchase. And the beauty of this is that it is cumulative. If two people come in, you get $10 off your next purchase, three people, $15 off, and so forth. So if you know people that could benefit from any of the services we offer (and everyone can), forward this newsletter to them. If they come in, you will benefit as well.

Welcome to this month's Caring Palms Massage and Reiki newsletter. This month, we have quite a bit of news, some events and specials, class schedule changes and additions, and a couple articles. We also have the continuation of the gift certificate sale.

I hope you enjoy what we have here.

December Holiday Closures

The Caring Palms studio will be closed Christmas day, Thursday, December 25^th, and the day after, Friday, December 26^th. Both Christine and Brian will be in the studio working on Saturday, December 27^th.

The studio will be open Christmas Eve (December 24^th) at the regular hours for sessions or last minute gift certificate or jewelry purchases.

We at Caring Palms hope you have a safe and joyous holiday.

Brian, Christine, Ashlee

Gift Certificate Sale

Caring Palmsis announcing the Holiday Gift Certificate Sale. The sale is going on now and runs through Wednesday, December 24th.

Buy 1 gift certificate, save $10

Buy 2 gift certificates, save $20

Buy 3 gift certificates, save $30

Best Deal: Buy 4 gift certificates, get 1 gift certificate FREE!

Gift Certificates are available for massage or Reiki sessions, or massage or Reiki classes. Buy gift certificates for friends and loved ones, or just for yourself. If you have four friends that can benefit from massage or Reiki (and everyone can), you can buy four gift certificates for them, and get one free for yourself. If you are a regular client, you can buy four gift certificates for yourself and get five sessions (this is the best deal going).

Gift certificates are available in the studio and can be ordered by phone with a credit card at (904) 246-2206, or by mail with a check. (Sorry, this special is not available at the web site.) What better gift to give to those you care about? Give them the gift of love and healing.

And check out our holiday video that was shot in front of the studio...

Caring Palms Holiday Greeting

Block Party and Small Business Saturday,
November 29

The last Saturday in November, Caring Palms will be participating in two events...

Pink Saturday Block Party

The businesses in both 10^th Avenue shopping centers will be participating in a celebration of the holidays. Each will be doing some complimentary things and offering specials for the day. Those businesses participating will be identified by pink balloons out front.

Small Business Saturday

Small businesses are the life blood of most communities. They hire local people. They contribute to local taxes. They have services that you can not get at the mega-businesses, and if you can, those services at local businesses are usually better quality because they are local people that care about their customers. Small Business Saturday is a way to support your local businesses that support you. Many businesses (including Caring Palms) will be offering specials for this event.

Caring Palms will be taking part in both of these events. We will be doing free chair massage on the sidewalk (temperature permitting, inside if not) to anyone that wants. We will also be giving $10 off each session (Massage or Reiki) done that day. Both Christine and Ashlee will be available for sessions and chair massage while Brian will be teaching class. So please come by. Take part in the event and support your local businesses.

Six Words Published

The article "6 Words" that appeared in October's newsletter was published in the November issue of Natural Awakenings (Jacksonville area) under the title "6 Words to Live By". The article appears on page 26. Response from readers has been wonderful, including non-clients. If you missed the article and want to read it, you can see it on the website HERE.

The Art of Caring Palms

For those looking for gifts that are special, we recommend our selection of jewelry known as the Art of Caring Palms. These are hand-crafted pieces by Shirley Dean. We have necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. Many of them include actual crystals. All are reasonably priced. If you want to surprise that special someone with one-of-a-kind pieces, come in and see what we have.

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Reiki Share

Caring Palms has a Reiki share every month. A Share is where Reiki practitioners get together to work on each other. Group Reiki work is done where each person gets time on the table and worked on by several therapists at once. Any practitioner is invited no matter what lineage they have.

The next Reiki share is on

Wednesday, December 3rd from 7pm to 9pm.

Please let us know if you will be coming.

A Year of Growth

Well, it has been one year since Caring Palms moved into our new studio. It has been a year of change and growth. It started out with lots of work being done to make the studio ready for inspection. We opened our doors December 9^th. Since then we have seen many of our old friends and clients, many old and new students, and new clients that have found us by various means (including walking out of the restaurant next door). We have added two new therapists so this is no longer a one person operation. We have seen more new clients walk in the door than we have in previous years. Yes, a lot of growth.

But growth is not easy. It takes time, and patience. It also takes support from lots of people. It is the people that have come in here and supported our business that have kept us going. These people came in, were open-minded, willing to try new and different things (like Reiki). They supported our new therapists, and sent more people our way. Of course, we still need more people coming in the door, but that will happen, and it will happen soon.

Right now, we simply want to say thank you. Thank you for letting us know that we have something that is worthwhile to you. Thank you for helping us make the transition from one location to another and to make our increased expenses.

More importantly, thank you for letting us help you. That is more important to us than anything. It is what drives us, makes us be as good as we are, pushes us to be better. We are here for you. Thank you for being here for us.

Spiritual Joking

by Brian Dean

I was doing a reading recently, and as part of the message, the spirit passed on a joke...

"Did you hear the one about the spiritualist that had doubts about the path he was on? He spun around three times and then continued down the path knowing it was the right one."

In truth, we reach points where we have doubts. We feel that the world is spinning around us. But when it finally stops, we realize that we are right where we need to be, and continue on. This is the point of growth. Growth is something we continue to do (or at least hopefully do). We constantly run into situations that make us question the world around us. At that point, it seems like things are spinning. As we reach a point of understanding whether that comes from rejecting, accepting, or modifying the information we were questioning, we realize we are where we need to be, and that we have gone through a period of growth.

The joke was a point that uniquely solidified the message. So, now I am passing on jokes from the other side. Maybe next time I will channel Groucho Marx. "Say the secret word, and the duck will come down..."

Reiki Class Schedule

The fol

lowing is a list of currently scheduled Reiki Classes. 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'. Any class marked as 'Closed' has filled up. (Note: In some cases, one may be able to enter a class marked 'Closed' with permission of the instructor.)

Reiki 1

November 28 (Saturday) 10am - 5pm Confirmed

2015
January 10 (Saturday) 10am - 5pm
February 10 (Tuesday) 10am - 5pm
February 21 (Saturday) 10am - 5pm
March 14 (Saturday) 10am - 5pm
April 11 (Saturday) 10am - 5pm
April 21 (Tuesday) 10am - 5pm
May 9 (Saturday) 10am - 5pm
June 13 (Saturday) 10am - 5pm
June 16 (Tuesday) 10am - 5pm
July 11 (Saturday) 10am - 5pm
July 21 (Tuesday) 10am - 5pm
August 4 (Tuesday) 10am - 5pm
August 8 (Saturday) 10am - 5pm
August 11 (Tuesday) 10am - 5pm
August 25 (Tuesday) 10am - 5pm
September 12 (Saturday) 10am - 5pm
October 10 (Saturday) 10am - 5pm
November 14 (Saturday) 10am - 5pm

Reiki 2

November 29 (Saturday) 10am - 5pm Confirmed

2015

March 28 (Saturday) 10am - 5pm
April 7 (Tuesday) 10am - 5pm
June 27 (Saturday) 10am - 5pm
July 7 (Tuesday) 10am - 5pm
August 15 (Saturday) 10am - 5pm
August 27 (Thursday) 10am - 5pm
October 24 (Saturday) 10am - 5pm

Reiki 3

2015

April 25 (Saturday) 10am - 5pm
May 5 (Tuesday) 10am - 5pm
July 25 (Saturday) 10am - 5pm
July 28 (Tuesday) 10am - 5pm
August 22 (Saturday) 10am - 5pm
August 29 (Saturday) 10am - 5pm
November 21 (Saturday) 10am - 5pm

All classes are open to anyone wanting to learn this unique method of hands-on healing. The cost for each class is $125 no matter what level of Reiki the class is for. A $50 deposit is required a minimum of seven (7) days prior to the class date (or permission of the instructor) to reserve a space in the class. Classes with no deposits received by the cut off date will be canceled. All class statuses may be viewed under Reiki, Reiki Class Information, and Class Schedule. You can also sign up for classes there. (Check the website for the location.)

Each Reiki class is NCBTMB and Florida Board of Massage Approved for six (6) Continuing Education Hours (CEUs)

Advanced Body Mechanics and Techniques

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)
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.

Musical Chairs

By Brian Dean

I like music. I have begun to think a lot about music since doing a reading for someone recently. Now, I like many types of music. I listen to rock, and Celtic rock, classical, filk, jazz, old standards and new age.

I find that when I am writing (as I am at this moment), I listen to classical as it opens my creativity and clarity. I listen to rock when I am driving as it moves a bit more.

But when I listen to music to listen to it and not be filling the background as I do something else, I pay attention to all parts of it. I don't just hear it as one piece. I hear all the pieces, and pay attention to all the pieces because what is going on underneath is as important as the final result. It is like paying attention to the details (which was the message I passed on to the person I was reading for).

Every note, every tone is important. Those notes make up chords (major and minor). Those chords make up melodies and counter melodies. They come together to make a piece of music. And that music moves us in a specific way. In fact, each piece of music moves us in different ways. They make us feel strong, or feel mellow, or sad, or happy.

Some music works on points and counter points where a main theme plays through, but is offset by a counter melody. The works of John Williams are very much like that. If you don't know, John Williams is responsible for many of the soundtracks and themes for many of the highest grossing movies of all time. Movies like Star Wars, Superman, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter, Close Encounters, The Towering Inferno, Earthquake. He even composed themes for Irwin Allen produced TV shows like Time Tunnel, Land of the Giants, and Lost on Space. Even in the two themes he did for Lost in Space, you can see how diverse melodies and counter melodies combine to make one. Each of those pieces of music puts a lot of themes against each other, high notes working against low notes, melodies working against counter melodies. In the end, all of these things working against each other gave us movement, and became one.

Other types of music build from a small piece with a couple instruments to something extraordinary with an entire orchestra. Many of the songs of Neil Diamond work this way, Holly Holy in particular. It starts off with a guitar and a little bit of drums. It ends with a full orchestra and chorus, and if you go along for the ride and notice all the changes, you feel stronger for the journey. When words are added to music, you bring in a whole new definition of things. The song Shiloh tells an amazing story that I had never realized as I had never truly heard the words until recently. Combining it with this same building of notes and chorus, it takes on a remarkable ride that leaves us wanting more of the story. But it is for us to interpret.

By now, you are probably asking what my point is. Well, it is this... all the notes, all the chords, all the melodies come together in such a way that it becomes a whole entity. All the pieces are put together in such a way that it all becomes one, the big picture if you will. And those melodies and counter melodies? Well, they work against each other in such a way that they find balance. And as we know, balance is important in everything we do.

In my Reiki 1 class, I give the students something that tells them that when they get bogged down in the detail, it is a good thing to step back and look at the big picture. This way, they see how what they are doing relates to everything that is going on.

But it is also good when looking at the big picture to know the pieces that make it up, to know the building blocks of the foundation that supports the structure. By knowing how things come together, we have a better understanding of what things are. We see how pieces interact, how they work in tandem or how they work against each other to find a point of balance. In truth, all things are not what we see. They are a bunch of other things coming together to make what we see. And while it is good to focus on the big picture, it is also important to know the pieces because, like an iceberg, there is always more going on underneath the surface.

I remember seeing an exhibit at the Baltimore Museum of Art, and for the life of me I can't remember the artist's name. I think it might have been Monet. What impressed me was the description of how this artist created his works. He never painted objects. He painted snatches of colors. He painted shades of blue where he saw shades of blue and so forth. When he was done, he might have a boat sitting on the water. But he never painted the boat. He painted the colors. He painted all the pieces that came to make the whole that was the picture.

The advice here is to pay attention to the detail. Listen to the pieces that come together to make that piece of music. Or see the building blocks that support the structure. Understand how things come together and why. This will aid you in your understanding of everything from buildings to relationships.

So what is it going to be, a march, rock and roll, a soft love song, some Celtic bagpipes, or a nice symphony? Choose your music and go with it. And if you need something more, make your own.

Rooms For Rent

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.

Caring Palms Hosts Mediumship Classes

Every month, Caring Palms is host a mediumship class taught by Marilyn Jenquin of the International Foundation for Spiritual Knowledge. In this class, Marilyn teaches the British style of mediumship (this is similar to the style used by John Edward). Each class contains a lecture, a meditation, and class exercises. This is for all ranges of students from the beginner, to the long time student.

Mediumship is a method of communicating with people who are no longer in their physical body, but in the spirit world. The class teaches students to do evidential readings as exercises so they get comfortable developing a relationship with those in spirit. This class is for anyone wanting to work with spirit whether they intend to become professional mediums or simply to use it in their everyday lives.

Classes are usually scheduled the last Thursday of each month from 1pm to 3:30pm at the Caring Palms studio. For more information, go to the IFSK website where you can learn more about this, check class schedules and locations, and get contact information.

Modality of the Month

Hot Stone Massage

Hot Stone massage is a unique style where heated rocks are moved over the body allowing the heat to sink into the muscles. Although deep work is not usually done with Hot Stone, the heat penetrates to make the muscles relax and feel better.

There are several types of Hot Stone massage and like other massage styles, these change with each therapist that does the work. Probably the most known style is called La Stone which was based on the types of massage done by native American Indians. They used hot and cold stones to create a relaxing experience. Marie Hannigan took this information and created La Stone from it as she was hurting her hands doing a lot of deep tissue work. With the stone, it gave her a tool to go deeply with while the heat penetrated and softened the muscles.

Hot Stone Massage

Brian Offering Readings
For practice, Brian is still offering to do some readings to anyone that wants to sit for one. Keep in mind, these are mediumship readings, not psychic readings. If you have an interest, please contact Brian and something can be scheduled.

Caring Palms Promise

At Caring Palms, we pledge to do the best work we can at every session. We not only do this to continue to earn your business, but because we believe that you deserve the best care possible every time you are here. This is true whether it is massage, or energy work, or classes. This is our promise. This is what we will continue to do.

Can We Answer Your Questions?
You have Questions? Maybe we have answers. Each month, we write articles on a variety of subjects. Is there something that you would like to see us write about? Do you have questions that you'd like answered? Do you have questions on massage? On Reiki? On energy work in general? Submit your questions or requests to Brian@CaringPalms.com and we will try to see if we can answer them for you.

May light continue to illuminate your path. Take care.

Sincerely,

Brian
Caring Palms Massage and Reiki

(904) 246-2206