Open Heart

A few years back I began to see a massage therapist that uses a variety of massage modalities (Zen Shiatsu, Reflexology, Deep Tissue, Myofascial Release and more) along with her intuition and compassion to treat her clients’ individual needs while helping them with their mind-body connection. At our first appointment we went through my health history which included my trauma. I will never forget what she said to me.. Melissa you tell a good story but there are no feelings or emotions behind your story. Our focus as we started to work together was to open my heart chakra, allow my deeply buried feelings and emotions to surface and release.

I grew up feeling unheard and never thought my voice or feelings mattered. If I complained of a headache or stomachache (which was frequent in my childhood due to my trauma) I was told “its all in your head”. I grew up ignoring my needs, numbing the pain and second guessing my thoughts, emotions, feelings, perceptions - was it all in my head? Is it okay for me to be upset? Happy? Anything at all? Guess what when you numb pain you are also numbing all the good feelings too!

In my first session with this massage therapist she placed a hot stone, her largest, over my heart chakra - I didn’t feel it.. I didn’t feel the weight, the heat … nothing. I learned then that my heart was blocked. I spent so many years numbing the pain and emotions as well as questioning my own feelings that my physical body was also affected.

With the help of this massage therapist, my regular massage therapist (Yes I have 2 for different reasons), EMDR with a counselor, my Ayurvedic Dr, my Reiki Practitioner, my yoga practice I was able to unblock my heart chakra opening my heart allowing me to feel all my feelings and emotions! Opening my heart has allowed me to find love for myself, deepen my connection with those I love. Whew, it sounds like a lot of work and lot of people involved.. it was. It takes a village and it takes a lot of work to heal. We need support, encouragement and accountability throughout the healing process. The work is worth it when you get to the other side!

Last Summer, my husband and I traveled to Colorado. Side note - Colorado has my heart, it is my favorite state to visit beginning when I was in high school. I feel at peace, free and my authentic self when I’m in that state. With this trip we visited some smaller mountain towns, my husband joked about how we could move to a small town, I could open a studio to provide Reiki and Yoga to those from the area or visiting the area. It was a fun conversation!

I am the traveler who will seek out a yoga studio, trail, or something to get my fix of movement. This trip to Colorado I attended 2 yoga practices: one in Denver at a studio named Rooted Heart Yoga and Wellness and one at Red Rocks. The practice at Rooted Heart Yoga and Wellness was a beautiful grounding practice with yoga instructor Amanda. The class of 4 (maybe 5 of us) was outdoors in a small courtyard across the street from the studio. I had the opportunity to talk with Amanda after the practice and learned she is also certified in Sound Massages (another incredible healing tool); she offers a variety of services. I continue to follow Amanda (breath.dance111) and Rooted Heart Yoga and Wellness on social media. I look forward to the day I am able to go back to join her session again. The 2nd practice I attended was a Sunday morning sunrise all levels yoga at Red Rocks amphitheater with THOUSANDS of yogis led by an instructor from a different Denver area yoga studio. It was a profound experience with the sounds of the music and ending the practice with “OM” with all yogis in attendance creating an incredible vibration within the Red Rocks.

The week after we returned home from Colorado I had a very vivid dream; in this dream I opened my own Reiki and Yoga practice as my husband and I joked about .. the name of my practice in the dream “Open Heart”.