Exam time again! Honestly, I am glad I don't have to sit any this year - I still remember vividly how stressful these times were...

Today I had a young lady coming for a massage after she had finished her last exam at high school!
A thoughtful present from her mum - a well-earned reward for a lot of hard work!
But it is more than that: massage helps to loosen all this muscles that tighten up during hard weeks of learning: especially in the back, neck and shoulder area. It soothes the nerves and helps to relax.
And it just feels great!!!

So if you know a young person who just finished her/his exams - or is in the midst of it: why not reward her/him with a massage?! I guarantee you will be loved for it!...

Today I had a very special commitment: I have been at the New Dowse in Lower Hutt to support the 'Big Latch On'! 
As part of celebrations for World Breastfeeding Week, La Leche League was holding the Big Latch On which is an attempt to break the world record for the most women breastfeeding simultaneously. The emphasis was on making this an opportunity for the mums to get together and have a chat, some morning tea and celebrate the relationships with each other and their babies.
There have been almost 100 mums with their babies and kids filling the conference room at the New Dowse - what an atmosphere! I was offering the mums free neck & shoulder massages - and as you can imagine they where very well received :-) 
And who deserves it more than mums?!...

Today I got an email from one of my clients, who just gave birth to her baby! She added a photo - what a cutie!! To finally get to see the baby I have been 'in touch with' during a pregnancy massage is always very special to me - a little miracle, perfectly created and absolutely unique! A very special part of our future.
And I love touching the future...

Today I have the pleasure to introduce you to Adity! When I started body & soul, I decided to give 10% of the money I earned to children in need . So with every massage I gave, I also touched the world's future.
Now the time seemed right to not only support a project, but to add a face to it - a sponsor child's face. And I thought it would be nice to have some very special connection to that child. That's why I asked worldvision if there is a child born on the 5. Oct. 2007 waiting for a sponsor.  There was: Adity!
Adity lives in India and entered the world the same day as my first client entered my massage studio in Eastbourne! That makes her very special to me.
Thank you to all my clients who come for a massage and through that help to touch Adity's life. I am looking forward to see her and body & soul growing up together...

Today was such a stunning day! After starting off with heavy rain, we had this awesome winter weather: sunny, warm, calm, and a breathtaking view of the south island - mountains covered in snow! I took a walk along the beach, and once again knew why I was here...
Before that I had a chat with someone about a lot of things - and about children massage. And we agreed about just how much kids love massage! How the most active child becomes quiet and the anxious one relaxes...

A lot of my daughters friends think, that she is lucky to have a  massage therapist as mum. Well, she might have  an advantage - but that doesn't mean that other mums can't do it! Often we think of massage as an hour set aside, a comfortable padded table, nice oils, relaxing music and professional strokes (and yes, that's what you should expect if you come to see me). But that's not how it has to be. Massage can be as simple as a good back rub, a squeeze of the shoulders, massaging the feet while watching TV and stroking the hair at bedtime...!
My daughter doesn't get on my massage table every day - but she gets at least one massage daily.
Because it's that simple...!

If you would like to learn some basic massage techniques, have a look at this book:
Healing touch for children: massage, acupressure and reflexology routine for children aged 4-12 by Mary Atkinson.  You can borrow it from the Hutt City Library  - they purchased it on my suggestion. And it is also available at Wellington City Libraries.