You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them,
But seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backwards nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
And He bends you with His might
That His arrows may go swift and far.

Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
So He loves also the bow that is stable.

   —The Prophet, Kahlil Gibran

Some massage therapists frankly use too much pressure. Rather than skillfully and intuitively unwinding knots and releasing tension where the energy is specifically being held in the body, they apply force as a whole body experience. You can almost hear them thinking, “No pain, no gain!” This belief that it has to hurt to be beneficial is based on a faulty understanding of human physiology and completely ignores the fact that the body heals when it feels SAFE.

Insensitive “deep massage” causes damage to the tissue. It causes the body to try and protect itself by resisting the pressure, making it more tense. While you can force a muscle to ‘release’ by applying enough force, we believe it does vastly more harm than good (and hurts!). Your body is under enough stress without feeling attacked by your therapist!

Intuitive massage takes a completely different approach. An intuitive massage therapist seeks out areas of tension and then listens to the body. How does the body want to unwind this tension? It knows! With patient attention and skilled support, the tension will release. As you observe your own body unwinding from a relaxed and safe state of mind, you are integrating this knowledge. You are literally learning how to relax yourself on a deep level.

Does the body sometimes call for pinpoint pressure? Sure. Does such work sometimes cause localized “good pain?” Yes. But it is almost always quick and followed by a sense of release. If your body has a lot of these points of pain, what it needs is overall energy balancing first (and that’s what we’ll do!).

What You Get From Your Investment in Intuitive Massage Therapy Sessions

What you will notice after a series of sessions is that your body will become better at unwinding tension on its own. Between massages, you will notice a pain and bring the same relaxed awareness to it that you did on the massage table… and the pain will start to melt. On its own. As something YOU have learned to do for YOU. Not only that, when you do come in for your regularly scheduled massage, your body will start feeling relaxed very quickly. You will experience a deeper level of physical and emotional peace than you had thought possible. Because… you feel safe, listened to, deeply respected.

“Whoever used the milk in the small plastic container that was in the refrigerator yesterday, please do NOT own up to it. I would find it forever after difficult to meet your gaze across a cafeteria table whilst having a discussion about java applets or brand identity. Just be aware that that milk was EXPRESSLY for my son, if you get my drift. I will label these things from now on, but if you found your coffee tasted just a little bit unusual this morning, you might think about calling your mom and telling her you love
her.”

The good news is that within 72 hours after your last cigarette, your blood will be clear of nicotine. The number of cravings per day will have peaked and be on the decline. And even better, your unborn baby will start thriving in ways he or she cannot when being impacted by nicotine, carbon monoxide, and all the other chemicals that come in each cigarette.  (See WhyQuit.com's article on smoking during pregnancy and breastfeeding for more details.)

Here is how we can help you if you are pregnant (or breastfeeding) to stop smoking:

1) Massage during the first days of cold-turkey withdrawal can significantly reduce body-centered anxiety. Two or three half hour sessions can really help you get over the hump. Ongoing massage then helps to raise your overall sense of well-being, and that is definitely good for both you and the baby. It's a great way to invest the money you will save from not buying all those cigarettes! We're also open to discussing special financial considerations for pregnant mothers committed to quitting.

2) Emotional freedom coach Rick Wilkes offers to our pregnant and breastfeeding massage clients a FREE short course in EFT, Emotional Freedom Techniques. EFT is a form of "emotional acupuncture" except you use your fingertips to tap on key relaxation points rather than using needles. It often works when nothing else has. EFT is highly effective in reducing anxiety during the craving periods so you can be calm and confident, focusing on the positive health benefits for you and your baby.

You can learn more about EFT for pregnancy and smoking cessation on Rick's website at www.thrivingnow.com. If you are outside of our area, Rick works by phone with clients around the world on all pregnancy-related emotional issues.

3) Stop-smoking groups and programs are everywhere, including on the internet. www.WhyQuit.com offers support forums, articles, and additional help for getting through the first three days and then day-by-day after that.

Quit Lines offer free support 24/7. They are an excellent listening ear when things get tough:

West Virginia — 1-877-Y-NOT-QUIT (1-877-966-8784)
National Cancer Institute — 1-877-44U-QUIT
American Cancer Society (ACS) — 1-800-ACS-2345
American Lung Association — 1-800-LUNG-USA

We know that pregnant women who smoke suffer from criticism and judgment from others as well as guilt of their own for not "doing what is best" for their baby. We know this is a physical and emotional challenge, as it will be for your baby when the first three days of its life are spent in nicotine withdrawal unless you quit NOW.

We also know that the combination of massage, EFT, and professional support can get your through this... and nothing is more important for your health and well-being and that of your baby during these crucial months. We'd like to help. Please feel free to email your questions and concerns to: Jennifer@MothersIntuitionMassage.com

We'll hold a Good Thought for you!

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• Birthdays - All ages, including for young adults at key transition ages like 10, 13, 16, 18, 21.
• Baby showers - pregnancy massage is our specialty
• We’re Having a Baby! - Why wait for the baby shower?
• Wedding showers and anniversaries - couples massage is a great way to start a romantic evening with an hour each or by splitting a 1.5 hour session
• Mother's Day - Mom always deserves a massage
• Father's Day - Dad's love massage, too.
• Valentine's Day - treat her to a massage, or get one for both of you to share for your date night
• Exam Stress - Help restore mental clarity and rebalance the body/mind before major exams
• Graduation - it's been a long road... time to relax and celebrate
• Thank you gift - always appreciated
• Employee recognition - for those that go the extra mile and deserve more than just a pat on the back
• Congratulations
• Celebrations
• Prizes and give-aways
• Other special events

Gift certificates can be ordered here on the website using major credit cards or PayPal and mailed to you or your recipient, or you can make an appointment to pay by local check or cash and pick up your gift certificates in person at our studio by calling 304-290-1497.

Some expensive spas insist that everyone receive the "same" massage. If you sign up for a Swedish massage at their location, regardless of the therapist, your arms, legs, neck, and back will be done in a certain order and a certain way. They train and judge their therapists by how well they follow this formula. That's fine as long as your body always craves the same work the same way every time. Mine sure doesn't. Does yours?

Let me give you some examples. We have two arms and two shoulders. Yet, we use them differently!  Your left side can be stiff from holding a baby while your right arm does the work of two. Or, one of your wrists can be sore from using the computer's mouse all day.

We all have a spine, of course, but some people have to sit at work all day. Others stand up the entire shift. And most Moms spend all evening cooking, cleaning, and stooping over to pick up toys and dirty clothes!

Your body reflects how hard your day is. Intuitive massage is designed to give the body precisely what it needs. One shoulder may need to be lengthened and soothed. The other may have deep knots crying for relief. Obviously, no "formula" can guide this type of deeply helpful work. It requires presence, sensitivity, and focused energy.

Your intuition plays an important role, too. Before we begin, I will ask you if there are areas in your body that are "speaking up" for attention. We'll use your body awareness as our starting point. As we unwind the tension using gentle approaches, you might be amazed when the pain in your neck releases through work with your low back. The human body is like that. Intuitive massage often leads us into surprising discoveries about how best to bring relief for you.

Using intuition to guide both where to work and how to work, we have the opportunity to relieve stored pain and stress (both physical and emotional) that other types of massage would just glide over. You will notice the difference right away.

Is intuitive massage right for you? Only you can tell. Are you feeling encouraged that I can help you? If so, trust your intuition and schedule an appointment right now. I will do my absolute best to make it an enjoyable, healthful experience. I'll also make it risk-free.

The 15-Minute No-Risk Guarantee

If you have any doubt that you will enjoy and benefit from our work together, I want to put you at ease. At any time from when you arrive for your appointment to 15-minutes into the session, if you decide to stop there is no charge. You can also end your session early if your intuition directs you and pay only for the time used. It is vital to our work together that you always feel safe and in control.

You see, I know some people have had a bad massage experience and never want to go through "that" again. Others have never experienced safe, professional touch therapy, and they are nervous and unsure. I understand that. I respect your concerns. So I gladly make it risk-free to you.

What I know from experience is that 15 minutes into an intuitive massage session, MOST people are hoping it is not too late to upgrade to a longer session! (Often you can, although it is better to schedule in advance; always feel free to ask!).

If you have any questions whatsoever, please feel free to email me at Jennifer@MothersIntuitionMassage.com or call me at 304-290-1497. If you are ready to schedule your appointment, let's get started. You can pay for a session (credit card) or order a massage gift certificate for someone else by clicking here, or you can pay by local check or cash at the time of your session.

I look forward to working with you and showing you "first hand" how intuitive massage is one of the best investments you can make in your overall health and well-being.

I was too tired to respond, so I just ignored them until I heard the second girl ask the first, “How do you know that woman is somebody’s mom?”

The first girl replied, “Who else would do that?”

As it fell, it hit the family dog, which leaped up, howling and barking. The woman’s three-year-old son, startled by this noise, broke into loud screams. The woman mumbled some colorful words.

She finally managed to pick up the receiver and lift it to her ear, just in time to hear her husband’s voice on the other end say, “Nobody’s said hello yet, but it certainly sounds as if I have the right number.”

The mother smiled. “I can’t dear,” she said. ‘I have to sleep in Daddy’s room.”

The little boy replied with a shaking voice, “The big sissy.”

In one study researchers found that massaged workers had increased brain waves for alertness and decreased stress hormones in their saliva. Anxiety, depression and job stress levels were lowered after receiving chair massage twice a week for 5 weeks. Another study found massage therapy reduced stress levels even among people in very high-stress professions, such as hospital nursing and physician staff.

Make time in your life for regular massage therapy. It’s an investment in a lifetime of well-being.

“Okay everyone in the house, please stand advised that I, Little Johnny Elvis Smith, have on this date made a complete fool of myself in sex-education class by repeating stories concerning storks as told to me by certain parties residing in this house!”