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Seeing People As They Really Are

August 1st, 2008
Psychotherapist David Richo explores our tendency to transfer potent feelings about people from the past onto the people currently in our lives, whether they are our intimate partners, coworkers, or friends.  This can become a major stumbling block in relationships, preventing us from seeing others as they really are.  Richo offers valuable insights and practical guidance on how to recognize this destructive pattern and free ourselves from it. 

RECOGNIZING the TRUE ESSENCE of ANY EXPERIENCE

July 6th, 2008
The deeper meaning behind the Sanskrit word rasa, "essence, sap, flavor, or juice," inspired Rachel Hogancamp when she chose the name for Rasa Spa. Ithaca College theatre professor and massage therapist Paula Murray Cole states that rasa is a term also used to describe the experience one can have watching a performance or encountering a work of art. "Rasa is a kind of energetic transmission from one object or person to another."  

Manage Anger Before it Manages You: For Teens and Adults

June 2nd, 2008
Manage Anger Before it Manages You: For Teens and Adults One-on-One with Geraldine Katovich of the Anger Clinic in Chicago By Anne Marie Cummings "According to the Buddha's teaching, the most basic condition for happiness is freedom.  Here we do not mean political freedom, but freedom from the mental formations of anger, despair, jealousy, and delusion.  These mental formations are described by the Buddha as poisons.  As long as these poisons are still in our heart, happiness cannot be possible."   Thich Nhat Hanh  The weekend I interviewed Geraldine Katovich of the Anger Clinic, there were 36 shootings, with a total of nine deaths in Chicago.   Some say the shootings and the deaths were because of the first days of summer weather, some say they were drug related, and while either of those explanations may be true, maybe the primary reason was an inability for people to manage their anger.  Using the word anger one might feel a sense of helplessness, and the reasons for that are clear, our society has had very little experience in learning how to manage escalating emotions.  With all the violence continuing in the world today, is there any wonder?

BALANCE FROM THE INSIDE OUT

May 4th, 2008
BALANCE FROM THE INSIDE OUT An Interview with Dr. Pratima Raichur on Ayurveda  (Ah-yur-vay-dah) by Anne Marie Cummings   "When the skin meets the soul and the soul meets the skin, something beautiful, pure and luminescent emerges."                                                        Dr. Pratima Raichur   A Chemist, Botanist, Doctor of Naturopathy, Ayurvedic Physician, and Best-Selling Author, Dr. Pratima Raichur embarked on her career at age 13 when she started apprenticing for one of India's foremost Ayurvedic physicians. While working as a researcher at Hull University in England, Dr. Raichur began to study the correlation between modern medicine and Ayurveda-India's 5,000-year-old traditional medicine, and applied her discoveries to her own practice as an aesthetician. In the past three decades she has treated thousands of men and women using her unique system of Ayurvedic remedies. In many cases she has proven her excellence by clearing up skin problems that defied treatment by top dermatologists. 

Red Flower's Indulgence

April 1st, 2008
Maybe it does take a life-threatening experience for some of us before we begin to appreciate the wondrous simplicities of life to the very fullest.  And this is what happened to the young and stunningly beautiful Yael Alkalay, founder and creator of Red Flower - a line of bath and beauty products that remind us to slow down and enjoy the moments of ritual in our lives.  Red Flower products allow us to feel sensual, peaceful, and connected.  The rituals when Yael was a young girl, making rose jam, violet liqueurs, and pouring olive oil on her wet skin after a shower may be the essence Yael brings to a line of products that indulge the senses, particularly the skin.  After sampling the Red Flower Hammam Cardamom Amber Oil, my body was invigorated, my mind relaxed as if it had been whisked away to a Turkish spa.  And for the rest of my day?  It was dreamy -- no doubt because of the unmistakable warming scent nearby. 

The Heart & Soul of Sex

March 6th, 2008
RASA SPA talks with sex therapist, author, and speaker, Dr. Gina Ogden. Dr. Ogden is a pioneer in sexuality and spirituality whose visionary work has changed the lives of women all over the country. She has had a distinguished career as a marriage and family therapist, sex therapist, teacher, researcher, and author.  She has written seven books, including The Return of Desire: A Guide to Rediscovering Your Sexual Passion, Women Who Love Sex and The Heart and Soul of Sex.  She also conducted the first nationwide survey on integrating sexuality and spirituality (called ISIS) to challenge the performance-oriented norms established by Kinsey and other sex researchers.  In addition, she has been a featured guest on numerous radio and television programs including Oprah and NPR’s On Point.   

Exposed to Cancer

February 1st, 2008
If you are ever diagnosed with cancer, or you currently have cancer and are looking for support, there is no better place to go in Ithaca than the CANCER RESOURCE CENTER of the Finger Lakes. The staff there will help you understand what to expect, they will help you understand what questions you need to ask, and they will give you one-on-one support along the way. Their home is on West State Street, and is open to anyone with cancer or anyone who wants to learn more about it. I sat down with Executive Director Shawn Galbreath and Associate Director Bob Riter to learn more about them and what they do. I walked away realizing that these two, or others like them, are the people you want on your side if you are ever diagnosed with cancer: people who are sensitive, people who will listen to what you want even if you don't know what that is, people who have or know of the resources you need, people who care about you and believe in your life. 

Ohashi on Ohashiatsu Massage

January 1st, 2008
Part of the English word "massage" is derived from the Arabic word, massa, "to touch." When it comes to massage, everyone needs to be touched in precisely the right way. But, precisely the right way is different for everyone; each of us seeks the right touch, especially when paying for a massage. But who would have thought that in order to receive the best massage, the one massaging you must be happy, and most important, comfortable.There are very few clients who ask their massage therapist before entering their hour-long state of bliss, "Oh, and by the way, are you comfortable?" This is the furthest thing from most clients' minds, but perhaps a conversation with Ohashi, originator of Ohashiatsu and founder of the Ohashi Institute, will help receivers of massage understand that the right touch comes from someone at peace with themselves. This is the way it is with Ohashi.  

Calm Your Baby with Itsy Bitsy Yoga

December 3rd, 2007
I’m not a mom, but if I were, I would be sure to pick up, and practice Itsy Bitsy Yoga with my baby.  I spoke to Helen Garabedian, author of the fabulously endearing book, “Itsy Bitsy Yoga: Poses to Help Your Baby Sleep Longer, Digest Better, and Grow Stronger,” and instantly fell in love with the entire concept of doing yoga with a baby.  And how apropos since babies naturally do yoga in their own adorable ways, from their breathing to how they move and explore their bodies as they develop and grow. 

Undoing Depression

November 1st, 2007
Everyone feels depressed at some point in their life. Some people are depressed for a few days, some for a few weeks, and some for years. In Undoing Depression, Dr. Richard O’Connor not only talks about the suicide of his mother and how his own depression affected him, but he guides his readers into understanding what depression is, what is isn’t, how some of his patients have dealt with it and what he suggests his readers do to help themselves to find relief.