Gosh, where do I start? I can not believe that a few moments ago it was March, and now it's mid-May. I stand by a claim I made several years ago that these years I am living now are
the happiest years in my life so far. Now, I am waiting for my body to catch up. I'm only turning 41 in June but have been persistently having physical problems and pain. Too young for someone who has led a pretty darn healthy life, although with Type I insulin-dependent Diabetes. I've been seeing a chiropractor, I've received quite a bit of body work, and I just started to see an acupuncturist. A lot of the energy work I do end up doing has been directed towards dysfunction and pain in my right leg/ knee, and lower back. For some reason, a reverse curve has been discovered in my neck, as though I had been in a car accident, although no such physical trauma has occurred. I'm looking forward to resolving these issues.
Slowly I am finding my "center" here, although I have yet to solidly dedicate myself again to my spiritual and energetic practices such as meditation, Reiki, journeying. Even belly dancing or regular stretching! The dust is still settling. And as I may have mentioned in an earlier entry, all of my creative juice has been directed towards rebuilding my career and my vocation in massage therapy. And if I'm honest, being married as well. I'm used to making jewelry and visual art, but that is also on hold.
I've been in a flurry of tourism, when I haven't been taking or studying some form of continuing education in my field. I've entertained myself by learning more about aliens, chem trails, nutrition, and Monsanto, online. (I'm extra glad I'm consuming Chlorella and Turmeric!) I've started to write down a lot of my healthy recipes, which may become part of this blog in the future. My hunger for learning, healing, and growing here has been voracious. All seem to be happening at an excelerated rate. I think that is the nature of this place. People say to me that Santa Fe will either suck you in or kick you out, and you've got to be ready for it. It's definitely sucked me in.
I've completed training in Indian head massage, and just finished a prenatal certification workshop. The prenatal workshop included some emotional healing work; a totally new paradigm of learning. Right after the Indian head massage workshop I received a call for an interview with a spa that was number one on my list of places to work. The interview was more like an orientation, and the only demand on me was to give the manager a massage. The job was in my hands before I showed up. So, now I am becoming acquainted again with luxury spa culture. Things are much less up to luxury standard there then they were at Four Seasons. It's baffling, especially when all the treatments I've performed so far cost the guest $190 apiece. But it's also a great relief, too. I get to be authentic, and the best massage therapist I can be, and live up to my own standard, which I think is a very good one.
That's New Mexico for you... and the Southwest in general. The Land of Manana. Customer service is not so valued by those doing the service. This is a huge paradox in the luxury hospitality industry. Loic has not been rewarded for his initiative and standard of excellence that he has been trained in. Alternately, he is still making a rather good income, and he too is able to relax a bit more, I think. Although because he is in a managerial position, the staff underneath him take advantage of him. I'm encouraging him to take measures to prevent this, but there is not much one can do if an employee decides not to work one day and Loic is forced to work extra hours without extra pay. In Chicago, these employees would be reprimanded and eventually get fired. Not so here.
On the note of tourism and socializing, we've hosted several more couchsurfers, and I've gone with one to see Ten Thousand Waves spa, which has worldwide fame. If you, dear Reader, come to visit Santa Fe, I most highly recommend not only Ojo Caliente, but Ten Thousand Waves. The former certainly has healing waters, but the latter is most definitely up to luxury standard. For $2o you can soak in a women's bath or communal bath, with your own cotton kimono robe and slippers, as much filtered water to drink as you like, as many towels as you want, a wonderful traditional Japanese sauna, a meditation room, and peppermint or green tea. The locker rooms have wonderfully scented amenities such as lotion, shower gel, shampoo and hair conditioner. The property is exquisitely beautiful, complete with waterfall and ponds filled with Koi fish. I've been told the massage is fantastic.
I have visited Ghost Ranch (Georgia O'Keeffe made this famous) with my new friend Eve, originally from Chicago and now living in Boulder, Colorado. Eve says Ghost Ranch is as beautiful or more so than Sedona, Arizona. I'll have to see it myself one day soon to compare, but I can believe it. The mesas are nearly blood red, and glow.
We've done some fabulous birdwatching here. There are birds here I've never seen before. Every morning I wake to hearing their song. And yesterday I was blessed with a Raven feather as Loic and I walked down our gravel drive. The fresh air, the skies, the sun, the mountains, the rocks, and the wildlife make this place so precious. And sealing the experience are wonderful people with heart.
In two days time I travel back to visit family and friends in Chicago. Later today I have two massage appointments booked in my home office. When I finish this writing I will take a walk to pick up some delicious local chocolate for my parents to enjoy when I stay with them. I feel truly blessed and grateful.
