Rhubarb “iced tea”

With our recent record-breaking heat, I was thinking of ways to feel refreshed. This is a lovely pink drink that is a summertime favorite of mine. The recipe is from The Joy of Rhubarb by Theresa Millang with my comments below.

Read More
Barbara Jean Conti
Local produce season

Although it’s been slow to arrive, spring is here in Minnesota and that means local produce is, too. Healthy eating is a big part of overall wellness and helps support your exercise, stress management, and body work. Besides all that, fresh produce tastes good!

Read More
Barbara Jean Conti
Why receive bodywork?

Lots of people I know never get a massage or other types of bodywork. If that describes you, maybe now is the time to  reconsider. A seasonal transition can be a good opportunity for extra self-care as your body adjusts to the changing weather and daylight. Why not try structural integration or another type of hands-on therapy this spring?

Read More
Barbara Jean Conti
Is equanimity possible?

I’ve struggled with some issues recently. Maybe that’s just a condition of modern life. Given the perspective of world events, what do I have to complain about? My family, friends and home are all intact and safe. I have enough to eat and clean water. I do not live in the flood plain.

Read More
Barbara Jean Conti
Massage gizmo

One way to maintain the benefits of bodywork (either structural integration or massage) outside the session is with yoga and stretching, which is why I have so many posts about yoga. Sometimes, though, one needs something at home that more-or-less replicates hands-on work. Some examples are the foam roller, Thera Cane, Yamuna® balls, and other tools like these.

Read More
Barbara Jean Conti
The Inner Life of Asanas book

I used to read Ascent Magazine, which covered the spiritual and philosophical side of yoga. The magazine is no longer published, but the web site lives on. One of the columns was called The Hidden Language of Yoga. This column, and compilation in book form, “blends real-life reflections with Hatha Yoga instruction and penetrating questions that point to the spiritual roots of the practice,” according to the publisher’s web site.

Read More
Barbara Jean Conti
Vanda Scaravelli: yoga and SI

One of my yoga heroines is Vanda Scaravelli. She started her practice of yoga at age 58 in her 40s and became a very wise practitioner. She wrote a beautiful book called Awakening the Spine. There are lots of parallels between her approach and the goals of structural integration bodywork. Here are a few lines that resonated with me.

Read More
Barbara Jean Conti
Compassion

What would the world look like if everyone practiced compassion and had empathy for others? I hope it would be a world free of the tragedies that have been in the news lately. I heard an interview today on the topic of compassion with Karen Armstrong. Along with practicing the Golden Rule, she also reminds us to have compassion for ourselves.

Read More
Barbara Jean Conti