Posts Tagged ‘Aromatherapy’

2017 Rejuvenation of Self Retreat

// July 30th, 2017 // No Comments » // Events

The Body Works Center’s

Rejuvenation of Self

November 9 – 12, 2017
a complete mind and body refresher in this fast-paced world

Retreat in Grayton Beach, Florida

Plant a tiny seed from which a mighty life skill will grow.

Come join in the fun and bask in the support from like-minded thinkers.
We will be melding with the forces of nature, seeing the sunrise and sunset, listening to the waves lapping on the shore, feeling the sunlight and soft breeze on our skin and smelling the fresh air.

The events of the days will include great healthy food (whys, what and how to prepare). Massage, special meditations, empowering hypnosis (also lessons in self-hypnosis), a special time for gratitude. We will spend time on the beach for ‘eye yoga’ and the building of our Labyrinth, weather permitting, Qi Gong and chair yoga.

Our evenings will be filled with discussions, music, meditation, and a very special project. Oh, LAUGHTER!! The beautiful white sand beaches await you. It’s time to sign up and commit to yourself. This is the calm before the holidays, time to focus on YOU!!

The tuition is all-inclusive: $745. A deposit of $250, holds your place. The balance is due October 25, 2017. We are limited to the number of participants, so please decide and commit soon.

Our home away from home is directly on the beach, it’s actually my favorite! Keeping it real for a life of happiness and abundance,

— Ellen LaRocca

Any questions, please contact me: bodyworkscenter@hotmail.com -or-

985-373-6089

Deposit checks: 410 Bon Temps Roulé, Mandeville, LA 70471

 

 

 

 

Rejuvenation of Self Retreat

// January 1st, 2016 // No Comments » // Events

I am happy to announce the next 

Rejuvenation of Self retreat,

at the beach, in IMG_8793Grayton Beach, Florida. Just in time to catch your breath before Springtime.

The house is ready and beautiful, sitting on the pristine shores of the Gulf of Mexico, beautiful clear waters, powder white sand and sunsets that bring in the magic of the night. Water lapping on the shore, the primordial sounds of nature…

Not to mention the laughter and chatter of friends, learning great strategies for great health and growing younger together. When you sign up, you will receive a questionnaire to complete, so that together we can personalize your experience and have some specific ‘take home’ information. Of course, the menu will be as natural and organic as possible, and delicious, recipes included. You will learn superfoods, the what, why and when to incorporate them into your life. The theme for this retreat is “Colors – How Mother Nature Paints Health”. The retreat will involve lots of new science, meditation, brain health, yoga, massage and two hands-on cooking classes. Oh, and so much more.

It’s time to invest in yourself. Save the date,November 3 – 6, 2016. The all -inclusive cost is $785.00. You can save your space with a deposit of $200.00, with the balance due by November 4th. Should you need to make payment arrangements, please contact me. If you go to my website, you can pay online with paypal, or your credit card. Truly, this is a not to be missed 4 day retreat. I have more information on my website: www.bodyworkscenter.org and my contact information is below.

 Thank you for your interest, I am sending love and light to you, 

Ellen LaRocca, LMT, CPSM

www.bodyworkscenter.org

bodyworkscenter@hotmail.com

985-373-6089

200 Mariner’s Plaza, Suite 209, Mandeville, Louisiana 70448

Friday’s Gift

// October 16th, 2009 // No Comments » // Aromatherapy

967808More On Aromatherapy…

Aromatherapy – described as ‘the skilled use of specific essential oils extracted from the root, wood, leaf, seed, herb, fruit, or flower for physical, psychological, and esthetical purposes’. The use of essential oils is based on the theory that each scent operates at a unique frequency, affecting the body in different ways, creating calm, healing, and energizing effects.

The process – fragrant substances, as opposed to pungent, sharp odors like ammonia, pass into the limbic system (the most primitive part of the brain) without being registered by the cerebral cortex (conceived by the intellect rather than by emotions). In fact, it is via the olfactory brain that the cerebral cortex is able to be stimulated into energy and inspiration by a scent. The cerebral cortex is a much more recent addition to intellectual processing, developing much later than the ancient limbic system. Fragrant substances reach the innermost control centers of our brain, the place where fragrances ‘touch our heart’, so to speak.

Odor stimuli in the limbic system, or olfactory brain, release a number of psychoactive (brain affecting) chemicals, including encephalin (reduces pain and creates a feeling of well-being), endorphins (kills pain and induces sexual feelings), serotonin (helps relax and calm),  and noradrenalin (helps keep you awake).

The sense of smell touches many of our subconscious perceptions, affecting sexuality, memory, creativity, moods, emotions, basic drives, and motivated behavior. It also helps balance our autonomic nervous system. Fragrance can therefore stimulate the center of our very being and create many associations that can inspire us deeply.

Scent of Health

// September 25th, 2009 // No Comments » // Aromatherapy

Using essential oils (e.o.) is not a practice that should be taken lightly, as the therapeutic grade e.o.’s have rhyme and reason for their use. They are very unique in there use and carry with them contraindications. When beginning with essential oil’s, one should take her time, getting to know and understand one e.o. at a time. The scent, the effects that it has on mood, the physical effects it may have on one, how the scent changes in time, quantity needed, and there are many other factors to be considered, all unique to each individual oil. Some oils blend nicely with other oils and some oils compete, not many can be used directly on the skin without a carrier oil. The practice of Aromatherapy is a very elegant profession, bringing the gifts of plants to those of us who are fortunate enough to have the experience to benefit from them.

So, we will start on our journey of understanding essential oils with a comprehensive study of one individual oil and then after studying a few, we will begin to explore blending, how’s, why’s and why not. Any questions, comments, additions… please email me from the contact page.

Let’s get started!

Lavender.  Specifically, Lavandula officianalis (known as true lavender), as there are more than 30 different varieties of lavenders. There are many applications for lavender, it is calming, relaxing, and can balance one, both emotionally and physically. The word ‘lavandula’ is Latin, meaning ‘to wash’. Interestingly, it is used in cleansing cuts, wounds, and in Europe, it is use in treating burns in hospitals, as it also promotes cell renewal. It is a great addition to your 1st aid kit. A burn in the kitchen, voila! A drop, or two, saves the day. I cannot even tell you how many times I have used lavender in the kitchen!

It grows abundantly in France, England, Bulgaria, the Mediterranean, and here the U.S.A.!  (Utah and Idaho have lavender farms, growing specifically to distill into essential oil. By the way, it takes 120 – 150 pounds of this lavender variety to make ONE pound of essential oil.

Personally, I feel that the diverse uses of this lavender make it the one to have, if you can only afford one essential oil. You can use it straight (directly on the skin), you can blend it with other oils, you can use it in a diffuser, in the bath, as a compress, as a facial mask. I bet that you can keep adding to this list. It’s even safe for children.  Safety predicts that you discuss use with your doctor if you are pregnant, or have some other physical reason that you are under a doctor’s care.

As a perfume, it adds a floral note, it is somewhat sweet, with woody undertones. Lavender blends well with many essential oils. We will get to recipes at a later date. The carrier oil that I like best with lavender is Organic Jojoba Oil.

Give yourself a treat, if you have not experienced lavender essential oil, do it soon. You will find that you will always have it on hand for, oh!, so many reasons. Always buy high quality e.o., preferably organic, therapeutic grade.

Try these very simple recipes:

Headaches – 3 drops of Lavender : 1 drop of German, or Roman, Chamomile, massage the head and scalp with this for just a few minutes.

Calming and relaxing bath – mix 2 -3 drops of lavender e.o. with your soap gel, and, before getting into a warm bath, apply to your  body, enter bath and soak for 15 – 20 minutes. Drink some chamomile tea while you soak. Enjoy getting into bed for a deep and peaceful sleep.

Lavender and distilled water in a spray bottle to cleanse the air, spray on your bed linens, spritz your closet…… you get the idea! The formula: 10 – 18 drops of lavender : 6 ounces of distilled water.

Enjoy and ask questions on my comment page. Thanks for the visit!967808

“Listen to the voice of nature, for it holds treasures for us all.”      Huron Saying

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