MEDITATION

// April 19th, 2018 // No Comments » // Meditation

Using Meditation to Strengthen Your Immune System

One study conducted by the University of Wisconsin showed that meditation may be more effective than exercise at preventing the cold and flu. They also found that if you do get sick, meditation effectively reduced symptom severity. Infante et al. found that compared to non-meditators, those with an established meditation practice had higher levels of B lymphocytes and natural killer cells, cells the body uses to protect itself from foreign invaders. Even in new meditators, Davidson and colleagues found similar benefits. They noted that compared to the control group, after an eight-week mindfulness meditation program they had increased immune responses to foreign invader cells. As additional research is conducted in the field of meditation and immunology, it seems very likely that we will continue to learn great things from this long-standing practice.

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

meditation classes

// April 30th, 2012 // No Comments » // Events, Meditation

MINDFUL MEDITATION: AN ALLY IN YOUR CANCER RECOVERY Thursdays, weekly 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Cordes Outpatient Pavilion , Covington 

2015 classes begin Thursday, January 8, 10am -11am

Learn to use the power of your mind to fight disease, find strengths, make the best of treatments & meet the challenges cancer can bring. Guided by Ellen LaRocca, the class will introduce various meditation, guided imagery & simple yoga techniques. Participants may start at any time. Open to anyone with a cancer diagnosis, their caregivers & the health professionals who care for them. Call (985) 898-4581 or email ccorizzo@stph.org to register.

Friday’ Gift

// October 29th, 2009 // No Comments » // Meditation

Primordial Sound Meditation

Discover the silence that creates inner peace for the challenges of daily living

As we move into the world of Body Mind Medicine and into new paradigms of thinking, we move ever closer to the understanding of the myriad of benefits offered by the simple act of sitting quietly, with no conversations, in meditation. Meditation is one of the most powerful tools there is to help us restore the harmony within and to gain access to our body’s inner intelligence. In meditation we re-connect with our essence. This connection extends to our daily lives and can result in improved health, more fulfilling relationships, enthusiasm for life and increased creativity.

Primordial Sound Meditation is a technique that originated from the ancient knowledge of India. Deepak Chopra, MD and David Simon, MD, have revived this authentic process and made it available in a format that can be easily learned and practiced by everyone. During PSM our minds become quiet, allowing our bodies to gain the deep rest necessary to release stress and fatigue.

Primordial Sounds are the basic, most essential sounds of nature. The specific sounds which are used in meditation are called mantras. These mantras are used to help take our awareness away from the frenzy of the daily activity of the mind to the stillness of our spirit. The effect soothes our entire physiology — mind, body and soul.

PSM can be learned by people of every age, education, culture and religion. It does not require specific beliefs or a change in behavior or lifestyle.

“Meditation is not forcing your mind to be quiet; it’s finding the quiet that is already there.”….Deepak Chopra

Mindfulness meditation can heal, boost immunity and improve mental and physical health. In a study conducted by West Virginia University, 103 adults participated in an 8 week study in which they learned, practiced, and applied mindfulness meditation to daily life situations. The group completing the meditation program showed a 44% decrease in  psychological distress and a 46% decrease in medical symptoms. Williams KA, et al. Evaluation of a wellness-based mindfulness stress reduction intervention: a controlled trial. Am J Health Promot. 2001:15(6):422-32

For more information on Primordial Sound Meditation, or to schedule a class, please contact Ellen LaRocca, Certified PSM Instructor, at ellenbodyworks@yahoo.com

Meditation for Healing Body, Mind, and Spirit

// September 26th, 2009 // No Comments » // Meditation

Meditation for healing Body, Mind and Spirit

Soft Belly

Let us begin by sitting comfortably, closing our eyes, breathing easily.

Take a minute to let your body settle, let your breathing slow, feel the beating of your heart deep in your chest. Focus on the miracle of that muscle, the heart, feel it beating, hear it , see it. One of the profound miracles that we witness each, and every day, of our lives. Now we will begin the soft belly breathing. Place your hands on your belly. Now breathe in deeply and be sure to notice if your hands are rising, as your belly pulls your breathe deeply into your body. As you exhale, you should feel your hands descending with your belly as the breathe leaves your body.  Practice this for a few breathes. Now, as you breathe in, say to yourself the word ‘soft’, as your exhale, say to yourself the word ‘belly’. This will be our mantra for a few minutes. The idea is to breathe deeply, effortlessly. To train yourself to feed your body the nutrients that come with breathing, without thinking, without effort. Soft……belly…….soft…..belly….soft….belly…….keep going and I will tell you when to move on. Soft…..belly…..soft……belly……………….

Following Your Breadth

You may notice that your mind is very active and many trains of thought are interrupting your meditation

This is a normal occurrence in the practice of meditation. Do not try to suppress the thoughts, just gently go to your breadth. Your following the breadth in and out of your body will begin to quell the thoughts. Actually, the thoughts are a mechanism of relieving stress, via the nervous system. It’s a good thing, kind of like defragging your computer. You may notice that you sometimes fall asleep, that’s okay, it just means your body needs sleep and you are giving yourself the opportunity to let your body receive what it needs. That, too, is a good thing. So keep your focus on your breathe, in and out, in and out………. Then, you lose track of your breathing, your thoughts are gone, you are really awake! Wow! this is amazing! You have gone into a deep healing state of meditation. And now you are back, thoughts, breathing. And then, again, where did I go? And the dance is on. Stay with your meditation. Anticipate nothing. Let go, let God, let go, let God. Allow the peace to settle in. Let go, let God, let go, let God. Trust the Beloved. God loves you, God embraces you. God loves you, God embraces you. Let go, let go, let go……………

Coming Back

Now, it’s time to return, keeping your eyes closed, take your time, come back into your body with ease

Keeping your eyes closed, it’s time to go back to noticing your breadth, your heart beat. Put your awareness back into your body, notice your toes, your feet, your ankles…..feel the blood circulating in your body, take your time, notice your legs, your hips, your belly. Start feeling your body. Your chest, your ribs, your lower back, feel your lungs fill with air. Now your fingers, hands, wrists, and arms. Roll your shoulders and move your neck about. Breathe. Feel your facial muscles, your beautiful smile, your eyes, ears, the top of your head. Breathe. Breathe. Now, when you are ready, and only then, open your eyes and enjoy the moment. Enjoy the gift that you gave to yourself.

This meditation is compliments of Ellen LaRocca, LMT, CPSM

Please feel free to contact me to learn more about meditation and receiving your own personal mantra.

best massage in mandeville

// August 25th, 2009 // No Comments » // Events

Welcome to Body Works Massage & Wellness Center, where you can receive the benefits of thirty years of experience, with any one of our four massage therapists. Ellen LaRocca, LMT, (that’s me!) has been practicing therapeutic massage, teaching and studying many modalities of body work for many years, bringing to the Northshore excellence and experience. Today is my first post on this site. I will be posting information and education on massage, benefits, contraindications, and personal opinions on the subject of bodywork for health and well-being. Please visit often, as I will do my best to post often. You can also request information by going to my contact page and shooting an email to me, I will respond with the best answer I can research. I will be posting info about meditation and how to easily learn to meditate for present moment living and happiness. Well, here we go!!