Self Care is Meaningful Magic

You are a powerful magician in your own life.

You are a powerful magician in your own life. When I was in massage/shiatsu school we joked that it was like “Hogwarts” the fictional magic school for wizards, Harry Potter’s Alma Mater. Seemingly mundane things became amazingly magical like breathing to balance your body and mind, your hands and the energy that runs through them and self care. We learned how to care for our selves mind, body and spirit, and how to teach it to our future clients. As “baby” healing arts practitioners, we were taught that in order to take care of others we must take care of ourselves first to be fresh and ready for work. It was the cardinal rule of the school and of my new vocation in the healing arts. In that excellent school program, we were required to do and document 50 yoga classes and to receive monthly bodywork in order to fulfill the program requirements. We learned about how to feel energy in our own bodies and in others.

We learned about the human energy field and best practices for natural healing. Learning about our nature in our physical bodies and about our physical bodies in nature was boundlessly empowering. As well as understanding the reality of life that, everything is energy first. What we think, do, and feel really matters. When we are in touch with our feeling systems, our own energy and senses the world opens up to us in a more vibrant and qi filled way, our quality of life improves, and we access consciousness. As students, we were awakened to the awareness of the natural wonder of the healing tools that we have available to us from nature first.

We learned about using natural healing aids including nourishing topical lubricants for massage such as olive oil, shea butter, jojoba oil, castor oil, essential oils, magnesium lotion, liniments, arnica, and wonderful topical healing salves that nourish and heal the body. Making and using my own healing lubricants with essential oils and herbs has been a delightful part of my work, home life, and self-care routine daily. As a student of the healing arts, I learned that self-care was essential. Self-care is taking time for things that are therapeutic for you. Practices and treatments that provide relaxation and rejuvenation.

Receiving massage, taking a yoga class, meditating, exercising on a regular basis, and journaling your feelings, parts, fears, hopes, and dreams. Making sure you have enough fun, rest, mental stimulation, creativity, self-expression, time in nature, good food, water, fresh air, and sunshine is money in your personal energy bank. Self-care and Natural Healing go hand in hand. As we care for ourselves, from our basic survival needs of connection, air, food, water, shelter, and sleep, we see our natural rhythms emerge. Nature gives us insight into ourselves as beings of nature in nature. Nature and natural things are our first form of care as babies. Skin-to-skin touch, being held or rocked, mothers milk, warmth, sleep. We are born to receive care from others first.

This means the people before us knew how to take care of themselves and others to continue to survive and create. Our inner guidance tells us what we need in each new day, this is an innate power. I think it’s important to begin by asking yourself and recognizing, what do I need for my own optimal functioning? What makes me feel good? What do I want? What do I love? How do I beautifully and naturally nourish myself today? How do I connect with Spirit? My own spirit and the spirit of what is around me? The right for YOU food, sleep, exercise, recreation, beauty, health, mind, body, and spirit /soul nourishment creates a continuum of a balanced life. This is self-health care. Self-Healthcare is a form of wealth.

When you take the time to take care of yourself you are creating more wellness and juicy living for yourself! Feeling good is an open and expansive feeling. Living with health and wellness is a result of your self-care activities. Nature is nurture. I feel one of the best ways to take care of yourself is to first either like or love how you feel when you do something to take care of yourself. While Tending to the necessities in your daily care you speak to yourself gently and kindly.

Become aware of your inner dialogue. Welcome things that stimulate your senses and raise your vibration! As a massage therapist, energy worker, and hypnotherapist I recognize that our physical body and energy bodies are all linked and connected. When I treat someone’s meridians, craniosacral system, or lymphatic system it treats their muscles too. We treat different levels and systems of the body, muscle, tendon, ligament, fascia, lymph passages, meridians, and the attention will play through to other layers and systems including our emotions and soul.

Self-care is achieved by enjoying your sensory experience moment to moment. Through your senses recognize: What feels good to you? What do you like seeing? What colors tickle your eyes? What do you like to smell? What do you like to touch? What music and sounds do you like to play, dance, sing or listen to? 

My self care routine is comprised of things I need to do to keep me sane, high-functioning, and healthy. Getting enough sleep and hydration are at the top of my list. Cooking and eating whole, live vibrant foods, eating the rainbow brings me joy. Doodling or doodle painting, journaling, walking, swimming, meditating, red light therapy, on a daily basis de-stress and provide balance to my work and presence with others. I receive acupuncture on an almost weekly basis. Chiropractic care, massage therapy, and craniosacral therapy monthly, all to maintain healthy support for my unique personal balance.

It’s kind of funny that we have to learn how to take the best care of ourselves. We learn how to take care of ourselves from others first. Yet, as we grow we need to figure out how to take best care of ourselves while taking care of others. Our self-care routine can change throughout the span of our lives. Wishing you healthful nourishment as you embrace your own inner self-care magician! 

Claire Miriam Ostrovsky Healing Arts Practitioner, Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, Reconnective Healing Practitioner, and Licensed Massage Therapist located in beautiful Tucson, Arizona.

I have been a Healing Arts Practitioner in private practice since 2003 and a Hypnotherapist since 2016. It is truly an honor supporting you on your path of health, wellness, and self-care!