Winter in North America can be harsh. The severe changes from heat to cold, heat to cold can cause damage, dehydration, dryness, chapped skin, broken capillaries, and more. When we're staying put for the winter, we manage with super hydration and deep moisturizing products. 

When we travel to a warm climate for a week or two, our skin gets a bit confused.  Used to the cold and then suddenly exposed to bright sun
and consistently warm temperatures - as nice as it feels - our skin needs specific care.  

Here is my list of must-have products and skin care steps for your winter-time beach vacation:

PRE-TAN by booking a spray tan salon service a few days before you go. Exfoliate your skin thoroughly the day of your service - use a loofah and some great grainy exfoliant to remove all the dry and dead skin. Book your service later in the day and sleep with the product on. Shower off in the morning and you'll be glowing!  Find a salon that uses Fake Bake - or purchase some Fake-Bake to use at home. It's a great product that has a pleasant fragrance. The SanTropez mousse, and the Bioderma Photoderm Autobranzant Moisturizing Tanning Spray are also excellent products available at Shopper's Drug Mart.

SUNSCREEN!!! Use a high SPF 50 or greater every day on your face and decolletage. I highly recommend Avene 50SPF for face and body. It's non-greasy, you won't burn, and colour will develop nicely.  On your legs, go with a lighter SPF 15 + and something with a tint for a little extra colour. Don't forget to protect your lips with a good lip balm. 

PROTECT YOUR HAIR - Playing in the Ocean feels great - but the salt water can be especially drying and damaging on your hair. Rinse off salt water immediately with fresh water, and really rinse hair well. Comb gently with a wide tooth comb and let air dry for nice beachy waves. A little drop of coconut oil massaged though damp hair will add some softness.

NOURISH YOUR SKIN - After a day at the beach, get ready for a relaxing evening. After  showering, begin to replenish your skin with nourishing products. Start with a spray of rose hydrosol, or Avene's Thermal Spring Water. These are both excellent for any overexposure and sunburn. Follow with Lise Watier's Sublimescence serum for face and eyes. It's loaded with Labrador Tea extract that fights free radical damage and deeply nourishes your skin. You may find you need several applications as the product absorbs so quickly. Add a light luminizing moisturizer, like Janssen's Aquatense Moisture Gel or Vichy's Idelia Illuminating Cream. Your skin will be refreshed, soft, and replenished.  Add a touch of illuminating foundation. some hydrating lipstick, and mascara.  You're ready to watch the sun set with a cocktail and then dance the night away!

Book yourself in for a facial a week or two after your return to
reaclimate your skin and to nourish and replenish much needed moisture.
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         ESSENTIAL OIL INHALERS – by Sandra Jean Edgar, CA

Essential oils are the natural, aromatic, volatile plant oils used in Aromatherapy. They are like the immune system of the plant kingdom and can be used to balance and stimulate our senses and systems. We can breathe them in through diffusers, rub onto the skin, or scent lotions or oils to receive the therapeutic benefits.

Transformational Bodywork carries aromatherapy inhalers that are an easy way to add the therapeutic benefits of essential oils to your system. They slip easily into pocket or purse and stay fresh for many months. I always keep one handy to kick start my immunity after being exposed to someone who’s sick or sniffling. For travellers, they freshen and personalize the air you breathe.

So easy to use - Simply open the tube, place inhaler up to one nostril, closing off the other. Take 3 deep breaths in through the tube, exhale fully and repeat on the other nostril. Repeat as necessary.

We carry several custom blends designed for specific therapeutic purposes. They can also be customized to your specific aromatherapy request. 
The “headache” blend contains essential oils of basil, peppermint, marjoram, geranium, and sage among others. It is an anti-spasmodic, analgesic blend to be used at the first sign of headache. It is helpful to lie down and rest a few minutes after inhaling the blend to ease stress.

The “hotflash” blend contains fennel seed, ylang ylang, lavender, and rosewood among others. It is designed to ease the discomfort of hot flashes. Using a long counted breath, inhale fully, retain the breath, and exhale fully matching the counts. Hotflash should subside after a few breath rounds.

One of the most popular blends is the “immune boost”. This is an aromatherapy blend that includes laurel, niaouli, thyme, eucalyptus, and tea tree. The anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and disinfectant properties stimulate the immune system and circulation to benefit bronchitis, colds, flu, and sinusitis.

The “relax” blend is a soothing blend of citrus, floral, and lavender that is calming and helps settle restlessness. The “allergy calm” blend combines lemon, lavender, and peppermint to provide immune system stimulation, antiseptic and decongestant properties, and to lift emotions. “Appetite control” is a blend of peppermint, ylang ylang, citrus, patchouli and vanilla that effectively calms digestive cravings and curbs the appetite.

These inhalers are compact, easy to carry, simple to use, and effective as part of your holistic lifestyle. They also make great stocking stuffers – and at only $6 each, you can give them to everyone on your list this holiday season!
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Summer's here at last. And for spa girls - that means pedicures, waxing, and safe self-tanning. If you've always wanted to try, but haven't yet, here are some great reasons to give me a call!

Pedicures not only feel great, they offer therapeutic benefits as well. Sit back and soak your feet in an aromatic foot bath. Recline while dead skin is gently removed, nails are trimmed and shaped, and you enjoy a wonderful foot masque and massage. Finish it all with a fresh pretty polish - over 100 colours to choose from in OPI, China Glaze, and CN lines.

Tired of shaving? Go hair free for 3 - 4 weeks with regular waxing appointments. My favourite is underarm waxing - it's fast, easy, and smooth for weeks. Regrowth is so soft and almost unnoticable. Legs and bikini area can have similar results. Always watch your sun exposure immediately following any waxing service - as fresh layers of skin are prone to burning and sensitive for 24 hours.

Fake bake products are the best for achieving an even tanned appearance.  Always exfoliate in the shower before applying self-tanning products. Smooth the product on with circular motions, and the colour develops within a few hours. Lasts for a week or more and the results are awesome. Self tanners are great for evening out tan lines when wearing different tops, or adding colour to your thighs beachside. Plus, self tanning is a safe alternative to damaging sun exposure. Brush a little bronzer over your cheeks and shoulders and you're glowing!

Make all your spa services last by drinking lots of water, using moisturizing body lotions, 30spf sunscreen (or higher). My favourite trick to keeping feet in top shape is to slather on a great lanolin based foot cream (like Gehwol's  Salve for cracked skin) put on socks and your running shoes. Go for a long walk! After an hour, feet are rehydrated and ready for sandals again.

Those are my best summer spa tips. Call me anytime for spa service appointments. Hope to see you soon|!
  

I'm thrilled to announce that I just learned of my successful completion of a 12 week Mastery of Meditation course. I've been meditating for years - but this course took me to new levels.  I had no idea there were so many varied types of meditation to practice. There are Insight meditations, Sound and Thought meditations, Mantra meditations, Third eye meditations, Concentration and Visualization meditations, and body centered meditations as well.  I've explored each type in great detail and can now offer these techniques to you.

If you've ever wanted to learn how to meditate, but didn't know where to start, or gave up in frustration, or were simply bored out of your mind, drop me a line. I'll be happy to share the joys of meditation with you in ways that are fun and exciting.

Come experience what meditation can do for you. You won't believe the difference it makes in your life.

Private and group classes available. $100 + hst for 6  1 hour sessions.
Private rates available upon request.

In the early 80's, I began a meditation practice that was deeply satisfying. Twice a day for 20 minutes, I would practice mantra meditation, rest a few minutes, and awaken rejuvenated. Then my life changed with the end of the century and I got away from it. For several years now, I've struggled to get back into daily meditation practice. When I flipped the calendar to March 2010 - I decided the time was right to challenge myself to bring daily meditation back into my busy life.

If you've never tried meditation, or have tried it given up in frustration, please know that its harder than it seems. The mind seems to kick into busy mode the second you decide to still it. Or you suddenly become so sleepy you'd rather nap. It is all part of the process.

My favourite way to meditate is with a mantra and a set of mala beads. I have a very old mala beads made of sandalwood, which have been restrung several times and smell more like me than sandalwood. They hold the pure vibration of my mantra and just holding them helps prepare my mind for practice.  I sit on my bed with pillows propped up behind my back and start with a few deep breaths. I say a prayer to center myself, and offer my meditation to God. I ask that God show insight into my life and work through me to accomplish His will in my life. And then I begin repeating my mantra, turning one bead for each repetition. As thoughts come, I let them be, and continue with my mantra. At the half way point, I have a smooth amethyst bead - which always encourages me to keep going and finish the round. When I finish the strand, I will lie down for about 5 minutes to enjoy the peaceful feelings and satisfaction of having completed the practice.

There are 108 beads on a mala plus a "teacher or guru" bead which is generally larger than the others. I start and end with the teacher. If you choose to do a longer session, it is suggested to turn the strand and not "cross the teacher". I see this as a way to honor all my teachers and join with them in the repetition of mantra.

What is a mantra? Mantras are unique mystical, sacred Sanskrit syllables, words, or phrases which, when repeated in meditation will bring about a higher state of consciousness.  These sounds or energies that have always existed in the universe and can neither be created nor destroyed. Mantras are on a wavelength far beyond physical sound. Mantras were originally revealed to Rishis (seers or sages) in the deepest states of meditation. They are one of the earliest components of yoga and are considered the first type of meditation to be developed.

Japa or mantra meditation releases the energy encased in the sound.  The energy literally manifests itself creating a specific thought pattern in the mind.  With sincere practice, repetition of a mantra leads to pure thought where sound vibration merges with thought vibration. It is in this way that mantra repetition leads to a state of oneness, of non-duality with God. Mantras are said to increase in power in direct relationship to the number of times repeated.  A mantra is fully empowered by becoming “seated” in the heart after 125,000 repetitions, achieving what is called Mantra Siddhi

Which mantra to use?? There are thousands of Sanskrit mantras known in yogic texts. You can choose one of those or use a word or phrase that is meaningful to you. Repeating the word Peace is a simple and effective mantra.
Probably the most widely chanted mantra throughout the world is OM MANU PADHME HUM. This mantra is pre-eminent in producing a state of dynamic compassion in the sayer. One of the simple yet profound teachings which accompanies this mantra is the concept that when the mind and heart become united, anything is possible. The implications of this simple thought are staggering. If you want to change the world for the better recite this mantra daily.

SO HAM (so hum) - This mantra is unconsciously repeated each time we take a breath.  Inhale “so”, exhale “hum”.  It means “I am That” – beyond the limitations of mind and body, at one with the Absolute.

Whatever mantra you choose, practice with it for a minimum of 40 days to anchor it in your consciousness.

Please let me know if you'd like to join me in this meditation challenge. Add your comments and check back for