Watsu Water Therapy

Thanks for visiting my Work and Life Balance Blog.

I had THEE most bliss-inducing experience recently and I am eager to tell you about it!

Have you heard of Watsu water therapy? Watsu is gaining recognition for its incredible benefits to body, mind and soul.

The Sunshine Coast of British Columbia is now blessed to have had a beautiful, new Watsu water therapy pool and spa open recently. Fortunate me, I got to experience a water session (as a thank you for being a "photo model" for the website of this new spa facility).

Here's me in the photo below being loving supported and guided by my friend and sensitive Watsu practitioner, Taylore Sinclair. Being gently moved, rocked, massaged and swirled around in the water sent me into immediate bliss... even while a photographer was taking photographs!

So, what is Watsu? Here's a description I found to explain it...

"Watsu is a unique form of aquatic bodywork that is practiced in a warm pool environment. It is a very soothing type of massage that takes place in warm, waist-deep water. Its name comes from a combination of the words “water” and “shiatsu.”

It was developed by Harold Dull back in 1980, when he started applying Zen Shiatsu stretches to students floating in the warm pool at Harbin Hot Springs in California. Small floats are used to keep the body buoyant, helping to create a thermal and gravitational state of homeostasis in which the receiver’s external experience is aligned with our body’s internal state.

With Watsu, the client is supported by the practitioner and the experience is profoundly personal; the eyes typically close, the ears under water do not track for sound, and the brain wave patterns deepen to an alpha state similar to that of meditation."

Taylore twirled me through the water, one way then another, taking my body through a series of passive stretches and twists, applying various shiatsu pressure points throughout the water session. I found being held and moved in the comfortably warm water deeply relaxing. My attention turned inward, my breath deepened, my mind became quiet and my body found it's own unique pattern of movement. I felt an almost immediate sense of well-being as my busy outer world fell away and my attention turned to the present moment.

In addition to the emotional, spiritual benefits, Watsu has a good therapeutic effect on the body the water allowing the spinal column to be moved in ways that aren't possible on land. Allowing myself to be cradled in another's arms in deepish water was a positive experience in trusting that someone is there to support me. Aches disappeared and I felt like liquid both in and out of the pool later. I came away feeling deeply relaxed, emotionally opened AND I slept like a baby that night!

Please visit Taylore (and husband, Bill's) beautiful website for more information...

... (you'll see me "starring/floating" in the photographs)...

... http://www.beyondthewavesspa.com/

I hope to Watsu again really soon... and you might want to check this lovely healing method out for yourself, too.

Love, Carolyn

http://www.life-balance-success.com/