Circles of healing are timeless and universal

Wendy Hammarstrom

Special to Village News

In "Circles of Healing, The Complete Guide to Healing with Massage and Yoga for Practitioners, Caregivers, Students and Clients," I wrote about my work beginning in the mid-1970s. The status of healing arts has come a long way since then.

In 1980 when I mentioned I taught yoga, more often than not people would laugh and say, "Oh, you mean yogurt."

Today, yoga is everywhere.

In the late 1970s my husband at the time, Steve Braff, and I converted the first floor of our Victorian East Oak Lane home in Philly into Innerworks Center. It was a studio, classroom and office for bodyworkers, movement instructors and my dance company.

In 1985, I began teaching an introduction to massage therapy for health care practitioners and the lay public. It was a time before massage therapy was as mainstream as it is now.

It was a delightful experience for everyone, students and teacher alike. Most of the participants were new to holistic health and wanted to learn how to massage friends and family. Some even went on to become professional bodyworkers.

I also taught yoga at two halfway houses for those overcoming drug addiction. Many of these students were particularly resistant to moving due to a history of abuse and trauma, resulting in feeling unsafe in a group setting.

To meet the students at their level, we began slow and started by lying on tennis balls on the floor and doing partner stretches. As they moved, stretched and incorporated deep breathing, their relaxation and vitality increased, and there was less need for external stimulants.

Also, the mat work, rolling on balls and partner stretches brought an enhanced awareness to their bodies. This awareness helped them to be present and facilitated their healing process.

In "Circles of Healing," I address the overlooked and underserved. People with physical or emotional challenges, who are born deformed, who have lost limbs in accidents or war and anyone who doesn't look or act "normally" and their caregivers were the inspiration for this book.

When I began working for Cole Vocational Services as a consultant to teach "life and relaxation skills" at day care centers for the multi-abled, my first client was a severely deformed man who could not see, hear or talk. His coach told me they were asked to leave a nearby restaurant because they made the customers uncomfortable.

I sat next to him until he could sense my presence and placed my hand gently on his shoulder, and we breathed. We stayed like that for about five minutes, and he visibly relaxed as he took a deep breath.

Then I gently massaged his tight shoulders. The next time I worked with him, a month later, he was immediately relaxed as I touched him.

The powerful lesson we learned was that anyone, regardless of degree of mobility, level of understanding or past trauma can benefit from simple caring touch.

We moved to California when my daughter was seven months old. During our three years in Long Beach, I taught infant massage throughout Orange County. I worked alongside physical therapist Jackie Maroun, teaching massage and movement for pregnancy and beyond at Long Beach Community Hospital.

After moving to Murrieta, my clientele expanded to include teens, who desperately needed caring touch; those in midlife transition; those faced with the challenges of aging as well as those who are reaching the end of their lives.

I titled my book "Circles of Healing" partly because I cover the circle of life, from pregnancy to dying. Circles can represent healing on an individual level.

Focusing on one's core or center with breath or movement can spread healing throughout one's whole body. Also, I have observed how working with one person or group often spreads out to include larger groups, creating an ever-widening circle.

I have always loved circles, and all they represent. Mandala is a Sanskrit word for circle or beginning with no end. Mandalas can be visually simple or ornate and are timeless and universal.

Much of my dance company's choreography was circular, as it feels healing and all-encompassing to move in tai chi-like flow. In fact, several months ago during a Georgia O'Keefe inspired art class at Oceanside Museum of Art, I found myself circling with my whole body to create the brush strokes.

For several of my Philadelphia-based dance company's performances, we danced outside, including a circle on a rock in Pennypack Creek. We received a Pa Humanities Council grant to tour area schools based on Lenape Indian culture, and much of that choreography was circular.

For the past 14 years, I have been creating mandala art in the form of coloring cards for children of all ages.

I have created mandalas with rocks from the area for The Escondido Art Partnership Gallery and am working on my next book, "Circles of Healing Book Two," which will include my photography of flower and succulent mandalas.

I am fascinated by the sacred geometry aspects of flowers and plants, as well as their healing qualities.

I am honored to work with clients with cancer, Parkinson's disease, COPD, traumatic brain injury, stroke recovery and other acute or chronic challenges, as well as those needing general balancing or relaxation. And I should add, several of my clients in their 80s have taught me a few things about staying healthy.

For those recovering from surgery, accident, illness or even trauma and who are feeling vulnerable, I encourage you to "re-friend" yourself, allow plenty of time to heal, be gentle with yourself, and stay connected. Allow others to help you, and especially, receive healing touch.

Many people in America are touch-deprived. I begin the pregnancy massage chapter in "Circles of Healing" with this quote: "Nurture the mother, who nurtures the child, who nurtures the world."

Bodyworkers who receive healing touch give better massages. First responders who receive massage rescue people with more gentleness. Doctors, dentists, teachers and other caregivers and health professionals care for others better if they are cared for as well.

Healing from touch and movement therapies needs to be in all our lives. The more sensitive we become from being cared for, the more we can care for each other.

I welcome opportunities for book signings, classes, presentations, private and group restorative yoga sessions. I offer massage in your home or at The Fallbrook Wellness Spa. "Circles of Healing Book One" is available at The Shop Around the Corner, The Fallbrook Wellness Spa and via Amazon.

With the holidays being right around the corner, what better time to give yourself or your loved ones a little extra care. Mention this article, and you can get $10 off your first massage, gift certificate or copy of "Circles of Healing."

For more information, visit http://www.circlesofhealingbook1.com or call (951) 303-4508.