Wellness Wednesday Music as a Balm

Photo Credit: Pinterest - placesinrhythm.com

Soothing, healing, relaxing...music can be an auditory balm. When you're ready for a relaxing, calming atmosphere check out the video below.

YouTube Video Credit: Yellow Brick Cinema - Relaxing Music

Photo Credit: Pinterest

Muffins with Mom – Relaxing - a mother and son experience

Who amongst us does not appreciate a relaxing moment? Relaxing can look different to each of us. It may be a morning a walk, an evening with feet propped up and reading a good book, or casting a fishing line into a lake of fish.

I discovered recently that my son and I relax in similar ways…sometimes in strange encounters. For me it happened while I received a makeover, sitting on a tall stool, in the middle of a department store.

The make-up artist dabbed, smoothed and swept colors across my face. As she worked with liners and shadows, she asked me to close my eyes. I followed directions. It was then that I drifted into a comforting slumber.

After a few minutes, I felt my head drop and my body begin to lean forward. I had to catch myself from rolling off the stool and onto the floor. The gentle massage of my eyelids had sent me into a relaxing REM (rapid eye movement) state. You know, that time just before you awake, but you’re in the middle of a dream.

It doesn’t take much for me to relax, rub an arm, massage a shoulder (or n eyelid), and I may go limp like a rag doll. Apparently there’s power in a touch. My son shared with me the story of what happened at his recent appointment to have his hair re-twisted (the process to keep his dreadlocks intact).

As the locticion pulled, twisted, and tucked, my son’s eyes closed. After a few moments, his head dropped. No, he was not in prayer. He was asleep. It was a deeper sleep than I experienced. My son jerked his body forward and almost leapt from his chair.  He dreamt he was in a fighting situation.

My son blinked his eyes a few times, then realized he was still sitting in a chair having his dreadlocks touched up. He was relaxed enough slip into a dream state with no worries of what was going on around him. It was the same for me as my eyes were soothed by the make-up artist.

On the same day, in two different locations, my son and I were in a state of relaxation. Call it our quirky genetic trait, but we can fall asleep anywhere. This is just one relaxation style that we share. There are others that are more fun.

 

What does your relaxing moment look like?

Muffins with Mom – A spa day



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Parenting is a job that can tire one out. You must make time to refresh, rejuvenate and renew your body, what better way than a visit to a spa? If you have never visited a spa of have not been for a long time, schedule a visit. It is very refreshing.

In addition to being refreshing, my recent visit to the spa was entertaining, because I was with my mom. I wanted to take her out for her birthday (two months ago) so we finally scheduled our spa date. The services we decided on were facials and foot massages.

As I stretched out in a relaxed position for my facial, soft music played in the dimly lit room. A warm towel was placed on my face and thus began my journey. The massage therapist asked a few questions about my skin as I lay in near silence. She told me the things she was applying, but other than that left me to my thoughts.

My mom and I met up in the small, slightly illuminated waiting area after our facial. We sipped water and talked as we waited for the foot massage. Mom said that while she enjoyed her facial, she didn’t fall asleep as I did. She was busy wondering why the therapist kept leaving the room and was it really her who reentered.

I told my mom, “That’s what happens when you watch the Lifetime Movie channel too much. Your mind is in that mystery realm.” After laughing at with her, I reassured my mom that the therapist was leaving the room to get items to prepare her mask. At least that’s what I was told and I survived.

Mom shared with me that her massage therapist said she had great skin. Then she leaned over and whispered to me, “I don’t even cleanse and moisturize.”

When it was time for our foot massage I went first, there as only one person available for this massage since we scheduled our appointments only a couple of day prior. Again, it was a relaxing massage where I didn’t do much talking. My mother said she would probably take a nap too.

While my mom was having her foot massage, I took a break from reading and went to the restroom. As I walked past her room, I could hear my mom talking. And she was doing most of the talking, so much for a nap.

Once we reconnected after mom’s foot massage she said, “I really liked her. She has a son, she went to the same college as you. She used to work a different a different job for years, but….”

My mother had gotten this woman’s whole life story in 30 minutes! I said, “Ma, did you really go in there and talk her ear off?”

“Yes, I gave her an extra tip for listening to me.”

This just goes to show you that everyone has a different concept of the idea of relaxing. No matter how it works out, we could all use a spa day.

Have you had any spa day experiences?