The Feisty Redhead donates to the Housing Works Raffle

December 1st is World AIDS Day and The Feisty Redhead is donating this brilliant eco friendly red bracelet for Mending Hands Housing Works Raffle!

In their own words: Housing Works is committed to ending the twin crises of AIDS and homelessness. And the The Feisty Redhead invites you to join our fundraiser on World AIDS Day give a little to help a lot. Plus you have a chance to win one of these amazing gifts - just in time for the holidays!
  
Make a Donation  - Only $6 a raffle ticket! Click on the Donation Button - and let me know in your Pay Pal Comments what your top two prize picks will be.  The drawing will be on December 13th. Check out the details of all the prizes: Brooklyn Flavors, Mary Kay,  Little Bean Embroidery, Jenna Esposito, Chocolove and Barnes and Noble too!

Hot Shiatsu Elements: Metal

 Contributed by Sarah

METAL
The first element I learned (and as it turns out is very much related to my personality) is Metal. I chose to start off with this element not only because of its significance to me personally, but also the fact that the season it is associated with is Autumn. The meridians associated with Metal are Lung and Large Intestine.

Characteristics of a Metal Type (according to The Swedish Institute Shiatsu Workbook):

Body Type:   
Walks Deliberately
Strong Voice
Erect
Light, Clear, Dry Skin
Oval face
Broad shoulders
Strongly built body

Personality:
Independent
Meticulous
Rational
Well-organized
Likes ceremony/discipline
Reserved

Meridians:
Lung and Large Intestine

Stay posted for exploration of the individual Meridians Functions, Associations and Health Representaions in Meridian of the Month!

Expressing Gratitude

Dear Readers, 
Thank you all for reading Mending Hands over the past few months! Thank you for spreading the Massage Therapy love in over 25 countries and coming back for more news and info about the world of body work. Thank you for continuing to grow the supportive community that Mending Hands is so grateful to be a part of! We wish you all a very happy and safe Thanksgiving and look forward to celebrating All Things Massage after this weekend's events!
Sincerely, 
You Friends at Mending Hands

Spa Scoop: Bunya Citi Spa

Bunya Citi Spa is just on the edge of Soho and I was more than happy to hop on the subway after class to be their guest for a Thai Massage with an Oriental Herbal Compress!   This place of pleasure and peace welcomed me with - in their own words "exotic therapies, and philosophies from around the world, a series of specially designed encompassing Chinese, Ayuredic, European, Balinese, Oriental and Native American beliefs and practice...whilst the therapist creates a tailor-made experience." Normally, I wouldn't just pull from a websites text - except I found that this claim is wonderfully true!

Type: Thai Massage with an Oriental Herbal Compress
Time: 60 Minutes
Price: $120

Details of my session at the Bunya Citi Spa continue...

Barnes and Noble donates to the Housing Works Raffle

The Park Slope Barnes and Noble just let us know that they are supporting the Mending Hands Housing Works Raffle by sending a paperback copy of  Brooklyn Storefronts by Paul Lacy! I love this book...Love, Love, LOVE this book!

A colorful celebration of New York’s wonderfully diverse and popular borough. What do the Bari Pork Store (King of the Sausage), the Los Doctores Tires Shop, the Great Eagle Photo Company, and the St. Jude Religious Articles shops have in common? If you were Paul Lacy, they would be among the hundreds of storefronts you photographed on bicycle trips throughout Brooklyn. Over the years Lacy has managed to capture every conceivable type of shop, decorated with spectacular and wildly varied signs and displays and representing countless ethnic groups. A more colorful array of graphics, both amateur and professional, is unimaginable. Brooklyn’s storefronts are a vibrant canvas that reflects the changing trends and distinct character of this dynamic community. You don’t have to be from Brooklyn to enjoy this book—playful while documenting a fast-changing scene, it transcends geography to speak to anyone with an interest in urban culture.


Make a Donation  - Only $6 a raffle ticket! The drawing for these prizes will be on December 13th. Check out the details of all the prizes: Brooklyn Flavors, Mary Kay,  Little Bean Embroidery, Jenna Esposito and Chocolove!

Mary Kay donates to the Housing Works Raffle

A very generous Mary Kay  rep has offered up $150 worth of products for the Mending Hands for Housing Works Raffle! Tickets are just a CLICK away! Only $6 an entry! All money raised will go to fight the duel crisis of Homelessness and AIDS through Housing Works. This gift basket includes the following: 

TimeWise® Miracle Set
Satin Lips® Set (Mask and Balm)
Satin Hands® Pampering Set
Mary Kay® Energizing Lotion For Feet & Legs - Mint Bliss 

 Make a Donation before December 13th and get a chance to win some of this awesome loot! Check out the details for more prizes from Brooklyn Flavors, Little Bean Embroidery, Jenna Esposito and Chocolove!

Welcome to Hot Shiatsu!

Contributed by Sarah

You may be asking yourself, “What is this HOT SHIATSU that you speak of!?” Hot Shiatsu is where I will bringing you information that will intrigue, inform, and inspire you to try Shiatsu Massage. To learn from it and about it. Share with others what you find.  As you probably know from reading my bio, I am currently a student, so as I learn, I hope you do too, and in teaming up with Melissa, I hope to open up a dialog of sorts about not just Shiatsu, but alternative medicine as a whole.

There is a lot to learn, and as I have come to find, learning is best done in numbers.

Let’s get on the same page first.
What is Shiatsu?

Good Body Mechanics - The Rub Down

Earlier today we were having a bit of an Autumn tidy in our Park Slope apartment - Taking out recycling, vacuuming rugs, putting away the clean laundry - then there was a face off with the stove top. I put on my silly purple rubber gloves and had a moment of realization - this was the kind "regular life" moment to take note of and incorporate my Massage Therapy Body Mechanics! Proper Body Mechanics make all the the difference in the longevity of a massage therapy career. Taking care of your body as a LMT isn't limited to just when doing massage. The truth is - I was frictioning my stove - is there a better time to enforce the habit of using Good Body Mechanics?

Save Your Hands defines Good Body Mechanics in three main concepts: Breathing, Posture and Movement.

Brooklyn Flavors donates to the Housing Works Raffle

Mending Hands loves being based in Brooklyn and we love that fellow BK company Brooklyn Flavors is donating an insanely awesome collection of products for our Housing Works Raffle!

Named after iconic Brooklyn places, these home made natural body treats are a fabulous prize! $6 to charity gets you the chance to sample the Body Souffles - in what scent?

ALL OF THEM!

Bed-Stuy - A blend of sandalwood, jasmine, cedarwood and patchouli fragrance oils.
Brownstone - A blend of Cedarwood, Jasmine, gardenia and vanilla fragrance oils.
Canarsie Cookie - freshly baked sugar cookies with butter cream frosting, with vanilla extract.
Church Avenue - A fruity blend of mango, pineapple, papaya and jasmine.
Clinton Hills - A sweet delicious blend of pears, raspberries and strawberries.
Fort Greene Tea - A citrus blend of fruits and mint.
Kensington - A blend of lavender essential oils, vanilla, almond and patchouli fragrance oils.
Mobay Punch - (named for Montego Bay Jamaica) A mouth-watering island mix of coconut, pineapple, and vanilla.
Park Slope - A floral mix of lavender, rose, gardenia and jasmine.
Red Hook - A juicy mix of sweet berries, peaches, strawberries, oranges, coconuts and vanilla.

Because Brooklyn Flavors believes in generosity and hopes to inspire you as well - they are throwing in a  handmade soy candle too!

 Make a Donation before December 13th and get a chance to win these amazing gifts form Brooklyn Flavors, Little Bean Embroidery, Jenna Esposito and Chocolove!


Please include you name, contact information and even though the winners will be drawn randomly please add your first and second choices!

Chocolove donates to the Housing Works Raffle

Chocolove has donated FIVE of their signature delicious chocolate bars to the Mending Hands Raffle for Housing Works! Time to spread the sweet news!

Think about it..giving $6 to charity could win you Raspberries in Dark Chocolate, Ginger Chrystallized in Dark Chocolate, Chillies and Cherries in Dark Chocolate, Orange Peel in Dark Chocolate AND Toffee & Almond in Milk Chocolate!

Let alone all the other prizes we that have been pouring in for this great cause! You have December 13th to click the Make a Donation button to win $25 of custom cuteness from Little Bean Embroidery a copy of  13 Men and Me,  To Connie...Love, Jenna - and a PAIR of tickets to Jenna Esposito's LIVE show at Metropolitan Room!

Please include you name, contact information and even though the winners will be drawn randomly please add your first and second choices!

Little Bean Embroidery donates to the Housing Works Raffle

Mending Hands welcomes Little Bean Embroidery to the Housing Works raffle! They have lovingly given us a $25 Gift Certificate that can be used for ANY of their custom made adorable products - and with the drawing being December 13th it is just in time for truly personal holiday gift!

One entry is $6 on Pay Pal - Just click the Make a Donation button and enter your chance to win this Little Bean Embroidery Gift Certificate, a copy of  13 Men and Me,  To Connie...Love, Jenna - and a PAIR of tickets to Metropolitan Room donated by Jenna Esposito! Please include you name, contact information and even though the winners will be drawn randomly, feel free to add your first and second choices!

More prizes on the way!
And the more the merrier! Have something special you want to raffle off for Housing Works - Let us know at: MendingHands@gmail.com

Jenna Esposito donates to the Housing Works Raffle

Mending Hands is reaching out to our community to see who wants to help out with donations to Housing Works!

And guess what? We have a raffle!

Jenna Esposito will be raffling off a copy of debut album 13 Men and Me AND her follow up (with blessing from Connie Francis herself!)  To Connie...Love, Jenna - but that's not all! This generous talent is giving Mending Hands the go ahead to raffle off a PAIR of tickets to one of Jenna's upcoming LIVE shows at the world renowned Metropolitan Room!

How to enter?

Meeting of the Massage Minds: Rachel Beider

I visited Massage Williamsburg for a full body massage with owner Rachel Beider just a short while ago. Luckily for me, Rachel then took the time to speak with me over some delicious good-for-you food! I learned that Rachel graduated from the Swedish Institute a few short years ago. Her business has grown quickly and her enthusiasm for being a Massage Therapist blooms bigger as well! Before we even sat down at our table she was ready and willing for me to pick her brain and soak up whatever she had to offer...

A List of Good Things!

1. Saturday is my last day at the Public Clinic at the Swedish Institute for this term. So far, I have a had a wonderful experience working with many members of the public. Practicing with many bodies, who have different wants and needs, and learned a great deal from each client that took the time to come in!

2. Last week I had a final in Neurology and a Midterm in Tools of Assessment - all went well! We have moved on to Anatomy and Physiology II - plus Intro to Sports Massage. Lots of new material, lots of great things to add to my massage therapy knowledge for when I get out there as an LMT! Swedish II and Shiatsu continue to be highlights of my school week too!

3. Great News! I let the wonderful folks as Housing Works know about the Mending Hands Pledge to them this holiday season - and have a meeting with the Housing Works Book Store Manager next week! As soon as I know how Housing Works and Mending Hands will be working together, I will be sure to let you guys know! I am still hoping to do some more fund raising with local businesses who might want to join in the Giving Back to this amazing organization. So if you know anyone who might want to host some Chair Massages for Charity at their next wine tasting, cocktail hour, book club or social gathering -  send them to Mending Hands! Anyone who wants to partner up with us in the support of this Housing Works donation will be welcomed with open arms! (Mending Hands is based in Park Slope, Brooklyn - but don't think that cancels out any other borough venues!)

MendingHands@gmail.com

Congrats nyacutherapy!

Mending Hands wants to take a moment to celebrate Justin Coletti of nyacutherapy!

He's added more Massage Therapy Services - and wants to bring them to the comfort of your home! Including: Acupressure/Chinese Medical, Swedish, Deep-Tissue, Sports and Pregnancy Massage.

Awesome Website HERE!
New Blog - HERE! (that we here at Mending Hands will be following)

While Justin continues to pursue his Masters degree in Acupuncture and Chinese herbs - he continues his work of healing with a pricelist set so that everyone can get the relief they need. nyacutherapy has been a supporter of Mending Hands from the start, and I was honored to receive his  work. See his details in both Spa Scoop AND Meeting of the Massage Minds!

Giving Back: Housing Works!

This holiday season, in lieu of traditional gifts, I am hoping to give the skills I am learning in return for donations. I am reaching out to some very awesome companies in my community to partner up with Mending Hands - by giving us a venue to offer 10 minute chair massages (with proper LMT supervision!) as a fundraiser for a donation to Housing Works!

Read more about Housing Works and how you can help if you want to!

Monthly Essentials: November

Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean area - but is widely in other parts of the world. The plant takes it's name from a Latin term meaning "sea dew." It's an evergreen shrub with small pale blue flowers. But it is the leaves and twigs that are used to draw the healing oil. Not only had Rosemary been shown to prevent aging of the brain and enhance memory -  and according to Botanical.com: The oil is also used externally as a rubefacient and is added to liniments as a fragrant stimulant. Sometimes known as Hungary Water - used for outward application to renovate the vitality of paralyzed limbs.  It was first invented for a Saint Elisabeth, Queen of Hungary -  who was said to have been completely cured by its continued use!

And that's just the tip of the Rosemary Twig! A whole LONG list of other possible uses are just a jump away!