Deep Heal Blog

After a month of classes, my class trekked east of Salem into the Cascade Mountians to retreat at Breitenbush Hotsprings. It is the most geothermically active region in the Northwest; the entire site is powered by geothermal energy. Leave the radiator on all day! It also has a geothermal sauna, and several hot spring pools placed sparingly throughout a mountain valley. In Oregon it is known for “lots of naked people” like most earthy experiences I guess, though I must say that there weren’t many during my stay.

As we arrived there was a massive snow fall! My car did great, we even made time to stop and throw snow balls in Detroit Lake from the highway. When we parked it was DUMPING. Part of the Breitenbush mystique is having a quiet, meditative experience, which includes hauling all your belongings to your cabin from the parking lot – a mile. There are wheeled carts, though for days like ours we used sleds.

Our studies during this retreat focused on emotional development and advanced massage techniques. People were also impressed by the wholesome vegetarian meals; I really enjoyed the food but having been a vegan in Eugene for years and working at one of the better cafes in town I was already attuned to great food like this.

In all the trip to Breitenbush was refreshing, short, and insightful. I had some great meditations there. Some more pictures:

The main lodge

View from one of the meadow pools

Another meadow pool

The walk back to the parking area

Even before coming to school in Ashland, on visits here I was amazed by Grizzly Peak – the mountain forming the northern border of the town. So one weekend after hearing how to reach a trail to its peak, I decided to take Bella for a hike. Although there had been snow lately, the hills looked green again and I never thought there would be an issue.

Only a few miles up the access road, however, and it was clear the snow didn’t melt up here. The road was recently plowed, so I kept going. Another mile, and around a corner I came and BANG! The point where the plow had stopped.

I was high-centered on the deep 4 x 4 tracks bigger cars had made, and I wasn’t sure how to get out of there. Somehow just putting it into reverse didn’t occur very quickly. After about a mile up this deep snow I realized I am in trouble, and tried to back out. That didn’t work too well:

It might be hard to tell, but the front driver’s wheel (and side of the car) is buried in snow. In the foreground is the scrap of wood I used for an hour trying to dig myself out. To no avail.

I called a tow truck who would come up and pull me out. They wanted $300. I had no choice. LUCKILY, a few minutes before the tow truck had left a backwoods mountain guy in a giant red suburban came down the hill and pulled me out. We ended going down below the snow line, making a fire, and talking about life while the sun set. I also got to cancel the tow truck and save a bunch of money!

I thought this was cool. Only the day class takes the time to draw muscles on the skin after palpating them. FYI you are looking at the major muscles of the anterior and posterior triangles of the neck.

Here are my books and materials for the first 3 months of school. 10 books (one of them is my netter’s atlas), 3 notebooks, 4 different pens and a box of colored pencils. So far I have also made a little over 200 flash cards for material we’ve already covered.

This program is intense. It’s amazing to learn such an immense amount of information in such a quick time. Some have equated it to 2 years in college packed into 6 months. I’m beyond words with how well I retain information learned so rapidly. Two tricks I have learned are taking the time to make notecards and digest information, as well as to review them gently right before going to sleep. I wake up remebering everything.

I haven’t blogged much lately because I really don’t know what to say. 95% of my time is spent learning. I am in class from 9-5, an study about 2 hours a day. Weekends I study 4-8 hours a day. For those coming to visit and get a good tour of Ashland, I don’t know how to give it .

I am learning a ton, and finding success like I never have in other pursuits, academic and otherwise.

Thanks for reading.

When this happens:

You have to fix this:

The past two days have been learning the core basics of massage: table setup, draping, lubrication. I must say that with all my healing presence and great hands, I am not naturally gifted at these basics. I hope all of you appreciate how hard a massage therapist works just to keep your personal areas covered!! I am learnng very fast, and see each of these little details as just another way to express quality care for my patients. I will have the greatest leg drape in my class, just watch me.

On a side note, I am amazed at all the GloryBee products I see in the stores down here. Far more than in Eugene! It makes me sentimental; I remember each adventure of designing those products. However, all of that experience is from observing from a place of dedication to my monastic massage adventure.

School is amazing. The first day, we spent entirely exploring our individual learning styles, and how to apply that model to our studies during the year. I can only imagine how I would have done in undergrad with that depth of personalization. It was validating to meet people that are gifted and struggle in the ways I have with learning.

Day two was intro to palpation. Most of the day was spent bringing our awareness to energetic sensitivities. This also struck me deeply, as it validated all of my experiences and awareness of more than just physical “stuff”. Did you realize that massage literally begins before the therapist even enters the room? I learned that I can sense and affect people at least 10 feet away. It’s said that Jesus and Buddha did from 100 feet away.

Something else to try: take a hair and place it on a page in a phone book. Now place another page over it. Can you feel the hair? Now add a page. Can you feel it now? How has it changed? How does your touch change to sense it? Continue to add pages, and ask those questions. The record is said to be 11 pages. I could sense the hair through 10. I’m almost the best .

A view of our pasture, barn, house, and mountains in the distance.

The view across the road to the east.

Where I live is in the foothills of the siskyou mountains. I share a large Ranch house with 3 other people, pets, and livestock. Our seven acres are a few hundred feet above town. Thanks to Ashland being small, I am still only 2 miles from school.

This morning I walked bella on our road with no worries of traffic. It is a gradual uphill, and with the view of big mountains beyond I would imagine it climbs for a very long time. Perhaps I will be in shape for cuz feet after all.

After the walk I was making breakfast and chatting the the house’s owner, Cindy. In mid sentence she yells “damn, my cow is on the patio again”. I look our the window, and sure enough a full grown bull is standing there. When’s the last time that happened to any of you?

On my way home from errands, as I walked out of the store, it started to lightly snow. There was something about how light it was, against the black of the night sky, that brought me a sweet sense of peace. What a nice night.

Jackson, my zen cat, was pretty nervous about the house when I got in last night. He ran off to hide and I hadn’t seen him all day. As I was driving home I thought about him, and if he will be able to settle in. Sure enough, I got home and he was sleeping on my bed like nothing was wrong. I was impressed, and glad to see him.

Being just across the rural line, we have a pretty rustic existence. One aspect of that is no Internet access. All blogging will have to be done through my fancy city cell phone. Thanks apple!

In 12 hours, I begin my training in massage therapy. In the last 72 hours, I’ve:

- welcomed my housemate back from vacation
- packed all of my personal items and stored them in my office
- finalized my exit from GloryBee and now am officially unemployed
- signed on a new tennant
- waited all day for Jackson to come home so I could leave town
- driven 3 hours at night to Ashland
- moved in to my room and completely settled in

Some friends ask if I am nervous. I am still feeling pretty peaceful and determined. Should I get to a point farther down this path and my resources are drying up, perhaps I’ll have a different sensation. For now, though, I am at peace.