23 March 2020
The Turtle and Why I Chose It As a Logo
In the Maori Culture turtles symbolise health, longevity in life, foundation, peace, rest and fertility. Personally this is very fitting with my love for the natural world.
In Native American Culture: “all things are connected and we must try to live in balance.”
14 March 2023
Fascia and how Emotions are held in the body
15 March 2023
Skin, fascias, and scars: symptoms and systemic connections.
2 April 2024
Adventure for Health and Wellbeing!
E-MOTIONS!
Since watching e-motion (lose what needs to be lost to find what needs to be found) on gaia.com I had re-evaluated how I dealt with emotion. Instead of fearing situations, I learned how to ‘feel’ the energy that was coursing through me and embracing each win and loss as they entered my life.
The treehouse – More recently I had suffered a tremendous trauma where I was running a home clinic, but due to the crazy Cyclone Gabriel and her after effects, the landlord asked me to cease practising from home (personally I think they ran out of insurance as the house had required a fair amount of maintenance when I moved in – but I loved it, it was like living in a luxurious treehouse, and my clients loved it with all it’s lush greenery and bird sounds).
Isolation – I have lived many many years celebrating birthdays and Christmas’ by myself and got quite used to it with family being in other countries and the cost of travel being so expensive, and lack of time to travel, financial budget restrictions etc etc.
One of my many beautiful clients gave me a book for my birthday last year by Gabor Matẻ called The Myth of Normal. It was an eye-opening read about emotional balance and tells stories of survival and rehabilitation. At this stage I was dealing with an ex-boyfriend from Australia whom had decided to make his way to Auckland and stay extremely close to where I was. I felt a surge of panic, and my Limbic System went into over-drive and I discovered my ‘Fear Response’ for the first time. I shut down, only coming completely alive when I was in my clinic room working on my clients. I remember the saying ‘fear is an illusion, danger is real’. So I embraced my fear, sat with it and became acquaintances with it – Energy in Motion – I needed to find a way to change the energy and found a way, maybe this was my midlife crisis, but I knew something had to change.
At the end of 2023 I had an epiphany. 2024 was going to be a year of adventure, I had no idea how, but I started compiling a vision board and found cut outs of trekking through the fox glaciers, white water rafting, hot air ballooning etc. Simply put, I could feel the energy of excitement start spreading through me like a refreshing beer or home made iced tea on a hot day. It was my younger brothers’ birthday first, so I jumped onto Red Balloon and found an experience I hoped he would enjoy, a Tall Ship Cruise – most gifts have been gift boxes of food and alcohol which we end up excreting out of our systems anyway, but an experience is memorable and long lasting!
Now, I recently celebrated my 41st birthday – in style! When my mum (who’s on the far side across the ditch) asked me what I wanted for my birthday, I cringed because I have enough material objects. So I suggested a Red Balloon Voucher for Skydiving or Hot Air Ballooning – to which she cringed with a completely normal fear of heights – so I suggested she get me something that she would enjoy, because then atleast I could enjoy my day with them with me in spirit.
ADVENTURE
I had just finished a treatment and left the room for them to get changed and wash my hands. When I checked my phone, it had an email (which I thought may have been spam) saying:
I was completely speechless, but had to compose myself quickly before my client exited the treatment room. Needless to say that was almost impossible! This was the day before my birthday and I wanted to book immediately, however I was working in a position as a (case manager) for a trust company and was due to finish the assignment the following week before starting a new position in a health clinic. So I decided to wait as I saw my skydive as a means to new beginnings. Although thinking back now, it wouldn’t have made a difference, and I think not waiting would have inspired my colleagues to get out and embrace their adventurous sides more.
SKYDIVING FROM 18,000ft
So the morning arrived, I woke up early and had breakfast as usual – not wanting to be jumping from the plane on an overly empty stomach – and waited for the ‘Skydive Auckland’ bus to pick me up, in anticipation. The bus driver, Alex was cool and calm, and told me about his previous experiences – he has an ‘old soul’ way about him. We chatted for a bit, sang along to a couple of songs and then after 45 minutes arrived at the Parakai Airfield.
Like everyone, I was excited and scared all at the same time figuring I’d utilise nasal breathing to balance the energy I was feeling. In 2022 my step dad gifted me with an iFly experience which I loved! Mentally I was prepared and eager to get up in the sky. As I watched the previous jumpers walking in from their jumps I sensed a feeling of complete euphoria amongst them, the energy was buzzing like whips of electricity bouncing on air particles. I looked up and saw more parachutes descending from the heavens, and a slight feeling of fear overcame me – I would be up that high soon. But embracing the fear, curiosity took over and then excitement all over again. I was redeemed!
Not a moment too late my Tandem Master walked out, looking cool, calm and casual after his previous jump. (Working as a massage therapist in a busy spa, I knew what it felt like to go from client to client and found myself wondering what it would be like to do that as a professional skydiver free-falling all day, jump after jump from over 10,000ft above sea level). Both Matt and Alex had the same calmness about them, like life was their oyster.
I was a little apprehensive when it came time to do some video footage – while my dream as a young girl was to become an actress, in adulthood I have become quite the opposite and you will rarely find me taking selfies let alone creating video content of myself. Needless to say, I think I pulled it off, later learning that Matt is a Videographer – it just kept getting better! He skydives while taking photos and videos, I mean wow, what an incredible career to have! I always envied underwater photography having only played with the idea of aeronautical photography.
We all sat in the PAC750 plane in order of jump height. I wanted to observe how people were feeling pre-jump, but the views were absolutely breath taking – other than the fact that I was comfortably wedged in-between Matt’s legs ready for tandem jumping, it’d been a little while since I had been within this proximity of a man so of-course I was feeling a little shy, but learned to relax on the flight up to 18,000ft. He was very professional, and kept engaging in conversation (I had retreated inwards, taking in the view, the experience, the surrounding emotions). I looked out at each jump to see the expressions of Euphoria on their faces.
Finally, it came to my turn. Matt pushed me to the exit, I tucked my legs as instructed.
Next second we were falling.
I think I screamed a little but opened my eyes to see the most amazing sight of my life! I felt like an eagle soaring high above the world with the wind caressing my jumpsuit. There was a small moment when my face got so cold, mouth dry and tonsils tickled – note to self: close mouth when in the sky at 15,000ft! I hadn’t felt Matt tap me on the shoulder to open my arms as I was still silently assessing the emotions running through me and how to regulate how I felt. Sure, there is a moment when you worry about the chute not opening. But I had a well experienced Tandem Master attached to me. It was the most exhilarating 75 seconds of my life (apart from when my ear drum expanded from the pressure which meant I had to pressurise myself in the air, but later discovered that wearing earplugs helps to regulate the pressure – I had seen one of the other instructors (Mitch) do it.
The parachute opened and I was sad that the free-fall was over. But then a gust of wind blew and we were open air swinging, it was such fun I giggled like a school girl, and the view was incredible!
Touch down!
I sat on the bench watching people, feeling disappointed that I hadn’t let myself go completely and open my arms. Which is why one jump just isn’t enough and booked another jump at the end of the next month.
Now I encourage my clients to receive regular massages to balance their parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems. But how often do we allow ourselves to ‘feel’ as a form of therapy? Change of state! We all need State-Change Therapy in our lives. Most of the time we try and numb emotion, instead of experience it.
One morning or afternoon of a day off, do something extreme that has the innate ability to completely change your state of being. While skydiving might not be everyone’s cup of tea, there are other options. I found a few other examples such as High Ropes Adventure – Tarzan’s Test in Woodhill Forest, or Rotorua Ziplines and Rafting. Invest in the future of your health and wellbeing by simply having fun you never thought you’d be able to experience.