After 20 years as a licensed, practicing massage therapist, I am taking a deep breath and re-defining myself. I have been residing in Central Florida for the last 20 years and although had a lovely connection with wonderful clients and friends, I felt the compelling urge to withdraw, to go inside.....to re-assess my skills, my values, my goals, mission and vision. I could not seem to gain the traction or isolation I needed for such a change by staying where I was so comfortable and connected. Often great change is preceded by an upheaval that is either ordained by the Universe, or chosen by the self. Change agents and change angels are always pushing us. I felt the push.
In this case, I took a deep breath and left the familiar, warm comfort zone of Orlando for the Vermont winter. Many have called me crazy. In fact, I was one of those people, muttering the word to myself as I sped north in my little Yaris, carrying a 55 gallon aquarium in the hatch, a cooler of dog and turtle food, a suitcase, cleaning supplies, a mop, broom and a futon. Riding shotgun in the passenger seat was my full sized anatomy skeleton wearing my winter clothes and holding my turtle, Stella in his lap with a hot water bottle. My little dog, Gracie riding on my lap was also barking the dog equivalent of "CRAZY!!!" the whole way. Yesterday, I officially changed my drivers license and my plates. I live in Waterbury VT, small town USA.
In the quietness of the cold and snow, and in the midst of the world shake up following the US Presidential election, refugee crisis, tribal wars, changes in the EU and ever increasing violence on a national stage...I have decided to step up and claim a name which will boldly change the spelling and definition of a hateful word. We can change the vibration of anything with thoughts and with good intentions. Thought creates. As I watch the world unravel and see people tearing one another apart with criticism and judgement, I can recognize myself in others, and at times taking sides. I think about my years as a massage therapist and now as a massage educator, and wonder how many clients I would have had to date if I had only massaged heterosexual Caucasian females born in the US in 1962, raised in the Judaeo-Christian tradition who generally voted Democrat? What would have happened to my paycheck? My soul? My neighbors...? I have taken stock of my side-taking in politics and reveled in the righteousness of my own opinion about how the elections SHOULD have turned out. Guess what? THEY TURNED OUT EXACTLY HOW THEY SHOULD HAVE! I am now ready to join all sides or no sides, as I declare myself to be exactly who I have been for the last 20 years:
Noun: Massagenist (ma-SAH-jen-ist) "A person who loves to give massage to EVERYBODY no matter who they love, what country they come from, what they look like, or who they voted for."
Thank you for reading, please feel free to contact me at www.themassagenist.com
Peace be with you.....Maryah
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