Ever feel like you are too busy to meditate? To center yourself and be present in your mind? This article is for you! Usually, the people that express they are too busy to ‘slow down’ are the ones that need it the most. Just as you plug your cell phone in every night, plugging into the present can be a great re-charge for your body and mind.

By definition mindfulness is; the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something. A mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.

Tips to stay mindful when you are busy

1. A 3 minute breathing space. Developed by John Teasdale, Mark Williams and Zindel Segal, the three minute breathing exercise consists of 3 parts:
   • Attend to what is. The first step invites attending broadly to one’s experience, noting it, but without the need to change what is being observed.
   • Focus on the breath. The second step narrows the field of attention to a single, pointed focus on the breath in the body.
   • Attend to the body. The third step widens attention again to include the body as a whole and any sensations that are present.
2. Change up your routine. Sometimes breaking out of our regular routines help put things in perspective. You can even change up your regular routine by taking on a hobby you have always wanted to do or an activity. For example, if you have always wanted to learn how to ballroom dance DO IT! Adding moments in our regular routines give us life and bursts of excitement and energy.
3. Be grateful. In moments throughout your day, take a second to pause and be grateful. Even when the world can seem chaotic, there are always things and people to be grateful for.

At Universal Spa Training Academy, we strive to deliver more than just education to our students in our massage therapy and aesthetics program.

After our massage therapy program, students will be well versed in the energies of the Eastern approach and techniques of the West. We do not just teach how to address the body but incorporate the mind and spirit as well. What does the mind and spirit include exactly? In this article, we want to go into more detail about craniosacral therapy specifically (without giving away the goods) and the benefits.

Definition of Craniosacral Therapy

The Benefits of Craniosacral Therapy

• Helps to relieve migraines
• Chronic neck and back pain
• Colic
• Spinal Cord Injuries
• Post traumatic stress disorder
• Chronic fatigue
• Scoliosis
• Stress and tension problems
• Immune disorders
• Central nervous system disorders
• Infantile Disorders
• Orthopedic Problems
• And many more!

We cover this type of therapy among many others in our massage therapy curriculum. Other topics include reiki, polarity therapy, lymph drainage, hydrotherapy, neuromuscular therapy and more. Head to our massage therapy page for more information or call (630) 968-6800, option 1. Only $50 to reserve your seat for the fall program. Classes start this August 2017!

Here at our massage and aesthetics school, we include Aromatherapy as a part of the curriculum. Students are taught how to make body care products for personal and professional use. Aromatherapy is the therapeutic use of plant-derived, aromatic essential oils to promote physical and psychological well-being. It is sometimes used in combination with massage and other therapeutic techniques as part of a holistic treatment approach. 

6 Benefits of Aromatherapy

1. Increases circulation and energy levels. The best essential oils for giving yourself an energy boost include cardamom, cinnamon, clove, jasmine, tea tree, black pepper, and sage.
2. Boosts immune and digestive system. The anti-microbial effects, as well as the anti-fungal and antibacterial effects can protect you from any number of illnesses and infections that could damage your system. Some oils to use are lemon, thieves, peppermint and lavender.
3. Provides relief from stress. Ahh stress, it can trigger a wide ray of other symptoms such as insomnia and headaches, but using essential oils can eliminate these as well as stress and anger. Some of the most popular oils to use are lemon, lavender, bergamot, peppermint, vetiver, clary sage and ylang ylang.
4. Natural sleep aid. Some essential oils to help with sleep include lavender, vetiver, roman chamomile, ylang ylang, bergamot, sandalwood and marjoram. The trick here is to find what your body likes and responds to. One of the most popular ways is to put one drop of lavender on the bottom of your feet right before bed.
5. Reduces and can eliminate headaches. Aromatherapy can be an excellent solution to relieving headaches. Some of the best essential oils that have been connected to reducing headaches and migraines are peppermint, eucalyptus, sandalwood, and rosemary essential oils.
6. Promotes healing and recovery. Essential oils can increase the body’s oxygen level which in return increase blood flow to wounds to decrease healing time. Some oils that speed up healing processes are clove, eucalyptus, frankincense, lavender, lemon and oregano.

Learn more about our programs and our curriculum at USTA here.