Showing posts with label massage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label massage. Show all posts

Thursday, January 1, 2026

New Year's Eve Celestial Ball (12/31)



WHAT HAPPENED?
Where did these DJs learn to move us?
Through the gloom of clouds and mist, muddy streets and threats of "rain," we made our way to big house in Shadow Hills in the Foothills of the Valley. It was warm and bright inside, pulsing with lights and DJs. In a room to the right were throw pillows, tapestries, chocolates of all kinds and the massage area. On the ceiling was a map of the night sky in colorful lights or a psychedelic representation of it anyway. We gathered in a giant circle that spanned three rooms and the dancefloor, spilling into a fourth, for introductions. Pick a word that represents the year we are leaving. Introduce yourself to the person on your left, mimic their every move, share deeply. Raw vegan foods and cheesecake by Rawsheed were cooling, and warm curries were bubbling. Hibiscus tea filled a punch bowl with stevia and lemon essence.

Kinship Yoga 108 Sun Salutations
There was socializing all around in every room and a long primary dinner table set to serve two dozen people as others retreated to an adjoining room to eat, talk, and plan their karaoke, dancing, and singalong routines. The massage room became a healing chamber with too many signing up too late as hours rushed until the ecstatic moment of the countdown: 10, 9, 8...2026 was on its way. Is this happening simultaneously in New York, or did it happen three hours before? It's already tomorrow in Oceania and Australia. Dancing, screaming, hoots and howls to welcome in the new year, it's something Gatsby might have overseen from West Egg. Where's Daisy? She's dancing somewhere.

Ecstatic Dance with Sita Das Ji
Others are developing mindfulness and meditating, healing and letting go, and the drizzle has stopped down below in the Basin and Valley that is Los Angeles. People settled into corners for deep talks about the environment, human potential, psychology, saving the world, lamenting the Levant, and strategizing for paths to health and greater prosperity.

This is a good crowd with Vanessa and Annie outdoing themselves. Not since this past summer's pool party in Beverly Hills and book release has a compassionate celebration been so celebratory. Everyone was full, and it was approaching 2:00 am as we cleaned up, hugged, and meandered back down to the City of Angels.


Enter the glittering world of Arcana and find your Tarot Dreams. Once you arrive, find a host of figures to illuminate your chosen path. Draw in ultraviolet colors on the walls of your inner landscape.
Fashion inspiration from famous vegan (plant-based) men | Watson & Wolfe
Kindness [to the environment and all its animals and human-animals] makes us stronger
World-class vegan influencer Vanessa Marsot
Purchase a vegan food ticket ($40) to receive Alchemical creations by Chef Rawsheed (Facebook) and special elixirs. Appetizer, a main course, and dessert are all included. Or just come to party ($15).

Everyone in attendance will be provided an elixir of sparkling cider for the midnight toast. A DJ will be playing for our dancing pleasure at this ball between open mic and karaoke sets. Bring instruments!

To practice METTA, I became vegan. 😁
Tip jar massage will be available. Come dressed like a celestial Devi in silver or gold outfit for the ball. Or dress however you feel inspired with comfort as the goal.

Strut down a glittering catwalk in vegan ball attire for everyone to admire. (Please consider ahimsa, "non-harming," and avoid wool, silk, fur, leather, and feathers stolen from tormented animals).
DETAILS
Massage is mind-body healing.
Payment for the food ticket due by Dec. 29th. Address of location given upon RSVP by Dec. 30th. Venmo: @Vanessa-Marsot Zelle: 818-383-5998 PayPal: vmarsot@gmail.com. Questions? Contact Vanessa at (818) 383-5998 or Annie at (310) 892-9617.

This event is advertised on multiple sites, so the Meetup numbers do not reflect the total number attending?

DISCLAIMER: Event organizers assume no liability; all participants do so at their own risk. By attending, you agree that neither you nor any third party will hold any of the group's leaders liable for any injury, loss, or damage to your own person or any members of your family, friends, acquaintances, children, pets, or property, arising directly or as a consequence from a group activity.

No cooking tonight. We have a vegan chef!

Friday, November 21, 2025

Village Fall Festival, Pasadena (11/22)

WHAT HAPPENED?
Why gather? To build community.
A thousand or so people from the community and far afield gathered on the grounds of Muir High. The main stage moved to the lawn area to accommodate dancing and grooving to live music and DJ Common. The food trucks were barbequing and one maestro of the kitchen had special raw vegan offerings -- three kinds of savory pizza and plantain cinnamon rolls. The most attractive offerings among all the nonprofit stalls and kiosks was the Healing Village with yoga, breathwork, sound baths, reiki, massage, and energy healing under tents. Even visitors from Pacific Palisades enjoyed it. It was six hours of socializing and visiting a booth to go on camera to tell the tale of Altadena and the area before and after the Eaton Fire.

(Rhythms of The Village)
VILLAGE FALL FESTIVAL: The Fall Festival is back at Pasadena's Muir High School, where we’ll host the foothill community for day of healing, joy, and unity! Free. RSVP on EVENTBRITE.
Celebrating the vibrant, multicultural spirit of Altadena, let's DANCE together, EAT together, and SHOP together.

Join us for an afternoon of live music and drumming, food, art, and healing vibes as we celebrate commUnity at our traditional Village Fall Festival presented by Rhythms of the Village and LA Commons and Oh Happy Days Vegan Cafe.
Let's dance, eat, laugh, and sing together so our stories get heard! Explore a vibrant marketplace of art, handmade crafts, jewelry, clothing, and more with 50+ vendors, including Altadena artisans displaced by the Eaton Fire.

Live multicultural entertainment goes throughout the day on the big stage, including the Rhythms Family Band, led by the legendary Baba Onochie Chukwurah. There are also activities for children.

Healing individuals and community
Village Fall Market and Festival
Free healing workshops and sessions go on in the "Altadena Healing Village":
  • yoga,
  • Reiki,
  • acupuncture,
  • sound healing,
  • massage therapy.
NEW Storytelling Booth: Altadena residents can share and record their stories. Delicious food from various cultures.

Vendors: Makers sell handcrafted or vintage items only: Apply here. Sponsorships are still available.

This magical festival and marketplace unites us. Many cultures coming together as ONE Tribe. There are children’s workshops and a magical line up of entertainment throughout the day. Tasty foods... 50+ makers of items handcrafted with love.

Some of these artisans were displaced from Altadena, crafters who create jewelry, art, wearables and more... Vendors apply here. It runs for six hours starting at noon, Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025.
How to get there? Covered parking. Family friendly event. Why did the location change? Previous site behind the Rhythms of the Village store and Oh Happy Day Vegan Cafe came down during the Eaton Fire. Organized by Emeka Chukwurah. #arts #music #festival #multicultural #musicfestival #Altadena #familyfriendly #Pasadena

Thursday, November 6, 2025

Epstein the Blackmailer, Trump's cover up

Could martial arts training have saved Virginia?

We're the most powerful people in this country!
Behind every powerful felon is a powerful criminal female companion? It would seem so, Jewish Ghislane Maxwell (a Mossad agent/superspy like her father Robert Maxwell) for Jewish pro-Zionist Israel Jeffrey Epstein and Democrat-gone-Republican Pam Bondi for Democrat-gone-Republican Donald Trump.

Exposing Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking empire
Stop talking about our child sex ring, I mean his.
(60 Minutes Australia) Nov. 6, 2025: Virginia Roberts Giuffre was one of the most prominent accusers of convicted child sex abuser and best friend of Donald Trump Jeffrey Epstein.

Her new memoir, posthumously released in 2025, details the lifelong sex abuse she endured at the hands of adults, both powerful and familiar to her.

Israel's Mossad superspy, father of Ghislane Maxwell

She was asking for it, the perfect victim
In 2019, she bravely shared her story on 60 Minutes. In an interview with Tara Brown, she explained how she got entangled in the sinister sex web of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislane Maxwell, her allegations of abuse by then-Prince Andrew (which he is still trying to deny), and how she finally broke free from this world of abuse. #60Mins
  • (Hysteria) Lawyer Pam "Brownnoser" Bondi: Everything You Didn't Know About Her Sh*tty Past

Saturday, October 19, 2024

Harvest Festival Party, Los Angeles (free)

Mom, you're embarrassing me. Sit down already. I'm going home. They're laughing at you.

Fall is here, and everyone is invited to a be in and gathering at Rhythms of the Village, above Pasadena in Los Angeles. Join us for a multicultural festival of music, foods of all kinds (lots of vegan stuff), crafts, arts, dancing, healing, and more with over 50 vendors, ethnic traditions and kids' workshops. There's a big stage and thousands are expected for this biannual event.

Come cozy up and socialize as things cool, fall sets in, and it starts getting dark sooner. Ananda will lead a group meditation and healing near the main stage, Cody will perform, and Korean dance with vegan Sam (for her plantbasedtreaty.org) and food from the Cosmic Breezeway Cafe and trucks and food stalls, healer Janell, and doula Tori (flowwithtori.com) for yoga amid the massage tables.
  • Village Fall Fest & Fashion Show
  • Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, noon-6:00 pm
  • Rhythms of the Village (BACK LOT)
  • 2279 N. Lake Ave., Altadena, LA 90001
DETAILS AND FREE TO RSVP:

Tuesday, April 9, 2024

Happy Nat'l Unicorn and Int'l ASMR Day

Unicorns were real flesh and bone creatures like narwhals on land, a kind of goat or sheep.

I love the sound of bristles and sticking metal into soft wood, oooh. *Tingle Tingle* 😵💗
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National Unicorn Day
What mythological creature has been more beloved over the centuries than the unicorn?

As an incredible symbol of purity and enchantment, the unicorn is loved by children and adults alike. They are integral parts of fairytales and legends.

For all the roles they have played in art, literature, and cinematography, unicorns deserve their own day. 

How to celebrate National Unicorn Day

If one is a misfit seeker, one is a unicorn.
The best way to celebrate is to find a fun, fanciful activity to enjoy with family and/or friends. Get creative with art, music, or other projects that promote free-thinking and fantasy. Or try out some of these other ideas: daysoftheyear.com/days/unicorn-day.

It's International ASMR Day, too

ASMR can help a meditator
There’s a day dedicated to the odd and delightful sensations of ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response). What in the world is that? Fans of This American Life already know. It is a phenomenon that tickles the senses of some sensitive types in the most unexpected ways.

Every year, on April 9th, the world celebrates International ASMR Day. This special day is about whispers and tingles and global recognition of an intriguing sensory experience that has captivated millions worldwide.

Wisdom is Bliss (Thurman)
The story of ASMR Day began in 2012, sparked by the curiosity and creativity of ASMR artists like KellyMsAutumnRed and Ilse Blansert of Waterwhisperers.

Their goal was simple yet profound: to spread awareness and appreciation of ASMR.

It’s a sensation that many describe as a delightful tingling in the scalp and neck, often triggered by specific sounds or sights [somewhat like synesthesia].

I can't feel anything from just sound, Hun. - Shush, then enjoy the tactile sensations of massage.
,
The forest is alive with subtle sensations
Bring to mind the gentle rustling of leaves or the pleasant whisper of a kind voice. These are the kinds of stimuli that frequently lead to ASMR bliss. Think of a cat or dog companion getting a backrub. Now imagine a human feeling the same way because of auditory or visual stimulation.

Why does the world celebrate ASMR Day? It’s more than just enjoying tingling sensations, which only some feel. There’s more to it. This day highlights the therapeutic potential of ASMR.

I feel it, I feel it - the sound of rustling paper!
For some, it’s a gateway to relaxation, a means to alleviate stress, or even a helpful tool to drift off into a peaceful sleep.

It’s a day for ASMR enthusiasts to share their favorite experiences, for YouTube content creators to showcase their innovative works, and for newbies to dip their toes into a mesmerizing world.

Whether one is a long-time fan or just curious about what all the fuss is about, International ASMR Day is the perfect time to explore this fascinating sensory journey.​​​​​ More

Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Write it: Seven Step Massage Meditation

Dhr. Seven, Jen Bradford, Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation), Wisdom Quarterly

The deepest relaxation, writing or massage?
My teacher, Seven, taught me to meditate then told me to write about the experience for the benefit of others. I'd rather talk or stay quiet. I can't write. Can I write? Seven says if a person can talk, that person can write. They're almost the same...but not quite, not by a longshot sometimes.
Yoga and good posture help body relax and get still.
Seven once came up with the ideal "American meditation," sinking into a warm bath to relax. Suds, scents, a candle in the dark or soft accent lights, all converge to bring about stillness. Until the water gets cold.

Stillness, samadhi, is the initial goal. Without a tub it's tough. So I used a sauna, steam room, and a hot tub (jacuzzi), but in public, with the jets, the excess heat, and cringey chlorine, nah. The warmth is relaxing. All the rest is not.

Asked where I do relax, I could only think of our massage table or chair in the quiet room. At Reiki shares, I might even fall asleep under warm hands and mysterious energy, prana or solar chi, unless I mindfully come back and back.

Pup knows I'm more relaxed than ever
Coming back and back, like Sharon Salzberg says, is part of a mindfulness practice. Seven says mindfulness (sati) is necessary for samadhi ("stillness" not "concentration"). And stillness is needed for the sort of systematic fourfold mindfulness necessary for insight meditation (vipassana).

That's the next goal, if there are goals: INSIGHT. Wisdom is the cause of liberation, because wisdom is "direct penetration into the reality all around." Sayalay Aloka said her teacher pointed out that the "Truth" is actually everywhere all around all the time. We don't "see" (know) it.

Think about it. The Three Characteristics of Existence are that all dhammas, all "things," are impermanent, imperfect (dukkha), and impersonal.
  1. They're hurtling toward destruction.
  2. They disappoint and can never fulfill.
  3. They aren't what they seem to be (not themselves) but rather are empty (not-self).
Dharma Buddha Meditation @Reiki Share in HB
Those are the insights reached by vipassana, when it's at the level of knowing-and-seeing ULTIMATE materiality and mentality (kalapas and cittas, particles and mind-moments). Otherwise, it's just intellectualizing and won't liberate the mind/heart. That's next. First, relax.

Calm meditation is the beginning of the Path. That and questioning because the Buddha has answers. (The answer to there not being a self is that -- we have to ask -- "Well, what is there then? What's THIS!?"

Are these two "meditating" or just kicking around in the dirt loving plants?
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Organic vegan gardening and farming can help.
The Buddha answers. It's Dependent Origination, that is, the thing we see (the Five Aggregates clung to as self) is dependently originated, conditioned, arising when the constituent factors (causes and conditions) are present and not when they are not.

"When this is, that comes to be. With the arising of this, this arises. When this is not, that does not come to be. With the perishing of this, that perishes," the Buddha taught as a sort of summary of the causal links of paticcasamuppada or Dependent Origination.

"Massage Meditation" in seven steps
  1. Pick a trusted practitioner you're comfortable with.
  2. Be sure to be well-rested with enough sleep (or you'll just fall asleep during this).
  3. With lights down and a light touch, advert (turn) attention to the breath.
  4. The massage, with a good oil like virgin coconut butter or real olive oil, depending on skin, avoiding anything synthetic, using instead hexane-free essential oils.
  5. This works much better with a masseuse or masseur who meditates because the initial phase is calming and firm or so light as to energetically relax the physical body so that the mental body relaxes.
  6. Then firm warm hands hold in one place as the mind is brought back again and again until it rests on the breath as it's known under the nose.
  7. The massage stops with the body almost in sleep-paralysis, but mind fully awake, full stillness, so that the subtlest breath is now the focus, sustaining it until a nimitta appears.
The body comes out of it not needing to rest, as in sitting full or half lotus, but calm, refreshed, and ready to mindfully engage in daily activities. The mind may want to rest, and now the body is very supple for that.