posted by Kelly at 4:41 PM

The word “balance” is used a lot today. How many books on Amazon espouse to hold the secret key to this mysterious quality that we all need in life? I will save you the trouble of researching that question: There are a ton. But it appears that it takes more than reading a book.

Many Canyon Ranch guests have shared with me that they’ve come the Ranch to learn how to create balance in their lives. As I worked with them to create a stay that might give them insight into what they sought, I realized that there was not one service or class that teaches you how to balance your life. Of course, everything at the Ranch speaks to balance, but creating this in your life is not simple, and we offered no one-stop shopping. Or so I thought.

Surprisingly, it was not the title of the workshop that caught my attention – it was the person facilitating it. I really enjoy being around Jonathan Ellerby, the Spiritual Programs Manager for Canyon Ranch, Tucson. There is something very welcoming and inclusive about him, so when he invited me to experience his weekly series of workshops, I took him up on his offer.

The first workshop of the series is called Sacred Balance. Jonathan explains that you do not have to take the whole series or take them in order to take away a great deal from the experience. If the other two are as powerful as the first, Canyon Ranch may be holding that sought-after magic key.

It came as no surprise to me that the source of balance in our lives comes from an understanding of spiritual self. This was a belief that I had held for quite some time. However, what was a surprise was how “spiritual self” is defined. Spiritual self is comprised of various dimensions, such as intuition, energy and compassionate love. Jonathan told us about methods we could use to manage these dimensions and discussed the difference between balancing the self and discovering depth in the soul. Do you love having a goal or a job on which to focus your energy? I sure do and I was inspired to learn that we all have a job to accomplish as spiritual beings: Our job in life is to seek out and remove all barriers we have built against compassionate love. Each point Jonathan brought forward in the workshop helped us in a very practical way to manage the dimensions of our self and create cycles of balance. This balance is deep, and is not just about creating wellness for the mind, body and emotions. I left the workshop inspired – and with a framework in which I could grow by taking action in my life.

As far as action goes, there is no magical key. It rests with me to choose to do something with I’ve learned. This series of workshops has started me on a wellness quest to nurture my spiritual self. I will be sharing with you my experience as I complete the other two workshops.

posted by Kelly at 11:49 PM

As I mentioned in the post “Reflections on Spirituality,” there's an aspect of spiritual wellness that reaches beyond practicing meditation or tai chi. This is the structure, steps or path that one must explore in order to develop a mature sense of spirituality. As I participated in Jonathan Ellerby’s workshop, “Sacred Path – 12 Keys to the Spiritual Path,” I realized that I was enrolled in the introductory course.

What can spiritual practices do for us? Since my exposure to the work offered at Canyon Ranch, my answer to that question would be that practices of spirituality allow us to experience the totality of our world. Spiritual practices are a gateway through which we walk to feel how we are connected to the life force within us and around us. The 12 Keys workshop provides an overview of 12 elements of spirituality taught by great healers and spiritual masters to those seeking deep healing and spiritual growth. What I really enjoyed about the workshop was the realization that these 12 dimensions cross cultural and religious boundaries and can enrich any belief system.

The two dimensions that speak strongly to me at this point in my life are self and heart. I have been learning quite a bit about how I must do “inner work to face outer challenges.” There is a quote from the workshop that really sums this up: “We see not what we are looking at, but what we are looking through.” It is so important to really know ourselves on many levels: Each of us needs to understand what we bring to the story as we move through the world. When we run into challenges in our lives, we need to ask, what is my role in creating this challenge?

I am also drawn to the idea of the compassionate heart and the difference between it and the emotional heart. Our emotional heart is a filter of our life experiences and no healthy decision can be made from it. We must learn, instead, to speak from our compassionate heart, which lives in the depth of soul, and which allows us to move through life offering what we can for the good of all things. These are the lessons that are my focus at this time.

If you have experienced this workshop at Canyon Ranch or have come across this work in your life, I would love to hear of your experiences. There's a quotation by Rumi that seems to capture the ultimate work of a person nurturing his or her spiritual life: “Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.” Does that resonate for you as it does for me?

posted by Kelly at 12:20 AM

Have you spent time observing waves crashing against ocean rock, or been tumbled along by the rapids of a raging river? If so, you’ve certainly pondered the power of water in motion. But have you ever considered the soothing power of still water? Perhaps it crosses your mind as you slide into a bath after a long day at work or the backyard swimming pool during the hot days of summer. Our attraction to water is linked to the power that it holds over us. It can heighten our adrenaline or calm us, just as a mother soothes a child.

It was during my first encounter with Watsu at Canyon Ranch in Tucson that I began to understand that the real power of water is not found in its rushing current, but in its calming embrace. On the surface, this treatment is simply a moving massage conducted in the water: As you float in a therapeutic pool, a therapist supports you while using Shiatsu techniques and gently stretching your body.

It can be a surprisingly profound experience. Many guests have told me that Watsu is the most powerful thing they’ve encountered at Canyon Ranch. Watsu has effects on many different levels, but its key benefit is that it creates a meditative space where you reintroduce yourself to the most important person in your life…you.

It’s different for each person. For some, it’s above all an exercise in trust. They need to find within themselves the faith that they will be safe in the water, or that the therapist, holding their body, is not judging them in their swimsuit. Others experience it as a back-to-the-womb awakening. They feel protected, peaceful and comforted as they move free of gravity and without worry. In this meditative state, they are secure and confident. My own experiences with Watsu are like this. I frequently meditate during the service and find myself in a dream state, swimming with my mother.

Just as everyone’s experience is an accumulation of their life story at that moment, everyone’s Watsu experience will play out differently. Do you need to rejuvenate your spirit and say “hello” to your authentic self? Do you want to explore a different form of meditation – or even just relax? Are you are at a place of life transformation and change? Maybe experiencing the calming embrace of water in a very special way is just what you seek. I would love to hear your thoughts and Watsu stories. Perhaps, together, we can learn more about the real power of water.