Are you feeling a bit like a Greek mythological goddess ….rolling a beauty bolder up the steep hill of city life? What can you honor about yourself today that will massage your mind, body and spirit back to the top of the hill with renewed vim and vigor? Vavoom! How about a new blissful perspective? As your Bodhi-spah-tvah croons, “We are all little gems in the mosaic of life”, so it is my duty to try and guide all sentient spa spirits, to inner and outer beauty, and that includes you. So here it goes…. A bolder, when sifted down becomes tiny grains of sand and salt particles, little crystal gems that can buff and polish to your advantage. And  you can find them a Bliss.  So keep it simple, and go with the flow to the sea of Bliss on 57th.

Just float on up to the third floor and into the Bliss boutique for a good look before plunging. An array of catchy slogans and names will amuse you into reading past the label. Drop a “La Mer” body cream into your sand bucket, or find “Youth as we know it…. a Love Handler…..or Fat Girl Slim…and a ..Thinny Thin Chin. Order your free Spring into Action catalogue right now by making a beauty call to 888 243 8825 . Solve all your gift dilemmas in an eye lash flutter when you purchase Blisscertificates for all the June brides you know…. and send them one on each anniversary.  You will be fondly remembered long after the bliss babies have grown.

Now its time for you to surrender your bodacious self to the care of one of those loyal Bliss technicians like Charmaine, an 8 year veteran who knows that the secret to a youthful dermis, is exfoliation. Come along now ..don’t resist…a Hot Salt Scrub for you. It’s just a bit of salt ‘n bliss….You can take it. And NO! Don’t eat the cheese and cookies in the resting room–it’s like serving candy in a dentist office!!!  Please don’t make me stop you– go ahead and eat the cheese, then go back out and get the product to remedy it…and on return book yourself a Quadruple Thighpass, a lymph clearing treatment. Whew….that’s real subliminal on- the-spot sales and marketing.

The slick, floor to ceiling, aqua tiled body treatment room, and gigantic silver sprayers above, were a bit intimidating to a vulnerable declothed mermaid. It looked to me like a high tech operating room somewhere on Marina Del Ray.  Even with Nora Jones crooning  “Come away with me” I layed right down on this liquid silver tinfoil blanket, and tried not to imagine that I was an in demand, Chilean Sea Bass prior to roasting….Oh, just a bit of butter first? Charmaine covers me with a cream foundation, then without warning splays a salt, herb and oil solution along my thigh. Ouch, careful there…. it’s tender enough. This is not what you would call a relaxing treatment, but in the end, I can assure that you will thank “no nonsense Charmaine”, for her thorough and abrasive, salt approach.  In preparation for an early spring that’s just around the corner, she sloughed away layers of those old cells, buffing and polishing the top into rejuvenation. Emollient lavender, rosemary and cleansing eucalyptus filled the air and soothed me into deep breathing.  These healing herbs seep deep and sleep beneath the top layers, and will discard any dry, scaly imperfections weighing upon mermaids or land creatures. This is a perfect recommendation for Lynnea and Carole, head mermaids from the Deeper Dialogue group….come on in Goddess’s the water is fine!  A quick warm water rinse and I return to the table where a minced cucumber eye rest works on my lids. Just in time for a brushing of lemon sage cream, to finish the dish, mmmm… perfect on any menu.

Another favorite, on the long list of spah-aholic services is the Ginger Rub. This is a combination treatment of fresh ginger root with warm detoxifying oils and a foil wrap, followed by a 20 minute soak and 100 minutes of massage. When the newlyweds have their first argument, just remind him where the bliss comes from. From deep within, of course.  Then have a Bliss bouquet of spa goods delivered for a backup to outer beauty.  Cheerful Abby, the night closer, slipped me down a cloud infused hallway for a peek into the aqua colored facial room and equipped me with a Bliss bag of my own goodies on the way out.

What would Pablo Neruda say with his poetic gaze, following a latent and lingering hand motion trickling along the mermaids curves, ” An ode to you, beautiful nude, ….with my chaste heart, with pure eyes, I celebrate your blissful beauty “.

You heard the poet …celebrate your BLISS.!! And for the fun of it, take him with you, so both of you can reap the benefits! There are plenty of masculine (Manly-Cures) and feminine tenderizing techniques to be had here, there and in most top cities. Don’t you be bashful, cause Bliss is not, and is pairing with progressive and beckoning W Hotels nationwide, to bring high tech spa services to loungers and urbanistas on the go.

BLISS 12 West 57th, 3rd Floor
Between 5th and 6th
Bliss Booking: 877 TO BLISS
blissworld.com

Being from the south, and growing up in the north, I just can’t seem to keep this” east meets west”, secret to myself any longer … and you, are the lucky one to hear it first.

Who would have known that located next to the infamous landmark, East West Books and Cafe, is this 2nd Floor, East West Living and healing studio, a soothing peacefilled haven that all on-the-go New Yorkers need to visit. But don’t tell everyone ..only your most stressed and cherished urban friends in need of body awareness and energy revitalization . Chuckle, Chuckle…. that should include just about everyone you and I know. For example, my friend Alfred, this is for you.

Mark Thomas, manager and gentle giant masseur, lead me to a candlelit room ,immersing me in quiet beginning with the sound of flutes permeating the air. This asian inspired high ceiling room, was filled with serenity and a sparse, clear atmosphere. As if the walls whispered, I could almost hear a soft eastern wind swirl by in the stillness of this space. Here, I learned certified practitioners are able to give their clients more than just the physical benefits of massage, by incorporating accupressure, crystal healing and an array of chinese healing arts in combination with massage therapy. The international staff from a dozen different countries, make available their extended services of tai chi, chigong, shamanic alignment, ayengar, restorative and core strength yoga sessions in the open rooms throughout the floor.

Mark’s history as a trained, “Pa Kua sword and martial arts master” (8 changes -The Martial Arts of the I Ching) wasn’t apparent but worked it’s quiet will through his graceful walk and attentive manner that seemed to unarm me into ease. I couldn’t sense and didn’t know till afterwards, that his wrist was completely reconstructed with titanium, as a result
of a snowmobiling accident that turned this island Warrior into a Healer.

A warrior is a noble and heroic opponent but the ultimate opponent in a warrior’s life, is himself.  “I learned to balance the Ying and the Yang energy through this experience and became a healer” he said calmly. Through his own challenging process he learned more about the healing arts and was trained in various ancient chinese energy techniques that allow the release of energy blocks. One of his specialties is an hour and twenty five minutes of “Sky Energy Reiki” namely a “Chren Chi Kua” session, where the unlimited energy of the omnipotent sky is channelled through him to heal and rebalance your chakras and meridians. Oh!, you say …he can do all that? Just try it, once a month for three months, and I’d be curious to know what your closest friends notice that has changed about you. You can leave your comments right here below, to entice the rest of us.

During this precious time with lucky me as the recipient, he dropped warmed rosemary, mint oil into the fluid sweeping motions of a soothing Chinese Energy massage treatment, lingering and moving to open the meridian pathways. increase the directional energy and clean flow throughout the entire length of my torso. I asked him where he felt the blockage on my body and he located the midsection around my ribcage and back that always holds my stress load.  Pretty good in one hour, I’d say. In completion, he incorporated gentle reflexology on the hands and the feet. As I drifted off on a slow boat to China , i recalled an old saying,” the fragile body is a matrix for the mind and soul”.

You can visit the studio for an array of unique healing products and books. Where else can you find “Ganga Water” straight from the holy Indian river, or watch a special film screening , participate in monthly reiki gatherings and up to the minute energy treatments. In February, exchange your Whole Foods receipt for samplings of classes and services…You don’t need a compass to get here cause they are very close to Union Square at 78 5th Avenue— just ring Mark ahead of time and bring a friend along for an exotically healing Chinese Energy Healing Massage, to be remembered by all your chakras.

East West Living Yoga and Healing Studio
78 5th Avenue Second Floor
New York, New York 10011
mark@eastwestnyc.com
212 243 5995