 What does it mean to be embodied?
Simply put, embodiment is a way of being where we are in tune with our bodily sensations. For example, when we experience a stressful trigger, we drop down and feel exactly where this stress is being held in our body—it might be tightness in our belly, restriction in our throat, shallow breathing or increased heart rate, most likely it is a combination of a few of these. Being aware of these sensations allows us to immediately counter their effect. When we pay attention to the stressful state of our body, we naturally shift it by slowing down, deepening our breath and sitting or standing taller. These actions may seem insignificant, but they are proven to be potent stress relief tools, triggering a relaxation state in our nervous system. Unfortunately, embodiment is not something our society, nor our employers, typically value. We live in a mind-centered world and are expected to utilize our intellect as our primary tool in decision making. Taking a moment to note how these decisions feel in our gut is not part of the common workplace agenda. We are encouraged to ignore how our body feels with work deadlines that demand eating lunch at our desk, staying indoors all day long and remaining glued to a screen most of the day. Despite this norm, each of us has the power to move through our day connected to how we feel. We can listen to our bodies and respond mindfully to what we need. After a long stint at the computer, you may feel tired and head straight for an afternoon coffee. After checking in more closely, you find that what you really need is a glass of water, a few stretches at your desk and a quick walk outside for some fresh air. Read the rest of the article here on Elephant Journal.
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 Have you ever forgotten or lost your phone and then felt absolutely lost without it? It’s unsetting to feel how addicted we are to these devices. Our phones allow us fast access to information and mobile connection to our jobs and loved ones. But physiologically they can have detrimental effects. Studies show increased use of electronic devices decrease focus and attention, over-stimulate the addiction centers in the brain, disrupt sleep and increase feelings of social isolation.
Acupuncturist, Kate Sydney will break down how this all works in your brain, your sleep and your life. She will offer insight into why digital discipline is so important and offer tips on how to manage your time online once and for all. Another key component in digital minimalism is the toll our devices take on our attention and focus. Our focus is our superpower and often what allows us to be creative and thrive. When we give this power away to a device, we are left not only with less hours in the day, but a decrease in our ability to concentrate. Yoga teacher, Emily Olson is passionate about establishing healthy daily habits and routines that yield a fulfilling life. She has been playing with creative vs. device time and loves to inspire people to consciously choose time spent with their phones - which she has failed at again and again, but keeps at it! A great precursor to this class would be to watch The Social Dilemma on Netflix, a powerful documentary on how technology influences our behaviors and impacts our life and our world. Digital Detox Class Thursday, October 15th 7:00-8:00pm $10 Email/text/call to register and we will send you a ZOOM link Kate Sydney, ND/MSOM, LAc is a licensed acupuncturist, educator, and doctor of Naturopathic medicine. Kate has special interest in Chinese medicine including seasonal dietary therapy, circadian rhythm hygiene, sleep potions, hormonal balance, immunological vitality, digestive fire, pain softening, and mental and emotional ease. She treats imbalances using food, laughter, nutrition, homeopathy, western/eastern herbalism, hydrotherapy, and movement. She believes optimal health is fostered by the tiny little rituals we carve out time for and practice on a daily basis. Emily Olson, E-RYT, PTA, is a certified yoga therapist, yoga teacher and Physical Therapist Assistant. In 2017 she opened Ripple Wellness with her husband Jeff, a multidisciplinary natural health clinic with a unique commitment to community outreach and education. An inspired teacher and health educator, Emily has taught dozens of classes on health and wellness topics that include, radical self-care, gratitude, breathing techniques, mindfulness and meditation skills, stress relief practices and marketing for yoga and wellness. Her passion lies in igniting in people a drive and inspiration to prioritize self-care practices that foster a deep connection within so they can live their best possible life.  “The highest life you can live is that every single moment that unfolds in front of you is better off because it did.” Michael Singer
The state of our mind moment to moment determines the quality of our life and our happiness. Often we think if we can just get that one thing, we will finally be fulfilled. But research shows this is far from true. We live in what scientists call a hedonic cycle, whereby regardless of the joys or sorrows that come our way, we quickly return to our baseline of happiness. Our work then becomes to make that baseline one of contentment, joy and fulfillment. When we convince ourselves that we need external conditions - partners, children, income, house - to change for us to be happy, we are setting ourselves up to live in a state of anxiety and discontent. Once our basic needs are met, it is up to each of us to find the joy within - it is 100% possible and presence is what gets us there. Join us for our October Mindfulness & Meditation group with Emily Olson and Emily Penn to discuss how each of us can harness the power of presence in our life and create a shift that can last a lifetime. These Emily’s have spent decades committed to the work of using mindfulness, present moment awareness and introspection to create a life well lived and they are passionate about sharing what they find! This group will include a discussion followed by a 20-minute guided meditation. New to meditation? This is a great place to start. Sitting with other people is a wonderful way to begin to meditate. We will provide meditation resources following the sit. Text/email/call Ripple Wellness to register. $5-$10 sliding scale donation - call payment into Ripple or pay in Venmo @ripplewellness If you would like some inspiration before we meet check out the documentary, Happy available on Netflix and Amazon.  Creating & Sustaining A Mindful Life with Emily Olson, E-RYT The path of mindfulness is lifelong and many people go in and out of living a life filled with mindful awareness. This month we’ll discuss what makes a mindful life and what mindful people do differently to make these habits stick. We’ll share how we can use these skills that build on one another to take us into deeper states of relaxation, contemplation, peace and ease. This event is led by Emily Olson, but is a group discussion. Come with questions, insights and stories of what you’ve tried, what works, what doesn’t and ideas for what you want to discuss! This is our monthly group where we share mindfulness skills and sit in a guided meditation together. In this age of consistent stress and overwhelm, we want to offer a monthly check-in and place for people to connect. New to meditation? This is a great place to start. Sitting with other people - even online - is a wonderful way to begin to meditate. You will learn different techniques and be lead with cues from the teacher while experiencing firsthand the benefits of sitting with a group. WHAT: Virtual Meditation Group WHEN: Sunday, August 2nd, 4:00-5:15pm COST:$5-$10 sliding scale donation made to @ripplewellness on Venmo or call payment into Ripple REGISTRATION:Register by calling, texting or emailing Ripple with your email address and we will send you a Zoom link the day of the event. PHONE: (360) 207-0134 EMAIL: hello@ripplewellnessnw.com  Acupuncture at Ripple....
We have searched high and low for the right person for the acupuncturist position at Ripple and we are so excited to introduce you to Kate. Acupuncture is an incredibly effective and affordable treatment for the rising rates of anxiety and pain we are seeing daily due to COVID. As always, acupuncture is successful in treating hormonal disorders, gastrointestinal issues, musculoskeletal pain, neuropathies and more with a relaxing and restorative benefit for our patients. Learn more about Kate below! What is your acupuncture style like and what can I expect in a visit with you? You can expect a thorough intake the first time we see each other, with shorter talking and more treatment time in subsequent visits. I take your pulse, palpate your abdomen, and if possible, look at your tongue to make my diagnosis and determine my treatment protocols. My style is typically gentle and focuses first on treatment of your constitution - your body’s set point. Each person has a very different constitution and I provide individualized care to meet YOUR body’s specific needs. I will take your pulse several times throughout the visit to caliber and adjust my treatment as needed. During a treatment I might use one or more of the following: acupuncture, moxibustion (a herb called Mugwort that is burned on/over specific acupuncture points), cupping, manual therapy and/or visceral manipulations. You can also expect me to send you home with either an herbal prescription or self-care homework to help the treatments last longer. Do you have a specialty? My specialty is hormonal balance, insomnia, pain relief, immunological and digestive health. What conditions do you think acupuncture works well for?Acupuncture works well for most conditions. I find it particularly powerful in dealing with mental/emotional imbalances like anxiety, depression, and insomnia. I use it most often for digestive discomfort due to IBS, constipation/diarrhea, Chron Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Diverticulitis and difficult menses due to PMS, PCOS, hormonal imbalance, and infertility. Why is it you love about acupuncture and Chinese Medicine?This is a medicine that has been around since before recorded history. It is very much an ART and a SCIENCE. It is lineage-based, handed down through many generations and was determined by observing phenomenon in the natural world. As a result, the philosophy of this medicine is seasonal and based on the internal weather systems of the body – light/dark, cold/hot, damp/dry, open/closed, deep/superficial. Eastern philosophy is a language that every once knew, but because of modern ways of living has been somewhat forgotten. I love it because I get to remind or reacquaint patients to their inherent wisdoms of health and wellness. Why did you choose to land at Ripple? Ripple has a great mix of feeling like an excellent combination professionalism and a close-knit wellness community who care a great deal about their neighbors. Being from a small town myself, I’ve always wanted to practice in a place that cares for and is engaged with their community and makes natural health care accessible to all who want it. t’s clear that these practitioners care deeply about the health and wellness of their clients, community, and themselves. I am very excited to build a wellness home at Ripple Wellness. What do you like to do outside of work? I am an avid hiker. The longer the hike and the more the elevation gain, the better. If I’m not hiking, you can usually find me walking or doing yoga. I also own a Paleo cookie company and spend a great deal of time outside of work baking treats that contain Chinese and Western herbs. Cookies are fine – but cookies that are super tasty AND nutrient dense AND made with a great deal of love & care really float my boat! I love to cook, garden, and be outside as often as possible. When can I see you? I will be starting the first week in August - can't wait to meet everyone! Do you take insurance? Yes, we will be moving as fast as possible in adding Ripple to my insurance panel. Jennell at Ripple has all the details, give us a call! What are your rates? 15-minute consultation - FREE! 75-Minute Initial Intake $110 60-Minute Follow Up $85 Click here to learn more about Acupuncture at Ripple!  “You cannot dismantle what you cannot see. You cannot challenge what you do not understand.” Layla F. Saad
Welcome to our Women’s Book Club! We continually feel called to bring women together to discuss important topics in the realms of self-development, health and spirituality. Our mission with a collaborative Book Club with Ripple Wellness and Good Medicine Nutrition is to support personal growth and evolution through thoughtful, in-depth discussion. As we were planning our first group, the world shifted. On May 25th, police officer Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd with an eight-minute knee hold seen the world over. A deep anger, frustration, sadness and desperation is felt in our hearts across the globe as we hear, see and feel these words daily, “Enough is enough.” Each day we are asked to respond, yet the action we take is highly personal. The book, Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad is a powerful tool and one we would like to explore with our community. Laid out in a 28-day workbook format with journaling prompts at the end of each chapter, Saad is clear in her intention to assist us in unpacking our own white privilege and contribution to systemic racism. This is not an easy pill to swallow as she asks us to read, contemplate, write and process our own white fragility. We are inspired to hold a space where women can come together to share their experience in doing this work. We will be following Saad’s request to hold groups about this book with a specific methodology and focus. We invite you to join us to share this important journey. PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING BEFORE REGISTERING: The Intention for Me and White Supremacy Book Club Our intent is to create an online space where a group of women can come together to share their experience with doing the work as laid out in the book Me & White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad. As hosts of this group, it is not our intent to “teach” about racial injustice past or present. Rather we are here to compassionately hold space for each of us to give voice to our own experience of white privilege and the work each of us has done and needs to continue to do to dismantle internal and external racism and process ancestral traumas. We will be following The Circle Way, a method of discussing the book, recommended by Layla F. Saad. What does it mean to “do the work?” In this case, it is reading Layla Saad’s book and participating by doing the journaling prompts at the end of each chapter. Do I have to finish the entire book? If you are moved to join us, we ask that you have gotten through at least ¾ of the book. Do I have to participate by speaking - can I just listen? You are welcome to listen, but we request that everyone have their video turned on. Part of the Circle Way method is that we all see and hear each other. This is a vulnerable topic and we want to support everyone who chooses to share with our visible presence. Can I join from anywhere? Yes. Please find a place in your home that is private as people will be sharing the very personal, deep work they have done with Layla’s book. Can I invite my friends and family? Unless they have registered with us, no. We are taking a small number of participants and not opening this to drop-ins. Why do we have to follow the Circle Way method for this group? Layla Saad writes in her book that she got multiple requests for information on how to hold a group for this book. After researching different methods, she found The Circle Way by Christina Baldwin and Ann Linnea and got permission from the authors to use this method for discussions of her book. She requests that all discussion groups follow the Circle Way format. What is the Circle Way? “The Circle Way is a methodology that gathers people into a circular shape with participants at the rim and the purpose in the centre. Each person has a voice and everyone can see and hear one another. Social agreements and practices help facilitate respectful conversation. Circle supports a leader in every chair.” - The Circle Way website. As we are doing this on Zoom, we will be making some adjustments while still upholding the intention of the group to be at the “center.” Are BIPOC able to join the group? The work laid out in Me & White Supremacy is the work of those with white privilege to do. If BIPOC want to attend the book club, it is not expected that they do the journaling work nor that they “teach” us about racial injustice. Layla Saad says that ideally, they would be there as observers with boundaries to ensure they are not harmed through racial aggression nor asked to walk us through the steps taken in her book. Where do I get the book? E-book versions are available on Amazon for $2.99, the hardcover is backordered. Is there a fee to attend? Donations for this event can be made to The Movement for Black Lives or any organization that supports black lives. How do I register? To register call or text Ripple with your email address (360) 207-0134 We are taking a small group and wait list for cancellations so please register soon! We will send you a Zoom link the day of the event! THANK YOU FOR READING!  We are up and running and able to offer ALL our services at this time. We continue to follow Washington State guidelines with strict precautions and screenings in our clinic to keep our patients and staff safe. We are here to answer any questions you may have about our services, COVID policies or insurance questions - give us a call!
MASSAGE: Amanda Kraff, LMP joined Ripple again in June for massage. She utilizes deep tissue, Swedish, myofascial release and cupping to help clients with common aches and pain, injuries and overall muscle tension. Amanda also loves pregnancy and respiratory massage. We are thrilled to be able to offer this important hands-on therapy again which is so effective for stress relief and relaxation. ACUPUNCTURE: Jeff Olson, L.Ac. is available for in-person acupuncture visits and herbal consults. Jeff sees patients to address pain, anxiety, depression, hormonal disorders, fertility and sleep issues. If you have never tried acupuncture before, it is deeply relaxing and has been a much needed respite during these stressful times. NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE: Dr. Cesilie Cocks continues to see and new and existing patients for in-person and Telehealth visits. She helps patients manage chronic and acute conditions and is here to answer all the questions and concerns about COVID for you and your family. Naturopathic medicine with Dr. Cocks can be used as primary care or in conjunction with your primary care physician. YOGA: Emily Olson, E-RYT is available for both in-person and virtual yoga therapy sessions. She works one-on-one with clients utilizing gentle yoga, breathwork, mindfulness and meditation to address muscle aches and pains, stress, fatigue, insomnia and anxiety. She also teaches our weekly Virtual Chair Yoga class. NUTRITION: Marketa Simal, FNTP is offering nutrition counseling both online and in-person. When possible we encourage clients to see her virtually in an effort to keep numbers down in the clinic. She guides clients in addressing nutritional deficiencies and concerns and often utilizes lab testing to get a clear picture of one’s gastrointestinal health. She is a wealth of knowledge and support in helping people make lasting nutritional and lifestyle changes. Let us know if you have any questions and we will see you soon!  We have been conflicted about offering the group in light of this week's events. It seems like in a world with so much violence and unrest, mindfulness and meditation may not be top of mind for many of us and possibly just irrelevant.
But then we remembered a few things: The only way to exist and not fall apart during a crisis is to stay in the moment (a practice of mindfulness). Dwelling on the past and worrying about the future only makes us more anxious, depressed and less likely to be able make positive, constructive contributions to our world. Now is not the time to abandon our groups of support. It can seem more challenging to focus and sink into these types of talks, but they are still important and we still need spaces like these. In the (paraphrased) words of Sharon Salzberg, 'We don't meditate to become better meditators, we meditate to get good at life.' The world needs us to take intelligent, insightful actions now more than ever. Let's do the inner work to get clear on what that is. We're dedicated to holding a space for you. Even though we may be a relatively small group of people coming together for a meditation, the world needs as many of these small pockets as it can get. Let's be a part of it. WHAT: Virtual Mindfulness & Meditation Group WHEN: Sunday, June 7th 4:00-5:15pm COST: $5-$10 sliding scale donation - donate at Body Bliss Yoga Studio website. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86415282034?pwd=SzIvdVR6SG5TZkErNU1zYnZQa09IZz09 Meeting ID: 864 1528 2034 Password: 620002  Sitting for extended periods of time at our desk, or worse on the couch with a laptop, can wreak havoc on our back and neck. Poor posture when sitting looks and feels like this: shoulders hunched up toward our ears, head dropped forward to look at our phone, exaggerated forward curve in our upper back as we lean over our laptop, and a lack of core support and stabilization for our low back as we slouch in our chair. Couple this with the general feeling of low energy and fatigue that accompanies poor posture and the workday feels pretty grim.
Taking time to counter this posture with simple movements we can do right at our desk can give us instant relief—soothing aches and pains, improving our mood, decreasing our stress level, and yielding an immediate energy boost. These short breaks throughout our day will save us time addressing postural injuries in the future and make us feel more energized, productive, and creative as we work. Read more here at Elephant Journal.  As the days extend for those working from home, many of us are pushed to our limit in maintaining a healthy routine. Considering the very reason we are forced home - a public health crisis - and considering that many businesses we used to rely on for maintaining our wellness are closed - massage practices, gyms, yoga studios - now more than ever it is up to each of us to be proactive in how we feel throughout our day. When we set up our day with intention and focus, there is a marked increase in our productivity, creativity and overall sense of well-being. Try on a few of these wellness tips below and see how they work for you!
4 WORK-FROM-HOME WELLNESS TIPS 1. CREATE A ROUTINE This is one of the foundations of a day well spent. Setting our day up in blocks helps us feel in control of how we organize our projects and tasks. I encourage you to routinize not just your workflow, but other daily details. Take some time on the weekend to set up your week. Plan your meals, your daily workout, even chores and activities with your family. You will find your productivity increase and those goals and tasks get checked off faster when you have a list that you are checking in with regularly. 2. MIND YOUR POSTURE With more time spent on computers, continuous slouching at your desk (or your couch) will inevitably result in posture-related pain and overall fatigue. Take the time to set up an ergonomic workspace that feels good. Position your screen at eye level by propping up your monitor with a large book or ream of paper. Set a reminder to stand up and break every hour. A few tweaks here will save you time addressing postural injuries in the future and make you feel more energized after a stint at your computer. 3. HYDRATE We often go straight to the snacks while working from home, but don’t forget to mix up some delicious drinks! Staying hydrated is key to performance so skip the second coffee and get creative with other options. Water with lemon and a dash of apple cider vinegar will deliver Vitamin B, C and minerals. Sparkling water with crushed berries is refreshing and delicious. Kombucha, a gut nourishing beverage, is helpful in satiating a sweet tooth and is surprisingly satisfying in lieu of alcohol at happy hour. 4. POWER DOWN When it’s time to be done, be done! In the evening, commit to powering down your computer - and maybe even your phone - and give your brain, your eyes and your body a much needed break from devices. Take a walk, read a book, cook a new recipe, change the scenery and notice how refreshing it feels to power down. Give these a shot and let us know how these work for you! |
AuthorEmily Olson, E-RYT, PTA is a health educator, yoga therapist & teacher and Physical Therapist Assistant. In 2016, she opened Ripple Wellness with her husband, Jeff. A multi-disciplinary natural health clinic, Ripple offers acupuncture, massage, naturopathic medicine, nutrition and yoga with a unique commitment to community outreach and education. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @ripplewellness Archives
October 2020
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