Goat Peak after the first snowfall of 2019.
There are times when I think we are walking wounded around here. Recreational activities and inherent repetitive motion, sprains and strains can be tough on the body. Not to mention falls, bike wrecks, ski wrecks, horse wrecks. Then there are the surgeries: back, neck, arms and hands. Bionic bodies with new knees and hips, plates and screws keep the structure going for another round.
Others have stressful challenges of working multiple jobs, housing issues, and aging parents and grandparents. However, in the townlet (that is a word!) of Mazama, there are also multiple ways to rejuvenate body, mind and spirit. I decided to explore some of them and share an avenue of balance in the active world we know and love here in the Methow.
Massage therapy can help the body in many ways including relaxing tight muscles, increasing range of motion and flexibility, and improving circulation – and it feels so darn good! There are many who include a regular massage as part of health maintenance.
Alison Naney, owner of Methow Massage located at Mazama Junction, practices massage in addition to her endurance coaching business, Cascade Endurance. She loves helping clients recover from injuries and experience less pain through her bodywork. She is always looking for new approaches and modalities to share with her clients.
On Mondays at Methow Massage studio, one can have a massage by the magic fingers of Arijana Moon. She will work out the annoying knots and kinks and leave you feeling restored. She is able to improve function in muscles that have been injured and give direction on home exercises that will supplement her work.
Tom Robinson, owner of Cascade Rolfing, is a certified Rolfer practicing in the same building as Methow Massage (above the ski shop and Windermere). Rolfing works to improve body alignment, posture and structure by manipulating the myofascial system over a series of sessions. Tom works with men and women of all ages, many avid climbers, skiers, hikers and other sports enthusiasts like himself.
Tucked away in the pine trees behind Mazama Country Inn is a little gem, the MAC: Mazama Athletic Club. For a reasonable fee, one can become a member and use the workout facility, squash court and tennis court in the summer. Yoga teachers also utilize the MAC.
Motive Yoga Co. offers several classes with attention to each student’s needs following the company motto: Move Mountains, Live Big. Bree Dillon is the founder of the company and a believer that yoga practice with a dose of joy and laughter will lead to unfettered potential or prana. Motive Yoga’s winter class schedule beginning Dec. 4 is: Wednesday, 8-8:45 a.m., Core and More; 9-10 a.m., Yoga for Every Body; Sunday, 9-10 a.m., All Levels Vinyasa Yoga.
Bree and Betsy Cassell-Thomas, who own Interwined Designs, plan to have a pop-up sale of yoga clothing and accessories at the MAC on Dec. 8 and Dec. 22 from 10 a.m.-noon. Betsy makes organic, earth-friendly clothes out of natural fibers. Her studio is in the former home of Mazama’s beloved Red McComb, which she and her husband bought. She welcomes visitors to her studio by appointment. Betsy noticed the Grateful Dead T-shirt I was wearing and spoke of her seamstress beginnings. Being a Deadhead in the mid-1990s, she wore the patchwork skirts that were the popular attire for girls at Dead shows. She thought, “I can make these skirts!” and she did.
Alexandra (Alex) Gehring teaches drop-in Yin Yoga classes at the MAC. This type of yoga focuses primarily on restoring and lengthening connective tissue, which, in turn, is helpful in maintaining function and range of motion. Her Yin classes have a meditative quality, resulting in a restful state. She describes her classes as appropriate for anyone, whether a hard-core yogi/yogini or a true beginner, and both men and women of a wide age range. To request a list with class times for December, email Alex at Power9yoga@gmail.com.
In wrap-up, it’s a good idea to take care of the whole body. With all these bodywork resources at my fingertips, I feel better already!
Off topic: The first snow is always a red-letter day. When my sons were little and woke up to the first snowfall, they would make a mad dash to mom and dad, jump on the bed like three little monkeys, shouting, “It’s snowing! It’s snowing!” I believe there is a fair share of the same sheer exuberance here in our little snow sport Mecca.
Next up: Chickadee-dee-dee.
