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I had a brief exchange with one of our clients friends at the spa last week as she was looking over our journals in the boutique. I pointed one out that I bought for myself and showed her how beautiful the inside pages were, how cute the cover was, etc. Her response was one I’ve heard from so very many people, even myself from time to time- “I don’t know how to write in a journal, I just don’t have time and don’t really get it”. We put the journal down and moved on to talk body butters and glitter eye liner. 
I came to reflect on that conversation again this morning as I found myself feeling conflicted about writing in my own journal, my shiny, new, empty journal for 2012. “Is someone going to read this some day? Should I edit for future generations- make it interesting for my grandkids? Am I writing for ME? If so, why not just keep it in my head and not bother putting it down on paper?” – All these questions.
I have two journals, actually. One is for yoga musings and study, basically, the other (the new one I christened this morning with my first entry) is for more personal reflections.
my beautiful journals
I started writing in a journal after purchasing it because I thought it was just so darn PRETTY and that I’d surely be inspired to at least pick it up and touch the textured cover and un-do the magnetic closure every now and again. Turns out that you can take notes and write down quotes and explore lots of things on the pages of a journal! I took my tiffany glass one (blue above) to a yoga retreat and used IT as my notebook. How beautiful it felt to have a gorgeous, special, inspiring book with me every day to absorb my notes and hold space for reflections on those notes. Ol’ Tiff is all but used up now and she’s a really useful resource for me as I go back through to see what I was studying, what I found to be useful or meaningful in 2010 and ’11. I’ve now moved on to the spiral bound, cool paged journal for 2012. Each page has new designed paper, somewhat wavering lines and is exciting to flip through even before I write a single word in it.
I guess what I’m getting at is that there is a ceremony, a ritual, if you will, of intending to keep a journal, in selecting one that you find visually pleasing, one you feel you’ll want to write in because it deserves to be written in. If my journals weren’t pretty, I probably wouldn’t write as often as I do, but I see them sitting there, empty, waiting, asking to be opened and caressed and it inspires me to write. Not for me, but for them. I jest, but there is some truth to it.
What got me off the journaling couch this morning was a passage in one of the books I’ve got going right now. I got to thinking about it and couldn’t really continue reading because I was stuck on that one passage. It became clear to me that that was my way in! That was my way into my first journal entry of 2012- I was going to start with that quote and then sort out all the feelings I was having about it. It started so simply and 4 pages later, after shifting topics and unleashing a whole bucket of thoughts I can’t share with anyone without a mountain of disclaimers, I came to rest.
My journal frenzy behind me, I took a breath and acknowledged how easy it was to get my journal started. I realized how easy it can be to take time (no longer than it would have taken someone to eat a bowl of cereal or watch a quickie morning news show) and I thought of that dear client friend at the spa.
Writing in a journal is not for the poetic, the skillfully introspective, it is not just for artists or those with an abundance of free time. It starts by choosing your medium, it starts by selecting the home for your rogue thoughts, your frustrations, your favorite or least favorite quotes of the year, it starts by wanting to be able to journal and wanting to have or make time to care for yourself a little better, a little more tenderly.
With light and love, Namaste,
Calvert
Party tonight! Wednesday, February 8, 2012, 5:00-8:00pm
RSVP strongly encouraged
(571)323-1088, info@CalvertRejuvenations.com
FREE application and demo of Eye Kandy,
one of Calvert’s favorite hot new cosmetic goodies you may have seen her wearing recently. SO FUN! 
Exclusive event-only discounts on most everything in the boutique
Extra savings on Valentine’s Day gifts such as body oils, candles, our AMAZING robes
Hear about what is coming to CR for Spring from our trip to the Int’l NY Gift Show
Gourmet Treats and a complimentary glass of Bubbly
Gift basket designers at your service
Save even more tonight when you book your Valentine’s Day appointment, and enjoy
the ULTIMATE relaxation experience as we debut our new Sound Chair – . A few minutes in the sound chair makes you feel fully recharged and ready to face anything. Try it out for FREE Wednesday night! We’ll see you there!
2012 is looking beautiful already!
RSVP info@calvertrejuvenations.com, 571-323-1088
We at Calvert Rejuvenations are proud and excited to announce that we’re unveiling our new So Sound Table at the Valentine’s Day Party on Wednesday evening, February 8th.
This has been a long time coming at Calvert Rejuvenations. We fell in love with this technology while visiting spas in the Pacific Northwest in 2011, and we’ve been working to bring it to our spa ever since. The Sound Table provides an experience of music most of us have never had before. As you relax on the table and enjoy the familiar auditory sensation of listening to music, the table transforms that music into waves of acoustic vibrations, thereby engaging your entire body in the sensory experience. Music tends to relax us, to take our minds away from what is in front of us and bring us to a calmer, meditative state. With the So Sound experience, this therapeutic effect is magnified as every muscle, head to toe, is engaged. Simply, we’re taking what soothes and relaxes us mentally and emotionally and spreading it out over the entire body.
It’s a truly wonderful experience, and here at Calvert Rejuvenations, we’re cooking up custom playlists and aromatherapy combinations to really drive home the relaxation. We can’t wait to show off what we’ve done, and we’re debuting the whole thing this Wednesday evening. Look for more specific ways to enjoy this experience both as an upgrade to your massage or facial or as a stand-alone treatment in the coming days!
Join a group meditation to open the heart chakras, guided by renowned medium Sheila Cash, on Sunday, February 5th in our Oasis at 485 Carlisle Drive. The event will start at 2:15pm with 15-minute individual psychic readings, and the group meditation begins at 4:30.
This will be our second event of a monthly series featuring group meditations with Sheila. To celebrate American Heart Month, and as Valentine’s Day approaches, the public is invited to gather together to cleanse this important energetic center and raise the heart’s vibrations to those of inspiration and joy. Gently let go of old beliefs which no longer fit into your future, and join in heart-based chants and vocal toning to assist in opening up your vitality. End the meditation with a renewed sense of peace and understanding. Light refreshments will be served before the group meditation, including chocolate cookies and confections from Comfort and Joy Cuisine, and each attendee will receive a gift certificate to use toward any spa services.
Registration will be $20 in advance or $25 the day of the event. Personal readings will be $15 for first timers or $30 for those who have already met with Sheila at previous events. To register or reserve a reading time, please contact a representative of the spa at
(571) 323-1088., info@calvertrejuvenations.com
What does 2012 have in store for you?
Visit the spa January 17th from 5-9pm for an evening of nibbles and bubbly as you set your resolutions into motion.
Join us in the Oasis as we usher in the New Year with a guided meditation led by the wildly popular Sound Healer & Medium, Sheila Cash. You will be invited to let go of all that does not serve you any longer in your life. Experience a profound sense of relaxation in the moment as she plays the crystal bowl. Allow yourself to float peacefully into the mesmerizing resonance of sound that will tone and refresh you for an inspiring step forward into the New Year! Between groups, Sheila will be offering individual psychic readings.
We will also be offering health coaching consultations to help give you the boost you need to stick to your goals this year. We know Cheryl Duwe as a brightly talented massage therapist, but her sweet, supportive energy is boundless! She has extensive training as a lifestyle and nutrition coach, and her one-on-one goal-supporting workshops might be just the thing you need to help you maintain a healthy balance in 2012.
Of course we will also be offering express services, catered delights, networking opportunities, raffle prizes, and special coupons for attendees only!
We can’t wait to see you Tuesday, January 17th, for this evening of renewal and relaxation. Join us by 5:00 for the first of Sheila’s guided meditation sessions, or 8:00 for the second. Call the spa to guarantee your reservation, at (571) 323-1088.
Can’t wait until the 17th? Visit us between now and then for any service, and take home a little good luck charm for the New Year. Come for two services and take 10% off everything that day.
2012 is looking beautiful already!
*Guided meditation groups will be limited to only a few people, so pre-registration is strongly encouraged. $20 in advance, $25 that night. Private appointments with Sheila will be limited to 15 minutes and offered at $15 for first timers, $30 for those who have consulted with her previously. Cheryl will be available for one-on-one coaching consultations from 5-8:00.
I recently read this editorial by Lynne Shaner and found it to be really lovely and inspiring. It seems well-timed for the holiday season and in our efforts at Calvert Rejuvenations to promote health, wellbeing and provide a peaceful retreat, I’d like to share it with you.
I encourage you to set aside a few moments for yourself to read this thoughtful piece on peace of mind, on quiet moments and on clean, clear, white space.
Namaste,
Calvert
White Space
It is nearly Thanksgiving, and soon December will be here. The holidays are fully engaging most of us now, with busy-ness, crowded days and nights, a lot of too-much-ness. For some the holidays are dark—sad times peopled with a very few souls and many faded memories. For some the holidays are filled to over-stuffing with too much of everything—food, people, places, things.
This is a time when it is good to wait, to step back, and to allow in some white space. When I was in publishing, I supervised a lot of design work—work in museums, work in books, brochures, websites. In my own work now, I direct the design of my website and my printed materials (though I have to give most of the credit to designer geniuses like Yael with Kalanit Design Studio, who does my website!). Over time I’ve found that design with a lot of what we call “white space”—open space, space not filled with color or type—is design that is almost inevitably more elegant, more beautiful, more welcoming than other design approaches.
The same is true, I think, in our lives. Creating room for a temporal and emotional white space—time in between appointments, fallow time for thought, time to allow a walk or a nap, or a cup of tea with a friend—allows a sort of peace to open up in our lives, and that peace grows into a wise and beautiful serenity. It is so common in our culture to index our success by our level of being scheduled. How often do you ask someone “how are you?” and hear the reply “Great, fine—really busy.” As if “busy” is synonymous with “fine.” People often mention that there is no time for reading or reflection or meditation in their lives but then list a string of events that structure their lives—every night filled with something to do, crowded with noise or people, being in traffic and tumult.
But how can we create a clearer life, or allow a more open calendar? Simply give yourself permission to schedule evenings for nothing but quiet—whether you live alone or with someone else. Schedule time for reading, meditating, yoga, or perhaps a mind-body release technique like EFT–some quiet thing that is done at home, without loud noise and crowded expectations. Give these gifts to yourself regularly—and at times that are especially helpful. Do you have a high-pressure job? Think about spending all of Sunday evening at home, preparing for the week with a quiet evening and a good night’s sleep. Are you giving a big presentation on Wednesday? Or is there a party that night? Again, allow a quiet night on Tuesday—avoid going out, allow yourself quiet time at home, with a good book, a conversation with someone you love, maybe a favorite piece of music—or simply silence and a cup of tea (one without caffeine).
I have learned some, in my life, from teachers of prayer and meditation—monks and nuns and other contemplatives—who pray the hours and keep a default of silence in their lives. I have learned to do the same—-I don’t don a habit and go to chapel daily, but I default to silence and stillness, and have a community of contemplatives and healers in my life, as well as other dear ones who are close to me . Out of that is coming (not perfectly, and I have a very long way to go) a beginning of tranquility in my life. I love this. I think of it as personal white space. The stillpoint. It can be the great gift of this season, one that allows an emotional elegance and beauty, an opening up to deep and true peace. So in spite of all that needs to be done, take time to give yourself the gift of designing your own beautiful, tranquil life.
—Lynne
Are you feeling a little yucky after indulging in holiday treats? Here’s a beautiful and tasty way to support your liver and gallbladder as they rid your body of toxins. I’m calling it the “Save Your Gallbladder Salad“. Enjoy this and feel free to improvise – listen to what your body is drawn to.
One shredded beet
One chopped apple (I used fuji)
A handful of chopped kale
The juice of half a lemon
Olive oil, drizzled on
Agave nectar (a gentle sweetener, to balance the tartness of the lemon)
Mix all together and enjoy. These amounts served two.
Kale is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, and reasonably rich in calcium. Kale, as with broccoli and other brassicas, contains sulforaphane (particularly when chopped or minced), a chemical with potent anti-cancer properties. It’s a superfood! Beets, too, are packed with nutrients, and have been used for centuries to protect against oxidative stress, an imbalance linked with many diseases. And apples, as we all know, are delicious. I’m sure they’re healthy, too. Something about keeping the doctor away . . .
You could also throw in a handful of chopped walnuts, pecans, or some goat cheese. Have fun with it!
- Cheryl
Cheryl, in addition to being a wonderful Massage Therapist, is a Certified Health Coach, one who happens to be bursting with just this kind of excellent, practicable advice for developing a cleaner, healthier way of life. To schedule a Health Coaching session with Cheryl, please call the spa at (571) 323 1088.
Wow! Purple Wednesday really was the most wonderful time of the year! Thanks so much to those of you who attended – it was so nice to see so many friendly faces and share one happy night of holiday fun with so many of you.
Sheila Cash was once again a party powerhouse, staying even beyond 8pm to get in those last few readings – I know we all appreciated it! Thanks to April from IMAGE Skin Care, who used the Skin Scope to deliver expert skincare advice for the duration of the event, helping all our attendees make smart decisions about their home care and educated gift decisions for friends and family. A big thanks to Dennis from Chantel’s Bakery for his personal delivery of an irresistible selection of the most astonishingly delicious sweets and treats. Those cake pops really should be outlawed immediately. Thanks to Mike, owner of The Pure Pasty Co. in Vienna, for those boxes of scrumptious, delectable, wonderfully comforting pasties. They say “it’s all in the crust”, and the crust is indeed wonderful, but those fillings are something else! I think I ate 6 pasties last night. Special thanks to Kirstyn from Tea Forte for her delicious sampling of teas; Tea Forte teas and associated products were the surprise hit of the party last night – it seemed like everyone added tea bags or loose tea or infusers to their holiday gift baskets, and who can blame them? The sampling showed just how soothing and delicious their selection of teas really is!
And about those gift baskets – fun, right? So, so fun. Filled with your favorite candles and creams and soaps and teas and scarves (indeed!), dolled up with ribbons and bows – they were a huge hit! You’ll be happy to know we’re continuing the gift basket program at least through the end of the holiday season! Our guest enjoyed filling them, and we had a blast building them.
We’re already planning our next fun-filled spa party, so stay tuned. We don’t have any details yet, but we’re looking at our January schedule and dreaming up another event to share with all our friends. If we have to abduct Sheila and burglarize Dennis’s kitchen to make it happen, so be it!
I popped on to Facebook this morning and found some much needed support from our friends over at Snap Fitness at Franklin Farm:
“With the holiday season upon us we stress over gaining weight and staying in fit. There are the office parties, friend parties and of course our family parties! This time of year is baked goods everywhere too. Many temptations how can we NOT be tempted?
There ARE ways to beat the ‘battle of the bulge’, stay fit and avoid holiday weight gain.
1.Use moderation when cheating on your diet. Eat here and there watching your portion size. Only grabbing a taste over a plate full. Remembering your ‘eat every 3 hours’ plan.
2. Make a goal to do something active during the day. Try and get out at least once a day for 30 minutes. One easy thing to do is grab the dog and go for a walk. Even if there isn’t a dog…walking around the block is great.
3.Don’t have ‘danger’ food out. The temptation is will be there if these ‘danger’ foods are in the house. Make sure they leave the house.
It’s all up to YOU to stay fit during the holiday season. Start NOW over waiting till January 1st!
“Make the holiday season about being with your loved ones rather than feeling guilty about eating too much”.
That’s what the holidays are about! Tell us your goals during the holiday season to stay fit. We’d love to hear from you.”
Holiday Campaign: First Month Free
Herndon Snap Fitness
Get started with a fast, convenient and affordable workout every time – at Snap Fitness in Herndon, VA . Minutes from your home and packed with the industry’s best cardio and exercise equipment, our gym gives you more for your money. Enjoy a better experience, achieve better results.
Off Rte 7100 and Franklin Farm Rd.
13300 Franklin Farm Road
Herndon, VA 20171
Phone: 703-463-9886
It’s time for another wonderful spa party – fresh on the heels of the three-day grand re-opening celebration, we’re throwing our first annual Purple Wednesday Boutique Tea Party on Wednesday, November 30th, from 5pm-8pm!
Have a glass of champagne and a break from all the holiday craziness while we debut a brand-new lineup of hand-picked gift ideas and spa products. Try a delicious sweet from Chantel’s Bakery, sample the delicious teas of Tea Forte, and be sure to get in a psychic reading with the always popular Sheila Cash. Or simply relax in the Oasis while we put the finishing touches on that custom gift-basket – you know the one, the one your mom or sister is going to do back-flips over.
We’ve got astonishing new candles and matchboxes from Skeem, rich, exotic whipped shea body butter from SheaTerra, the softest, most luxurious scarves, blankets, and now bathrobes (!) from Tourance, beautiful hand-crafted earrings from Brulee, and on and on and on. Quite simply, there’s something here for everyone special in your life. Or skip the shopping and go straight for the gift certificates – with your purchase of $200 in gift certificates, you’ll take home a free $50 gift certificate, perfect for a relaxing pre- or mid- or post-holiday rejuvenation of your own.
This is going to be a lot of fun, and we’re so excited about hosting another special get-together. Remember to RSVP – as we learned with the grand re-opening, these things fill up fast. RSVP to info@calvertrejuvenations.com or (571) 323-1088 so we can have your champagne and sweets waiting for you!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, a magical holiday season, and we look forward to seeing you Wednesday night!