It’s been a while since my last newsletter. Summer got busy and before I knew it, leaves were changing and now a gentle rain is expediting the process of seasonal change. We had our first frosts of the season this week, and Halloween celebrations have already begun.

I will keep this one short, as the holidays are fast approaching and it seems we are all in some form of transition. Many of us are getting our homes ready for colder weather - chopping and stacking wood, deep cleaning and clearing out clutter, shoring up where our homes need to be better protected from the cold, and getting a head start on the raking. Days are getting shorter and nights darker. Sleep patterns are leaning longer into the morning hours. Curling up with a book in front of the fire is sounding (and feeling!) better and better all the time.

If you have been taking care of aforementioned chores in the cooler, drier air, you may be feeling it in the back, shoulders, hips and/or knees. As my kitchen gets cooler in the mornings, I remind myself to give my body a good jiggling and get moving first thing, as I make breakfast, remembering how like butter my connective tissue is, and inviting it to melt and move with ease, especially around my joint spaces, into the day. Check out this video about “fuzz” by Gil Hedley, who is an amazing teacher of Anatomy and other things (and just an entertaining guy to watch and listen to).

He is also a philosopher and poet (like so many of my favorite people and teachers), and you can see more about him here: www.gilhedley.com. Later in the day I try to make time for a little stretching to keep limber, and I add a little coconut oil to my bath to keep my skin rom succumbing to the drier air.

Deane Juhan teaching at last April's workhop

I am looking forward to returning to Gainesville, FL the first weekend in December to study, once again, with Deane Juhan (www.jobsbody.com), who teaches the resistance/release work many of you have experienced. One of the things I love about Deane is that he is always learning, himself, so each time I have the good fortune to be in the classroom with him, he is teaching something that is brand new to him along with the incredible foundation of his many years doing the work and also his long years of learning from Dr. Milton Trager. Deane is always playing with new ways of inviting ease into the body and outside of this work is also just an amazing thinker. I encourage you to explore his website, where you can hear interviews with him, read his poetry and explore his blog.

As always, I am honored to be part of your healing and wholeness process. It is such a joy to know you all and to have the opportunity to work with you. Many thanks, and keep it easy,

Honor Woodard, BFA, LMT
GA MT 008365
NC LMBT 13263

Wow, Summer has come and gone...

Wow, Summer is ending this weekend. Feels like it went by so fast, and almost didn’t feel like Summer. There was so much rain and then pleasant, cool weather, and now we’re sliding into Autumn without much contrast. Today we are getting a gentle soaking rain which is much needed. And soon the leaves will put on their show and drift toward the earth to become fertilizer for the Winter.

I don’t know about you, but I (and many folks I know) have been feeling this change of season in my body. Seems like wherever there’s a little arthritis it feels like more right about now. I am always taken aback how something as subtle as the change of season, with the shifting slant of the sun, the absence of birdsong - save for more crows and woodpeckers, and cooler, drier air has such a not-so-subtle effect in my body. But I think a little more about getting the most of the season’s harvest of produce into my diet, remind myself to keep drinking water and start going to bed a little earlier now that the days are getting shorter.

Anyway, it was a great Summer. I really enjoyed meeting some wonderful folks up in Highlands, NC where I have been filling half of my schedule, and I have seen quite a few new faces down here in Lakemont as my local practice continues to grow. I made it out into the woods and to the river just enough - still letting my bare feet touch the trails and soaking in all the sensations (yes, even the unpleasant sensation of stubbing the heck out of a root stump). One day I came remarkably (yes, dangerously, too) close to this copperhead, and maybe because I wasn't wearing clunky shoes, s/he refrained from biting me. It really has done wonders for my knees and I must say it has a deeply grounding effect on my spirit, too.

photo of copperhead ©Kevin Croom


I am just finishing my second year of practice (seems like more than that) and I continue to be humbled and inspired by this wonderful work and by all of you. I have learned so much from you all and from my continuing studies with Deane Juhan (you can check him out at www.jobsbody.com) into his Restance/Release work and the world of Trager. I am looking forward to the next workshop with Deane coming up in early December, and I have made such progress using his techniques with some of you that I intend to study with him as much as I can into the future. It is such a gift to be able to study with a master. I am so grateful to my teacher, Frank Merillat, for bringing him out from California to Florida School of Massage each year.

Whether or not I have seen you lately, I would love to hear from you - you can email me at honorcatalyst@gmail.com or call me anytime at 904.315.2917 or 706.212.7924. I would love to hear from you how the work has affected your body, your life, your awareness. Your feedback helps me to improve my practice, and I rely on you to communicate to me anything that comes from this work together that can help us work together toward your balance of body, mind and spirit and that will ensure that we are inviting ease, grace and transformation where it is appropriate for you.

As we enter into the cooler, quieter time of year, I hope your dreams inspire you and your waking pursuits fulfill you, as you move easily and gracefully toward the holidays.

Honor Woodard, BFA, LMT
GA MT 008365
NC LMBT 13263

Everything is Greening!

I don’t know about you, but I get excited every morning when I wake up to the sounds of migrating birds at first light, and then again when I venture outside and see what new plants have sprung up or unfurled. It always amazes me how much it feels like a first time, each year.



It’s as if I am seeing the Solomon’s Seal emerge for the first time, the leaf of the Blood Root unfurl like never before, with bigger, brighter flowers than I remember. The wonderful chartreuse of new leaves on so many of the deciduous trees just thrills my liver. I want to soak it all in. And each year, maybe it seems different because some years there really is a different assortment of birds and plants, and sometimes it’s just because I am transformed, and seeing with new eyes.



No matter, it is the JOY of seeing and experiencing anew that so engages my spirit. This year I see and hear the Brown Thrasher (which I don’t remember being acquainted with before), first on top of Rabun Bald, proudly dancing and singing for a mate, and now in my hollow. The Hummingbirds are back, the Black Throated Green warblers, the squeaky Solitary Vireos, the Whippoorwills, the Trilliums, Mayapples... I could go on.

Through all of this, too, I feel movement inside. My body wants to move a little more, a little differently after this seemingly long winter. There is a feeling of wanting to stretch and reach out farther. A draw to inspire more fully, engaging the lungs and extending the front line to create more space through my gut. It feels so wonderful to feel my bare feet touch the earth. In fact I took a barefoot hike all the way down to Raven Rock and back. I wasn’t sure how it would be, but I was so glad I did. Although a couple of times I stepped on sharp broken roots or holly leaves, I came back more mellow and grounded than I ever remember feeling.



I had slowed down to a pace my feet could handle (it’s a steep hike), and took in so much more with my senses than other times. It was quieter and more spacious all around me, and even my sense of smell seemed more acute. I saw where the wild boar had explored with their snouts in the woods and their bare feet in the sand by the river. It was a wonderful way to welcome Spring, and I am inclined to explore with my bare feet more often, in appropriate places.

Can you think of any ways in which you might like to explore the world differently this Spring? Are you aware of any critters or plants that seem new to you? Perhaps a new melody on the breeze, or a brighter bloom on your azalea? Is your body talking to you in some new way, perhaps asking for a new practice, more movement - dance or yoga?

On another note, I had a rib out a week or so ago. This has only happened to me once or twice before. It always feels scary because it shows me just how connected everything is, by the sensation of all the muscles around my midsection being on the verge of spasm. Twisting was not an option and taking a deep breath was not comfortable at all. And it seemed like almost everyone I talked to that week was also experiencing similar back issues. This always impresses me - how so many of us seem to share these experiences around the same time. Anyway, I’m happy to say that with a little help from a couple of LMTs and time and moving carefully, I am just about back to normal.



Maybe it’s the change of seasons, rising temperatures and fluctuating humidity. I’ll choose that over age, anyway. In any case, a good massage can help so much with these kinds of things. Even when the instinct is to see a chiropractor or bone doc, it’s important to address the holding in the muscles, too. After all, the muscles are what hold the bones wherever they are.


Well, I hope you are enjoying this beautiful season and that your winter was what it needed to be; that your seeds are planted and your plans for the warmer seasons are germinating well. If I haven’t seen you in a while, please let me know how you are doing. I am happy if you are feeling great and not needing to book a session, but I still love to hear from you and to know how you are and what you’re up to.

Happy New Year! Happy Valentine's Day! And Happy New Year of the Black Water Snake in Chinese Tradition!

This will be a year of transformation, and in the spirit of the Water Snake in Chinese Astrology:

"The nature of the deeply feeling Snake year is “gradual and gathered strength,” bringing a more moderate than radical year. During Snake years, our concerns turn toward inner-growth, spirituality and discovering the reasons behind things."

When I read this, I think about the stress and traumas that can get trapped in our bodies. Sure, sometimes we have worked or played hard and strained muscles, and our habits create patterns of imbalance in our bodies, but sometimes our patterns of imbalance are caused by emotional or physical events that caused us internal trauma which shows up in our bodies. This does not have to be a permanent condition. Through effective bodywork paired with appropriate dialogue, we can shift these patterns - at the same time, correcting a physical imbalance and healing an emotional trauma. In both cases, it takes establishing new feelings and new ways of being to incorporate and reinforce change and growth.

I can’t believe we’re already to Valentine’s Day. I hope you have all been enjoying the wintry weather, coming and going through the area, interspersed with warm, spring-like days to recuperate. It sure was nice to have just enough snow to capture the beauty of the season, but not so much to keep us inside for too long or to make getting around on the roads a challenge.

How is your 2013 going so far? Have you noticed any new patterns or ideas coming to awareness? Have you started any fun new projects? The contraction of Winter can show up in our bodies. Be sure to drink extra water when in heated, dry environments - be it wood stove or furnace heat. Our joints, more than ever, need to stay lubricated, and I don't know about you, but I've been drinking more hot coffee and tea than usual (read DIURETICS!), and so really need to pay attention to hydration. Also, hot soaks with epsom salts are a nice way to loosen up some of the stiffness.

Our bodies move, sense, feel, work, rest and perceive in so many ways. I want to find where the restrictions are, bring conscious awareness to them and hold space around them - give the body (and mind & spirit) the space in which to reach beyond the restriction and discover where things can feel and move “easier.” This is when we start sensing the mysterious and pleasant new sensations of ease. I hope you are getting enough water and sleep and keeping it loose through these colder days. On the other hand, I hear folks talking about changes and feeling lighter and more free. I can surely feel some of both!

Right now, I am sitting in a sunny spot in my yard, soaking in some rays and letting my body synthesize vitamin D. It is important this time of year to make sure and get some sun rays specifically for this purpose. Our bodies need sunlight in order to synthesize vitamin D for bone health and other benefits.

I came across an interesting piece on NPR this morning (click here to see/hear it). It is about a study on what radiologists see - or rather DON'T see - when they are reading films.

"Trafton Drew, an attention researcher at Harvard Medical School, took a picture of a man in a gorilla suit shaking his fist, and he superimposed that image on a series of slides that radiologists typically look at when they're searching for cancer. He then asked a bunch of radiologists to review the slides of lungs for cancerous nodules. He wanted to see if they would notice a gorilla the size of a matchbook glaring angrily at them from inside the slide. But they didn't: 83 percent of the radiologists missed it, Drew says."

I'm sharing this because it made me think, once again, about our attention and how it focuses our energy. Wherever we put our attention is where our energy goes. So if we're thinking about our pain, it will only persist and grow, but if we choose to shift our attention to our places and parts that feel good (or if we just don't feel good, then to something beautiful, perhaps) then we can find ways to feel better and establish new patterns. Just imagine that the gorilla on the image is pleasure, joy, beauty. We might then reconsider what we're looking for. After all, that which we are seeking is seeking us. Are we seeking enough? Too much? What is right for us?

As Winter winds down and Spring showers head our way, it's time to start thinking about the seeds we will sow come April or May, and in general as more active times approach. During this still slow part of the year, it's a wonderful time to sit down and sketch out some ideas for how we want the rest of the year to play out. Are there any new habits we want to initiate and have in swing by Spring? Things we want to finish up so we can clear space for fresh opportunities?

Take some time to peruse the seed catalogs or other sources of inspiration for the coming seasons - maybe some travel magazines.... And start day dreaming, night dreaming, however you dream about what you want to begin next.

Speaking of dreams, I am still leading dream work and am available for consultations. Do you have a big dream that has been asking you questions or telling you things that you just can't make sense of? Dreaming is a powerful gift and we can mine our dreams for gold in the form of life guidance and resolution and shifting of outdated patterns in our lives. Feel free to email or call me about setting up a consultation.

And remember to take advantage of my Valentine's offer this month! If you don't have a honey, book a session for a good friend you know deserves a great massage - it's good massage karma and will come back around to you!

May your dreams deepen as the light shines more brightly upon you this winter. May your new year bring many blessings and much surprise and delight. May you remember ease, grace, beauty and joy every day!
Warm Winter Blessings,

Honor Woodard, LMT
GA MT 008365
FL MA 66301
Member, FSMTA
904.315.2917
706.212.7924