Uncharted Territory

I had started writing something a week or two ago, and so I am beginning with it, even though it starts on a different branch...

For several years now, in my practice, I have been honored by women bringing their mothers and/or their daughters to me. I would have a long time client whose daughter visits every so often and she would become a repeat client. Or a woman would bring her mother in to treat her in such a sweet gesture. And come to think of it, several families have come in three generations, and I love working with the young people - teenagers are so much fun, and seem to be at once surprised and amused by having their limbs moved about by another and coming to a new awareness in their own bodies.

I have always felt the added sacredness of someone entrusting the care of a loved one to me, first and foremost. And there is the gift of witness to what transfers from one generation to the next. I am always amazed at what gets passed down - physically, emotionally, spiritually, energetically. Even when the third generation is adopted (and from a starkly different ethnicity), I see the same physical manifestations in the body. We are made from the inside out and then the outside in. What we think, what we do, how we do what we do and how we feel about all of these show up in the body. It is inevitable.

Often it is not until we age past midlife that we truly realize how much we embody our ancestors. We see resemblances early on, and appreciate them, then sometimes we attach ourselves to the story of an elder - on occasional an unfavorable story about health issues - and then finally we gain a deeper felt sense and understanding later in life when we begin to manifest similar or identical conditions to our parents or grandparents. To me, this emphasizes the value of coming into a unique body-felt-sense awareness in our own bodies.

We have the opportunity to acknowledge and let go of our storied associations with our ancestry as they pertain to our physical and even emotional or psycho-spiritual lives. A beautiful way of doing this is to come present in the physical ground of our own being - our own bodies. To let this be the ground from which our unique expression emerges with greater clarity. In each moment, I have the opportunity to feel where I am, what I am, who I am. It’s so easy to get into the stream of busy-ness, work, family, chores, etc., and yet we can get carried away in that stream before we know it and become defined solely by our activities. This is where some kind of practice comes in handy.

Such a practice can be to address any aspect of our being - from inner, physical self to emotional, psycho-spiritual. To me, a practice can be utterly simple. It is something we do with regularity (let’s just say several days a week or on a schedule of one’s choosing). When I say utterly simple, I mean it. If there is one thing I have learned about personal growth and transformation, it’s the power of keeping a promise to one’s self. It matters not how challenging the action is, and it matters fully that we follow through on doing it.

SO, it can be as simple as walking around my house three times on waking. I firmly believe and know that the power of keeping promises to one’s self is tenfold the to honoring of commitments to others (which seems so much easier to most of us, but only becomes as powerful when paired with accountability to self). Each morning when I rise, I cook breakfast for myself - real breakfast. Yes, I rise hungry in general, but it is also a ritual I do for myself that involves all of my senses, and a certain amount of care to nourish myself.

I take the opportunity to move my body as I prepare breakfast. I’ve always been shy to dance, but for whatever reason, in the mornings, my body takes the opportunity to move about the kitchen in something that looks like a dance. We cannot underestimate the value of movement to our general health. If nothing else, our internal organs deeply depend on such movement. Vibration, swinging, bouncing, turning - all these mobilize our viscera in ways they need to function properly. Especially as we age, things tend to stick together if we don’t move enough, and it is vitally important that our organs can slide and glide as we move. So I bring my conscious awareness and attention into this movement and really feel the places where I can stretch a little farther in a bend at the gut and think about opening space for things inside to move. Conscious awareness and attention - these are what transforms a normal activity into a practice. As such, if I decide to notice my breath at certain intervals throughout a day, this would also become a practice. Simple. Easy. Effective. And quite transformative.

One of my favorite practices is dream work, in which I am tracking and learning to understand the language of my soul. This language is coded into my world since before I arrived, and there are clues in every direction in which I look. Yet I must pay attention, follow along and experiment with the elements and signs and symbols to learn this language and how to navigate by it. Over the years of writing dreams and working with them - in small groups, one on one and by myself - I have come to learn more and more how all life becomes more navigable. Waking life and dreaming life have a way of merging or becoming less differentiated - more integrated and complementary, actually.

Here we are in a time when we are all being asked in some way to isolate ourselves. We are doing this to protect ourselves and each other, at the chance of mitigating the influx of a global pandemic. So many challenging emotions and reactions are coming to the surface and will continue to increase in frequency and intensity. It’s scary for each and every one of us, except maybe for those who feel ready to leave the planet. I’m not saying that in a flip way. I know of one person who publicly wrote about how his poverty has made him feel ready to be taken by the bug, although he is not suicidal. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t had a moment of fear of having already been infected at this moment. We are coming into allergy season and still in flu season and how do we know at the onset of any of these what is really happening. And really, it hasn’t even begun yet where we are locally.



I want to talk about some ways to calm this fear and desperation. I know many people are busy with work and family and so many obligations and not accustomed to down time or being stuck at home. These people don’t even stay home when they do fall ill, but choose to power through because they don’t feel they have another option. But right now we are being asked to pull in, retreat and isolate, not because this will stop the whole thing from happening, but because it is what will make the best outcome for the highest number of people, minimizing the death toll and ensuring that affected populations will be more likely to have access to appropriate care. And we should heed this precaution.

I was writing a couple of weeks ago about what makes a practice. And I was saying how making it very simple and approachable is a good way to begin. I cited a silly example of walking around one’s house three times upon waking and before attending to anything else. I was making the point that it is arbitrary what the practice is and essential that we follow through with it reliably. In the days following, I decided to begin walking that talk. I know the effectiveness of this in theory and in other practices, but on a lark, I just decided to take up this practice. And then today, as I was chatting with a friend on the phone over breakfast, and she was hearing the birds in my yard, it hit me. I had just started a practice that is perfect for this time we are in, when many of us may be by choice or command stuck at home or very close to home for longer periods than normal.

Don’t laugh. Or yes, by all means, LAUGH! You, too, can take up this practice. Look, we can feel stuck at home or we can begin to explore the world we’ve been passing right by. I live down in a hollow and so walking around my house three times gives me the opportunity to go up and down a hill and some stairs in a variety of combinations. I can hear the birds and the creek, I can see all the stuff that needs doing around the yard and remember projects I left unfinished. I can be caught by the beauty of the sunrise light that will soon be obscured by fresh new leaves but is now as bright as it gets in this north facing hollow. I can also feel my body getting a little extra movement, breath, and grounding. And as I circle my home I give thanks for such a wonderful place that supports me.

There are other ways we can explore being right where we are. How we connect to the land, the house itself, the others who inhabit them - people or animals, what elements surrounds us and affect us. We can also learn to inhabit ourselves in new ways. Are you dreaming? What are your thoughts and emotions like in this moment? How is your body feeling? Are you breathing fully or holding your breath in suspense or fear? Are you eating well, nourishing yourself to stay strong? Not eating enough or overeating for comfort? Are there any habits you want to change or begin during this time? I’m sure we’re all a little more keen to wash our hands more frequently now (although as a body worker it’s about normal for me). I don’t know about you, but I need to moisturize more than normal this time of year with all the extra handwashing, and this can be a ritual itself. I also plan to take time to write some letters, especially as the people I love are more than ever in my heart and mind. I'm thinking a letter a day might be a nice cadence and that means each day I can spend time thinking about one person in particular and how they are important in my life.

Keep returning to what is close and what is simple. A cup of tea. Bare feet on the moist earth. Fresh air in my lungs. Sunshine on my skin. My heart connecting to a nearby tree. Recognizing the resources I already have all around me, and how I know them and how to utilize them. The books I’ve been meaning to start reading but haven’t had time for. Longer phone conversations with far away friends. My dreams and how they inform me about what’s been churning under the radar and also caution me about what is coming. How my dreams and my days are always interweaving. The creatures in nature around me and how they meet each moment ready and respond to the environment only in real time. What it means to fully digest what is happening before I have to respond in any way. Which leads me to internal guidance systems.

We all have an internal guidance system. Many of us disregard it unless all bells and whistles blare at once under extreme crisis. It can sometimes be referred to as the “still, small voice within” or the “little voice” or “a gut feeling.” And we can learn to be fluent with it. We can learn to hear it more clearly. All we have to do is begin engaging it. There are some simple ways to learn to hear it and you can begin today with some simple practices and it will become more clearly a tool for navigating daily life I use it for things as simple as which item to buy at the grocery store, which route to take on a journey, whether or not to attend something I’m not sure about, etc. If you can find your way to a yes or no question, you can use this simple guidance system to discern your inner yes or no. I can talk you through this process.

I will be trusting my internal guidance system while I take all the precautions I know how to take to protect myself and those I come into contact with throughout this challenging time. I am here to help you in any way that I can, whether lending an ear, providing dream consultations, helping you to create some daily practices for yourself, providing some cranial work or body work that is safe and effective to help bring you home in your body. There is plenty of work that I can do with the client fully clothed, and I’m considering meeting with clients in an outdoor location so that we can minimize vectors of transmission of any pathogens. Please feel free to comment with notes about what you are doing during this time to keep healthy and strong in body mind and spirit. Wishing you all continuing robust health and peace wherever you can find it.

Late summer greetings to you. I hope you’ve all made it through Irma with your bodies and homes intact. I was going to say without much inconvenience, but really it seems like we should be paying attention as our weather patterns make it hard not to do so. Are there ways in which we can make small changes in our lifestyles in order to better weather these storms? And in the same vein, are there changes we can make in our lifestyles that could possibly soften our impact on the climate? I don’t have the answers, but it seems worthwhile to think along these lines.

All is well, if debris-strewn, damp and dark in my little hollow in Lakemont — seems power is out in much of Rabun county since Monday. Sounds of chainsaws and generators can be heard in the distance or nearer as power lines are freed from downed trees and roads are cleared.

I don’t know about you, but I was impressed during Irma’s winds and rain yesterday and last evening at how my trees can dance. They were wagging and bending and twisting in the most surprising ways, and in ways one might not expect possible. Amazing to watch their grace and even how they seemed to interact, one with the others. I guess we don’t know until things happen to us, or in us, just what our bodies are capable of doing or withstanding. Flexibility is key, and some degree of rootedness to our mother earth. What comes to my mind is the push-hands exercise from Tai Chi, where two people stand facing each other almost toe to toe and, using only their hand to hand contact, try to push each other off center enough to break contact between their feet and the earth. Of course for a tree there is only one chance.

This makes me wonder about my own flexibility and strength. Of course it is better to have both. And each enhances the other. What comes to mind when we think of strength? At first I think of a body builder, with short, fat muscles. But I am quick to correct that image because if my work has taught me anything, it’s that short muscles are not where strength resides. Rather it is in smart muscles that strength resides. Smart muscles are capable of lengthening with strength and steadiness as well as shortening with measured effort.

Many of us have been conditioned to think that lifting a heavy weight denotes strength, and I well remember arm wrestling with boys in my younger days and the burst of strength that is required; or lifting heavy furniture during moves and feeling proud of being capable of shifting things about. But that was not without injury. I split a bicep once, helping someone move, and I distinctly recall seeing my tibia (the shin bone) move out in front of my knee when I lifted a heavy piece with my foot. Things I would not do now, knowing what I have learned from working with so many bodies.

We are impatient creatures and in our fast-paced world we want to just “get stuff done.” And yet I can accomplish so much more when I increase my breathing capacity - increased breath capacity increases my energy proportionally. And I can work so much more efficiently when my muscles are in a state of balanced strength, and I can work longer and without fatigue. More importantly, I can work with ease and in the absence of discomfort. This may require some specific attention to muscle groups I have allowed to weaken due to my habitual patterns of use.

The Resistance & Release approach has been profoundly effective for restoring balance and strength to clients I see who are recovering from injuries or who have just settled into postures and/or ways of doing things repeatedly that have slowly created pain patterns due to muscle imbalance. Once our strength is back, we can restore our relationship to gravity, such that we are not unduly adding stress and/or strain to our supporting structure, and doing things from a place of balance enhances our ease with little effort.

If I haven’t seen you in a while, please let me hear from you. I’d love to know how you’re doing.

Please take a moment to peruse my latest offering - a Nature/Soul oriented retreat in October at the beautiful Elohee Center in Sautee Nacoochee. There is information on my website, http://honorwoodard.com and also the Elohee site: http://www.elohee.org/retreat/1019/awakening-with-nature-a-return-to-the-authentic-self/. I am honored and excited to be invited to facilitate this retreat and am so looking forward to sharing in this way.

Wishing you all a rich, colorful and healthy Autumn,

Honor Woodard, LMT

Got balance?

How is your life balance right now? Are you feeling inspired yet challenged? Are you balancing work with play, rest with activity, creativity with contemplation? Is your body telling you anything about this balance or lack of it in your life?

Integrative body work and massage can help with balance in a number of ways, first helping us remember where we are in gravity, on this little blue planet hurtling through space. We find our edges and have an opportunity to get a sense of our weight or our lightness. What is it to feel heavy? What is it to feel lifted or light? What could feel easier? Have you taken the time to be still long enough, lately, to hear your inner voice prompting you to remember?

When I get into my daily habits and patterns, I sometimes lose track of what my body could feel like if it were softer, freer. And some days I don't stop and still myself long enough to hear my authentic voice. Today, my shoulders are telling me I've had too much inside time, sitting and working (it's been raining too much to be out hiking - or at least that was my excuse) I'm ready to get some body work and massage and be reminded how light and soft and free I can feel as I move about with increased energy.

Pain and discomfort can be invitations. They invite us first into the moment and into our bodies. They are messengers. They tell us that something is out of place. Oftentimes discomfort is a result of habitual patterns of using the body that pull us out of our optimal alignment, and so pain appears to show us where the energy is blocked or piled up as a result of imbalance.



The body really does want to function smoothly and with ease, and as luck or grace would have it, we seem to have the ability to self adjust quite beautifully - quite naturally. But our lifestyles tend more and more toward patterns that seem to be less and less varied. We get into routines and sometimes they get into us - shoulders round and slump forward, toward our devices and steering wheels; backs curve back into couches and chairs; necks crane forward over books and smart phones, etc., etc.

Nowadays, each time I feel the pull of fatigue in my upper back or shoulders, I stop and rearrange my body. In fact this is what my discomfort is inviting me to do. I can simply rearrange myself so that my relationship to the earth in gravity becomes more natural and effortless. Sometimes, though, it takes a little help from a skilled body worker - to open up areas that are restricting my ability to find that right relationship in gravity.

For years I have been balancing rocks. I most enjoy finding a great big one with a tiny point on one end and standing it up on its tiny point - because it presents an interesting challenge and because my eyes tell me it is beautiful this way. And, of course, the satisfaction is sometimes directly proportional to the challenge - if I pull it off.



I bring this up because there is something I feel in the stones as I balance them. When I can get them into right relationship to each other, it feels as though the two stones lock into each other and become one. It’s a remarkable sensation, really, as if there is an energy flowing between them that merges them somehow, as if extending a container to hold more fluid.

This, to me, is like being in balance in the body so that my structure is aligned well enough to rest effortlessly in gravity - whether in this chair, finding the sweet spot where my spine stacks squarely on my seat, or standing in such a way that I feel the earth rising to meet my feet, ever so gently, and again each time I fall forward slightly into walking.

Now, having answered the invitation of pain or discomfort, I have re-oriented myself to pleasure, ease and gentle connection. Now, if I can keep reminding myself to find this arrangement (if I don’t, discomfort probably will), then pretty soon I will have trained my brain to redefine this comfort as my new habitual state.

Of course, as much as I would like for this to be an instantaneous change, it remains a process and a practice. With a little help from my massage therapist and a lot of presence and awareness, I am moving easier and re-orienting myself. This inspires me so much!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I hope your holidays have been joyful and the new year finds you healthy and content!

[Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, CA November 2014]

Wow, can you believe we are in 2015!? I remember when 2012 seemed to loom in the distance and now it's almost a distant memory. And we are moving right along.

[Sunrise over coquina beach at Washington Oaks, Florida December 21, 2014]

2014 was a rich year. Summer was busy for me, between Highlands and Clayton, and it simply flew by. Come Fall, I headed west to answer a strong call I had been feeling for a couple of years toward the west coast. It's best not to ignore callings - the Soul can be very persuasive...

[Hill, San Francisco, CA, October 2014]

I prepared myself for the possibility of staying someplace in CA until Spring, and headed out for a workshop with Deane Juhan in October along the central coast in Beautiful Avila Beach. This time for 4 days of learning from and being further inspired by this master. It was a wonderful workshop, partly because it was a small group and afforded much hands on time. Also, it was an opportunity for me to meet some new folks from totally different territory.

After the workshop, I headed up to the Bay Area to explore what the calling was about. I found scenery from big dreams I had had a year or more before in this place that was so new to me. The beauty is astounding, and I made some sweet connections. I was able to find a great job in Mill Valley at the beautiful Evo Spa, but finding a place to live was not so easy. So I made my way home to GA, then soon took a hard right down to Gainesville, FL, led by a dream.

[Deane Juhan working with a student, Avila Beach, CA, October 2014]

As it happened, Deane Juhan was giving another workshop in Gainesville in December, and since I was conveniently in the neighborhood, I signed up for another 3 days of learning. And I'm so glad I did. Each time I have the opportunity to study with him, a little more of the work seems to sink in to me. The work is vast - between Deane's Resistance/Release and the foundation of Trager work that it comes out of - and I know I am still at the tip of the iceberg, even after more than 150 hours in his workshops. I am so grateful for these opportunities to learn and grow.

[treasures from the ocean, December 2014, St. Augustine, FL]

Now on the "first coast" in St. Augustine, I am enjoying doing some work for a couple of Chiropractors who are new in the neighborhood at Matanzas Chiropractic, and this week will be moving into an office part time within Deprey Chiropractic to keep my hands (and the rest of me) engaged and inspired for the rest of the Winter. I am also, of course, enjoying being near the ocean and in warmer climes during winter this year. I signed up to be a volunteer at one of my favorite places nearby, Washington Oaks State Park, in order to fulfill my deep need for natural beauty. This is a special place, if you're ever down this way...

Saturday when I was at Washington Oaks' beautiful coquina beach, I was inspired to write the introduction for an upcoming dream workshop I am giving down in Tampa.

“Dreams, like ocean waves, keep coming every single day - no matter what we do. Some are big, some small; some scary, some calm; some memorable, some (seemingly) inconsequential. Some bear treasures, others leave trash behind on the beach of our conscious awareness. Just like walking the beach each morning, inspecting the rack deposited on the shore, when we shift our gaze to our dreams each day, we begin to find patterns in what appears. Some days or weeks, the ocean brings just horseshoe crabs, other days nothing at all. Some days a prized shark’s tooth is uncovered, or a 16 million year old turtle bone. After a big storm, there is a plethora of artifacts to sift through — much like the way dreams bring us the detritus of our affairs.”

Until next time... Keep well!

Honor Woodard, BFA, LMT
FL MA 66301 GA MT 008365 NC LMBT 13263

Happy Spring!

Wow, each year I feel like Spring is more and more magical. It may be that my memory is just not as good as it used to be, or that this winter felt longer and colder than last, or it may be that life gets sweeter and sweeter the longer I am on this planet. In any case, what a beautiful, magical Spring it is! The air this morning felt warm on my skin and smelled sweet to my nose. I felt lighter and wanted to explore the yard to see who is poking up through the soil, whose leaves have unfurled, how many warblers and other feathered ones can I hear and how many lily pads have opened on my tiny little pond. Yep, I love Spring!

I am also happy to see people returning to the hills from far and wide. A few more folks coming into the office and I’m looking forward to seeing clients returning up in Highlands pretty soon. It’s going to be a busy Summer.

In the meantime, it was indeed a cold, long Winter here in the cabin. It was slow and quiet around here, as it normally is in Winter. But it was a rich time. I kept the home fires burning pretty well - breaking for a workshop in December in Florida with Deane Juhan - this time focusing on the upper extremities. As always, I learned so much from Deane, and slowly I feel I am integrating the work and my quality and kind of contact continues to evolve and change - becoming more fluid all the time.

In February, an opportunity came up quick for a 3-day Cadaver Dissection Workshop in St. Louis at St. Louis University. I jumped in the car next morning and drove all day to get there in time for an early morning start to another adventure in learning, this time into the body. What an intense and rich experience that was. I won’t go into the details, but to say that I now have a much deeper understanding of what I am touching when my hands are on the body. And a greater insight into what surgeons are working with and through.

Come March, an artist friend invited me to be Artist in Residence up in Paducah, Kentucky once again for a week or so. I enjoyed spending some time away in a big studio where I could put photos up and move them around on the walls. I don’t have space here at home to do this, and it is quite useful to spread out the images and see how they relate to each other. Some of them, like people, prefer to be alone, while others like to mingle with friends and relatives. I hope before much longer to put together one or more books for images and maybe words, too. But for now, my attention is back on the body work.



While I was in Paducah, another opportunity arose, this time an opportunity to work one-on-one with Deane Juhan, as he had some time open up in April. I was quick to respond to his invitation to do this work together, and the universe conspired with me in the form of free digs and a cheap flight to San Francisco, near where Deane practices. Wow. There is no way that I can possibly convey to you what it was like to receive several sessions of work from the master. All I will say here is that I have a new body. Nothing is the same, and everything seems to work and feel much better now. My body in space feels relatively weightless, and moving in gravity seems effortless.

As a result of receiving several hours of work directly from Deane, I have much better integrated - physically and intellectually - what I have been watching and learning about from him in all the workshops I have attended. And I am finding that I am able to translate this to my work at the table - so far with positive effect and feedback. My work has changed along with my body, and I’m looking forward to sharing this with you.

Happy Spring, and I look forward to seeing or hearing from you soon!

Happy New Year and Chinese New Year of the Wood Horse!

Happy New Year! I hope you are keeping warm and moving with ease during this cold, cold winter here in the foothills. I have certainly enjoyed keeping the home fires burning, but there have been moments in which I have longed for sunny shores.
It’s been a while since my last newsletter, so there is a little catching up to do.

Let me get one important piece of news up front, here, in case you don’t get to the end of the newsletter. I WILL NOW BE PRACTICING AT THE AMARA CENTER IN CLAYTON. I have made arrangements with the Amara center to use one of their treatment rooms and am really excited to do some work in their beautiful facility. You will still call me directly (or email) to set up appointments, but we will meet at the Amara center instead of here at the cabin. There may be times in the future when I will practice in both places, but for now you will see me in Clayton.

The Amara Center is located next to the Mountain Lakes Hospital off of 76 West, just west of Clayton. Follow the signs for the hospital, and you will find it just before the top of the hill leading up to the hospital on the right. If you would like to map it, the address is: 629 Ridgecrest Circle, Clayton, GA 30525. In case you need it, the phone # there is 7 0 6 . 7 8 2 . 4 0 0 9.

BRRRRRRR! It's been such a cold winter!
Have you been keeping warm enough? All the dry heat can challenge our bodies. It's so important to make sure we get enough water this time of year. And it's also important to get some sunlight on our skin to help us synthesize vitamin D.

January is a time for some contemplation about what we really want to bring into being this new year ahead. There is still time to get clear about how we want to do things differently this next time around the sun. Have you set some intentions around health and healing?

I have found over the years that making even the most incremental, tiny change can create powerfully profound results in n my life. What small thing can you begin doing that will lead you gently into a whole new direction? I love to ask myself this question because I know that with even what seems like the littlest effort, I will see big change and progress and before I know it my life is transforming!

The first week of December I attended another wonderful workshop with Deane Juhan (www.jobsbody.com). This time we focused on the arm and hand, which of course are connected to the neck and back and torso - so all of this was addressed. By now I have studied with Deane for something like 100 hours, and I continue to be intrigued by his teaching, his thinking, his work and his unique presence. What a phenomenal thinker and a passionate explorer of this work he is.

I am so lucky to have found a teacher this early in my career who inspires me so deeply. Of course this is partly because his work is so uniquely effective. I continue to be amazed by the immediate results of Resistance/Release. One of the reasons it is so engaging for me is that it really involves the brain and nervous system and the conscious awareness of the person I am working with.

This work is effective because it brings our awareness directly to the muscle fibers and forges a conscious connection between our brain and nervous system and our various muscle groups where we have some imbalance happening. When we learn how to bring balance back to these areas, we are training our brain to recognize and be able to recreate what balance and ease FEEL like. Now we can create new, healthier patterns and behaviors which lead to more ease and balance and more pleasant sensations in our bodies.

It was a great workshop, and I made sure to get at least one sunrise in out on Paynes Prairie, near the Florida School of Massage. What a magical, special place, full of wildlife and water and subtle beauty.

(those are alligators drifting along the surface of the water)

Because I generally don’t plan extra time to enjoy the locale, though, and because I was invited back down to a sound healing workshop in January, I planned another short trip, this time with some extra time built in for enjoying the natural beauty of the area. I enjoyed spending more quality time on the prairie - this time seeing wild boars, a wild cat, sandhill cranes and numerous other bird species, along with hundreds of alligators. No buffalo or wild horses this time, but I was satisfied, nonetheless. I also took part of a day to kayak on the Santa Fe river north of Gainesville. There are so many beautiful places in northern Florida, each with their own magic.

Back home in Rabun, I have been enjoying exploring the beauty of ice in its many forms, especially along the Wild & Scenic Chattooga River!

The dream time has been powerful (for this dreamer, anyway) this winter. I am still facilitating dream work and welcome your inquiries into consulting with me about dreams or helping you get a dream group up and going. This is powerful and healing work, and makes for an even more interesting journey through this great web of life.

I hope your 2014 is off to a healthy, happy and productive start and I look forward to furthering our work together this year!

Keep it easy and happy new year!

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

Happy Holidays!

Yay! The days are getting longer, brighter...

Good afternoon and holiday greetings! I hope these longer days are bringing the light of inspiration and the warmth of peace to us all.

I have some news, so I will get to it first. In the interest of your convenience and my continuity, I will be moving my practice into Clayton this winter. As you might imagine, my road gets impassable when it snows, and I imagine we will be getting some snow this winter. I want it to be easy for us to get to each other. I will have the same phone numbers and you’ll simply come see me in a warm office downtown rather than at the cabin for the next few months. This is also an opportunity for me to try out having space in town, so I will decide later if I will move the practice home to the cabin in Spring.

Other news... I am recently back from an amazing workshop with Deane Juhan (www.jobsbody.com) in Florida. This workshop focused on the breath and breathing. We worked on the shoulder girdle, the ribcage and the abdominal area - creating greater breathing capacity and more ease of movement around the structures involved in breathing. You’d be surprised just how many parts and pieces relate to the breath. And Deane is an amazing practitioner and teacher. Interestingly, he got his start at Esalen, in Big Sur, CA, where I recently attended the dream work workshop with Robert Moss (www.mossdreams.com).

Deane studied with Dr. Milton Trager for more than 20 years, and his work is a beautiful combination of Trager’s work and his own resistance/release technique that Deane has developed over the years. Many of you have experienced this resistance/release work with me, and some of the movement I do with you comes out of the Trager style learning I have received from Juhan and other teachers. It truly is amazing how simple movement and vibration can work more deeply into the tissue and muscle than what people call “deep tissue.”

Deeper is not necessarily better. Change can occur in the body more easily when one is in a relaxed and open state, and deep work does not always create this opening, though it is certainly effective where appropriate. Another tidbit I gleaned from working with Deane Juhan is the value of sensation - particularly pleasant sensation. There is an “edge” of opening I experienced with some of the work that felt unique and important to me. It is challenging to describe, but it is like the edge of pleasure, but a pleasure that is unfamiliar - so the nervous system has to learn from it as it strives to understand or make sense of the sensation.

This brings me to the Solstice. I set my alarm yesterday morning, to wake up early and meditate before the sunrise. I meditated a little, drew a mandala, wrote down some simple thoughts and then was inspired to drive down to the overlook in Tallulah Falls to watch the sun rise. It just felt right to do this, and I was rewarded with a wonderful image of the sun rise with a violet crepuscular ray above. And just as the sun broke the horizon some crows flew across, greeting it with me. On the way home, the hymn “Morning Has Broken” came appropriately to mind, and I thought to myself, “this could have been written for just this morning!”

In my writing, I had some simple but profound understandings.

I came to a deeper awareness that we are here on this Earth for a short time, and that the vehicle we have been given for this wild ride is a BODY. Flesh, bone, muscle, organs, viscera, nervous system, eyes, nose, mouth, ears, fingers, toes, hair... We are sensory beings. We are miraculous systems with thousands of cells flawlessly performing complex duties and functions all under our conscious radar (and while we are busy enjoying the ride). And I’m not even going to touch on the Soul or Spirit here (maybe another time). So the piece that I became more aware of is that we are here, in large part, to experience life through our sensory apparatus - our body, our senses.

I can feel my own edges, and there is pleasure in this. Seeing is feeling, using sight. There is pleasure in seeing beauty just as profound as the most sensual touch. Each and all of our senses can be developed and explored, to find more ways to beauty. The pleasure of texture - in sound, image, music, touch, taste - the complexity of flavor, the fullness of breath, the expansion of the heart. How much we sense, feel and know with heart and stomach... remember, always, the wisdom of both of these. My heart tells me what is right. My stomach tells me when something is wrong. The importance of heeding the stomach's message was emphasized for me. Our heads so often get in the way and confuse the matters at hand - especially between head and heart - and we can forget to notice that the gut is there, like a student with hand raised awaiting her turn to speak, trying to tell us something. Or fear gets in and confuses our gut to distract the heart from the truth it is holding.

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. And the more expansive our experience of sensing and feeling, the more subtle it can be. The most minute shift of light or change of texture can be appreciated. The gentlest touch, the softest sound, the slightest movement - these can create the most profound awareness. These can create profound shift.

Lastly, I am HERE for the holidays. Feel free to call on me if you need to break away and pamper yourself with a massage!

Oh, and... Happy Holidays! I hope you are enjoying peaceful and joyful times with your family, friends and furry critters during these short days and long nights.

There is always so much promise in the air this time of year - folks thinking about ways of giving to and blessing each other. Thinking about what and whom we're grateful for in the passing year. Dreaming what we want to bring into being this coming year. And just resting in the stillness of the great turning, here in the pinch of the hourglass where time seems to stand still for a moment at the solstice.

While we travel to friends and family and host our loved ones, let's remember to care for ourselves, too. Here are a few ideas to consider:

*Find a quiet place - it might have to be a walk in the woods or even around the yard - and listen to your own breath, remembering your own internal rhythm. It's always there. And getting some extra oxygen feeds your cells!
*Take a hot soak with some epsom salts - sure to neutralize stress and slow the world down for a little while. If you don't have a bathtub, a hot shower will suffice, and a few drops of an essential oil - mint, lemon, rosemary, eucalyptus, lavender or fir, these are some of my favorites. The hot water in the tub or the shower will diffuse the aroma and soothe your nervous system.
*Call a faraway friend you haven't seen in a long time or rarely get to visit with. It does the heart good to connect and remember the pieces of ourselves that are unique to particular friendships. AND, studies have shown that our aging process is slowed when we are around people from earlier in life and talk about or focus on younger times.
*ENJOY the indulgence! If you decide to indulge in behaviors or foods that are not in your normal diet or lifestyle, make sure to ENJOY yourself. Give yourself a pass when you need to. I imagine you will digest much more efficiently what you take pleasure in consuming. And I imagine, too, that we overindulge less when we enjoy more consciously what we are eating, drinking or doing.

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!

October already?

Summer has passed and Autumn is showing its colors...

Wow, it’s been quite a month, once again. I thought surely I would have sent out another newsletter by now, and here it is, almost October - wait, it IS October - and getting downright cold, here in my hollow. I had to put some fires in this last week to get the cabin warm and cozy for clients!

Since my last newsletter, the practice is growing nicely. I am so grateful for you all and want to thank those of you who have sent your friends and loved ones to see me for care. I have met so many wonderful people since coming home to Georgia, and I have to say I am enjoying this work so very much - even moreso because I am doing it in the log cabin, where I have wanted for so long to do this kind of sharing and healing. Some days I am simply amazed that I get to do this work in this place, surrounded by such great beauty.

I lost a close friend a few weeks ago. Seems it has been a summer of letting go here, and this has come with opportunities to learn and grow. I have learned a lot about grief, and how it comes in waves, and how it leaves an unmistakable silence that is deafening. It opens one's mind to many questions. It helps us to recognize just how important our connections and friendships and relationships really are - that we are more than just passing each other, we truly become parts of each other, inextricably. And if we’re lucky, we remember what we learn from each other and keep the good parts going forward. From my friend I learned that, whatever the business at hand, it’s the people and their humanness that are most important - that really knowing and honoring each other, in the midst of what we are doing, is what life is really about. My friend always showed up, because this was important to him. Because it IS important to keep showing up. We bring our energy wherever we are - even if we don’t say anything or do anything, or bring anything material (though he did all of these) - we always bring our energy and attention. It IS important.

The wonderful poet/writer David Whyte writes:

"The ultimate touchstone of friendship is not improvement, neither of the other nor of the self, the ultimate touchstone is witness, the privilege of having been seen by someone and the equal privilege of being granted the sight of the essence of another, to have walked with them and to have believed in them, and sometimes just to have accompanied them for however brief a span, on a journey impossible to accomplish alone."

from Readers' Circle Essay, "Friendship" ©2011 David Whyte

As I like to think, we have no idea how far the ripples travel when we throw goodness into the waters. And we need not think of this - we need only throw the goodness - of our intentions, our thoughts, our actions, our energy - into the waters of the world, and KNOW that they are very real and they travel very far and wide (inside of us and outward into the world). I am so happy to have met each of you and had the opportunity to exchange energy with you in some way. We have benefited each other in some basic way, and this carries outward into the world around us. Thank you.

I know I can sometimes sound like a broken record about drinking water, stretching those pecs and piriformises, simply paying attention to shoulders and where they are, breath, etc., etc. I cannot express to you how exciting it is for me when you come back and tell me how this has affected you and what you have noticed or better yet not noticed anymore. You have been the answer to my call for clients who are ready for change and growth, who want to participate in feeling better and evolving, and I am so inspired by you. Thank you!

DREAMWORK! I am excited to report that I will be going to California(!) to a workshop with Robert Moss (www.mossdreams.com) in mid-November - Way of the Dreamer.

Here is a video interview with Robert regarding the upcoming workshop.

The holidays are fast approaching! Are you ready?

Holidays are a time of celebration, joy and visiting with friends and family. Sometimes, though, in the midst of festive times, we can feel the stress of family dynamics, travel and busy-ness.

Gift certificates for massage make excellent presents for friends and loved ones! And for my regular clients, I am offering a 30% discount on gift certificates purchased in October (that's $45.50), and 20% off of gift certificates purchased in November (that's $52).

Just email me your order at: honorcatalyst@gmail.com

Chair massage is great for holiday parties!

Chair massage is a great addition to any event, and a wonderful way to show appreciation for friends, employees and customers.

Call today and let's arrange chair massage for your Church Event, Office Party or a Holiday Gathering at your home!

706.212.7924

AND A SPECIAL THANKS TO THOSE OF YOU WHO TOOK THE TIME AND CARE TO FILL OUT MY CLIENT FEEDBACK QUERY!

It is so valuable for me to know what your experience is like so I can improve my service for all my clients.

Balls!

I often recommend to my clients that they try using tennis balls to work on their upper back (trapezius and rhomboids). Here is a nice article that touches on this and includes some other useful links. There are various sized inflated balls to be found cheaply at Walmart type stores, and these can be useful in many ways. Try laying on a 4" or 8" ball under various parts of your body and just see how it feels and where it feels beneficial. This can be a great way to loosen up and even make adjustments. Try it, and let me know what you experience... Here is the link: http://www.shiatsubag.com/main/page_tennis_ball_therapy.html And here is an excerpt:

"Who can benefit from myofascial ball therapy? EVERYONE! Tennis balls are one of the most recommended physical therapy tools for recovery and rehabilitation of soft tissue dysfunction. They are simple to use, readily available, and one of the most inexpensive physical therapy tools you can buy. “How-to” videos, pictures, and articles for treatment routines covering virtually every part of the body are available online for free. These resources are good to take a look at and offer techniques to treat specific areas, but you don't really need much instruction. The basic procedure is to identify and target the sore and tight areas of your body, and with the ball supported by the floor or a wall, let that targeted area SLOWLY sink onto the ball. You will feel some discomfort as the tissue fibers are being released from their contracted state. Concentrate on relaxing as much as possible and hold the area for at least 10 seconds. Release the pressure, take a breath and repeat. At least 10 seconds is beneficial, but longer periods are recommended. You can remain stationary, or shifting your body slightly as you continue to relax, roll around on the targeted area."

Masseuse or Massage Therapist?

Since becoming a Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT), I have noticed more and more that quite a few people still think that a Massage Therapist is the same as a “masseuse” (and many use this word to describe males as well, though it is a word to describe a female massager). The profession has come a long way in recent decades with more rigorous training and much more widespread licensure around the country. Most people who use the term “masseuse” to describe their massage therapists do not mean to be derogative at all, rather they are not aware of the connotations that have developed over the years, associating “masseuse” with downtown “parlors” and “stress release” and generally unlicensed, shady activities. Massage therapy is a health care profession, like physical therapy, chiropractic therapy and nursing.  The main distinction, though, beyond associations or connotations, is that LMTs have undergone several hundred (usually 500-900) hours of training in multiple modalities of care, anatomy and physiology, pathology, etc., and have passed board exams and become licensed, insured professionals, who update their education regularly. A masseuse or masseur is merely someone who massages - no training, license or insurance needed. So next time you are introducing your massage therapist to a prospective new client or friend, do them a favor and call them a massage therapist, so there is no doubt as to their professionalism and qualifications. They will appreciate it so much!

What people are saying...

I am most grateful for the opportunities to work with some really amazing people who teach me so much. Many of these I have worked with over time and one of the things I love most about this work is developing relationships with clients and the continuity which enables us to discover more about what is going on at deeper levels in the mind, body and spirit along the way. We learn together what kinds of changes and healing are possible. It's endlessly fascinating and engaging.

A few testimonials, in case you're wondering what my work is like...

"I met Honor while she was practicing massage at Shands Hospital as part of the Arts in Medicine program. Having had experience with massage, I was immediately impressed by Honor's ability to listen deeply and translate that to her practice. She blends body work with creative energy to treat the whole person. I received positive results while working with her.

Honor combines body work with deep listening to treat you as a whole person. Her practice involves a deep attention to the physical along with response to what is happening with you. She is truly gifted in her approach to massage." - Constance Keeton, Director of Volunteer Services, Shands Hospital

"I have enjoyed a number of massages over the years and never had a better, more relaxing and beneficial massage as the one Honor gave me. Her presence, her spirit, her heart and genuine care are all a part of the experience. She really gives her all! You will feel relaxed, refreshed, rejuvenated and empowered!

If you have never had a massage before, what on earth are you waiting for? It is such a wonderful treat for the senses and so good for your body. You will wonder why it took so long to experience this divine experience with Honor.

Gratefully, Cyndi Crockett"

“A few words about Honor Woodard and the dreamwork she offers. It is a bit difficult to come up with such because Honor so deeply inhabits the dreamtime through her vision and presence. Her rare gift, then, is her ability to communicate with others this way of seeing and connecting. Honor is an artist and clairvoyant with wide eyes that catch patterns and colors instinctively. She is able to apply this way of seeing in the way of listening to dreams. This occurs seamlessly, as she gives attention to the present stories that emerge, and discerns themes which can then be transformed into a symbolic way of seeing — bridging my waking stories to my dreams, integrating them all into clear, navigable insights. Being in the presence of Honor perhaps captures at heart her mystical essence; a vast reflection of ancient wisdom and the threads which lead to an unknown future. Within this discourse, the possibility of transformation emerges. In the sharing of dreams and under Honor’s guidance, long held beliefs are brought to light and asked to dissolve in their resistance. The mind is made open and the strength of clarity and integrity come through in this collaborative act of dreamwork. Telling a dream to Honor is like telling a secret to a gentle and compassionate spaciousness. An opening occurs. She is mindful in her awareness and has this to share with others. In the presence of Honor, the dreamtime takes on a whole new meaning." --Lucy Tyksinski, LMT, St. Louis, MO January 3, 2015

"I have had the pleasure to work with Honor on several occasions to interpret dreams and significant life experiences. Each time the experience has yielded fresh insight, and deep understanding both within the narrative context of my personal journey, as well as larger and more universal themes and patterns through which we are all connected. I have also found it to be a process which liberates tremendous amounts of energy. Honor has a way of listening intently, and guiding you through the emotional landscape, in which you feel both safe and supported, while still helping you to excavate in areas which may feel challenging or threatening. In doing so, it becomes possible to see your own story and its personal meaning more clearly, and to emerge in a place of light........and lightness. It is a rare gift, and a special quality.” A Stoltman, New York, NY

"For the achy, the tense, and the generally stress-addled...
Nestled in a cool, wooded corner of Lakemont, there's a little wood cabin. And in that cabin is an amazing, magical massage therapist...so magical, in fact, that all who lay upon her table feel like Completely Different People when they get up again.
Seriously!
I just had my second therapeutic massage with Honor Woodard, and I couldn't be happier. Or more relaxed. Really, truly, I'm feeling SO much better. Hooray!

- Faith in Tiger, GA

"I have received a lot of massage work, and Honor's work is top notch. She is highly intuitive and I have felt great relief and been free of pain after sessions with her. And my rhomboids aren't screaming at me anymore!" - Pat, Massage Therapist, Gainesville, FL

"To whom it may concern, I have had the pleasure of being both teacher and client of Honor Woodard... I found her work thorough and beneficial in addressing my needs. I miss the quality of her work and attention. I would encourage you to experience her work directly. She would be an excellent addition to one’s practice. -Franklin L. Merillat, LMT Lead Instructor, Florida School of Massage