SEVA Stress Release

Dates:

Saturday at 9:00-4:30 PM, May 15, 2010

Description:
SEVA is the Sanskrit word for compassionate service. Originally called the Shock/Stress Release, the Seva Stress Release was developed by the Soul Lightening Acupressure faculty after the World Trade Center disaster in New York City. It was created as a way to serve the community by treating people anywhere who were suffering from its traumatic effects.

It was first used in 2001 to treat rescue workers at the piers in NYC, and has since been offered in many diverse settings, including at Walter Reed Army Medical Center; on college campuses to teach students self-care; in villages in Africa and India; in schools to help teachers and students release stress; in breast cancer support groups, in hospital wellness programs, and countless other community settings. We currently offer continuing education contact hours for Massage Therapists, Acupuncturists, and Nurses.

The gentle practice of acupressure utilizes the same therapeutic principles as acupuncture. The Seva Stress Release, is designed specifically to ease the human stress response and support overall well-being. The specific acupoints used in the Seva Stress Release were chosen carefully for their multi-functional properties. Each point is accessed with a special style of touch, and in a particular order to facilitate an optimal deep, relaxing experience. The Chinese healing traditions make no distinction between the body, mind, and spirit. When one system is addressed, all the others are affected as well. This is why we say that the Seva Stress Release is a "whole-being" approach.

The session is designed to flow from beginning to end, with the intention of acknowledging and offering support to the whole-being---not just the stressed and/or traumatized parts. Because of the deep healing wisdom in each individual, the Seva Stress Release may be a simple respite from a stressful day for one person, while the same treatment may be a profound turning point on the healing journey for another person. The goal of this release is not to "fix" or "help," but to offer the receiver an opportunity to come back home to themselves.

• A Seva Stress Release workshop can be offered as a three-hour workshop in which participants are guided through the points and instructed on how to apply acupressure for self-care at any time in any place. A manual with all steps illustrated and explained is provided.


• Another option is a full-day workshop in which participants learn to give the treatment to another person (fully clothed) as well as to use it for self-care. A manual is provided here as well.