Rachael Wilder, LMT, Awakened Nature Massage Therapy

01/02/2025

I don't know about you, but for me 2025 will be a year for more self care (SEE: massage!), more deep, rejuvenating breaths and more belly laughs! There is a lot going on in the world and I will be more present for it if I bring my joy along for the ride. I hope we can all find little moments of joy to add to the big ones and help carry us through any struggles.

January discounts are now in effect: $20 off all new client sessions (plus a 25% referral discount for you when your peeps come in!) and packages are an EXTRA $20 off...so you save $50!

60+ minute sessions only. Limit one package at a time. Packages restricted to one user.

Sending out love to you and yours in 2025!

12/12/2024

We are well into cold and flu season...are you prepped? I got myself organized recently as this phenomenon hits more suddenly here in the North! I was inspired by a podcast with Dr. Aviva Romm and decided to distill her tips into a more TL;DR format, complete with beautiful pics! I have linked to her podcast in the comments, and info about each tip accompanies each image, including dosages, cautions and use for children and while pregnant or breastfeeding. Please note that the starred items carry significant importance to prevention and/or early onset use!

We all have our special practices for preventing and healing from illness, so this is to refresh and add-to the tools you already have. At the risk of overwhelming you, I will add a few of my own here:

-Hydration! I can throw back a ton of tea, but I need to remind myself to flush with good old H2O on the regular, especially when sick!

-Staying elevated as much as possible. Once I discovered this, I became a bit fanatical about it. I haven't had a respiratory illness go down into my lungs since! The goal is to avoid mucus from draining into your lungs, so lots of pillows of different types. I have a vinyl-covered wedge pillow that is great. When I'm on the struggle bus and I really need to sleep deeply or I am giving up forever(at nighttime for example), I will take something to stop the mucus (i.e. Benadryl). I try to limit this so I don't take my own bodies defenses off-line.

-My personal practice with fevers is that I want it to work fever magic, killing the viral particles by cranking up the heat. But, as above, when I need to take a break and sleep deep, I take a fever-reducer. That said, I have never had children so I am not here advising on how to navigate that and when things are too hot. My mom used and taught me this theory, but she also integrated allopathy to keep us safe.

-With preventing lung congestion in mind, a couple of days into an illness I also incorporate something like Bee Balm (Monarda fistulosa) extract. This treats the lung funk before it starts (or fends it off) and always feels like a very important piece for me. Link to info in comments.

Okay folks, so much for TL;DR...I hope this helps you, or even better...you don't need it at all!

12/03/2024

It's that Holiday time of year again, so get your favorite people the BEST gift...a massage! $20 off all gift certificates. PLUS, escape to a blissful oasis yourself...The Massage Meltdown is also $20 off for your December decompression needs. The table is warm and the towels are hot! Links in comments. Warm wishes to you all!

10/29/2024

Are you feeling stressed in these times? Come get some ease with $20 off all NEW CLIENT sessions in November.



Music track: Spatial Awareness by Charlie White

10/23/2024

Can you feel change when it's coming? When things are shifting on the outside, things are shifting on the inside...or at least they are trying to! Conscious breathing can allow these changes to move through us instead of getting stuck and causing us to feel unwell. Take good care, and schedule a massage!

09/26/2024

Heel pain? Calf massage! If you have suffered from either plantar fasciitis or achilles tendonitis, you know what a pain they are! Both the plantar fascia and the achilles tendon attach to the heel, so heel pain can indicate one of these conditions (or others). It’s important to get a good diagnosis, but also very important to act swiftly to prevent further injury. Irritation caused by these conditions is treatable with home care, but once it progresses to real injury, the treatment takes longer and can be more involved. Massage directly to inflamed tissues isn’t always the best idea, but relaxing and lengthening the calf muscles will take pressure off those areas and help prevent further strain or tearing. It’s a great place to start while you explore and experiment with what gets you out of pain, and if you act quickly, it can be part of a relatively simple resolution! Links to the overall descriptions of these conditions in the comments.

09/03/2024

Topic of the day: Uterine position! Have you ever wondered what position your uterus is in? Find out why and if it might be important to you!

08/19/2024

Greetings from your friendly neighborhood massage therapist! Here is the most frequently asked question about coming in for a massage: to eat and drink or not to eat and drink?! Watch here to find out how to prepare for your amazing massage without the distraction of hunger, thirst, or an overly full belly or bladder.

07/31/2024

I did a blog! If you are curious about the ins-and-outs of Hashimoto's disease or hypothyroid, take a look. It can be a confusing condition to understand, so I tried to break it down and add some real-life relevance to it.

Recently, my mom gave me my ‘memory box’...items that one usually gets after the death of their parent(s). She is seemingly far from death, but has always found joy not only in organizing and giving but also enjoying memories together. If one day she does indeed pass, I will not be surprised to ...

07/16/2024

Is it Monday already? Come on in for a massage that will bring ease to your week...and beyond! Professional, experienced therapeutic massage therapy, Tuesday-Saturday. Gift certificates and packages available.

Experience holistic healing with therapeutic and abdominal massage at Awakened Nature in Saint Paul, MN. Specialized in pain resolution and well-being through intuitive bodywork.