Sharing Your Work in New Ways - opportunities for bodyworkers
We are thinking of you as you navigate lifestyle and livelihood changes during this time. Bodyworkers, yoga teachers, counselors, and anyone that works in a natural health field is experiencing particular challenges doing their regular jobs. Here are some suggestions for working with your clients in new ways that are valuable and effective:
Offer your clients, community, and family livestream Do-In or proprioceptive exercise classes
Schedule one-on-one video sessions with clients to offer information and recommendations. This could include the topics of health, personal treatment strategies (think meridian stretches, acupressure points, macrobiotic teas & remedies, etc.), tips on inner focus/meditation, nine star ki guidance
Do a mini-class via video on something specific for self-care, like hip stretches or lower back exercises or hara massage
Teach a short class on how families can exchange some bodywork, like a back treatment (palming down the back, some vertebral rocking and general release of the central channel), or a simple fascial release. Stillpoint at the feet. Some hara treatment. A simple footrub. Adjust the material to your audience. Almost everyone can learn some hands-on techniques. It is fun for adults and kids and increases health immediately, which of course everyone is especially interested in right now. People don’t generally think of exchanging some touch like this, and even something very simple can turn into an hour or two program. Your clients will thank you and you will probably really enjoy it.
Run some online cooking classes. Choose one thing and go over it in detail. For example, making a pot of brown rice or oat groats, cooking greens, preparing a tea infusion. Use what you use and do well; you may be surprised how many others would like to benefit from your knowledge.
Do a livestream webinar where you take Q&A on health topics or just facilitate dialogue between participants. You have much specialized information about the human body and energy system that can benefit those around you looking for guidance that is directly applicable.
How do you actually offer livestream sessions to clients and community? There are many options. I have used Google Hangouts Meet, Zoom and Skype. All of these option are free or relatively inexpensive. Use your phone or computer and don’t worry if everything looks perfect, just move ahead and try to have fun without getting hung up on every detail, as long as you are sharing information in a responsible way (i.e. share only what you know and use, not just what you read or believe).
How do you accept payment? It depends on where you live. We use PayPal (which accepts credit card payments even without a PayPal account, but YOU need a PayPal account to use it for this) and also Square and Venmo. Cryptocurrencies are becoming more common. You don’t need to set up a complicated automated system and website when working with individuals or small groups. You can set prices for what you offer, or let people pay what they can.
Be Creative
We know many of you personally and know you have been out there developing yourself and your skills for years in order to help yourself and others live a vibrant life. The years you have spent studying bodywork, natural wellness and personal development have given you a reservoir of informational resources that can be shared in ways other than physical treatments and classes. We encourage you to be creative and follow your impulses on how to move during this time. There are always many opportunities for connecting with yourself and others in sharing your passions.
Inner Journeys
Maybe we can’t travel around in a plane right now or gather in groups for celebrations and events, but we CAN travel as much as we like on the inner planes while increasing our immunity and health rather than depleting it! And you probably have specific skills to facilitate that if you have studied the light body activation materials or other frequency expanding practices. What a bonus this is to spend more time developing those capabilities.
In order to enjoy the unique experience unfolding right now, take more time-space for reflection and inner development. If you have young children and other family members around, perhaps they will be interested in joining you for some quiet time together doing something new like proprioceptive exercise, Do-In or some stretches. This is an opportunity for all of us to wake up more into present time engagement with the world immediately around us.
Please feel free to leave comments and feedback below, or share any work options and self-care practices that you are finding helpful during this time.