Aria’s Massage Journey (pt.1 where it all started)

Aloha!

Welcome to my series where I share with you about my personal wellness journey and how Seven Senses Spa has become an integral part of it! I have always been interested in my health, nutrition, and fitness but the turning point of it all has to be in June 2021 when I found out that I needed to have surgery.

Let me set the scene for you . . . from the time I was 16 years old, I was having frequent UTI’s (urinary tract infections). I was told by my healthcare professionals that as long as I don’t have six UTI’s in a year, I should be okay.

“Some people are just more prone to getting them; especially people your age.”

So, I turned to the internet for help. Cranberry juice, Vitamin C, and “just deal with it” became my solution for years.

But, there came a point when I did get six UTI’s in a year and the pain near the front and back side of my left ribs became so unbearable that it impacted my daily life. I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t work, and I needed answers. At this time in my life, I was working 50-80 hours/week. I had no grasp of a work-life balance and I was struggling with my relationship with myself and the people around me. My stress-level was an all time high (even if I tried to ignore that fact) and I wasn’t taking care of my health, nutrition, or fitness. To say the least, it was a rough time.

It took a while, but I was finally able to see a urologist, get the proper tests done, and find answers to my pain. After weeks of testing, I was told the best course of action for me was a Left Ureter Balloon Dilation non-invasive Surgery. I went ahead with the procedure and it improved my quality of life drastically. I had a true “ah-ha” moment during this time and it was: I need to take care of me.

In October 2021, I was introduced to Seven Senses Spa by my amazing mother who took incredible care of me during my recovery. I joined the team as a receptionist as my way of easing back into work post-surgery and wanting to help develop the incredible new, small, and local business. The greatest perk about joining the team is the opportunity to truly explore massage and its mind, body, and soul benefits.

I had my first session ever with Nile and I’m so happy I did! It was post-surgery, post-recovery period when I was the most relaxed I have ever been in years. Nile specializes in something he calls “Deep Lomi;” a blending of Western and Polynesian styles which combines grounding and soothing work with a strong structural focus. What I appreciated most about my session with Nile is how incredibly knowledgable and skillful he is. Nile truly has the client’s best interests while he works and wants to be that ship that steers you in the right way on your journey to feeling better in your body.

“You didn’t have too much tension, but I can tell that your body has been through a lot.”

After this session, I was hooked. I wanted to integrate massage into my monthly wellness routine (which for a period of time turned into a bi-weekly routine) and try all the other therapists at Seven Senses Spa to explore the healing that can come with massage.

Stay tuned for my next blog where I share the correlation between my updated fitness routine and how James has helped in my understanding and appreciation of Recovery.