localspotlight
Connecting the Inner & Outer Worlds
with Christy Carlson
by Cindy lawford
I
magine floating, face up, in a warm
and life became a series of moments of similar to watsu.
saltwater pool on a sultry summer
grace, ease and coincidence. Carlson also offers Ashiatsu
evening. The water caresses your
“I knew immediately that breath- Oriental bar therapy (in Japanese, ashi
skin while the silvery light of a full
work was something I wanted to learn means foot and atsu means pressure), a
moon holds you in its gaze. The only
and facilitate, because I sensed it was a form of massage performed with a bare
sounds you hear are those within—the
beautiful way to support the best of the heel and instep (and sometimes, toes).
beating of your heart and the sound
human spirit,” Carlson enthuses. In the Recently, she added a new modality,
of your breath. This weightless experi-
twinkling of an eye, her life took a new AcroYoga, which blends the dynamic
ence, which can seem like a dream of
direction and she began moving away power of acrobatics with yoga’s spiri-
returning to the womb, is a regular oc-
from her successful 20-year practice in tual wisdom and the loving kindness of
currence for Christy Carlson, a woman
interior design. Thai massage. The modality emphasiz-
who intimately knows
Although es being in the moment and in balance
the breath as the link
Carlson’s therapy with another person. “AcroYoga is part-
between the inner and
menu has six offer- ner yoga, and it has taught me surren-
outer worlds.
ings, they share com- der, trust and communication,” remarks
Unusual healing
mon denominators: Carlson, who believes it is a beautiful
modalities that focus on
each helps to relieve way for teens to explore establishing
the breath—aquaprana,
the body and mind relationships.
Ai Chi, transforma-
of stress, develop Linking inner well-being to the
tional breathwork and
trust and encourage outer appreciation of comfort and beau-
watsu—are what this
greater self-aware- ty in the home, Carlson also continues
Naples health practi-
Christy Carlson and watsu client. ness. Aquaprana, a exploring the creative side she nurtured
tioner specializes in.
gentle, therapeutic as an interior designer. “I still express
And she does so because each of these
meditation in four feet of warm salt a lot of that talent in the modalities I
therapies has had a positive impact on
water, unwinds, releases and dissolves facilitate now, because it’s an aspect of
her own life.
tension. Watsu (a combination of two me that can’t ever be turned off,” she
The first modality to stir deep
words, water and shiatsu) is a warm says. “I occasionally take on a client to
levels of self-awareness within Carlson
water massage that uses the body’s help elevate the quality of their life.”
was Transformational Breath, which
weightlessness to allow greater free-
she encountered while volunteering at
dom of movement. Ai Chi, a relaxation Contact Christy Carlson at 239-777-2475
Omega Institute seven years ago. The
technique incorporating yogic breath- or visit Transformational-Breath.com or
comprehensive self-healing system
ing principles and Tai chi principles, is GlobalUrbanOasis.com. See ad, page 6.
uses conscious breathing to facili-
tate improved physical, mental and
spiritual well-being. “I had a profound
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experience that the English language
was practically useless to explain,”
recalls Carlson, who owns Transfor-
mational-Breath, in Naples. Struggling
to describe her life-changing experi-
ence, she sums it up by saying, “It felt
like I’d plugged my body into a light
socket, and everything from the tips of
my hair to my toenails was electrified
941-330-9318
and vibrating.” The vibrating contin-
ririm@msn.com
ued for three days. After that, Carlson’s
www.healthythermalimaging.com
perspective and world seem to shift
October 2009 
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