Sunday, July 24, 2011

Seattle!!!

I don’t know what it is about Seattle but I’ve wanted to visit the city for years now. I can’t even remember how I got started with the idea of going. A client maybe? A book? I don’t know but I’ve finally planned a trip out there. I haven’t had a trip by myself since Stockholm two years ago. I actually went there instead of Seattle right before I moved to Chicago thinking that I better squeeze in one more overseas trip before moving further from the eastern part of the country ensuring a shorter flight time and a direct route via Delta Airlines. Once in Chicago, I would always have to connect through Atlanta to get across the ocean.
Two days before leaving I had another appointment with Joanna. I wanted to fit in one more acupuncture treatment in before going. The kind receptionist told me upon checking in that Joanna was out sick and Giselle who was also every bit as wonderful would be taking care of me. I don’t like to bounce around with service providers but decided that for whatever reason I am supposed to meet Giselle. Instead of rescheduling, I sit and wait.
The receptionist was right I think to myself as I’m back in the familiar room with Giselle and her assistant Marie answering the same questions Joanna asked me a week before. I feel like a bug being tacked to a board as she inserts needles in various extremities and leaves me to rest for a little while. I fall asleep again amazed at my ability to do so being I never take naps.
Giselle explains that she wants to see me again and I simply decide that I will reschedule with her. I’ll see her as soon as I get back from Seattle.
At 8:35am on Wednesday I’m sitting in an aisle seat on an American Airlines flight with a silly, girly book as the plane takes off for the west coast. I realize while I’m reading said book that I have no idea how to get to my hotel once I land. I completely forgot to get the directions. I keep reading thinking I’ll figure it out when I get there.
And figure it out I do after a half hour walk from my gate to a train that takes me into downtown. I then take the Monorail to the Seattle Center and follow directions from a map finally reaching my hotel, happy when I’m told I am able to check in early. Once in my room I flop on the bed and giggle. I’m here!!!



Over the next few days I run along an ocean path, spend lots of time wandering around the Pike Place Market, eating incredible fruit and taking in all the energy of the people swarming around me. I usually don’t like crowds but I’m somehow not entirely bothered by them right now. I go to the Space Needle one night and ride an elevator to the top and wander around. I take in the view of a sunset over the vast expanse of land and water.





A friend from Chicago gave me her best friend’s number and she and I met up for a yoga class the next day, following up with coffee the next afternoon with her husband at the shop he works at. I decide yoga and massage must happen during every vacation as the latter of the two happened the day after yoga.





I went to Ummelina after a friend from Atlanta recommended it. I met Molly and was blown away at how the place was set up. Before my service I took a shower in a giant “room” that had an overhead showerhead that felt like it was raining on me, while “jets” on the side walls horizontally blasted water in the most amazing way, onto my tired body. I wanted to stay there all day.
I dried off with a heated towel, and put on the “gown” I had changed into earlier and followed Molly into a small room that felt like being inside of a tree. The walls, floor and ceiling were all wood. She left me to get comfortable, face up on the table under a thick sheet.
For the next ninety minutes she worked hard at all the knots I’ve accumulated in the passed six months. I felt many of them release as I did my best breathing through all the uncomfortable spots. We talked a little. I told her about all the things I wanted to see while I was here. She brought to my attention that I don’t need to race around everywhere while I’m here in Seattle.
“You’re not going to see everything while you’re here, so it’s best to not try but to go slowly, figure out what’s important to you and go from there”
It’s almost like a switch flipped and suddenly I felt like I had permission to be at ease, to simply do what I wanted to do despite the well meaning suggestions from friends and clients. Most of these suggestions, restaurant recommendations, tours, day trips to islands via a ferry, and the like sounded appealing. It’s not that I didn’t want to do these things but I was on a hunt for something else. I wanted answers to questions I didn’t even know I had and wanted to relax into myself in ways I don’t normally allow when I’m in the swing of my day to day routine at home.
Once Molly was finished and I was back in my gown, my hair wild from air drying and having my head being massaged, I emerged with eyes half open and watery from tears that came when she worked on my back in between my shoulder blades. This happens every time. Tears are sparked despite having no memory to evoke them. She puts a heated neck pillow across my shoulders and has me follow her to the waiting room to sip some water and further relax before heading out into the world again.
“How do you feel?” she asks, sitting across from me.
“Amazing.” I smile.
“Glad to hear it. You had some pretty tough spots in there. I don’t know what you were doing but your body released them pretty quickly which is great. Do you have any questions for me?”
I decide to tell her about my back and the tears. “What is that about?”
She nods. “Funny you say that because when we keep our emotions in, we store them in our bodies. I’ve had that reaction too. We need to find ways of releasing those emotions. Also, I was going to ask you how is your digestion?”
“Slow.” I laugh.
“I thought so. I think acupuncture would be great for you.”
I squeal and tell her I’m already doing it.
“Good! Keep it up! Also, find ways of expressing those emotions so they don‘t get trapped.”
Molly and I chat a little longer before she continues about her evening and I sit still a little longer.
Later that night I lay in bed after a long bubble bath, barely staying awake for a movie that I ordered through the hotel.





My remaining days in Seattle were filled with a certain calmness that I have rarely experienced in life before. I set about each day to the ocean to watch the water before taking a walk in some unknown direction, discovering some coffee and eating fruit from the market or granola from a cute place I kept happening upon. I visited the neighborhoods I wanted to see, wandering in and out of different shops. I talked to random people and really listened to them happy for a little bit of company. I went out to fancy dinners, saw a burlesque show, and found my way to Volunteer Park. I found all the coffee shops I wanted to visit and took bubble baths every night. I even managed to take naps. I had boundless energy due to what, I don’t know. Was it the fact that the sun didn’t set until 10:30 pm? Was it that I wasn’t talking for ten hours a day like I normally am when at work? Or was it simply because I was somewhere else? Maybe a combination of all three. Whatever it was, it was glorious and I desperately wanted to bring this feeling back to Chicago with me.






On my last day I was up early and once again, at the water watching it move, my eyes breaking away a little to stare at the mountains off in the distance. I talked to God for a while before walking to eat that delicious granola one more time. I made one more trip to the market before heading back to my hotel to pack up. I felt completely calm the whole morning. Usually on the day I’m traveling I am filled with anxiety, even when I’m completely prepared. Not today though. No freaking out about how I’m going to get back to the airport, no anxiety about packing even though I had to use my body to help zip my bag closed because I was bringing so much back with me. There was nothing but contentedness.
I found my way through a little bit of rain to the train station and after about an hour, made it to the airport. At 10:30pm, we gently landed at Chicago’s O’Hare airport and by nearly midnight I was in bed vowing to do this vacation thing a little more often.

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