Who you calling holistic? Shiana? Hi. Welcome to who you calling holistic? I'm your host, Shiana Rivers and we are recording today at GOT Sound Studio. And I'm here today with Christina, the owner of Shava Spa. Welcome. Thanks. So for those who have listened to or not even have listened to my podcast, there's some people who listen to my podcast that have been to some of my events at the salt Cave. So you are already familiar with what it's about.
But those who aren't familiar, I wanted to give her a chance to share what you can get from going out of or from going into a space like this. Because it's not just the salt cave. There's some other features and tools for your toolkit, your self care toolkit. Especially in winter, um, seasonal depression goes. Up a hundred percent sadness. It's the good time to explore these modalities and tools that are available. Absolutely. So you started Shavas Spa in the middle of COVID Yes.
Okay, what was that like for you? Interesting. Okay, so the concept first developed prior to Covid, um, we were going to incorporate massage into a couple of different things. But once we saw what Covid did to businesses, we were like, oh. So we had to kind of take a few steps back and reevaluate. And then we decided to go completely touchless. So that way, if we did ever experience something like that again, the mindset was this could happen again.
You know, if it gets out of control, are we going to shut down again kind of thing. And we were too new for that. So we wanted to be able to have an opportunity to continue to run business because the stress levels didn't stop. Right. So if anything, Covid just brought on a whole new level of stress for people. And so we wanted to be that type of facility, to be an escape. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, so explain to people what exactly is halo therapy? That's a great question.
So halotherapy is basically breathing in dry salt air. So most people, I try to relate it to the ocean. When you go to the beach, you tend to not suffer from allergy. And sinuses, however, that is still wet salt therapy, because you are near the water salt in the air. What we do is we take away the water side of it. We use a very dry salt. We actually cook our salt to make it even more dry. So it powder rises into a powder form. That powdered salt is what you're actually breathing in.
So it gets deep into the respiratory tract. Gotcha. So do people only come to the salt cave because they're dealing with respiratory issues or can it do some other things? Yes. So even though sinus and allergies is our number one thing that we do, which is probably top for most people in the Midlands, because I don't know anybody that doesn't suffer from it, I'm dealing with it right now. So the other thing is arthritis.
So anything that's inflammation based, it's really good for inflammation once you breathe it in and it gets into the system. Salt is antibacterial and anti inflammatory. So it helps with that, arthritis and different things like that too. Interesting. I tell people all the time, especially in this industry, in this field, especially if you are taking care of other people, which even if you're not in this industry.
I have a lot of mothers that I work with or I assist with guidance on their own journeys. Right. Because they're taking care of other people. But I talk about, you know, taking salt baths because even when I was doing massage full time, you know, that was our, hey, when you need some self care at home, do a salt bath. Yes. And that was for like muscle stuff. But then when I entered the spiritual industry, it was like, hey, if you need some self care for your mind. Salt bath. Salt bath. 100%.
Yeah. So what can it do for somebody's like energy field in there? Cleansing. So salt's a natural element of earth. When we ground, we're near any elements of earth, whether we're grounding on the ground or we're grounding in the ocean, the water, the lakes, the mountains, the air, you know, astrologically as, you know, we all kind of figure it out differently. It's all tied to how we do it. And so salt is one of those things.
I don't know a person that doesn't go to the beach and dig their feet down in the sand and breathing in salt air and all of a sudden they feel so much better. So a deep breath. Yeah. And even when I was in massage school, like before I was even aware of halo therapy, one of the things that like my massage teacher used to say, like there were a couple things that were his non negotiables for staying healthy and staying fit. Essentially, like daily walk, or it was three things.
Daily walks, hydrating properly, which I say at the end of every episode, meditate and hydrate. And the third one that he swore by regularly was using a neti Pot. Yes. 100%. 100%. And like, I remember there's so much stuff that I learned in massage school that I was like, okay, cool, this is cool information. And then I didn't apply it, of course. And then I started applying it, and I was like, oh, shit. He. He was right. All this time, like, these are the. These are the keys to healthy living.
Exactly 100%. And a lot of people are always confused because our salt cave is filled with Himalayan salt. So everybody always assumes they're breathing in Himalayan salt. Totally not the case. You're breathing in a pharmaceutical grade salt. Gotcha. So this is a very clean salt. This is the same salt you're making your neti pot packets with and everything else. Saline and sodium chloride, IVs. This is the same kind of salt, so. Gotcha. Salt always gets a bad rap, but it's really a healer.
Well, but it's. I feel like it's designed that way. Yep. Because people are like, oh, my gosh. Don't. Don't have too much salt because you. You're gonna have the diabetes a hundred percent. And it's also like, our bodies need minerals and trace minerals. So I'm often telling people, especially if they're the ones that are like, I drink so much water, and it's just going straight through me. And I'm like, you need to add some salt.
Yep. Like, your body needs salt to actually retain it in your tissues. Yep. When I have conversations with people, especially people who are concerned about high blood pressure, they're like, well, I have high blood pressure. I. I really don't think I should do salt therapy. And I'm like, well, you're not ingesting the salt, so it's two totally different key things. Right. We're inhaling the salt. I'm pretty sure your doctor didn't tell you to go to the beach.
If he did tell you to go to the beach, we got bigger problem. Not to go to the beach. We have bigger problems. Right. Right. So totally different atmosphere and totally different salt. So it's. Plus, when you work out and you lick your lips, it's salty. Yeah. And when you cry, like, it's one of the biggest healers, like the gym, crying and going to the ocean. Yep. When sweating, like, it's all of that. You need that in your life. You have to replenish it, too. You got to give it back.
If you're dehydrated and go to the hospital, they're going to hook you up to a salt bag. Sure will. Sure will. Go ahead and do it. So did you have your own personal experience that you were like, halotherapy is what I need to put in Colombia. Like, how did you come about wanting to specifically introduce this therapy to Main Street. I moved here. Them grew up in Florida. Okay. Along the beach. Never had allergies until I moved to South Carolina.
And all of a sudden, South Carolina, it was like, boom. It hit me. I was like, what in the world? I didn't want to take medicine. Didn't want to do all the things, you know, they have you on flonase, they have you doing this, they have you doing that. And I'm like, flonas and zurtech combo. It's like, that's. It's hand in hand. Yeah. That's what they do. You walk in, stuffy nose. Here's rest of your life or allergy shots weekly. No, thank you.
Yep. So I started researching and figuring out what did I do differently? And salt air is it. And so I went to a couple of salt caves around the country, and I was like, okay, this is nice. This is alleviating it. This is different. And so then I was like, okay. You know, we are capital of allergies. Yeah. So. Yeah. And I even tell people, like, especially this time of year in Chinese medicine, we're in lung and large intestines as far as the organs go. So this time of year is really important.
Up until winter, we moved to different organs, but lungs, like, this is the time of year that people are grieving on a collective level. And that's why I'm like, go to the salt cave. Like, I know the. I know the salt cave owner is not going to be like, this is really good for grief. Yeah. But I'm going to say this is really good for grief, and it's really good for strengthening your lungs and that organ and the meridian itself because of all those other things it's doing.
Yep. And I will say it's good for grief, too. Okay. A lot of people are just super stressed. They're dealing with things. I have a lot of caretakers. A lot of caretakers are taking care of their parents, aging parents, and they're super stressed, and they just need that space to get away because they're caught in between raising their kids and taking care of their parents. Right. And this is a whole new dynamic for people. We're the first generation to kind of be caught up in this, you know?
And so we really don't know how to handle it and what to do. And we're on a super high stress level. So really we're, you know, it's a moment for me to be alone with myself and kind of grieve. Yeah. You Know. Yeah. Because the idea of being emptiness isn't empty nest so much anymore. Like, because you are going from raising your kids to now raising your parents as they're, you know, aging. Yeah, that makes sense. Yeah. And. But I even tell people, like, if you're not gonna go to.
Because, like you said, grounding. So daily walks are going to be great too. But if you can't make it to the salt cave. Neti pot. But still, it's one of those, like, we need that. That recharge. Yes. But at least the salt cave has a moment to recharge in a dimly lit space with a blanket that you tuck us in with. And. And just a moment of. Of clarity. Some silence and some stillness. Yeah. And I think stillness is the hardest part. It's so hard for some people. They're just like, what do you do?
I would say more than some. Yes, yes. It's interesting. But I think once people get used to it, they end up liking it. They're like, wow, I need more of that in my life. And then they start coming regularly, and then they learn what mindfulness is really all about. You know, they think they have mindfulness, but then once they have to sit within themselves and they're kind of forced to look within because that's all they can do.
And I think Covid did that for a lot of people, but I think right now we're on the cusp of, like, those who didn't do it then are, like, seeing those effects now. Yes. So now it's like, okay, perhaps. Perhaps I should make some time. Yep. Yep. And they're trying to make up time. You know, they're trying to heal from everything before. And it's like, now you got this to add on top of it. Exactly. Like, we can't go back to normal. That's not a thing. Like, there is no such thing as normal at all.
This is the new normal. Yeah. And so either you are going to jump on board and start taking care of yourself, or you'll continue to do what you've been through. So what are some of the other offerings that you now have at the salt cave? So probably one of our next most unpopular is going to be the red light therapy, which we do incorporate a grounding mat with that that is specifically for pain management. What kind of red light is this? Because there's so many different kind of red lights.
So many different. And people say you can order the one that you can get for chicken coops on Amazon. And it's the same thing, but it's not. Or is it? It's not. Okay. So there are different levels of red light. So red light comes 666, 90 nanometers. Those lights are targeted to be just one specific. You can utilize that and it's still going to give you somewhat of an effect. That's why they use it on the chickens. Okay. It's all the rage on TikTok. Yep, yep. Think about it.
I mean, why would you use it on the chickens? It's all part of that growth process, so to help them grow. So, yeah, it's a heat lamp. It will work. It's not going to be the medical grade as to what we're utilizing. Our red light incorporates infrared as well, and we also have a new red light that's coming as well that will incorporate the pulsing factor, which just kind of targets quicker and faster for those people who don't have as much time.
Okay. So, you know, we, we need that here in America, there's never enough time. For some people, it seems like it's like when you say 45 minutes, they're like, what? I got things to do. I need my phone. Yeah. And that's another key thing. People do not like giving up their phones. It is. It's been interesting to have a, you know, a business where there's no cell phones allowed and people are like, what am I going to do? Yeah, yeah.
When I tell people to put them on do not disturb for an hour session. And sometimes it's like, wait, what? And it's like, no, because that's just gonna. The thing is like, if you are receiving, you should be focusing on receiving. Yes. And people have such a hard time receiving a lot. So some people have such a hard time. I love receiving things and things that are good for me. Let me clarify.
Yeah, but some people have such a battle or they don't feel deserving of receiving that time for themselves, then it's like, no, but I could be doing something else at the same time. Exactly. Yeah. Like, no, now you're just going to be distracted. If your phone does ring, vibrate anything, it's who is that? Who needs me? And that's all you're thinking about. Yep. And everything else is a waste. Yep. Yeah, I, I have the same philosophy, except it's more along, along the lines of self healing.
If you're here to self heal, then it doesn't matter who's on that phone because it's about you now. Like it's not about them anymore. So it's just kind of funny. The Society that we live in and learning. There are some people who come in and they're like, take my phone. You can have it all day. I don't care anymore. Yeah. And then there are others that can't live without it. Like, they want it in their services. And I'm like, no, I've been in.
A lot of spaces now where I'm like, could I just, like, please give me a flip phone. Please give me a flip phone. Like, if I'm leaving the house, give me the flip phone. Let me leave my whole little mini laptop in my hand at home. Yes. Because it is a distraction, but it's also like, now they're making that a harder time to acquire. You can't just, like, grab a flip phone from. You can't order a flip phone on Verizon.
You're definitely gonna have to go to a corner store in the hood or something, because they're even trying home with. A card with so many prepaid minutes. And, you know, it's. It's. That's kind of the society that we're in, unfortunately. And it's like, how do we reverse that? Right. You know, we. We think that we're being. Not even know really what I'm trying to say.
We think that we're, you know, being ahead of the game and we're multitasking and we're getting stuff done, but we're really not, like, we're not focusing on the one thing. And we could do so much more if we spent more time focusing on that one thing. Exactly. Our brains are meant that way. Right. Our brains are not meant to multitask. Exactly. And that's how mistakes happen. Exactly. That's how people. You know, surgeons leave tools inside of you. You wonder how's it happen?
All because they're probably thinking about their next surgery. Right. Rather than thinking about the one that's open on their table right now. Exactly. If you focus. And our brain, once we get used to that multitasking factor, we call it scatterbrain at Shabbat Spa, and you don't know, really how to focus anymore. And so now we have to learn how to bring that focus back through mindfulness.
So you can be, you know, very mindful in what you're doing and making sure that you're giving all your attention to that. So it's hard. Yeah. And it does take time because we are inundated with information from all places. All day, 24 7. But you have to, like, make that intentional time to disconnect or unplug from time to time. So that you do know the difference. Yep. As well. And that's our goal.
So we offer a monthly program, and that monthly program is for people to allow themselves that time and space once a week, twice a week, however often they can do it to make sure that they're stepping away and they're doing something for themselves, not only mentally, but physically. So. Yeah. Yeah. And for those who have seen, I did a whole video at Chavas Spa, where I did, like, a whole sample day of a lot of the treatments. And one of my favorite ones was the Vibro acoustic cocoon situation.
I mean, I did. I was in a different mental space anyway, in a good way. But tell the people what that's about. Like, what does that do for people? It's amazing. We didn't discuss the chakra stuff beforehand because I was like, you should have told me. Yeah, I would have. I would have told you to pick a different. I'm grounded. I don't need the root chakra work. Give me the other one. Like, load me up on solar plexus work.
Yeah. You know, I think for most people who walk in the door, it's foundational. Like, we have to start at the. Foundation for say the same thing. We never really know what they're carrying. Yeah. And so we like to start at that foundation. But the cocoon, that's an amazing service. Like, it. And, you know, it goes through cycles. It ebbs and flows. This probably last four weeks. It's been jumping. Yeah, yeah. People walk in, people need grounding. Yeah. Look at the collective.
Yeah. Yeah. They can't sleep. They have high anxiety, and it's like they're having these wild and crazy dreams. And these are people that are in the holistic world. These are people that do the stuff that you and I do every day. And, you know, they're still at that level. And so. But it's important because they recognize and they're like, okay, I'm at this point. I need to do something. And so it's kind of nice to see that when they come back and they're like, okay, my blood sugar dropped.
Like, I was able to sleep last night. I didn't have a dream last night. It's kind of nice to have that, but it's a good refresh of energy. And I think that a lot of people don't realize how much tension we carry around in our bodies. All of our stress is held in our body, and we have no idea what it feels like to not hold tension in the body. Until we're not holding it in the body. We feel heavy. Right? Like, we feel like we can't get up. We can't move.
And I'm like, that's what you call de stress. Like, that is true stress relief. I used to post this quote that I saw all the time, and I, of course, I just saw it, like, the other day, so it's fresh on my mind. But it was. Most people have no idea how good their body is designed to feel. That's powerful. Kevin Trudeau, maybe. But I was like, yeah. Like, I recognized it. Doing massage. I recognized it. Just pure energy bodywork or just, like, pure distance Reiki sessions.
Like, people are holding on to so much, especially shoulders and, like, backs. Like, they're just holding on to not even their own shit. Everybody else's. Yeah. They don't know how to separate it. Yep. Yep. 100%. 100%, yep. So. So the cocoon is amazing when it's. It's something I always tell everybody. Try it. You won't regret it. You know, I think I've only ever had maybe one or two people out of my entire business that were like, yep. Nope, not for me. Right?
Yep. And then it makes me wonder, like, what. What you got going on? Yeah. Like, if you did the grounding one and they are just, you know, super, super, super up here, of course it's going to be like, no, that was. I didn't enjoy that at all. Yep. 100. Yep. So do you have a favorite? Oh, my gosh. So the Soul Cave is my favorite. That's the baby of the whole. That. That's the foundation of it. But I have to say, I probably. The Zen den is my next favorite.
Okay. The Zen den is really what kind of started my zero touch business. When I was in sales and I was highly stressed, I would stop in a mall because I covered the entire state. And there's a mall in Florence. I would had Myrtle beach as one of my markets. There's a mall in Florence. And I would stop and sit in the massage chair before I drive home.
And I'm like, you know, it just be so nice if this was a dark room and I had headphones and didn't have to listen to everybody just because I needed that stale, like, motion out of my body. I need to move some stuff, get some stuff moving, energy flowing. And I was like, this is what somebody needs. Like a massage chair in a dark room. Mental reset. You know, if you had a bad meeting, you can go get some positive affirmations and kind of go back at your day in a totally different light.
And so that really was kind of the basis. I knew salt cave and that was going to be the two big key things. Everything else just kind of fell into place. And I definitely skipped all the way over you finishing up what the cocoon room does. The cocoon. I just said it did grounding stuff. You put on a chakra. Yeah, but I didn't work. Yep. All frequency work. Yep. That's probably why I really enjoyed that one. Because 100% that's what I do. That's what you do, exactly.
Yep. And people who are in the same area as you in energy medicine and different things like that, they really do like the cocoon because it does help them refresh as well. And most people who are in tune with energy know and understand that, you know, energy is in the room. And when you're in tune, when you walk in, that can change your energy. And so at the same time, you have to be grounded because you're going to be absorbing some energy from people.
It's one of the reasons I don't typically like getting massages. I don't like touch massages, and I do the zenden is because I do absorb people's energy. And a lot of times you can go in and get a massage from somebody, let's just say at a place and they woke up and had the rough morning and, you know, they don't want to be there and everything else. And you're going to feel every bit of that. And you just. If you're in tune. If you're in tune enough. Exactly.
And so you'll walk out feeling worse than what you did walking in. And you just paid to feel like shit. Right. You can say shit as loud as you want to on here. They know. And so it's kind of like my ultimate goal was I don't ever want you to come in and have somewhat of a massage 30 minutes and take home energy of something else. Like, I want you to walk out that door, refresh, no matter what. And there's a time and place for massages. Like, we don't claim to be the fix.
There are times that you're going to actually need somebody to work on you. Yeah, yeah. And I even tell people, like, especially because, like, you, I don't want to. If I'm doing that kind of work, if I'm not having a good day, which sometimes that happens, and I can transmute it, I'll go for a walk. And I'm like, okay, things are Better, Whatever. But if I can't shake something off, I'm rescheduling people because I'm. I don't want you to receive that sort of energy if I'm not in a good space.
Yeah. But I do think about, like, how many people don't do that. Like, majority. 98, 99% of the people out there because they work for corporate world and they don't have that option. Yeah. Or they're used to like, oh, well, I'll go in. I have a fever. But like, you know, I'll just take some Motrin and. No. Now you've gotten everybody else around you sick. Exactly. So it's like, it's the same, but it's not an energy thing. It's just a. It's a viral thing then. Or whatever the case.
But same, but different. Yep. Same, but different. Yeah. So. Yep. No, just stay home 100%. Because we're in the wellness industry. Like, at the end of the day, we are in the wellness industry. So if we're people. Understand. Yeah. Like, oh, please reschedule me. I want that shit. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. And I think that some people. I think some people are afraid, you know, they're afraid of what will happen and what comes about and everything else. So. Yeah. To say no. Yeah. Boundaries.
Yeah. Yep. And people pleasing things. I just had this combo with a friend earlier. Like the level of people pleasing that happens that just how long we've been taught it as well like within the school system and speaking up. Especially if it's like a male student in the class or something. Because she was having the convo about whether or not her daughter should be like in an all girls kind of school growing up. But she saw just how confident a lot of the girls were in that school already.
And she was like, no, I think that has a lot to say about who they're surrounding themselves with. Yep. And just how confident they are because they don't have a little boy telling them, you know, things. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 100. And they don't have to impress them. It's like, I'm doing this with my friends all the time. Yeah. And they're already developing that community. That's awesome. So I was like, that's awesome. I'm for that.
Like, I can see why that's because even, you know, as an adult, you realize just how important communities and like sisterhood is. But if you don't learn that at an early enough age, or if you don't learn it at any age, really, you can see how people can end up in sticky situations because they don't have community to fall back on. Absolutely, yeah, 100%. And that goes in the business world too. Yeah, I mean, big time in the business world.
So having that community is important to be able to know and understand, you know, reaching out and having that support system. But also for me, it's a matter of knowing where to send people. And so when I can't help somebody, I don't want to just say, I'm sorry, I can't help you. Right. I want to be able to say, hey, have you ever thought about this? Here's somebody to reach out to have, you know, say this. You got to. I mean, because we can't do it all. Exactly. And we shouldn't do it.
We shouldn't try to be the one catch all. Like, we're not the Walmarts of the wellness world. I don't want to be the Walmart of the wellness world. Exactly. There's whole memes about how people, like dress there. So, like, no, at least put me in Target or something. Right. I feel like there's a higher one than saying Target, but there's. I'll take the Target. Yeah, I'll take. Yeah, if we're. If. If we gotta choose. Give me Target. Tarjay.
Actually, have you seen though, that they are gonna have like Tar Targaritas at some locations? Yeah. Oh, yeah. Margaret Targaryta Targaryen. Yeah. I don't put me in the store. That. And that seems that. That's. I wonder if they'll have like a cut off. That doesn't seem safe, knowing what I know about who goes in Target. Exactly. But maybe that's the point. Maybe get more. Get more people, spend more time there, spend more money there. Yeah. Y kind of reminds me of Lowe's Foods, you know?
Yeah, I was going to say Vegas. Like, they probably don't have clocks anywhere kind of thing. Yeah, see, they don't have clocks. All the clocks aren't set at the right time. In the windows. No, no windows, no nothing. So you don't know what time it is. You don't know daylight. Interesting, interesting. So you guys do have now the float therapy, which I was even telling Christina before we got in here, like on my to do list.
And I wish I had a moment to do it before we even recorded because I feel like I need that experience. It's amazing. I also feel like people are terrified of it though too, so. 100%. So, yeah. Explain like why. Why are people terrified? But why shouldn't they be. So float therapy? I mean, you are in a confined space and I think that's what terrifies people. What are the measurements of confined in this?
So what most people assume are float pods, which kind of are the small ones, and you close the lid down on top of you. And I think that a lot of us just kind of reference that back to coffins. Right. You know, we're like, we're going to climb in here and we're going to close the lid of our coffin. And it's not necessarily like that. But due to height requirements of some of my clientele, we chose to go with a different option. So have a float cabin.
There's a door, you open, you step in, you close the door behind you. It's 8 foot by 7 foot and 7 foot ceilings. Okay. So like it's an enclosed pool for the most part, right? In my opinion, yeah. So people who are 6ft tall can float freely and not, you know, be up against the walls, which is kind of nice. So I think that's probably the biggest fear factor. The next fear factor is what am I going to do for 60 minutes? Oh, so it's a whole hour session. It's a 60 minute flow.
Yeah. So we always tell everybody, take, allow yourself an hour and a half because you are gonna have to shower before. And that's part of our sanitization because that's one of the other questions we get is sanitary. And then you have to shower after. But you are floating for a full 60 minutes. And so a lot of people are like, what am I going to do for 60 minutes? That goes back to that whole mindfulness thing. The people that are like, oh my gosh, no phone.
Yeah, no phone, no. What, what am I, somebody to talk to? No, no. Like TV to play background noise. Yep. Yeah. So we do allow music in the cabin and there are lights in the cabin. But we encourage you to float full deprivation. At some point during your float, you. Can just have like a button to press. Yep. There's buttons on the side wall and you can control your lights and control your music.
So we tell them, play with those buttons, you know, float for a little while and then get over there and turn it all off and see how you do. We've had more people float deprivation than not deprivation, which is kind of nice. And is just full of salt to. Make people float 18 inches of water. So that's another fear. People are like, I don't know how to swim. I'm like, it's 18 inches of water. 18 inches of water. 1500 pounds of salt.
Okay. So yeah, the salinity level allows you to float directly on top of that water. It's impossible to see. I like that you said salinity level. Because selenite as. Yeah. As the crystal. That's good for clearing 100. Clearing 100. And we are clearing some stuff. I mean, that sounds like some. Shiana says. Exactly. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. I mean, you're clearing a lot of things. You're clearing your skin, you're clearing your body. The stuff that's going to be coming out of you later that day.
Like you have to think about it, you're absorbing some magnesium, you're absorbing all of these minerals that come from the salt. So your body is going to start moving and flowing. But the best thing about it, that night you're going to sleep like you've never slept before. Do you have people come out, coming out of there like, boohoo. Crying ever? Yes. Okay. I would imagine I was like, I could see what do you. What kind of support do you provide in those moments?
That was the reason why we ran the promo of a 60 minute float and a 30 minute Zen den. Because people needed that space to kind of like after care. Yeah. Yes. Like some people when they float, they really need that time and space to process and what just happened and what am I feeling and why am I feeling it. But it's no different than the cocoon. I mean, people will do the cocoon and they're done and they're bawling tears and it's because they're releasing so much that they have going on.
And then once you release it, you feel so much better, you know? See, and I see the cocoon because again, the energy stuff, I see the cocoon as like. That makes sense. There's certain areas that I might work on a client, especially when I get to stomach stuff because our stomachs hold our emotions and they might boohoo cry for those areas. Or there's just been such stagnant energy there, not enough flow, that once you finally clear it, it's like, oh, like, yes, I can cry because it's moving.
So I was able to process it and get it out. But I was thinking of just the salt cave being the whole. The deprivation part of it and like that moment to really sit with thoughts but also just be. Be weightless too. Because again, like that I feel like we're moving our bodies so much anyway. So to have a moment where you don't have to rely on anything. Yeah. No gravity. Yeah. Yeah. Your body is completely loose, completely free.
Megan, who we both know, had a client that she referred to me who was in a bad car accident years ago, and she floated and said she felt the best she ever felt for days, like, pain free. And that's the whole idea behind float. That was the reason and the purpose that we brought it in. Ultimately, my goal is I want people to find pain relief from whatever it is that is ailing them without it being a pill or, you know, anything else. Yeah. So having that holistic, natural option of finding relief.
And I was even thinking, like, when I was thinking of what. Because I'm. I'm very much a. Not even visual I'm visual, but I feel like whenever I do visualize the things, I feel all the things too. So as I'm, like, visualizing the cabin and like, what that seems like, what that feels like, what that looks like, I'm like, this sounds like ego death from a. A mushroom trip. This sounds like that moment that 30 minutes in. So, like, once you.
About 20 minutes in is when you reach your peak, or not your peak. It's your ascension. It's when the shrooms have kicked in. But about 30 minutes in, when you're like, who the fuck am I? Am I alive? Am I still here? Can everybody else still see me? See me? Yep, yep, yep, yep. And it is literally that floating sensation. Yeah. Once you hit that moment and you're like. And I've had a lot of people tell me, and I had to do it myself, too. Like, sometimes you just put your hand down to make sure.
Okay, am I still here? Like, okay, the ground is still there. I'm still there. Yeah. Because you do feel like you are just floating in the abyss. Like, especially when you go, no lights, no music. It's hard when there's lights and there's music because the brain is still processing and still triggering and seeing things. But when you turn all that off. Yeah, girl, you are in the abyss. Yeah. You do literally just have to, like, put your hand down.
I had one client who said I felt like I was floating down the river. Yeah. I really just had to put my hands down to make sure I was still sitting in this cabin. I was like. So I was even thinking, like, I mean, even during a trip, I like touching the ground. Is the ground underneath me? Because I don't feel like I'm on it. Yep. Yeah. Yep. It's interesting. It's interesting how it works, but it's a totally different, like, healing. Like, it does something Totally different to us.
I was weightlessness. Yeah. Which we don't often experience. Never. Yeah. I was also watching a video yesterday of somebody talking about the reason, like, can you read a book in the car? What happens when you read a book in the car? You're distracted. You don't get nauseous. Oh, yeah. Like in a passenger seat. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So there was a video that I watched and she said that there's a whole reasoning behind it because our brains can't make sense of it.
And due to like our history of, you know, actually foraging for things and being in the woods and living life that way, or because of how our brains work. If we are trying to read in the car as a passenger, our brains are like, we're moving. This isn't safe. But we're reading the book. And that stillness and our brains can't make sense of that. So our brains are automatically like, you must have eaten something. You must have eaten a shroom that you weren't supposed to eat.
So it makes you nauseous because it's triggering that. Same body's like, I gotta get rid of this. Yeah, that makes total sense. It does. Never thought about that before. Same. And I was like, total sense. Because I'm the same. Even scrolling through like TikTok. If I'm in the passenger seat and I'm scrolling through TikTok, eventually at some point I gotta put it down. I'm like, oh, yeah, yeah. I was like, that makes sense. It's like our body like, like this. This is poison.
Yeah, I need to vomit. And it's. Yeah, that's crazy. That's crazy. What a concept. Yeah. So with what you have learned working at shavas or building shavas, even all the, all the elements, how or what have you noticed in small consistent self care rituals? Like what kind of impact have you seen those make? I think confidence. I think the more people start to care about themselves, the more confident they become.
They start to realize who they are and they start to realize that they're stronger when they are taking care of themselves. And I think that unfortunately a lot of times people go to the fact of self care because they've had to take care of somebody else for so long and now they have to make up for it for themselves. And so when they do start doing that, then they have this level of confidence.
And the one thing that a majority of them come back and say is, I wish I would have done this back then because I probably wouldn't have been able to say No. A little bit more often, you know, have boundaries and be able to step away or be able to mindfully control something in a different manner. So I would say confidence is probably one of the biggest things, but the overwhelming sense of healing that people get, you know, that opportunity to just shut it down and be in a safe space.
They don't have to answer anybody. Nobody's going to be looking for them. Nobody's calling out their name like they're safe. This is my. This is my moment. This is my space. I can just do whatever. I think that's really important, too, with a lot of our clients. Yeah, agreed. Because they don't know how to tune or they've heard mommy so much. They do tune it out, but then there's, like, residual. It's. They say the same thing about cell phones.
Like, when we rely on them so much, sometimes we hear them vibrating, and they're not really vibrating. Yep. It's just our attunement to them. Like, it's almost like, is it. And it's. Well, it's really interesting because I was watching on TikTok, a social experiment, and they were walking through the mall and doing a phone ring, and they were doing a camera on all the people to see how many people would look at their phone to see if it was their phone. And it was like, everybody.
And I was like, oh, my gosh. And it's the same with that mom factor. Like, you can walk in somewhere and hear a child. Yeah, Mom. And everybody that's a turns around and they're like, what the hell? Yeah. Yeah. And so it's like we become that we no longer know who we are. And that's something I work with a lot of times with young moms. When young moms come in, I always tell them. So my biggest regret in life is not knowing who I am.
I became mom, and that was my priority in life, and that was it. But as a, you know, one child person. I have a stepson, but once my daughter, who was mine, left for college, I had no idea who I was. I was like, I didn't have a long ago. So this was right when I started Shavas. So that's why Shabbat Spa came about, you know, it was like I had to replace that. Yeah. You know, and now I'm mom to Shavaspa, which, you know, but we don't know how to, like, become who we are.
And so that was that learning curve for me. Once she was gone, I was like, well, who am I as a person? Like, what do I like to do and what do I do for myself and where do I go and, you know, who do I hang out with and all of these things. So I always tell everybody it's great to be mom and it's awesome, but at the same time, make sure you know who you are and don't feel guilty about going and doing things with your girlfriends or, you know, your husband or whatever else or by yourself.
By yourself. Please go by yourself. By yourself. Exactly. Go and do something for yourself. Like don't feel guilty that you're going to go to yoga class because you need that hour yoga class. You know, go get that cup of coffee and sit by yourself and who cares if somebody's looking at you and saying, why are you by yourself? Right. It's none of their business. Right. You know, mind your own business.
So I think that's probably my biggest lesson learned and what I'm trying to teach clientele as they come in, especially at a younger generation, just because I've learned from my older clientele, they did the same thing as what I did. And even though I'm fairly young, I'm still a mom with an adult child who's 21 now. Hard to believe, but yeah. So as they were coming in younger and just starting to have kids and stuff like that, I'm like, please do this for yourself.
Like, make sure you know who you are and don't let mom become just the only thing that you are. Well, and kind of like what you were just saying, even the older clients that you see that, they're saying the same thing. Like I let that happen and I'm adding to that because I have clients that are those moms that had that role. But it's not always just mom role. It's. It's the career driven. And it was only career. It was mom role and only mom, wife role and only wife. Or like all of those roles.
Yeah, but they still don't know who they are. They are. Exactly. So because they're so busy being all these others and it's like at some point you have to realize when. And that's where being by yourself comes into play. That's so difficult for people because they're like, what do I do? Like asking me for something, my child's not asking me for something, my mom's not asking me for something. What am I supposed to do? Dance in the living room to some reggae music?
I had a whole 20 minute dance session the other night. I was sweating. I was like, I miss the clubs. When the. When the mirrors and the windows were sweaty because we were just dancing, but I had it in my living room and it was fine. And some people are like. It's like, when's the last time you danced? And they're like, I don't. And it's. Why not? Why not? Exactly. It's that same concept. And even the older women say, oh, I wish I had started this sooner. And that's for anything.
Like, I wish I had learned this sooner. I wish I had done this sooner. And it's. It doesn't matter what age you hear from every age everything that they wish they knew sooner. But it's like, now that, you know, start to do it more often. More often. Yep. And that's what we start to see. So, yeah, I like that because it's one of those. Like, I'm. I'm so grateful that I've had the lifestyle that I've had because it gave me time to discover who I was.
But once I can see, like, why that is hard for people, but also why it. It makes people uncomfortable in a lot of ways, because you have to stand your ground in who you are. Once you know, you can't, like, take certain shit. You can't be around certain people. You can't do certain things. Yep. And that comes with its own thing. Yep. So it's like, ah, do I want to know myself? It's a catch 22. Yeah, it's a catch 22, straight up. But for the better.
Like, it's one of those, like, you know, am I doing this for a higher purpose? Or, like, am I just sticking this way because it's comfortable in what I know? Right. Yeah. So. So are most of your clients now, like, have you noticed, like, just younger moms, or is it just across the board of. It is all over the place. Yeah. Do you have more women as clients? I do have more women than men, but this last year, we've had a huge influx of men. My focus was men.
Okay. And I think people laugh a little bit about that, but, you know, men are just as stressed as women. They are just as stressed as. And they haven't been taught the proper tools to 100%. And also the one key thing that I've learned the most speaking with men over the last year is it's a vulnerability factor. They're taught not to be vulnerable because that's not what men do. But you know what? They need that vulnerability.
They need that opportunity to let go and release in a safe space and feel good about it. That way, you know, they can do what they need to do in that next step. I, you know, I've read so many articles over the last year and a half about men who commit suicide. The majority of the time, murder suicides are men. And it's because of the amount of stress and the no capability of knowing how to communicate and show that vulnerability and say, help. And say, help.
Help. Yeah. Like, they just can't do it. And so it's one of those key factors that last year I decided I really want to focus on men. It's not a matter of because, you know, men need that help, but it's a matter of they need that space as well. This is Shavas spa isn't a men, women spa. It's a safe space spa. It's a space for anybody and everybody. We're open to LBG Q. We're open to transgender. You know, we're open to everybody.
Everybody has their battles in life, and everybody needs a safe space. And so, you know, you can always have that fear that you're going to go somewhere and somebody's going to judge you for something, whether, you know, your wife just filed for divorce or, you know, you just told your parents you're gay or whatever, and your expectation is everybody is now going to judge you the same way that everybody's, you know, judging you.
My ultimate goal is to be that space where, hey, you know, what led you to this? What brought this out? What made you decide to take that step? You know, how do you feel about it? And start processing all that? Because at the end of the day, that's what people need. People really just need somebody to talk to. And I would love for people to do therapy and stuff like that, but sometimes people are afraid of that because of clinical.
They don't want to be diagnosed, clinically diagnosed, you know, into something, well, hey, let's put you on this medication. It'll take everything away. They don't want that. They really just need to get stuff off their chest. Yeah. And that's what Shavas is really all about for everybody is somebody to talk to, get it off my chest. And they feel so much better walking out the door. And I'm always encouraging therapy because, you know, there.
There's that whole thing that says a lot of people go to therapy to deal with the people in their life that actually need the therapy. So, yeah, one of those things, too. But even, like, outside of talk therapy, there are all of these other modalities available that can offer still some sort of solution or Support for the things that you're processing. And it's like what I say. You got to find your medicine, and you don't have to choose just one medicine.
You can have a toolbox, a whole toolbox, but find them so that, like, when you are dealing with stress, anxiety, whatever is on your plate at the time, you know what tools you need at the time to get through it. Yep. And that's ultimately my goal, is to have people find whatever service is their niche service, what de stresses you, what makes you feel great when you're done. And at the moment when you're at that highest point, you're like, I need to do something.
And you go and you do it, and it brings you back down and calms you down a little bit. That's one of the interesting things that I've learned with especially some of our professionals that are in some major crazy jobs. Um, especially over this last year. Yeah, absolutely. So the last few months have been very interesting for some of my clients. Health. Um, so we kind of walk through that and talk through that. But, yeah, yeah, same. I've had a lot of.
Yeah. Um, so one of the things that I like to share as well is because of my experience in the massage industry, like, working for myself, but then also working at a spa, like a massage spa. Not a good time. Would not recommend for myself again or anybody else, if they can go another route, do it that way. But the things that taught me, that particular spa that I worked in, a lot of us, there was, like, certain rules that used to piss me off, because why weren't we getting free massages?
Like, right. Yeah. Right. So, like, why. Why do I have to get on the schedule and pay for my massage in this spa? Like, it was a whole thing, and I'm like, that should be included. Take care of your people. Yeah. And we're taking care of your people. Yes. So I don't know if that's anything you have with your employees. Like. Thank you. Thank you. Yep. They. They have the option of doing different services when they're at their moments. Yeah. Including their families, too.
Like, if, you know, only one of my employees is actually married, and so her husband's in military, and they were pretty stressed. And I'm like, look, just bring them in. Just do something. Bring them in. Thank you. More of this, please. Yeah. Because imagine what we would see if we were all taking more care of. Each other in spaces. 100%. So that leads me into my 2025 goal. My 2025 goal is more businesses. I Want more corporate memberships, more corporate structure.
I think it would be so important for a manager to be able to go to their employee who is dealing with an aging parent and say, hey, I really think you need to have 30 or 45 minutes to yourself. Why don't you book a service here? It's on the company. Go and do it on your lunch break. Come back. I mean, we're. Everybody sees it. You talk about strikes, you hear all these things about corporate, you know, corporate greed. Everybody, they don't care about you.
And sometimes it's true, you know, sometimes it's most times like true. And it's like, you know, we have to, we have to change that structure if you really want to have a good partnership. And what business should be is a partnership. Yes, you own a business and you're corporate and you're running it, but at the same time, you need your employees. If they don't show up to work, you don't have a business. And so it needs to be a working relationship between the two. Agreed.
Yeah. And so I really want to streamline that focus. This isn't something, you know, these are any opportunity, they can go, they can do it. It's a corporate thing that they can send their employees for. They can make it mandatory for stress management. You know, especially high stress jobs. Lawyers, doctors, surgeons. Like, hey, you need to take a 30 minute break. Yeah. Because you don't need to be working on people if you don't know how to, how to decompress. Yeah, yeah. In a healthy way.
In a healthy way. Yeah, exactly. And it's funny that you say that because I have a judge who's a client and so she wants me to come and speak to. I can't remember who it is. It's judicial. Something with the judicial of the school, law school, and talk to them about ways to cope. She goes, lawyers are like, oh my God. One for substance abuse. When it comes to alcohol. Yes. And I'm like, is alcohol not just alcohol, but like big time alcohol?
And then when you start watching shows that have lawyers, that's why I'm like, not just alcohol. Like, wait a second. Yeah, they're all drinking bourbon in the. Office after their kids or riding that white horse. Yeah. And it's like, wait a second. Like, this is truly an epidemic that we're completely sweeping under the rug and saying, yeah, you know, they make enough money, they should be able to take care of themselves. You know, it's all about time.
Yeah, it's all about, you gotta allow the time. For it. Absolutely. One of the things the working at the spa did teach me, though, was, okay, well, I've learned all of these, like, bougie, fancy ways of doing the things too. So, like, I can incorporate that at home now so I can have my own, you know, like, we got spa day at home, one of those things. So what are some things that you have for your own spa day at home, even though you have an entire spa to access at any time?
What if, like, you're not in there for the day and you. You want self. You want a spa day at home, what are you doing in your toolbox? So I have a lot of pharmaceutical grade salts, and so I do salt baths. Okay. Of course. I do assault bath. Yeah. You know. You know, I'm a supporter. Yeah, yeah. It's straight up salt bath. And I walk barefoot a lot, so, you know, I can walk on our rock salt floor. Floor and not have a problem.
And so I'm not very mindful of people that get pedicures every week or every two weeks and they're kind of tiptoeing on the rock salt and like, what is wrong with you? But I have to remember that I walk barefoot a lot. Yeah, I am barefoot all the time. Like, that is something that's very important to me. And I love water. So. So is this your medicine? Yes. Okay. Like, I do love water, whether it's sitting by the lake, sitting by the ocean. You know, I love river walk.
I can go and take a walk on river walk and get lost in the sound of the water. Absolutely. So, I mean, it is one of my medicines also. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. Yeah, I'm. I support all of those ones. Yep. I do all of those as well. That's why. That's why. Yeah. And it's kind of funny because I'm an air sign. Yeah, but. Because you need that, though. But you're aware that you need that. So it's. If you weren't doing those, how would you be operating? Right. Yeah, see? Exactly.
Yeah. I would not be a very nice person. Yeah, you need that grounding. So. Well, thank you. This has been so lovely. Make sure you all check out Shavas Spa if you haven't already. And make those events too, if you haven't made, you know. You know, whenever I have the events, y'all like them. You really do enjoy them. Yeah. Reiki is quite popular in the caves. Yeah. People come out totally different, which is always nice. It's always nice. Yeah, I support that too.
So thanks again for joining and I'll see you and talk to you all next week. Be sure you meditate and hydrate. Bye. Thanks for tuning in to who you call on Holistic. Be sure to like subscribe and share. You can find me and all my services on shiana.com that's s h e a n a.