Vital Tested: She Atsu
This Valentine's gift could make you happy for years.
This Valentine's Day, you could receive a professionally-trained masseur to live in your home and give you free massages at any hour.
Thank yoga instructor/certified massage therapist Stella Cheung, creator of Yoga-Atsu. Her new method of couples yoga teaches you and a partner shiatsu-based massage techniques that will give you each magic fingers by the end of the evening. It's launching on February 14 with a special workshop including refreshments and luxe goodie bags (psst--forward your honey this email as a Valentine's hint).
We sent our tester and her man for a sneak preview:
Anyone can learn "the touch." Our tester says her guy learned in one hour how to make her spine tingle with delight, and even follow Chinese meridian pathways to release pain and stress.
It's great bonding time. A synchronized breathing exercise brought the couple into harmony.
It has hidden benefits. Performing the massage is strengthening, and our tester said the movements made her feel calm and relaxed.
So it's good to give and receive.
Yoga-Atsu by Stella Cheung, (213) 321-8218, available in private sessions or on February 14 here
CHILL OUT LA
Yoga and Massage: Two Great Tastes that Taste Great Together
Stella Cheung is following her dream: She left a successful career in marketing to start her own yoga and massage business, YogaGals. Stella offers yoga instruction and massage therapy at her welcoming home studio in Angelino Heights, or she or one of her practitioners can come to you.
We visited Stella's studio, which is located just around the corner from the beautifully restored Victorian homes on Carroll Avenue. After inquiring about any discomfort or areas of tension (in this case, a headache brought on by too much wine and cupcakes the night before), she led us through a private 30-minute yoga session followed immediately by a 30-minute Shiatsu massage. This was the perfect arrangement, as the yoga warmed and loosened up the body in preparation for the bodywork, allowing Stella to work deeply and more effectively. She applied fairly intense pressure, using her fingers, thumbs and palms to work out imbalances along the body’s energy pathways. We were wincing just a bit during the massage session, but felt 100 percent better afterward; Stella's handiwork induced a pleasantly tingly, revitalized sensation to parts of the body that had formerly been tight and unresponsive. We aren't normally fans of the adage "no pain, no gain," but in this case, it certainly rang true.
Review originally published 1/15/2009.
YOGI TIMES
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