Jane Aiken is used to introducing new concepts to her clients and to the general public. She began to practice massage therapy and teach yoga in the mid 1980s, before the ratio of massage therapists to ordinary folks wasn’t as high as it is now here in Lenox. Back then she might have had to explain the benefits of regular massage and yoga practice. Now the picture is different. Yoga is a familiar concept for most people, and an hour of massage a much desired luxury. Aiken still practices these crafts, but again she finds herself explaining some of what she does.
Her newer work includes warm stone massage, body-mind integration, cranial sacral work and energy balancing. She also offers facial herbal therapy and one-on-one yoga instruction.
“Healing Arts,†says the sign on the door of Aiken’s office on the second floor above the Roseborough Grill. Inside is calm and warm. The long massage table dominates the space; on the far wall is the small amount of equipment needed for her work. Hot lava rocks have their own conspicuous pot, but the room is simple and uncluttered.
Since the 1980s when she trained at Kripalu and became a certified massage therapist and yoga teacher, Aiken has expanded her practice even further in the connection of the mind body realms. She earned a Masters in Counseling Psychology in 1995 and has become skilled in various modalities connecting the disciplines of counseling and body work. She has also studied the Indian discipline of Ayurveda, which is an ancient medical paradigm which uses treatments according to energetic body types. One of her services is massage using Ayurvedic oils.
Aiken began to learn the ideas of Ayurveda four or five years ago and soon began to integrate them into her practice. She says she has found Ayurveda to be the most appropriate of modalities for her and her clients: “It fits and it works.â€
Basalt stones made from lava are one of her tools. She warms them and places them on parts of the body, sometimes applying pressure, sometimes not, and she says usually what happens is a release of tension or “holding†in the body. Some of this result is understandable, some, she says, is a mystery, but it works. “Like cappuccino is to coffee,†she said, “stones are to massage.â€
Aiken has worked for many years at Kripalu, for a time had a private practice in Gt. Barrington and then went to work at Canyon Ranch for nine years. She then returned to Kripalu and recently opened her practice in Lenox. She decided to open a practice in order to be more accessible to the public and because she said she wanted to be able to work with people more than once or twice per year as is the case at a place like Kripalu. She enjoys her clients there, but wants to see how her work affects them. She also wants to be able to offer more ongoing service to those who want it.
The body-mind integration is one aspect of her practice that may require the most explanation, especially outside of the Kripalu community. In such a session a client might come with an issue that’s bothering him or giving him stress. Or he or she may have had some sort of old experience and may be holding it physically in the body. She and the client may work together for more than one meeting, but she says people always get some sort of insight from one 90-minute session.
One piece of this approach is a series of questions she asks during the session, which combines body work with talking. Sessions are always client led: “It’s never me telling you.â€
One-on-one yoga instruction uses Astanga, Hatha and Restorative yoga techniques. Most services take one hour, some one half hour, some ninety minutes.
Aiken is offering discounts for people who work in Lenox businesses. She says she doesn’t want cost to keep people from trying it out.
Meanwhile she also teaches at Kripalu Center and leads trainings for therapists and teachers.
Workshops are one method she intends to use to get the word out about her new business and her ideas. On Sunday, Nov. 10 at 3 p.m. at Three Hills and a Cloud on Housatonic Street she will lead a session on Ayurvedic oils and methods.
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Berkshire County Homes Celebrating Holiday Cheer
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
There's holiday cheer throughout the Berkshires this winter.
Many homeowners are showing their holiday spirit by decorating their houses. We asked for submissions so those in the community can check out these fanciful lights and decor when they're out.
We asked the homeowners questions on their decorations and why they like to light up their houses.
In Great Barrington, Matt Pevzner has decorated his house with many lights and even has a Facebook page dedicated to making sure others can see the holiday joy.
Located at 93 Brush Hill Road, there's more than 61,000 lights strewn across the yard decorating trees and reindeer and even a polar bear.
The Pevzner family started decorating in September by testing their hundreds of boxes of lights. He builds all of his own decorations like the star 10-foot star that shines done from 80-feet up, 10 10-foot trees, nine 5-foot trees, and even the sleigh, and more that he also uses a lift to make sure are perfect each year.
"I always decorated but I went big during COVID. I felt that people needed something positive and to bring joy and happiness to everyone," he wrote. "I strive to bring as much joy and happiness as I can during the holidays. I love it when I get a message about how much people enjoy it. I've received cards thanking me how much they enjoyed it and made them smile. That means a lot."
Pevzner starts thinking about next year's display immediately after they take it down after New Year's. He gets his ideas by asking on his Facebook page for people's favorite decorations. The Pevzner family encourages you to take a drive and see their decorations, which are lighted every night from 5 to 10.
In North Adams, the Wilson family decorates their house with fun inflatables and even a big Santa waving to those who pass by.
The Wilsons start decorating before Thanksgiving and started decorating once their daughter was born and have grown their decorations each year as she has grown. They love to decorate as they used to drive around to look at decorations when they were younger and hope to spread the same joy.
"I have always loved driving around looking at Christmas lights and decorations. It's incredible what people can achieve these days with their displays," they wrote.
The Wilsons' invite you to come and look at their display at 432 Church St. that's lit from 4:30 to 10:30 every night, though if it's really windy, the inflatables might not be up as the weather will be too harsh.
In Pittsfield, Travis and Shannon Dozier decorated their house for the first time this Christmas as they recently purchased their home on Faucett Lane. The two started decorating in November, and hope to bring joy to the community.
"If we put a smile on one child's face driving by, then our mission was accomplished," they said.
Many homeowners are showing their holiday spirit by decorating their houses. We asked for submissions so those in the community can check out these fanciful lights and decor when they're out.
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