The Spa, Massage Therapy, Beauty and Wellness Professional's Prayer Collection

The Spa, Massage Therapy and Wellness Professionals Prayer Collection
By
Eunice Estipona
yunesa(at)yahoo.com

Here is a collection of prayers of adoration, acknowledgement, thanksgiving and petition for the spa, massage, beauty and wellness industry stake holders. I encourage you, whatever your position in the spa, massage clinic or wellness center, to pray everyday with a spirit of expectation. Expect for the best, expect that God will make a way, God answers prayers and that God will provide- because He will.

Please share this collection of prayers with anybody in the spa, massage and wellness industry: your friends, staff and colleagues and find a prayer that suits you best.

Prayer of a Spa Concierge/ Receptionist/ Front Desk Staff

Lord thank you for hearing my prayers that even before I ask you, you already know what I need better than I know what I need. Thank you Lord because whenever I ask, I receive, whenever I seek, I find and whenever I knock, doors open to me. You make your angels go before me to work to clear my path. You make my day of work both enjoyable and filled with love. Bestow upon me the wisdom and wit to create the right impression for the establishment that I am working for. Give me the knowledge to know and suggest the specific treatments and therapies for each client that enters the door. I pray that I will make the right reservations, be able to organize treatment sessions and be very patient in handling people. Give me the ability to communicate effectively and tactfully. Let me enjoy my work to entertain questions and queries by guests over the phone or face to face. May I assign the right client to the right therapist, acknowledge and greet guests in a courteous manner. Making them feel as if they have entered their own complete sanctuary and a different environment than their usual. May I assist all of our team members such as the massage therapists, spa therapists, facial therapists and even the spa owners in making the establishment a profitable place for us all. May I fulfill your divine purpose in my life and make me do everything with gladness of heart, in Jesus’ name, Amen.


Prayer of a Reflexologist

I rejoice that you have given me the skill and the knowledge in reflexology. Your power is in me whenever I perform reflexology. You are my strength and my power without you I can do nothing. I exercise the gifts and virtues that you have given to me. You empower me to do what is right, to say the right things and to follow your will in my work as a reflexologist. Lord God, grant me the professional skill to perform hand, foot and ear massage. Let my professional experience be shared with others through my hands. Let me see the progress of good health and stamina that each session is giving my client. May I be able to establish good rapport with my clients, a peaceful working relationship with my co-workers and a concerned attitude toward my superiors. May I be able to identify the concerns of the client and be able to use the right techniques for their health and well-being. Make my heart genuinely interested in working with people and be comfortable in touching their hands, feet and ears. May I exceed the professionalism and sense of care required from most professionals, in Jesus’ most precious name, Amen.


Prayer of a Massage Therapist or Bodyworker

I praise you and adore you Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I know and I feel that you are blessing me right now dear Lord. You are pouring your anointing oil upon my hands as I pour the oil to my client’s body. You are blessing my oily hands with a double portion of your Spirit, your gifts, your virtues, and your healing. Make my skill, profession, and knowledge a positive force to affect the health and well-being of my client. Use my thumbs, hands, elbows, palms, knuckles and fingers to relieve the pain or tension in the muscles of my clients. May each technique provide relaxation and relief from all body, muscle and joint pains. Give me the strength to perform massage therapy that alleviates painful ailments, decompresses tired and overworked muscles of the body. May I always support other service providers in giving the best positive experience for the clients and be consistent with what the client needs according to massage and spa protocols and accepted professional practices. May I be able to assess the condition of the client, maintain proper body mechanics, proper decorum and be able to develop loyal clients under my care. Use my hands and physical capability to meet my client’s expectations in knowing how to knead, rub, rock, tap or apply pressure to client’s sore muscles and limbs. Use them to induce relaxation, assist in rehabilitation and contribute to their overall physical and emotional well-being. Let something good come out of this massage therapy session because I know that your abundance is above and beyond what I can comprehend. Through my massage therapy skill, a mountain of blessing awaits my life and through this skill, will I give glory to you Oh God. In Jesus’ marvelous name, Amen.


Prayer of an Esthetician, Facial Therapist, Skin Care Technician or Beauty Therapist

I praise you Lamb of God, King of kings and Lord of lords. You are my fortress and my delight. I am safe in the center of your perfect will, so lead me in your path for my work today. I trust you completely for my work and my future as an esthetician, facial therapist or beauty therapist. Today, I ask you Lord to let me begin in the inward beauty of a person and of myself. Let my work help alleviate skin disorders and help others improve and beautify their skin. Give me enthusiasm, team spirit and the knowledge fit for a professional with this skill so that the aesthetic treatments that I will perform will promote a feeling of well-being, care, tactfulness and a radiant looking skin. I pray that I will be able to execute services to accommodate the needs of my clients without compromising service, standards and sanitation. May I be able to recommend home care routines to each client serviced, so that each may have a clear skin. May I always be pleasant, caring and have a genuine interest in what I do. May I be able to adapt to change, calmly and efficiently multi-task, with an emphasis on cooperation and courtesy to my colleagues including the management. Let me use the right skin care product, the right techniques to the right client and be able to perform aesthetic procedures. May I be able to recognize skin problems that I must refer to dermatologists, podiatrist, plastic surgeons and other medical practitioners. Give me a heart to desire what you want from my life, to walk in confidence as I follow you daily, and be able to share my ability to others, in Jesus’ most powerful name, Amen.


Prayer of a Spa Therapist, Spa Technician or Spa Attendant

You are my delight, you guard over my heart and my soul. You mold me into your Son’s image through my work as a spa therapist, spa technician or spa attendant. Let my skill of providing treatments be evident in the work of my hands to improve the general appearance and the client’s well-being suit different client objectives. Give me competency, dear God with the variety of spa therapies and utilize what I know to satisfy and empower guests on the spot without hassle. Give me the knowledge, wisdom and discerning spirit to assess what products and services will be most beneficial for the client, perform body treatments on clients with care, professionalism and attentiveness to each client’s needs. May I always find it enjoyable to maintain treatment rooms to the highest standards of cleanliness, hygiene and presentation ensuring that all products and treatments delivered to every individual client are appropriate to the guests’ needs and condition. Let me shine His light through what I do and through the work that I do, in Jesus’ name, Amen.


Prayer of a Spa, Massage Therapy and Wellness Instructor, Trainer or Teacher

God in Heaven, Maker of Earth, thank you for renewing me everyday. You revive my spirit and give rest to my soul. You turn every problem into a spring of blessing. Dear Lord, I submit my students to you today to the level that I want them to be better in what they do, even if it means being better than me. Grant me the dedication to positively teach what I know, the guts to face a knowledge hungry crowd, and the ability to communicate effectively. Bless the information and the teaching that I will share today that my students will be able to use it to bless others and develop their skills and competencies. Let me be a knowledgeable guide and be able to provide an environment where my students can develop their understanding and cooperation with each other. May I always speak passionately in my subject matter. May I always be committed in imparting knowledge and developing my student’s potential instead of just letting them memorize facts and techniques. May I always inspire my students to open themselves up for more learning and acceptance of others and be able to use what they have learned to benefit others. I know that everything I need and ask for will come to me through the right opportunities, learning, circumstances, events and people. Nothing is ever impossible for those who believe, and so I claim the fulfillment of my hopes and dreams. In the Mighty name of your Son Jesus Christ, Amen.


Prayer of a Spa, Massage Therapy and Wellness Speaker or Lecturer

I adore you. I praise you. I worship you with my heart, mind, body and soul. Let my mouth be your mouthpiece. Let the words that will be uttered in my lips be your words. Let me bless my audience and provide expert support in the spa, massage therapy and wellness field. Let me be a force for good, be able to motivate and carefully plan my speech so that my audience will be able to learn and apply them in their lives. Let this event of speaking be a memorable experience both to my audience and to myself- so that I may speak the truth with love and understanding, and that I myself will be able to apply them in my own personal life. Let me have an insatiable appetite to learn and hone my speaking skills, know my audience, and be able to provide information relevant to this industry. Let the content of my lecture and speech be delivered with love and blessings to all those who hear. I trust in you Lord with all my heart and lean not in my own understanding. In all my ways, I acknowledge You. In You I stand secure and know that my past, present and future is in His hands. I face my audience with confidence and inspiration from above, Thank you Lord Jesus, Amen.


Prayer of a Spa Supervisor

You are causing my life to overflow. You Oh Lord have made me glad. I will shout for joy and sing praises to you my God. Dear God, today I submit to you my responsibilities to aid the spa manager in his/her tasks. Help me in the back end operations of the spa. Make me a team leader in the absence of our spa manager and a responsible overseer when needed. Let me focus on the frontline nuts and bolts of running a spa, act on behalf of a spa manager when one is not available, and provide leadership for spa attendants and spa reservation staff. Let me recognize every lack and be able to make-up for it. Let your protective arms surround me. Thank you for the miracles that come my way and thank you for granting my prayers in the best possible ways that my mind cannot not even comprehend. Every living thing conspires to bless me and my work. Thank you God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, Amen.


Prayer of a Spa Director or Operations Director

You are glorious, You are wonderful, You are ever present and All-knowing. Your goodness and kindness follow me. You are awesome in my life and in my workplace, Mighty God. You are blessing me beyond measure and overflowing for others to be blessed as well. Use me as a channel of your love in overseeing the spa, fitness and leisure area. Let me set fair and workable policies that create the daily routine of all spa staff under me. Bless me in keeping the spa running smoothly to make sure that the staff operates with peak efficiency through coordination, communication and cooperation. Provide me with the knowledge to be responsible with financial budgets and outcomes, for growing new business opportunities, developing the market, and overseeing the staff around me. Let me have a sincere desire to help other people, to have excellent and first-rate communication and interpersonal skills, and to have the determination and persistence to achieve success. Let me be a spa director who is driven and passionate about understanding the client and exceeding their expectations and commit to develop my staff who works on these clients. Give me wisdom to look for solutions and problems that arise instantly. Make me organized, able to act on my initiative and be a reliable team leader. Give me the striving attitude to deliver financial goals with sound business acumen, high level of empathy towards those below my position, be emotionally mature, level-headed and can deal with different situations from different people at the same time. Let me have on my sleeves effective marketing strategies, negotiating skills, an eye for detail and a mentor for the professional growth of my staff. Let not the clients and other people see the stress that I am under in order to be truly present for guests and employees so that the spa can be financially successful. Make every move I make bring peace, love and joy unto others. Let me serve you by serving others, through Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.


Prayer of a Spa, Massage Clinic and Wellness Business and Operations Consultant

You are Lord that completes me and in your presence am I made whole. You root out any negative emotions in my heart, in my soul and in my mind. You set me free. God, Maker of Heaven and Earth, give me the wisdom to address the issues and concerns of my client and to be able to solve the specific issue at hand. Give me the knowledge and wisdom to handle all aspects of spa start-up including market assessments, financial feasibility and overall marketing plan. I pray that every problem, concern and circumstances that bother my client be cast away. I will grow deeper in love with you Lord through serving the needs of my clients and their businesses with each passing day. Let your abundance in supplying our needs be made open unto us as you prosper the work of our hands. As I use my strength, my knowledge and my gift to serve my clients and be richly rewarded. I praise you for the generosity and for giving us the steps to improve the business and lead my clients to abundance. Bless this professional relationship together as we grow and serve you deeper and deeper everyday. In the Mighty name of Jehovah God, Amen


Prayer of a Spa, Massage Therapy and Wellness Book Author, Writer, Blogger

Father God through your mighty son Jesus Christ, I submit to you my ability in writing. I ask you to bless the words that I type and write. I commit myself to enrich others through my writings, articles, blogs and books. I am truly wealthy with the knowledge that you have given me and since I am in a position to influence others through my writings, let this blessing flow through other people’s lives. You have given me a heart to serve others through what I write so let my hands be your hands and let me go the extra mile to serve others through whatever I write. Let my readers experience the words that I write change and transform others to be better persons and individuals to be able to fulfill your purpose in their lives. Let me serve you and others with humility, expecting others in return-not even acknowledgement or praise because your praise and acknowledgement is what I deeply aspire for. In Jesus mighty name this I pray. Amen.


Prayer of a Spa, Massage Clinic and Wellness Owner or Entrepreneur

You are with me Lord in this business endeavor. You are transforming us to be better citizens and better entrepreneurs for our own country, the people that work for us and the people that we serve. You are our model and to you, and only you, will we trust and obey. May those who seek physical health and well-being find our place a haven of rest and relaxation. May our staff who serves them, serve them with care and sympathy. You Lord are ordering the events that lead to the establishment of this business so that people I need to help will cross my path. You are sending your angels to protect our premises, the equipment and my staff and to aid me in our daily operations. You cause the right people to be favorable to me. Thank you. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

What is a prayer? Commonly, it’s an uttering of adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication, and requests to a higher being- some call Him Allah, some call Him Jehovah, some Jesus Christ, some God the Father, I call Him God, the Maker of Heaven and Earth. But mere prayer is not a prayer until we actually say it, believe in it and/or do it. A prayer is more than words. Did you know that what we think, say and do are also forms of prayers? God answers prayers: not the prayers that we merely say- the prayers that we think and do weigh much more than verbal prayers. You might be verbally praying to pass your licensure examination, but if on the other hand, you are not studying your lessons then what you are praying for is really to fail. If you are verbally praying for financial abundance but you do not save a portion of your income, then you are really praying for poverty. If you are praying for the downfall of another person then you are also cursing yourself because whatever you sow you reap. If you are praying to become one of the best massage and spa therapist in town but you do not want to learn different techniques and you are not interested in studying about them- then you are praying to be a mediocre spa and massage therapist. If you wanted to write a book on spa, massage therapy and wellness but you do not like writing your thoughts and compiling what you know then you are praying not to become an author. If you are praying for a successful spa, massage clinic business and yet you do not want to read numbers or you do not want to make a business plan then you are really praying for failure. If you are praying for the right opportunity but you are ignoring your core gifts and positions that only offer a small salary then you are not really praying for the right opportunity because with these small opportunities lies greater abundance. Remember Joseph started as a slave in Egypt, David started as a sheep caretaker. Its not only the words that we speak during prayer time. Because what you think, say and do- is actually your prayer.

May all your prayers give you love, joy, peace and prosperity!

God bless you more!


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If you are an owner or would be entering the field, profession or business of massage clinics, spa and wellness establishments offering massage therapy- you need to comply with the recent rules and regulations of massage therapy licensure in the Philippines- here is the link to the recent changes:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/5028198/HOW-TO-BE-A-LICENSED-MASSAGE-THERAPIST-IN-THE-PHILIPPINES


I would also like to share the five things that I have learned in massage school, in the spa and wellness industry- which I also learned from a pencil. This is the transcribed thoughts and speech I delivered as a guest speaker during the oath taking of newly licensed massage therapists last June 17, 2011. Click on the link below:
http://yunesa.blogspot.com/2011/07/five-things-i-learned-in-massage-school.html


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A list of training centers, magazines, publications, books and literatures both local and international are all available in the book, “The Spa, Massage and Wellness Resource Guide and Career Book”. You can order it online via http://www.amazon.com/ or for local Philippine orders, email yunesa@yahoo.com. If you are looking for a career opportunity, not just a job in the spa, massage therapy and wellness industry, this book is a must read.

This article is written by: Eunice Estipona a spa consultant, mentor, advisor, speaker and lecturer. One of her advocacies is to make healing and information regarding the field of spa, massage and wellness accessible and affordable to everyone. If you are serious about turning your business or practice around, making the right decisions, getting an unbiased opinion and knowing where to get help, for lectures and other concerns she can be contacted at yunesa@yahoo.com or +639184745685. To find out how she can help you take your business to the next level, visit her site at http://www.meetup.com/philippinemassagetherapy
These along with hundreds of resources found locally and abroad are contained in “The Spa, Massage and Wellness Resource and Career Book”, the first book of resource information to know more about the Spa, Massage and Wellness Industry in the Philippines and other countries including the United States, Australia and other Asian countries. You can view, read, download and print for FREE the book’s summary at this link http://www.scribd.com/doc/6425282/About-the-Book-Spa-Massage-and-Wellness-Resource-Guide-and-Career-Book

If you are a spa, massage therapy and wellness information seeker the resources contained in the book for you. This book is a collection of data and valuable information regarding the spa and massage industry in a global perspective with a focus on the Philippines. Her advocacy in writing the book is to make “unbiased” information regarding the field of spa, massage and wellness resources and career, accessible and affordable for everyone. If you are considering a career in the massage, spa and wellness industry, this book will prepare you and give you a glimpse of what it is like, the preparation you need to take: emotionally, intellectually and financially. In this book, you will learn more details in the spa and massage field and the possible paths you can take. You will also learn about local and international training programs offered and numerous employment possibilities. Giving you much needed information at your fingertips. You can order it from http://www.amazon.com/ or for local Philippine residents, you can email and get in touch with Eunice at yunesa@yahoo.com.

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Five Things I Learned in Massage School, I Learned from a Pencil

Five Things I Have Learned in the Spa, Massage Therapy and Wellness Industry,
I learned from a Pencil
(Text and Thoughts during the Oath Taking and Induction
of
Newly Licensed Massage Therapists
June 17, 2011)
By Eunice Estipona

The original version (author unknown) of what I will share with you was forwarded to my email last May 24, 2011 by my good friend Rommel Martinez. He is a great massage therapist and was a top-notched student in the previous licensure exams. However I decided to add my own thoughts and experiences to this wonderful story. So today, I am sharing this with you as I shared it (but more articulate and profound than) during the June 17, 2011- Oath Taking and Induction of the Newly Licensed Massage Therapist at the Grand Opera Hotel in Manila, Philippines.

Nearly a decade ago, I was at our oath taking held at the Department of Health in Sta. Cruz, Manila, at the time of this writing, the newly inducted 2011 LMT oath takers have been held at the Manila Grand Opera Hotel- a great leap in boosting the morale of new massage therapists. Thanks to people who paved the way for this to happen and that includes the Committee of Examiners for Massage Therapy and his team headed by the Chairperson, Dr. Kenneth Ronquillo and Ms. Josephine H. Hipolito CEMT Secretariat, both are great pillars in the massage industry) with the collaboration of the Philippine Association of Licensed Massage Therapists headed by its President, Mr. Jevren Sibug and Vice-President Mr. Pedro Vasquez II (or Sir Pete as we fondly call him) both of whom are enthusiastic encouragers and inspiring people in the field of massage therapy in the Philippines and the Continuing Massage Therapy Education Council (CMTEC), Massage Therapy Assessors, together with all the Training instructors nationwide, for sharing your knowledge and wisdom to the industry, the amazing lives that you have touched are the inspiration for the next generation to come, all of whom I dearly admire- indeed the massage profession has gone a long way. All your efforts made a difference because you took the time to organize and volunteer. Thank you for being the models of vision, passion and purpose that this industry so desperately needs. Know that you are all represented in these pages.

Last June 17, 2011, during their oath taking and induction, as a guest speaker, I cannot help but reminisce about the past and how the profession has evolved and it helped me find my rainbow in the industry. Indeed massage therapy is a viable career as the year’s current theme states. Kudos to all of you who makes a difference in the world of massage therapy, hats off to all of you and God bless you in your endeavor to be an instrument in the progress of massage therapy profession in the Philippines. Your example is a wonderful lesson to us all. Please accept my sincere thanks.

The first lesson I have learned from a pencil and from the spa, massage therapy and wellness industry is that, everything you do will always leave a mark. An area to look into is to leave a mark or to leave a legacy, although a good ambition- it’s a short sighted one. You are not placed here on Earth to be remembered or to just leave a mark, you are here to prepare for eternity. In preparing for that, you have to use your career, your work, your license, your profession- but you might be asking, how? You have to make sure that your stepping stone with all the gifts that has been given you is spent not only on yourself but for others. This means everything you do, even simple chores or words as saying “God bless you”, “Thank you”, “I love you”, “Forgive me”- has eternal implications. I believe that one of the foundations of truly leaving a mark in another person’s life is to feel happy for the success of others. Sometimes, people aren’t happy for the success of others because they feel threatened. If you think badly of the success of others, you won’t be successful because you will also be thinking badly of your own success- you will eventually put yourself down too. So it’s very important to bless those whom you admire- so that their blessings will rub off on you. If you see a classmate, a colleague, a neighbor, a seatmate, a fellow massage therapist, a massage instructor or anyone who gets successful, who gets promoted, who gets the position, who gets an award – be happy for that person, bless them, admire them and learn from them. You need to wish blessing on others and train yourself to celebrate the success of others because what goes around comes around. That is why it is very important to say “God bless you” because with the blessing you give unto others, that is also the blessing that will be given to you.

The second lesson I have learned from a pencil and from the spa, massage therapy and wellness industry is that, you can always correct the mistakes you make. We will always fall short out of others expectations or even our very own expectations. We are not perfect but there is no reason not to strive for correcting our mistakes or giving ourselves a second chance. Your past doesn’t matter, your mistakes doesn’t matter- what matters is what you will be doing after your mistake. After we have fallen. If a pencil makes mistakes, it doesn’t worry, it doesn’t whine, it doesn’t blame- not because the pencil does not care- but because the pencil knows that it can always correct the mistakes it has made. The pencil can always depend on its eraser (or its correction fluid- whatever..). When we make a mistake- erase. Erase. Erase. Erase. How do we erase? by forgiving ourselves, by forgiving others, by starting all over again, by saying “sorry”, by learning from our mistakes and by doing it right the next time around. How many times do we need to forgive? In Matthew 18:21, 22 said we must forgive seventy times seven. Jesus is saying we should forgive other people abundantly more than we could ever forgive. Madaling sabihin pero mahirap gawin so what do we do now? We should train ourselves and practice it daily to get the muscles of forgiveness strong- na madali tayong makapagpatawad. Make it a part of our habit to get less and less angry, less and less resentful everyday. Another angle to look at it is with our mistakes and our weaknesses- these are God’s way for us to work with and look for others who are strong in areas where we are weak. Why do we have weaknesses? In order for us to form teams, help each other and cooperate with each other. Our strengths maybe the weakness of others and our weaknesses maybe the strengths of others this is why we need each other. That is precisely why we have different systems of the body because each of our systems serves different function but every cell, tissue, organ and system works together to make our body alive. Each has its own function even though we make mistakes. So, believe that even if we are imperfect, together with others, you can still achieve what God has placed in your heart. As a pencil, we always have an eraser with us. Erase. Erase. Erase.

The third lesson I have learned from a pencil and from the spa, massage therapy and wellness industry is that, what is important is what is inside of you. No matter what appearance we have. No matter where we graduated. No matter what we have achieved what is important is what is inside of us. What is your purpose for living? What is your unique role in the world? Just like a pencil, the outer doesn’t really matter as long as the pencil writes. Kahit maganda at mamahalin ang pencil kung hindi naman makasulat – wala ring function. Yun naman talaga ang function ng pencil – magsulat, for drawing, for marking, etc. Pencils are not meant for display, to be thrown away or to be a weapon. As a pencil we have to look at what is inside of us- what we have to offer, what we have to give and what we have to contribute. Do not be trapped by other’s expectations and other people’s opinion- drowning your dreams and your inner convictions. Have the courage to follow your heart and your gut. A large percentage of our lives will be spent on work and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you truly believe is great work. The only way to do that is by loving what you do, loving your clients, loving your profession and loving what you are contributing to others. If you haven’t found your one true love (whether this be at work or matters of the heart) then keep looking and never settle anything less than what you really love and have passion for. And when you find it, take care of it, nurture it and cultivate it so it will get better and better as the years go by. Discover what is inside of you by discovering your passion, discovering your core gift, discovering your true purpose, discovering your mission, discovering what you are excellent at, discover your core competency and discovering your hunger. You need to work at that gift and spend your entire time to develop your gift, your talents and your skills. When you try to answer: why do you want to be successful? Why do you want to be wealthy? Why do you want a license? Is it for our own selfish gain? Is it because you mother or aunt told you so? Is it to prove your self? Your reasons, your why, your purpose will always direct you. Because if your “why” is big enough you will always succeed in achieving your goals. The reasons must always come from the heart and not just from the brain. Establish your mission and the driving force in you life. Keep looking inside of you and get to know yourself deeply until you find what moves you and don’t settle for anything less than what you truly love to do. After this, move on into different avenues of career development. Never stop learning. Continue to hone your skills, your strengths and your talents, huwag magsawa sa pag attend ng mga seminars and trainings and do not be tired of learning. Learning is an investment on yourself, do not look at learning as a burden or as “gastos lang yan”- continue to learn and be hungry for things that will make you a better person- inside and outside. One way of learning is to be able to read a lot and if you can afford it- travel and learn from other culture. If you can afford it or your family supports you, start planning to travel. My travels both locally and abroad also gave me the privilege of appreciating and understanding that every tribe and culture worldwide should embrace diversity and converge on a common goal of being a flowing well for others to benefit from. We learn from history and the practice of other cultures. Its been an amazing experience. Because you cannot give what you do not have. Look for people who will inspire you, the insights and the wisdom to advance your career. Focus on what is inside of you: your character and your attitude because what is inside of you will be shared to others.

The fourth lesson I have learned from a pencil and from the spa, massage therapy and wellness industry is that, in life you will undergo painful sharpenings, which will only make you better. Sometimes, you will feel that life is awful, that there is nobody there for you, that there is no hope and that life gets to hit you in the head with a brick- yeah… BIG TIME- but these bitter pills will ultimately make you better. These are learning curves which will tilt you either to become bitter or better. In every problem- dapat nagiging mas mabuti tayong tao at nagiging mas mature. Never lose faith. We will never know what tests will come your way: you might not be earning enough, you might be in a difficult situation, you might be in the cross roads of your life, you might start with a daily wage of just fifty pesos a day (I was earning only 50 pesos a day), you might receive a harsh remark, an undeserved criticism, friends turned enemies, money concerns or seemingly impossible problems. But in all these please remember that how you react is how God looks closely at you. Everything will soon pass. Everything is for your character development. These are opportunities to either demonstrate love or hate. Every year, every month, every day and every minute is an important moment to bless others. Just like a pencil, in order to be used- we need to be sharpened.

The last but not the least, the fifth lesson I have learned from a pencil and from the spa, massage therapy and wellness industry is that, to be the best pencil, you must allow yourself to be guided by the hand that holds you. Our lives are like an empty canvass and in order to make the best of who you are, we are to submit everything to Him. Remember that life is a trust, being a massage therapist is a trust, being a massage instructor is a trust, being a spa therapist is a trust, having a license is a trust- Everything is a trust. A pencil will not be able to write no matter how expensive or how beautiful your pencil is- if the Hand that holds it will not use it- it will not be able to serve its function. That pencil is us. The hand that holds us is our Creator. Our time on Earth and our energy, our money, our intelligence, our resources, our friends, our colleagues in the industry, our family, relationships, our talents, our abilities, our skills, our instructors, our license and our profession and everything we have now are a gift from God that He has entrusted to our care. We never really own anything during our brief stay on Earth. God is temporarily assigning it on our care while we are here. Two years ago, I have been diagnosed with myoma- a non-life threatening disease (in most cases) and that time, even if it’s not a case of life and death, I have come to realize that I have to focus on things that matters most. Remembering that everyday we are closer to our graves and we’ll be dead soon is the most important tool to help us make the big decisions in life. Because almost everything- success and even failures, sama ng loob, our titles, our diplomas, our certificates, our position, the wealth that we accumulated, the education we reached, the Earthly accomplishments- everything we cherish or enjoy- are all temporary- it will all fade away in the face of death. What is truly important is our relationship with the Creator and relationships with our fellowmen. You will not face death with your awards or diplomas or money – if that is the case then focus on what is really important and nothing is more important than relationships. If relationships are most important then decide now to grow old with each other- grow old with your colleagues, your classmates, your friends and instructors. Grow old with the one you truly love. Just prepare your heart and the Hand that guides you will give you the right opportunities, the resources and the right people that will prepare you for success. So keep preparing, keep sowing- the Hand that holds you will always have a right timing for you to give birth to your great aspirations.

In conclusion, your first job after this oath taking and induction is to take care of everything you have been given. Your time is limited so do not waste it living someone else’s dream for you or waste it with petty things and disagreements. Follow your rainbow, follow your heart and follow the hand that holds your future. Everything else is secondary.

God bless you more and more!


This is a prepared text and thoughts of Eunice Estipona on the recently concluded 2011 oath taking and induction of newly licensed massage therapists in Manila, Philippines. To download a copy on your computer, click on the link below:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/60833737/Five-Things-I-Have-Learned-in-Massage-School-PDF-File

The TRUE Giftedness in Business and Career (of Spa, Massage Therapy and Wellness)

The TRUE Giftedness in Business and Career (of Spa, Massage Therapy and Wellness)
by yunesa@yahoo.com

There are two types of business:
1. The business of giving to get and
2. The business of giving to love.
In the first type of business, the business exists only for attention, the emulation of others or the need of the entrepreneur to be liked or loved and thus to earn money.

In the latter type of business, it gives because it wants to serve people and loves the people they are serving. The entrepreneur is passionate about what he/she does and would like to share it with others. This should be the heart of every business and profession not only the spa, massage therapy or wellness industry. Money is just a way for these businesses to be rewarded financially. Eventhough their value is much more than money. It is always a blessing to do what you love and be paid for it.

There is nothing wrong if we want to be loved, liked and admired. It's one of our most basic need. But we have to realize that giving out of necessity and as a way of getting attention and to be loved, then this is not true generosity. That's toxic. You call that co-dependent type of person and it's lethal to your soul. Pleasing people so that they will love you in return is like buying their love. It's slow suicide.

One very close person that I knew very well always give gifts to her friends and colleagues. Whatever she can afford: food, clothing, shoes... things. People would always tell her "Oh you're so generous" but deep within, I know this person is one of the most miserable person on planet Earth. She is constantly sad within because she does not know who her true friends are. She doesn't know if her friends are really friends and are simply there because she gives them stuff. People abuse her (false) kindness or (seemingly) generosity. She is not receiving the rewards of her generosity because she is not really generous- she is needy. She is needy for attention, for friendship and love. She is giving because she felt the need to be accepted. She's giving out of need and fear not out of love. Gloom and grief fills up the space she created. She gives out of need thus even becomes more needy. How do I know this? Because that person was no other than--- myself.

I was needing true friends and I thought I can be more closer to others if I would give something especially material things. I learned. I gained wisdom. If your love tank is empty like me before, you need to do a few things:
First, allow God to love you. Pray from your heart and ask Him to give you the love that no human being can give you. Accept that God loves you and died for your sins and no matter what He is just a prayer away. Accept Him in your heart. Dedicate to Him your past, your present, your future.

Secondly, know yourself, accept yourself, love yourself and forgive yourself. Your height, color, size, weight, IQ level, etc. Improve yourself but love it anyway. Learn to be generous to yourself, celebrate being alive daily or waking up- celebrate everyday! Remember this, unless you truly love yourself, you will not be capable of loving others.
Therefore, in our life, we have to love first ourselves before we really love others. This is not selfish. This is just right.

An example of which is when we ride airplanes. Di ba kahit sa eroplano may sinasabi ang mga flight attendants na ganito: "In the unlikely event of a loss of cabin pressure, oxygen masks will appear. Place the mask over your mouth and nose, and breath normally. If you are traveling with small children, secure your own mask first, and then help them with theirs....." Why do we have to secure our oxygen first before helping children with them? Why should grownups get the oxygen before the kids? It is very important for us adults, to make sure that we get the mask on quickly or we might pass out before we could help them and they would not be able to help us.

Let us love ourselves and forgive ourselves first before we can truly love and forgive others.

Third, be with people who will add value to your life NOT just people who are there because they want to sell something to you or they want to pick your brains. Be with people who will give out of something of themselves (example: time, Godly advise, effort, service, companionship, committment, etc.) to you for friendship and love. Dump people (I mean get out of a relationship or avoid them as much as possible) who are complainers- you know, those Debbie downers, the types who sucks the energy off of you but instead replace them with people who inspires you and improves your outlook in life. The circle of friends that you choose should be positive and inspiring people inspite of the rocky roads in life not the gloomy and pessimistic ones.

I repeat: the true wealth in business or any profession or career is being truly generous with your core gifts, skills and talents and sharing it with others. It is giving out of love, which fills our lives with more love. Then money will find a way to come.

To understand where I am coming from look at this video of my past.- Click on this link.

One way of loving yourself is doing what this little girl is doing.






So tell me, which type of business or profession are you about to start? The first or the second?

God bless you, your spa, massage business, your career, your profession, your family, your plans and goals!

Why are we where we are now?

Why are we where we are now?


by Eunice
(At-length analysis on why the Philippines is poor and what we can do about it)



After a decade in the spa, massage therapy and wellness industry, I have come to realize that an inexperienced staff with a track record of integrity is way more preferable than a brilliant employee with questionable ethics. The latter will become a problem in the future for the spa business. Here is why.

The video below hit the net community especially the Filipino audience online.



Before anything else, let us not talk about schools and crème de la crème. This will not be the focus of my blog. The thing that has really stuck into my mind is when Prof. Winnie Monsod said and I quote, “Eh saan tayo ngayon? (Where are we now?) If they (those in the government) are so good, why are we where we are now?”

In Philippine culture, we have always looked upon people who graduated with high honors, we have always saluted those who graduated from top universities especially those who studied in the US or abroad and we have placed in pedestals those whose diplomas and degrees are much higher than our own. If we are lead by great leaders coming from crème de la crème universities, who graduated with high honors and whose degrees and letters after the name is as many as the alphabet, in essence why is the Philippines still poor? There are a lot of factors and intricacies that this blog will not be able to answer. Suffice to say that one of the things that we have forgotten as a nation, we have placed too much emphasis on the outer realm, the diplomas, the school, the knowledge and the degrees to the point that we have exchanged our integrity for money, wealth or fame. It’s never enough to have a doctorate degree, to graduate with high honors or to graduate from a well-known university. The essence of going to school is for us to hone our talents, our knowledge and skills and apply them into our life, our practice and our work. An impeccable transcript of records, just don’t cut it in the real world of work. Excellence in itself is just not enough. There are a lot of excellent people in school with grade no lower than 1.5 (or A-) but their integrity and honor is as shallow as the cat’s pooo dugged under the soil. Do not get me wrong, hindi masamang magkaroon ng matataas na marka but do not let it overshadow our love for the country and our fellowmen. When Fortune 500 magazine asked the CEO’s of many Fortune 500 companies what they considered the most important qualities for hiring and promoting top executives, do you know what their unanimous answer were? It’s integrity and trustworthiness. Not technical skill, Not education, Not school. Not even a pleasing personality. But still, the good old-fashioned integrity, honesty, honor qualities that the Bible teaches. Only if we would turn and obey God’s word can we qualify to be a person of integrity and honor. Integrity and Honor, these things can never be taught even at Harvard.

Secondly, she said that “if you are going to help this country, you’ve got to be in this country.” The Filipino is also confused. Why? We want to stay in the country but there are no opportunities. There are no jobs that could help the people pay the crème de la crème tuition fees. I must admit, I am already at a point in my life where I am ready to move and I am contemplating on migrating abroad since all my immediate family is in the United States and I am the only one who is still a Filipino citizen. I think there are a lot (I mean a lot) of like me out there, who are ready to leave the country for better opportunities- for good. I do not blame them.

I have found the book, 12 Little Things Every Filipino Can Do to Help Our Country by Atty. Alex Ledesma Lacson (also a graduate of the University of the Philippines) with my own thoughts and links added in CAPS:

1) Follow traffic rules. Follow the law.- THAT IS WHY LADY JUSTICE EYES ARE COVERED BECAUSE IT IS JUSTICE FOR ALL. RICH OR POOR ALIKE. NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.

2) Whenever you buy or pay for anything, always ask for an official receipt.

3) Don’t buy smuggled goods. Buy local. Buy Filipino.- STOP BUYING PIRATED COPIES OF VCD’S, DVD’S OR CD’S. RESPECT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. AT LEAST BUY MORE FILIPINO PRODUCTS THAN IMPORTED ONES. HINDI YUNG MAS PROUD PA TAYO PAG IMPORTED. THINK OF IT THIS WAY, IF YOU ARE BUYING MASSAGE OILS PERHAPS A LEMON GRASS, GINGER OR SAMPAGUITA MASSAGE OIL. MADE IN THE PHILIPPINES HINDI BA ANG TINUTULUNGAN MO RIN AY ANG ATING MGA FARMERS AND ATING MGA LOCAL BUSINESS MEN? PARA SILA AY SUMAGANA AT HINDI NA KAILANGAN PANG MANGIBANG BANSA NG MGA FARMERS OR NG ATING MGA KABABAYAN DAHIL SA KAKULANGAN SA TRABAHO. AT THE VERY LEAST, PERSONALLY, AT LEAST 70% OF THE PRODUCTS OR RETAIL THAT YOU BUY SHOULD BE PHILIPPINE MADE.

4) When you talk to others, especially foreigners speak positively about us and our country. – STOP COMPLAINING AND LOOKING DOWN ON OUR COUNTRY AND START ACTING ON SOLUTIONS. STOP BEING NEGATIVE AND PESSIMISTIC.  START BLESSING OTHERS AND BLESSING OUR COUNTRY BECAUSE YOU AND I ARE SPECIAL.

I SUGGEST YOU START WITH KNOWING WHY YOU ARE SPECIAL? JUST IN CASE YOU FORGOT….
WHY THE FILIPINO IS SPECIAL by Pastor Ed Lapiz

Filipinos are Brown

Their color is in the center of human racial strains. This point is not an attempt at racism, but just for many Filipinos to realize that our color should not be a source of or reason for inferiority complex. While we pine for a fair complexion, the white people are religiously tanning themselves, whenever they could, under the sun or some artificial light, just to approximate the Filipino complexion.

Filipinos are a touching people

We have lots of love and are not afraid to show it. We almost inevitably create human chains with our perennial akbay (putting an arm around another shoulder), hawak (hold), yaka(embrace), himas (caressing stroke), kalabit (touch with the tip of the finger), kalong (sitting on someone else's lap), etc. We are always reaching out, always seeking interconnection.

Filipinos are linguists

Put a Filipino in any city, any town around the world. Give him a few months or even weeks and he will speak the local language there. Filipinos are adept at learning and speaking languages. In fact, it is not uncommon for Filipinos to speak at least three: his dialect, Filipino, and English. Of course, a lot speak an added language, be it Chinese, Spanish or, if he works abroad, the language of his host country.

In addition, Tagalog is not 'sexist.' While many "conscious" and "enlightened" people of today are just by now striving to be "politically correct" with their language and, in the process, bend to absurd depths in coining "gender sensitive" words, Tagalog has, since time immemorial, evolved gender-neutral words like asawa (husband or wife), anak (son or daughter), magulang (father or mother), kapatid (brother or sister), biyenan (father-in-law or mother-in-law), manugang (son or daughter-in-law), bayani (hero or heroine), etc. Our languages and dialects are advanced and, indeed, sophisticated! It is no small wonder that Jose Rizal, the quintessential Filipino, spoke some twenty-two languages!

Filipinos are groupists

We love human interaction and company. We always surround ourselves with people and we hover over them, too. According to Dr. Patricia Licuanan, a psychologist from Ateneo, and Miriam College an average Filipino would have and know at least 300 relatives.

At work, we live bayanihan (mutual help); At play, we want a kalaro (playmate) more than laruan (toy). At socials, our invitations are open and it is more common even for guests to invite and bring in other guests. In transit, we do not want to be separated from our group. So what do we do when there is no more space in a vehicle? Kalung-kalong! (Sit on one another). No one would ever suggest splitting a group and waiting for another vehicle with more space!

Filipinos are weavers

One look at our baskets, mats, clothes and other crafts will reveal the skill of the Filipino weaver and his inclination to weaving. This art is a metaphor of the Filipino trait. We are social weavers. We weave theirs into ours that we all become parts of one another. We place a lot of premium on pakikisama (getting along) and pakikipagkapwa (relating). Two of the worst labels, walang pakikipagkapwa (inability to relate), will be avoided by the Filipino at almost any cost.

We love to blend and harmonize with people, we like to include them in our "tribe," in our "family" - and we like to be included in other people's families, too. Therefore we call our friend's mother nanay or mommy; we call a friend's sister ate (eldest sister), and so on. We even call strangers tia (aunt) or tio (uncle), tatang (grandfather), etc.

So extensive is our social openness and interrelations that we have specific title for extended relations like hipag (sister-in-law's spouse), balae (child-in-law's parents), inaanak (godchild), ninong/ ninang (godparents) kinakapatid (godparent's child), etc.

In addition, we have the profound 'ka' institution, loosely translated as "equal to the same kind" as in kasama (of the same company), kaisa (of the same cause), kapanalig (of the same belief), etc. In our social fiber, we treat other people as co-equals.

Filipinos, because of their social "weaving" traditions, make for excellent team workers.

Filipinos are adventurists

We have a tradition of separation. Our myths and legends speak of heroes and heroines who almost always get separated from their families and loved ones and are taken by circumstances to far-away lands where they find wealth or power.

Our Spanish colonial history is filled with separations caused by the reduccion (hamleting), and the forced migration to build towns, churches, fortresses or galleons. American occupation enlarged the space of Filipino wandering, including America , and there are documented evidences of Filipino presence in America as far back as 1587.

Now, Filipinos compose the world's largest population of overseas workers, populating and sometimes "threshing" major capitals, minor towns and even remote villages around the world. Filipino adventurism has made us today's citizens of the world, bringing the bagoong (salty shrimp paste). Pansit (sauteed noodles), siopao (meat-filled dough), kare-kare (peanut-flavored dish), dinuguan (innards cooked in pork blood) balut (unhatched duck egg), and adobo (meat vinaigrette), including the tabo (ladle) and tsinelas (slippers) all over the world.

Filipinos are excellent at adjustments and improvisation, managing to recreate their home, or to feel at home anywhere .

Filipinos have Pakiramdam (deep feeling/discernment)

We know how to feel what others feel, sometimes even anticipate what they will feel. Being manhid (dense) is one of the worst labels anyone could get and will therefore, avoid at all cost. We know when a guest is hungry though the insistence on being full is assured. We can tell if people are lovers even if they are miles apart. We know if a person is offended though he may purposely smile. We know because we feel. In our pakikipagkapwa (relating), we get not only to wear another man's shoe but also his heart.

We have a superbly developed and honored gift of discernment, making us excellent leaders, counselors and go-betweens.

Filipinos are very spiritual

We are transcendent. We transcend the physical world, see the unseen and hear the unheard. We have a deep sense of kaba (premonition) and kutob (hunch). A Filipino wife will instinctively feel her husband or child is going astray, whether or not telltale signs present themselves.

Filipino spirituality makes him invoke divine presence or intervention at nearly every bend of his journey Rightly or wrongly, Filipinos are almost always acknowledging, invoking or driving away spirits into and from their lives. Seemingly trivial or even incoherent events can take on spiritual significance and will be given such space or consideration.

The Filipino has a sophisticated, developed pakiramdam . The Filipino, though becoming more and more modern (hence, materialistic) is still very spiritual in essence. This inherent and deep spirituality makes the Filipino, once correctly Christianized, a major exponent of the faith.

Filipinos are timeless

Despite the nearly half-a-millennium encroachment of the western clock into our lives, Filipinos - unless on very formal or official functions - still measure time not with hours and minutes but with feeling. This style is ingrained deep in our psyche. Our time is diffused, not framed. Our appointments are defined by umaga (morning), tanghali ( noon ), hapon (afternoon) or gabi (evening). Our most exact time reference is probably tanghaliang-tapat (high noon), which still allows many minutes of leeway. That is how Filipino trysts and occasions are timed: there is really no definite time.

A Filipino event has no clear-cut beginning nor ending. We have a fiesta , but there is bisperas (eve), A day after the fiesta is still considered a good time to visit. The Filipino Christmas is not confined to December 25th; it somehow begins months before December and extends up to the first days of January.

Filipino say good-bye to guests first at the head of the stairs, then down to the descamo (landing), to the entresuelo (mezzanine), to the pintuan (doorway), to the tarangkahan (gate), and if the departing persons are to take public transportation, up to the bus stop or bus station.

In a way, other people's tardiness and extended stays can really be annoying, but this peculiarity is the same charm of Filipinos who, being governed by timelessness, can show how to find more time to be nice, kind, and accommodating than his prompt and exact brothers elsewhere.

Filipinos are Spaceless

As in the concept of time, the Filipino concept of space is not numerical. We will not usually express expanse of space with miles or kilometers but with feelings in how we say malayo (far) or malapit (near). Alongside with numberlessness, Filipino space is also boundless. Indegenous culture did not divide land into private lots but kept it open for all to partake of its abundance.

The Filipino has avidly remained "spaceless" in many ways. The interior of the bahay-kubo (hut) can easily become receiving room, sleeping room, kitchen, dining room, chapel, wake parlor, etc. Depending on the time of the day or the needs of the moment. The same is true with the bahay na bato (stone house).Space just flows in to the next space that the divisions between the sala , caida , comedor or vilada may only be faintly suggested by overhead arches of filigree

In much the same way, Filipino concept of space can be so diffused that ones party may creep into and actually expropriate the street! A family business like a sari-sari store or talyer may extend to the sidewalk and street. Provincial folks dry palayan (rice grain) on the highways! Religious groups of various persuasions habitually and matter-of-factly commandeer the streets for processions and parades. It is not uncommon to close a street to accommodate private functions, Filipinos eat. sleep , chat, socialize, quarrel, even urinate, nearly everywhere or just anywhere!

"Spacelessness," in the face of modern, especially urban life, can be unlawful and may really be counter-productive. On the other hand, Filipino spacelessness, when viewed from his context, is just another manifestation of his spiritually and communal values. Adapted well to today's context, which may mean unstoppable urbanization, Filipino spacelessness may even be the answer and counter balance to humanity's greed, selfishness and isolation.

So what makes the Filipino special?

We are brown, spiritual, timeless, spaceless, linguists, groupists, weavers, adventurists. Seldom do all these profound qualities find personification in a people. Filipinos should allow - and should be allowed - to contribute their special traits to the world-wide community of men - but first, we should know and like ourselves.

From the Special issue of Light Touch Magazine, vol. 8 number 3, Copyright 2004, Glad Tidings Publication

5) Respect your traffic officer, policeman and soldier.- RESPECT ANYONE WORKING FOR THE PEOPLE AND HONOR OUR KABABAYANS.

6) Do not litter. Dispose your garbage properly. Segregate. Recycle. Conserve.

7) Support your church.- GIVE AT LEAST 10% OF YOUR INCOME, SALARY, COMMISSION, PAY(ANY MONEY THAT GETS INTO YOUR POCKET) TO CHURCH AND A SMALL PORTION TO ANY CAUSE/S YOU BELIEVE IN. THIS IS ONE WAY TO PROSPER FINANCIALLY. EVEN IF YOU ONLY RECEIVE 1 PESO. MANAGE THAT PESO WELL AND IT WILL GROW.

8) During elections, do your solemn duty.- PRAY FOR THE CANDIDATES AND VOTE FOR THOSE WHOM YOU FEEL CAN DO THE JOB WELL. NOT ONLY BECAUSE THEY ARE POPULAR.

9) Pay your employees well.- FAIR TRADE AND LABOR. IN SHORT, GIVE THEM MORE THAN WHAT THE GOVERNMENT MANDATES.

10) Pay your taxes.

11) Adopt a scholar or a poor child.

12) Be a good parent. Teach your kids to follow the law and love our country.- DO NOT SEND THEM AWAY TO COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ABROAD FOR SO LONG THAT THEY FORGET WHO THEY ARE AND TURN THEIR BACK AWAY FROM WHAT THEIR COUNTRY IS LIKE TOGETHER WITH ITS CULTURE AND BEAUTY.

In summary, this would be an enlightening read which was sent to me by a friend and fellow OFW way back in 2004, just click on this link or if it does not work click on the link below:
http://www.meetup.com/businessandentrepreneurs/files/

It’s a big challenge for all of us Filipinos (wherever we may be) to do something. We are helpless on our own. We cannot trust ourselves not even our own intelligence. We need someone higher than us. We need Christ. Let us surrender our lives and our country to Christ and do something.

Now, what would be your next step?

Written by Eunice

The Business of Innovation

The Business of Innovation in the Spa, Massage Therapy, Beauty and Wellness Industry

Memory was something you might lose as you age older age...a sign of old age.

An application was used for employment

A program was a TV show

A cursor is a person using profane words

A keyboard was a piano

A web was a spider's home

A virus was any type of flu or that exhibits flu-like symptoms

A CD was a bank account: a cash deposit

A hard drive was a long trip on the road with traffic along the way

A mouse pad was where a mouse lives

and if you had a 3.5 inch floppy,

you just hoped nobody finds out.
 
Funny but so much has changed since the advent of the computer/digital age. We see progress, we see innovation in all aspects of our daily life: from the way we send cards to the way we conduct our businesses. From the way we view our careers to the way we live our daily lives. We have softwares to schedule our clients inside the spa, check our inventory or use bar code systems, know who was absent at what day and who among the staff is scheduled for a day off or a vacation (yes and maybe one of these days I can demonstrate some of these applications with the Meetup group that I organize). The netbook, the printer, scanner and lap top replaced the typewriter, the ebooks replaced books, email and e-cards replaced postal letters, envelopes, and the post, the phone book and rolodex replaced the address book. These are just amongst the other things that technology can help us with.
 
Last Saturday, after visiting the Fitness and Beauty trade show, I attended a Meetup group outside the Meetup group that I organize. It was composed of techie people. I have learned that even if I (and another Japanese lady who was out of place for the time being) was the only one who has a different field amongst all the others, we are still (a bit) in touch with technology. This blog for instance, has its foundation in communicating through technology. I might not understand what JAVA, Cloud, SAP means (amongst all the other technology terms that I have heard) but the nice thing about technology is that we do not have to understand the applications behind --as long as we can use it in our daily lives. Except for the high profile technology inventors, we do not even know who invented which and what. We can only thank God that it has reached our hands and we can use it. There are a lot of things we can use technology for and one of which is educating ourselves. We have to, at the very least adopt to the changing times, hindi yung ayaw na nating matuto mag-text or mag-email man lang. Hindi man lang alamin kung papano mg-FB. Kung ayaw nating matuto ng bago ano ng gagawin natin sa buhay? Life is a continuous learning experience. Kailangan mag invest din sa sarili by improving what we know. Do not go into the spa, massage therapy, beauty and wellness industry without doing your homework or performing due diligence including adopting to new and better ways of serving our clients through technology.
 
Here are some ways you could use technology in your spa, massage therapy, beauty and wellness career or business:
 
1. Use high technology machines to assist you in fighting cellulites, aging and other degenerative diseases. Attend trade shows in and outside the country even if you are on vacation. Whenever I go out of the country, I try to search for events for the country that I will be visiting and attend any seminar, workshops or trade shows that will be held during the time that I will visit. It adds up to my knowledge and my expertise. You will learn from the products, gadgets and services of others. I am not saying that you have to copy them but adopt what you think might be good and remove things that might not be suitable/ applicable for you. The bottomline here is to know the trends in the industry.
 
2. Use Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS) and Electronic Funds Transfer at Point of Sale (EFTPOS) to speed up transactions in your spa, massage clinic or wellness center. EFTPOS means that prospective clients can pay for goods and services using credit and debit cards.
 
3. Use a website that will serve as your point of contact and sale. You can offer gift certificates online, special promotions and email subscribers using your website. Use it as an e-commerce website. E-commerce is the ability of businesses to trade with the world via websites. This means that there is a larger market and your spa, massage clinic or wellness center is now open 24 hours a day.
 
4. Lessen the use of paper, communication is improved through the use of the intranet and Internet. The intranet is an internal system of computer communication while the internet can be used to communicate with clients, suppliers amongst others in the outside world (through websites and email). Spa staff can work away from the office using mobile technology such as phones, laptops and modems. But a word of warning, do not use naman technology just to play games online or chat with others while you have no client. Use technology wisely.
 
5. Instead of advertising, use the Internet for recruitment purposes. You can post job vacancies online or using the Meetup message board and positions can be advertised and targeted to the right audience, often costing less than print alternatives. And it can be done for free at www.meetup.com/philippinespaandwellness
 
 
and many more....
 
However, the use of technology should be a balance between our needs and practicality. Use it to be more effeicient, better and be able to focus on things that machines and computers cannot do. If the benefits outweighs the cost, then consider in investing in technology. We can just hope that technology can complement and ease our lives rather than burden it.
 
The more high-tech we become, the more high-touch we need -yunesa

Let's Face It! SM Fairview Branch

Let’s Face It! at SM Fairview Branch
By
Eunice
yunesa@yahoo.com


Today, I will be reviewing Let’s Face It! Salon located at the lower ground floor of
SM City Fairview, Quezon City. I have tried other braches but this branch is the one I frequently visit because it’s near my place and I already feel at home here. I started coming to this facial salon more than seven years ago when they were still located at the UG/F level of SM City Fairview and their area was smaller compared to the bigger area they have today. I tried almost all their facial therapies before including the anti-aging, whitening/bleaching, pimple treatment, etc. Today they condensed their facial therapy menu choices to only one where you can choose only facial therapy. This comes with vacuum and the commonly termed LASER but is in fact a high frequency machine. You will also be entitled to two FREE facial massages and pricking within ten days afterwards. After the ten days is up, you are no longer entitled to a free facial massage and pricking. For today’s visit, July 22, 2009, I will have facial cleaning and massage.

Let us first talk about their services and prices. I will also add some of the experiences I’ve had through the years with the services mentioned. The cost of a facial cleaning is only Php 245.00 (Approximately $4.90). Again, this comes with the commonly termed LASER but is in fact a high frequency machine and a vacuum. Plus, two FREE facial massage and pricking within ten days afterwards. After the ten days is up, you are no longer entitled to a free facial massage and pricking. If you want an additional mask, they have several types: the powdered mask which is diluted in water and applied on your face, starts at Php 125.00 (Approximately $2.50); Soft mask starts at Php 225.00 (Approximately $4.50) the Moor facial mask is Php 900.00 (Approximately $18.00) Moor facial mask is a black odorless mask also diluted with a special Moor dilution procedure and liquid not with an ordinary distilled water, this is generally sourced out in Hungary and is not available in Supermarkets but available for in-house use of facial salons and spas, it is imported thus the higher price; Gel Masks are all priced at Php 620.00 (Approximately $12.40) I am not an avid gel mask (or paper mask) client because I do not like the feeling na malagkit (goo-ey feeling); Peel Off mask starts at Php 650.00 ($13.00).

Other service price and offerings: They also have advanced laser which is the real LASER starting at Php 620.00 (Approximately $13.00) where the facialist or facial therapist would literally cover her eyes with a dark colored eye protector glass and an emitted light wave will come out of a tiny little hole. You can request to adjust it for your preference like in my case, I would often ask it to be adjusted to anti-aging; Eyebag treatment starts at Php 225.00 (Approximately $4.50); Diamond Peel/ Microdermabrasions starts at Php 900.00 (Approximately $18.00) what I like about their Diamond Peel is that only a supervisor would perform it and the Supervisor who performs it does it meticulously. I also like that my skin really feels smooth and soft to touch right after. But be forewarned that microdermabrasion, although not invasive is not advisable for everyone especially if you have sensitive skin or your occupation is in the field and you will be exposed to the sun afterwards as these conditions are contraindicated; Herbal Whitening Body Scrub prices depends on what part of the body will be treated lowest priced is the Underarm which is Php 485.00 (Approximately $9.70) and the highest priced is Php 1,680.00 (Approximately $33.60) per session but they do offer a package good for eight (8) sessions costing only Php 11,650.00 (Approximately $233.00); Body scrubs starts at Php 510.00 (Approximately $10.20) for a sea salt scrub and all the others like coffee, milk and honey, whitening Spirulina scrub costs Php 560.00 (Approximately $11.20); There are only two Body Wraps available the Seaweed wrap costing only Php 510.00 (Approximately $10.20) and Spirulina costs Php 560.00 (Approximately $11.20). For body scrubs and wraps- there is nothing fancy about their services here just the standard but both are a great treat for moisturizing your skin all over. I do not mind being scrubbed and wrapped as all their staff are professional and have been trained on how to cover private areas, but be forewarned that its kinda cold inside the room and gets colder as you get yourself wet; Chest and Back Cleaning are also available starting at a price of Php 510.00 (Approximately $10.20); Body Massage is also available starts at Php 450.00 (Approximately $9.00) for an hour. There is only one type of Body Massage that they offer, which is a combination of Swedish and Shiatsu Massage which we will talk more about later; Hand Care services like Manicure starts at Php 120.00 (Approximately $2.40), hand spa at Php 280.00 (Approximately $5.60) they also offer hand spa, hand paraffin, etc. while foot care like pedicure starts at Php 130.00 (Approximately $2.60), they also offer foot spa, foot massage (30 minutes including a dry massage of the head and back) which is priced at Php 280.00 (Approximately $5.60), foot and leg paraffin, etc.; Other dermatological services (which I have not tried) includes Botox, Sclerotherapy, Mole Excision, Glutathione Injections, etc. Their Cosmetic surgery services include: Tumescent Liposuction, Tummy Tuck or Abdominoplasty, Breast Augmentation, etc. Unfortunately you will not be able to see any description of their services in the menu only a price list is available so you will have to call or ask the receptionist on-site who is well-versed with their services. I have not tried any of their Cosmetic surgery services kasi nga ang prinsipiyo ko eh bakit ko pa babaguhin ang binigay ng Diyos? (why will I change what God has given me?) I-enhance ko na lang by non-invasive and non-surgical procedure. Uso pa naman ngayon yung nag kaka-infection yung kanilang mga retokadong parts ng katawan kaya nakakatakot. Eto nga sa TV, may nagrereklamo sa mga patients ni Dr. Vicky Belo atbp. So, as much as possible, iwas na iwas ako sa anything that is surgical in nature. Anyway, setting that topic aside basta takot ako mga ganyang types ng pagpapaganda. (Recently there has been a surge of patients who have experienced infection due to cosmetic surgery. Even on TV there has been a complaint from one of the patients of Dr. Vicky Belo, etc. So, as much as possible, I avoid anything that is surgical in nature)

Let’s Face It! used to have a beauty Card for loyal clients but it was phased out. I wonder why.

Through the years, while seeking for the right facial therapist for me, every time I visit Let’s Face It! I would try different staff. A handful of them are lousy, a few are just a so-so but I found these three staff very good in what they do. Although of course, they still have differences in touch, personality and technique execution. Let us talk about these three exemplary staff: Connie Parilla Callanza or Connie for short, Lovella Mangahan or Love for short and Cherry Pie de Leon or Pie for short. I started trying out numerous staff as well when they used to be located upstairs before I settled with Connie. The first and foremost thing I like about Connie is that she is friendly and the first thing I noticed about Connie was she did not forget my shoulder massage while I was waiting for my mask to dry up. During the first few years that I was trying almost all of their services, deep in my heart, I would always look for someone who does the shoulder and back massage- someone who has the hands for it. And, I found that in Connie. Besides, she is the first one who really took the time to ask me questions relevant to my skin’s needs without being too pushy as they are also promoting their retail product line. I also liked Cherry Pie or Pie for short because she is sweet-voiced, she also has the touch similar to Connie. I also like Love (short for Lovella) because all three of them are friendly and that they do not forget the massage portion after the pricking is over. This is very important for me because pricking time is painful so I am looking forward for the relaxing part. So, as you can notice, I know the staff by name, if one is not available I can choose another- by request. You can request someone to do the service for you, if they are available at the time of your visit. The three of them will also take the time to really clean your face- not that my face is “needy” but I felt that the three of them will take the time to clean and relax at the same time without hurriedly finishing the session up unless (in some occasions) I told them to as I am the one who is in a hurry.

Let us delve into talking about the general feel and ambiance of the place. I love the reception area because it’s not too cramped up. At the side are retail display and what I love about their counter top is that it has white stones on the bottom making the reception area look relaxing and inviting. I also like that behind the counter is a running water on a transparent glass of Let’s Face It! Salon Model and Logo. The towels used by clients are not disposable but you will get a clean and laundered towel. There were times when laundry was not able to deliver on time so they would make me use tissue instead. They will ask you first to wash your face in the sink area. This area has three sinks available which has an inviting atmosphere but I noticed that one of the three sinks is almost always out of order every time I visit. There are also hair brushes and comb available in the corner, just in case. But of course, I bring my own. The area is brightly lit which is good for people who wanted to inspect their face before and after a facial session so you will be able to notice the difference, the “before” and “after” session. You will also get to ready yourself once you finish your session because this area is right outside the toilet.
This branch has three different areas inside, they have the general facial salon area, the body treatment and massage area and the pedicure and manicure area. Music is okay. Some people prefer background music of birds tweeting in the air, waterfalls, sea shore but I prefer instrumental romantic music although there are times that some forest music is a-okay for a change. During this visit, relaxing flutes and instrumental romantic music were being played. Because I love these types of music I personally have a collection of the same music at home. Toilet is a common toilet for male and female, its clean and dry and colored peach just like their uniform. The shower area also is okay. Only massage and body treatment clients will have access to the shower area because it’s in another part of the facial spa. There is only one massage room located at the farthermost right side room (this is the only room that does not have any network signal for mobile phones). Other rooms are allocated for body treatments, microdermabrasion, etc. The general facial salon area has facial beds that are dikit-dikit (placed directly beside each other). With seven beds on each side for this branch they have 28 facial beds all in all. If you do not mind getting beside a total stranger, then this facial salon might be for you but if you value privacy over all the other services, then this facial salon is not for you. Some facial lights are working and some are not. The general ambiance is Asian with tapestries of Thai. There are large mirrors on each side and little busts of Buddha framed in one corner. There are four large white chandeliers on top which are turned off to set a relaxing tone. The Thai-inspired massage room although cozy is very small (in my estimate the working/ massage area is just 3-4 square meters which is less than the required minimum size required by law because at least 5 square meters should be allocated for the massage space) The room has a corner where you can see some decors like the elephant framed décor, several small plastic plants in glass, stones and their selection of oil. Unfortunately for my visit, Edna (my massage therapist) has only two types of oil available, I chose the one with a peppermint smell. We will talk more about my massage session afterwards.

Let is first talk about my facial session. Here is my secret, there are three parts in a facial that I am most excited about: the shoulder and back massage is the first (or any type of massage during the facial session, if there is one), the second is the facial massage (how they execute the techniques in a facial therapy) and the third is the application of a high frequency machine or what is commonly termed as laser. For this session, I have had a facial and a body massage afterwards. For my facial, I was taken cared of by Love because Connie was not yet on duty and Pie already has a client. As usual, I was ushered to a corner and instructed to lie down after I washed my face. Then came the first part of this facial therapy and second among my favorite part of a facial: the facial massage. The 5-10 minute facial massage consists of applying a facial cleanser on your face and massaging it with strokes and techniques that will enhance the tonicity of facial muscles as well as set the client in a mood for a relaxing facial. The only thing I do not like is that they do not include neck cleaning. Love’s pace and movements are very similar to Connie but Love is a lot faster than Connie. It should be slower because when facial massage is executed fast, it is less relaxing than that of slower movements. Then came the steam time, the part which I am not really very excited about--- okay, okay, I am being “kinder” with my words but as I have always stressed, I do not like the steam portion even though I know that it will open my pores and help in releasing toxins….but with all these benefits….hindi ko talaga gusto ang steam time. I hate this part. Then, they will apply vacuum to take away the debris of the facial cleanser as well as some dirt which is still lodged on the skin. They will wipe the remaining cleanser and start with the extraction part. Ito yung pinaka masakit (most painful) na portion and the longest one at that. What I love about this portion is that they take the time para isa-isahin ang pag-alis ng zits and zats ng aking mukha (they take the time to remove the dirt, white heads, and black heads on my face). In my experience, the length of extraction will depend on the severity of your skin condition and the tolerance to pain of the client. Most of the time they spend 45 minutes to an hour to clean my face. What I also like about this branch is that when I am in a hurry, they will also adjust the time and shorten the treatment session. Then came the hot compress where they will apply a hot towel and then the high frequency machine (commonly termed as LASER) applied on top of a cloth.

Let us now talk about the massage proper, I like that Edna (the massage therapist assigned to me that time) started with a slow and steady movement of her hands but her hands were cold (mainly because the area is air conditioned. When I was still a practicing massage therapist when this happens what I normally do was wash my hands with hot water or wipe hot compress to or place my hands on top of the sauna coals whichever is possible to make my hands warm before my massage session with a client ). I also noticed that her tapping for both legs lasted for more than two minutes which is longer than usual. I told her to focus on the knots on my shoulder and luckily she did. I like that she focused on my shoulders too because those are my sore spots. There are only two things I did not like about my massage session, she served me with cold water right after my massage (which I think she should not have because she should have served me a warm or hot beverage instead) and she was not able to finish her massage on my legs (in a supine position) because we ran out of time. When the timer alarmed she immediately stopped the session. The thing that I watch the most on how they perform is the back massage. In my personal opinion, if you have done a good back rub/ massage, you will get a satisfied client.

As usual, I left both Edna and Love a Php 100.00 ($2.00) each as gratuity for their service.

For this visit, I would give 85% for my facial and 81% for my massage. Clearly, the forte of Let’s Face It! is facial therapies not massage therapies but there were several times that Connie mentioned to me that I should try their sister company which offers more on massage and bodyworks, it’s called Relaxasi. Unfortunately, the nearest branch is located at SM City North EDSA. Maybe one of these days, I will.

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Guidelines in the writing of this blog were observed, click on the link below to read about my guidelines for reviews/critic:
http://yunesa.blogspot.com/2009/07/consumer-and-spa-enthusiasts-review.html

The most comprehensive resource and information guide on the list of training centers, magazines, publications, books and literatures both local and international are all available in the book, “The Spa, Massage and Wellness Resource Guide and Career Book”. The First Book on Spa, Massage and Wellness Resource Book and Career Guidehttp://www.scribd.com/doc/6425282/About-the-Book-Spa-Massage-and-Wellness-Resource-Guide-and-Career-Book (this has the most comprehensive list of training centers in the Philippines and abroad with tips from professionals and employment opportunities, legal laws and regulations, list of employment agencies, how to choose a trainer, and information that you need in order to succeed in this industry and before you shell out money for your tuition or training, there are a lot of ways you can grab a copy of this valuable information para hindi ka mag sayang ng time and money enrolling in trainings you do not even need. This book will give you the information to start right in the industry with secrets you should know and being able to find your rainbow in the wonderful world of massage, spa and wellness.
1. You can order it online via http://www.amazon.com/ at 34.95$
2. You can order it via a Kindle device at $7.99
3. You can order an e-book copy through my blog at http://www.yunesa.blogspot.com/ at $19.95
4. You can also get a copy from National Bookstores nationwide at P799Pesos
5. For locals only, you can order it from me at local discounted rates with free delivery at 900Pesos (via LBC or FEDEX Air 21. Anywhere in the Philippines. Please allow 1-5 working days
If you are looking for a career opportunity, not just a job in the spa, massage therapy and wellness industry, this book is a must read.

This review was written by: Eunice Estipona a spa consultant, mentor, advisor, speaker and lecturer. One of her advocacies is to make healing and information regarding the field of spa, massage and wellness accessible and affordable to everyone. If you are serious about turning your business or practice around, making the right decisions, getting an unbiased opinion and knowing where to get help, for lectures and other concerns she can be contacted at yunesa@yahoo.com or +639184745685. To find out how she can help you take your business to the next level, visit her site at http://www.meetup.com/philippinemassagetherapy
These along with hundreds of resources found locally and abroad are contained in “The Spa, Massage and Wellness Resource and Career Book”, the first book of resource information to know more about the Spa, Massage and Wellness Industry in the Philippines and other countries including the United States, Australia and other Asian countries. You can view, read, download and print for FREE the book’s summary at this link http://www.scribd.com/doc/6425282/About-the-Book-Spa-Massage-and-Wellness-Resource-Guide-and-Career-Book

If you are a spa, massage therapy and wellness information seeker the resources contained in the book for you. This book is a collection of data and valuable information regarding the spa and massage industry in a global perspective with a focus on the Philippines. Her advocacy in writing the book is to make “unbiased” information regarding the field of spa, massage and wellness resources and career, accessible and affordable for everyone. If you are considering a career in the massage, spa and wellness industry, this book will prepare you and give you a glimpse of what it is like, the preparation you need to take: emotionally, intellectually and financially. In this book, you will learn more details in the spa and massage field and the possible paths you can take. You will also learn about local and international training programs offered and numerous employment possibilities. Giving you much needed information at your fingertips. You can order it from http://www.amazon.com/ or for local Philippine residents, you can email and get in touch with Eunice at yunesa@yahoo.com.

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