The most amazing massage ever

After grocery shopping, I went home, ate some cereal and headed back out to get a massage. Nikki (my soon-to-be housemate/Reiki master) referred me to an amazing massage therapist up in San Blas. Moses called while I was at Mega, so I went to hang out with him and his Argentinian friend for 1/2 hour in San Blas before meeting the therapist. Moses seems to know every hippie in Cusco, so I made about 3 new dread-locked, dashiki-wearing friends in the half hour we were up there. We listened to music and just soaked in magic of San Blas.

I met up with my therapist, Pria (or Pablo), at the church in San Blas and we walked back to his house (it's just easier that way the first time). His house is on a road I haven't walked since February when Alfredo took me to all of those special places around Cusco. This whole road is special. It's quiet and full of energy and it's all the way on the top of San Blas.

I have no words to describe the work only that it was beautiful and it will be ongoing. The session was amazing -- you can't be shy here -- everything off and draping is discretionary (the work is full-body and the most holistic I've ever received, and complete access to organs and muscle attachment sites is necessary). His work is beautifully energetic and when I looked in the mirror before leaving I noticed that my eyes were a completely different (almost translucent) shade of blue. I'm going back again next week. Same time, same place. Can't wait.

Pria is in the process of turning his house into a holistic center and invited me to work with him in the space. I asked him if he wanted to receive my work before inviting me to be a part of it and he said he didn't need to. He'd been doing this work for 18 years and he just knew. I'm still amazed how quickly I found this network of amazing people. Or maybe they found me.

I went back down to the Plaza to meet up with some classmates, but spoke to Becca on the way down and she told me that our meeting place (a restaurant/bar called The Muse) was closed for a private event. I didn't know where they all went (and they weren't answering their phones), so I asked Jesus (who works in the same alley) where I could find a quiet place with wifi. He walked me up to another small cafe off the Plaza and I settled in. Christina, my server, and I connected immediately. She made me a tea infusion with fresh rosemary, mint and a bunch of other amazing herbs and it was the most perfect complement to the work I had just received. Jesus stopped by again on his break to check in on me (he's like the older brother I never had) and I continued plugging away on my classwork (after a few visits to Facebook).

I learned that Christina is also a therapist but has minimal training. I gave her my info and told her she's welcome to call me if she wants some additional lessons. She seemed eager and we parted with those caring words, "Cuidate mucho" (roughly translated to "take care," but it's said with much more sincerity here).