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PERFECT FOR MASSAGE SESSIONS
Michael Benghiat has produced a special kind of holiday CD with bodyworkers in mind. Using serene instrumental harmonies, Benghiat tailored seasonal favorites such as “Silent Night” and “What Child is This” in a 56-minute collection that’s perfect for massage sessions.
MASSAGE & BODYWORK MAGAZINE
December/January 2005
A LIFESAVER
Michael Benghiat is interested in helping people slow down. On PEACE ON EARTH, Benghiat takes such classic holiday tunes as “O Come All Ye Faithful” and “Away in a Manger” and slows them down to an almost inchworm-paced progression. Although I initially wanted him to play the piano and strum the guitar twice as fast, after a few minutes I felt myself breathing more deeply and moving more consciously. In the midst of holiday madness, this kind of gift could be a lifesaver.
Accompanied by harp, oboe, flute, and percussion, Benghiat brings a gentle sensibility to 10 familiar songs. Most of them sound like lullabies. Listeners will find many of their holiday favorites, including “We Three Kinds of Orient Are,” “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” and an especially sweet and calming rendition of “The First Noel.” As your store is immersed in the retail craze that is this holiday season, play PEACE ON EARTH for yourself as well as your customers. A portion of the album’s proceeds is being donated to Amnesty International.
-Mara Applebaum
Sounds From the Ground Up
NEW AGE RETAILER
SLOW, MEDITATIVE, MAGICAL
Peace on Earth
Musician Michael Benghiat has applied his serene instrumental sound to classic holiday melodies in his Christmas CD, Peace on Earth. Benghiat performs on guitars and keyboards, accompanied by Stephanie Bennett on harp, Phil Feather on oboe, and Brice Martin on flutes and recorders. The sounds are sweet without being overly so, warm and pensive.
Tracks include Oh Come All Ye Faithful, Away in the Manger, Silent Night, The First Noel, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, Oh, Little Town of Bethlehem, and Hark the Herald Angels Sing. The first track, Lo How a Rose E’er Blooming, transports the listener into sacred space. Beginning in high octave piano, it is reminiscent of bells ringing. The stronger piano and sparingly used percussion gives the beautiful We Three Kings of Orient Are the impression of footsteps – wandering regal seekers. What Child is This is slow and meditative, magical.
QUIETLY SUBLIME
AS A LIGHT SNOWFALL
Holly and Ivy
Emmy award winner, composer and musician Stephen Cohn has a holiday treat in store for us. His CD entitled Holly and Ivy blends sounds from a variety of cultures, creating a Christmas collection with universal appeal. Warm and serene, it is absolutely in tune with the spirit of the season.
It includes classics like The Holly and the Ivy, Ave Marie, Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring, and Oh Holy Night. Coventry Carol, the well-loved Renaissance song named after the city in England, is performed using the rich sound of recorders, giving me the impression it just stepped out of the 15th Century English country-side. The rousing and glorious Angels We Have Heard On High is presented in a toned-down and slowed-down variation. It’s as quietly sublime as a light snowfall. Likewise, the usually booming sound of Joy to the World also presented at a slower tempo, but looses none of its effervescence.
Jessica Skropanic
Worldwide Spa Review
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"Don’t deprive yourself of
the tools you need to relax
and rejuvenate.
Simple repetitive rituals can
make you feel more in control.
Make time for massage, yoga
and exercise. Even small “daily
doses” of these rejuvenating
practices can make a huge
difference in the quality of your
life, your moods and
your outlook. "
- John Gelb,
CEO, At Peace Media
The miracle is not to walk on
water. The miracle is to walk on
the green earth in the present
moment, to appreciate the
peace and beauty
that are available now."
- Thich Nhat Hanh,
Touching Peace
"People may forget
what you tell them,
but they will never forget
how you made them feel."
- Maya Angelou
Prevent normal holiday
depression from getting
out of hand with these
helpful, pre-emptive strategies
from the Mayo Clinic.
Acknowledge your feelings.
Seek support.
Be realistic.
Set differences aside.
Stick to a budget.
Plan ahead.
Learn to say no.
Take a breather.
Rethink resolutions.
Forget about perfection!
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Stress-less Holidays – Make Your Holidays More Relaxing
Holidays – A Time to Build Relationships
Holiday Stress Tips
Holiday Gifts – Dos and Don'ts
Share Your Holiday Advice – Enter to win a FREE CD or DVD
STRESS-LESS HOLIDAYS - Make Your Holidays More Relaxing
By John Gelb, CEO, At Peace Media
Why does it seem that holidays arrive sooner and get more stressful every year?
Your perception is right, the holiday cycle does speed up every year. Candy canes and Christmas lights are put out on store shelves before Halloween in some places. But this doesn’t mean that you have to succumb to the pressure. Make your own list of what you find a meaningful expression of the holiday spirit. Don’t subscribe to the pressure to do what everyone else is doing. Decide what’s really important to you and your family and ignore the rest.
How do you juggle so many elevated expectations from family, friends, business associates and others?
Learn how to say no. Don’t make promises you can’t keep; if possible, keep things simple and casual rather than elaborate, intimidating and off-putting. Contrary to conventional wisdom, this isn’t the time of year to impress everyone with how great you are, how lavishly you can entertain or how elevated your taste is. Pick a less busy time of the year to socialize with friends and business associates when everybody isn’t feeling stretched so thin. I really enjoy giving and attending parties in late January and February. Most people feel some holiday letdown after the New Year arrives when all the decorations disappear and the dog days of winter set in – it’s a great time to entertain because you’re not competing with so many other activities.
Isn’t holiday relaxation an oxymoron? Isn’t relaxing during the holidays just a fantasy for most people?
It doesn’t have to be. Make lists, and be happy with what you do accomplish rather than berating yourself for everything you didn’t do. Take time for yourself. Set aside some time to listen to quiet, rejuvenating music, to meditate, to get a massage. Don’t abandon your exercise regimen or your yoga practice – the things you do to rejuvenate and relax all year will seem even more special and are even more important to your health and well-being at this time of the year. During the winter, when the days are short, I get up earlier so I can do my daily run in the morning. Running = relaxation for me and I know that sunset arrives too early for an evening run.
I have so much on my mind – so many mental checklists to juggle – it’s overwhelming.
Plan ahead – but don’t plan too much. Before you get to the panic stage, take a look at the big picture and see what you can eliminate or put off until after the holidays. Who says you have to send out holiday cards that arrive before Christmas?
I have friends who are putting off their Christmas cards this year because their son is applying to college and they need to help out with all the last minute paperwork that is due right after Christmas. They’re planning to send New Year’s cards sometime in January instead. I have another friend who sends out a Valentine’s Day card to everyone instead of a holiday card – figure out what works for you.
Shopping is too time consuming; it’s especially tough to select gifts for out-of-town family members.
Stress is not site-specific. If you’re stressed out by holiday pressure, chances are good that far-flung family members are feeling the “same pain”. Gifts for relaxation are always appreciated. You can usually find a very well-edited selection of gifts for relaxation and rejuvenation at spa locations. Spas often have a great selection of retail products, many of which are used in-house by the estheticians and massage therapists who work there. These people are the experts on what it takes to relax and recharge.
But how can I minimize or reduce all the traditional obligations?
The key word here is tradition – if it’s not working or causing more stress than it’s worth, think of a better way.
Create new traditions that don’t fray your nerves with too many expectations and responsibilities. Plan family reunions and get-togethers during off seasons when you can really relax and enjoy one another.
Why not think global but stay local during the holidays? Instead of traveling great distances, treat yourself to a great massage or facial or a day of pampering at a day spa. Avoid the hassles of long-distance travel, stay put and keep your celebrations low key so you can enjoy what you’re doing rather than feel like you’re on someone else’s treadmill.
Do you have any other recommendations on how to avoid or cope with holiday stress?
Don’t deprive yourself of the tools you need to relax and rejuvenate. Simple repetitive rituals can make you feel more in control. Make time for massage, yoga and exercise. Even small “daily doses” of these rejuvenating practices can make a huge difference in the quality of your life, your moods and your outlook.
Set up a space in your home where you can just relax and refresh yourself, an unofficial meditation spot or a comfortable pillow and favorite picture or statue for yoga.
We all spend so much time indoors and in cars, trains and buses but being outside and just noticing the weather, the sky, the vegetation, the wind and just taking it all in will help you feel more grounded. Staying in touch with nature and the seasons can help make our own stress and problems seem less serious or daunting. Try it – it works!
When you travel, take along items that will help you enjoy a few precious moments of relaxation away from home. I always take bottled water, a book of inspirational writing and my CD player or iPod stocked with our At Peace Music. This way, I can set up my own “relaxation station” wherever I happen to be.
(Please put in the John Gelb Q and A here – just like in the News and More section. Please add the all caps headline to that Q and A too – so they look identical. Add a white horizontal line between each article/entry below.
back to Holiday Tips
HOLIDAYS - A Time to Build Relationships
By Sherry Donovan, Sales Director, At Peace Media
AT PEACE Editor's Note: Sherry is renowned here at At Peace Media as the person who never misses an opportunity to write a personal note of thanks. It doesn't matter whether she is the recipient of a small act of kindness or a fun evening on the town - Sherry never misses an opportunity to write a personal note and express her thanks.
Here are Sherry's suggestions on how to view holidays as a time to strengthen relationships with your clients and customers.
1. Thank you - You can't say it too often
Saying thank you may sound simple, but think of all the times you wish someone had said 'thank you' to you for something, yet they either forgot to do it or just didn't take the time to express it? Not only is it important to say thank you, knowing how to do it is also an art that is worth practicing until it becomes second nature.
2. The Art of Saying 'Thank You'
Even though we're surrounded by increasingly fast technology and the ability to send messages to everyone we know in nanoseconds, sometimes communicating the 'old fashioned' way can have a stronger, longer lasting impact -- not only with those dear to us but also with clients and customers whose business we depend upon for our livelihood.
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What do I mean by an 'old fashioned'
thank you? A quick email or e-card is
easy and expedient. Anyone can pick
up a phone and take 15 seconds to
leave a message. And while there's
nothing wrong with either of these
two modes of communications, if you
take the time to follow up with a
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personal, written thank you note, you’ll indicate that you've given that customer or client more than a passing thought. One spa consultant we spoke with even told us, " I have never received a personal card from any of my numerous spa visits. It would make a huge impression if I did."
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3. Deadlines, work pressure and no time
Your desk is covered with work, files, post it notes filled with 'to dos’ and you have deadlines bearing down upon you big time, so how can you possibly have the time to write personal thank you notes, right? Fact: Writing a personal note is a basic customer service practice that will never go out of style AND it is something that does not have to take a lot of time. You can write a personal note in 2-5 minutes -- about as long as you might wait for a cappuccino standing in line at Starbucks! Skip the 'boilerplate' or "canned greeting" thank you notes. Keep a stack of blank note cards with just your name or business logo on your desk or in your purse or briefcase, and you'll always be ready to seize the opportunity when the thought strikes.
4. Express your thanks simply -
but with feeling
Your note need not be long but it does
need to zero in on something specific.
Express how you appreciate the effort,
or consideration or time, talent, skill,
sweat involved. Cite a personal comment
or advice that you found helpful. Let your
note recipient know that you value your
friendship or relationship with them.
Everyone wants to feel like his or her
actions and efforts make a difference -
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in ways large and small. One of the most poignant and meaningful thank you notes I ever received was from a friend going through a health crisis. Knowing that humor can heal, I spent some time making this friend laugh and forget her cares for a brief period of time. She in turn wrote me a thank you note simply thanking me for making the effort to help her laugh and look at her situation from a different point of view - imagine that!
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5. Holiday Thanks - Timing for impact
Writing personal thank you notes year round is good practice. But if you've missed the opportunity already, why not beat the holiday rush with a personal thank you note to usher in the holiday season? Your message will have more impact if you do it early, before holiday fatigue sets in. Even if your business has plans to send out a standard holiday card to a huge list of recipients, take the time to write a personal note of thanks - to a select group of repeat customers and perhaps include with it a small gift or promotional coupon.
Contact Sherry
back to Holiday Tips
HOLIDAY STRESS TIPS
AT PEACE Editor’s Note: Making yourself more aware of the dynamics of stress can help you feel more in control and increase your ability to cope more effectively. According to experts at the Mayo Clinic, the three areas that commonly trigger holiday stress or depression are relationships, finances and physical demands.
For some people, the holidays bring unwelcome guests — stress and depression. And it's no wonder. In an effort to pull off a perfect Hallmark holiday, you might find yourself facing a dizzying array of demands — work, parties, shopping, baking, cleaning, caring for elderly parents or kids on school break, and scores of other chores. So much for peace and joy, right?
Visit the Mayo Clinic website and learn more about pre-emptive strategies for holiday stress.
HOLIDAY GIFTS – DOS AND DON’TS
AT PEACE Editor’s Note: Holiday shopping can be fun – but also a nail-biting stress producer as well. How much to spend? How to save time and money? Here are some useful Dos and Don’ts from O, The Oprah Magazine that make sense, for both businesses and individuals.
Don't spend randomly. Set a limit for gifts—and stick to it.
Don't hesitate to buy the same gift for several people on your list—as long as they don't know one another, who cares?
Do take one vacation day early in the holiday season to get all your shopping finished so you can avoid the crowds and the 11th-hour pressure.
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Do talk with friends and family about gift alternatives. They may love the idea of, say, exchanging services ("I'll help you clean your closets, you help me build bookshelves"), or pooling gift money and donating to a cause, or springing for a day trip instead.
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Visit O, the Oprah Magazine website and read more.
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to hear music clips.
