Hello Everyone! Bergamot Spa has an upcoming special this following week! Please make reservations at www.bergamotspa.com

June 3rd-9th Special 

Fountain of Youth Peptide Peel
Your friends will wonder...did she? Welcome to the future of skin care with this revolutionary treatment.  Treatment begins with manual micro-derm followed with peptide peel exfoliation to prepare for the ultra-hydrating smart cell complex serum, which contains 6 clinically proven peptides in effectively high levels to bring about remarkable results.  The peptides enter the cells and restore communication necessary to rebuild collagen and the deeper layers of your skin, restoring it's firmness and glow.  The result: Skin Illumination.  
$120, usually $140 / 60 min

The Goods

Hi All

We have so much going on at Bergamot. Today we will focus on the boutique. We have purchased some of our favorite things which we hope will become some of your favorite things. We have Tsi La Organic Perfume that melds beautifully with the warmth of your body chemistry and comes in cute roll on bottles. The smells are lovely and unique and are designed to enhance and bring out an emotion such as Love or Joy or Desire. In addition they are GMO certified and free of alcohol.  Havaianas are here and in North County they are the one summer must have. We have some lovely neutral colors as well as shades of turquoise and a couple of sweet design styles. The newest addition to the boutique is a new hair care line, Semi Di Lino Diamante by Alfaparf Milano. These guys are all about shine shine shine. We are all abuzz about how much we are loving this Italian line. Bergamot is also selling a lovely line of jewelry called Alajera. This designer works with big bold stones and has recently launched her Caribbean collection which was photographed here at Bergamot. You can purchase some of her line in our boutique. Come on buy!

Spending our dollars joyfully…

According to Cultural Anthropologist Dr. Robbie Blinkoff since the beginning of our recession at the end of 2007 until now, we have moved from “me” based society to a “we” based one. He charts what consumers are looking for in one of his studies, “Coming of Age in the Great Recession”, which provides detailed insight into our post-recession attitudes and behaviors. As a society we now spend more rationally, focus more on balanced thoughtful transactions and look for more joy everywhere not just where we spend our hard earned dollars.

When I stumbled upon this information I was so pleased. I love the idea of our clients focused on joy and creativity and thoughtful spending. Bergamot’s ideals are based not so much on you acquiring “stuff” but more about enriching your lives. We want you to have an experience all your own where you feel the benefits of your service(s) now and over time. The creation of a relationship with each of you is so much more fulfilling and speaks to how we want Bergamot to grow into the future.

We are always interested in hearing from you. What would enhance your Bergamot experience? When you do spend your retail dollars what types of products would you like to see in our boutique? Let us know- email us at info@bergamotspa.com.

Spring is on its way…

SONG FOR SPRING

It's almost here - It's safe to say 
I saw a Crocus yesterday 
Its' colors bright - A lovely thing 
My heart Rejoiced! 'Twil soon be Spring!

The winter blues will soon be gone 
And birds will soon burst forth in song 
The coral bells will gently ring 
The Daphne yells "It's almost Spring!"

It's neary here! It's coming fast! 
The Robins will appear at last
Oh Wonderous Joy! I too shall sing! 
And join in Nature's "Song for Spring" 

M.Garren

(And what is more joyful then that?)

xo

New Research Shows Mindfulness ‘as Good as Antidepressant Drugs’ in Treating Depression

A new study published the Archives of General Psychiatry has discovered that mindfulness therapy is just as effective as antidepressants in protecting against a relapse of depression.

Mindfulness comes from the Buddhist meditation tradition, but incorporates a focus on helping patients watch their feelings and thoughts in a way that lets them work with them differently, said Zindel Segal of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, in Toronto, Ontario.

In the study, researchers from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto followed 84 people ages 18 to 65 that were in remission from a depressive disorder. These patients were assigned to one of the three groups: antidepressant maintenance therapy, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, or a placebo. They found that the patients that had mindfulness-based therapy or antidepressant therapy had a reduction in relapse risk (28% and 27% respectively, compared to 71% of the placebo group).

Having this alternative to antidepressant medications is crucial – up to 40% of people who come out of depression do not take their prescribed antidepressants to prevent relapse, defying doctors’ recommendations. Pregnant women, for example, may be concerned about the effect of the drugs on the baby. Following on from the news thatmassages reduce stress, this is another example of spa staples such as yoga, meditation and reiki positively contributing to an individuals’ wellbeing.

Can Meditation Make your Brain Stronger?

If we want to build up strong muscles, we assume we've got to hit the gym and lift some weights. But what if we want to strengthen our brains? Try meditation, according to a recent study.

In the study, published in the journal NeuroImage, UCLA neuroscientist Eileen Luders and her colleagues compared the brains of 22 people who had practiced various forms of meditation—for anywhere from five to nearly 50 years—with the brains of 22 people (of similar ages and education levels) who had never practiced any kind of meditation. Using a brain imaging technique that allowed them to view changes across the entire brain, the researchers looked to see if any particular brain regions were bigger in one group or the other.

They found that two brain regions were bigger in the meditators than in the non-meditators, while non-meditators showed no advantage in any brain region. The regions that had greater volume in the meditators have both been linked to our ability to manage our emotions; one of them, the hippocampus, located in the temporal lobes of the brain, near the ears, has also been found to play a role in our skills of attention. Additionally, the authors found evidence that meditation may actually improve the hippocampus' ability to grow new neurons into adulthood, which may be particularly important to keeping our brains sharp as we age.

Previous studies have shown that an active meditation practice is associated with a stronger ability to regulate one's behavior and emotions, and with reductions in physical and psychological symptoms of illness. With this study, Luders and her colleagues have found further evidence for these links, down to the neural level. They note that more research in this area is necessary before they can draw any definite conclusions. But they argue that if effects of meditation are linked to the particular brain changes they observed, then meditators are strengthening the brain regions necessary for the "singular abilities and habits to cultivate positive emotions, retain emotional stability, and engage in mindful behavior.

By Madeline Goodkind

Being Present in the Presence of all those Presents

So here we are smack dab in the middle of the holiday season, celebrating all manner of spiritual, religious and cultural activities, drawing families and friends together to eat, drink, and be merry. But when the last of the leftovers have found their way into your lunchbox, and all the gift wrapping has been recycled, what’s next? There will no doubt be digital media footage to look at, pictures to post on facebook, perhaps a video on youtube, and maybe some thank you cards to write. But when that second flurry of after the holiday-madness occurs before you return to your life as it was before we began celebrating merry christmahanakwanza, what will your remember about the holidays in 2010?

I for one intend on focusing on the time spent with my family. Knowing more then ever that the giggles, belly laughs, snorts and guffaws  shared while making Christmas dinner will long be remembered more so than the gift card I give as a present. That sitting down with the aunt or uncle that I see once a year, (if I’m lucky), and asking them what’s happening in their lives and then listening to their answer will be more meaningful then hoping they like the socks I got for them is.  I intend to be present for my family this year. Not in a hurried flustered let’s get this over with type of present. More in the way I treat my friends. Meaning, I am going to try not to take them for granted. I want to learn who they are, what they like, and share those things about me with them. I want in short to create a loving Christmas with joyful moments where I just am, and we are simply just together.  

So whatever brings you and your loved ones together this season, cherish the little things. Take time out for you. Set boundaries as needed. And breathe. When you are ready to create a day just for you, to thank yourself for doing your best and being your best- we’ll be here. Our massage tables patiently waiting to create another loving joyful moment where you are free to just be. 

INFRARED LOVE

Bergamot has an infrared sauna. It's a bit hidden behind the nail lounge and in it's own cabana, but it's there....waiting to detoxify you. We did our research and found a highly reputable company called Sauna Ray that builds their saunas with integrity, using cedar and no glue or stain in the construction. They are built in Canada and brought over the border without the use of any chemicals (unlike the saunas built in China that must be fumigated when entering the country ...beware). 
We are very excited to offer Infrared sessions as part of menu offerings. Let me entice you with the BENEFITS of theINFRARED LOVE:FAT-BURNER: whoot! whoot! during your relaxing and rejuvenating infrared sauna session, your body sweats and burns calories.DEXOTIFICATION: the deep penetration of the infrared rays into your body and the resonance with your body tissue cells ensure quick removal of body toxins. Your body's natural sweat reaction in the infrared sauna ensures that your skin is deeply purified and that toxins find their way out efficiently.PAIN-RELIEVER: increased blood circulation improves nearly any condition. The delivery of oxygen-rich blood to all muscles and joints stimulates the healing process for all joints and muscle related ailments.STRESS RELIEF: the warm soothing effect of the radiation will provide immediate benefit to tightened and knotted muscles leaving you feeling refreshed and invigorated.CARDIOVASCULAR FITNESS: use of the sauna enhances blood circulation, stimulating the perspiration process and in turn increasing the body's heart rate and overall cardiac output. This achieves similar cardiovascular conditioning as vigorous exercise.BOOSTED IMMUNE SYSTEM:the infrared heat strengthens the body's immune response,resulting in increased resistance to disease by raising your white blood count.
Heal thyself from the inside out.
Lots of Love.