So you have a neck ache, do you pop an ibuprofen that’ll sit in your liver? Or do you rub some peppermint oil on and let it sink into your skin, into your blood stream, and into your cells? 

A Western doctor will give you pills, but an Urban Zen therapist will offer you another way. Tonight, I took my first Urban Zen Workshop at YogaWorks in Westwood and the second Reiki oil they covered was peppermint oil.

“Just think pain, ‘P’, peppermint.”

Two years ago, I had chronic neck pain that pain killers and muscle relaxers couldn’t soothe. As a last resort, I slabbed some peppermint oil on my neck, and surprisingly felt like my head was floating on clouds. I never knew why it worked, and really didn’t care to research it because I was just so happy SOMETHING relieved the pain, but now I know.

The Urban Zen Integrative Therapy Program (UZIT) uses Reiki essential oil therapy, yoga therapy, nutrition, and contemplative care to “treat the patient and not just the disease.” The workshop was amazing. It was a breath of fresh of air to hear that the UZIT program is already being incorporated at hospitals such as UCLA Medical Center!! Western doctors really don’t know how to treat chronic pain besides prescribing pain medicine such as ibuprofen/vicodin, or muscle relaxers such as soma. 

UZIT is literally changing our healthcare methods.

At the end of it, I felt so relaxed and renewed as if I had slept for three days straight.

Hazel Patterson and Nichola Dunn were leading the training. At one point, they insisted we put the oil on our feet rather than our hands.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re tasting that oil right now.”

The oil had seeped into the skin of our feet, into our bloodstream, and we literally could taste peppermint in our mouth. I highly recommend trying one of their classes at YogaWorks, or even taking the training!! (You don’t have to be a yoga teacher to take the training.)

If you want to learn more about the Urban Zen Integrative Therapy Program, here’s their website  http://www.urbanzen.org

P. S.

Had so much fun at the workshop with my teachers Dani, Allison, and Risa from YogaWorks Valencia xox