Story Of Ahahra
Marcia: It was June 2007, the
beginning of my summer break from Reynolds. As a high school special
education teacher, I was burnt out and in need of change. I'd been
suffering from chronic pain, depression and anxiety for five years and
things just seemed to be collapsing in on me. No matter what I did, I
couldn't seem to figure out my life. Then, in a moment of clarity,
everything shifted. My intuitive abilities and connection to the Divine
that I'd experienced throughout my childhood opened again, this time
more powerful than ever before. My gifts evolved, and right away, I
began using them to heal myself and others. I had just opened a
part-time business, giving intuitive readings out of my home. I was on
Craigslist posting my first ad when I noticed the energy of another
post. Something about it caught my eye, and when it opened, I
immediately recognized the woman. Or thought I did. Taking a second
glance, I realized I didn't know her at all. But there was a connection
there. She was a massage therapist and...I could use a massage! Her
address was in Milwaukie and conveniently, I would be out that way
visiting a friend later that afternoon. I called for an appointment, but
she turned me down--told me she could schedule me the next day. Knowing
I wouldn't be out that way again, I politely declined...
Meanwhile....
Amy: Even though I graduated from massage school in 2005, I was still dealing with a great deal of social anxiety and lack of confidence in myself. I had only been posting my ad for a few weeks and at that point, I still had nervous butterflies in my stomach whenever I got a call. When Marcia called, I had just finished a 90 minute massage and had put my table away (I was working out of my home), so my initial reaction was to see if she could come the next day. I could tell by her voice that she wouldn’t be calling me back and as soon as I hung up the phone, I heard my inner voice loud and clear. It said “This is what you’ve been waiting for and asking for." I had been asking the Universe for a spiritual partner to help me out of my hermit status. "Now that it’s here, are you going to open to it or not?” I immediately called her back and asked her to come that day.
Marcia: I was really excited when she called me back. I think some part of me must have already known. I was a little nervous to meet her though. While she had amazing energy in her picture, I had felt at the time that she wasn't terribly warm on the phone. (Insert Amy's defense--once again proving that perception is everything!) But, when she opened the door, I loved her! I knew she and I were going to become amazing friends! In fact, I made sure that we talked through the entire massage because I could tell she was quieter than I was, and I wanted to make it happen soon...
Amy: I was super nervous and trying my best to hide it with what I felt was a “professional” persona. When she arrived, though, I immediately loved her and her energy helped me loosen up a bit. I noticed the spiral tattoos on her wrists and this was even more of a sign to me that she was the one I’d been waiting for. During the massage, she told me about Celtic Reiki and I told her about Shamballa Multi-Dimensional Healing. We decided to get together over the next few weeks to trade attunements.
Marcia: And so it was. I don't remember the individual details of my meetings with Amy that summer. I know that it was within those walls, when we chatted about life and traded attunements, that I really began trusting my feelings and intuition. As I'd close her screen door behind me each time, I'd feel charged and completely alive with New Energy. She inspired me to dream new dreams when I was with her. Little did I know, a bigger dream awaited both of us...
Amy: Each time we would meet, the energy seemed to grow stronger and stronger until it felt like the air was highly charged with potential. During our last trade, she mentioned to me that she was renting a studio to start a practice in. I got the feeling I was supposed to be involved with this somehow, but my doubting voice kicked in and said something like “Wow, she’s amazing, I’m not sure I'm good enough to work with her." Later that night, though, as I was driving, I got the overwhelming feeling that I WAS ready for this and that I needed to ask her. Literally minutes after I had this realization, she called me and asked me if I wanted to share the studio with her.
Marcia: It was all a whirlwind from there. Those two months proved to me that when something is fueled by passion, manifestation is immediate. Long story short, the first room that Amy and I shared didn't work out due to zoning laws. We were forced to decide if we wanted to continue this dream despite the roadblocks, or go back to our "old" lives, where we were safe, but no longer comfortable. That last night in the studio, I said that I wanted to continue to the dream. And Amy said, "...
Amy: “I don’t know what we are going to do next, I just know that I need to be with Marcia and the rest will fall into place.” We set the intention to find another studio and within four days, we were standing outside the red door of the space that would become our new home. Afterward, we went to Old Chicago to celebrate and the name “Ahahra” was channeled through us. We came to find out later that “ahara” is Sanskrit, meaning “food or sustenance for the body, mind & soul." We got our keys November 1st and began bringing the vision to life! We held our very first Open House on December 15, 2007.
Marcia: And then, that's when you came in. All of you. Clients, practitioners, friends, family, all of our loved ones that make Ahahra what it is today. What other business has customers buying them toilet paper at Costco, just to keep Ahahra stocked and at the ready? (A shout out to our member Laura H--thanks love, the T.P rocks!) Our dream is the same as everyone else's dream: just to BE. Happy, fulfilled, loved, inside and out. With nothing to do, nowhere to be. "Should" free. Every last one of us. We're on the path and we know what it’s like. Sometimes you just need someone who understands. We've created a Space for you. We've created a Space for all of us.
Amy: And damn, it looks really good.
Marcia: Dang girl, do you want to go shopping for more curtains?
Amy: Indeed...
Welcome to our House of Awakening.
Meanwhile....
Amy: Even though I graduated from massage school in 2005, I was still dealing with a great deal of social anxiety and lack of confidence in myself. I had only been posting my ad for a few weeks and at that point, I still had nervous butterflies in my stomach whenever I got a call. When Marcia called, I had just finished a 90 minute massage and had put my table away (I was working out of my home), so my initial reaction was to see if she could come the next day. I could tell by her voice that she wouldn’t be calling me back and as soon as I hung up the phone, I heard my inner voice loud and clear. It said “This is what you’ve been waiting for and asking for." I had been asking the Universe for a spiritual partner to help me out of my hermit status. "Now that it’s here, are you going to open to it or not?” I immediately called her back and asked her to come that day.
Marcia: I was really excited when she called me back. I think some part of me must have already known. I was a little nervous to meet her though. While she had amazing energy in her picture, I had felt at the time that she wasn't terribly warm on the phone. (Insert Amy's defense--once again proving that perception is everything!) But, when she opened the door, I loved her! I knew she and I were going to become amazing friends! In fact, I made sure that we talked through the entire massage because I could tell she was quieter than I was, and I wanted to make it happen soon...
Amy: I was super nervous and trying my best to hide it with what I felt was a “professional” persona. When she arrived, though, I immediately loved her and her energy helped me loosen up a bit. I noticed the spiral tattoos on her wrists and this was even more of a sign to me that she was the one I’d been waiting for. During the massage, she told me about Celtic Reiki and I told her about Shamballa Multi-Dimensional Healing. We decided to get together over the next few weeks to trade attunements.
Marcia: And so it was. I don't remember the individual details of my meetings with Amy that summer. I know that it was within those walls, when we chatted about life and traded attunements, that I really began trusting my feelings and intuition. As I'd close her screen door behind me each time, I'd feel charged and completely alive with New Energy. She inspired me to dream new dreams when I was with her. Little did I know, a bigger dream awaited both of us...
Amy: Each time we would meet, the energy seemed to grow stronger and stronger until it felt like the air was highly charged with potential. During our last trade, she mentioned to me that she was renting a studio to start a practice in. I got the feeling I was supposed to be involved with this somehow, but my doubting voice kicked in and said something like “Wow, she’s amazing, I’m not sure I'm good enough to work with her." Later that night, though, as I was driving, I got the overwhelming feeling that I WAS ready for this and that I needed to ask her. Literally minutes after I had this realization, she called me and asked me if I wanted to share the studio with her.
Marcia: It was all a whirlwind from there. Those two months proved to me that when something is fueled by passion, manifestation is immediate. Long story short, the first room that Amy and I shared didn't work out due to zoning laws. We were forced to decide if we wanted to continue this dream despite the roadblocks, or go back to our "old" lives, where we were safe, but no longer comfortable. That last night in the studio, I said that I wanted to continue to the dream. And Amy said, "...
Amy: “I don’t know what we are going to do next, I just know that I need to be with Marcia and the rest will fall into place.” We set the intention to find another studio and within four days, we were standing outside the red door of the space that would become our new home. Afterward, we went to Old Chicago to celebrate and the name “Ahahra” was channeled through us. We came to find out later that “ahara” is Sanskrit, meaning “food or sustenance for the body, mind & soul." We got our keys November 1st and began bringing the vision to life! We held our very first Open House on December 15, 2007.
Marcia: And then, that's when you came in. All of you. Clients, practitioners, friends, family, all of our loved ones that make Ahahra what it is today. What other business has customers buying them toilet paper at Costco, just to keep Ahahra stocked and at the ready? (A shout out to our member Laura H--thanks love, the T.P rocks!) Our dream is the same as everyone else's dream: just to BE. Happy, fulfilled, loved, inside and out. With nothing to do, nowhere to be. "Should" free. Every last one of us. We're on the path and we know what it’s like. Sometimes you just need someone who understands. We've created a Space for you. We've created a Space for all of us.
Amy: And damn, it looks really good.
Marcia: Dang girl, do you want to go shopping for more curtains?
Amy: Indeed...
Welcome to our House of Awakening.
