Shine Your Inner Radiance

As spring unfolds toward its peak before turning to summer, it offers a beautiful mirror for our own journeys of health and vitality. At Namaspa, we are reflecting this month on an important distinction: the difference between social and cultural pressures to 'stay young,' and the deeper path of cultivating true longevity.

In today’s mainstream culture, much of the messaging around aging focuses on appearance and on preserving youthfulness -- as if aging were a problem to be solved. But in yogic philosophy, aging is embraced as a natural and sacred process. True longevity is not about resisting change. It is about nurturing vitality, wellbeing, and inner radiance throughout every season, age, and stage of life.

Yoga also, of course, teaches us that health is not measured by how we look, but by how we feel, how we breathe, and how we live. The core philosophies and principles of yoga, especially the Yamas and Niyamas, offer profound wisdom for cultivating a meaningful and fulfilling life, including lasting vitality.

One such teaching is asteya (non-stealing). In the context of health and longevity, asteya reminds us not to 'steal' from our future selves through short-term choices that deplete our wellbeing. It invites us to live mindfully, with respect for our bodies, our time, and the Earth's resources.

Another foundational teaching is santosha (contentment). Santosha calls us to appreciate the bodies and minds we inhabit today, rather than chasing a fleeting ideal of youth. It teaches us to find joy and gratitude for the simple, everyday miracles: strong lungs and deep breath. The ability to move our bodies in any/all of the ways we are able and/or most enjoy. The journey of working to sustain the ability to focus, concentrate, and give our attention and presence to the people and things that matter most to us. The experience of the sun on our skin.

We can also look to svadhyaya (self-study), which encourages ongoing reflection and awareness of our habits, motivations, and patterns – particularly those shaped by cultural or societal pressures. Svadhyaya invites us to become curious rather than critical, empowering us to make choices that align with our own values and unique needs.

Together, these teachings shift the focus from appearance to experience; from anti-aging to pro-vitality; and from self-doubt to self-honoring.

The yogic path in general, and these specific teachings together within this context, also remind us that true longevity embraces the whole person: body, mind, heart, and spirit. Yoga invites us into doing practices in ways that sustain rather than deplete or exhaust us.

This whole-person, or holistic, approach is so different and counter to, for example, aspects of the modern day health, wellness, beauty, and self-care industries. Though these can and do offer wonderful tools, in large part, they are often trying to pitch and sell ‘solutions’ that are either short-term ‘quick fixes’ and/or only address one particular aspect of someone’s body, skin, life, etc., while simultaneously touting this one thing as the answer to all of someone’s challenges. Often, these quick fixes are also expensive, not supported by legitimate and rigorous long-term studies, and/or even include chemicals/toxins that are not just ineffective, but actually harmful to long-term health, wellbeing, and longevity.

In the marketing landscape of today, billions of dollars are spent every year convincing people we are not enough as we naturally are and sending messages in order to make us feel perpetually lacking – so that we will always be chasing the next product, the next treatment, the next intervention. This larger money-making industry and its corresponding approaches and systems are designed to tap into our insecurities, pushing the idea that aging is a flaw to be corrected rather than a natural, beautiful evolution to be honored.

Long term health, wellbeing, and longevity, as we all know, is not a quick fix or a miracle cream. Instead, for example, it’s series of small, daily choices rooted in care, intention, and  love – care, intention, and love for ourselves and our bodies, for our lives and the opportunity to be alive, and for the journey we are on. And it’s also investing our valuable resources -- like time, energy, and money -- into practices that offer true cumulative benefits in the long run. Practices like caring lovingly for the skin with holistic therapies; nourishing the body with whole foods; breathing clean air and drinking clean water; practicing mindful movement; cultivating a meditation practice; having passions and taking meaningful action in our lives; and fostering genuine connection and community.

These longevity-based practices are, in some ways, quieter, slower, and less flashy. Yet, they are infinitely more powerful. Yoga teaches us to come back to what is real and lasting. True health and radiance are examples of things that can be real and lasting in oru lives, if we choose to cultivate them.

In this spirit of holistic, heart-centered,a nd long-term wellbeing, we are thrilled to introduce Serenity Johnson, Namaspa's new esthetician – and just in time for Mother’s Day! Serenity offers a fresh, beautiful approach to skincare that aligns perfectly with our yoga and wellness philosophy, and we’ve renovated the upstairs treatment room area of the Bend studio so that she has a calm and peaceful space to offer sessions.

A licensed esthetician and soon-to-be-certified yoga teacher, Serenity brings a unique perspective to her practice. Her offerings are not about fighting the natural aging process – they are about honoring the skin as a sacred part of our whole being. "Our skin is the largest organ of the body," Serenity shares, "and we often neglect it or try to overcompensate with glamorized treatments and chemicals. All our skin really needs is love – and a good massage!"

Serenity’s services at Namaspa’s Bend location include holistic facials, gua sha massage, dermaplaning, red light therapy, herbal steam treatments, and more. Each session is designed to cleanse and nurture the skin, while also supporting deeper connection between body, mind, and spirit."I strive to offer a fully embodied experience," she says."Bringing the therapeutic benefits of meditation … skin-deep."

Serenity’s journey into this work is deeply personal. Having once struggled with feelings of disconnection from her own body, she found healing through yoga – and now offers that healing back to others. "I have learned how to become a vessel of healing through my hands," she reflects. "It’s about creating a safe space for people to be with themselves. To feel beautiful and at home in their bodies."

One client’s experience during a time of intense anxiety underscored the deeper potential of Serenity’s work. Simply being held in a safe, nurturing space allowed the client to process emotions, reconnect with herself, and leave feeling lighter and more whole. Serenity shares: "As one popular quote puts it,'healing is not about becoming the best version of yourself; it’s about remembering who you were before the world told you who to be.'"

This guiding philosophy infuses every aspect of Serenity's work. She sees skincare not as surface-level vanity, but as a sacred act of self-recognition and self-care.

Serenity is officially available beginning May 1st for ongoing 1:1 esthetic services (M-F 9:00am-5:00pm, Sat 9:00am-4:00pm, Sun 1:00-4:00pm).

And her esthetic sessions -- as well as massage and Reiki -- are a part of our Mother’s Day Spa Special this month! When you book spa appointments online between May 1st-11th, you'll get 20% off (use code 20%OFFSPA at checkout).

As we celebrate this new season and the arrival of Serenity at Namaspa, we invite you to step into a new vision of longevity. A vision that is spacious, joyful, kind, and rooted in wisdom.

Together as a yoga community we can support one another in moving beyond chasing youth or resisting the natural ‘pulls’ of the changes of life, and instead, set our individual and collective sights on nourishing vitality and embracing life, no matter our age! Let’s honor every moment, breath, day, week, month, and year we are alive as a blessing.

We’re so excited to walk this path with you.

Welcome, Serenity! And welcome vitality and radiance – at every age and stage of life!