At Santa Barbara Athletic Club, we understand that a holistic approach to wellness is more comprehensive and productive than simply relegating it to exercise and nutrition. That’s why, starting September 2nd, we’re adding new wellness classes to the Santa Barbara Athletic Club schedule in partnership with PALMA Colectiva. On the first Saturday of every month, our members can enjoy activities like sound baths and guided breathing that promote wellness. Let’s explore who PALMA Colectiva is, what these classes entail, and their benefits!
Santa Barbara Athletic Club x PALMA Colectiva
Founded by Meredith Markworth-Pollack and Daniel Pozas, PALMA Colectiva offers multiple modalities for whole-being wellness. Their treatments include Reiki energy healing, sound healing, intuitive massage, craniosacral therapy, tea and cacao ceremonies, and breathwork.
Partnering with a local business like PALMA Colectiva was the obvious choice when we decided to add wellness classes to our schedule. Their practitioner’s skills and expertise mean SBAC members are in the best hands during their journey.
Sink Into Sound Baths
While sound baths are relatively new, the concept of sound for wellness is not. The ancient Greeks used sound to heal illness, and many religions use chanting in their spiritual practice. Other acoustic techniques, like singing bowls, found their way into many Eastern religious practices.
During modern sound baths, attendees lie down in a relaxing pose while being “bathed” in sound from various instruments or vocals. As they focus on their breath, vibrational resonance created by the sound waves penetrates the mind, body, and soul.
Sound bath enthusiasts claim the experience promotes relaxation and balances energy. Initial research does show a correlative effect between sound vibrations and an increase in blood circulation and cellular metabolism to eliminate waste, muscular relaxation, and a decrease in oxidative stress, which could help with neurodegenerative diseases. Vibrations also stimulate the vagus nerve, thereby helping with depression, inflammation, and calming of the nervous system.
In fact, positive results from acoustic therapies have proven impactful enough that many hospitals initiated sound therapy programs for patients. While sound can’t cure anything, its use as a supplemental modality is validated by clinical backing.
Bliss Out With Breathwork
The new wellness classes on the Santa Barbara Athletic Club schedule will also focus on breathwork, a tool whose benefits have been confirmed by researchers for years. While there are many different breathing techniques, scientists agree they all achieve the same thing: relaxation.
Relaxing may sound like a minimal solution, but it’s key in fighting the effects of an overly stimulated stress response, which can lead to depression, anxiety, and immune-system suppression. Plus, it’s one of the few free therapies nearly anyone can do.
Of course, just taking time to breathe is a great habit, but having a professional guide you through different controlled breathing methods can help you find which exercises are most effective for calming your nervous system.
Wellness Offerings on the Santa Barbara Athletic Club Schedule
If the research doesn’t convince you, test the wellness classes yourself! Try any or all of these sessions to promote the health of your mind, body, and soul:
1. Hypnosis Sound Bath with Danielle Elese I September 2nd from 10-11 am
This Reiki-infused class includes guided meditation with light hypnosis to deepen your journey into the soundscape. All levels are welcome. Discover the ancient practice of sound healing, nāda yoga. All set up included.
2. Breathwork For Health with Megan Attore I October 7th from 10-11 am
Join for an active breath practice to clear stuck or blocked energy from the body to deepen a relationship with mind/body health. Breathwork also opens the door to increased creativity and a more fulfilling relationship with the self. Drop in with a soothing sound offering that will restore and ease.
3. Alchemizing Breath and Sound with Jacqueline Tozzi and Devin Peterson I November 4th at 10 am
Enjoy an alchemizing breathwork ceremony and sound bath. Let yourself connect and access inner radiance from the landscape of the body. You’ll be guided through the transformational Pyramid Breath method by Jacqueline Tozzi and grounded by an alchemizing sound experience by Devin Peterson. Let the merging of breath and sound release limiting beliefs and harness your true power within.
4. Sound and Reiki for Stress and Anxiety with Sophia Trieste and Meredith Markworth-Pollack I December 2nd at 10 am
Join Sophia Trieste for a relaxing sound bath that gently guides you to deep inner peace and ease, releasing thoughts, and built-up tension from stress and anxiety. Enjoy hands-on Reiki by Meredith Markworth-Pollack that will restore your mind, body, and spirit. All set up included.
Also, keep in mind that you’ll be lying on the floor, so wear comfortable, loose clothing and drink plenty of water afterward! Interspersed with a fitness routine and healthy diet, these wellness classes can round out your regimen and fill the gaps that exercise and nutrition can’t.
Get All the Perks With a Santa Barbara Athletic Club Membership
From work to relationships and family life, a positive and relaxed mindset can touch each part of your life and make coping with daily stresses easier. We want Santa Barbara Athletic Club to be a place that fosters internal and external well-being. That’s why we offer healthy eats at the Earthbar Cafe, have a host of resort-style amenities in our facility, and partner with like-minded businesses like PALMA Colectiva to upgrade our classes. Learn about all the perks of membership here and sign up for a complimentary tour!