Introducing Chelsea!

Many words come to mind when I think about the meaning of sanctuary:

sacred, holy, temple, worship, tradition, ritual, refuge, healing, protection, immunity, and preservation - just to name a few.

To me sanctuary can be both a physical place or a space within ourselves that can house a mood or feeling. Throughout my life I have found sanctuary in a variety of ways, but the common thread in each of these ways seems to be through my connection to nature and people. Oftentimes I manage to pair the two together in my hobbies and interests.

Nature gives us the most beautiful cathedral for refuge and the space to find gratitude in this thing we call life. Washington provides endless options of landscapes and settings for the observation and communion in the sacredness of nature. From the sandy coastline to the peninsulas of the puget sound - from the old growth rainforests to the open plains and big sky of the high desert - from the powerful flow of the columbia river as it carves out the gorge to the tall jagged mountain range of the cascades - the grandeur of what nature has to provide in the way of sanctuary is a blessing to those of us who get the privilege to dwell here. I have been lucky enough to have the opportunity and spontaneity to explore everything that this gorgeous state has to offer. I have roots extending from far east to far west of the state, which has taken me all over. I have driven the 1-90 route from east to west and back again more times than I can count. Road trips for river rafting in the summer are now a seasonal ritual that I cannot live without. Morel hunting in the east, and chanterelle hunting in the west are also traditions that have become integral to my finding sanctuary through not only the settings of nature, but through the connections with the people that I share these experiences with .

Additionally, the sport of disc golf has become a big part of my life over the last 12 years. I fell in love instantly because it combined camaraderie and fellowship with an activity that brings you outdoors. Kitsap offers a variety of courses within a very small radius. One of my favorite courses is actually just down the road from Dogfish Moon at Fredricksen Wilderness Park. Along with having such a great selection of courses in close proximity, Kitsap also has one of the most tight knit communities of disc golfers I have ever encountered. The ability to drive 15 minutes to play around in the trees on the quest for making par or chasing an ace alongside friends, has become one of my weekly meditations, my go-to sanctuary.

The ultimate space of sanctuary to me, is in the space where I can connect to my fellow human. This is probably why I was drawn to the Massage Therapy profession. Not only is there the physical connection in the massage therapy process, but there is also a reconnecting to one's internal self through sensation. Scientifically it could be referred to as proprioception and nociception. If we go a little deeper and think a little more in terms of the abstract we call it the mind-body-soul connection. Connecting on all of those levels is where the real magic happens. Massage therapy can be a facilitator in bringing those internal and external connections together.

Watching and feeling someone integrate their external and internal bodies has been one of the most fulfilling purpose driven aspects of my life.

I find reward in the ability to help and provide the space for an individual to let go of trauma within their bodies, either physical or emotional, or sometimes both at the same time. Massage therapy can be the conduit of this process through the connection of safe healing touch.

Dogfish Moon Sanctuary embodies many of the recurring themes that have surrounded how I find sanctuary in my life. The blending of the eastern and western healing therapies that we as a team provide reminds me of my continual trek from east to west and back again. The variety of our bathhouse amenities reminds me of the many cleansing bodies of water where I have spent my summer days. The differences in natural spaces found on the property, for instance the open field, the hills mixed with woodlands, dogfish creek, and the beautiful gardens and fruit trees, all remind me of the differences in landscapes that Washington has to offer. The most beautiful resemblance that I see is in the potential for human connection at Dogfish Moon, both in the connection found within community and the connection found within the healing and integration of our external and internal selves.

I have dreamt of a place as special as this for a very long time. What a privilege it is to be a part of this dream becoming a reality. Dogfish Moon Sanctuary brings to me a sense of home, safety, and belonging that only sanctuary can provide. I am so excited to be a part of this team and this space as it brings a sense of home, healing, and belonging to our community as well.

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Chelsea is the extraordinary masseuse in our founding team of practitioners, and we’re delighted to have her with us and to share this adventure with her. You can read a bit more about her work here and book an appointment with her here.