Who Are The People In Your Neighborhood?- A Magical Massage With Evelyn

I first met Evelyn when I was working at an acupuncture office in Nevada City. Her warmth and enthusiasm for life were evident right away, and I always looked forward to her visits-- we loved to talk about everything under the sun, one thousand miles an hour, with barely contained excitement! 

Evelyn has a zest for life that you don't normally see in anyone over twelve years old. Everything she does, she does as an adventuress. Luckily for us, her latest adventure is into the world of Bodywork/Massage! She invited me for a massage last week, and I eagerly hopped on the chance to be on the receiving end of her amazing energy.

Hopefully some of you have had a professional massage before, but if not, let me tell you, there is nothing quite like it. It is soooooo nice to have 90 minutes that are all about YOU, and it is amazing the kind of knots and tension that skilled hands can discover. I had a huge knot in my left shoulder and I didn't even realize it! Her massage sculpted me into a whole new creature, and I felt about ten years younger afterwards.

Evelyn does detail-oriented, focused work, and I felt attended to on every level. She released some very deep muscle tension, and I felt an emotional movement as well. Maybe it was the special "Transformative" massage oil that she used on me!

Afterwards, I just had to do an interview with Evelyn. For such an exceptionally smiley, easy-going gal, she sure has a lot percolating in her brain!  I think you will be as inspired by her life as I am. Enjoy!

 

So, first of all, tell me how you got interested in Bodywork!

I have always loved the body. Through the years I would give foot massages to my friends, then I graduated to working on their shoulders with them sitting in front of me on the floor. In 2008, I came across the Rosen Method and was very amazed by the power of touch as demonstrated by Marion Rosen. I attended a couple of week-long intensive classes with Marion's organization and loved every minute. Then, while at a class in Chicago, I rubbed the shoulders of a new friend. She started right then inspiring me to become a bodyworker. She told me that I had a "special touch" and that I HAD to do this :-). It was my destiny!! She "nudged" me for several months before I finally gave in to the universe screaming at me. She will always be known as "my bodywork inspiration".

 

Evelyn's cozy massage table

Could you tell me a little about your training at the Phillips School of Massage? What makes it different than other massage schools?

Phillips School of Massage in Nevada City (of course this is the extreme shortened version. There was the dilemma of a trip to India, or a month at Esalen thrown into the mix of that decision process). I had noticed the sign there on the building at the bottom of Broad Street many times. It never called to me before, but now I guess it had my number! I phoned and found out the very next day there would be an open house. I attended, and was hooked. I signed up for their CMT1 course. After completing that, I continued with the CMT2 course.The Phillips school is a very special place. You don't learn how to become "only" a massage therapist - you learn how to become a facilitator of healing on many levels. We study everything from intuition, Ayurvedic nutrition and sound healing, to PTSD, oncology massage, working with trauma victims and Aura Balancing. The students in each class are gathered by some universal Pied Piper, who draws the perfect group together.Each student has an amazing path and reason they are there in this particular moment. Meeting so many wonderful people - the students and many guest teachers that show up week after week - is probably the most wondrous part. My life unfolds as a series of beautiful synchronicities, and Phillips feeds that seedling in a wonderful way. It is different than all other massage schools because it is in Nevada City, of course! Any resident of our town, knows that it is a special place :-)

Hummingbird outside of Evelyn's window

What are some of your favorite things about doing Bodywork?

Some of my favorite things about doing bodywork? Well- I have a few archetypes that enjoy this work. My healer archetype loves to make people feel better. My student archetype loves to learn something new from each massage experience. My mother archetype loves to nurture and pamper people. My engineer archetype loves the amazing anatomy and design of the miraculous vehicle we move around in each day. I feel a sense of joy and fulfillment when I have the privilege of working on someone.  It is a gift when a person entrusts their body to my massage. I feel honored. Every part of it is my favorite!

I have known you for a few years now, and it has always struck me what an excellent sense of humor that you have about life, and what an attitude of optimism you have. How do you feed this?

I am very fortunate to have been blessed with an optimistic, enthusiastic spirit.  I don't have to work to feed it... I have to work to keep it under control! I love people, I love to learn and there isn't much that doesn't have something about it that makes me curious. If I could find a money tree that would pay for an endless supply of things I could learn - that would be heaven.That doesn't mean life is always a bed of roses. I have had my share of difficulties. But as long as I can learn something, meet amazing people and have great conversations, it seems to lift me above any problems I may have.

 

You are constantly exploring human nature-- you are an incredibly enthusiastic scientist of Life! Will you talk about some of your other interests?

I have always had an interest in technical things. I worked for the Grass Valley Group and became a Software Design Engineer. I was able to experience a lot of fun things during that phase of my life including traveling the country providing customer training. I pretty much always have a computer around me. I love to build and design.  My husband and I have renovated a few homes, and built a new one while living in Idaho. I love working with tile and installed a lot of tile in our Idaho house. We are currently playing with our home in Nevada City and I imagine it will keep inspiring me for awhile. I have an interest in Psychology and emotional health. I love languages and have studied French and am fluent with Spanish. I love scuba diving, hiking, listening to music, sewing, exercise and reading. I also love animals. My only "child" is of a 4-legged furry kind.

 

Evelyn's dog, Precious. The name couldn't be more fitting, could it?

What has been inspiring you lately?

Besides my friends always, lately I am continually inspired by the teachers at Phillips. Every day is like a new, different and delicious dessert. I am in awe of the huge number of amazing people that live in our area. I want to spend a day alone with each one of them - just picking their brains! And then there is Caroline Myss; such a wonder. Something about her energy captivates me and I have learned a lot from her. I am certified to do archetypal consulting based on her method. (Her teachings are what introduced me to my archetypes I mentioned in the beginning of the interview :-) ) Oh yeah - and then there is Hakomi. I just recently added that to my sources of inspiration. It is a psychotherapy method that heavily involves working with the body. I can feel some Hakomi classes in my future - see how it works?  It is a never-ending process. I have been told I have a "lust for data". I actually feel it is bigger than that. One woman I have enjoyed working with as a business coach said it is obvious that the universe is "molding me like clay". Yeah - that is how it feels. Since her path was similar, she could relate. She encouraged me to be open to any subject that draws me. It will be something greater than me that will choose which of the tools to pull out of my toolbox. My job is to simply fill the toolbox and be ready and willing. So I get the fun part.

Detail on the new garden gate, designed by Evelyn

Okay, silly question! What is your favorite "dance around and shake off the blues" song?

I like soooooo many songs!  kd lang singing "Hallelujah" never ceases to amaze me and swell my heart.  I just found on youtube that she sang it at the opening of the Vancouver winter Olympics...  oh dear - it is now my favorite version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiIcV0vlA9M&feature=related.

Sigh - I don't watch much tv and missed it live. Her voice quality, phrasing, everything - it's perfect.  I can NOT have the blues listening to her sing this.  Then there are the other hundreds of songs I love. (Now I'm all wanting to waste the evening wallowing in delicious youtube vids...see what you did!) That song doesn't make me want to dance though... The Eagles - "All She Wants to do is Dance" - now I can't sit still when that is playing. Just give me a nice bass beat and a good lead guitar riff  and lyrics that make me smile and I'm good to go. Like Sasha and the Shamrocks doing "Happy Anywhere" or "All Alone in the Van With You"!  :-)

Anything else you would like to share with my readers?

I have had such an interesting journey going from pretty much a "left-brainer techno, in my head" person to becoming a bodyworker on the path towards energy work and a complete shift in philosophy towards openness and compassion.  I hope that I can be an encouragement to each person in some way to trust their own path and enjoy it.  Even the dark shadows reveal so many important lessons.  It is all delicious in its own way.My goal is to grow my website CompassionForHealing.com into a resource where I will describe the many healing/growth modalities that have crossed my path.  I want to provide information that can help someone else find a resource that speaks to them and provides an "ah hah moment" that helps them along the journey.

My evelynfassett.com website will continue to grow as my business website.  I list current bodywork specials there and provide other information directly related to my work.  Just as soon as I have the time, I will be working on expanding them ;-)

 

My happy post-massage glow!

I thought that you Gunne Sax lovers would enjoy these pictures from Evelyn's wedding in the early 70s. The dresses were all sewn from Gunne Sax patterns. The ceremony took place at the beautiful Empire Mine State Park, which is still a favorite place for me to take pictures for the shop.

Evelyn and her husband, Roland- and yes, they are still this adorably in love with each other!

 

Gunne Gals!

 

Evelyn and I were cracking up about this picture of the "perfect 70s wedding gift"- the macrame plant holder, of course!

True love!

I hope this interview gives you a sense of the amazing woman that is Evelyn! If you are interested in getting a massage, you can contact her via her website. My biggest thanks to Evelyn for taking the time to share so much with me, and for an absolutely magical massage!

Comments

[Violet Folklore]

Awesome! The wedding pictures are beautiful. And the Empire Mine connection is so special!

[Evelyn]

I had to come back and post again to tell you I LOVE the pic you got of my Precious..

[Evelyn]

uh oh.. I thought I posted another comment, but I guess I didn't finish the last step..

I wanted to thank you for sharing your blogspace with me. You are such a sweetheart! My massage table is awaiting your next session :-)
You are a wondrous being <3

Hugs,
Ev

[heather]

what a lovely interview and blog. i find it incredibly inspiring to read about people "finding their paths," probably because i have no idea where mine is going to take me. evelyn is so lovely and i am just dying over her wedding photos! it's rad that they're still silly in love like that...i think it's all the fresh air and rad healing nevada city energy that buoys and encourages wonderfully optimistic people like evelyn. thanks for this amazing tribute sasha!

[Karen J.]

My Dear Darling Ev, This is so beautiful and so are you.
I love all of it!
Cheers from your old Phillips classmate,
Karen J. :)