SWIHA Blog

Happy National Cabbage Day! With this fabulous calendar holiday, let’s celebrate with some delicious Sauerkraut and Kimchi recipes! Before we get started, it’s important to learn a little more about fermented foods. What are fermented foods? Are they even good for you? Can you eat them? Should you eat them? In many ways, fermented foods can seem a little scary, or overwhelming if you are not used to eating them. They tend to have a really intense taste, however, so worth trying!

Food fermentation is a process that takes advantage of bacteria to alter ingredients. As mentioned before, this process often leads to fairly strong tastes, textures, and flavors. The bacteria partially breaks down the food, which is what creates this flavor and provides various health benefits too! The process in which the bacteria breaks down the food allows for the nutrients to be easier to digest, which in turn, gives you access to more nutrients than normal. Discussed further in the Holistic Nutrition: Raw Food Cuisine class offered here at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, research suggests that this is a great approach for health overall and has many potential health benefits for humans.

Now, let’s dive into the recipes!

Read More

Topics: Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, Holistic Nutrition, SWIHA, Whole Foods, Recipe, Arizona, Tempe, Raw Foods, Holistic Education, National Cabbage Day, Saurkraut Recipe, Kimchi Recipe, Food Fermentation, Gut Microbiome, Raw Food Cuisine

Breath and life… when we enter this world we take our first breath, and when we leave this world, we take our last. Breathing seems like it is the most natural bodily function, as we don’t have to think about breathing, every second of every day. However, breath controls so much more in our life than we are aware of. Pranayama. In Sanskrit, Prana translates to “vital life force” and Yama translates to “gain control”. In yoga, breath is associated with Prana, and many ancient breath techniques were born which involve learning how to control your breath with different styles and lengths. When we learn more about the art of breathing, we may be able to take more control of our lives, and not just save our peace for the yoga mat.

Read More

Topics: Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, SWIHA, Yoga Teacher Training, Breathing Techniques, yoga, Arizona, Breath, YTT, Tempe, Yogi, Yoga studio, Holistic Education, Calm, My Spirit of Yoga, Bellows Breath, Alternate Nostril Breathing, Tranquility

The concept of energy is very prevalent in the wellness space for entrepreneurs. Your energy and vibes as a business owner have more of an effect on your business than you may realize. When we aren’t careful, or intentional, our energy can affect others and our business in a way we may not have intended. Oftentimes, when things go awry, we look to outside forces that may be causing our goals to not come to fruition. In reality, we should be looking within, and evaluating/reflecting our energy and world. If you don’t like what you see, change something about it! There are so many factors that come into play. When looking to shift your energy, reflect on these 5 traits below, as many successful entrepreneurs in the wellness industry attain these values.

Read More

Topics: Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, holistic entrepreneur, SWIHA, Arizona, Tempe, Boundaries, Holistic Education, Wellness Industry, Smart Goals, Health and Wellness, Purpose, Energy, Wellness Entrepreneur, Perseverance, Vibes, Integrity, Bravery

“More than ever people need to be touched. Physically and emotionally, the soul needs to be touched through understanding, meeting people where they are at, and holding them in a space where they can come into a place of calm homeostasis and healing. There has never been a better time to seek an education in massage and the healing arts than now because we have been isolated for so long that we now understand how connection and human interaction is such an important part of the human psyche.”  - Joel Hamilton, SWIHA Associate Dean of On-Campus Education

Read More

Topics: Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, Massage Therapy, SWIHA, Holistic Healing, massage, Arizona, Licensed Massage Therapist, Our Success Center, Career Statistics, Gainful Employment, Healing Modalities, Arizona Board of Massage Therapists, Arizona Massage School

Aromatics, resins, incense, and smudging are all great techniques for clearing and protecting an area, asking for guidance and setting intentions. Whether you are a professional or just curious about Aromatherapy for personal use, Aromatherapy is accessible to all. Amy Horn, LMT and one of SWIHA’s Aromatherapy Instructors states, “An energy clearing and protection spray is just one of the ways in which I incorporate healing botanicals into my daily life. Our bodies are so easily synchronized to the healing properties of thousands and thousands of different plant chemicals and energies. As a practitioner, try some aromatherapy in your sessions and document the results. Most often, I see that my clients’ sessions were amplified, with a deeper and more meaningful experience.”

Read More

Topics: Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, aromatherapy, SWIHA, Essential Oils, Meditation, Holistic wellness, Holistic health, Arizona, Tempe, smudging, Aromatherapist, Energy Clearing, Energy Protection, Aromatics, Resins, Incense

“The power of intention is the power to manifest, to create, to live a life of unlimited abundance, and to attract into your life the right people at the right moments.” - Wayne Dyer

Great Graduate Kami Pollvogt, of the Life Coaching Program here at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, worked in corporate America for over twenty years. When her company downsized and eliminated her department, she was left wondering what she wanted to do with her life. For the first time in a long time, the possibilities were endless. Kami knew she had a passion for human psychology. Kami states, “I found I loved it and realized that all my life I was curious about human behavior and really liked helping others with achieving greater awareness of who they are”. This life revelation in 2016 brought Kami life lessons of self-awareness, living life with intention, and her journey to SWIHA.

Read More

Topics: Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, Life Coaching, SWIHA, Mindfulness, Holistic Healing, life coach, Holistic wellness, Arizona, coaching, Tempe, Holistic Education, Group Coaching, Intention, Self-Awareness, Art Therapy, Holistic Coach

“You are stronger than your challenges. And your challenges are making you stronger. Deep within is a hidden reserve of inner power. Breathe. Get quiet. You will access it. You’re far stronger than you realize - with a capacity to stretch and grow in exciting ways.” - Karen Salmansohn

Before Eve Garifo-Morelli started her healing journey at SWIHA, she was a full-time caregiver for her father. Her entire life, 24/7 was surrounding her father who had suffered from a stroke and lost his speech, the use of his right arm, and now walked with a cane and brace on his right leg. For Eve, this became a high-stress situation having to be a full-time caregiver for her father. On one side, she loved him and fervently stood up to the job of taking care of her father. On the other hand, there were days that Eve found herself not leaving her house, showering, or taking care of herself. There needed to be a change.

Read More

Topics: Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, yoga therapy, SWIHA, Intuition, Meditation, Yoga Teacher Training, yoga nidra, Transformation, yoga, Arizona, Tempe, Yogi, Yoga studio, chakras, Yoga Body Psychology, healing pages bookstore, My Spirit of Yoga, Yoga Cueing, Arizona Yoga Studio

Anxiety is a primal human experience to anticipate and prepare for threats, which can serve as a good thing. However, too much anxiety can quickly turn into mental health issues and can disrupt your daily life, relationships, work, and more. Anxiety can feel different for everyone, luckily, there are some very effective and scientifically proven ways to help us become more grounded, balanced, and in tune with our bodies. Here are 5 Grounding Techniques you can utilize to self-regulate when life is feeling out of place:

Read More

Topics: Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, Massage Therapy, SWIHA, Mindfulness, massage, Holistic wellness, exercise, Holistic health, Breathing Techniques, Arizona, LMT, Mindfulness Exerise, Grounding Techniques, Earthing, Stretching, Massage Therapy Program, Grounding

“Everyone has a story to tell, a lesson to teach, and wisdom to share… Life is a beautiful masterpiece bound together by your experiences. Open up and share your story; become an inspiration to others. You can make a difference because you matter. You were created with purpose. Live your life with intention, go out there and make a difference by being the difference.” - Melanie Koulouris

Great Graduate, Robert Pruett shares his story of high highs and low lows that ultimately led him to Southwest Institute of Healing Arts. Robert asserts, “Mine is a story of extremes - I came from a place of trauma, abuse, and resulting depression - to being very successful and actualized.” After some very turbulent times, Robert encountered some very unlikely teachers that ultimately changed the course of his life. Robert apprenticed under a yoga master and learned musical theory, as well as guitar from two notable musicians. Robert explains, “I was a software developer, and unfulfilled. I felt like I had missed my calling. I kept encountering the word ‘Reiki’ and I didn't know what it meant. One day at a party some of my friends were talking about a Reiki program at SWIHA and I perked up. The next day I saw an admissions counselor. I quit my job and enrolled that very day.”

Read More

Topics: Sound Healing, Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, Life Coaching, myofascial, Massage Therapy, Great Graduate, SWIHA, massage, Myotherapy, Reiki, Ayurveda, yoga, Arizona, Tempe, LMT, Non-Profit, Lumi Lumi, Lumi, Deep Tissue, Ayurvedic Massage

At the tap of a screen, you can tap into a ‘higher power’ on Tik Tok. At the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, we were all forced to live our lives through our screens, and the rise of a single app, Tik Tok, arose. During such a time of distress, people were seeking spirituality more than ever. Without being able to go to public spaces or attend organized religious services, and more - people sought out spirituality on their phones. Following various hashtags, #spiritualtiktok #spiritualawakening #spiritual, and many more, you can view videos of anything from sound healing to reiki blessings to Tarot readings- you have it all in the palm of your hand!

Read More

Topics: Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, spirituality, SWIHA, Arizona, Spiritual, social media, 2022, Tik Tok, Spiriual Tik Tok