At Etana Wellness, we’re trained in the advanced, anatomy-based methods taught by the Chikly Health Institute. Here’s why the lymphatic system needs more respect—and precision—than what viral trends offer.

1. The Lymphatic System Doesn’t Flow Like Blood
Unlike the circulatory system, the lymphatic system doesn’t have a heart to pump it. Lymph relies on unidirectional flow, muscle movement, and the integrity of your lymph vessels and valves.

When people rub back and forth on lymph areas—like the collarbones or behind the knees—they’re not aiding lymph movement. In fact, they may:

• Irritate the tissue
• Disrupt the natural rhythm of lymphatic flow
• Cause localized inflammation

Effective lymphatic drainage follows a very specific anatomical pathway, and direction matters. Rubbing or tapping without that understanding won’t have the intended effect.

2. The ‘Big 6’ Was Meant to Be a Simplified Intro—Not a Full Treatment
The “Big 6” method was initially designed as a very basic self-help routine, often used to support children or people with chronic illness in clinical settings. It’s not a complete or appropriate substitute for trained manual lymphatic drainage.

As with any specialized modality, context and technique are everything. Without knowing:

• The location and direction of actual lymph vessels
• How to assess areas of congestion
• How much pressure (or how little) to use

…it’s unlikely these at-home routines are helping much at all.

3. Lymph is Sensitive: Less is More
One of the most surprising truths about lymphatic work is that it’s not about pressure. Lymphatic vessels are just under the surface of the skin. The lightest touch—think the weight of a nickel—is all that’s needed when done correctly.

In fact, deeper pressure or excessive repetition can shut down lymphatic flow temporarily or trigger an unhelpful inflammatory response.

At Etana Wellness, our therapists use precise, trained movements based on years of anatomical study. We’re not guessing—we’re working with your body’s natural systems to promote true healing.

4. What Actually Works? Trained, Gentle, Directional Support
Real lymphatic drainage is gentle, slow, and methodical. It requires:

• Deep knowledge of the lymphatic map
• Understanding when and where to drain
• Coordination with the body’s natural rhythm

Whether you’re recovering from surgery, injury, or just feeling run down, lymphatic drainage done right supports your body in a way that TikTok never could.

When It Comes to Lymph, Get It Right
It’s great to see more people paying attention to their lymphatic health—but good intentions don’t replace good technique. At Etana Wellness, we’re trained to work with your lymphatic system in a way that’s gentle, effective, and based on science.

If you’ve tried the ‘Big 6’ and haven’t felt results—or worse, felt more discomfort—it might be time to let the professionals guide your recovery.

Ready for a real lymphatic reset? Book your session at Etana Wellness today and experience the difference expert technique can make. BOOK HERE

The post The Truth About DIY Lymphatic Massage: Why the ‘Big 6’ Technique Isn’t What You Think appeared first on Etana Wellness.

We are super excited for this!
With the upcoming price increase, this is a great way to lock in the old rate and save some money! 
You have two memberships to choose from: 

6 Month Membership – $105 per month (reg $115)
One 60 minute massage per month

12 Month VIP Membership – $145 per month (reg $155)
One 90 minute massage per month

+ Free Hot Stone add-on, Aromatherapy add-on, Hot towel add-on
+ With the option to add unlimited additional massages at the old rate as well!
Choose from a 60 minute ($105), 75 minute ($125) or 90 minute ($145) massages as many times as you’d like throughout the 12 months!

Please call the clinic to set up!

The post Massage Memberships appeared first on Etana Wellness.

REIKI Share is back! 
Join us:
Tuesday March 14th, 7PM

We’re so excited to announce the return of our popular Reiki Share! If you’re interested in learning about Reiki this is a great introduction or if you’re in need of receiving some Reiki, we’d love to see you!

New Moon Community Acupuncture + Sound Bath

New Moon Gathering
Join us: Sunday March 19th, 5PM

The amazing Jenny and Katelynn are hosting and incredible evening of community acupuncture, sound bowls and meditation… and it’s by donation! 

Email jenny.etanawellness@gmail.com to reserve your spot.

Wellness Retreat

Rockies Restorative Retreat
Sunday March 24 – 26th

Grab your tickets here

Our Katelynn is hosting her second Rockies Restorative Retreat, and we are so proud of her!

The post March Community Events! appeared first on Etana Wellness.

Please check out our new prices on Jane before booking in.

See you soon!

Pam

The post Price increase appeared first on Etana Wellness.

It is with great excitement that I am announcing a new team member at Etana Wellness.

Everyone, this is Samaya! 

Hours:

• Wednesday 5:30pm – 9:30pm
• Thursday 3pm – 10pm
• Friday 9:30am – 4pm

Deals:

Until October 1st, Samaya will be offering 10%OFF all of your treatments! Come on and meet her! 

A little bit about Samaya….

Samaya’s inspiration and devotion to her work began in 2007 at the Vancouver School of Bodywork & Massage.  Over the past 11 years, those core teachings have brought Samaya to many destinations around the world including wellness centers, heliski lodges, spas and even teaching and have shaped her world in remarkable ways. Many years have been spent upgrading her practice by studying and embodying new approaches to health and wellness, through myofascial release, to restorative yoga & bodywork, dance and movement practices and the powerful use of sound therapy.

Her holistic approach to bodywork holds one in a state of loving, compassionate care and aims to nourish all aspects of the human experience – body, mind & soul. Understanding that no single body is the same, neither should the mindset be while doing this sacred work.

The wisdom of ‘Deep Flow’- created by Mylene Bergeron, has been Samaya’s biggest influence with both her work and her way of life. This fluid approach to navigating the body through postural awareness, mindfulness and manual therapy keeps every session fresh and unique and expands the contracted mind to remember we are all filled with infinite possibilities.

Whether one is looking for a physical transformation through the use of deep tissue techniques or a more energetic & spiritual approach to the body, everything is welcomed and addressed to meet your personal needs. All sessions are catered to settling the nervous system and creating more freedom, space, movement & flow

Samaya is now nestled in the mountains of Canmore, Alberta and is excited to bring her expertise to the beautiful Bow Valley and to anybody in need of some balance, rejuvenation and self-care.

The post New Massage Therapist appeared first on Etana Wellness.

I’ve been asked a lot lately about what I do to meditate. So I thought I’d share with you all in one quick blog post

These days I’m finding it difficult to practice my Vipassana mediation of completely clearing my mind and focusing on my breath. So I have created this for myself instead. It gives my mind something to focus on and at the end I feel incredible! It really sets the tone for the whole day.

Here we go

One – The Breath

I start by clearing my mind and solely observing my breath. Some days I am able to do this quite well. These days, I cannot.  When I have a busy day ahead, its sometimes very hard to let my mind rest and all I’m able to do is 3-5 breaths without my mind wondering, to be honest.

I aim for 1 minute. But I let myself off the hook if Its too much of a struggle and just try to focus on 3-5 belly breaths just to steady my breathing.

Two – Positive Thoughts

I have created a mantra for myself.  Or a series of really positive things I say.

For example:

I am present. I am grounded. I am healthy. I am happy. I am strong inside and out. I am financially abundant. I am kind. I am humble. I am successful.

I will even add specific stuff like:

I do 17 massages/week. I do 4 spray tans/week. I sell 2 personal training packages/month.

I say this at least 3 times in a row. Sometimes more if I am in a funky mood or tired. And If I’m even having trouble focusing on this I say them out loud to help.

Three – Gratitude

I sit and think of all the things I’m grateful for. And I don’t just think of them…. I feel them! I smile. Sometimes I cry because it makes me so happy and I’m so freakin grateful

Four – Grounding

I ground myself.  If I’m seated I feel the floor under my feet or the chair under my bum. If I’m laying on the ground I feel the floor under my body.

That’s it! This usually takes between 5-10 minutes to start my day.

Try it and tell me what you think

Happy Friday everyone!

The post My Meditations appeared first on Etana Wellness.

Its been a long time coming, I know. The anticipation has been killing you lol

Sorry for the delay.

I spent quite some time trying recipes for kale chips to find my favorite one…. And here it is!

Ingredients 

There ya have it! Enjoy! <3

The post The most amazing Kale chips!!! appeared first on Etana Wellness.

We have moved!

Etana Wellness has moved and is now located at 203 – 902 Main (8th) Street, Canmore. We are directly above Rebound Cycle at the very end of main street. The entrance to the upstairs is located at the left side of the building. Parking is directly out front.

What does this mean for clients of Etana Wellness?

Better hours!   Better location!   Bigger studio with more equipment!

Hours are:

Massage – 10am – 8pm

Personal Training – Anytime you like!

Lot of shops, cafe’s and trails around if you are making a day of it from Calgary or taking turns with your spouse.  Come on in and check it out!

The post Etana Wellness has a new location appeared first on Etana Wellness.

Curious about trying Reiki while visiting the Canadian Rockies? Many come to the mountains to heal, restore and re-energize their bodies.  Reiki is a great way to do this!

So what the heck is all the hype?

Reiki is an energy healing modality that uses “hands-on” and also “hands-off” healing, where the practitioner acts as a conduit for universal energy, in order to rebalance and clear blockages in the chakras, or energy centers.

Benefits include:

• Dissolves energy blocks and promotes natural balance between mind, body and spirit;
• Increases energy levels;
• Creates deep relaxation and helps the body release stress and tension;
• Clears the mind and improves focus;
• Accelerates the body’s self-healing ability;
• Aids better sleep;
• Reduces blood pressure;
• Helps relieve pain;
• Assists the body in cleansing itself from toxins;
• Supports the immune system;
• Helps spiritual growth and emotional cleansing;
• Promotes creativity; and
• Compliments medical treatment.
• Promotes equilibrium in the body and a sense of feeling grounded
• Reiki helps to stimulate and balance physical, mental, emotional and energetic systems.

Reiki can be extremely powerful and effective.  It infuses your chakras and your body with the energy of the universe. Your body takes exactly what it needs at that point in time, and the Reiki practitioner’s role is to act as a channel of universal energy to help facilitate that healing, so that the body can heal itself. When you infuse Reiki into areas of the body that are energetically or physically weak, the healing process can begin as your body allows itself to fully release.

The post What is Reiki? Come try some energy work while visiting Canmore! appeared first on Etana Wellness.