Windgate Healing Arts owner Bethany Bundy at 2101 Suite T Trinity Dr. Photo by Bonnie Gordon/ladailypost.com

Bethany Bundy, owner of Windgate Healing Arts, offers body work techniques that may be new to Los Alamos, but have thousands of years of history behind them.

Bundy opened Windgate Healing Arts at 2101 Suite T Trinity Dr., about two months ago. Located near the Los Alamos Public Schools Administration Building, Windgate presents a calm, beautiful atmosphere.

A massage therapist for 20 years, Bundy was drawn to the sacred therapies that many cultures have used to treat the mind as well as the body.

“My treatments are more like a holistic health care experience than a spa treatment,” Bundy said.

From chronic pain to anxiety, Bundy has a variety of ways to help.

“My goal is to help people feel better,” she said.

I sampled two of the treatments offered at Windgate. Thai Yoga Massage incorporates elements of mindfulness, gentle rocking, deep stretching and rhythmic compression within a series of assisted, passive, yoga postures that benefit range of motion, pain management and overall wellbeing.

Nuat Phan Boran Thai, which literally means “the old Thai way of healing with the hands” is a system of healing developed more than 2,500 years ago and practiced by Theraveda Buddhist monks, Bundy said.  Based in the southern style, or “royal protocol” Bundy’s technique was used exclusively on the monarchy of Thailand.

Yoga practice can be painful and difficult for some people. Not so with Thai Yoga Massage. Bundy gently stretches and manipulates one’s body to deliver the benefits of both massage and yoga. I felt taller afterward—no kidding. Clients should wear loose clothing, but there’s no need to undress for this treatment.

After my massage, I spent half an hour in the inferred sauna. The sauna is something like a tanning bed. One’s head is outside in the fresh air, while the body partakes of the benefits of deep heating.

My second session was a Hawaiian LomiLomi massage. Beginning with a traditional chant and surrounded by the sounds of the ocean, this indigenous healing massage is a rare experience. It was originally performed by the Kahunas or shaman elders as a rite of passage or as renewal/cleansing of spirit, mind and body. Although it feels absolutely marvelous, what sets LomiLomi apart is the meditative experience. Afterward, I felt like I’d been on a long journey in some internal realm.

My next treatment will be a Thai Herbal Ball massage, featuring authentic hot herbal balls from Thailand.  This technique combines stretches and aromatherapy hot oil massage together in one experience. The hot steamed herbal compresses are used to stimulate pressure points on the Sen lines (body energy pathways) softening muscles and opening the flow of energy. It is an ancient treatment known for its ability to decrease pain and inflammation, increase circulation, detoxify and improve skin conditions, Bundy said. I can’t wait.

Looking for a traditional Swedish massage? Bundy offers that technique as well. This just scratches the surface of Windgate’s offerings. A certified doula and prenatal massage therapist, Bundy offers treatments for mom’s to be.

Visit www.windgatehealing.com to read about all of the treatments and services offered at Windgate.

Bundy is a graduate of the Downeast School of Massage in Maine, with a focus on body/mind.

“I have continually explored new modalities and techniques,” she said. “Along with my experience and certifications, what I bring to every session is my full presence, intuition and belief that you can be well, and happy in all aspects of body, mind and spirit.”  

​Bundy’s certifications include:

• Certified, Advanced SomaVeda® Thai Yoga Therapist;
• Licensed Massage Therapist in the state of New Mexico, #8602;
• Certified Practitioner of Sacred Hawaiian Temple Style LomiLomi;
• Certified Doula and Prenatal Massage Therapist; and
• In study to become an Ayurvedic councilor and certified teacher of SomaVeda® Integrated Therapies.

Windgate Healing Arts will hold an Open House 1-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 11. Bundy invites the Los Alamos community to meet her and learn about what Windgate has to offer.

Infrared sauna bed. Photo by Bonnie Gordon/ladailypost.com