We Visited Palma Colectiva, a New Space for Healing Arts, Wellness Events, Retreats and Conscious Retail in Santa Barbara
Using soothing shades of ecru and white and natural materials like wood and stone, Palma Colectiva seeks to promote healing and well-being.
Offering a well-rounded approach to healing and wellness, Palma Colectiva was founded earlier this year by Meredith Markworth-Pollack, a former costume designer for film and television, and her husband, intuitive healer Daniel Pozas.
The space is named for their daughters, Paz and Alma. Their mission: to bring together multiple healing modalities working through the mind, body and spirit in a curated manner that will inspire and bring forth deep wellness.
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Answering a call to honor her true nature, Markworth-Pollack left the entertainment industry to become a certified Reiki III practitioner. In that capacity, she hosts a variety of ceremonies, events, and retreats. Originally from Mexico, Pozas incorporates his indigenous lineage into his work.
I had a 60-minute treatment called Sound & Reiki Healing with Reiki Master Giuliana that was transformative. I was asked to lie under a blanket on a massage table in the center of the studio where a mask was placed over my eyes to block out light and distractions. For the next 45 minutes, Giuliana used a combination of sound therapy and Reiki techniques to induce a deep state of relaxation during which I saw visions of loved ones who have passed.
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Later, Giuliana told me that she saw the color red emanating from my heart chakra and that a male figure I presumed was my father was present in spirit and watches over me. She also told me that I am deeply connected to those I’ve lost and that they hear my prayers, which resonated with me because I know on a soul level that it’s true. While you may not report visualizations or subtle imagery during your session, keep an open mind. At the very less, you should feel less stressed and more energized.
Meredith Markworth-Pollack and her husband Daniel Pozas relocated from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara to open Palma Colectiva.
The menu of services and treatments at Palma Colectiva includes Reiki, Breathwork, and Kundalini Yoga, as well as a Tea Ceremony and Cacao Ceremony unlike anything you’ve probably experienced in the past.
Tea Ceremony
While the traditional practice originated in China and Japan, tea ceremonies are enjoyed around the world today as a way to slow down, connect with nature, and awaken the senses.
What to Expect
The host prepares and serves tea in a deliberate and mindful manner, using special tools and utensils to create a beautiful and serene environment. High-quality, organic teas selected for their healing properties and taste are used. Typically, the ceremony begins with a period of quiet reflection and meditation. Then, tea is prepared using a specific set of steps, each one performed with care and intention. Brewed in small amounts, the tea is poured and presented to guests individually as a sign of respect and appreciation. The beautiful ceremony is designed to cultivate a sense of inner peace and tranquility, which seem to be in short supply these days.
Cacao Ceremony
A sacred gathering that uses raw, organic cacao as a tool for spiritual and emotional healing, cacao ceremonies often incorporate other healing modalities such as sound healing or reiki to enhance the overall experience. The goal is that in a safe and supportive space, participants can let go of negative emotions, connect with their inner selves, and open their hearts to love and compassion.
What to Expect
You’ll consume a small amount of cacao in the form of a drink or elixir and engage in various practices such as meditation, breathwork, and music to connect with your inner self and the world around you. You’ll also be encouraged to set intentions for your experience or use visualization exercises to deepen your experience and help you connect with your inner wisdom. A powerful plant medicine, cacao contains a variety of natural compounds such as theobromine and phenethylamine that can help uplift mood, enhance focus, and promote feelings of love and connection. Overall, a cacao ceremony is a beautiful and powerful practice that can cultivate feelings of love and compassion help you heal from emotional wounds.
Breathwork
The practice uses conscious breathing techniques in order to create a deep sense of relaxation and awareness that can help us release stress, reduce anxiety, and connect with our inner selves. A powerful and transformative practice, breathwork is believed to increase the flow of oxygen in the body and promote the release of tension and toxins.
What to Expect
A trained practitioner will guide you through a series of breathing exercises that may involve rapid, deep breathing; long, slow breaths; or a combination of both. You’ll be encouraged to focus your attention on your breath and allow yourself to fully experience the physical sensations and emotions that arise. The session may also include music, sound, or other tools to enhance the experience and promote deeper relaxation.
Furniture can be rearranged to create an intimate experience for small groups.
Reiki
A Japanese healing practice based on the idea that energy flows through all living things, Reiki can promote healing and balance, help to reduce stress, relieve pain, and promote feelings of peace and well-being. The word itself can be translated as “universal life force energy.”
What to Expect
A trained practitioner will place their hands lightly on or near your body, using a series of hand positions to channel healing energy into your body. You may experience feelings of warmth, tingling, or deep relaxation as the energy flows through you. Overall, Reiki is a powerful and gentle healing practice that can help you find a deeper sense of connection and harmony in your life.
Kundalini Yoga
Combining movement, breathwork, meditation and chanting, the spiritual and physical practice promotes physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. The idea is that we all have a dormant energy, known as the Kundalini and located at the base of our spine, which can be awakened through the practice of Kundalini Yoga.
What to Expect
You’ll engage in a series of physical postures or “asanas” combined with specific breathing techniques—“pranayama”—to promote the free flow of energy through the body. The practice also incorporates meditation and chanting or "mantras” to promote focus and clarity of mind.
Sound Bath
A form of meditation that uses sound to promote relaxation and healing, sound baths are said to have therapeutic effects on the body and mind.
What to Expect
You’ll lie down or sit comfortably while a facilitator plays a variety of instruments, such as crystal bowls, gongs, chimes and drums, creating a soundscape that surrounds and envelops you. The vibrations created by the instruments can help to release tension, reduce stress, and promote a sense of deep relaxation. Some people also report experiencing a feeling of euphoria or heightened awareness during a sound bath.
The sounds of a Chau gong are well suited for sound therapists and meditation practitioners.
Intuitive Healing
Spa & Beauty Today contributing writer Erin Dougherty had an Initial Consultation and Energy Healing Session ($175) with intuitive healer Daniel Pozas. Here, she shares her experience:
Pozas grew up in Mexico immersed in the traditional indigenous folk beliefs and practices that his grandmother lived by. He remembers that when he was afraid as a child, she made him eat bread. As it turns out, she was onto something. Fear stimulates the nervous system, which causes the stomach to become upset. Eating or chewing on bread, which is a carbohydrate, neutralizes the acid in our stomachs, reducing symptoms like nausea and stomach pain.
As an adult, Pozas moved to the U.S. to pursue a degree in psychology, but he continued to be interested in energy healing and shamanic practices. While he studied with a neighbor in Mexico, he is hesitant to take on the moniker of shaman. Instead, he considers himself more of an intuitive healer or someone who connects to his own intuition and spiritual guides to channel messages to people during an energy healing session.
Pozas’ easygoing energy and capacious laughter put me at ease during the initial consultation. It was like talking to an old friend. He asked me questions about my life, what my interests were and my intentions for the healing session. We meandered from topic to topic, both connecting on our mutual interests in psychology and energy healing (I studied Reiki in my 30s).
After the consultation, he led me to a massage table set up in the middle of the room. The decor—mostly neutral colors like whites and creams–created a serene environment in which to relax and let go of the stress and worries of the day. Scattered among the abalone shells which held sage for smudging (a ceremony used for cleansing negative thoughts and energy around a person or place) were images of various deities, and the sound of someone chanting softly wafted from the speakers.
I didn’t have any expectations as the session began, but was comforted by the messages Daniel shared with me. He suggested that I practice connecting to myself and to my body just as it is, imperfections and all, in order to deepen my sense of self-love in whatever way that looked like to me. I talked about how hard it was not to compare myself to others and how I’ve internalized many of the societal and cultural beliefs around aging that are constantly bombarding women in particular.
In between receiving intuitive messages from Pozas, I enjoyed the feeling of calm that enveloped me as he walked around the table, sometimes laying hands on a part of my body that he was guided to send healing energy to. When the session was over, I felt more connected to myself as well as deeply relaxed.
Palma Colectiva aims to bring together multiple healing modalities working through the mind, body, and spirit in a curated manner that will inspire and bring forth deep wellness.
Palma Colectiva is located at 1221 State Street, #24, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. For more information, visit their website or send an email to hello@palmacolectiva.com. Follow them on Instagram: @palmacolectiva
[Photos courtesy of Palma Colectiva]
Marianne Dougherty is an award-winning writer, editor and publisher, who has twice been a finalist for a Golden Quill Award for journalistic excellence. Predicting the day spa trend, she founded American Spa magazine in 1998. She has also been editor in chief of American Salon, Launchpad, and Shades of Beauty magazines. In 2003 she published her first novel, What We Remember, which was a Mariel Hemingway Book Club selection. Follow her on Instagram: @mariannedoughertyauthor. Or visit her website: mariannedougherty.com
Erin Dougherty earned her undergraduate degree in Creative Writing from Seattle University and a Master’s in English from Duquesne University. She has been Associate Editor at Launchpad magazine and a contributing editor to American Salon magazine.