SAFETY HARBOR, Fla. — Many people are feeling more stressed now than they did before the pandemic started.
Those people are searching for relief, including Rory O’Connor. The former Navy Seal told ABC Action News that coming home from deployment can be a shock to the system for many veterans.
“Monday, you could be in combat, and Tuesday, you could be at your dinner table. That's not healthy,” said O’Connor.
He continued, “There is the suicide rate. And one of the big things that will set that up is isolation. And when our friends, our fellow veterans, go dark, and you don't hear from them for a while, or they're just really hard to get a hold of, it's time to worry. They've self-isolated.”
After helping many of those struggling Veterans, O’Connor realized early on that he also needed to let go of stress and found meditation.
However, he admits that he is still a student of the practice.
“A lot of people say, 'Well, I can't meditate because I get this rush of thoughts.' That's normal. I've been meditating for 30 years. And that still happens to me,” explained O’Connor.
So he became intrigued when OM Mediation and Wellness opened in Safety Harbor. The one-of-a-kind wellness center has elevated silk scarves, vibrations, and bowl sounds.
Amy Triplett, a mental health counselor, opened OM after taking a similar class with her friend Mara, who had intense pain from Cancer. She found relief by floating in an elevated silk scarf.
“So out of the loss of my friend came the birth of this. So, I know that Mara is actively participating in the healing of other people because of the journey that we had together,” said Amy Triplett.
The aerial scarves softly hug your body, making you feel weightless.
“It's a really nice added element to not feel pressure points, to feel completely relaxed, but also to have your own very personal experience,” said Triplett
And with soothing vibrations, students relax on an even deeper level.
“When we incorporate sound with meditation, it clears out the chatter in your head so much faster and so much deeper than anything else that I've experienced,” said Triplett.
“Thinking about everyone's schedule. My schedule, making breakfast, making everyone's lunch, making sure homework was done,” said Kristin Tsafatinos, a mother of three, math teacher, and runs a nonprofit theater.
Tsafatinos has a busy schedule and knows she must pay attention to her mental well-being
“I feel like I love the quote, 'You can't fill from an empty cup.' And so I learned early on in motherhood and also just in education that I had to take time to make sure that I am paying attention to self-care,” said Tsafatinos.
That is when she found OM, where she feels she’s guided into inner balance and peace.
“At OM, you have the opportunity to, like, really give yourself that gift of time and space to devote your whole self to, you know, the 50-minute session. And then you walk out so much more refreshed and ready to tackle the day,” explained Tsafatinos.
And she is not alone.
“When you hear or experience sound bowls, you're actually feeling it. And that's critical. And there's a soothing cathartic effect to that that I found immediately,” said O’Connor.
If you’re interested in finding out more about OM Mediation and Wellness, click here.
