A tranquil oasis just for women has come to the Col. Mexico neighborhood of Mérida. We got to know the proprietor, Lorena Scafidi, and asked her how she created such a welcoming environment at the Lakini Massage and Relaxation Clinic.
First, please tell us about yourself. I read that you studied in Milan, Italy. Are you originally from Milan, and what brought you to Merida?
I am Italian, originally from Milan, where I was born and grew as a person as well as a professional. I had the opportunity to work in the world of beauty, improving my knowledge in facials, body treatments and makeup. I soon discovered my natural sensitivity to the practice of massage therapy: I’m definitely sensitive and extroverted. I enjoy human contact and truly believe in its power of holistic healing.
In 2006 I moved to Mexico City, and of course, I fell in love with this wonderful country and its people. I could not resist the charm of Mérida, so now I live here, enjoying the peace, generosity and warmth that nourish my happiness every day.
Your clinic is like an oasis in the city. How did you creat a relaxing atmosphere?
In such a welcoming city like Mérida it was not hard to find the perfect place for my clinic. With respect to its location, it is convenient to major roads such as the Prolongation of the Paseo de Montejo and Calle 20 in Col. Mexico, yet is fortunately away from the traffic and noise of the street, surrounded by greenery in a cozy place.
Entering Lakini, you are enveloped with a sense of peace and tranquility: natural materials, warm colors, delicate aromas and soothing music. All are welcomed into a special space of privacy and intimacy, a serene oasis. As a woman, a mother, a wife and and a worker, I decided to create a space dedicated exclusively to women. Women are the emotional fulcrum of families and therefore more than anyone exposed to stress and physical and emotional wear.
What can a customer do for herself in her daily life to promote calm and healing?
I am aware of the frantic pace at which we live today. I am also a very practical person, so I love to give simple tips, which are customizable to anyone’s life. First, I teach the importance of learning to breathe; we often forget the vital role of this very natural and instinctive mechanism until we feel the need from time to time to take a deep breath, and immediately we felt relief. With only ten minutes a day of exercise we can make good breathing a true “breath of life” and counteract stress and anxiety.
The second tip is to smile, to ourselves, to the people who you pass on the street, and to life in general. It is surprising how this simple step can make us feel and radiate happiness.
So take me through the process. What can a new customer expect when entering Lakini for the first time?
Today we all need to feel confident and safe before receiving a professional service, especially if it is about finding the road to wellness. Therefore, the first thing I do is let people know the flow of the space, and then introduce the professional massage techniques which I offer, explain their characteristics and why it is wise to choose one or the other.
Following that, I conduct an interview to understand my client’s physical and emotional characteristics. I share my knowledge, walk her through the products I use, and make her aware of the process that we will perform together. I find an answer to every question that comes to mind.
Obviously, your massage is more than a relaxation technique. Can you explain the health benefits that massage promotes?
Massage is one of the oldest and most powerful forms of healing we know and used in every culture in the world, led in the past by human instinct, today backed by scientific knowledge.
Every move generates a mechanical reaction upon our bodies, especially on the hemo-lymphatic system, with a chain reaction that involves the entire physiological system: improved blood circulation, oxygenation of the tissues, muscle and joint elasticity that activates cell regeneration, and muscle contractions that promote the elimination of toxins and excess fluid.
Massage unlocks and opens energy channels throughout the body and allows a constant flow of energy and nutrition on both a physical and emotional level: It increases our emotional stability and security, improves communication and introspection.
Lakini is more than just a pretty name. I see her photo and the Hindu goddess Lakini looks powerful, but serene. Tell us what the deity means to you personally.
Lakini is the guardian Manipura chakra Hindu goddess, best known as the solar plexus chakra. Manipura in Sanskrit means the city of the shining jewel. It is the third energy center where the experience of transformation and vital energy is generated to feed us physical and emotional truth.
As a woman, mother and wife today, throughout my life I have learned that it is not only important to have a good quantity and quality of energy, it is an essential move in the appropriate direction. Serenity, stability and determination are needed to make the right decisions. So I found my muse in the Lakini goddess; my inspiration, strong and unbreakable, she gives me everything I need to stay focused. With one hand holding the fire, the element of transformation, another holding the vajra, a symbol of strength and power, and the third hand giving us the arrow to shoot our energy to a precise point, and the fourth hand gesturing to dispel fear. With this attitude, I created my clinic of massage and relaxation and I will continue to grow with it.
Read more about Lakini Massage and Relaxation Clinic on their website, lakini.mx. Also, be sure to like their Facebook page to be alerted of specials and promotions. They are at the Plaza Laureles, Calle 21 and 24, next to the Alliance Francaise, Col. Mexico, Mérida. Hours: Mon.-Fri, 7 a.m.-1 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. By appointment only.
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