From Hands to Heart: Tiffoni's Philosophy on Using Natural Tools for Wellness
Tiffoni of Fon Wellness believes that using our gifts is a part of practicing (and activating) our purpose. Massage therapy is a beautiful art form that is innate to Tiffoni. Gliding with the body's muscles, maneuvering around bones, and understanding every individual’s unique pressure points is something that can only be done by an expert. While physical structures usually follow a blueprint, we also know how to use them to create. We use our cells, arms and hands, legs and feet, eyes, and voices to make art.
This shows how little we need. Technology is convenient, but it is essential to remember our natural tools. Tiffoni has always yearned for the "old school" ways of doing things. She wants to write instead of typing (we’ve got her here). She encourages clients to walk instead of driving. She wants to garden and put her hand in the dirt.
Could you look at your hands? All of the muscles and bones, even your skin, are tools! If we’re only focusing on the hands, we can see how our fingers help us pick things up or give a signal. The muscles in your arms allow your fingers to move the way they do. Our arms help us to carry things or dance. We have things in our environment that help us create what we need, which gives us purpose. It gives us a sense of well-being when she makes things with my hands; Fon Wellness is her purpose. Or even when she walks a long distance, she feels free retreating to nature.
Working with our hands helps to improve our mental health, too. Working with our hands helps our brains grow. That's why we need to give children opportunities to learn crafts they can do with their hands, and I do not mean video games, ha! Building their fine motor skills helps their brains develop, giving them skills they can take anywhere with them for a lifetime. So imagine that you learned to play the piano when you were seven and are now 27. You’ve developed a skill you can use to monetize; you also feel AMAZING when you do it. You will likely do it no matter what because it makes you feel good. He's got the dopamine going, so he will keep returning to that skill. We imagine the same connection with a carpenter
Our society has prioritized office jobs and made manual labor seem like it is not as essential or desirable when, in reality, manual labor is the basis for everything we have now. How can we work in a building in those office jobs without construction workers? That is, a skilled worker uses their hands to create. This is not about which is better; it is about our instincts. Our nature, our innate desire to learn, our innate desire to develop, and it is time to go into our future. We have everything we need to be attached right to our bodies, but we've been made to feel like we need all of these extra things outside of ourselves to live a fulfilling life, and I do not believe it is true. While I sit in my air-conditioned house and go outside to sit in my gas-powered car, I appreciate the conveniences, but I also realize how important it is to use my body to create.
Let us remember the simple things like writing, drawing, walking down the street, sitting outside, singing, dancing, or playing an instrument. When Tiffoni started making candles in 2017, she loved them with her hands. It was empowering. It is empowering. The results of what she creates make her feel good about herself and good about life. Now that she is a massage therapist, working with my hands to help people feel better reminds me of how much our bodies can do. Our hands, arms, feet, and legs are the tools we can use to help release muscle tension. What do you use your tools for? What will you create today?
We are excited to see Tiffoni's growth as an educator as she takes on a teaching position this fall. While she will be working at OWC on Saturdays only, we encourage you to continue to connect with this brilliant woman to learn how to better connect with yourself.
