Jessie Holland Ayurveda & Yoga

I went to Jessie for a Shirodhara session as I was completely mesmerized by the concept and wanted to try it out for it's healing benefits. I must say that she and the practice did not disappoint! I felt taken care of from the moment I walked in. Jessie is very kind and thoughtful. She asked if I had any questions and explained the entire process. I felt comfortable and relaxed the entire time.

Shirodhara is like a warm soothing journey into your deeper being that allows you to drop into a meditative state and rest there so that your body can do the work of healing. I stayed in a tender present state for several hours after the session (like that ooey gooey lovely state! :D) and felt more centered for several days after. I feel that the practice may be beneficial to anyone with hormone imbalances, anxiety, stress, or similarly related issues. It was a wonderful experience.

Practicalities:
-If you have very thick hair it may take a couple washings to get it back to normal. On the plus side this practice hydrates your hair like nothing else!
-Bring a towel with you for after the session so that you don't get oil on your car seat/clothes.
-Wear clothes you don't mind getting a little oil on.
-Plan on having a free schedule after your session to get the full benefits of this practice.
-This is not the best practice if you have any neck pain issues.
-Enjoy the magic!

Every word I think of to describe Jessie Holland's services fall short. I just read another persons testimonial and saw the word sublime and thought, YES! The experience was absolutely sublime. I have gotten the full body massage and the shirodhara and both are out of this world. The massage is the perfect ratio of deep tissue and relaxation. The stress melts off your body.

The shirodhara was an experience unlike anything I have ever done before. Assigning words to the treatment almost zaps it of it's potency and profundity. Seriously, but I guess I should give it a shot. I felt like I was skipping through a dream-like trance while by physical body was rooted in reality. The oils Jessie used felt as if they were draining the toxic thoughts straight out of my head. I "awoke" from my trance utterly refreshed.

As an overworked small business owner who struggles with the proper amount of self care, I can honestly say that the wellness services Jessie provides are powerful and pack more of a punch than multiple massages, etc. received elsewhere.

Do not let the (totally reasonable) cost of Jessie's treatments deter you from investing in yourself. You will understand within moments of meeting Jessie that your health is being handled by an expert in her field and when it comes to personal health, that is truly invaluable.

Just had a shirodhara with Jessie, sublime! She started by explaining what the purpose of it was, which helped me set my intention for the treatment -- push out the frenetic energy of the world and replace it with love and peace. Her nurturing touch and the warm oils had me transported to lala-land pretty quickly.

One suggestion: don't try to drive anywhere immediately after this treatment. You'll need to walk around a bit in the lovely neighborhood to come back to Earth again.

Jessie is magical. I really didn't buy into this line of medicine until the wifey suggested to give it a try. I am surprised and how much better I feel. I'm now a convert. I hope to see her on a regular basis for more of this magic!

Shirodhara has been on my "must try" list for years, so you can imagine how excited I was to discover Jessie in my new hometown of Oakland. She offers a full menu of Ayurvedic body therapies that are more affordable than what I've seen elsewhere, which is a big reason why I hadn't treated myself before!

I've seen Jessie twice and treated myself to Shirodhara, Abhyanga, and Netra Basti. And they are really treats if you're looking to pamper yourself. I went to la-la land with both the Shirodhara and Abhyanga, which involve heated oils poured on your forehead and slathered all over your body, respectively. They are wonderfully sensual, warm and nurturing treatments that are especially delicious during the colder months. Abhyanga was, hands down, the *most* blissful massage I've ever experienced. I was floating on clouds for the rest of the day. The Netra Basti was also warm and nurturing for my eyes, which are often fatigued from office computer work all day. I got the Netra Basti with the Abhyanga. Both the Shirodhara and Abhyanga are great for the hair and skin, respectively because of the oils. I left the oil in my hair from the Shirodhara in all day and my hair was silky smooth the rest of the week.

I highly recommend Jessie--she has a very peaceful presence and a great memory. It was quite a few months between my two appointments and she had remembered things I told her from my first visit. I can't wait to try and treat myself to her other therapies!

Tips:
1) For both Shirodhara and Abhyanga, Jessie provides a hot, wet towel to wipe yourself down with afterwards but you may still want to wear clothes that you won't mind getting mildly oily.
2) Don't plan anything major afterwards and if you can, have someone pick you up after Shiro, Abhyanga, and Netra Basti (your eyes may be a little blurry) because you will be floating on clouds and maybe not in the best state of mind to get in a car and navigate your way home, or rush off to another activity!
3) For Shirodhara, you may want to bring your own towel or head wrap to wear on your way home to cover up your oily hair. It also helps keep your head warm especially on a cold day, which can be jarring on your system after a nice heated treatment.

Jessie's knowledge, confidence, and experience are all very impressive, but it is her warm personal presence that I think most distinguishes her practice. She is grounded, nurturing, and capable of sharing a palpable healing energy. She is serious without being stern, and she has a natural lightness and sense of humor, too.

I undertook a full three-week panchakarma cleanse, a challenging regimen that required discipline, patience, and deep trust in Jessie's expertise. She was wonderfully supportive throughout, available to answer my many questions and also able to adapt her plans based on how my body was responding. Her massages and treatments were blissful and greatly assisted the process of balancing my system and helping me shed the accumulated effects of stress.

Jessie earns every superlative I see in the other reviews- I can't recommend her highly enough.

ms. holland was not only extremely professional but personable as well. she seemed very knowledgeable and was able to give me suggestions to start improving my health immediately. i would HIGHLY recommend her to anyone -- this is how all appts with health care providers should be.
on another note, ayurveda is an ancient, reliable form of medicine that treats/prevents the root of the problem instead of the western approach where they want you to just take a pill. try it!!!!

Jess is a phenomenally gifted practitioner of several healing arts: ayurvedic counseling/nutritional consultation, massage and energy work, yoga. I came to her 8 months ago with a severe bladder/pelvic inflammation and after working with her regularly, am almost completely healed. She is extremely thorough, professional, personable and funny. She absolutely loves her work and therefore her energy is a positive and unstoppable force! I feel so lucky to have discovered Jess and plan to work with her for the rest of my long and healthy life :)

Jessie is an exceptional practitioner. She has such a depth of knowledge and I always feel extremely well cared for when I leave her sessions. She has a great passion for what she does and it shows without a doubt. I would highly recommend one of her body therapies as well for deep nervous system relaxation.

Jessie Holland's skill and knowledge of ayurvedic treatments is ideally suited to those individuals who are stuck in dis-ease and looking to find a high level of health using the foundational elements of diet, herbs, energy point ("marma" - similar to acupressure) massage and yoga. As a doctor of chiropractic, I witness the multiple factors involved in getting people out of dis-ease and getting them back to a more comfortable and solid foundation of health. Personally, I have found that some of my own health issues have responded remarkably well to her ayurvedic treatments. I trust and relax into the dedicated attention to that she provides for me. She understands well the ancient and time-tested ayurvedic philosophy that you cannot treat a person based on chasing their symptoms, but real health comes from fundamentals like diet based on your body type, and clearing energy the points in the body that are closed down due to stress, improper digestion, and trauma. Her herbal recommendations for me are designed to bring me more into center and focus so that I can come from my most authentic, healthy and helpful self. Her bodywork abilities show me that she can feel energetic blockages through her hands: something not everyone can do. She's quietly caring, professional, and certain in her skills. She's not a doctor and doesn't pretend to be, but even if I had a serious ailment rather than more minor stress and tension related issues I would consider her making her, along with my western physicians, part of a health care team. I would highly recommend her for someone who is wishing to approach their health from a constitutional basis and is looking for long term results and solutions.