New business wants you to just chill

‘It is strange that people have to be taught to relax. But that’s just the way life is for most of us.’

By LESLIE MORIARTY

Herald Writer

SNOHOMISH — So the boss is breathing down your neck.

And that big client keeps calling, wanting to know if you’ve come up with any good ideas for his next sales campaign. Plus, tonight’s the night you promised the kids a trip to the mall to wrap up their holiday shopping.

It’s all amounting to a big ball of stress in the pit of your stomach.

But there’s an answer.

In a quiet corner of the hustle-bustle of today’s work world, the Inner Sound Center for Meditation and Stress Reduction offers simple techniques for stress reduction aimed at busy people.

Located near downtown Snohmish, Inner Sound offers daytime classes designed to allow working people time in their day to reduce stress.

"It is strange that people have to be taught to relax," said Kerry Condell, owner of Inner Sound. "But that’s just the way life is for most of us.

"My goal with this business is to give people an opportunity to learn how to face their busy life and their problems with a natural calmness."

At midweek, Condell, an actress by profession, can be found at the front of a large room on the second floor of the I.O.O.F. Building, 1205 Second St. The lights have been dimmed and soft Celtic music plays in the background.

A sweet smell permeates the room and candles add a relaxing glow. The calm sound of a babbling brook is somewhere in the distance.

It is in this environment that Condell leads half a dozen adults through relaxation techniques during their lunch hour.

"I combine many philosophies and many practices including Native American, Eastern Buddhism, yoga, tai chi and even dance," she said of the classes she teaches. "Different people are attracted to different things. This is sort of a potpourri of techniques."

The actual relaxation work is not meant to be therapy and is not associated with any religion or spiritual teachings, she said. And it is not a form of hypnotherapy.

Rather, the class provides a safe environment where individuals can employ relaxation methods that they learn from Condell.

Because people vary, Condell said, some clients like to come several times a week. Others come once a week.

"The truth is that life is a process," she said. "Even the masters don’t master everything. A person can come as often as they feel they need to. Each person has their own balance that only they know."

Classes are taught on quieting the mind, relaxation for life, and total awareness. Prices vary depending on the number of classes purchased, but they begin at $10.

Her students vary in age and include both men and women. Participation doesn’t require any special equipment and classes can be done in workout clothes or street clothes.

"There’s no sweating or grunting to this," she said. "So a person can come in on a lunch hour and complete a relaxation and return to work without having to shower or change clothes."

Condell and her husband moved to the area only a year ago. She was raised in a military family and has lived many places.

"My husband and I knew this area, and we both thought this was where we wanted to live," she said.

It was her background in acting that led her to teaching relaxation.

"As an actress, you have to know how to relax," she said. "It is key to everything you do on stage.

"I found that knowing how to relax, how to breathe, and how to meditate made me a better actress and helped me with my personal relationships.

"I want to share that with others."

To find out more about Inner Sound Center for Meditation and Stress Reduction, call owner Kerry Condell at 360-568-1196. She also publishes a monthly newsletter that includes "Quickies," five-minute actions that her students can use at their desks to counter stressful times.