In every aspect of life, there’s a new frontier to reach. There are new art movements, revolutionary scientific discoveries, and technological advancements. The new frontier of medicine and healing is holistic health, which encourages exercise, a balance in an organic and herbal diet, and—most of all—spiritual and mental stability. It focuses on the importance of the varying energies of the human body. The place to go for info? Sukha Wellness Center.

• PHOTO BY STEVE MILLER
• SAY OM!: David, Metta, and Mary Sage Sennewald enjoy their beautiful new space.

David and Mary Sage Sennewald are a wellness tag-team. They’ve studied holistic health for years, analyzing the benefits in accordance with different ailments, psychological and physical. Mary Sage, knowledgeable in yoga instruction, and her husband David, a massage therapist, are the owners of the center—along with their 1 1/2-year-old daughter Metta, who specializes in being a beam of sunshine.

The Sennewalds searched from Santa Cruz to San Diego for a space and have finally settled in an ideal location in Avila Beach. The center is in the Avila Village, parallel to the Bob Jones trail. The interior is crisp and bright, with generously high ceilings and cork spring flooring for comfort. Boasting a five-minute walk to the beach and wildlife and woods surrounding it, the spot is wholly peaceful.

The Sennewalds want to offer not only an eclectic array of holistic training, but explanations for the many types of work that exist; their ultimate goal is to educate.

“We want to bring in teachers from all different studios and create a connection between those studios and the teachers,” Mary Sage said. With their growing expanse of knowledge, they hope to create something of a library for an inquisitive community.

The center is a meeting ground, where teachers can congregate to continue their education, and where beginners can ask questions. The Sennewalds want to create an environment of continuing education, where yoga teachers, massage therapists, nurses, chiropractors, and others in the health and nutrition field can develop new skills or enhance old ones. The space can be rented for retreats, where teachers can bring groups to participate in day- or even weekend-long rejuvenation and learning sessions.

David relayed an anecdote about a course to be taught by Isabel Adkins in May of next year. The course teaches oncology massage (a special massage for cancer patients or those recovering). “Some people living with cancer are so sensitive they can barely be touched,” David explained.

Upcoming events include book signings and workshops. Nicolai Bachman, a yoga and Sanskrit specialist extraordinaire, presents his new book and speaks about its content. Duane Juhan, a frontiersman and one of David’s personal heroes, speaks about a massage technique called Resistance Release Work. On alternate Mondays, Mary Sage teaches prenatal yoga, and Heidi Harmon hosts an interactive children’s music session.

Sukha Wellness Center is at 6615 Bay Laurel Place in Avila Beach. For more information visit sukhawellnesscenter.com or call 801-8088.

Fast facts

Want to get your SLO history on? Join Joe Morris of the Sierra Club on a 90-minute free historical tour around town, exploring the early days of the 20th century in SLO. Sierra Club City Walk of San Luis Obispo: Jazz Age to the Fifties will take place Dec. 17. The tour will begin at the corner of Santa Rosa and Pacific streets. If you have any questions, you can contact Morris at 772-1875. …

Want to get your cat adoption on? The Feline Network, a nonprofit humane organization established to save homeless cats and reduce overpopulation, has cats and kittens up for adoption every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at PETCO in the Madonna Plaza Shopping Center. Each adoption includes a vet examination, and all felines are neutered and vaccinated prior to adoption. For more information, call 549-9CAT or visit felinenetwork.org.

Intern Rachel Fields complied this week’s Strokes and Plugs. Send your business news to [email protected].