Tracey Vincel is the co-founder of the KIMA Center for Physiotherapy and Wellness and a renowned pain prevention specialist. We met Tracey last year at the Global Wellness Summit and we were immediately inspired by her wealth of knowledge and depth of passion. Get to know the enlightened wellness guru here!

BuDhaGirl: Tell me a little bit about KIMA.

Tracey Vincel:  KIMA is a physical therapy and wellness center in New York City that my business partner Patricia Ladis and I founded 10 years ago. KIMA is a Greek word that means fluid motion ... it is also an acronym for kinesthetic integrative movement analysis. We named our practice KIMA because we are restoring fluidity back to the body, mind, and breath. By looking holistically and individually we treat the cause of pain as opposed to symptoms. We use cutting edge technology like capnography, real-time ultrasound, whole body vibration, 3D motion and EMG analysis, research grade gait assessments, and APOS therapy. We offer a wide range of services including physical therapy, massage therapy, clinical pilates, therapeutic yoga, Feldenkrais, acupuncture, and mind body psychology including hypnosis and mindfulness training. Learn more at www.kimawellness.com.

BDG: Why did you begin KIMA? 

TV: We set out to build a sacred space in NYC to not only heal from pain but to plant the seeds for our clients to deeply connect to their bodies mind and breath so that pain and suffering could be prevented. 

BDG: How did you first discover BuDhaGirl?

TV: My business partner Patricia Ladis and I first discovered BuDhaGirl while in Mexico City attending the Global Wellness Summit - an international gathering that brings together leaders and visionaries to positively impact and shape the future of the global wellness industries. We were among the 450 delegates that received a set of Serenity Gold All Weather Bangles. 

BDG: What is your favorite piece of BuDhaGirl jewelry?

TV: The All Weather Bangles. In the spirit of BuDhaGirl I gave three of my bangles away at the Summit to another delegate and I wear the remaining six almost every day. They are so light, I can wear them even while treating patients. 

BDG: What intentions do you set with your BDG jewelry?

TV: Negative emotions are diametrically opposed to positive ones, they immediately fight each other for dominance. By nurturing one we are able to conquer over the other. When I was in India last year, I learned this struggle as the internal battle between gods and demons. By nurturing the goddess like qualities within us we overcome our lower natures. I love setting intensions that connect me to my inner goddess and cultivate my feminine energy. Some examples : 

Today I will stay centered/grounded – finding a place beyond measurement of worth, judgment and comparison.

I  will find my center my sacred self unburdened and unmovable. 

Today I will always have enough time to do everything I need to do. 

Today I will let go of everything I have no control over.

Today I am a swan (the enlightened person, the text of India say, is like a swan. If you give milk mixed with water to a swan, the majestic bird is able to extract the milk and leave aside the water. The enlightened person has the ability to nurture her world with the good by disposing it of the unwanted) 

Just as a tree doesn't strain to grow, and just as a river doesn't struggle to flow to the sea, I manifest my purpose naturally through effortless effort.  

BDG: Why is mindfulness important to you?

TV: We need to balance our level of knowing with our level of being. For me mindfulness is less about the mind and thinking and more about the heart and feeling. This practice of getting into the "being" is something I cultivate in my daily life because it brings me a sense of peace and tranquility. This feeling helps me to connect more deeply to myself, others around me and to the larger universe. It makes me feel more alive. 

BDG: What actions do you take everyday in order to be in the present?

TV: I begin my day with a short yoga, pranayama and meditation practice. Throughout the day if I feel myself getting pulled into that "busy" mindset I stop and use one of my favorite essential oils to ground myself and take a few moments to just "Be." When I see a friend or colleague that I want to connect with, even if I am very pressed for time, I stop and enjoy speaking with them even for few moments. I enjoy walking to and from my apartment on Washington Square Park to my office on 22nd Street. Not talking on the phone or thinking about what I need to do when I get to the office but just noticing everything around me bringing attention to the flowering trees, the people, the statue of Gandhi I pass in Union Square. 

BDG: Who is the quintessential BuDhaGirl to you?

TV: The quintessential BuDhaGirl connects to her higher consciousness and lives the Dharma code of truth, purity, nonviolence, and discipline that lifts us from the level of the ordinary and manifests that God/dess within us. 

The quintessential BudhaGirl makes quality choices in her life based on fulfilling her highest potential, she sets her intention in the morning and manifests her purpose naturally and effortlessly throughout the day. She fills her world with positive, flowing current of life and leaves no room for hatred unkindness or want. 

BDG: What are your favorite words of wisdom?

TV: "We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts we make the world. Speak or act with a pure mind and happiness will follow you as your shadow, unshakable" - Buddha