In the heart of downtown Tucson, Kate Becker of Kate’s Magik exudes a creative, daring and pioneering spirit. She creates intent-based essential oil blends and offers a new take on massage that strives to promote wellness on all levels—physical, emotional, spiritual and mental.

As the founder of Kate’s Magik, Becker followed the road less traveled before she found her calling as a therapeutic perfumer and singer-songwriter. After her parents divorced when she was only four years old, she spent time living between two continents, with her father in New York and her mother in Bern, Switzerland. This geographical divide created emotional turmoil.

Early in her turbulent childhood, Becker started to develop physical illnesses which began with belly aches. When illness became a constant, her mother chose to abandon traditional medicine and instead sought out alternatives, such as holistic medicine and intention-based healing. Her pain taught her the lessons she needed to learn to become a healer. Becker opines, “Our challenges are our greatest teachers and our gifts lie within our wounds. All the challenges I’ve had have become my gifts.”

Becker describes how as a child, she always felt she was destined to be on an artistic versus a scholastic path. She relates, “I never liked school. I was drawn to anything artistic. I do come from a family of artists. My father’s a writer, and my mother was the right hand to the Director of the International Bern Jazz Festival. My aunt and uncle were painters and another uncle was a musician, so I knew I needed to find my art.”

While she was young, Becker studied dance—both theatrical and modern. In her teens, her knees went out, destroying her vision of the future. She pursued photography and acting, but then the influence of her mother led her to pursue a musical career. After becoming a singer-songwriter, Becker strongly believes in the power of music as medicine for the soul. “My third album was released earlier this year, and it is by far my biggest and best. I feel now like I really belong as a professional artist,” she comments.

The new album, titled Pirate Radio, has a Sonoran/Latin influence and features accompaniment by some of Tucson’s most prolific musicians, including Petie Ronstadt, Michael J. Ronstadt, Salvador Duran and Pete Swan. With her new confidence, Becker belts out her best vocal performance to date.

Back in 2001, Becker visited Arizona during a three-week camping trip and it was love at first sight. “I felt it was home,” she recalls. Becker was in her early 30s when she moved to Tucson in 2002. She had always been drawn to scents and she began to immerse herself in the study of essential oils, spending 14 hours a day in her pursuit of the perfect therapeutic blend. At that time, most of the available perfume oils sold in stores were not natural, but rather synthetic blends.

Becker espouses the healing powers of using the essences of Earth’s natural plants, especially when infused with reiki energy. When she set out to create her initial palate of 20 therapeutic anointing oils and mists, it only took a few tries. Becker reveals, “It just happened. It was almost like in Harry Potter, when you’re not doing anything and it just creates itself. It was magical. That’s why I called it Kate’s Magik.” Since 2002, her business has taken on its own life. It has experienced exponential growth, and her products are sold around the country and beyond.

With the plethora of massage studios in Tucson, Becker’s studio distinguishes itself with its cutting-edge modalities and nurturing qualities. Becker explains, “Indulging in a massage from Ritual is more than a traditional massage. It will definitely incorporate traditional massage, including the back, scalp and reflexology, but in addition to that you also get the component of aromatherapy, reiki and intention. It’s a wonderful experience to be treated and taken care of.”

The massage may include a combination of spoken meditations, reiki, mist purifications and chakra alignment. “Set your intention and visualize how you want to feel when you walk out of the treatment,” Becker advises. “Start with how you feel now, and be specific about your intention of what you want to change in your life, such as a desire to release resentment, blame or self-deprecation.” There is a vast selection of therapeutic oils/aromatherapy to choose from to help clients remove obstacles and achieve goals, such as “Sun of Success” or “Clarity and Focus”.

Massage recipients have the opportunity to choose their ritual in advance, including options such as “Letting Go”, to let go of negativity, judgment and emotional stagnation; or “Purification and Protection”, which is designed to eliminate negativity, break patterns and addictions, move through grief and prepare for new beginnings. All of the massages are designed to address both the body as well as the recipient’s state of mind.

Becker is grateful to have had the opportunity to create healing tools and beautiful aromas that enrich people’s lives. With the magic of Kate’s 100 percent Pure and Natural Essential Oil blends, life is sweet smelling and even more beautiful.

Ritual by Kate’s Magik is located at 215 N. Court Ave., in Tucson. Connect at 520-743-1486, KatesMagik.com or RitualTucson.com, and find her music at KateBeckerMusic.com. See ad, page 4.

Suzie Agrillo is a freelance writer in Tucson and a frequent contributor to Natural Awakenings magazine. She focuses on writing on the arts, inspirational people and the human connection.