The seductive nature of the language of Anatomy and Physiology

Every time I read a magazine like this two voices in my head chirp up. One says "Oooh, you should know all these muscles and nerves and medical names.  You should know them inside out because they were in your A&P module. And if  you don't know them you must be a bad therapist." The other says "Wow! More stuff to learn! I should go out and buy myself medical text books and immerse myself in the cutting edge developments of medical science because the body is a fascinating thing!"

 And today, a third chirped up: "Medical science is fascinating. But I don't want to be a doctor, or a nurse, or a diagnostician. My intellectual interest has been piqued, but my passions on a day to day basis have meant thus far I have yet to translate this piquing into a doing. And I'm seeing some wonderful results with clients - using good old fashioned Touch."

I have a scientific background and coming to NO HANDS Massage was a real struggle for me on many levels. The only way I truly began to learn about NO HANDS as a client and as a practitioner was to put aside my "science head" and really feel NO HANDS in the whole of my being, letting go of any previous assumptions about what should or shouldn't happen and inhaling the new experiences of what happens in the real world. I'm actually really saddened that Touch as a therapy in and of itself has lost the respect it deserves and seems only to be taken seriously when applied under a complicated therapy title while talking about anatomy and physiology which even the scientists are still beginning to understand. In fact, I feel for me to talk about the body in terms of "now I'm stretching this specific muscle" is an insult to those in the medical profession who have spent years studying the human body and are still learning. My knowledge barely scratches the surface.

I dream of the day when there is a Massage magazine, not just for professionals but for clients alike, which is filled with stories of client experiences. Of practitioner experiences of how they felt IN THEIR BODY after treatments - what is affecting the results they are getting with their clients. And overall a place to chew the cud about the amazing power of Touch. 

The power of Gentle Touch

The thing I find most exciting about Massage and Touch is how many different ways it can go. Even remembering back to my days at uni when I was just beginning to discover the many "shades" of Touch I can recall one particular evening when someone gave me a shoulder rub - there's no doubt it was deep but, in truth, it was awful! It wasn't right, it wasn't sensitive and it wasn't what I needed at the time. I've loved receiving really deep, really strong Touch but have found myself on a rollercoaster of a journey exploring the power of really gentle touch.

Power in gentleness? I'm struggling to piece it together myself, to find the words, but these days I find my responses to treatments being much more powerful when there has been at least some light, gentle Touch. And I've been wanting to write about it for weeks and now, as I sit down to give it a go, I realise finding the words is much harder than I'd anticipated!

Take Sunday. I was lucky enough to have a treatment from a good friend and wonderful Massage therapist and when she asked how I wanted the session to be I was very clear that, as I was lying prone (face down) I just wanted to her to work "all over but very gently". I've been exhausted recently (sadly in the absolute sense of the word - but I am working on it!) and within minutes I was slipping in and out of sleep in a way I don't normally on the Massage table. I'd come to and realise she'd moved to an entirely different part of my body - and I simply accepted it.

At the end of the session it took me a good time to come round, get myself dressed and emerge from the treatment room. The space this gentle Touch had created had allowed me to take some incredibly important time for myself and although my energy was still relatively low (for me) it had recharged enough such that the rest of the day was manageable. I honestly don't think I could have taken a stronger degree of physical contact - although the depth of the treatment I took from this "light" touch was phenomenal.

Likewise, the previous week I had had a treatment with one of my regular therapists and again, it was the light, gentle Touch which I asked for and which did the trick for me. And yet I know my therapist can do very deep, very strong and very powerful Touch. Light and gentle from her is not "skin polishing", it is powerful bodywork delivered very gently. There's something about knowing the therapist has the capacity to get deep down into my structure if I ask for it that helps me trust the power of the gentle work even more.

And amongst all this comes the fact that both these practitioners were absolutely respectful of what I asked for. Of the fact that this is my body and I'm the expert in it. Yes, I seek support and advice when it's really out of kilter, but in the main if I take a breath and really feel what's going on for me I'll discover what I need to do. Like leaving work promptly today as my energy for being there had dissipated entirely!

It's taken me over 5 years of training as a Massage Therapist and learning about being the best client I can be by getting regular treatments to begin my exploration of the world of gentle Touch. And all I can say is if you've never tried it - ask your Therapist, the one who does the amazing deep work for you, if they can do a light session. And just see what it does for you.

Massage - the Great Unknown

The longer I'm around Massage, the more it seems like something which is one of those "best kept secrets" - it  has so much to offer and yet is so rarely recognised as such!

I was lucky enough to stumble across Massage at a party when I was about 17. Until then it hadn't really entered my sphere of knowledge and even then it was many years before it became anything other than something I did occasionally for friends. Likewise, I'd receive a shoulder rub here and there but the thought of booking in for a Massage, spending time and money on "Me Time", never even crossed my mind. Even as I was doing my first Massage course I didn't book in as a client with an existing, experienced therapist. I mean, why would I?

Looking back now I can't believe I didn't twig sooner that, actually, to be the best I could be as a Massage therapist I really needed to understand what it was like to be a client. Not just someone who had felt other therapists Massage during practicals on my course, but someone who valued herself enough to book in regular appointments and learn the full scope of what Massage could offer.

I'm still learning that full scope - and it's an amazing journey! I wish I could communicate just the things I have felt and witnessed Massage can do - that's my current challenge.

What is true is that I see my fortnightly Massages as an integral part of looking after myself - they're not optional, they're not indulgence, they're important for my health. A major challenge for me is the disconnect I get between what my body is physically capable of sustaining and what my mind thinks it should do. How's that as a recipe for burn out? But Massage is such a powerful tool I have to get back into touch with what, physically, I can do. And when it's time to give myself a break and get some rest, even if just for a couple of hours. So that's certainly one thing Massage can do...

Massage Musings....not alone!

Over the past week or so I've been considering starting a blog about my thoughts on Massage (mainly sparked by a couple of topics which have really got me inspired recently) and today I discovered there are other people out there doing it too! Sadly they seem to be quite sporadic but at least they're out there.

Massage has become such an important part of my life in a way I never would have expected - my musings are my own view on the world and my view on Massage is still very young (with a therapy that's been around for millenia, a couple of years around it is nothing!). I just love the fact that every client teaches me more - and I have the privilege of getting to spend time with (and call friends) so many NO HANDS Massage practitioners. The journey is just beginning...