What is massage? What are its benefits? What makes massage such a powerful tool?
Perhaps the oldest and simplest of all medical treatments, massage is the sharing of touch – hands on body, on head, hands, or feet. Massage, however, goes deeper than the skin, deeper even then muscles and bones. Massage (or Bodywork) should touch the very core and depth of your being.
Holistic Massage/Bodywork treats the individual as a whole, rather than simply concentrating on specific physical conditions. In holistic bodywork, the intention of, both, client and therapist as well as the communication between them is of paramount importance to the effectiveness of treatment.
A good massage affects you on all levels of your being. Physically, its benefits include relaxing and toning muscles, assisting the venous flow of blood, soothing the nervous system, encouraging lymphatic flow, and stretching the connective tissue of joints. Holistic bodywork also affects the energy centers or chakras. On a mental level, massage not only relieves stress and anxiety, it also helps you become more conscious and aware of your body as a whole, including those parts with which you are in touch as well as those which feel “cut off”.
Once you are aware of where energetic blockages lie, you can begin to work to integrate your bodymind by taking responsibility for your own happiness and health. Massage can be a voyage of self-discovery, revealing how it feels to be more relaxed and in tune with ourselves, to experience the pleasure of a body that can breathe, stand, and move with ease and effortlessness.