I got a crush on massage in 2004 and now it’s a full-blown love affair.

Oh Massage, how I love thee! Let me count the ways.

Massage Connects

Massage connects the dots. It connects human beings to each other and their own selves amidst a technology-driven culture and subsequent isolation and lack of belonging.

Massage Informs

Massage brings physical and emotional awareness. I often hear clients say things like…

“I didn’t even know that was sore.” 

“I really needed that. I didn’t even know how bad I needed that.” 

“I feel like I know what I need to do now.”

“I feel more spacious in my body, mind, and heart.” 

“I feel I want to go home and do something creative.” 

On my end, I can get a sense of what a body needs structurally when I have access to their whole body from head to toe. 

Massage Synthesizes

Massage is a hybrid of east and west cultures in techniques, understanding of human health and disease, and philosophy. Massage talks to all systems of the body from nervous systems, to circulatory, lymphatic, endocrine, endocannabinoid, digestive, immune, skin and of course musculoskeletal. Did I mention massage connects?

Massage Uses Hands 

I love using my hands for my job. And knuckles, elbows, forearms, feet, and knees. When I was young and stupid, I left a candle burning on my bedside table and fell asleep. I woke up at 4 am to the crackling of my headboard. I put out the fire impulsively with my pillow which disintegrated in my hand and resulted in 3rd-degree burns on my hands and on my feet.

Somewhere in those three months of healing scar tissue and trauma from this experience, I realized how important my hands are, and that I wanted to use them for my job. Using hands makes it a trade, a craft, and in my humble opinion, an art.

Massage is Meditative

A good massage is a deep dive beneath the surface, a time out, a nap, a journey, a breathing room, spaciousness in the mind-body connection. On the giver’s end, it can be a moving meditation too.

Massage Complements

It plays well with others. Massage accompanies many other therapies safely and effectively. Cancer treatment, physical therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic, psychotherapy, nutritional therapy…

Massage Reminds Us to Receive

Life is a give and take. We are born into this world at the mercy of others to take care of us for our survival. We wind down towards death at the mercy of others caring for our daily needs as well.

In the middle of our life, why do we forget that we need to ask for help? We cannot give from an empty cup. So remember what you need to do to fill your own.