The Benefits of Therapeutic Massage

What is a massage and what does it really do?

There are as many different types of massage techniques as letters in the alphabet. The practitioners are even more diverse than the techniques. Massage is a healing art form and students can learn the same techniques and will develop their own unique touch style. It is the equivalent of an improvised dance as the practitioner evaluates the client’s needs and performs accordingly.

Massage can be used to address the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual bodies. The body is a storehouse of emotional memories and scar tissue. Massage can help release stuck emotions that can be the cause of physical pain and chronic problems. Many people seek massage for comfort from the loss of a loved one, divorce, depression and traumatic events. Massage is very beneficial for chronic pain and injuries while retraining muscles to conform back to their natural state. Massage is a great health maintenance tool that keeps your body young, more fluid and flexible as well as for detoxification, immune system boosting and a happier outlook on life. A healthy positive attitude automatically heightens your immune system and promotes longevity. I love Dr. Deepak Chopra’s quote, “Your cells are listening to what your mind is thinking.”

Sports and medical massage strictly address the physical body for injuries, surgeries and chronic issues. In my view it is not possible to separate the mind and body no matter what the intent and focus is. It is solely between the massage practitioner and the client how penetrating a session will be physically and emotionally.

My massage practice is a combination of:
Swedish: long smooth gliding strokes and kneading of muscles. Deep Tissue: deeper penetration into the muscle after the Swedish technique relaxes the muscles.
Shiatsu: pressure with the finger, thumb, palm, or elbow, to specific zones on the skin located along the energy meridians. The treatment brings about a sense of relaxation while stimulating blood and lymphatic flow. The benefits of this treatment may include pain relief and a strengthening of the body’s resistance to disease and disorder.
Aromatherapy: therapeutic grade essential oils or plant extracts are applied directly onto the skin and spine to relax muscles, pull out viruses, clean receptor sights at the nerve endings from chemical toxins, anoint, oxygenate, and detoxify the body. The session will leave you with hydrated tissue and cells, a stimulated immune system, and a feeling of being relaxed and peaceful.

Note: 77% of essential oils on the market are synthetic, fake, toxic and dangerous. 22% are adulterated with fillers and 1% are the REAL McCoy. I only use “Young Living Essential Oils” because they are the 1% and I have studied with the president of the company since 1996.

I highly recommend receiving massages for your health maintenance routine. It is well worth the cost since it will save you time and money from doctors and hospitals in the long run and you will age with grace and ease.