Why Everyone Doesn’t Benefit From Massage Therapy
Today I heard a discussion between two celebrities regarding full body massages. The discussion started with the benefits of their “treating” themselves to relaxation. The conversation then went into questions that arise when you have a full body massage, i.e do you get totally naked? Do you allow your body to relax and have bowel/ digestion sounds? Do you tighten up to keep from “passing wind”? Does a man keep from getting aroused with a female massage therapist? They were at first laughing and their own sense of ridiculousness and yet they ended up talking themselves out of the benefit of the massage. I felt it brought up a good time to discuss why many people don’t benefit from massage therapy. First it is a treatment, not a “treat”. It is a therapy to relax and release harmful tension and trauma stored in our body’s muscles, ligaments and connective tissues. With the attitude of a “treat” the issue of deserving it and practicality come into play in our value system. 2nd getting naked or “stripping down” to our birth suits brings up a great sense of vulnerability. 3rd human touch whether between family, loved ones, friends and especially strangers is an issue of control. Some people did not grow up with physical affection as normal behavior. You’ve seen events where people are “touchy feely” and others are barely comfortable with a handshake.
You will see that even one of the three reasons listed keep the benefits of massage therapy to a minimum.The one thing these blocks have is that they all spring from being “in your head”. Our mind and judgments diminish our receptivity and therefore we accept, willingly, to be in pain, blame other or “government & corporations” for lives of misery. To be blunt, you tense up (your buttocks which are a MUSCLE) so you won’t “fart” because you’ll be embarrassed. You may say “rich” people can have “treats” or you are a “working stiff” so you’ll live with “it”. Those are all ego mind created falsehoods that diminish your self worth.
Many people are finally exposed to the benefits massage therapy after car accidents or other physical events where they may receive a prescription from their physician. Then people do not continue after the prescription is over because the belief of massage benefits being “temporary” kick in. Meanwhile your body is living and experiencing tension and trauma in everyday life.
Many massage therapist give you stretches to work out specific muscles or areas that in distress. You take these home and have to do them a day at a time to benefit. You have to integrate these changes into your daily life to really find balance and ease of motion. We become responsible for taking in the new information and utilizing it for our benefit. That like all therapies is the point of treatments. You receive new information and/or discover information that seemed hidden from your awareness and then comes into “light” for you to acknowledge and make adjustments.
What am I saying to you? I say and I challenge you to go find a licensed or student massage therapist. Go to a professional massage therapist or to a school of massage (they offer discounted treatments in their clinics) and have the experience. Take courage to really open your body and your mind to a beneficial experience. I say if you do and have a “bad” experience, make another appointment with someone else. Keep trying massage therapy until you discover all the types of massage or reflexology treatments. Take courage and open yourself to human touch. Go with the intention of receiving a healthful beneficial treatment and be persistent. Leave your reasons and rationale of your cultural beliefs and let your body receive a treatment to release the accumulated tension and trauma.
That’s what I am saying, take courage and find the benefit of massage therapy today!
April 5th, 2010 at 11:36 am
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