Welcome to my first massage blog!
It's not my first ever, but it's the first time I've written for my massage practice. I'm so excited! My first subject to address: Relaxing into it.
Some of my clients ask me what I consider the best compliment. I say snoring. If I've managed to knock you unconscious with massage, I've succeeded.
I call this Twilight.
You're here, but not really. You can hear me moving around the room, feel me picking up your arm, tucking the sheet around you, but you are floating, having waking dreams, slipping in and out your unconscious, healing yourself.
It is called an alpha state. You're breathing deepens, and gets more regular. Your limbs go limp and twitch as your nervous system gears down. In yoga it is called corpse pose. You lay flat out, palms out, feet turned outward.
This is when your best healing occurs.
This is massage gold.
There are levels to the benefits you receive with massage. The first levels are more physical and gained by one time massage(after 90 days, it has officially been forever since you had a massage). Your range of motion is improved, your skin is moisturized and toned with the squeezing and stroking of your dermal layers. Adhesions are broken down, scars are softened.
The secondary levels affect the systems of the body. Your circulatory and lymph systems are pumped, pools of metabolic waste are pushed along to be flushed out by your urinary system, calcium deposits and deeper scar tissue is broken up and re-absorbed by the body. Long standing injuries, and structural issues are addressed and restored to balance. These are reached with repeat massage, at least once a month for six months.
The third deeper levels are harder to reach. They touch us on emotional levels, and heal the nervous system. The deeper levels address chronic pain, abuse issues, PTSD, and a whole host of other psychological/pain management issues.
This is the massage gold I dig for. It comes with viewing massage as an accompanying therapy for pain management teams. This is where massage is done weekly or every two weeks.
I always talk to my clients before their massage to find out what they need. When people are used to meditation and massage, they hop on the table, and instantly begin to sink into their alpha state.
Some of my more anxious clients keep chatting, because it calms them. I'm happy to listen and laugh with them. But I'm always thrilled when they quiet down to the point they reach the Twilight. I see it by the rise and fall of their chest, the limpness of their limbs, and the twitching of their hands and feet.
They're floating.
They're healing.
They're are lucid dreaming.
And while their mind is unspooling and releasing the digital assault we all undergo on a daily basis, their body systems are re-booting, and healing them.
We are all sleep deprived, and most are caffeine driven. Your liver flushes and cleans blood at night. Your pancreas, spleen, and gall bladder replenishes their hormones to help with your digestion. All these systems are affected by stress and lack of sleep. Most of the systems are already compromised by daily life and medications.
Massage gives your body the space and time to do important work. When your reach that Twilight moment, relax into it, and know that you are receiving the most important benefit of massage. Inner peace and healing.
When you feel your heart slow on the table, close your eyes, get comfortable.
Don't worry about me. I'm focused on untangling your muscles, and smoothing your fascia.
You focus on you.
Let your thoughts drift past, don't latch onto anything, don't plan what you are going to do after, don't make lists, just watch your thoughts swirl away and marvel you keep so much in your head.
Let go.
Let go of everything, relax your neck, your arms, your legs.
Be warm, be safe.
Drift.
You'll reach the Twilight.
