Making a Mind/Body/Spirit Connection with Massage
By Elizabeth Jackson LMT, RMT I
envision a time when we all recognize that we are incredibly amazing beings; a time when we value ourselves just because we are here living our lives the best way we know how. I imagine a time when we do not live in a constant state of stress, competition and fear that we are not enough or that we don’t have enough. I imagine a time when we have compassion for others who haven’t yet reached that time (including ourselves). I imagine a time when we put ourselves fi rst so that we are operating in the world from our most balanced place. I imagine a time when we share our talents and gifts and allow ourselves to be compensated well for it. I imagine a time when we really understand that taking good care of our bodies is a key factor in living a happy, healthy, productive life. The time is now.
I experienced my fi rst massage about 20 years ago; little did
I know how much that experience would change my life. I had a friend who was attending massage therapy school and was at the point in her education where she needed to practice her skills. I became one of her clients. At the time, I worked at a job where I sat at a desk, talking on the phone and working at the computer for 8-10 hours a day. I also was a single parent to two young chil- dren and was taking classes towards my Bachelor’s degree part- time. I was stretched thin in my life. My limited knowledge about massage was based on the few snippets I had seen in movies or on TV of wealthy people at spas wrapped in towels being pounded on the back and of the seedier references to “massage parlors" that clearly indicated that prostitution was involved.
20 Essential Living Maine ~ November/December 2016 I was delightfully surprised to fi nd that massage therapy was
actually therapy. Even at that fi rst massage when I knew nothing about slowing down my breathing and getting quiet, I instinctively relaxed under my therapist’s touch as she massaged my feet, my legs, my arms and my fi ngers. By the time she got to my fi ngers, I had closed my eyes. I was intently “listening” to my body’s reac- tion and the sensation of having my fi ngers, thumbs, hands and wrists relieved of the stress of holding and gripping the events that were my life. I had no idea how much I had been holding on to and how good it could feel to let it go through someone’s inten- tional healing touch! I wanted to know what exact movements she was making to bring this much relief and pleasure to my hands but I didn’t want to open my eyes or leave the sensation. I was sold on massage therapy right then and there and she hadn’t even gotten to the real trouble areas of my neck and upper back.
As I continued to receive regular massage from my friend
while she was in school, I found that I slept better, my mood improved, I was less achy in my joints and my muscles held less tension. By far though, the best benefi t I received was that I got quiet for an hour when I was on the table. That silence, combined with the massage, opened me up to myself. Through the awareness to my dense tissue and fascia, I became aware of another lan- guage; one that was subtle yet persistent, one that was loving and forgiving and whispered truths that I had long forgotten. For me, this was the beginning of making a mind/body/spirit connection. I made a pact with myself that this was something that I would
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