Healing Through Massage
Just like the mental knots that we untie by focusing our consciousness on them, the same principle is at work in therapeutic touch and massage. Our body reacts negatively when we contract and hold onto negative emotions. Knots are created in muscles and connective tissue. As a result, a cascade of negative holding patterns and misalignments occur. One misalignment causes others as the physical body tries to readjust with a new structure. The body can experience a lot of pain and disease as a result.
A skilled masseuse finds a knot and forces you to focus your consciousness on it by touching it firmly. The sensation can’t be ignored. By focusing on the specific problem area, the brain solves the problem. The knotted muscle resets and becomes relaxed. Notice how the healing of a traumatic memory works by the same principle of focusing on a problem. If we allow our inherent intelligence to solve our problems without getting caught in a dramatic emotional cycle, we can focus on a problem without fear.
Although getting a massage seems like a passive experience, clients must use nonresistance, communication, and breathing to encourage positive results. A great result of massage is that you will have better posture and alignment of your spine. Nerves will be able to communicate better. Energy can flow more freely when it is unimpeded. That’s called a positive emotion! It’s energy in motion! A massage can temporarily change a lot of physical and mental patterns. This pattern interruption can be very helpful. You’ll find yourself being nonresistant, calm, and happy. You’ll be more sensitive to disturbances in your energetic body because it is functioning in such a healthy way. A physical change has a mental result. By repairing a physical ailment, a corresponding inefficiency in the mind is also treated. According to researcher Y.M. Lee, massage has been used to successfully treat depression (2006).
Just like any practice, massage is not a complete cure. If you feel happy and peaceful after a massage, that’s great. But it takes diligence to sustain that state. You must be vigilant in all aspects of your physical and emotional health.
Real life practice:
Before you get a massage, write down how you feel mentally, emotionally, and physically.
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After getting the massage, how do you feel mentally, emotionally, and physically?
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