Today I am trying something new. I am blogging prior to my centering session as I have some time. It usually takes me 30-45 minutes for a standard blog and I have some time now so here goes.
I am sitting in my classroom at BlackHawk College watching while the students exchange massage with each other. I offer some tidbits every now and then, but mostly let them go and explore their fledgling art. Soothing music is playing. They are moving slowly and are very focused. You can see the beginnings of compassionate caregivers in some of them already. I love massage done well. Hell, I love massage done with mediocrity. However, I do not love massage done poorly.
It is interesting to watch the story of my life in reverse. I never, NEVER thought that I would be a licensed massage therapist. I never thought I would teach it at a community college. Many people have no idea that I even do this (I teach kinesiology, anatomy and physiology and pathology for massage therapy...all the 'hard' stuff) So here's the story. It goes to show you how life can wind down and through the terrain creating paths never known or even hinted at before.
I went to massage school while I was working at the casino. The casino was a big lesson for me. What I learned most there was that I have to follow my heart; money is secondary in importance to me. Before the casino, I had a pretty nice job at Marycrest International University as Director of Performing Arts Activities and as an Admissions Representative. However the vibe there in admissions was becoming demeaning. I simply didn't resonate with the office environment. So when I got the chance to do entertainment at a casino, I took the plunge and applied, interviewed, second interviewed and got the job! I liked it for 6 weeks. When I realized that my path HAD to be directed from my heart, I began the search for something new to do.
Returning to Marycrest was not an option, so I settled in and asked, "What do I want to do now?" Massage popped into my awareness. The casino was such a place of noise and stress that I wonder sometimes if massage came to mind simply because it was as far opposite as I could get from the mental and emotional clutter of the gaming industry. Now I had considered massage many times before in my past and I finally had the finances to go to school. So I went. I worked over 60 hours a week and went to school at night. Rough patch of life looking back.
What I love about massage is the connection you make with your client and vice versa. A good massage therapist will connect with you; sense your overall vibe and diligently go to work to release tension in your muscles. It has been said (and I believe it, you don't have to) that muscle stores emtional energy. This would make sense as emotions are all caused by hormones coursing through our blood. Everything we feel as a correlation with a hormone. Pissy, hormone. Happy, hormone. Hungry, hormone. So as we feel things that make us tense, the musculature tightens around these hormones and actually keeps them at bay. Releasing muscle tension can also release emotional tension. I can't tell you how many times I've witnessed a client have an emotional release during a massage. It is usually some emotion releasing from the past. They have no idea why they are sad or angry, etc. But once it comes out, it comes out and they feel better. We seem to hold on to a lot of shit in our life. I do anyway.
Massage is also just a nice way to allow some intimacy and compassion in your life; for the client and the therapist. It's really a sad state of affairs when in our culture particularly, we equate intimacy with sex. Intimacy allows us to share at a deep level with someone else. Stroking someone's hair is intimate. Holding hands is intimate. Telling your worst fear is intimate. Sharing your hopes and ideas is intimate. Letting someone massage your body is intimate. Massaging someone else's body is intimate. It's a shame that our society has sanctioned off massage with the "happy ending" in many circles. The massage industry has combatted this for years. We are making headway, but more slowly than we'd like.
Babies die without touch. They will die without touch. Touch is so important to their growth and development. What changes throughout our life that we do not need touch? Adults need touch. Teens need touch. Seniors need touch. We all need touch. Touch is a physical way of opening up and allowing parts of your wall to be let down. It allows others to assist you; which is healing for both parties.
Compassion is a big part of my contemplation. Compassion is defined as realizing that we are all suffering and wanting to bring an end to it. Every one you meet is fighting an inner battle somehow. Every. One. Massage is one of those ways that we can bring about a whole new level of compassion to our planet. Massage focuses time and attention to a person in a loving, nonjudgmental environment. The person/client relaxes and receives a heavy dose of kindness and attention. It's funny because by giving someone attention and kindness, the therapist usually finds themselves feeling better after a massage as well. We are not meant to go the path or fight the fight, alone. By helping others, we literally and truly help ourselves.
I have been practicing massage for 10 years. I have been teaching massage for eight years; seems like 30. I tell my students at the beginning of every year that every household should have a massage table. You can get one at Sam's for about $100. General massage techniques should be learned by everyone so husbands can massasge their wives and moms can massage their kids and wives can massage their husbands. Now I can hear my fellow therapists out there clamouring that if that happened we would all be out of our jobs. I think quite the opposite. By teaching basics to the general population, more and more people would open up to the benefits of massage and more and more people would then want to visit a professional on a regular basis to work out the tough stuff.
For me, massage is a very noble profession, a very spirit filled profession. I am very happy to be a part of the training of massage therapists in the world. I wish it were more appreciated and respected in our society, but by training new therapists to respect and appreciate this art form, maybe we can make a difference.
The point: Life can be hard. We need compassion and help along the way. Touch is a way to show compassion. Compassion can change the world. Go rub some shoulders or arms or hands or feet tonight...and for longer than 5 minutes!!
Someday I will tell you how I got from theatre, to massage, back to theatre and how the Center came to be.
Sending you all of my blessings...
Dino
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