Massage - who needs it?

By Gerry Pyves

There are many different explanations for Massage being such a powerful experience. They range from mental stillness and psychological calm to the stretching of specific muscles; from emotional soothing to the balancing of meridians and chakras; from structural re-alignment to spiritual re-connection. The different benefits of Massage are, in fact, legion.

Even Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, believed that Massage had many facets to it and that it was so important that he wrote: “The physician must be experienced in many things, but assuredly also in Massage (anaptripsis).”

Even in the fifth century BC, Hippocrates of Cos felt that Massage was a complex subject, and that it took a lot of study to actually master. He clearly understood that there was much more to it than meets the eye. Regarding Massage, he wrote that “things that have the same name have not always the same effects…” and demonstrated this by stating: “Massage (Anaptrisis) can bind and loosen; can make flesh and cause parts to waste…”

I'm not trying to give a comprehensive list of all of the many different benefits of Massage here; you may well already be convinced of the importance of Massage to our largely touch-starved society. I will, however, briefly throw in my own thoughts on this subject, for good measure:

Whatever our beliefs about Massage, there is one undeniable fact that does not get much emphasis in the literature on Massage, namely the sheer volume of sensory stimulation it provides.

Massage done well is quite simply an explosion of sensation.

How many nerves are stimulated during a Massage and how many parts of the brain are receiving stimulation as a result? Whenever else does a human being get such a smorgasbord of sensation and touch in their lives?

It seems to me that this one single fact alone can explain the wide variety of benefits that clients report after receiving Massage.

Like immersing ourselves in an exquisitely delicious plunge pool of delight and pleasure, Massage is such a total sensory experience that whatever impurities may need to be removed at that particular moment, are simply ‘washed away’.

If it is physical relaxation we most need, then that is what we get. If the mind needs calming, then that is our outcome. If the emotions need soothing or our energy balancing then this is what we get. If we are distanced from our God when we get on the Massage table, then when we leave the Massage room we can even walk away feeling closer to our true purpose in life…

And if you're looking for an outstanding practitioner to work with to make the most of these many and varied benefits of Massage, I can highly recommend our NO HANDS Masters - and those on their journey to Mastery.