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Denver-Mall.Com
Press Release : Article : Denver Colorado
On the Road - The Art of Massage
by Bev Saidel
I have been a massage enthusiast ever since I was goaded into the
experience years and years ago. Although I can recall therapeutic touch
being a part of my life in various ways - remembrance of my mom running
her hands through my hair in a soothing way and lovers who would kneed
away tight muscles as part of foreplay, my first real massage was an
insight into the release of tensions that I barely knew existed in my
body. I was “hooked” by that first experience. Lying on a comfy massage
bed in a warm, softly lit room, the sounds of new age music drifting
over me, firm hands kneading sore muscles, the scent and feel of the
oil. It was captivating.
Since that time, I have experienced many different types of massage:
remedial, Swedish, watsu, hot stones, reflexology, sports, deep tissue,
shiatsu and some that were never specifically named. In my quest for the
“perfect” massage, I opened myself to experience a number of modalities
that were executed by a number of different therapists. Some were in
training, some worked at famous spas, some were on hand at a local
venue, sporting event or could be found at the local mall. Each
experience was different and usually rewarding. But lying face down on
the massage table, can cause the mind to wander and to wonder. Who
invented this kneading of the body?
I learned that massage is an ancient art. References can be found in
writings from Egypt, Greece, Rome, India, Japan, China and Mesopotamia.
Queen Esther, whose story is told in the Old Testament of the bible, is
said to have enjoyed a daily massage of olive oil and myrrh. Based on
that tidbit of information, it is not hard to conclude that Cleopatra
probably enjoyed a massage as well, just before indulging in her daily
milk bath. But regardless of when it all began, be it Greece,
Mesopotamia or China, the art of massage has endured and it has also
evolved.
Two American physicians introduced techniques developed in Sweden in the
mid-1800s. They and the new therapy gained great popularity. After a
brief decline, the art was expanded and became a popular therapy amongst
athletes and celebrities. Therapists who specialized in sporting
injuries became valuable members of sports team’s medical staff, working
on muscles before, during and after various matches. This proved to be
so popular and therapeutic that the Olympic Committee approved and
provided massage as a core medical service at the 1996 Atlanta Summer
Olympics. Not to be outdone regarding the value of this service, the
medical profession also began to expand its use of massage to ease
patient pain and to help them sleep. Spas featuring healthful options to
body and mind began to crop up around the U.S. providing day and
long-term services to people who wanted to redirect their physical and
mental states for the better, regardless of cost.
As with many people seeking relief from stress and pain, I have had
positive and not so positive experiences with massage. Although I have
not experienced a Romanian modality wherein the client is trod on by a
tame bear, I have experienced some techniques where the use of a bear
might have been less torturous. I refer of course to deep tissue
massage, followed closely by Shiatsu. As in all massage therapies, there
is a time and place for these modalities. However after undergoing a
bout of very aggressive deep tissue massage, I wondered why anyone would
voluntarily subject themselves to this form of massage. When the screams
in my head lessoned and my the muscles in my body began to unclench, I
voiced my query and was reminded that the release of toxins from the
body, especially after undergoing a long sports activity such as a 100
mile bicycle ride, would really help. Honest!
The Shiatsu experience also numbers amongst those modalities that is not
at the top of my relaxation list. In this experiment, I sat on a mat on
the floor with the therapist who pulled and tugged on my body, arms and
legs for the better part of an hour. I later learned that this method
incorporates the use of acupressure and stretching - although the
stretching part reminded me of descriptions from the Spanish Inquisition
where the prisoner is placed on the rack. For a while as the therapist
was actively tugging on my body, arms and legs and my muscles got used
to the idea of being aggressively yanked, I came upon the idea that this
form of massage might actually make me taller. But reality intervened.
The sad, sad truth is that at this stage of my life, nothing, not even
Shiatsu, is going to make me taller...
Now you might think it’s a little crazy to give over your body to the
unknown, the intimacy of being touched by someone you don’t know who
will do who knows what to you while you are vulnerably placed face down
and naked on a massage table. Even if the place is known - a spa or a
school, when you put yourself into the hands of someone you don’t know,
well isn’t that a bit... I don’t know... crazy? Perhaps. Therefore it is
always a good practice to make sure that the place you have chosen is
reputable, has certified staff and provides therapeutic massage as
opposed to the type of therapy available at the massage parlor down the
street...
Watsu is by far one of the strangest types of massage I’ve encountered
because it combines hydrotherapy and Shiatsu. The therapist physically
holds and cradles the client in a pool of warm water using the movement
of the water to activate energy lines as defined in Shiatsu. It’s very
comforting and requires a great deal of trust. The therapist I spoke to
said the process incorporates the idea of returning to the womb,
utilizing that comfort and contentment to release physical and the
mental stresses that the body holds within.
My quest has led me to a number of interesting experiences. One of the
best chair massages I had was at a Home and Garden Show. The therapist
intuitively knew that he had a “live one” and kept lowering the price
until I finally said yes. There amongst the potted plants, aluminum
siding, magic mop salesmen and racks to organize your garage, I was
treated to a wonderful neck and shoulder massage. After the session, I
was hard pressed to remember not to buy everything in sight, including
the magic mop, because of my relaxed and euphoric state.
A fully clothed, full body massage is amongst the strangest on my list.
That’s right... fully clothed. For someone who automatically thinks a
full body massage means that one disrobes, remaining clothed instantly
became number one on my most unusual list. I was taken into a private
room, asked to remove my shoes and socks and was told to lie face down
on the bed. The therapist began to knead my muscles, through my clothes,
working this way and that. I was glad that I had worn comfortable
clothing; a t-shirt rather than one that had buttons and was close
fitting. The denim of my jeans became part of the process as she worked
my leg and thigh muscles this way and that. I kept thinking how strange
and yet how effective it was. This was my first Chinese massage.
The full body massage I experienced on a cruise lists high amongst my
favorites. The slight rocking of the ship as we traveled across the
pacific, the dimly lit room, the soft music, the fragrance of
frangipani, warm oils smoothing my muscles - heaven. I was so relaxed
that when I found myself facing my cabin door, I was surprised. Somehow
I had managed to get back to my cabin without falling overboard. Whoever
decided that spas should be located on an upper deck might want to
re-think that... man overboard!
Hot rocks in another favorite. This modality uses smooth stones that
have been heated with hot water. The therapist uses the heated stones to
apply pressure and heat to relax the muscles of the body. My first hot
stone experience took place at a hot springs spa in Wyoming, framed by
majestic mountains, crisp clean air and a sense of adventure.
Despite my many experiences, I am still on the hunt for the perfect
massage. The path may be rocky, but I am prepared for whatever is
presented, be it a new modality, a room with a view, a pool filled with
warm water or even the amusing aspect of being messaged while fully
clothed. I am sold on the therapeutic aspect that precedes the release
of toxins from the body. Lord knows at my age, there’s a lot of stuff
that needs to go. And so, like Don Quixote, I search ever onward...
sidestepping the inquisitions that may cross my path in search of
wonderful new experiences to share.
Beverly A. Saidel is a freelance writer and photographer who can be
reached at saico1@hotmail.com
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