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people know that massage can be used to soothe and relax muscles that
have become sore through overwork or injury, or that no longer function
as well as they once did.
But relaxation is only part of what touch can accomplish. Another aspect is the effect of touch on the emotions. Being touched by someone we love can bring about positive feelings, such as joy, happiness or reassurance. The loving touch of a parent can go a long way towards soothing a child’s emotional or physical hurts. The touch of a beloved pet can soothe or relax us after a long day. Touch can open the door to emotions stored deep in the body and help release them. The massage therapist can serve as a neutral, safe person to help release the emotions that may be stuck deep in the muscles. The reactions to this release are varied and, in people, may include talking, laughing or crying. In animals there are other reactions. Nervous movement, sighing, stretching, chewing, licking, shaking, and scratching are all signs of release. The practitioner must respect these signs and know when to gauge that the massage recipient has had enough bodywork or massage for the day. Different beings, people or animals, tend to lodge their emotional tension in specific parts of the body. For example, tension can lodge in necks, shoulders, lower backs, stomachs or hips. Touch can help relax the physical tension and release the emotional blockages. Once the blockage begins to soften and release, various things will begin to happen. One of the first is that the recipient of the massage will become more comfortable in their body. Perhaps for the first time in a long while. Once back in a comfortable body they can begin learning again. Learning cannot be truly successful if the body is focused on discomfort. Trust can also begin to be built, first between the practitioner and the recipient, then between the recipient and others. Massage touch can offer release from life-shaping traumas. Touch can help heal, not just the body but the mind and spirit as well. Massage can do more than just put a spring back into a tired step, it
can also bring back feelings of joy to a weary soul. |
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