Blind man's bluff

Today in class we practiced the back massage blindfolded. It was a wonderful experience to actually feel the body and really move with the muscles. It certainly helped me be more in the moment and consequently I moved deeper into the movement, the flow, the feel, the art of massage. The massage felt far more intuitive. With the eyes open you tend to work more with the mind, the skill and the technicalities. Blindfolded was far more sensory and perceptive. I slowed down more than usual and really moulded my hands round the body. There was a lot more depth to the movements.

Some of my class mates found it quite disorientating and one person who likes being in control experienced some discomfort and couldn't really find his space. I think experiences that take us beyond our comfort zones in such a positive way, really helps us gain perspective and insight into ourselves and what we are really doing. It challenges us to use touch in a deeply intuitive way which ultimately feeds back to our core and how we orient ourselves.

Service time!

We've just come back from a 2 week holiday which was great but it was good to get back to class again. In Massage Therapy we discussed the profile of massage clients. In other words, who would benefit from a massage and who actually comes for a massage.

At the moment it seems as if massage is still something that people don't regard as a need. The perception is that it is a luxury item and it comes after everything else. John Hooper, our lecturer, made a fantastic analogy. He asks whether people take their cars for a service every year and how much they pay for that service. The car is a luxury item and it only lasts for a few years. Your body is not a luxury item and it is expected to last you for years. Why not regularly service your body so that you can be the best you can be?

Illness, injury, state of mind all contribute to postural problems and can lead to stress, distress and dis-ease. Why not help the body with its healing by having a regular massage treatment instead of allowing your dis-ease to snowball? For example, someone undergoing chemotherapy is trying to treat a particular cancer. The treatment itself is very traumatic physiologically and psychologically. So that person becomes tense and stressed. By stressing, the muscles contract and can go into spasm (knots). So now that person has more pain. A restorative, relaxing massage by a properly trained, registered massage therapist (see Allied Health Professions Council for registered therapists) can help alleviate pain, restore a sense of well-being and relaxation resulting in a more positive mindset which will aid the healing process.

Another classic example is someone who works in front of a computer everyday. You develop pain in your neck and shoulder because of repetitive strain. When you go home, you are in pain thus you are miserable with your family and your evening is ruined. You don't sleep properly so you are tired when you wake up. At work you are in pain and you are tired so you can't give your best.

I emphasised earlier that the therapist should be properly trained because there are many people who administer massage. The difference in going to a trained, registered therapist is the training, experience, and the fact that you can claim from quite a few medical aids for treatment. Massage therapists register with the Allied Health Professions Council and there are standards set in place for the duration and content of the training programmes. At the end of the day, it still comes down to the individual and the feel you get from that person, but there are many massage therapists and a certain code of ethics and professionalism required from that person.

Next time you feel like a treat, don't go to the bakery and buy a cake. Why treat yourself to something that's not actually good for you. Have a massage - if your car can have a service, why can't you?

Energy, body therapy and healing

We are constantly in touch with energy. Universal energy exists all around us and we are capable of sensing objects, people, animals, emotions by using our sense of touch from our own energy fields which surrounds each of our bodies. "Every one has an energy field or aura that surrounds us and interpenetrates the physical body" (Brenan, B. 1988:5). We can sense someone across a room or get a feeling about someone when meeting them for the first time. We sense their energy and we respond by exuding energy which they can to pick up on.

Barry Kapke (2001) states that "[o]ur bodies are constantly sensing and responding to energy fields. In the same way that we develop tactile sensitivity for palpation or that we can develop greater acuity with any of our senses, through practice and awareness we can cultivate a refined sensitivity to energy fields and energy fluctuations." As therapists who work with the energetic body as well as the physical, we have to be cognisant of this interrelationship and communication. We can develop our own energy fields to be more acute in sensing and responding to others however we have to be cautious of transference, being too invasive and just making assumptions. Working with the energetic body as a therapist requires responsibility, maturity, self-confidence and a generally well-rounded individual who can maintain a strong sense of self yet, proceed with empathy, understanding and compassion.

Brenan (1988:40) regards the universal energy field (UEF) as a flowing, synergistic body with varying densities which exists in more than 3-dimensions. It can be sensed by all the senses and it pulsates. She also associates the UEF as "a form of consciousness" with a range of vibrations depending on how highly developed it is. To bring about healing, you have to work with the whole body and that includes the auric/energetic body. There needs to be an intuitive understanding. The therapist can use other senses to help read the aura or to help the patient rebalance through techniques that appeal to different senses.

Ultimately though, whether the therapist has / has not developed his/her consciousness to pick up higher vibrations, s/he needs to be mindful when entering a patient's space. Your intuitive understanding and development will also determine whether you are a technician or a therapist. It will affect how you touch and how you aid healing.

References:

Brenan, B. 1988. Hands of light: A guide to healing through the human energy field. New York: Bantam Books.

Kapke, B. 2001. Wheels of Light: Clearing, Balancing & Connecting Chakras. http://www.massagetherapy.com/articles/index.php/article_id/220 [7 March 2007]

Touch and human growth and development

If one defines growth and development of humans as an ongoing, lifelong change in behaviour, physiology, psychology and spirituality, then touch definitely plays an influential role, as everything we touch or are touched by will affect these developments.

Research at the TRI claims that babies in the womb are already touch-sensitive and touch is essential for learning and development to take place. "The first sensory input in life comes from the sense of touch while a baby is still in the womb, and touch continues to be the primary means of learning about the world throughout infancy, well into childhood. Touch is critical for children's growth, development, and health, as well as for adults' physical and mental well-being." (Field, T.)

In the 50s, Harry Harlow conducted research at the University of Wisconsin on infant monkeys and surrogate mothers. His findings showed that infant monkeys preferred cloth surrogate mothers without milk to wire surrogate mother with milk. (Connelly, J. E. 2002). The infant monkeys' reaction suggests a preference and perhaps a need for a tactile mother-like figure above and beyond the basic need for food at this stage in the monkey's life.

The world we have created today is stressful and leads to many imbalances within our bodies which result in disease. It has been estimated that between 80-90% of disease today is stress-related (Massagetherapy.com). One of the greatest benefits of touch is its stress-releasing properties. It can improve circulation, the immune system, joint mobilisation, release endorphins, relax tense muscles or just give you a sense of general well-being and security when administered in a professional manner. We therefore need touch to help us create a healthy space for ourselves in this world we have created.

When we get older, we often become more touch-deprived. There are also many people who are marginalized in society which could lead to touch deprivation. In some societies we restrict touch in certain contexts eg the classroom. Research has shown that touch can improve the general well-being of touch-deprived individuals.

Without touch, we are like monkeys with a wire mother.

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” Leo F. Buscaglia

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou

Creating space

It's so important to reflect on action. Yesterday we had a feedback session and were asked, in class, what we thought of the massage the 2nd year students gave us last week in our practical class time.

There was unanimous agreement that the massages were great and very relaxing. I, for one, felt very comfortable with my therapist as she seemed confident in what she was doing. Her touch was firm, always appropriate, it felt professional and skilled therefore it put me at ease. Before she started, I had to complete a form to help her assess my needs and highlight any problems. We then discussed what I had put down. I told her that I had had upper back problems last year and saw a chiropractor as well as a massage therapist who happens to be one of her lecturers.

After the massage we had another chat. It was only then that I learnt that she had felt quite nervous, perhaps a bit intimidated because I had been massaged by her lecturer. Perhaps I should not have opened my big mouth however at the time I thought it prudent to let her know for a few different reasons. One, she would have an idea that I had a some experience of a professional massage therapist and hence could hopefully offer worthwhile feedback. Secondly, I thought she needed to know so that she knew where to pitch with regard to pressure and areas of the body to pay close attention to. I thought she was great and would be overjoyed if I could massage to that extent within a year!

A few things that came out of our class feedback sessions I thought are very useful to bear in mind for when I start practising. One student felt uncomfortable because she was asked to undress in the toilets. When walking back to the room (2-3 metres down the passageway) she bumped into some men who said, "Enjoy the massage." She said this made her feel extremely uncomfortable and it took her a wee while to relax once on the plinth.

I think it's very important to think about the patient's levels of comfort as well as your own and find a happy medium. In this case I think the therapist should have left the room and given the patient a few moments to undress and get herself ready. Getting undressed in front of someone you don't know can be an extremely intimate experience and the therapist should take cognisance if this as the trained, professional who has more 'power' over the space.

I think it's also very important when you are setting boundaries of what is appropriate and what is not. This is one of the first things you as the therapist can do to set the context of the interaction and state you position. In so doing you help create a space where you are in control of that space and you communicate to the patient what your expectations are.

Because massage can create a very intimate environment that can leave the patient and therapist vulnerable, you have to communicate your intentions very firmly right from the start. It's like the first class you teach in a new academic year. you have to let the students know how you operate and what you expectations are. It creates clarity and if anybody steps out of line or tests the limits, you have a safety net.

You have to create your space! And space creation happens within and without. So, on the outside you have the rooms and physical environment to work with. On the inside, it's just you and all that makes you who you are. Therefore, continuous reflection and introspection vital.

On your marks, get set, GO!

The first week was GREAT! Like most things, I think you will get out of this course as much as you put into it. The pass mark is 50% but I don't want to be a fifty-percenter!

Anatomy and Physiology requires a fare amount of memorisation which is something I have refrained from doing in tertiary studies wherever possible. So, now I have to rack that tiny, undeveloped part of my brain - should try some brain gym! The textbook is great and there are interactive activities with the textbook as well as a colouring book - YEAH! colour by body part. I would like to get some charts as I think these will really help.

The massage therapy class started with definitions and ended with a massage by a 2nd year student. If I could be as good at the end of my first year as the student who massaged me, I will be more than thrilled. The definitions were great because they really help you orient your thinking and discourse pattern. There was quite a bit of input from people in the class which I thoroughly enjoyed. Everybody seems very enthusiastic and seem to have a lot to offer. Also, because people come from such diverse backgrounds and experiences, the examples and situations they brought to the discussion were very interesting.

I am looking forward to a wonderful learning experience at the Cape Institute of Allied Health Studies!

My first day

First days are filled with intrigue; excitement; titillation; a sense of expectation - and that's exactly how I feel embarking on a new life-choice. There's such a sense of liberation in the anticipation of what's to come. It feels like lying on green green grass, legs in the air on a warm sunny day, giggling and giggling and giggling. Your stomach aches as the tears cascade down your crow's feet. (Sigh!) A sense of wonder!

I walked down the prom to a little coffee shop for breakfast a few says ago. For a moment I remembered work, just a few metres further. The thought dissipated as soon as my Berry Blitz smoothie arrived.

I want to say 'I used to be a teacher' yet that doesn't sound quite right. 'I am a teacher'? That doesn't sound quite right either. The first one is too much in the past as if you are totally removed now from what you have been doing for so long. The latter is too static in how it defines and posits you in a very specific space.

For the past 12 years I have taught (sounds better!) in various contexts. I had the privilege to teach in a rural hamlet, Jane Furse, in South Africa; at an international school in England; at 3 different private schools in Istanbul; and, for the last 4 years, at a university of technology in Cape Town.

Teaching can be an extremely enriching and most profound experience. It requires courage, integrity, strength and tenacity. It demands love, patience and kindness. We are authors constantly reworking a script yet trying to maintain the true essence of the play so that its truth is not compromised by externalities.

In his autobiography, Gandhi described his life as "my experiments with truth". My first day is a continuation of my experiments with my truth. In 3 days time I will attend my first formal class as a student of Therapeutic Massage Therapy. Green green grass, sunny skies, giggles, achy tummy, cascading tears - YES!