“Anyone wishing to study medicine must master the art of massage.”
~ Hippocrates
One thing that assists me in living a healthy and relaxed life, is massage. If I could, I would have one every day.
Our bodies have an innate ability to continuously regenerate new cells, fight off infections, and heal. With the assistance of massage, we can keep our bodies in a state of well-being and balance. The beautiful thing about massage is you don’t need to be a professional to give yourself a boost.
There are several reasons why we love getting a massage, but one lasting reason is entirely chemical. It all comes down to what is commonly known as ‘the love hormone’ – oxytocin. It helps us relax, can reduce stress and anxiety, and is known to increase tolerance to pain, effectively acting as a form of pain relief.
There are many modalities of the massage; all have their effectiveness, and amongst the top for me is shiatsu or acupressure, both based on Eastern medicine.
Over thousands of years old, the foundation of Eastern medicine is based on the concept of meridians. Meridians can be thought of as energy highways that traverse our bodies. Along the meridians are points that correspond to every organ and bodily system.
These points can get tied up like mini traffic jams. Through applying pressure or inserting needles, in the case of acupuncture, the stimulation of the issues is a way to disperse the energy and break up the congestion. These techniques can aid in treating many ailments.
Self-massage starts by massaging our hands.
Our fingertips have over 72,000 nerve endings, which, when stimulated, generate healing energy, often referred to as Ki, Chi, Qi, and Prana.
My grandmother taught me about the pleasure of hand massages. Every time I saw her, I would massage her hands, and she said it was the greatest gift I could give to her.
Let’s start with the following:
Sit comfortably in a chair or a crossed-legged position on a pillow or mat.
Rub your palms together briskly. Generate heat/ energy in your hands.
By doing so, we balance our brain’s left and right sidess, creating a balance within our bodies.
Start by cupping your forearm with the other and twisting your hand around your arm like you are wringing out a towel. Next, work from your elbow to the wrist and back up to the elbow.
You can either have one hand on a table, the arm of your sofa, or your lap while you use your other hand to massage.
Gently pinch your skin between your thumb and index finger so as not to cause pain, more in a kneading motion. Again up and down your arm, front, back, and sides.
Repeat on the other arm.
Next, simultaneously rotate your wrists in circles, both going in directions.
Start with your thumb on the back of the opposite hand and massage between the bones, moving up towards the fingers.
Then massage the sides of each finger and thumb and squeeze the top joint, gently pressing your nail into the tip.
Do the same with your palm, massaging the fleshy mounds and down between the bones. Pay particular attention to the webbing between the thumb and palm.
This is an important point to reduce fatigue and is suitable for digestion.
If you come upon any sore or tight areas, gently massage the tension out of them.
Take each finger and gently bend it back towards the wrist. Do one at a time, then in two’s, then all four digits.
Gently bend the thumb towards the wrist.
When you have completed both sides, shake your hands away from them as if air-drying them.
Sit for a moment, and reflect on how you feel.
Another technique you can use either in conjunction with the above or separately is:
Pounding
Make a soft fist with your hands.
Starting at the top of your head, softly begin pounding all over.
Work your way down your neck, across your shoulders, and up and down each arm, front and back.
At your chest, begin pounding on it like Tarzan; you can even make sounds while doing it. Sound can help to release stress from our bodies. By hitting our chest, it stimulates the thymus gland between the heart and throat. The thymus is partially responsible for keeping our immune systems healthy, and it is said the thymus gives us courage. Perhaps this is why apes like to pound their chests.
Continue pounding down the sides of your body, legs, buttocks, lower back, and middle back; tick away anywhere you can reach.
If you find a particularly tender spot, spend more time there. Then, after going through your entire body, return to your chest and give that thymus a few more thumps.
Now that your body is activated close your eyes and observe your feelings.
Focus on your breath. Without trying to control it, let it come into your body, bringing healing life-force energy, and with each exhale, allow the toxins and stress to leave.
Finish:
With your eyes closed, again rub both of your palms together rapidly,
Once you feel the heat, gently cup your hands over your eyes without putting pressure on your face, and let the healing energy penetrate your eyes, sinuses, and skin.
Breath naturally.
Once the heat begins to disparate, lower your hands into your lap, take another deep breath, and sigh as you exhale. Repeat, deep breath in, and loud sigh out. Last time, deep breath in, and audible sigh out.
Allow the stress to leave your body as you observe yourself becoming heavier in your seat. Feel the floor beneath you, secure your support, and relax your body.
Keep your eyes closed. Enjoy the moment. Open them when ready.
Any or all of these massages can be used daily. They are helpful with general fatigue, anxiety, and stress. They can also assist in better sleep. Although these are techniques for self-massage, it is a beautiful way to connect with your loved ones. Relish in the relaxation.
“The time to relax is when you have no time for it.”
~Sydney J. Harris
