Why Massage?
Wellness: An Integration of Our Whole
Being
The Many Layers Massage Affects
Massage Benefits You By
Times To Use Massage
The world can be chaotic. We all engage in these complex relationships to people and things. But ultimately, at the end of the day, one is left with one’s own inner space and body. Receiving a massage creates a space where one can become aware of one’s body and to listen and accept oneself, and by doing so heal.
Wellness: An Integration of Our Whole Being
Many people feel fragmented either due to physical, emotional or spiritual trauma or just from living in a fragmented world. Massage is a time to reconnect and gently, lovingly integrate all of oneself.
Wellness is not about performance. In a way it is more about a state of mind or being. It is the ability no matter what happens, at some point to be able to come back to a place of centeredness; a sense of being at peace with oneself, one's body and the world.
The many layers massage affects
During sessions, even while there may be a specific intention, Jerome and Corinne keep in mind the multiple layers that are being affected, from the soft tissue, to blood and energy flow, to the chemical, neurological and emotional changes. These following systems are influenced by massage.
· Musculo-skeletal System
· Cardiovascular System
· Nervous System
· Lymphatic System
· Postural Alignment
· Organ/Visceral System
· Energetic Body
· Emotional Body
· Chemical Body
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Massage Benefits You By:
· Increasing your cardio vascular circulation, thereby oxygenating and nourishing every cell in your body from nerves to brains, muscles and joints, organs and skin.
· Improving the detoxification process
of your lymphatics, vessels that rhythmically pump metabolic wastes into
the core of your body to be recycled.
· Cleansing your muscles of metabolic waste and
tonifying and refreshing them.
· Sedating your nervous system, quieting your mind and releasing muscle tension.
· Improving your organ function and metabolism.
· Supporting your skin health.
· Promoting renewed energy.
· Stimulating your healing process.
· Releasing the muscular tension that results in poor posture.
· Improving flexibility and joint mobility.
· Increasing hormones, improving mood and relieving pain.
Times To Use Massage
The best time to have a massage? When you don’t need it and you can enjoy it most! Massage integrated into your lifestyle, along with proper eating, vitamin/mineral supplementation, exercise and meditation can do wonders for your health and help prevent injuries and illnesses.
Burned Out?
People often come for massage when they are emotionally stressed. Their
energy reserves are depleted. They just need soothing comfort and a quiet
place to renew themselves.
All Knotted Up?
The most common use of massage is for muscle tension, strains, sprains
or tears, in that order. Normally soft tissue should be pliable but with
bounce, a responsiveness or tone; muscles, tendons, ligaments and organs
should all move around each other freely and separately, so they can fulfill
their different functions.
Come for massage when you feel wound up and tense: or if you strained your muscles and joints from either extreme force or over-stretching. Over-use or extreme force causes a shortening of the muscle, what we clinically call hyper-tonicity, which with no stretching or massage can become ropey, adhered and susceptible to tears later. Underused muscles can become flaccid, hypotonic, weak and unresponsive. Severe contraction or stretching can cause tearing of the tiny microfilaments of the muscle, tearing of the muscle from its attachment to the tendon or the tearing of ligaments from itself or from bone. In a worst case scenario the bone may break. When there is a sprain or tear, there will likely be reddness, heat, swelling, possibly discoloration and pain.
Coming in for massage in the early stages of tension may prevent this. Upon injury, after icing, massage and movement can help to drain the area of the metabolic wastes and extra fluids formed from the swelling; nourish the tissue with new fluids and trigger a relaxation response releasing the contraction or guarding of the muscle tissue and keep the tissue fibers separated from each other.
Spasming?
Spasms are sustained powerful involuntary contractions of
the muscle; they can be caused by physical trauma or by a chemical, hormonal
or nutritional imbalance. Particuliar types of massage release spasming
and thereafter relieve the trauma caused to the tissue from spasming.
With chronic spasms, it may also be useful to see a naturopath or allopathic
physician who can assess any organic imbalances.
Joints Hurting…Feeling Off Kilter?
Joint pain, inflammation and swelling also can be caused by multiple factors.
Nutritional deficiencies can cause drying and eventual deterioration of
the joint capsule. Structural misalignment, muscular tension or blocked
energy(chi) can pull the bones out of place which over time can also cause
joint deterioration. Something as simple as poor shoes can cause ineffective
skeletal functioning leading to joint pain. Massage can stimulate better
nutritional functioning, but it really is most direct and effective for
stimulating pain-relieving endorphins, relaxing the tight muscles contributing
to poor joint function, and reducing swelling.
If your bones have been pulled out of their most natural and effective
alignment, massage can relax the muscles enough so the bones go naturally
into place, However, in cases of severe chronic misalignment or the tissue
not responding to massage, we encourage people receive osteopathic, chiropractic
or physiotherapy treatments in conjunction with massage to support the
bones moving into their natural positioning until they begin to recognize
that is where they should be.
Going In for Surgery?
Pre and post surgical massage has been scientifically proven to be effective
in increasing circulation, nourishing of the tissues, lowering the stress
response and increasing healing. Massage can be a real gift when preparing
for surgery or for rehabilitation.
Trauma
Trauma comes in many forms, from physical and emotional abuse, to accidents
sustained at work, in an auto or playing sports, etc. In our sessions,
we honor your whole being from traumatized tissue to a traumatized spirit.
Life Transitions
Life brings many changes; from the physical aches and hormonal shifts
of puberty, the process of individualizing and finding one’s identity,
to the educational and professional rites of passage, to partnering, birthing,
illness and dying.
Children and young adults go through tremendous cultural and physio-chemical changes. Respectful boundary-safe massage eases the growing pains and supports a comfortable sense of self.
Pregnancy affects one’s physical sense of oneself, one’s hormones and self-image. Massage during pregnancy can be used to feel more comfortable with the changes going on and ease any associated discomforts, After the birth, getting a demonstration on ways to massage your infant can give you greater confidence to share this special way of bonding.
Even joyful passages often times can contain stress. It is nice to go into those times present and centered in your body-being.
Death is a part of the cycle of life: a most important transition. Whether we fight it or peacefully succumb to it; whether the process is slow or quick, massage can be a gentle companion.