I have decided to do an experiment with a client of mine. She is going to receive one massage on a monthly basis and write about her thoughts and emotions surrounding her experiences. My aim is to explore the mind-body connection and how massage impacts a person's overall well-being. This is not a scientific endeavor, but rather a journey that offers insight into how massage therapy can play an integral part in an individual's personal wellness program.
Client A writes about Session 4: If you recall, on my end, this experiment was prompted from my yearning to not be a total wreck all winter like I was last year (and every winter before). Monthly massage has been a big part of my routine, as has going for 20 minute walks in nature (regardless of the weather), taking 4000 IU’s of vitamin D3, cooking a lot of delicious warm, healthy meals, working out at the gym with friends, doing creative projects, and spending a lot of quality time with the people I love. I recently read an article that validated my very intentional way of beating the winter blues called: “How hygge can help you get through winter.” For anyone who knows me on the other side of the screen, this is the big reveal (I’ve been raving about hygge for weeks).Here is a helpful link to the article: http://www.mnn.com/family/family-activities/blogs/how-hygge-can-help-you-get-through-winter Denmark is rated the happiest place on earth, but it’s also one of the darkest. What gives? Hygge. Hygge is a Danish word that has no direct translation into English. Its rough meaning is the feeling of Christmas coziness all year round. But it’s so much more than that. It’s a perspective, a lifestyle, a kind of person or place that emulates these qualities. It’s “cold hands and a warm heart.” Unlike most massages I have had in the past from Kate or anyone else, tonight’s was void of images and thoughts. It was purely relaxing. Part of hygge is relaxing, letting all the stressors fade away, letting your imagination drift, while not having a nagging feeling in the back of your mind that you ought to be doing something else. During the massage, a few tight spots on my neck, shoulders and bottom loosened up quickly. Kate mentioned that sometimes after you eliminate tension that has been harbored in a spot for a long time, getting work done on that area is just relaxing. No grand visions or revelations. And I tell you, that is just fine. This massage left me unable to lift my head at the end because I was so calm. Rolling over to get off the table took up every ounce of willpower in me. This massage was more of a purely physical experience, so I was more conscious of Kate’s ability to know when something hurts and naturally lighten up without exchanging any words or sounds. This is a unique talent that not many people have. In the warm silence that filled the room, I experienced hygge; I drifted in and out of deep relaxation…and maybe a little bit of sleep.
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