Deep Serenity Massage

Effects of Massage

There's a reason massage feels so good. It is because it is good for you! Massage from a massuse can:

Alleviate physical tension and pain
Reduce mental stress and anxiety
Promote a sense of overall well-being
Support the immune system
Improve cardio-vascular health
Help increase flexibility and range of motion
Encourage relaxation

Massage should be a part of every body's general care. In my mind it is not a luxury, but a necessity for a healthy and satisfying life.

The Six Components of a Great Massage

Being very familiar with the benefits of massage, I often treat myself by taking my turn as the one to receive. Sometimes I receive a massage that is so satisfying that it truly ranks as what I would call a “great massage.” At other times, I may leave the table disappointed. Many massages feel good, but fail to fully reach the potential I know is possible. This got me thinking about what are the components of a truly great massage. Here’s my list.

Presence
To give a great massage, a massuse must be fully present. Being present means that the full attention of the massage therapist is on the client and the massage at hand. If the therapist is daydreaming or pre-occupied with her own thoughts, that lack of presence affects the experience of the client. Few things are more annoying than having to ask your massage therapist to move along, because she has been absent-mindedly stroking the same muscle for the last five minutes. In fact, none of the other components below are likely to be optimized when the therapist is failing to stay present.

Being fully present throughout a massage takes preparation. We all have stresses in our lives that compromise our ability to be present at any given time. A massuse can increase her ability to stay present by devoting adequate time to dealing with life stressors prior to giving a massage. It is also helpful to limit contact with stressful situations on massage workdays. Limiting the total number of massages offered each day and each week is also a key to staying present for each massage. In general, the quality of self-care massage therapists practice in their lives is the main way to maintain the ability to stay present while giving a massage.

Sensitivity
Massage therapists can’t know exactly what their touch feels like to their clients. So they are always guessing as to how much pressure or what type of stroke will feel best. Paying close attention to clients, however, allows a therapist to perceive all the subtle clues about how their touch is being received (skin tone, breathing, tightening, bracing, releasing, slight movements, moans, etc.). When a massage therapist is keenly sensitive to the client’s responses, she can quickly adapt her technique. This relieves the client of the burden of articulating specific requests. When I get a massage from a really sensitive massage therapist, it feels like she knows what I want before I ever have to say anything.

Precision
Massage does not only relax me. It teaches me about how my body is doing. It helps me be more aware of where I am storing tension and stress. When a massage therapist has precise knowledge of anatomy, her hands and fingers can help me differentiate specific muscles that I am otherwise only vaguely aware of. When a therapist’s touch help me identify exactly which muscles are holding tension, I am better able to release that tension. It’s like the massage therapist shines a clear light on the dark and murky areas of my body. The better the massage therapist is at palpating distinct muscle fibers the more I learn about myself through the massage.

Strength
Proving a great massage takes both strength and wise use of body mechanics. Therefore it is important for a massage therapist to both be strong and well versed in how to use different parts of the body (fingers, thumbs, palms, forearms, elbows, etc.) to deliver the right amount of pressure to the client’s muscles. A massage therapist can only provide deep pressure gracefully if she has the strength and coordination to do so without exhausting herself. Adequate strength allows a therapist to provide deep pressure without “efforting” or stressing herself. Thus, it is important for massage therapists to stay fit, work out, and keep their own muscles well toned.

Nurturing
Massage helps me relax in multiple ways. Direct pressure on my muscles is one part of it. But a nurturing touch offers another key element of a great massage. When I sense a kind, nurturing touch, I feel a sense of safety that allows my whole body to relax at once. It is all too rare that we adults get to experience the kind of caring touch that a mother may offer her baby. But when we do get touched like this, even the softest touch can be very healing, allowing us to let in the whole massage more deeply.

Flow
Last, but definitely not least, a great massage is one that flows naturally from one stage to the next. Experienced massage therapists can sometimes move from one part of your body to the next without awkward pauses or clumsy repositioning. And a flowing massage often includes a variety of full body strokes that integrate work done on one muscle group with the rest of the body. A graceful, flowing massage allows the client’s mind to drift freely for an extended period, uninterrupted by breaks between different segments of the massage. A massage without good flow can feel a bit like your body is on an assembly line, with each piece receiving a particular service in a rather mechanical order. A massage with good flow feels more like you are being danced with, and through no effort of your own, the dance gracefully unfolds until your whole body has been included.

When these components: presence, sensitivity, precision, strength, nurturing, and flow, are combined, the chances are high that you are experiencing a truly great massage. This is what I am looking for when I choose a massuse. And this is what I strive to provide all the clients I have the honor to work with.