What is Massage, Anyway?

A primer on the art of massage therapy

MASSAGE IS DEFINED in many different ways. At its most basic, massage is the direct manipulation of the body toward a positive goal. Different styles of massage have different goals. Generally, every variety of massage falls into one of three categories: Western, Eastern, and Erotic. Western massage often has a medical goal: the faster recovery of an injured muscle or soft tissue, an increased amount of oxygen delivery to muscle fibers, or the elimination of pain. Eastern massage often has a more esoteric goal: to relieve stress, to help the client feel balanced and happy, to promote a positive self-image, or to heal sickness in the body not directly associated with the muscles. Western massage focuses on the delivery and movement of lymph, a fluid in the body that delivers oxygen to the cells and transports toxins away from them. Eastern massage concentrates on the energies which exist in the body, and their ability to flow freely and remain balanced. The third type of massage, Erotic massage, is intended solely for sexual stimulation.

MASSAGE HAS AMAZING POWERS, which is one reason why it has remained popular in every civilization throughout the centuries. Physiologically, it is beneficial to our muscles and connective tissues. It helps them stay healthy and eliminate waste byproducts that are formed from natural use. Emotionally, it is nourishing. As we grow older, we grow more isolated from touch. Infants and children touch each other, and are touched by grown ups, almost constantly. As an adult, touch becomes less a method of communication than a mode of formality. Scientists have noted a direct increase in brain activity on all levels when we experience touch. It makes our brain come alive even more than music, which we all listen to strictly for pleasure. Massage is a way to recapture the art of touch and enjoy its many benefits.

A MASSEUR IS A MAN who has devoted a part of his life to the study and practice of massage. He may choose one particular variety to perfect, or he may study a wide range of styles. Each masseur you choose will have a different technique. Indeed, each massage you experience, even from the same masseur, will be a different experience. What should remain the same from time to time, masseur to masseur, is the fact that touch is inherently good, we don’t get enough of it, and we’re happier and healthier when we experience it in abundance.

LIVE WELL – Enjoy massage!

– Benjamin Starr, C.M.T.

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