By Zoe Arguello
As we may already know that the burdens of life, the stresses of work and family, the emotional tension or aloneness that keep the body bound and its cells entrenched in feelings of entrapment, repressed emotions of what we think we must do and do for others, can cause our soul to feel empty or burdened. Carrying our pent up emotions may be something we do better instead of relaxing into just being or taking time for ourselves. The byproducts of avoiding “time in” are anger, guilt and shame, that produce hard walls around the heart and the root causes of these repressed emotions create symptoms of illnesses in the body and stresses in the mind.
There are times we don’t even know this is happening. However, when we actually take “time in” for ourselves by stepping “in-wards”, either with yoga, meditation or with a relaxing massage, it’s then when we begin to notice. Because a calm atmosphere helps subdue the annoyance of cluttered thoughts. The sweet silence during massage shuts down the noise and quiets the mind without force and gives us” time in” to relax and reflect such as in silent mediation. Massage can create an internal shift in the brain, stabilize the central nervous pathways and through the secretion of hormones that help heal us in the most natural way and helps to create peace of mind.
The real goal in taking “time in” is to become free from frustrating thoughts, anxiety, anger, or depression is to get a lift from the tug of war that goes on within about the outside stuff and brings relief from pent up emotions. Massage, meditation as well as gentle exercise, (such as slow walks) are the types of energies that can improve mood. These energies are a beginning to getting in-touch with ourselves. A slowing down of thoughts give us room to simply enjoy our time “in-wards” and receive a healing touch during massage.
Massage like meditation also allows one to step back a little from a world in which we are captured by its demands, its people and its politics, a world where our soul is the last to “chill” to its outside world stresses. Massage with moderate pressure can actually help release tension, leaving the person feeling lighter, stress free, less depressed and the body is less achy and can be pain free through the secretion of hormones, such as serotonin and melatonin. Light pressure around abdominals with gentle rocking can release trauma from the depths of inner vowels, and move the energy from the root chakra to the crown chakra to release the state of being stuck, from feeling hopeless, restless, to feeling hopeful, and have a sense of freedom from mental exhaustion and anxiety.
We can only heal when we step “in”, because we feel a connection to ourselves and feel cared for with safe touch like massage, we begin to love our selves more, we begin to feel alive to our truth, our reality and feel less and less fearful of change when supported with care. Furthermore, toxins are released, stressed hormones associated with symptoms of traumas held in the muscle tissue are moved, the blood begins to flow easily throughout the body, cleansing, clearing, perking up those cells of its malignancy. The body becomes calm, our breath slows down, the tension in the muscles become supple, the release of serotonin decreases depression and pain. The body responds to a gentle healing touch which we often crave for and have the need to feel safe and secure.
A professional massage therapist is one who understands the depths of the soul to soul healing energy, if in fact they too have a meditation practice of their own and take the steps to care for their mind, body and spirit, as well as clearing their healing space. You can certainly find a good massage therapist out there that can help with the process of unwinding to being you, and can help you transcend through healing touch to find relief, inner healing and balance. Zoe at A La Carte Massage is local and can offer massage with meditation.
May you find your peace of mind over the holidays and on the massage table.
www.alacartemassage.com.
Copy rights 2016 – All rights reserved by Zoe Arguello
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