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Massage as Natural Therapy

When we first approach massage as an activity the emphasis in on relaxation. People generally carry an enormous burden of tension, worry and tiredness, not to mention fear and confusion. It is appropriate such a person to learn to relax, to re-connect with a feeling of calm in the body.

This is a vital stage in the process of healing. People need to build a good foundation of wholesomeness in their lives before they attempt to overcome chronic and far reaching disease states. If long term, deeply set stress patterns were confronted all at once, the being would in many cases react with confusion, there being insufficient vitality to cope with the healing crisis that would arise.

So, it is important to start by nourishing the good feelings in people, to educate people in how to relax and be at peace with their bodies. This builds self confidence and gives each individual the space to make their own decisions, based on a more wholesome perspective. It also, and most importantly, allows time for an individual to replenish his/her vital force. Bear in mind that relaxation is not just a psychological condition. It has a distinct physiological basis and effect: when muscles that have been chronically spasmed finally relax, the corresponding nerve impulse ceases, thus freeing up that nerve energy to be utilised elsewhere in the body. Also the blood and lymph can flow more freely.

The nutrition, innervation and drainage of the tissues of the body is essential for its normal healthy function. If the passage of blood and lymph to the cells is restricted then the essential exchange of oxygen, nutrients and waste products cannot take place. Similarly, if the flow of nerve energy is restricted, or if nerve fibres are inflamed or irritated, then the tissues they serve will be correspondingly stagnant or inflamed. In both cases organ function is impaired and the organism will be more susceptible to disease.

So a relaxed body has a better chance of healing itself, of adjusting to its internal and external environment and maintaining a healthy balance. Let us take a step backwards and briefly look at massage with a wider perspective, from its position in Natural Therapy. Natural Therapy is a general term that encompasses various modalities such as acupuncture, homeopathy, osteopathy, remedial massage, herbalism and dietetics. These modalities are united by a common philosophy which is the original and ancient tradition of medicine, first expressed in our history by Hypocrates. This philosophy can be summarised by three points:

1. that human beings, as another manifestation of Nature, have a life force which is responsible for maintaining a healthy condition (homeostasis) and
2. that symptoms of disease in people should be taken as a sign of imbalance or stagnation and
3. that the way to overcome that imbalance is to find and treat its cause rather than attempting to eliminate the symptoms.

Natural Therapy recognises and works on three main aspects of the body/mind: the physical, chemical and mental functions, or in other words, structure, diet/nutrition and thoughts/emotions. Although some of the modalities mentioned above specialise in one or other of these functions, they all recognise the importance of each of them and they acknowledge the vital force that is fundamental to everything.