from Erin Law
The first thing I want to say is, energetically, I feel lighter when I get bodywork and I want other people to feel that way. It’s like 10 pounds lifts off the body just from getting a massage. I think that setting that time aside for yourself is a testimony to self love and self care. It is preventative medicine really, it keeps us out of the doctor and out of the chiropractor. I also think that when you go and get bodywork and feel better, it is easier for you to give love. I really believe that it ripples out on the goodness quotient.
Massage also brings body awareness. I consider myself someone who is incredibly aware of my body, but I will get bodywork and think, wow, I didn’t know my body was experiencing tightness and constrictions there. It reminds me how interconnected the body is in general. I might have tension in my glute, but it could be coming from something in the front of the body. Also, a lot of us spend time looking down at our devices, which really rounds us down, and massage can help return us to a healthy home base. We use so much technology that it is easier and easier to forget about how the whole body is connected, and so it is good to develop the awareness of the relationships of our body.
Massage also allows for some deeper work to be done, and gives us a chance to sort of tune up the muscles that are doing all the supporting and the grunt work, if you will. Once that muscle tension has been alleviated, performance is automatically enhanced in whatever activity you are doing. Having that tension limits possibilities for range of motion, and so releasing it increases possibilities in the field of whatever you are doing.
If you are an athlete, getting massage is as important as brushing your teeth in the morning. You can’t expect that much out of your body if you don’t give it the care it deserves. Massage promotes longevity, because you can be active for longer, or be an athlete for longer. If you want to be active, you have to treat your body well.
