Good News & Massage Therapist in a Mask! – 20 Massages in 2 Months (Massage #7)

Jennifer Turek giving a massage.  (Don't be surprised if you look up and see your massage therapist wearing a hospital mask.  Therapists at the Center for Well-Being wear masks when working on head, neck and shoulders to prevent the spread of cold and flu germs!)

Good news! As a result of the hard work and unique gifts of therapists at the Well-Being Center for Health on Hill Street in Monroe, Washington I am not only gaining insights into my subconscious patterns, the physical situation is improving markedly as well!  (Because the subconscious and physical are linked, changes in one bring changes in the other!)

Not only is the numbness in my right arm much less persistent and pronounced, I have moved on to registering light dread as opposed to sheer terror upon having the front and sides of my neck touched.  

I went into this massage marathon confident of results. After all, there is a reason that massage is so popular. What I did not expect is improvement in chronic issues at just over1/3 of the way to reaching the goal of 20 massages!

This trend continued with a fantastic massage from Jennifer Turek. Jennifer, who you may also see at the Center's front desk without her mask - has a sweet, understated demeanor. She also has a well-tuned finesse for applying pressure and an ability to tune into the body to create flow, release, balance and relaxation. She is a careful listener who matches her technique to the stated needs of the client. Click here to see a picture of Jennifer.

Jennifer, like some other therapists at the Center, learned massage at the Spectrum Center School for Massage in Lake Stevens, Washington. I looked up the school on-line. Apparently, the school as been commended by the Washington State Board of Massage for its high academic standards. The school’s website describes massage as follows:

“Massage as a form of touch is an extension of heart felt communication.”

This sentiment came across in Jennifer’s massage.  After placing heat packs on my body she began gently kneading the backs of my legs through the blanket. I asked her what purpose it served and she said, “I’m saying hello to the body and getting it warmed up.” I realized that is exactly what this initial touch accomplished, a way of helping the body settle in from the pace of daily activity to the centered, resting state of massage. 

Next Jennifer worked on my legs which I appreciated. For those of you who’ve been following this in the first blog post I said I wanted to focus on tight leg muscles as much as on back and neck issues. Jennifer focused on areas of tension and adapted pressure as needed. 

Also, there was a moment of victory. Before we got started I told Jennifer about the past life memory of drowning released in Massage #6. I asked her to work on the sides of my neck to test for improvement in my ability to handle touch in this area.

Jennifer firmly massaged this area with no mind-numbing fear on my part. It appears that Richard’s massage was powerful enough to liberate me and my neck from a heavy layer of its former servitude. I still felt some inklings of fear and flashes of a few less-than-comforting images, so I suspect there may be more to release, but I feel that the hardest part is over.  Here’s me smiling and breathing a sigh of relief!

I will be seeing Jennifer again next Tuesday and I can’t wait.  I felt wonderful after this massage!

20 Massage in 2 Months - Massage #2

A large Geode filled with naturally occurring amethyst and citrine sits inside the front door of the Center for Well-Being in Monroe, WA.

I received massage #2 in this series of 20 in two months from Karen Joy from the Center for Well-Being on Hill Street in Monroe, WA. I’d actually hoped to wait a few days for my next massage and then I discovered that Karen is leaving for Hawaii tomorrow. While there, she will act in her capacity as lay minister and marry a friend she has known since childhood. In order to catch Karen I scheduled my next massage for 4 pm today.

Karen is amazing in many ways. Least of all because more than one person, without really thinking about it, has found themselves calling her by her last name, Joy. I think this is because of the strong healing energy that often radiates from her. I am one of those people who calls Karen "Joy".  I also call her the James Bond of massage world, Agent 007, because she always seems to have at her disposal a fascinating new gadget or gizmo that she is using to extend new benefits to her clients. (In case you’re wondering, as of this writing, my relationship with the folks at the Center for Well Being is professional – I experience great massage while I’m there – so I want to write about it).

My favorite gizmo so far is the Amethyst Biomat by Richway. The mat is a kind of heating pad with some amazing extras that always enhance the quality of the massage. I looked the mat up on line.  It – along with a few accessories - retails for about $1500.00. (As far as I know there is only one mat in the Center so if you go there for a massage you may have to request it. If you can get it, it comes free of charge with the massage). To call the Biomat a heating pad does not begin to do it justice although keeping the massagee toasty, comfortable and relaxed is part of its function. With the mat I can feel the difference. I notice that I am both more relaxed and energized.  

The mat is filled with something like 25 pounds of crushed amethyst crystal. That’s a lot of amethyst! I’m guessing that the sheer quantity is part of why it’s effective.  I’ve used amethyst in my own healing work and it is a rock of some power. By analogy, as a microwave heats water, amethyst helps rid the body of toxins that can contribute to tension or disagreeable moods. Part of the way it does this is to help open the body to healing energies while neutralizing influences that are not so helpful. (Though you definitely wouldn’t want to put your body in a microwave, it’s safe to do so with amethyst!)  (Speaking of amethyst ... pictured above is the large geode filled with naturally occurring amethyst and citrine crystal positioned just inside the Center's front door... a rock which undoubtedly adds to the good vibrations of the place).

The Biomat has some other features which I will save for a later post. On to the massage!

Karen Joy is also Reiki practitioner. I have found that between now and last Tuesday the numbness has cropped up in my right arm again. To have numbness recur is not unusual but I am determined to find some new tools to tame this old challenge...

(for more see next post)

20 Massages in 2 months - Massage #1

Today was a good day for a massage. I’d been traveling since 7:00 am this morning, the straps of a suitcase, backpack and laptop case slung about my arms, shoulders and neck as I hustled from car to airplane to light rail to bus to another bus and finally to walk the last quarter mile home at about 3:00 pm. I had a great time visiting family and friends and making connections – a wonderful, magical time.  After 19 nights of sleeping odd hours - sometimes on other people’s couches - I am ready for the therapist to work his magic.

I arrived early for my massage scheduled for 4:15 pm. As I walked in the lobby of the Center for Well-Being in Monroe, Washington I was greeted by the soothing sounds of water falling in a tall stone fountain, the chords of Native American flute playing on a CD, and the calm friendly faces of staff. 

While I waited for my massage I thumbed through the scrapbook the founders had put together on the evolution of the business. In the scrapbook the Center’s mission was stated as: “working to make massage a viable medical option for our community.”

I received today’s massage from one of the Center’s founders, Richard Oliver. I asked him to say more about the Center’s mission. He emphasized the therapeutic aspects of massage and the ways it can improve quality of life including stress reduction, improved blood flow, decreased muscle tension, increased endorphins, all of which strengthen the immune system and also make you feel good. “We want to make a difference in your tissue. We want to help you make forward progress,” he said.

As we discussed what I wanted out of my massage I mentioned the tightness in my neck, shoulders, arms and shoulder blade area, including recurring numbness in my right arm. He pointed to a chart showing the muscle anatomy of the human body and explained the relationship between different sets of muscles that can hold tension and create discomfort. With respect to my nervousness about having people touch the front and sides of my neck he agreed that massage might help get to the bottom of this puzzle. I asked him if he could do a bit of cranial-sacral work during the massage. Cranial-sacral is a form of light manipulation which can be used alone or as a compliment to massage (or other therapies) and works with the cranial bones, sacrum and spinal fluid to balance energy in the body. “Cranial-sacral is non-invasive, even less invasive than massage. This means that there is less resistance in the body and this lack of resistance allows us to go deeper,” he said.  Richard is technically trained and also highly intuitive in his approach. This means that he can tailor his technique to needs of the client, even when those needs shift between massages.

This all sounds promising to me. I know from experience that balancing energy in the body is important given that emotional energy underlies physical ailments. Proper energetic flow moves emotions allowing for healing. Also, Richard’s intuitive approach means that I am likely to experience a massage that is not only custom made for me, if my needs change, he will follow suit and with each massage I will get more of what I need. This is the theory.

Our extensive discussion meant that my massage would be shorter than usual – something to keep in mind for all those massage goers out there! Richard stepped out of the room so that I could undress. I slipped between the sheets. The table was padded with what felt like miles of memory foam. The heating pad had been turned up to high – just like I like it - a wonderful feeling on this cold winter evening.  Even my toes felt comforted as they sunk into the warm foam.

(for more, see next post)

New Year’s Resolution – 20 Massages in 2 Months

My new year’s resolution for 2010 is to get 20 massages within the first two months of 2011. The plan is to receive them at the Well Being Center for Health in Monroe, Washington. I’m looking forward to it. The folks at The Well Being Center for Health on Hill Street give a quality massage and often seem to be at the cutting edge of developments in massage.

What prompted this and why two months?

My health insurance runs out at the end of February. My goal is to take advantage of the 20 self-referring massages allowed per year under my insurance in the first two months of 2011.

I have relied on massage to help with life. A decade or so ago I had a car accident that left me with intermittent back and neck pain that is more intense during times of fast change – and right now, things are changing fast. I write a lot so my arms get sore. My leg muscles including my IT bands (these run up the outside of the thigh) are painfully tight – in theory from pedaling my bicycle. And then there is the emotional side of life. Since childhood I’ve disliked it when people touch the front or sides of my neck. It makes me tense. I’d like to see if the massage can help me get to the bottom of this.

20 massages in two months? That’s two and sometimes three massages a week. Now that I’m thinking about it, I'm not sure it's a good idea. All that muscle manipulation relieves pain and stress in part through releasing toxins from the cells of the body. It takes time for those toxins to work their way out of the body. Trying to process too many toxins at once can lead to emotional overwhelm, physical discomfort and even symptoms like those that come with cold and flu.

There is a chance I will become infinitely relaxed and pliable or, equally, that I will get pushed to my limit of what I can process physically and emotionally. There’s only one way to find out! Please join me as I explore the outer limits of massage!