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If you’ve been following any of what we do here at Moving Crafts, you will have noticed that we take the idea of self-care for the practitioner quite seriously. If you are not looking after yourself and functioning well, you simply cannot deliver a quality healing experience to another person. 

You can’t give what you don’t have, as the saying goes.

On top of that, massage, at least as we see it, is part of a holistic approach to a good life. It is one of the subtle things that can improve the quality of your life because you feel better. If we as givers aren’t doing the subtle but important things to give this to ourselves, it’s quite hypocritical to think we can perform that for others!

There are many ways to make this point, but fundamentally, you have a responsibility to respect yourself, and to look after yourself. Period. It is doubly important when your vocation is to deliver that through massage to others. We encourage you to take this seriously.

And in the context of being a masseuse, that means taking the needs of your own body seriously. We need to look after our own muscles, especially the ones we use for this work. You don’t have to look very far to find someone who has sore tendons in their arms, or lower back pain from massaging someone else (to help them get rid of their back pain!) Ironic in a way, and ultimately not necessary.

Strength and Power Don’t Need Big Muscles

There it is. Perhaps the most important statement in this post. Maybe it’s because, generally speaking, we don’t live lives in which our physical strength is that important anymore, and that has made us unfamiliar with body strength and where it comes from. Everyone has it. It isn’t something reserved for big muscles. But you do need to understand your body in motion in order to harness it.

What are we talking about? At its most basic, we want to tell you that the secret is to stop using your muscles in isolation from each other. See, our civilization goes through paradigms, which really just means some ideas are popular for a phase for whatever reason, and for another silly reason we think we need to dismiss everything we knew before. That’s how we forget things as a collective. But you can bet that our ancestors knew how to move rocks and pick pumpkins all day without hurting themselves.  

The strength to give a good massage does not reside in the arms of anyone. That means that even the strongest person is going to wear themselves out and do harm to the small and fine muscles in the hands etc, if they try to massage using only these muscles. Strength in humans is comparable to strength in a tree, because it begins at the roots, and if it isn’t there, it isn’t anywhere.

Try this simple exercise. Stand in front of a heavy door that it closed, but not latched. Plant your feet squarely, and push it open using just one hand, relying on the arm only. Now do it again, only this time, place one foot back from the other, allowing the hips to be at a 45 degree angle to the door. 

Now, using the arm that is further back, you’re going to open the door again, BUT NOT YET! The first thing to do in this simple act, is to start to turn your body toward the door, leading from the hip that is further back. It’s less complicated than it sounds. Start your ‘open the door’ motion by turning your hip toward it, and let the rest of your body naturally follow. Once your body is in motion, then reach out and let your arm push the door.

If you did it right, the door opened with greater force, and yet you felt like it was much easier. This is not a trick. It’s a simple task in learning to use the strength of your core, and your legs, and the big muscles in your body to do the work. Let your arm be like the very last tip of a whip. It is where the strength is delivered from, but it’s the part that did the least work. This basic premise is 100% applicable to the act of giving massage. 

Practice Makes Practice

What we just described there is something known to most athletes, depending on the sport. Power comes from the big muscles, and from the ground up. You may not be the strongest person, but you have more than you think; you just need to learn how to harness it. 

Sounds complicated, right? How can I learn that from one short blog entry? You can’t. But you can try a number of critical exercises and disciplines that rely on this wisdom, and they will make you a better masseuse. Practice in another discipline, makes your massage practice almost perfect. 

And one of the best ones is Tai Chi (Taijiquan).

The reason for that is simple; Tai Chi, despite what many people think, is not about waving your arms above your head in slow motion. It is about harnessing the power of the body, particularly, by rooting yourself firmly on the ground, and in the power triangle of the lower body. It’s not a miracle, but when you learn it for the first time, it seems pretty darn close.

There is a lot of power to be gained by learning how to move the core of the body in order to deliver strength. Even a person with the strongest arms will be stronger, will last longer, and have fewer issues related to muscle strain, if they learn this technique. It’s not just Tai Chi, or martial artists who use this. Behemoth football players who push each other around do so with the power of their legs, whether it looks like it to you or not. Same with Sumo wrestlers. 

Rowers too, are not heavy people with big muscles… at least not the fast ones. But they know about technique, and that’s why it all works. They push with their legs, then their body, and the arms just follow through at the end. That’s where power comes from. 

Massage is really not that different. And when it comes to power, it is not different at all.

Taking Care

We can’t teach you all you need to know about techniques to harness body power in a blog post. But we can get you thinking about it. Also, if you’re interested in learning more, yes, we do offer courses in all of the above. You can find them elsewhere too. The important thing for us in this moment is to share we know about treating yourself well, while you’re trying to do that for someone else through massage.

Most of all, listen to your body. Your ability to earn a living in this industry should not cost you your own health or well-being, and, with a little knowledge and practice, it doesn’t have to.

Food for thought.

One of the first questions that will undoubtedly come to mind when reading the title of this article is: what is the difference between Thai Massage and Yin-Thai Massage? We admit, it’s a good question. The short answer is that Yin-Thai is a bit more gentle, but we will expand on that. First, let’s talk about what Thai Massage is itself, because it’s really something impressive.

The Cradle of Civilization

Of all the varieties of massage, Thai may be the one that is closest to the traditional union of medicine, spirituality, and massage.Thai Massage has a long and truly prestigious history, and a sacred origin. The whole thing makes us kind of excited, frankly.

The history of Thai Massage is not a story that begins nor ends in Thailand, but it does pass right through again and again. As a technique, Thai Massage extends back more than 2500 years. Most practitioners credit a physician-monk from northern India, who was a personal physician to the Mghada King Bimbisara, or perhaps the Guatama Buddha, depending on which version you subscribe to.

While there is some discrepancy in the story, what is understood is that the practice we know as Thai Massage was conceived and developed by a physician-monk, and, along with Buddhism and other sacred teachings, it traveled along the networks of trade and cultural exchange from its origins in Northern India, across Asia, into the Malay Peninsula, where, like Buddhism, it was adopted, adapted, and embraced.

A Star is Born…(or at least given a name)

Perhaps the main reason this practice has come to be known as Thai Massage is that it was in Thailand where it was codified, and, later, literally, carved into stone. By the middle of the second millennium, the Thai kingdom had grown prosperous, based in the old capital at Ayuthaya. Theravada Buddhism, (still linked to the region), was fully developed and had become immensely popular, in partnership with Thai Massage as a medical practice. 

Codifying these practices, (agreeing on the standards and writing them down), was a project undertaken by the monks of the capital, with the active encouragement of the king. Later, after a devastating attack by the kingdom of Burma, the capital of Thailand was moved east to Bangkok. It is here where the king decided to secure this knowledge by having it carved into stone images, adorning the temple now known as Wat Pho. Here, they can still be seen to this day. In over 60 detailed images, the fundamental techniques of this practice are displayed, connecting the practice, and all those  who undertake it, to a prestigious past.

Benefits of Yin-Thai Massage

The purpose of what we call Thai Massage was (and still is) to correct imbalances in energy flow through the main channels it takes through the body. With energy in proper flow, the body systems, physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual, are able to function properly. 

The ancient medicine that underlies Thai Massage is founded on the recognition of energy lines in the body, called ‘Sen’. There are ten in particular, called ‘Sib Sen’, that are considered to be the main paths through which energy flows the body, and the entire being. When energy is flowing perfectly through these lines, the systems of the being, including the body, have all the energy they need; supply can match demand. 

Illness, at its core, stems from an imbalance of some sort in these energy lines. The fundamental idea of the medicine we know as Thai Massage is that blockages in these channels can be treated, and imbalances corrected, allowing the body and the being to combat stress and illness at its fullest potential.

Blockages in energy lines are not just seen as physical, but sometimes metaphysical, and the receiver gets treatment which helps the body to release and function better. It is an intensive, and well researched and practiced holistic treatment. Often the best results come in the days that follow, as the body responds to the improved flow of energy.

So…What is Yin-Thai ? (so glad you asked)

Yin-Thai massage is Thai Massage slowed down; nothing else differs. The fundamental techniques, practices, and understanding of this medicine remain the same. 

After years of performing this style of massage, Moving Crafts founder, Barbara Vogel, noticed a certain problem. Many people find that, in its most traditional practice, Thai Massage can  be a bit too vigorous. In fact, there are even stories in which people have even been hurt. That is a rare occurrence, but definitely not what we want massage to do!

The reason for this issue is actually pretty easy to understand, if you think about it. This is a practice designed for and designed within a whole different culture. Asian people quite regularly sit in a squat position (which westerners don’t)…heck, that’s generally how they use the toilet! This is just one of several activities that make a big difference in the body, particularly the fascia and other soft tissue. We are just not as flexible in the same ways. It makes perfect sense to adapt the practice to western bodies and lifestyles.

Thai Massage is a powerful practice in holistic medicine. It is robust, and envigorating, but it doesn’t have to be painful to be beneficial. This is where Yin-Thai came into being. 

Yin-Thai is built on the same philosophy and the same practices, but it is done with gentle flow. The techniques are all applied with the soothing touch most people associate with a massage, rather than the traditional vigor, which many people frankly find quite jarring. Nothing else differs, and no benefits are lost. 

A Final Note for the Student-Practitioner

There is a particular connection between this practice and basic yoga exercises. So much so in fact, that we highly recommend that anyone undertaking this practice familiarize themselves with yogic exercise and stretching, and use them regularly. 

Think about it. 

This practice originates from northern India at a time that Buddhism and Hinduism were developing from their roots; yoga and other sacred practices would have been an essential part of the package. This was not a time of specialization, but a time in which all these things were being birthed from the same nursery. They are integrated with one another, right to the very essence. 

The demands that the practice puts on the body, but also the way in which Thai Massage uses energy of spirit, requires good flow for both giver and receiver. Including a practice for your own maintenance of well-being is essential.

The power of your personal practice through yogic exercise will translate directly into a better massage that takes less from you, as the giver. We highly recommend you make it part of the package for yourself, like the founders intended.

One question we often receive is this; apart from learning the hand techniques and the basic movements, what is really involved in learning massage? What else does it take? 

Good question. It depends on who you ask, and, if you ask us, it depends on how far you want to go into the experience of being a professional or master masseuse. It is perfectly acceptable to be the best amongst your friends, and have everyone lines up for one of your shoulder rubs. That is just fine with us, if it’s fine with you!  

However, if you want to really pursue massage as a professional, there are skills, concepts, and practices that don’t directly relate to giving someone a massage, but that will open doors within your experience that will elevate you and your practice to a higher level. It sounds promising, but it isn’t a trick or gimmick.  

All About Trust and Hard Work 

Within the world of massage there are a number of subtle, but critical skills that make the difference between being able to give a massage, and being able to create safe space, nurture openness, foster trust, and open doors within a client. When these poetic-sounding things happen, a massage goes deeper. And the client knows they have really encountered a master. This is not about hierarchy; it is about skill, and hard work. 

For this reason, we at Moving Crafts have developed a short, three-book series called The Spirit of Massage. These books are included with many courses as core material. In this article, we’ll share a little from each one to give you taste of what we’re talking about, and why we really think this is important for you and anyone on the journey to becoming a better masseuse. 

The Topics 

The Spirit of Massage series covers a series of topics that “surround” the concept of massage. It includes the ideas of creating and maintaining a safe space, which is more than making sure that the table doesn’t collapse, and there are no poisonous spiders in the room. In fact, “safe space” really means a place in which the receiver feels comfortable with the natural vulnerability they experience in disrobing to some extent, lying on a table, and letting a near or complete-stranger put their hands on them.  

Trust is key to the experience of receiving a massage. And there is a lot more to creating this space than you might think. Here’s a list of topics we cover in the three books: 

• Presence of the Giver 

• Presence of the Receiver 
• Understanding the Origins of Tension 
• Cultivating Tolerance 
• Respect and Confidentiality 
• Communication 

• Energy/flow: Synchronizing with the Receiver 
• Breath and Movement 
• Self-care for the Masseuse 
• Care of the Studio/equipment 

Even further, we take these concepts from a general discussion of why they matter to massage in book one, through a discussion of what you can do as a masseuse, in-between massages, in the privacy of your own space, in order to enhance your skills in this area. Finally, in book three, we go into the studio directly, and look at how you can foster your own tolerance, and the projection of a safe space to your client, regardless of who they are, and what they bring with them into the experience. 

Check out a Sample 

Here are three short samples of how we talk about the first topic, ‘presence of the giver’, taken from each of the three books. This allows you to see how the ideas progress, as the teaching material progresses… 

From Spirit of Massage Book One: Presence of the Giver 

… These are the things that create our ‘presence’, the energy that we bring to a situation, and, if we wish to be a successful giver, meaning we are able to create a space in which others feel safe to be vulnerable, we must have some true skills within our own self that allow us to create such a space authentically. And, before we can create it outwardly for others, we must be able to create it within our own selves, for ourselves…. 

From Book Two…. 

… There is a lot to managing your energy by knowing your inner self, which is kind of where we’re going with all this, but in this context, the subject can be discussed simply as a question of being in balance. To be in balance is like walking on a fallen log across a river. Lean too far one way or the other and you’ll fall off. So, when we say it’s important to not overshoot the mark, it refers to the fact that our energy, our presence is most trustworthy when it is authentic, and not trying too hard. If it is trying too hard to appear as something really great that we wish it was, it will overshoot the mark of authenticity, and it will have a kind of odor to it that the intuition of others will receive as inauthentic, and therefore somehow not quite as trustworthy… 

From Book Three… 

… Admittedly, being all of these things energetically, and authentically, takes practice, and it isn’t something you can just turn on with a switch, (although the more you do this, the closer you may get to switching quickly into that energy). However, as mentioned, many individuals getting into this line of work have some familiarity with the concepts, and some experience or even a practice with meditation. ‘Clearing one’s mind and being empty of thought and attachment, well, sounds great, but for most of us we do the best we can to attain that. Whatever remains is our karma, our lesson, and not to be fretted over. Give yourself some time in the studio to have a little ritual, ensuring that includes a silent sit in which all thoughts flow and pass with no more relevance to you than leaves in the wind… 

Another one… 

The next three excerpts cover the concept of Tolerance, examined across the three books as a concept, a practice for the masseuse in private, and an active aspect of meeting the client in the studio. 

From Spirit of Massage Book One: Cultivating Tolerance 

…The issue of tolerance is something that really only comes up when we are experiencing something that challenges our tolerance. It’s easy to be tolerant of things we like! What we as practitioners need to focus on in terms of skill development is how to present with the things that we might actually find a little bit repulsive. Or very repulsive. Some bodies are not healthy. Many are not beautiful to gaze upon. Some produce unpleasant odors. Many of these repulsive things are actually the product of poor health on some level, or a poor relationship to one’s body. In other words, it may be best to think of such experiences as a sign that massage treatment is exactly what this person needs, which makes our judgement extra inappropriate… 

From Book Two… 

…It helps to foster an emotionally accepting space ahead of when you might need it. When it comes to tolerance, be truthful with yourself about what things you find hard to tolerate in others. What behaviors? What attributes, physical or otherwise? Imagine such a person coming in to the studio and just by their presence, challenging your tolerance. It’s okay to be honest about the fact that this is one of the things in the world that challenges you; we all have them, and this is the point of the exercise. Can you find compassion for that person, just as they are? They are coming to you in trust, with a need. Can you find the authentically compassionate space for them?.. 

From Book Three… 

…The moment in which the client arrives may in some ways be the most challenging, and may present the most potential for someone to get ‘rubbed the wrong way’ (pun intended). Some clients arrive with their energy in a way that, owing to the something in their past, may have an unconscious need to try to gain control, or subtly put you on the back foot, or something unnecessary. The more focused you are on the safe space and a non-judging energy, the less potential you have to even get offended, which is the right place to be. Tolerance is not dependent on the client being agreeable to us. It is a skill that is accepting of the ‘energy of arrival’ for the recipient, focuses on communicating patience but with a focus on the purpose of being here…     

Just the Beginning 

Perhaps in closing we can offer a statement of our own purpose and intent in creating Moving Crafts, the courses, and all the associated material, the Spirit of Massage series included.  

Moving Crafts is founded by, nurtured by, and created by a passionate master of massage. The goal of this site is to offer high quality, unique, and informed teachings on how to truly advance yourself within this field, and the industry.  

It takes more than moving your hands around. It takes study, and professionalism, and a series of skills that you really only learn about by putting in the time.  

Here, we want to do everything we can to offer you the benefit of the skills that our master teacher has learned over time. You don’t have to prostrate yourself, or bow to an idol. But if you’re willing to dig in, to put the time in, even to subtle things that seem simple, you will learn, and you will succeed.  

And that is all we want for you! 

*If you would like to listen to this blog as an audio file, please scroll to the bottom and press play!

Massage is not an industry that is heavily regulated. It is not like medicine, or psychotherapy, even though it can be intrusive, and treats the body with all kinds of potential outcomes. This article is not setting out to argue for regulation, but it does offer some food for thought to those who are serious about the practice of massage, and of learning how to do it well. Perhaps even how to achieve a level of mastery.  

What does that process look like? 

Wax On/Wax Off 

Perhaps you are already familiar with that reference to the movie, The Karate Kid. In that classic, a young boy wants to learn karate from a master, who happens to own a junk yard full of cars. His first lesson in karate ends up with him being sent to wax all the cars in the yard. He puts the wax on with a circular motion moving inward, and takes it off with a circular motion outward. Wax on; wax off. 

And, of course, eventually he complains at the apparent ridiculousness of the whole exercise, only to be shown that he has, in fact, developed quick responses and a technique for hand movement that will serve him very well as he starts to truly learn. Surprise! 

So, what does this mean for you and learning massage? Please come wax my car. Oh no, wait, that’s not where this is going. It offers a simple message you can clearly see yourself. We start with practicing basics and fundamentals of hand movements, until the muscles develop, and the technique itself becomes second nature. That is level one for this task, like many others, and, as much as it may at times seem tedious and tiring, it cannot be skipped.  

For massage, the fundamental stage of mastering basic technique can be long and tedious, but it is necessary and worthwhile. You will need to watch “teachables” like videos, receive direct instructions, review notes you may have from instruction, practice-practice-practice, then watch the videos all over again. This is not because it’s really hard, but because, in order to do it right, it must be precise. If all you want to do is fake a massage for the TV camera, that is easy. But if you want to authentically deliver quality massage, technique must be acquired, and sometimes it is comparable to waxing a whole yard full of cars. But it’s worth it! 

Bootlaces 

What? I thought we were doing massage. What difference does my footwear make? Good news. It doesn’t make a difference. It’s a metaphor, as you might have guessed. And it may be one you’ve heard before. When you lace up a boot, you put the lace through one hole and then go over to the other side to the partner hole, then come back again. It’s a slow process, and you must methodically accomplish what needs to be done on one level before moving up to the next one. Starting to make sense? 

The study-practice-review-repeat process that we described above is your golden ticket to success. Slowly you will make your way up the boot! Slowly but surely, you will come to memorize the steps, techniques, and stages, of whichever specific massage technique you are learning. You will develop a sense of rhythm and flow, as your hands become more familiar and develop some finesse. You will come to move more smoothly between techniques and/or body positions. If you keep practicing, this is unavoidable, and it is no different than riding a bike. 

More things will slowly happen as your experience accumulates. You will be massaging different people with different bodies. Your hands and your working knowledge will continue to advance in skill, as you become more familiar with working the skin, the muscles, and the joints of different bodies. You will adapt, expand, and become more versatile, without necessarily seeing it happen until the skill is there. It’s like focusing on the boot so much, that you don’t realize how much you’ve accomplished until you pull it tight, and it all comes smoothly together.  

This is a natural learning process for things that focus on experience. Keep going, and this will likely become your experience as well.  

Refine, Refine, Refine 

Since metaphors seem to work so well with this topic, we’ll throw out one more, which is the metaphor of climbing a hill on a long hike. You put your head down, and focus on where your feet go, and sure enough, after a while, you reach a vista, lift your head, and suddenly see that you’ve come a long way, and climbed a great height. This is true even if you’re not yet at the top.  

There will come a time when the ‘wax on/wax off’ has become second nature to you (at least for that specific type of massage) and then you can enter the stage of refinement. And there is nothing in your practice that you can’t refine. It will happen naturally. You may refine the flow you feel when moving between techniques or body parts. You will refine your technique for working around certain joints, or things you’ve learned about different body types. You can refine your own attitude toward yourself, your practice, your clients, or even the basic topic of massage. 

What happens is basically, you advance on your path. And like all things, you start to become aware of, and practiced in a higher, more subtle and refined set of skills that sit on top of a good foundation, built step by step.  

If you do take the time to partake in a Moving Crafts course, you will see that, in addition to technique, a good amount of time is dedicated to the intangible aspects of massage. The discussion of the learning process is no different. The ‘how we do what we do’ for massage is not always the most complicated thing; it is not rocket science. It is, however, specific, and demanding. And there is a method to how we best achieve the levels we aspire to. 

We hope that you partake in a Moving Crafts course, where we dedicate time to your learning process. We aim to provide thorough materials that give structure to every part of you as a masseuse, learning how to become a professional, and how to develop an aura of professionalism around yourself and your practice. We do this in an authentic way, knowing this is the only path to success. 

We hope you feel inspired to join us! 

Are you contemplating massage as a profession? If you’ve heard the calling to give to others through the gift of massage, and you’d like to understand the certification process a bit more, then this article is for you. Certification in massage can take different forms, but for most it is a rewarding and worthwhile endeavor. 

Certification versus Licensing 

First, an important distinction must be made between being certified in massage, and being a licensed massage therapist. Licensing is a very particular process that has its advantages for those seeking a certain career type. However, licensing is very specific to the country that grants the license, and in some cases even more restricted to a particular jurisdiction within that country. 

The practice of licensing comes from the intention to integrate some massage into the medical world. Licensing massage therapists therefore involves a greater amount of medical and kinesiological learning than is likely necessary in order to be good at massage. It does, however, meet certain standards that the medical establishment is comfortable with, and, most critically, a licensed massage therapist can bill medical insurance companies.  

The path of the licensed massage therapist can be rewarding, but it will be limited to a location, fixed and limited techniques, and it requires formal education in a recognized institution, which will be a longer and more costly process than certification. If the particular work of a licensed MT is what you seek, then that path to licensing may be well worth your investment.  

However, if what you envision for your career is more flexibility in terms of techniques and styles, locations, spa work, private massage, and the ability to work with anyone who wants to experience massage without limitation, then certification may be more suited to you. 

Benefits of Certification 

Certification is not as formal a process, and the requirements of a certificate will vary to some degree, depending on where you receive it. It will have benefits and, in some cases, limitations. Let’s go through them here.  

Where can I work with Certification? 

Well, first, unlike licensing, with certification in massage, you won’t be eligible to bill medical insurance companies, but you will also not be limited to where you can work. And in truth, most massage work has nothing to do with billing insurance companies.  

A certification in a style of massage will give valid credibility to your practice, wherever you want to take it. You can work in your own home, a spa, a health center in a sunny corner of the world. There really are no limits. Your certificate will not hold the same power as a medical degree, but it will be valid wherever you want to take it.  

Further, a certificate is usually granted within a specific style or tradition. Rather than learning a variety of generic massage techniques, a certificate gives you a higher level of expertise and credibility in that style than you could achieve otherwise. Further still, as you expand your repertoire of techniques, your practice offers more to the client, or the spa as employer, and you as a business person become more valuable. It takes time to do additional certificates in different styles, but it is perhaps the best way to develop genuine expertise, which eventually translates into greater value (and knowledge) for you. 

Is it really worth it to get Certification? 

The thing is, since certification can be done by almost anyone, it may beg the question, is it worth it? Does it really provide a level of credibility? The answer is definitely yes. A certification can be verified, and, even if it is not something like an official license, it provides credible evidence of your achievement in the field. The real proof you have to offer will always be the massage you give, but certification opens the door to being given the chance to prove yourself in a professional setting in the first place. Most spas will not even consider a masseuse without proof of certification, and without it, it can be very difficult to even set up a successful home practice. 

How do I know which Certification is right for me? 

In one way, certification is a ‘ticket’, meaning it is necessary if you want to ride the bus as a professional masseuse. However, if you’re serious about your practice, you want to make sure you choose a teacher that will really benefit you, not just give you a piece of paper at the end. What should you look for? 

The teacher will really be the biggest thing. Do they present their certifications? Can they tell you about their hours of professional practice? Because that means a lot. Even more importantly, what does your own intuition tell you about this person? Do they sound genuinely knowledgeable? Are they open and available to you for questions?  Do you get the sense that they will care about your progress?   

A good teacher will require you to perform a number of massage hours during the certification, and, more importantly, they will be available to you for debriefing, answering questions, and consultation throughout that process. That is the mark of someone who cares about the quality of your learning, not just the certificate. 

Certification is valuable, but you yourself will want to monitor the quality of the learning you receive, and, you will have to make some gut-level decisions on which is right for you. Do you feel enthused about learning from this teacher? At the same time, almost all professionals have multiple certifications, and consider their own learning to be an ongoing process. This means that one certificate will not make an entire career, but will be a step along the way. 

If you are ready to dedicate yourself to this helping profession, you will likely be drawn to the same learning process. As much as massage requires a focus on technique and understanding of why we do what we do, listening with your heart, to your intuition, will always be one of the most important skills you have, and your best guides along the way. If you feel a connection with a program or a teacher, take the risk. If you’re like many of the rest of us, you will be happy you did. 

Whether you are new to the world of massage, or have been indulging in its wisdom and practices for some time, you will have noticed that the varieties of massage techniques are vast!  

Before the age in which everyone in the world was connected to everyone else through the magic of a computer, there were things so obvious to the human experience that we all kind of discovered them in our way. The positive experience of human touch, and the benefits of manipulating muscle and other tissue, well these things kind of suggested themselves along the way. 

And so, along the way, in all the corners of a round world, peoples learned and developed their own styles of what we now know as massage. 

However, as much as there are some fundamental things that connect all the practices of massage together, it would be a mistake to see them all as similar.  

Yes, at some point in every massage there is some form of manipulating soft tissue, and this will always stimulate blood flow and the removal of waste material from the muscles, but this is a general truth. If you were to gently rub your forearm just while reading this, that will happen as a result.  

But this one single physiological result of massage is not the total of what massage is, and it does not offer insight into different styles. In fact, with many styles, if all we were to do is to learn technique, without developing a deeper understanding of the culture and philosophy behind it, we wouldn’t really ‘know’ that style at all. 

Lomi Lomi, a traditional style from Hawaii, may provide the best example of why this is true. 

Touching the Intangible 

When something is intangible, in essence, it means it is not perceived by the senses. Love might make us smile, but love itself is not contained or understood by the senses, nor strictly within the physical world. This is actually a pretty familiar concept for most. For example, when we talk about massage, we often talk about the mind-body-spirit connection, which actually describes the connection between the physical (or tangible) and the intangible as experienced through activities like massage. 

For Lomi Lomi however, the way that intangible and tangible come together is more than a connection. The main purpose of Lomi Lomi is to let the emotional, spiritual energy of a place, a client, and a practitioner come together in such a way that it will inform, or dictate what happens in that massage. 

Sounds a bit tricky, and in a way, it is. Techniques for this massage can be specific, but, at the same time, no two Lomi Lomi massages are ever the same. This really is a style whose tradition begins with an integrated understanding of what it is to be human, and it includes the physical aspects alongside the emotional and spiritual, without separation. 

Are you curious yet about how all that works together to make a unique form of massage? You should be. Lomi Lomi is designed in such a way as to reach deep into the self, from deep within the self. Mastering this technique does involve a lot of intangible concepts brought into moving form. For this reason, it may be one of the more challenging styles to master, but it provides an experience like no other.  

So please stay tuned for the arrival of the first of three courses in this unique Hawaiian style. Do not be intimidated by descriptions that sound confusing…. let your curiosity, and your passion for giving guide you. Listen to these intangible parts of your own self, and you will already be well on your way. 

On a table, across a chair, and of course, in bed. On a bus, and on a train. Leaning across the ice machine, or hanging on to a bar stool. Oh! How about in a Buddhist temple, or backstage at a show. In the spa, lying in the grass by the sports field, or in the backseat of a moving vehicle. It’s true; I’ve done it in all those locations, quite proudly! 

Now, I know what you’re thinking. But, no, thank you very much, this is not a list of (ahem) “exploits” from a 1970s rock-band groupie! 

This is just a sample of this list of places where I’ve given a massage.  

But, more than just to give myself some bragging rights, the point of this post is to talk about the versatility of this craft, and how to be flexible in how you use it. Let me explain. 

Why be Versatile? 

There absolutely is vital wisdom behind the idea that a massage is a private, and in many ways, confidential event. Receiving a massage can put one in a vulnerable state, and suggests a relationship between the two parties that involves a level of physical trust. So, yes. Generally speaking, providing a confidential, comfortable, and private environment is considered good practice. 

But that’s still not the only way to do massage. In fact, having the versatility and the creative attitude to offer massage at different levels and in different places can also be considered as good practice.  

Here’s why… 

Meet them Half Way 

There will always be people who aren’t going to enthusiastically seek out the privacy of a spa setting, or to set aside the time to strip down, or oil up, and put themselves in the hands of another for 60-90 minutes. But they might be super happy to let you treat their neck and shoulders for 15 minutes, sitting in a chair. And your willingness to be flexible, and to work with what is presented to you can mean the difference between that person receiving the benefits of massage or not.  

And, regardless of what you or I might think of as the ideal situation, it is their body, their time, and their decision. Why not meet them halfway? 

Now of course, it is also your body, your skill, and your time, and you are free to decide what settings suit you, and which ones you’re comfortable with. But a willingness to explore and expand those limits allows more people to experience the benefits of massage. 

Good Marketing Sense 

To be sure, you should never compromise what you feel is your own good judgement just to get a client. Like with everything, you may encounter people whose desires or demands simply go beyond what you feel is healthy for you or them, and therefore you may have to decline. 

However, it is also true that being flexible with your skills can make for very good marketing of your services. Once, while living in a small town, I decided to set up my services in the local pub, where people often went at the end of the day. The results were very positive. 

Not only did people get something special added to their days-end relaxation, but I made some money, and expanded my client list. That is what you call a win-win. 

Build Your Skills 

Now, in a lot of the course material, I emphasize the importance of understanding what exactly you are doing with your hands in different positions. It is critical to understand that we are not just giving people a rub when we massage. So, yes, technique is critical.

At the same time, eventually we must learn to be fluid, dynamic, and in some ways creative with technique. This is what it is to expand as an advanced professional of massage; you know the basics like the back of your hand (and the front and the side)… in fact, you’re so good at it that you can explore and experiment, without giving up the value of the massage. 

Trying out your technique in different settings, and in different positions will only make that process, and the end results, much stronger. 

It’s FUN!! 

Whether you’re a beginner, advanced, or somewhere in between, you probably know the experience of focusing carefully on giving a successful massage. It can be exhausting! It is important that we take our craft seriously. But that doesn’t mean we aren’t going to enjoy it. In fact, we should enjoy it, for a number of reasons, including the fact that enjoying something makes you better at it. But also, what else can we ask of life other than that we find work that we enjoy? 

Having some versatility, exploration, spontaneity, and willingness to try new things with your massage will keep it fresh. It will teach you new things. And the challenge may awaken your own desire to be creative, and to take your craft to new levels. 

What could possibly be wrong with that? 

In an existential way, it is sometimes said that our reality is a constant dance between the forces of order and chaos. These forces have various representations, kind of tucked here and there throughout our experiences. It is the masculine and feminine energies that exist in each one of us, that must dance together to make things work.  

Make no mistake; like yin and yang, these things do not, and in fact, cannot exist or function in isolation from one another. Not without creating imbalance, and, in some form, illness. For some people, the contemporary world is one in which being polarized to one side of an issue or the other seems to make some convoluted sense, which is unfortunate for all of us.  

However, the truth that remains constant is that our reality is generally made up of oppositional forces that sometimes seem paradoxical, yet they coexist by intention. In fact, the tension that is created by oppositional forces is the energy that drives the whole thing forward, you might say. It is how we learn, and how we grow. Not just individually, but as a collective, unified oneness. (If you’re into that sort of thing). 

Great. And what does that have to do with massage?  

Well, I’m glad you asked. 

See, this intentional pairing of oppositional forces is everywhere. It can be seen in the main forces of our consciousness; intellect and intuition (the latter of which includes the emotional self). Both of these exist within us to provide us with insight and information of different, but complimentary types. They perceive the world very differently. When they work together in balance, they produce something that is ‘greater than the sum of its parts’.  

In massage, this is the relationship between technique and flow. 

Technique is, well, technical. It must be learned through traditional forms of teaching, practice, and perfection. If you don’t know what your technique is meant to do, in terms of engaging the body’s natural processes, your massage won’t be very effective. You need to practice pressure, manipulation, and developing a conscious connection between your knowledge of technique, and what your hand is doing. This is a very intellectual process. 

Once you know these things, like, really know them to the point that they are second nature, your intuition can take over, and thus begins the process of flow. A musician that has practices their scales for hour after monotonous hour, suddenly finds that the location of the notes, and the gestures needed to produce good tone, well these things happen so automatically that some other creative force within just takes over, and raises the level of performance to something almost transcendent. That is flow, and it is an intuitive process. 

Knowledge so strong you don’t have to think about it… 

Sometimes the intuitive process is thought of as simply not over-thinking things, but this can’t really happen until your technique is so deeply engrained that you don’t have to think about it. Makes sense, right? 

And you could say that what I really want to teach you is how to reach the level of flow. The base building blocks are technique, and the things you need to think about with precision and clarity, then practice until it is automatic. However, once it becomes automatic, you are in the place where your own intuition can guide you, and flow can begin. 

Now, one could write a whole thesis on where these forces meet in our reality, in ourselves, etc, because this core concept is applicable all over reality! However, there are just a few things, in terms of learning massage, that I want to impress upon you, if I may.  

Beware of the tired old tropes that make us polarized. Feminine is good, masculine is bad…. things like that. Everything that exists has a purpose, and it exists in all of us. Being out of balance leads to problems. That’s it. The rest is about embracing all that we are without judgment, and aiming for balance. Only then will the process lead us through technique to flow.  

To think of it another way, you can’t get to flow without technique unless you want to just flop around without much in the way of goals or intentions, nor the methods of reaching them. 

Be diligent, accepting, but also determined with your intentions to learn, practice, and perfect technique. The better you get, the more you will be able to adapt, and go beyond what you have learned. But it makes no sense to try to go beyond when you don’t know what you’re “going beyond” in the first place. Learning good technique with discipline is a touchstone. Once you have found it, know what it is, and can get there anytime, then you can successfully go beyond it.  

And you will properly find your flow. I wish you good luck. 

The Importance of Self-Care for the Practitioner (Part 1) 

I’m starting to really enjoy having this blog as part of my website. So much focus went into the site construction, and continues with the courses I am developing, and these things are very structured by necessity. However, I myself prefer to speak about massage in a more fluid form, as it has so many important parts that are all entwined with each other. 

And that’s what I get to do here. 

The topic for this post is self-care for the practitioner, which is so very important to caring for others. It is so important in fact, that I’m sure this won’t be the only time I write about it, here in my own little magazine we call a blog. Therefore, this is not a totally comprehensive guide to self-care; it is a discussion as to why you should keep it close in mind, as you proceed with your learning, and your daily life. And it is a discussion that will be ongoing.  

This is why I have called this, part 1. 

The gist: You can’t give what you don’t have 

In a way, that little phrase says almost everything. If your energy is low, where will the focus and intention come from to give a healthy, positive massage experience to someone else? And drinking lots of coffee to fake it doesn’t work! 

Self-care can be thought of in many ways. It can be broken down into a list of things to do, which we can do in a later post. But we know the basic things that go on that list; eat well, get good sleep, DRINK WATER, stretch, meditate and focus on your intention. That’s a good start. 

But there is a deeper, more fundamental truth that underlies all of this, which is the truth of your own vulnerability. WHAT? That’s right. You are strongest when you are aware and respectful of your own vulnerability. Self-care cannot proceed well if you are closed to this fundamental of self-awareness. 

There are people who teach moving and healing crafts whom, perhaps unfortunately, are confused about their role in the whole thing. They think it comes from them, but what we give to others that is truly healing comes from beyond us all, and simply passes through us. The more you understand your own vulnerability as a human, the better you function as a conduit for that energy. It can be that simple. 

Massage, and the loving conscious energy behind it does not emanate from within you, nor from within me. It comes from the one source that all loving consciousness originates from. You can call it what you want, but it is a vibration, and an energy that flows through all things. It is an energy that we, as practitioners, can hope to facilitate and direct toward the healing experience of our client. And that is all. 

But it will always be a higher universal intelligence doing the work. Your job is to know it so well that your own intuition (which speaks the same language) can guide the energy through you. And, if you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t be able to do that very well. And once again, it can really be that simple. 

Okay. So, is this about self-care or universal energies? 

Good question. Both, I suppose.  

The relationship between you as a facilitator of higher energy and your own self-care, is the same relationship that exists between crystal clear spring water and the pipe that carries it down the mountain to the people. If the pipe is dirty, and not well-cared for, the life force it delivers will not be of high quality, and it will not serve the people. 

Taking care of yourself, whether it is to make yourself a better facilitator of higher energy or not, is something you kind of owe to the divine. It is a sacred duty. Especially if you make a contract with the divine to deliver some its goodness to others, which is pretty much what we’re doing here.  

That is the concept I want to impress upon you with this post, if I may. If you embrace self-care as a duty, you automatically place yourself properly in the order of things; not as a guru or a goddess or some other trans-human concept, but as a humble and diligent servant to something truly greater than you.  

The irony is, if you do that… if you allow yourself to ‘shrink’ in terms of ego-size, you open the door to becoming so much better at delivering the universal energy, and so much more than your ego would allow. Because you know it isn’t you. Kind of ironic, isn’t it? This is why we sometimes say that the best thing you can do is just stay out of your own way! 

You still get the accolades and the respect, and people come to you for their massage. But you yourself will feel calmer, perhaps happier, knowing that you can rely on the universal energy to do all the hard work. All you need to do is take good care of the facilitator, so that you are prepared for these moments. And, as funny as it sounds, you will get really good at looking after yourself, because you are thinking about it the right way. 

Do what you need to do in order to be a healthy human, and the powers that be will take care of the rest. This is the only way.  

I leave you with this to consider. 

Announcing the Publishing of my First Course

My first course is up! It marks a real milestone for me, so I don’t mind taking a moment to say a quiet, “hurrah!” (applause) 

My intention in this blog is to talk about classic massage itself, and what is most important for the practitioner in order to be successful. However, as this is my first course, and my first website, I want to say a couple quick things about that. 

What a learning curve! Technology really is a fast-moving wave these days, and I’m in the large category of people who were born early enough that it hasn’t been a standard part of my life. There is a lot to learn about the technical aspects of getting this all up and running! 

While I am happy with my site and progress so far, my intention is to continue adapting the video production in particular to improve the production quality of what I release. However, I am quite proud of the course content itself, including the 6 videos, and the additional info on the pdf. I sincerely hope that (at least some of) you truly enjoy it. I have made it available for a very friendly, introductory price. 

And, as a bit of shameless self-promotion, please note I will be releasing Classic Massage part 2 in the coming weeks. Part 1 focuses on the core basics that are so critical to this style. It covers a full, one-hour massage from start to finish. Part 2 moves into advanced classic massage, and expands the body regions, and teaches advanced techniques for stomach, feet, neck, and other sensitive regions of the body. It extends the classic massage up to 90 minutes, and will be coming soon! 

But enough about that… what about classic massage? Let’s talk about that… 

In the introductory material for the course, I make the point that classic massage is like vanilla ice cream; simple, but perfectly satisfying, almost every time. Classic massage is ‘classic’ because it is effective and satisfying, which is why we tend to go back to it over and over. 

So, what are the important things that make it effective? Well, the techniques are explained and taught in detail in the course, and I’m not going to just repeat that here. I want to point out the value of doing something simple, but doing it very well. And the secret to that is honesty with one’s self, because that is where strong, clear intention comes from, and where focus becomes powerful. 

Think about breathing. Why? You might ask. Well, breathing is the foundation of all meditation. It is something we do automatically, and it may in fact be the simplest body function there is. Yet, when we breathe with focus, silence, and intention, it becomes an experience that is not only profound, but continues to get more profound the longer you hold that space and intention. 

Yet all you are doing is breathing. 

So, what does that say about classic massage? Well, to me, it says that, yes, technique is critical. Understanding precisely why we want to use a certain hand position, apply pressure in a certain way, et cetera, these things are very important. In a sense, if you don’t understand those things, you can’t really be effective. If you don’t know about the role of massage in circulation in muscle tissue and why it is important, you can only do so much for your recipient. You are in danger of just rubbing your hands around, which can be fun, but it might not be as effective as massage can be. 

Good massage, like many things, is an art, not a science, even if looking at it briefly through the lens of science is important. Your own intention, breathing, honest self-awareness; these are the things that will make the difference between a pedestrian, garden-variety massage, and a professional one. And the difference can be quite profound. 

My advice? Well, since you asked, don’t fool yourself about the value of practice, and of preparation. In my course, I suggest on more than one occasion that even the simple hand techniques will improve when you practice them on a pillow. Or your pet. Perhaps you are familiar with the classic movie, The Karate Kid, (original) in which the boy takes his martial arts skills to a new level by waxing cars. “Wax on, wax off.” Have a look, if you aren’t sure what I mean. 

The reason that classic massage can be so effective is because, like many simple things, it has all that it needs to be effective; IF, and only if, the practitioner has a depth of honesty with themselves.  

If you are honest about your intention, your focus will follow. It will do so quite naturally. If you practice and prepare (sometimes just by visualizing your practice), you, as the practitioner may be surprised at how profound your own experience can be. And, in being open to feedback, you may be pleased to find that, more and more, your experience and the experience of the recipient reflect one another.  

This is not always true, and it is not necessary, so don’t be disappointed if the person didn’t have the same moments that you did; they still had theirs. Just ‘return to the breath’, and continue.  Return to the simple things that make the practice work, and it will provide.  

Just like vanilla ice cream! In fact, I think I might go get some right now.