I usually start staring. That is a sign that I’m relaxing as well, during the massage

Today, it suddenly struck me. It was the first massage in a while. In winter there are not so many clients, but when the weather is good, it’s more inviting.

Apparently.

Before a massage, I always ask about a medical history

A hernia surgery, an injury, osteoarthritis – these are things you need to know. There has been someone with a hole in his back, who had a malignant melanoma removed.

Now that’s not something you need to know before you’re going to massage, but it’s still a surprise.

Once I had a relationship with a physical therapist

He was actually a bit old for me, but it was a very cozy time. I believe that physiotherapists only connect you to vibrating devices these days, but at that time they were still massaging.

And that’s what I know from experience, after a massage or four, five, you’re really get tired. You can get backaches yourself, and your energy level is low.

He wanted me to give him a massage

He was quite tall and the table – even though it was at its highest position –  was just too low. Then you get stuck in a rotten way, and that will cost you your back. After the first time, he began to say that I had take a sports massage course, but I ignored him at that time. After the x-th time he said it, I listened.

I did a sports massage course

It has been ages ago, so I do not know the names of all those muscles anymore, and what I learned further, but the massage technique is in your fingers. That’s just like skating – you never forget it. In the years to come it always came back. There were always friends with back troubles, tense mussles, stiff necks. I massage my eldest son when he was a baby. He loved it!

Should we compare it with the flu? From time to time it comes up. Something like that. I did another “intuitive massage” course, another’s: “hotstones” and “shiatsu”. A volunteer tought me in the 6 months that he was here the technique of chair massages. Also a form of shiatsu. A guest taught me the basics of “Hawaiian massages”.

The only thing I have never learned is to walk about someone’s back in the Thai way

Now I’m not as small and skinny as those Thai ladies … so probably that’s a good thing.

After over 30 years I’m just messin’ around. I ask for any medical complications, and the rest I’ll feel while doing. And in principle, I always do the same. I crawl all over your body, and connect the dots.

First the back, spread the oil

Then, after a little while, I go down south. Then I register muscle tension. Where the tension comes from. If it’s stress, or if your muscles worked hard. If you’re a nervous type, or calm. If you are a choleric type, or a warm-blooded person. If you’re stuck with something. If you’re an introvert. If you are a smoker. If you are a drinker. If you’re a happy person.

There’s is a lot you can learn from someone’s body

It was a while ago. Today was the first time again. And even though everything was the same – the same massage room (called “The Cave”), the same table, the same music of the Tibetan monks who always contribute to complete relaxation so well, the same Weleda Arnica oil – it was as if I did it for the first time.
And what was the most striking thing: I do not have to think about it. Indeed, it is completely intuitive. My hands are completely self-sufficient. In fact, the less I think, the better it goes. Then I’m going to stare.

And usually I close my eyes. I can feel even better.

When it’s done, I gently put a towel over my victim, and I go away quietly. The best massages are those, when I have to wake the people afterwards.

(And that’s almost always.)