Introduction to massage for couples

December 1 1996

Michael C Callaway

Update: Febuary 23 2016

This class was originally created in the mid-part of 1996, it was presented for the first time in December 1996. It is since been presented three additional times in different cities and states. If anybody is interested I would be willing to do it again, maybe..

Enjoy the material and I hope it is helpful. As I have credited the sources I used, I would appreciate it if you use the material to credit me appropriately.

 Disclaimer 

Because New Mexico has some rather restrictive laws covering massage therapy. Since I am not licensed in the state of New Mexico I cannot call myself a massage therapist even though I have 1000 hours of training and over 20 year experience. I cannot afford to pay the fees required by the state. and I will not join the NCBTMB for ethical reasons. I was a member from 1994 to 1999, it was to costly to continue.

under New Mexico law Ii can do pretty much anything I want, as a "exempted alternative practitioner". I Cannot illegally do Swedish massage. it is more complicated than this.

This class just gives a basic overview of massage to couples. - any two people 18 years old or older that wish to learn to work with each other. If you wish to become a massage therapist you need to attend a certified massage school.   There are several good ones in the Denver area, and more in Pennsylvania, The oldest massage school in the US is in New York city. There are also many schools in California the most notable being Elson Institute., They teach their own Modality.   Yes, there are schools in New Mexico but I have no knowledge of them.

Enjoy the information - It is never to late to learn something new.

Introduction, history and overview of modalities to date – 

Introduction:

Everyone needs to relax to escape to pressures of every day life listening to music, watching the movement of clouds, walking along a beach looking for treasures. These things still the mind, and help to reclaim our sense of self.  As we grow older we spend more time in our head and less time in our body. We disconnect form our basic nature. You are here because for one reason or another you wish to reconnect with your body thorough the healing art of touch – massage. Touch is a common language, a language that can be used to heal, to relieve pain, to lessen stress – tension. Massage can provided us with a means to counteract the ever present pressures of life. For many of us the stiffness and pain to which we have become habuatied is beyond our awareness until we receive a massage. After a massage we realize our muscles are tight or how much of our energy is expended on stress and tension in our bodies. In addition to the psychological and physiological benefits of massage there is also and enhanced none verbal communication present in touch that transcends the lesser effective form of communication know as speech.  Touch conveys our true feelings and beliefs to the person we are touching.  It is really difficult to mask ones true feeling (lie) with touch.

Massage Past And Present:

For thousands of year massage or some form of laying on of hands has been use to give relief to the sick. Ancient Greek and Roman physicians used massage as a primary means to heal and, relive pain. Hippocrates - the father of modern medicine wrote " The physician must be experienced in many things, but assuredly in rubbing...For rubbing can bind a joint that is to loose, and loosen a joint that is to rigid." Pliny, the renowned Roman Naturalist, was regularly rubbed to relive his asthma. Julius Caesar, who suffered from epilepsy, and was pinched all over to ease his neuralgia and headaches, Vicenna, the eleventh century Arab philosopher and physician, noted the object of massage was "to disperse the effete matters found in the muscles not expelled by exercise. Per Henrik Ling. developed what is now know as Swedish massage, synthesizing his system from his knowledge of gymnastics, physiology, Chinese, Egyptian, Greek, and Roman techniques.

In 1813 the first college offering massage as part of their curriculum was established in Stockholm -- this lead to a resurgence of massage in the western world.

The Language of Touch:

Touch is of vital importance to humans.  It gives reassurance, warmth, pleasure, comfort, and renewed vitality. Touch tells us we are not alone, and that we are real physical beings. Touch is the first sense to develop in a new born baby. American Psychologist S. M. Young showed that our perception of how much we are touched by other people is clearly related to our self esteem.  

Introduction to Massage - Objective

Michael will show how touch techniques can be used to relax and increase the well being of family and friends. To enhanced your understanding of self and others physically, emotionally. The two main Touch Therapies or modalities presented will be general Swedish massage and Shiatsu. Other modalities we will touch on are Myofascial, Trager, Trigger Point.

Questions will be answered and demonstrations given on other modalities as time allows.

Swedish massage:

Swedish massage involves systematically stroking, kneading and pressing the soft tissues of the entire body in order to induce a state of relaxation. In Swedish massage the giver's hands flow over the broad areas of the body in other modalities such as Shiatsu point specific detail work is performed.   In Swedish massage the receiver is naked and oil or lotion is used to lubricate the skin.

Once you have learned the basic strokes, you can and should begin to work with your intuition, adapting, techniques to meet the receiver’s needs. The more the giver can connect with the receiver's state of being during the massage the better the work will be received. In Swedish massage as in all other forms of massage the intention of the giver is extremely important. Intention is more important than technical skill in most cases.

Shiatsu:

In Shiatsu the giver works with pressure on small areas or points called Tsubos.  Shiatsu involves working on Tsubos to affect in the vital energy or Ki or Chi in and meridians, ( See Chinese Clock ). Meridians are channels or paths of energy that flow through the body and regulated the function of all major body organs and functions {see  Shiatsu Meridians Chart}

Shiatsu is usually received clothed. Traditional Shiatsu is performed on a mate on the floor called a futon.  Shiatsu is much ritualized and body positions are very formal and stylized. In Japan the course of study for shiatsu is 8 or more years.    Key points from Shiatsu can be integrated into general massage forms ( See Stretching)

General:

There are hundreds of deferent styles or modalities of massage work. I believe a modality is a style of massage work to which more than 10 people subscribe.  At this point many of the custom strokes and sequences I have created are taught and passed on by others.  This would make my work a modality in and of  it’s self.