Pain Induction Part 4

 By Rinalda,

The next day she contacted me in hyper mode relating how dangerous it is to be involved in a massage career, hence she no longer wanted to do the course.  Interesting.  For two months this young lady has been calling to remind me to keep a ‘space’ in the new class for her as she wanted to do massage a long time ago and has finally gotten her finance coordinated to facilitate such.  

I expected that her decision had something to do with not wanting to massage men’s groin, or not being able to get insurance.  But apparently after she went home there was some degree of screening and the wiser heads decided that the information in the hand-out contradicted their teachings/beliefs so she was now trying to explain to me how threatened her life would be if she had energy exchanges with clients.  

The level of fear she was displaying was irrational to me.  I pointed out that living with family members, going to the supermarket and joining a line of customers, or even working in an office with several persons all facilitate exchange of energies multiplied several times over as compared to working with one client at a time.  Besides, how could exchanges be all negative when the presence of positive helps us to determine negative?  She said that she understood what I was saying, but insisted that she cannot continue because of the many things that could rub off on her and from clients, and I realised that her fear was being generate by whoever is the figure of authority in her life rather than the principles of energy exchange.

After our exchange I shared the experience with a past student who is also a Muslim and this was part of her response:

It is so funny you should say that because I know exactly how that girl feels because I was once there myself.  The Muslim religion in our country for the most part thrives on frightening people about jinns, entities and anything we cannot see.  Ironically, those same Muslims openly go to the muftis who are equivalent to shamans who openly communicate with these other beings.  And it's not even the religion, it's the people who are oppressive.  Because of this inbuilt fear it has taken me a long time and is still taking me a long time to realize my own natural healing gifts.  

When my friends who are highly intuitive kept telling me I too have similar gifts it bothered me to the point that I know things are there for me but I can’t access them.  So I started to pray for about a month to find and use what is my right.  I don't know by what force made me google massage --that would have been the very last thing on my mind.  Then the day before the first class starts I find your page.  I don't even have male friends, much more to touch people in such a personal level.  Even at the first class I was very uncomfortable seeing all these faces, I didn’t know what to think, I had never done anything like this before, yet; it felt sooo good, I knew I had to follow through with it.  I am in the mindset now to start doing things that scare me the most.  For me, one of those things was touching people physically.

 

I suppose my point is, a lot of people in Trinidad are not ready to think independently.  A lot has to do with the upbringing.  It's only as we get older we realize the only happiness in this life is what we create for ourselves.  Don’t be surprised if sometime in the future that girl comes back.  Massage is like Reiki and I think with any healing work, we are called to it.  So in a couple years she may get restless again and be drawn to it once again.  Thank you for sharing the story...it put my own in perspective.

For me this was another humbling experience that has created a deeper appreciation for every student who has journeyed with me to the end of the programme.  Obstacles have arisen that made many consider dropping out, some were discussed, others remained private, but perseverance prevailed.  The only dead student is Nathaniel and that was as a result of a vehicular accident, not while doing massages.  I only hope that among ourselves we find strength in the determination we had in the beginning, and forge forward to attain the goals we set for ourselves.  Goals, I would want to believe, that were not associated with pain induction in the name of therapy.  Within the physical context of injury management we understand that some massage techniques stretch the skeletal muscles significantly, like friction (circular, transverse/cross fibre), and the athlete would experience some degree of discomfort. However, going into a session with the intention to induce pain takes us back to the psychological aspect of things where the Therapist is indirectly/subconsciously sending messages to the client which are being received and processed; and because of the incredible influence of the mind/body – psychosomatic – process, the pain can in fact become exaggerated, triggering tears.

We can also consider that some injured athletes might suffer from emotional problems if their self-esteem is based solely on their ability to perform and thus may cry more easily if additional pain is added to the fact that they can no longer participate as desired. Some personality types are less prone to the negative suggestions of Therapists, but the subconscious is remarkably clever and it knows what is considered to be the physical cause of pain, and it takes advantage the real structural weaknesses and creates realistic and convincing pain symptoms that can even become chronic.  I cannot imagine why we would want to deliberately induce this. 

 If healing/therapy takes place through the exchange of human energies, why don’t we channel therapy through our massage? There are other ways to get people to cry us a river.  No need to impose such on an athlete who merely wants to get back into the game.  Seeking help from a Therapist is a dis-empowered state because the athlete is basically saying: you know what is best for me.  Let us use Massage as a motivational tool, as a means of support geared at helping the athlete to regain some measure of control, and as an education for a better life through greater self-understanding.  The body is predisposed towards health, and it is our role to facilitate this.

The end of Pain Induction

Pain Induction Part 1

Written by Rinalda,

Over the next four weeks, you will receive 4 issues of Pain Induction by Rinalda,  Each is a continuation of a piece she wrote and has agreed to share with you here.  Rinalda's site

Part 1 begins..

ConLast week COSTATT had their health fair at NAPA and I was invited to hang out with Adepeju at the OMO and BestStart booth.  When I arrived lunch was served so I participated.  One of the persons sitting at my table (or was I sitting at hers?) was from St. Ann’s Hospital and I did not give her breathing space.  I wanted to know about this drive to take vagrants off the streets and dump them in her facility.  

She explained the difference between being mentally and socially displaced and I had to ask if the officials behind the drive are unaware of the difference.  She said she often wonders. We both agreed that the monies spent on public awareness campaigns via television should be redirected to better services allowing awareness to be spread by the man on the street based on the evidence he sees.  Now, now, if that is done then we won’t be playing politics, would we?  So at the price of maintaining her fixed income, she is stressed out with work that she does not need to do while those who could use more of her attention will never get it.

When I first entered the auditorium, the plainness that greeted me made me wonder if it was the right place.  There was a security guard and two ladies at a booth.  I enquired where was the health fair.  One told me that they were a part of it.  I adjusted my lenses (the ones in my head) then noticed that her t-shirt had a modest indication that she was from COSTATT.  She escorted me further in and I saw a drama in full swing, which I later learn was staged by the St. Ann’s folks geared at clearing up misconceptions about the mentally displaced. 

 I did not linger long enough to recognise that, it was my dining partner who advised me of such.  Around the corner from that performance were two Massage Therapists looking all professional with their fancy chairs working silently.  A few persons stood in line awaiting their turn.  I asked my escort where were they from and she said something about a ‘Light’ organisation that I did not get fully.  Then I found Adepeju and settled down to lunch while keeping an eye on the massages.  The Therapists could go up for the next Olympics.  Category: Synchronized Massage.  That’s a compliment.

Having stuffed my guts I ventured further in to visit a booth (Health Food Specialists Ltd) that had several Canadian-made products that were gluten free.  And guess what?  I saw herbal nicotine-free cigarettes geared at breaking the smoking habit.  Lollipops are a more attractive idea.  Anyway, someone is trying and must be compliment for the effort.  20 per pack for $20.  I thought that their variety of powdered protein was quite economical when compared to popular brands.  About half the price of one particular brand I know.  I then passed the Avon folks, but did not stop.  

They are good at their marketing, but I did not want anyone tinkering with my face, or taking my hand to rub a sample of this or that so that I could see how well it matches my complexion.  I’ve been slow-frying over the years walking about in the sun with olive oil on my skin.  At least 20 years.  My skin might rebel if I stop cooking it now.  And finally, I arrived at OMO.  It did not take 5 minutes for me to have a patron. Someone said something, and the next think I heard was: I’d like to have a massage.  I pulled a chair in front of the booth and got started.

My first client was familiar with massages.  She goes to a gym and the Instructor indulges her every now and then.  She had tried doing what was done to her on her mother and gotten only complaints.  I asked her to explain what she does.  Deep massages.  Okay.  I took her hand and demonstrated deep by gradually working my thumb into the flexor muscles.  Is this what you do?  No.  Can you feel thumb gently penetrating deeper into your muscles?  Yes.  And you think that your mother would appreciate this better?  Yes!  She would like that.  Good.  I returned to working her shoulders while she explained that the hard massages that she gets at the gym were best as they works well for her and she had honestly expected her mother to be appreciative.  

I explained that her mother is in a differently place physically and mentally and the pressure of the massage should be adapted to suit her otherwise she might develop an aversion and hastily say ‘No’ at any invitation to such.  I told her to think of massage as bonding time during which touching is done with love, otherwise she might start feeling rejected because her mother does not want to be touched by her.

Continued Nest Monday Pain Induction Part 2 

Why does Americans rate massage as highly as medications?

After Reading This You Should Be Totally Convinced 

A new survey conducted by an independent research firm, this annual survey is the ninth commissioned by the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA).

The result of the survey is another reason for the growth of the massage therapy industry globally, including here in Trinidad and Tobago.

The survey went on to state that "one out of five US adults got a therapeutic massage in the last year".

Here are some of the other survey findings. .

• 90 percent of Americans feel massage is good for a person's health.
  
• 93 percent agree with the statement that massage can be effective for pain relief.
  
• Use of massage in people age 65 and older has tripled from 4 percent in 1997 to 15 percent in 2005.
  
• 22 percent of Americans had a massage in the past year; 34 percent had a massage in the last five years.
  
• 73 percent of those who had a massage would recommend it to a person they know.
  
• 46 percent of respondents at some time had a massage to relieve pain.
  
• Among respondents who discussed massage with their health care provider, 57 percent said this health professional strongly recommended massage or encouraged them to get a massage.

It shows that one in five U.S. adults got a therapeutic massage in the last year. Three-fourths of them would recommend it to others — one reason for the body therapy's growing popularity.
If we used the above statistics as a window to the globe you will realize that if you have not had an massage as yet, you should be seriously considering making an appointment to get one soon.

Go here to read the entire article


If you live in Trinidad and Tobago go here to see how it can make a differentness in your life. .