Spirituality

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Comment by M Susan Walsh on June 3, 2011 at 7:01am

Thank you for inviting me to join this group, Nancy.  Spirituality in massage is something I face everyday.  As a practitioner, I touch patients; as an educator, I teach therapists to touch patients. 

I agree with the notion that spirituality is the essence of my being.  It can also be described as energy or vibration.  As energetic beings, we seek synchronicity; we strive to be as one.  We are most comfortable with those who are "on the same wavelength." 

Does it not follow that we share this essence, or this energy, with everyone who comes in contact with us?  Can we willfully withhold this connection?  Does it make sense to try to withhold it?

As a practitioner, I go into each session with the intention to benefit my patient's highest good and to achieve the optimum outcome for this patient at this particular time.  My training AND my energy choreograph and influence each session.  My patient's energy also influences each session.  Sometimes we work in unison for a positive outcome and, at other times, it just isn't there.  My patients know when our work has been successful.

As an educator, I confront this issue in each workshop.  My students struggle with the notion of spirituality vs. religion.  For many consumers, there is no difference, and the idea of incorporating spirituality into massage is an assault on their belief system.  I often cite a quote from AA:  "Religion is for those who are afraid of going to hell.  Spirituality is for those who have already been there."

I am saying that spirituality is not about beliefs; rather it is about being.  It is part of who we are. How can we separate that out from the work that we do?  Is it ever necessary to do so?  Do we ask our patients to leave their spirituality at the door?

 

 

Comment by Leialoha Petrulo on June 3, 2011 at 6:05am

We are all spiritual beings. Prayer is the foundation of my work. I believe that I am just the facilitator and that the healing comes from God. It also has a lot to do with the energy work incorporated in massage.

Comment by Darcy Neibaur on June 2, 2011 at 6:57pm

Yes I do Nancy.

Comment by Nancy Toner Weinberger on June 2, 2011 at 5:42pm

Comment by Darcy Neibaur 42 minutes ago

Delete Comment Interesting comments Nancy. I do have to say that I do know PT'S personally who do not remove Spiritually from their treatments.

Yes, Darcey, I should have put in a disclaimer that this may be the norm, but of course there are exceptions. Do you think that is true?

Comment by Mike Hinkle on June 2, 2011 at 5:26pm

His name is Brandon Raynor. And here is his video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlQ7kyDxg8s

Comment by Darcy Neibaur on June 2, 2011 at 4:59pm

Interesting comments Nancy. I do have to say that I do know PT'S personally who do not remove Spiritually from their treatments.

Comment by Nancy Toner Weinberger on June 2, 2011 at 4:52pm

So Mike, I'd like to see the Yoga Man- can you give me the link to the UTube, please?

Comment by Las Vegas Massage In Summerlin on June 2, 2011 at 4:32pm

~

 

Thank you very much, Nancy, and I agree with you!  I work the same way.

 

I'm super busy myself yet saw your comment and wanted to say thanks for wording it so well!

 

More on this later....

 

K

Comment by Nancy Toner Weinberger on June 2, 2011 at 4:01pm

OK, finally got back in here. Busy girl here.

 

First, I do believe it’s possible to remove spirituality from massage- that’s what physical therapists do, for the most part, at least those that include massage in their practice. It’s a clinical experience for the client- and the client is expected to put up with what the PT does whether or not they like it or want it in the interest of getting better physically from whatever they came in with. The PT figures out what’s needed and delivers the medicine. I think this what Mike refers to as Western medicine.  And I think some massage therapists want to work that way.

 

My experience of receiving massage has been the deciding factor in how I choose to work with clients. For me, a spiritual experience right from the start.

 

So before I go there, let me attempt to define “spiritual.” It’s elusive, so I don’t want to make this THE definition- more like a stab at trying to define it. I would say it is a clear and direct experience that I am more than my physical body. Isn’t that what soul is? What spirit is? Something more. Something I feel and know to be true about myself, and by extension therefore about others.

 

So when I spend an hour sinking down and feeling into a client’s tissues, there is a communication that goes on there is non-verbal and by non-verbal I mean not of that part of my mind, the figuring out part, but rather of the part of me that senses that I am something more and is searching for the body/mind/more than body/mind of that  client so that I can connect. It’s not like I put my hands on someone and an instant jolt is guaranteed. Sometimes it takes almost a whole hour to feel the connection- to get there. But my own knowledge that I am more is there with me always. And I can’t even remember not connecting, though I am sure there were times.

 

So now I want to ask myself – is that therapeutic? And the overwhelming evidence based on 35 years of doing sessions and what worked and didn’t work is YES. I haven’t done a study, and to be honest with you, I don’t have a lot of faith in studies. Ever since college, and statistics and based on some research studies I was a part of, wayyyy….. too easy to manipulate the results. If you want an example, are you familiar with the hoopla around The Bell Curve in 1994? Just one of many cases of personal bias skewing the interpretation of the results you get in a study. But well, if thoughts create reality and all that, your beliefs can make it real. So back at square one again!!  More on this later….

 

Comment by Mike Hinkle on June 2, 2011 at 3:33pm

After viewing Raynor's video, I got an invitation from you to join this site. I made the statement. Sorry I misphrased it. After rereading I see the confusion.

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