Posts Tagged ‘massage’

Fluid Fascia and the Energy Body Workshop

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

Date: May 22nd 2010
Time: 9.30am for 10am start – 6pm
Location: The Old Chapel, 125 High Street, Marshfield.
Cost: £55

I’m organising a CPD massage workshop for the lovely Susie Legge. If you’re a practitioner and you’re interested in attending, please contact me.

Workshop Outline:
This one day workshop will be an educational and exploratory journey into the most pervasive tissue of the body: fascia. Through meditative awareness and investigative connective touch, we will learn how to recognise fascia, passively stretch it and pave the way for deep trigger point work, free from unnecessary effort or pain.

The day will also include guidance on how to facilitate and support the release of holding patterns in both the physical and energy body.

About Susie:
Susie was first introduced to yoga philosophy and practice at the age of 11 when her parents met their master and trained as yoga and meditation teachers. Nearly 10 years later she began to explore yoga and healing work. Curious about the power of energywork, and fascinated by the workings of the body, she trained in shiatsu and a number of other healing arts, including Ayurvedic,Thai,Tibetan,Western massage and reflexology.

For the last 13 years, Susie has worked, studied and travelled around India, South East Asia, Europe and the Americas, sharing what she learns as she goes. She currently spends her winters teaching yoga and massage in India and the summers in Europe where she leads yoga retreats and massage training workshops.

www.yogaswaha.com/teachers.htm

Join me at a photographic studio opening

Thursday, October 1st, 2009

images by markoIf you’d like to hob knob with the Mayor and be a guest at the opening of Marko Dutkas portrait studio, please join me (where I’ll be doing some massage of course) next week Tuesday, for some refreshments, entertainment and an opportunity to gaze at Marko’s fine photography.

Wednesday 7th October 2009.
6pm until 9pm.
2 Dorset Close, Bath, BA2 3RF

Please RSVP to Marko Dutka.
01225 428881 or info@imagesbymarko.com
imagesbymarko.com

Marko says: “We are proud to announce the opening of our new portrait studio in Bath and to invite you to participate in our opening evening. The studio will officially be opened by the Lord Mayor of Bath at 6.30pm.

As well as a showcase of Marko’s work we will also have a variety of linked businesses there on the evening to entertain and inform you.

At present these are:
Claudia Spoto of Claudia Lucia Hair & Makeup.
Bronwen Grover of Bespoke Finery.
Leora Sharp – Holistic Massage and Bodywork
Tracy Rowbotham of Cherrri Burelle Floristry.

Images By Marko will also be making a special Portrait Photography offer to all guests on the evening.”

Belly grumbling during massage

Thursday, August 20th, 2009

Vagus nerveThere are 2 main systems in the body that we are concerned with when it comes to massage; the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.

The sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight response/stress response) is the system that helps us ‘keep going’ when we are under stress and the parasympathetic nervous system (relaxation response) is the one that helps us chill out. The Vagus nerve is responsible for the functions of the relaxation response.

The picture above shows the Vagus (meaning ‘wandering’) nerve starts in the brain and extends to all the main organs in the chest and abdomen. It is the only nerve that does this. By breathing deeply, we stimulate the many Vagus nerve endings which results in the switching on of our relaxation response.

Amongst other wonderful things, massage slows down our breathing resulting in the aforementioned: relaxation on, stress off.

So, we’re on the massage table, we’ve got a nice and relaxed stomach, colon and small intestine. Digestion is increased and our bellies start rumbling. It is therefor not uncommon to have escaping gas, from either end, during a massage. In fact, it’s a sure sign that we are nice and relaxed. Your massage practitioner won’t even expect you to stir from dreamland to excuse yourself.

As and aside, this is why massage is great of anyone with digestion challenges.

So next time you have a massage and you experience this, don’t be shy, it’s all part and parcel of our bodies amazing response to the good you are doing it by getting on the massage table.

All hail the Vagus nerve!

Might our ability to handle stress be better if we know we’ve got that massage appointment booked?

Monday, August 10th, 2009

I’ve been musing on something interesting which has previously not occurred to me.

We know the effects of stress reduction, during and post massage, are massive. But I never considered what the psychological effects of having an appointment booked in the future might be i.e. pre massage. Might the knowledge that our next massage, being just around the corner, help us to ‘cope’ better when stress levels are high for a period of time?

It’s like having that holiday is in sight; it’s a little easier to deal with everything that might be getting too much. I propose the same to be true about having a massage to look forward to.

If we are going through a stressful time, surely subconsciously, or maybe even consciously, we are able too remain sane in the knowledge that, in a few days, we can just let it all drift away and feel the post massage effects for the days to come?