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"ME"-SSAGE: A Natural Method of Full Body Self-Massage

by Judy Unell

48 pages; Black coil; catalogue #02-0562; ISBN 1-55369-749-9; US$12.95, C$14.89, EUR10.64, £7.45

Holistic health practitioner provides effective, quick, and simple method of full-body self-massage to help you care for your most precious possession, your own body. With photos.

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about the book      about the author      sample excerpts or Table of Contents      catalogue info

About the Book This is a short, easy course in self-knowledge. Followed carefully, it should lead to a personal style of physical relaxation, an exploration and rediscovery of your body, and a tool you may share with others is you wish. "ME"-ssage® is a simple, natural and very effective method of full-body self-massage, covering the entire body in about 10 to 15 minutes. This method is instantly available at any time, at no cost, for the relief of muscular tension, headaches and sleeplessness. On a physical level, it leads to improved circulation, body tone, and release of habitual muscular tensions, which in turn may lead to improved body restructuring in posture and breathing. Regular use leads to heightened awareness of the union of body and mind, an appreciation of being at all time available to one's self and participating effectively in one's own care and nurturing. "ME"-ssage® will help you care for your most precious possession, your own body.

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About the Author Judy Unell, Holitistic Health Practioner and member of the American Massage Therapy Association, service marked and licensed in California. She has been the staff massage therapist for Kairos and has led workshops throughout the United States, including Esalen. She is the originator of Tai Chi Massage®, "ME"-ssage®, Unell Swings®, and Somatic Retraining®

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Sample Excerpts or Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

How We Learn

A newborn is one with all. As he develops, he learns through touch contact with his mother, how own body, others, and the environment where his body ends and the world begins. Warm, loving touching and holding of the infant by mother form an emotional bond that gives a child the basis for self-love and the ability to love others later on. Slowly he learns that his body is separate from mother's, but often a small child returns to mother from his explorative play to re-establish the security and contact before venturing out into the world again. Besides the emotional strength he is acquiring, he is also learning about his own body and learning to feel good about himself.

Learning in the first years is based on taking in through the senses - eyes, ears, mouth, nose, skin - integrating the information and then acting on the information perceived; experiencing the reaction, and acting again, repeating the cycle again and again to build up a body of knowledge about the world. Think of, or better yet, observe an infant who has just discovered his feet. Watch him explore these wonderful things first with his eyes and then with his hands and finally with his mouth. When we grow p we learn on the basis of abstraction alone and less from these senses. At the same time, we are all grown up infants and continue to need to come back to our bodies and our senses to re-establish our boundaries by touch contact.

Each individual may be thought of as a universe within a universe. Sometimes the relationship between our personal universe and the universe out there get tangled up and we experience stress and pain; we need to come home again to ourselves.

"ME"-ssage can help brings us home again to our bodies and our senses. Keep your self-universe feeling buoyant and happy, and the greater universe will reflect the same good feelings as well.

Comfort With Touch

Have you ever had a full body massage from a professional massage therapist? Or a backrub from a loving friend? If so, you have experienced the good feelings that come from being touched in a warm and caring way. Receiving a massage is wonderful, but there are times when the only hands available are your own. Have you ever tried to give yourself that same good feeling?

Try Some of These

With your finger tips, go over you scalp as if you were giving yourself a shampoo. Use firm pressure and cover the entire scalp including the hairline. *** Now drop your arms, close your eyes, take a deep breath in and out, and experience what your scalp is feeling.

Go the back of your neck. Put your fingers there and explore a little. Feel where your neck meets you head; you may call that the ridge. Slide your thumbs firmly from your ears toward the middle of your neck at the ridge. Press up into the indentations. How does it feel? Are you aware of any tension? Are there any painful spots? The tenderness you may feel is nature's way of telling you that something is blocked.

Now drop your arms, close you eyes, take a deep breath in and out and experience what you have just done. This will focus your awareness to an area that has just received "ME"-ssage, and it will also move you toward relaxation.

See if you feel any differently. If you did this all over your body, you could relieve a lot of aches and tension and bring that warm, soft flow of well-being into every part.

You may be thinking, "Massage is great, but to myself?" Self-massage cannot replace massage by another, but there are time when getting together is inconvienient. "ME"-ssage is particularly useful for the increasing number of people who live alone.

Old Tapes

And consider, if you are resistant to the idea, why you feel uncomfortable with helping yourself. Is there a message in your head that says, "Don't touch yourself?" Or did someone tell you it was selfish to care for yourself; only helping others was good? Now is the time to think through these old tapes and realize that you are an "other" too, and are deserving of feeling good. When people feel good themselves, giving to others is pleasurable rather than something done from a sense of duty.

Healthy Self-Love

If we are always dependant upon others for feeling good, there may be times of great frustration and disappointment. Stepping out in one's own interest can restore feeling of self-worth. Healthy self-love is not selfish, but rather the basis for all other love. There is a natural

the body which connects us to each other and to the universe and "ME"-ssage will strengthen that flow.

One Benefit of "ME"-ssage

One of the benefits to be derived from "ME"-ssage is the growth of trust in your body's ability to heal itself. You will relax in the knowledge that it is your own capability that you are using and that it is your own capability you can rely upon to meet your needs. It is a superb feeling to be there for yourself and to have confidence and trust in yourself. Used regularly, "ME"-ssage will bring your body more directly to your mind's attention and move you closer to direct experience of the fact that the body and mind are one.

Natural Instinct

There are many body therapies popular today; most of these involve intensive study and understanding. However, since the basis of "ME"-ssage is the NATURAL instinct to rub a hurt or ache, there is very little to learn. Exploring for "hot spots" all over the body and working out tendernesses WILL BALANCE THE BODY, which is the same essential goal in all massage methods, and does not necessitate intricate study. "ME"-ssage may also be used in conjunction with any other body work.

The human hand was made to fit the human body - other's and one's self - and the body was wise in the ways of self-healing long before the development of human intellectual capacity. The body is a very flexible and resilient organism and, given the slightest help and encouragement, will move toward healthier and more efficient functioning.

HOW TO USE THE MANUAL

When and Where

For many, a self-massage routine will be most beneficial just before bedtime. If used regularly, you will probably find you are falling asleep before you finish. If you are one of those who awaken during the night or early hours of the morning, begin the "ME"-ssage routine again and you will have no trouble getting back to sleep. For others, a morning routine may better serve your purposes, getting your circulation going and relieving tensions, soreness, or stiffness that may have accumulated during the night.

Parts of the routine may be done while sitting at a desk, waiting for alight to change, at a board meeting, or waiting your turn at the bowling alley. A mother of small children might find a two-minute head-face-neck massage more effective for growing screamies than following the TV ads' admonition to pop a pill. Students can use it prior and during exams to relax neck tension and stimulate circulation to the brain.

And Who Can Use It

Typists may find the hand, shoulder, and shoulder blade "ME"-ssage helpful during breaks. Handicapped people can help themselves with it, although, depending on the nature of the handicap, they may have to make some adjustments to accommodate their personal needs. Someone living with the aftermath of a stroke can use the strong side to help the weaker side. People who are bedridden of confined to a wheelchair will find "ME"-ssage soothing and comforting. Back pain sufferers can add the techniques to whatever program they are using. Performing artists can relax during rehearsals and before performances; athletes can use it before and after exertion. Dieters might find it helps curb the hunger pangs, particularly if eating has been used to bring good feeling. Self-massage is the zero calorie way to feel good. A "ME"-ssage break from whatever you are doing is much better for you than coffee and/or cigarettes. "ME"-ssage techniques can be useful for everyone at some time during their day, and can even make TV evening time productive. Be inventive,and above all, don't deprive yourself of the total experience of "ME"-ssage while listening to self relaxing music in a dimly lit or candlelit room.

ENJOY YOUR SELF!

*** Drop your arms, close your eyes, take a deep breath in and out and experience your sensations for about ten seconds.

SHOULDER BLADES Figures 22-26

Lie on your right side. With the middle finger of your right hand coming from over the shoulder, and the elbow of our right arm supported with your left hand, probe the area around and under your left shoulder blade for HOT SPOTS (or tender areas) using pressure, little circles and vibratings. (Figures 22, 23, 24)

When you find a HOT SPOT, keep your finger on it and move the left, down, and around to get maximum relief.

*** Drop your arms, close your eyes, take a deep breath in and out and experience your sensations for about ten seconds.

Turn to the other side using the middle finger of your left hand on your right shoulder, repeat the above.

*** Drop your arms, close your eyes, take a deep breath in and out and experience your sensations for about ten seconds.

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Catalogue Information

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