Mysterious Homeostasis

Life is mysterious. And when I think of life, I think of organisms, even single celled ones, that strive toward homeostasis, toward a kind of inner balance between interdependent elements inherent in any living system. This striving is powerful and  mysterious and lies at the core of some touch therapies, maybe in truth most healing. But some modalities aim with more precision at clearing of pathways for that inner self correcting force. 

These days we have bodywork of all kinds available to us, few understand the difference, fewer even have an inkling of the potential inherent in varied touch therapy approaches. It is not my intention to offer an outline of such, or promote a certain type of bodywork here. What interests me, always has and always will and what I want to try and somehow describe is some of that mystery that happens in effective healing.

While all bodywork is somewhat non-linear, judged on a continuum, say against more traditionally western masculine trades, there are notable differences. Within the realm of bodywork some  approaches will fall on to a more yin or feminine, specter of sides. The manual therapies lend themselves to a hands on, active, yang, 'get-things-fixed’ kinda manipulative mentality. The kind we are so familiar with in our society, the kind of left brain, linear, 'got a problem-will solve it' masculine attitude. 

There are though some approaches that are more focused on listening and following and waiting for a response from within the receiver. There are some methods that avoid a goal oriented, forceful approach in favor of trusting the unknown, hanging with possibilities, resting in presence and studying the here and now. The Taoist art of non-doing is a challenge for us westerners. Yet, the Taoists really knew about life being a river and how not to obstruct the flow. I am thinking about approaches that seek to get out of the way and allow for the river to find it's own natural course. It takes commitment to refrain from making a riverbed, from making it happen. It takes trust in the processes of life, the mysterious, but powerful force in us all that seeks homeostasis. It takes presence and it takes focus. A kind of soft, inclusive focus.

As we are present to a body, any body really, ours or another, if we listen and observe we will eventually notice something, maybe a sensation like heat or cold, a tingle or a shudder, or a slight tightening. Maybe our attention might be drawn to  an old and familiar symptom, maybe some pain or discomfort. Just maybe we may notice impulses to move, maybe particular body parts may call on us. It takes some practice to discern which of these myriad of possibilities to follow and give our attention to. Always at first it is a wait and see and breath and relax, or nothing of note will develop.

Invariably though, after some sinking in to the present moment, something will want to hold our focus and we are well in giving that our undivided attention. Nobody can know what will unfold, but always there will be some movement. In general from sensation to feeling, on to experience, insight and integration. From the present maybe, not necessarily, but often, we may move to the past where we might recollect memories that will need integration back in the present. 

Not all of these stages are passed by everyone all the time, but in my experience I consider it best, if that is encouraged and there is sufficient time for all stages to be incorporated, so as to be able to reconfigure on a higher level of organization, or homeostasis.

I realize that I failed to convey the sense of magic and mystery that transpires as we follow those seemingly autonomic processes, as we give up our own will in favor of something deeper and a lot more mysterious. As this force gathers momentum and comes to a crescendo and we are flooded with insight, it is hard not to feel gratitude and simple awe for life's extraordinary provisions.

to be continued ...

Sex - Abuse - Massage

Once again massage therapy is linked to sex, this time in an article of our local New Mexican, where it says that massage led to sexual assault. 39 year old Marcial Zapata looks rather scary, certainly scruffy and not exactly trust worthy in his mug shot. Another male accused of the abuse of a female. Inappropriate touch is never excusable, yet sadly still rampant. My sympathies always lie with the victim.

Still, what gets me is that "the woman said she began feeling uncomfortable when Zapata's hands began sliding up the baggy shorts she wore." I say, if you are not comfortable getting a professional massage in the nude, covered only by a sheet or towel, get seated bodywork, or get the services of an Acupuncturist or Chiropractor, neither requires a state of undress. The fact that the woman wore shorts, and baggy ones on top, speaks volumes. Would we all learn to listen to our intuitions and take actions accordingly.

There are very legitimate reasons to therapeutically work on and all around the butt. For people to take offense because a professional bodyworker pulls their pantie below the sacrum is ludicrous and really hampers effective therapy. It speaks of a society steeped still in feeling prudish, unbecoming in this day and age. The times when a glance at a ladies wrist or ankle set a male in to ecstatic musings are long gone. Professional, therapeutic bodywork has constantly to contend with prudish, moral, religious and culturally based taboos. Any bodyworker worth his salt, or your money, knows how patterns of stress repeat themselves and knows of the importance of maybe touching the feet to relief a headache, maybe working the Glutes to address tight shoulders and neck. For God-dess sake, if you are uncomfortable speak up, if you don't understand, ask!

As a professional bodyworker for almost 3 decades I have had to contend with inconvenient underwear often. While current ethic laws suggest, maybe demand that we do not slide our hands under the coverings of a client's choosing, I have done so many times. Nobody ever stormed out of my practice because of pulling a pantie down so I can address the oh so very important sacral tip, the coccyx at the very end of a spin. Often though I had to explain my intent which always I was more then happy to do.

While real abuse happens and may have happened in this reported case, the details were not forth coming, some abuse may be a figment of the victim's imagination. Everything hinges on trust which is maintained only in an on-going effort at communication. We can give trust in an instant and lose it just as fast. Misunderstandings might be just as rampant as actual abuse I would venture to say!

The woman here had come back to this unregistered, unlicensed supposed 'healer' for the third time. He must have done her some good for her to have returned to him twice. License is no guarantee for quality of treatment. Neither is price, but $40 is very low for a massage, unless given by a student. 

So how do we know if any given practitioner is legit, able, capable and professional? Offering his diagnosis clearly put him outside legal parameters. Massage Therapists are not allowed to diagnose, period. I have offered my professional, educated estimation of what might help in addressing any one symptom and often was rewarded in being right on the money, or right about 'the issues in the tissues.' There are very few bodyworkers though that actually know how to palpate and rearrange organs. I have never been one of them. So I would know nothing of a diagnosis of "a dropped uterus." Correcting the positions of organs can be legitimate and possible, but should be offered only by a highly trained professional. We can always go for a second opinion, we can check the registries, but ultimately we have to rely on our intuition and ability to take matters in our own hands. We have to learn to know when anyone crosses our boundaries and then respond appropriately. We have to learn to not give our power to another, even while we are down and they are towering over us.

This guy, Marcial Zapata, may be a creep, may have taken blatant advantage of a woman in a vulnerable physical and psychological position, which would be reprehensible. Please remember though, no stoning of those not yet proven guilty, neither of those found guilty and certainly not of the innocent. Those times have passed. (At least they are long gone in our western world, while sadly in some places like Iran they still are alive and well.) We no longer throw the victims to the lions, but one would not know reading the comments in the blogosphere.

What irks me are those Puritans that cry foul play when they understand nothing about the art of bodywork or massage therapy, the wonders that can unfold, the depth of experiences that can be had and the freedom that can be felt after having shed a life time's worth of armoring and hiding behind social dos and don'ts.