Week 16

Compressions are not easy. That's what I am going to hear in circle tonight and read in the homework folders. For the past 15 weeks, we have been concentrating on movement: our hands and bodies gliding gracefully (or not so gracefully) through space, finding the rhythm of each client's body. All of a sudden, we are asking the students to stop. STOP. And sink in slowly, warming up the tissue as it gives in, softens up, melts. They have had a week to practice this deceptively simple technique, and tonight we are building right on top of that. Compressions turn into glides as the muscles relax and let us in. When I explain to the class that a glide is something that happens, not something we do on purpose, the students are not convinced. They see me moving forward, yet I am telling them I am a passenger, not the driver. For the client, the difference between us pushing forward and gliding forward is what separates a painful experience from a therapeutic one. So we practice doing compressions and waiting for the glides to happen. They happen, as they always do, when everything is in place: there is oil, but not too much, there is pressure, but not too intense, there is waiting, but not an expectation.
The students glide forward, with expressions of surprise and relief on their faces, skepticism replaced by joy and inspiration. My face? Happiness all over.

Week 15

Tonight we start a new chapter of Level 1 called Introduction to Deep Tissue. We are very clear about the fact that the training we will be doing for the next six weeks is a prerequisite for Level 2, not deep tissue work yet. Deep tissue work requires detailed knowledge of anatomy, among other things, and the students will get plenty of that in a couple of months. For now, we will concentrate on getting used to glides, compressions, friction and palpation techniques.
Before the demo, we have a circle discussion about deep tissue work. We talk about what it is and what it's not and discover that there are certain persistent myths in the massage profession regarding this modality. Many clients are afraid that it will hurt them, others insist that we should inflict pain following the "No pain, no gain" line of thinking. We discuss the students' personal experiences with deep tissue work, and focus on managing our homework clients' expectations. Deep tissue will not "get rid of all the knots", nor will it magically heal our clients in an hour.
After the circle I wonder if, in my enthusiasm, I confused the class - they now know all the things they will not and cannot do. So, what's left?
I demonstrate compression strokes, using forearms, knuckles, palms, elbows and fingers. Taking the time to sink in, breath, wait and listen to the muscle tissue as it's undergoing the subtlest of changes is a major component of the new skill set. It will not come overnight. Observing the changes in texture, color, temperature and sensitivity of their partners' muscle tissue is humbling and elating at the same time. The 90 minutes allotted for exchanges flies by, and we put away the tables. I look around as we hold hands before stepping into the darkness outside and thank them for trusting me - and themselves.