Why I Like to Receive 90-Minute Massages

September 19, 2011 at 8:03 pm (Uncategorized)
Tags: healing, massage, ninety, Tallahassee

I like to get 90-minute massages.  For years, I almost always got 6o-minute massages, then my LMT friend, Dawn, and I were setting up a trade and she suggested we do ninety minutes.  This was about two years ago.  Wow, I don’t know how I made it 12 or 13 years as a massage therapist, often giving long massages, but never really thinking to get more than an hour myself.  Now, I won’t settle for anything less. 

I like 90-minute massages because the therapist takes time on each section of the body to really work in depth.  The therapist can work on more than just one or two of my areas that seem tight or sore, and still work thoroughly on the other areas that may need it too, but may not have been sending out as much of a pain signal. 

Everything is connected.  Fascia is one big network.  Treating one muscle group affects the whole body, and so does not treating a muscle group. Skipping the legs for instance, can affect the whole body.  Maybe kneading the Achilles tendons above the heel will release tension enough on the connective tissue to finally loosen up the tension at the base of my skull. 

During the long treatment, my therapist takes time to soothe my nervous system, working slowly enough to allow the nerves to be calm and signal the muscles it is safe to relax and let the therapist work more deeply. 

Getting a nice long massage on a regular basis helps me remember what I do for my clients.  It also promotes body awareness.  The therapist’s touch brings my attention to various muscle groups, and helps me check in with my body regularly.  I can notice that my hips are not so tight anymore, or gosh, this is the third massage in a row where I noticed my abdomen was really tight; what can I do differently? 

I deserve this!  I deserve to be soothed and healed.  I deserve to lay down for ninety minutes in the middle of a busy day or week.  I deserve the oil soaking in and nourishing my skin.  I deserve to release the tension I have been carrying. 

I deserve good circulation to my muscles and tissues, healthy digestion, stress reduction, all the benefits of massage really occurring because I took the time to receive. 

And as I pointed out before, in my recent blog, I deserve things that nurture and feed me, that fill my cup and energize me so I have more to give to others.