Part of my training for natural therapies included massaging, or in my case treating people in community as a way to connect, and better understand healing. I was studying both Polarity Therapy and Relaxation massage, so double the required community hours, and one of the places I spent time was a drug rehab centre close to my home.
Over time I had lost many friends to addiction, so exploring how I could help folks during the withdrawal process was meaningful to me. I contacted the centre, and they were super friendly and welcoming, so I headed there once a week for months.
The One That Stood Out
There was one particular woman whose journey touched my soul, let’s call her B. The night I met her she was struggling. It was her first day withdrawing and if you know about Heroin withdrawal, that’s a tough place physically and emotionally.
She didn’t know if she wanted anything from me. Her skin was crawling and painful to the touch, her kidneys were inflamed and painful and her mind was all over the place and she was jittery.
Off The Body Work
Traditionally people see massage as on the body, for me Polarity Therapy (energy work) could be used when a person was clothed, and working off the body to still offer significant energy movement. So I offered this to B and she agreed and at my invitation, she lay on my massage table.
I asked what music she would like to listen to, she picked heavy metal. An unusual choice, but I could work with it.
The Massaging Treatment
It’s hard to explain how I do these treatments, it really is intuitive. When I focus (even when I don’t really) I can feel changes in the energy fields of the body. Where it is hot there is usually pain, if you move the energy and remove the blockage the pain is relieved.
I also keep love in my heart and mind as I work to have the clients best health in mind.
I worked with B for around an hour. I worked about an inch off the surface of her body to keep her comfortable. I felt the heat move out of her kidneys and over the course of the treatment I could see what had been her rigid body at the start, visibly relax.
Afterwards
When I finish massaging, I either leave the room, or quietly sit nearby giving them time to come back to reality at their own pace. I am never in a rush, and how the client feels is the most important thing.
What I loved about this treatment with B was that it felt like I had been able to encourage positive change both mentally and physically and it was a beautiful thing to see. When she opened her eyes she looked at me and smile, so relaxed, the demons held at bay at least for the moment.
She shared that she felt amazing and had felt the pain from her kidney infection leave her body. She was super emotional, and so happy that she had agreed to the treatment.
One of the workers entered the room and invited me to eat with them, all of the residents, and I accepted. It is rare that you get such an opportunity and over the months that I went there, I was humbled to be a part of many peoples journeys, and socialise with these awesome and brave people.
Peace OUT