The Art of Massage

What is it about massage that can either relax your whole mind and body or send you over the edge because it is so incredibly painful? Do you enjoy massage? Do you like quiet places with relaxing music and oils that smell of lavender? Or do you prefer to have a quickie at one of those places set up at the mall where you pay $10 to $15 for a quick back massage?

Me.... well, I prefer soft music, smell good candles and wonderful oils massaged deep into the tissues of my body, but it's been a long time since I had such a massage... until Thursday evening.

My back has been hurting in a bad way since I had the baby. I've read info on it and many ppl say that it's from the spinal tap, but I'm not sure because I had the pain while I was pregnant. And since having the baby, I seem to wake up w/ new pain most every day... yeah, I know, it's a part of getting older, but I hate to think about it like that, so instead, I got the telephone number of the massage therapist my MIL uses and called her up. I also fell last week while going up the stairs w/ Naief in my arms - he wasn't hurt but I was. My back and shoulder area was starting to feel as though I'd been in a bad car accident... obviously I was holding on to him for dear life to protect him... and because of this, I needed some relief. And for as good as Hashim is w/ massaging my back when I ask him, he couldn't relieve this pain.

Anyway... this woman is Thai, I found out, and was very nice on the phone, so I made an appt. for 4:30 that afternoon. Now... the last time I had a Thai massage was probably 3 1/2 yrs ago. I went to one of these Salon in the Box places (salons are on every street corner in these parts) and after laying on the table and having this Thai girl drill her fingers into my back for almost an hour, I thought I'd never have another Thai massage. I might add that after having that first massage, I was sore for a good 3 or 4 days. It felt like she was ripping my body apart... no kidding.

So, knowing that a Thai woman was coming was a bit scary for me, but my MIL swears by her... so what the hell, right?!

I very much believe in setting a mood, especially for massage. This is the first time for having a massage at home, so I took every care to make it perfect for who else??? ME!!! :)

Since I'd be on the floor, me and Hashim moved the coffee table so I could at least lay on the thick carpet in that room. I also put down two more quilts, got a sheet, set up the CD player w/ my Relaxing Massage CD, got out the essential oil, lit a nice candle, turned on the a/c and then waited for her to arrive. I guess about 10 minutes later, she rings the doorbell.

She's a small, heavy set woman. Very pleasant and wanted to get right to work. At first, when she started the massage, I thought it was going to be just like before because she was rough. But as time passed, I was taken away to a wonderful place.... and it's been a long time since being able to feel so fabulous from a massage.

This woman's hands were incredible, and there was something about her ability - and I say this word with seriousness in my thoughts, because she was able to find the exact location of my pain when I told her the general vicinity of it. It was as though she had a little radar system built in her hands - I kid you not. The first time I experienced it was with the pain by my right shoulder blade. Since I was holding the baby w/ my right arm when I fell, it was especially painful.

I pointed to the place - more or less, and what did she do? She took her fingers and went to the area and then used her finger tips to do this stitching type of thing on the area and w/ this method, she zeroed in to exactly where the pain was and stopped right on it. It was like her fingers guided her to the precise place of the pain. After stopping, she'd do some type of massage right on the area. It would kill at first but after about 3 or so minutes of intense work in the area, the pain would lift. Then she'd take this stone she had and rub it on the area. It was really cold and would immediately relax the area. aaaahhhhh... I get joy just thinking about it, which tells me it's time for another!! :)

Anyway, the whole massage worked this way. I showed her the area of the pain in my lower back and hip area, and she did the same stitching thing w/ her fingers (don't know how else to explain what she was doing) and within a few seconds would find the exact location of the pain. She'd rub a deep heat type of stuff on it and oil, do her magic fingers and the pain would go.

Now, the pain in my lower back will take a while. Seeing the pain is so severe, she couldn't get it to go away immediately, which I completely understand. But... I will say this, since having the massage on Thurs., I haven't had the pain in my lower back like before. Matter of fact, when I get up from a sitting position, I can actually stand straight. Before, I'd have to stay bent for a bit before I could straighten up... but not now. The pain in my hip is gone as well.... and my shoulder blade hasn't hurt at all.

I used to go to a massage therapist once a week and sometimes more after I totalled my RX-7 years ago, and this girl was good, but she was never able to take away pain like this woman. I told Hashim and wondered if she knew some type of ancient techniques or something. I do think these Asian ppl have abilities... and I think she's one of them. Yeah... go ahead and think me silly, but it's the truth. This finger stitching thing she did or whatever you wanna call it was incredible. How she was able to move her fingers over my skin and find the exact area of the pain... well, I'll never know, but the one thing I do know is that this massage was fabulously wonderful and I hope to have many, many more in the future!