By Fay Porter, LMT
Self-Massage is a fantastic opportunity to give yourself the gift of daily self-care. With a little intention and creativity, you will find that you have many opportunities throughout the day to help decrease your stress, decrease your pain, and to help you feel more connected to your body.
You might be nervous or curious about how to start. We were all naturally gifted with a sense of touch, and you will know best what kind of touch feels best to you. Don’t be afraid to turn your five-second body washing routine in the shower or your nightly moisturizing into a luxurious, connective experience. A simple way to start becoming familiar with self- massage is to apply lotion or cream on your hands. Breathe deeply and focus on the texture of your skin, and notice which depth of pressure naturally feels best to you. Notice any areas of tension or discomfort, and spend extra time there. Try different types of touch and keep breathing deeply and you will start to notice that tension melt away under your fingers.
It’s a good idea to keep your touch pretty light at first, especially around any areas that are bruised or that might have cuts. As you become more familiar, you can give your entire body the gift of massage. You can also try focusing on light sweeping strokes from the ends of your fingers or tips of your toes up your limbs and towards your heart for a more detoxifying and circulatory effect. Notice how your body feels after you finish compared to when you started. As you become more familiar with your body and start incorporating self massage into your regular routine, you may find that it can help you develop much more self confidence and body awareness.