The Power of Emotions

Body, Mind and Spirit. Our bodies and our very essence as human beings are a complex maze of twists and turns. We have folds of memories long repressed, disturbing traumas that hide within the layers of our muscles and long forgotten secrets we'd rather keep kidden away. Lack of forgiveness is also a powerful fodder to what can maifest in our bodies. Our emotions consist of anger, happiness, confusion, saddness, resentfulness, envy, lonliness, joy and many others. If you carefully observe, most of our emotions are not always verbally experessed but can take on forms through facial expression and body language. Our bodies, the vessels that we use on this earth, hold fast to negative emotions and revel in the positive ones. As a Massage Therapist I have been able to witness that the majority of the stress held within us, are often the result of internal angst and frustration. More than once have I had a person cry on my table, partly because they are experiencing pain but the other part is unspoken...trouble in their marriage, a painful divorce, lack of direction in their lives or a mediocre view on life. These emotions are indeed powerful and when these issues are not addressed, it doesn't matter how deeply I use the pressure in my hands to massage away the tension, it will return. This is why I feel that mental health professionals are needed in our community. God has given each one of us a gift and for some it is the gift of encouragement and counseling. Romans 12:8 speaks about the gift of encouragement, as well as the gift of contributing to others' needs. I believe this can be done in the area of emotional counseling. I do not claim to be a professional counselor nor have I received training in this area, but I feel comfortable in saying that many times I have provided a touch of compassion through my hands as well as through my voice. I strongly believe God places people in our lives in exact moments, for an exact purpose. Now, the beauty of therapeutic touch is the following: nonverbal comfort. Has there ever been a moment where you have needed to grieve without speaking a word? Whether you've experienced it or not, it is a reality that the human touch can, at times provide the kind of solace no words can reach. When I was in Massage Therapy School, I distictly remember being taught how to perform a massage on someone fully clothed. When I inquired why, I was told that victims of sexual assault or rape could often times not feel comfortable with the idea of skin on skin contact. At the time, the idea shocked me but during my years as a therapist I have seen that when I person lies on the massage table they carry many burdens from their past. Mental health, emotional stability and a healthy self-esteem are vital components to a healthy lifestyle. I feel that massage therapy is a compassionate and nurturing profession but I also recognize the need to speak to a professional on these issues. The two therapies (massage and counseling) combined could allow a person to emerge with a fresh new mind, a hopeful view towards life and hopefully from my end, a more relaxed body. Mark 12:30 sates " Love the Lord with all your soul, with all your mind and all your strength." In these verse we can clearly see that a human being is composed beautifully of all these important aspects; spiritual health, emotional and mental stability and my personal favorite- physical health. I hope you enjoyed this reading, stay healthy and God Bless!