Back on the Running Machine

I woke up full of the joys this morning. Feel rather jaded this evening after clients and supervision - especially as I wrestled with my 7.30 till she got to the emotion she had been suppressing for absolutely ages. Phew! I felt like a midwife. Lots of pain and struggle, but such a relief when it was over.

I had breaky by candle light. Porridge with chopped banana - and in between clients I got back to my running. Having been a poorly Queenie, the running has taken a back seat. Oh it was sooooo good. To feel my muscles working hard, to sweat - to feel the cold air on my skin. I am really beginning to appreciate my body. (I tend to live in my head). I cant wait to get back in there, in the garage - yes, I run amongst the collection of weelie bins, yes I am in between the garden furniture and the lawnmower, and yes it can be bloody cold in the Winter - but when Metallica is blasting out of the (rather cleverly rigged up) DVD and big screen, and my feet are pounding the rubber - I am really in the moment, alive and vital!

The pleasures of the body seems to be such a new discovery for me (apart from the obvious ;o) and I am booked in on a body therapy marathon in November too; a bit of a theme. Maybe it has something to do with Earth energy about to arrive. Time to enjoy the sensuous pleasures we all have at our finger tips .... literally!

The Joy of Massage

I am still biting my nails waiting for my son to come home from his first gig, so I am going to blog to take my mind off it.

I saw a massage client tonight. As you will know, I am a psychotherapist, that is the bulk of my work. However I also have a qualification in swedish massage and aromatherapy, (I am a Reiki II as well) and I have a small number of clients who come for massage.

I love my work as a therapist, it takes up most of my resources to do it properly and it can be emotionally draining as well as stimulating, profound, incredible etc etc ... you get the picture. Massage is a real break from the therapy. Massage is a no brainer. Oh the joy of it.

Tonight it was bliss. The room was all set up, soft candle light. The most haunting and evocative music, my little indoor fountain trickling in the corner. The oils smelt divine and it was just one and a half hours of calm, no talking, no working anything out. Just the music and the water and the touch.

My client fell asleep and I went into something of a trance. The rhythmic strokes, the gentle breathing. It was lovely. I always finish with the neck shoulders, and head. Something wonderfully soothing about having the head stroked, gently tugging the hair - massaging the scalp.

We need touch as human beings. Lack of touch can be devastating to the psyche. Massage is such a safe and boundaried way to get that touch and receive that pleasure. So I sing the joys of massage - go treat yourselves.