Moment of Serenity

Originally published in Body Sense magazine, Spring/Summer 2004.
Copyright 2004. Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals. All rights reserved.

You already know the pleasures and benefits of massage. Wouldn't it be nice to experience this therapeutic touch more often to combat the rigors of daily stress? Quick (an average session lasts 10 to 20 minutes), inexpensive (usually costing $1 to $1.25 a minute), and found in a variety of locations, chair massage can do just that, and can easily turn a stressful morning into a calm, productive day.

Chair massage is designed specifically to relax the muscles and improve circulation and movement within the body. But chair massage also has several psychological functions as well. The philosophy of chair massage is to help you take control over your own health. Palmer says when clients finish getting their chair massage, they are often overwhelmed by their sense of well-being. "What's most important is we make clear to people that they are in charge of how they feel. Our society often promotes an unhealthy expectation that as you age, you naturally become uncomfortable. One of the most powerful messages basic relaxation massage can give to the world is you don't have to feel bad."

What to Expect
According to Palmer, one of the most crucial aspects of chair massage is establishing and defining one's expectations. As a result, expect a strong emphasis on communication when you seek out a practitioner. Chair massage is not a strenuous process, but you will be screened for any aspects that could complicate the procedure, such as having recent heart surgery or uncontrolled diabetes. Pregnant women will also want to avoid getting a chair massage.

As the massage begins, the practitioner will do several things to ascertain your level of comfort. After you are settled into the chair, which is purposefully designed to evoke a nurturing fetal position, practitioners will perform a pressure test with their fingers on different parts of your back. This is your first chance to control the direction of the massage.

The practitioner will continue to solicit such information from you throughout the session, allowing you to answer by voice or simple hand gestures. After all, different parts of your back will likely respond better or worse to different levels of pressure. This feedback, Palmer says, is a crucial aspect to the overall goals of chair massage. "Our culture trains its citizens to look to specialists for the answer, even if that specialist is a doctor, a lawyer, a realtor, or a massage practitioner. We're constantly being trained to think that someone else knows better than we do about what we want and what we're feeling. But only you know how you're really feeling."

By talking to you during the session, the practitioner is turning your attention toward an awareness of your body. "We live in a culture that numbs us from the neck down," Palmer says. "We say, 'Don't listen to your stomach growling, take a pill'; we say 'don't listen to the anxiety you feel, take a pill.' We numb ourselves to the sensations and wisdom that every cell in our body contains and is trying to communicate to our brains. Chair massage is not creating a dependent relationship, but allowing recipients to take control of their own sensations inside their body."

Corporate packages start at prices as low as $65/hr.



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