The Encyclopedia of Crystals, Herbs, and New Age Elements: An A to Z Guide to New Age Elements and How to Use Them - Adams Media 2016

Massage
The Power of Touch

ORIGINS

Massage is an ancient form of bodywork that involves rubbing or kneading parts of the body to aid circulation, induce relaxation, or treat pain and injury. Popular types of massage include Swedish massage, deep tissue massage, and hot stone massage. The word massage comes from the Arabic masaha, meaning “to stroke, anoint.”

HISTORY/LORE

Evidence suggests that most of the ancient civilizations practiced massage, from the Egyptians to the Chinese. The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates (c. 460—c. 370 B.C.E.), who is often referred to as the “father of Western medicine,” wrote extensively about massage, stating, “the physician must be experienced in many things, but assuredly also in rubbing.” Pehr Henrik Ling (1766—1839), who pioneered the teaching of physical education in Sweden, is often called the “father of Swedish massage”; however, others claim “Swedish massage” is actually a misnomer and its true creator was Johann Georg Mezger (1838—1909), a Dutch physician who incorporated massage into his practice in the second half of the nineteenth century.

USES

Massage is both a wonderfully relaxing experience and a tried-and-true method of easing pain and discomfort. There are many self-massage techniques that you can experiment with on your own, but for the full massage experience, make an appointment with a certified massage therapist. There are lots of different types of massage you can try. Swedish massage, which involves long strokes, circular pressure, and stretching, is what most people in the Western world think of when they think of massage. Deep tissue massage is similar to Swedish massage but focuses on the deeper layers of muscle tissue, tendons, and connective tissue. In a hot stone massage, a massage therapist uses heated stones to warm and relax the muscles.