The Beginnings Aromatherapy Massage

Throughout history therapeutic touch in some form or another, be it native shamanic or something much more technical, has been used to heal the sick and distressed. The healing power of massage was recognized and recorded by the physicians of ancient China, India, Egypt, Greece and Rome. And while most Eastern cultures have enjoyed a long tradition of massage therapy in this respect the West suffered a severe setback in the Middle Ages when the Church branded massage as a sinful 'pleasure of the flesh'.

 

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, massage made something of a come back when the Swedish gymnast Per Henrik Ling introduced his own style of massage which synthesized ancient Chinese techniques and passive gymnastic movements. Ling's methods were spread from his native Sweden by disciples and became immensely popular throughout Europe. Even to this day the term 'Swedish Massage' is used in tribute to Ling, and denotes a style of massage whose strokes are less vigorous than the deep tissue frictions and pummeling employed at the Turkish baths. Most other forms of massage which have developed since the nineteenth century (including aromatherapy massage) are at least partly influenced by the Swedish system.

 

Yet despite the current upsurge of interest in massage therapy, there are still those who cannot free themselves from the notion that massage is solely for tired sports enthusiasts or for clients of the dubious 'massage parlour'. Indeed, touch therapy is often undervalued, underused and sometimes grossly misunderstood.

 

In truth, massage is an advanced and conscious form of our instinctive and innate ability to offer healing through the laying-on-of-hands, whether it be the stroking of a furrowed brow or the rubbing of aching shoulders. In this respect, stroking and caressing may be just as important to our health as food and cleanliness. Indeed, psychologists tell us that tender loving touch, especially during infancy, is vital to our emotional and physical development.

 

When touching takes the form of skilled but sensitive massage, not only does it relax and revitalize an ailing or tired body, it is also a way of communicating warmth, reassurance and a sense of self-worth. And when combined with the mood-enhancing properties of aromatic essences, we are nurtured on every level of our being, including the intangible spiritual level which may be embraced through our aesthetic appreciation of fragrance.