Patron Saint of Massage Therapists....

So...who is the patron saint of massage therapists? What little research I have done suggests "James the Just" who was martyred by stoning. That is hopeful for us massage therapists, don't you think? No really, in my humble opinion, Mary Magdalene is a much more appropriate choice--for a number of reasons:

1. She anointed the feet of Jesus with oil. That in itself should be enough. :)
2. Her actions were judged and misunderstood by those around her.
    Many people just don't get massage therapists--they think they are a little "out there" and their actions are suspect...what is she REALLY doing?  Just like the Magdalene. People saw what she was doing and said, "Wow--that's really inappropriate. If Jesus really knew who she was, he wouldn't let her touch him!" Because our society is physically and chronically disconnected from their own bodies and sexualize much of their somatic experience, people project and misinterpret the actions of others. People are unable to understand that massage therapists are able to communicate nurture, care and love through their work that is not sexual.
3. Jesus understood her heart and commended her for all time.
    Jesus understood Mary's desire to show her love for him the best way she knew how--honoring his body and person in a very concrete expression. Jesus told those around him to "Leave her alone! She has done a beautiful thing for me!" Jesus got it. He then said, "Everywhere my story is told, hers will be too to honor her." Put that in your vita.
4. And finally, 85% of massage therapists are women.

I cast my vote for Mary the Magdalene.

P.S. My favorite painting of the above is here: http://www.wayneforte.com/Images/Pages/Biblical_Themes.html#252

Why the Incarnation?

There are of course many important reasons that Christ came in the flesh, theologically known as The Incarnation. But from a bodywork perspective, the Incarnation holds unique importance. It is a common maxim in bodywork that "People hold their issues in their tissues." What this means in its basic sense is that we are not just creatures of our minds, but are truly embodied. Most people identify with the fact that they hold "stress" in various places in their bodies. But the fact is, we hold all of our emotions in our bodies. Sometimes we may hold anxiety in our gut, anger in our throat,grief in our heart, or confusion in our heads. The list could go on. But one of the aims of bodywork is to help people release the issues in their tissues--to release the emotions and pain that have been stored there and have been preventing them from living an abundant life.

By coming in the flesh, the Incarnation, Christ Jesus redeemed our bodies. He desires to free us from the brokenness in our bodies...and is why in the great Eucharistic Prayer, He says, "This is my Body, Broken for You."

Somatic Idioms

It has become a recent habit of mine to notice the number of somatic idioms in our everyday language (I give a nod to my sister who has her PhD in Linguistics!) A somatic idiom is a verbal phrase used to describe an emotional experience that makes reference to a bodily sensation. For example, when we tell a friend that "I have butterflies in my stomach" we are using a somatic idiom to describe anxiety. The existence of somatic idioms are linguistic acknowledgement that our emotions are not simply cognitions, but that emotions are visceral experiences! For another example, have you ever heard someone say, "That person rubs me the wrong way!" Now, most likely, the two people have not had any actual physical contact involving massage--but in fact, there is something being said about the quality of the interaction--it causes a level of emotional  or energetic discomfort akin to being physically "rubbed the wrong way."

For a long time, emotions in psychology have been often processed and treated as if they are only cognitions--we just have to change our minds/thoughts about something. However, our language betrays us! Our bodies register and hold our emotions as much (if not more than) our words! If this is so, then there needs to be a somatic component to psychological growth and healing. Hence, why I have entered into the bodywork field. 

Some other somatic idioms:
"My heart is just broken over this situation."
"My stomach is doing flip-flops."
"My blood is about to boil!"
"You are such a hot-head!"
"I just have a gut feeling about this...."
"He's got cold feet about changing jobs."
"I can't stomach that!"
"I can feel it in my bones!".....etc.....