Massage and Touch

By Anonymous -

As an athlete, my first trip to the chiropractor was in seventh grade and my mother had been giving me home massages since rec-league in elementary school. It has always amazed me how with the most subtle click of the realignment tool (looks incredibly menacing but it's actual mechanical realignment is undetectable on the skin), bones were corrected in my spine and mountains of pain were alleviated from my body. Out of necessity and proven value I am an avid fan of massages, the knots and contusion that covered my body from contact sports as well as daily wear and tear - carrying a heavy bag on one shoulder, carrying bags of grain to the barn, chores, sleeping incorrectly, slouching, etc - provided pain regularly.
When we had the massage therapist as our guest speaker, she echoed many things I had previously heard from my many visits to physical therapy offices. I have also participated in touch-energy centered practice such as yoga, meditation, and recently my mother forced me to visit and acupuncturist. I was incredibly wary, as I believed the medicinal properties of acupuncture to be bullshit.
On the day of my appointment I hesitantly entered the chinese therapy office and laid on the table. Helen, my massage therapist, came in and swiftly moved her fingers over my body while we exchanged pleasantries. I have developed a pretty nasty case of acid reflux in the past 18 months and simply by lying on my back and having her run her fingers over my torso, Dr. Law was able to tell that I had an upset stomach (devil's advocate - it may have been the air pockets moving in my stomach that tipped her off). She began to stick me with needles, deftly and without hesitation. Dr. Law stuck 3 in my toes, two on my feet and ankles, one in my knee, several in my arms, and 3 in my forehead (which made me feel like I was being probed by aliens). Being the fidgety individual that I am, I began to flex my face muscles and move my forehead at the hopes of unlodging the needle in between my eyebrows. 
I could see it when I crossed my eyes, like a dust particle escaping my focused gaze. 
Eventually I succeeded, as I avidly watched the clock, Dr. Law left me lying on the table with needles protruding from me for almost twenty minutes. An ABSURD amount of time for someone who didn't want to be there in the first place. Admittedly my stomach did feel better after I left my appointment, but I cancelled my follow-up appointment. Regardless of where someone drew my energy, and alleviated tension by tapping my body, the entire thing seemed a bit hocus-pocus to me. 

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