Miracles are Only a Massage Away

I reached over to hit snooze on my alarm when the pain hit.  My neck, rebelling against the movement, spasmed in agony.  I don't know if I somehow did headstands in my sleep or what, but I sure must have done something bizarre.  I soon came to realize that if I didn't turn my head then my neck was fine, just slightly stiff.  At last I managed to gingerly get ready and out the door, being extremely careful of my poor injured neck.  

I was fine all day, sitting in front of a computer. Unfortunately when I met up with K that night, it was a different story altogether.  I never realized how much neck movement is involved in a night out!

Saturday morning I felt a little better, I still had to support my head in my hand to get up, but the spasms  were gone, and I had a little more movement in my neck. www.lindatellingtonjones.com/ howtodoTTouch.shtml . Unfortunately when I went to Cirque du Soleil with J and his family that afternoon the soreness was back.  That evening at dinner I was telling J about the wonders of Ttouch, the Feldenkrais System, and healing massage.  Even after this involved explanation of the benefits of ttouch, I didn't think about using it on my own sore neck.  Sunday passed and though my neck was a little better, it was far from up to par.  Finally, I woke up Monday morning and started using ttouch on my neck.  After ten minutes, my neck was back to normal, and I was cursing myself for not thinking of something so obvious.

I first heard about ttouch, and the Feldenkrais system, on which it is based, through my riding instructor, a ttouch practitioner.  The basic ttouch, called the Clouded Leopard is as simple as it is effective.  I have seen it work on bruises, headaches, stress, flexibility, and so much more. You place the pads of your fingers lightly on the sore area and move them clockwise a circle and a quarter, taking about the amount of time it takes for one complete breath.  When one movement is complete move the fingers a few inches away making another, and another, moving along the body in a line.  When the line is complete stroke the line with the other hand, which should be resting by the hand completing the movements.

The Feldenkrais system truly works miracles, and I am certain that ttouch helped achieve results pronounced impossible for brain injury, strokes and injuries of all varieties. In 2004 Paul Bach-y-Rita Ph.D. M.D. Bach-y-Rita organized a highly effective program to help TBI and stroke survivors' recoveries.  http://www.feldenkrais.com/method/article/neuroplasticity_and_the_feldenkrais_method/

I strongly suggest looking into the healing massage, and especially the Feldenkrais system as a method for recovery.   My personal experience with ttouch, as well as everything I have read or heard about the Feldenkrais Method are all resounding endorsements of this method of therapy.   There is nothing to lose, and everything to gain....