THOUGHTS ON FASCIA, PEACE AND THE NEW YEAR

Jennifer Grant asked on the FB page Massage Therapists "Thoughts on Thixotropy? If fascia reverts back to its original state are we fighting a losing battle ?"

Useful question!

Some of my thoughts on thixotrophy (the property of certain substances, like the fascia in the body, to become more fluid when we increase the activity within it, through pressure, heat, movement, etc.).

Is the experience of a good meal lost because eventually we experience hunger again?

In other words, after good bodywork, we often feel like the soft tissues re-hydrate, soften and/or lengthen, at least temporarily, which gives the client at that time. and sometimes in a more sustained way, an experience of greater freedom, sense of lightness, feeling taller, and many other experiences on the proprioceptive, emotive and mental levels. In other words, we help provide new experiences and, as Feldenkrais said, a person can not change without a new experience.

That the experience may not last is in the nature of experiences. I don't listen to a Beethoven symphony, have a wonderful experience, and ask but how long will that last? That's part of our art - to facilitate experiences that are memorable and thus may more likely remain influential even after the immediate afterglow is gone. Perhaps such clients become motivated to recreate or deepen that experience through repeated sessions, through yoga or other forms of self-care.

Massage/bodywork is a response to an experiential NEED.

One of my teachers, Herbert Brün, said, "Needs are cyclical conditions that have to be met so that they can happen again and again. For example, hunger has to be met by food. Tiredness has to be met by sleep. Thirst has to be met by drink. What if peace were a need? Then it would be met with our conflicts."

Stress and tension have to be met by relaxation and ease and those met again by stress and tension - so we can relax again. Those needs, when well met, result in sustained life and growth, including peace and including conflicts.

Perhaps for this New Year then we may wish for each other useful conflicts so that the need for and experience of peace is abundantly met in body, mind and spirit.

microphotograph of fascia