Developing Intuition via Massage
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Intuition or "gut feeling" is the sixth sense of knowing something
without knowing how we come to know it. It is a useful instinct which
can help us navigate many tricky situations and relationships.
Intuition can also guide us to new or expanded possibilities in our
life and it can help us to "tune in" surprisingly accurately to the
needs of others, be they humans or animals.

Some people are naturally very intuitive, while others of us need to
practise a while, or even receive some expert guidance before we can
clearly and powerfully access this life-enhancing gift.

One way to develop our Intuitive skills is via learning the art
of "Intuitive massage" (IM). Not only can IM train us in the art of
accessing and working with our intuition, but it is also a fun way of
improving health and well-being - it is a way of relieving stress and
of connecting more deeply to others.

Last week I presented 2 workshops on IM at the Sacred Arts event in
Dorset, England, and this prompts me to give you a quick overview of
what these can be like...

Workshop 1
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We started right from basics....

a) What experience do participants already have of accessing or using
their intuition?

A couple of people had no recollection of intuitive experiences and
in fact doubted whether they had such a thing, or even if it exists
at all. Most of the participants, however, did have some experiences
of vague "gut feelings" which proved to be remarkably accurate and
helpful in a variety of situations.


b) Background to IM - how it is an unusual form of massage in that
the focus is not on analyzing or meeting the needs of the person
massaged (as in other "structured" massage systems), but on clearing
a space within oneself, where the intuitive message can be received
and perceived. In this way, IM is a "meditative" style of massage,
with simultaneous benefits for the giver and the recipient.
Most "structured system" (e.g. aromatherapy massage, shiatsu massage,
Swedish massage etc) massage practitioners become increasingly
intuitive over years of experience, because the intuitive approach is
more energy efficient (gets to the heart of what is required more
quickly and directly) and also more protective of the massage giver
(protects against feeling "drained" or contaminated by negative or
destructive energies of the recipient).


c) A demonstration of intuitive massage, with simultaneous commentary
about the personal process of the massage giver.


d) Demonstration of the breathing technique which clears a space for
the intuition to come in.


e) Participants then directed to use the breathing/clearing/accessing
technique to decide who they should partner-up with for the practical
exercises. A few anxious moments for me as the students are put to
the test, but with some talking through the natural blocks that
people experience, most people were able to "sense" who they should
work with, and the "blocked individuals" who remained were freed-up
of their mental/emotional blocks by the simple process of giving them
a quick intuitive massage.

In this first workshop we were working entirely "clothes on". IM with
some clothes removed tends to be a more powerful experience, but not
everyone is open to that. Actually "clothes on" IM is of immense
practical benefit in everyday life...

Touch is a powerful means of communication for most human beings and
many animals. Simple, quick unobtrusive little massage touches can be
very useful in the workplace and sometimes when working with children
or animals - just so long as the touch is NOT intrusive, over-
familiar or likely to be interpreted as sexually intimate. The right
little touch, pat or rub, done in the right place on the body ("safe
zones") and at the right moment (courtesy of our intuition) we can
forestall an angry outburst or support someone whose energy is
flagging is who is about to break-down in tears.

e) The workshop ended with a practise session of hand-to-hand
massage. As usual, participants were amazed at how incredibly
powerful and even intimate a hand-to-hand massage can be.


Workshop 2
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Working with a group who are already confident with their intuition I
demonstrated the application of IM to "energy field" (human or animal
aura) massage. The students were somewhat dubious about whether or
not they would be able to do this, but actually everyone succeeded.
Comparing notes afterwards between givers and recipients revealed
some quite amazing accuracies and experiences.

More about my Sunflower Intuitive Massage system (an elaboration of
the Esalen Intuitive Massage I was originally taught some 15 years
ago) can be found at:

www.stress-counselling.co.uk/massage.htm


I hope that you will try it one day!

Mike Meredith