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Its a natural instinct to rub/massage away pain, just like eating to drive away hunger. Massage has been around for thousands of years, since back before aspirin was ever made, back to the cave-man days where they rubbed down the pain in their legs. Even though the medical community hasn't fully recongnize the importance of massage, massage plays a big part in healing the body and soul. Its a fact that receiving a massage can actually improve the bodys performance.
The human body is an extraordinary instrument that most people fail to value or even think much about until something goes wrong. Massage, no matter how minimal, seems to be a powerful healer. It can affect the mind and body in powerful ways. We all have many stresses in our lives, and getting sick adds to the stress. If we can feel better by using massage to rub away our stresses, our immune systems might have better chances to stay healthy. If massage can help a person stay healthy, recover from injury, or stay in tune with their body, it should be recognized, just like medical chiropractics in insurance matters. Next time our bodies call for aspirin, because of a headache and other body pain, remember massage, and take the natural hands on method to recovery.
Written by: Renell Clark L.M.P. 6/00
What is ZEN?
A Touch of Zen
Most of us have at one time stood on a beach and been completely captivated by the sights and sounds of the sea, carried away to the point where all other thoughts seem to disappear. And perhaps, lost in the sensations of our surroundings, out of nowhere it seems, we have suddenly been struck by the beauty of a fleeting detail - a ripple of sunlight cutting through the water, the patterns of waves tumbling across the sand. We might have seen it all before, but in that briefest of moments we experience it with a new and fresh eye, as though we were seeing it for the very first time - you might say we have experienced a touch of Zen.
In the philosophical sense, a Zen teacher would probably say there is no answer to the question: What is Zen? Zen is the approach to life, a way of being, rather than a philosophy or set doctrine. It is more a personal journey of discovery, which aims to free the mind so that a greater level of awareness - both of ourselves and the world around us - can be achieved. Since each journey is unique, Zen has no rules or set paths to follow. Instead, there are merely guidelines by which a person is encouraged to find and follow their own course.