Pausing To Exhale
Do you have clients that you have worked with for a long period of time, and they just don’t show any improvement? No matter what quiet music you play, what essential oil you use, or what gentle relaxing Swedish Massage strokes you try, they still seem tight and complain about the same migraine headache or sore shoulders? It may be a matter of remembering that the simple solution is sometimes the most profound.
Throughout time Yogis and sages have talked about the power of breathing on overall health and well being. Learning correct breathing techniques is a focus in the study of Yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates or Martial Arts, or athletics . To some degree working with the breath is discussed in our massage training. But all too often when working with a challenging client who is asking us for, “harder deeper”, we either worry that they will become more upset if we back off and use something as simple as working with the breath, or that it won’t be as effective as some other more invasive efforts.
Actually quite the opposite is true. We can never relax a client as deeply by working on the outside as they can from working on themselves from the inside. This is the case when you locate trigger points in the muscle and you urge the client to “take a deep breath into the area under your thumb.” The ultimate release then takes place as the client exhales and allows those spots to release and let go.
Because I am a Reiki Master and use energy work in many of my sessions, my clients are used to spending some quiet focusing time during their appointment. We all have been taught to take a moment to connect with our client before starting our session by either just placing still hands on their backs or maybe adding some gentle rocking motion. What about maximizing the effect of these brief opening moments and setting the rhythm of the session by entraining the client’s breathing to your own breathing or to to music?
Entrainment is a phenomenon first observed in the 17th century by the Dutch scientist, Christian Huygens. It has to do with the mutual influence one moving object has on another. An example of this would be when individual pulsing heart muscle cells are brought close together, they begin beating in synchrony. Another example is when two pendulums are placed near each other and swung at different rates, they will eventually end up swinging at the same rate after a period of time. By the practitioner setting up an audible breathing pattern, the client will eventually entrain or synchronize with your rhythm and begin to slow down.
Another method is to allow the client to entrain with a visual image. A very effective and usually familiar one is the ocean. There are tapes and CDs containing the steady washing in and washing out sounds of the ocean, or you can just have the client shut their eyes and visualize this steady rhythm as you softly talk about waves coming in and going out. To create the rhythm and visual image for them use tempo and choice of your words.
Effective breathing involves more than the top one third of the lungs. The client should be guided to breathe clear down into their belly. A helpful cue is to have the client gently rest their hand on their stomach and experience the rhythmic rising and falling motion as it is happening.
Don’t forget that good breathing habits are important for you the practitioner to be mindful of in order to maintain correct rhythm, focus, and energy level. While receiving a massage in a local student clinic I noticed that each room had a large, quit visible poster on the wall that said “Breathe”. I thought this served as a good example of what someone might want to do in their own space as a reminder while, as well as to let the client know this is something they place a high priority on.
All this means taking a risk. Often the demanding high strung, type A personality demands deep work to relax. It is often difficult to suggest a method that seems almost opposite to what they are demanding. But consider your other choices: continue the deep work that so far has not been effective and will eventually wear out your thumbs, or refer them to someone else, or make an attempt to educate and enlighten someone to a new, gentler, more effective way of dealing with their body and their stress.
In good health,
Shelley Sheets