Biodynamic Massage Therapy

Each session is attuned to your needs on any one day
The session is led by how you are on any one day and this is what can make it a particularly wholesome experience as you feel met and attuned to. Unlike some massage approaches there is no ‘set routine’ to get through– e.g.in one session you may feel exhausted and depleted of energy and welcome gentle work to increase life energy and vitality through your body. On another day you may arrive feeling stressed, over stimulated and tight and need techniques which help calm the body and mind and invite release, opening, expansion and balance. 

Generally uses no oils
I do not generally use oils. The contact is generally on skin but can also be though clothes or other covering if this feels more comfortable. If skin is hot or sticky a little powder may be used if you are happy with this.

I will  listen to your peristalsis / ‘emotional digestion’ / ‘psycho-peristalsis’
A particular uniqueness with Biodynamic Massage is that, with your consent, I may use a stethoscope on your abdomen to listen to the sounds of your digestive system, or ‘peristalsis’ (more commonly known as our tummy rumblings). This peristalsis gives feedback of the energy flow and how the body heart mind system is opening, releasing, unwinding, or perhaps has become more stuck or stagnant. The body needs to ‘digest’ not only our food, but our emotions. For example we often get a headache after a busy, stressful day. When we are anxious and uptight we may become constipated. Or we may feel nauseous when emotionally upset. We cannot separate the body heart mind. This emotional digestive process is what I, as therapist, will be listening for and attending to through the stethoscope. We call this process the ‘psycho-peristalsis’.  I prefer to use a speaker phone so that you can also hear any sounds and engage with your own process. Although you may feel a little self-conscious about this to begin with most adjust very quickly and find this becomes deeply relaxing and fascinating and a way to really feel ‘at one’ with one’s own body heart mind process.

There are a variety of techniques
There are a variety of techniques which help to work at bone, muscle, skin as well as aura and energy levels. More information here.

I will pay careful attention to your breath 
How we breathe directly affects our energy levels and our capacity to let go and release tension. Therefore as well as listening to your peristalsis I will also be curious to observe your breathing pattern during the session and may invite expansion of breath where there is contraction, or invite the breath to aid release, where there is tension. When this happens you may well feel a flow of release and an ‘aaaaah’ moment of pleasure and wellbeing.

Gentle talking 
Dreams, memories or images may emerge during a session and you may be encouraged, if you wish, to voice and share these as they arise as a means of articulating and releasing. It is quite usual for there to be gentle talking as the massage continues, as a way to enable the integration of all aspects of the experience. Having said that, it is equally usual for the conversation to be less focused on words and instead more focused on the sounds of the peristalsis, or you may fall asleep.

QUOTE  ‘I literally had cold feet starting on this journey of exploration but haven’t looked back. I have found warmth back in my body and a sense of aliveness flowing again.’

Psycho-physical issues
This form of massage therapy can be very useful for psycho-physical issues where we can most easily understand that the issue is more than ‘just physical’ e.g. stress headaches, digestive problems, fatigue, some forms of depression. Energy moves through cycles and our ability to complete these cycles represents healthy self-regulation. When these cycles get habitually interrupted or stuck, problems can begin to occur and manifest in contraction, pain, depression or illness. I will be paying attention to how and where the energy or life force may or may not be flowing freely . 

Psychological dis- ease with the body
Some of us have psychological issues relating to our bodies - we may feel stuck with our body self-consciousness or have judgmental critical attitudes towards our bodies, our gender or sexuality. This form of therapy can be helpful in these respects as it works gently at the psychological as well as physical level. It can also be helpful if you are someone who feels quite detached and cut off from your body. 'Mr Duffy lived a short distance from his body' (James Joyce) 

Emotional issues
By attuning to your energetic and emotional state, this form of massage can be a helpful way to address issues that are less accessible through the rational thinking mind – e.g. low level but chronic sadness or anger that you can’t quite ‘get hold of’ or articulate but you know to be affecting your life in some way.  I am trained to hold and manage these feelings and emotions as they arise in the session and enable them to release in a safe way.

Letting go and relaxing
This form of massage can feel very nurturing, pleasurable and relaxing, and on this level can support and help living with the stressful demands of life and work.  Some of us also find it hard to truly receive pleasure for ourselves and so this can also be a useful means of exploration as you learn to let go and relax. 

You may find this link helpful.

I qualified in biodynamic massage in 2001. I found this lesser known approach both fascinating to learn and practice as well as to receive. It became a potent means of me becoming more in touch with the pleasure and pain of my own experience of embodiment, and led to an increased sense of aliveness energy and vitality. I am member of ABMT and you may find it useful to see this website which has comprehensive information about biodynamic massage therapy.