Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/1417136
best practices | SAVVY SELF-CARE Have you ever helped someone with a headache, and while they left the table feeling better, you later had a headache? Or have you released someone's shoulder pain, and then suddenly you experienced a new shoulder ache? All of us are susceptible to the energy acquired from the foods we eat, the medications we take, the air we breathe, the company we keep, and the clients we touch. One of the essential responsibilities we have to our families, friends, clients, and most importantly to ourselves is to dissolve, transmute, and release all that acquired energy. So, what do you do with all that extra energy you do not need or want? THE ENERGETIC BODY Energy is everywhere and in everything; this concept is not woo-woo. We experience much of life through our ideas, feelings, sensations, dreams, and desires—all examples of energy, not matter. After all, you cannot pick up a thought or weigh a feeling. And yet, matter and energy are two sides of the same coin. Repeated studies in quantum physics demonstrate that the subatomic electrons of atoms may exist as either a particle (matter) or as a wave (energy). The deciding factor of whether an electron will present as a particle or wave is based on how the study is designed and how the observer is perceiving the experiment. (It is a helpful point to remember that setting and mindset impact how reality is experienced—especially in how we organize our environment and our attitude in our therapeutic relationships.) The reciprocal interplay between energy and mass in our biology is exemplified by Clearing Acquired Energy Letting Go of Other People's Stuff By Heath and Nicole Reed 20 m a s s a g e & b o d y wo r k n ove m b e r/d e ce m b e r 2 0 2 1 Einstein's theory of relativity, summarized by researcher Karen Prestwood, MD, as ". . . matter and energy are interchangeable and therefore our bodies are energy." 1 For many in our field, the suggestion that our thoughts and feelings impact our body and vice versa may seem obvious. However, even greater clarity may be gleaned by noticing the physical impacts from the energy we regularly interact with day in and day out. Our bodies are amazing receivers and amplifiers of the energetic messages we pick up and transmit out. Have you ever felt your body contract and stiffen when you experience fear, anxiety, or stress? Conversely, do you notice sensations of expansion and openness as energies of love, joy, or forgiveness move through you? Once we accurately tune into the subtle (and not so subtle) waves of energy that constantly inform our daily life, we can more efficiently let go of unnecessary tension and consciously repurpose this blocked energy in our favor. If after a full day of sessions you feel absolutely wiped out, nauseous or dizzy, depressed, anxious, irritated, or feel a new ache in your body, then you may have some acquired energy to tend to. Release the heaviness of all that acquired energy by introducing a regular clearing practice into your self-care lifestyle—give yourself a sense of lightness, generate clarity, and instill peacefulness as you let go of what no longer serves you. SMUDGING Smudging is an energy-clearing tradition that goes back thousands of years. Traditionally, it involves burning herbs or incense like sage, cedar, palo santo, or frankincense, among a few. The smoke is considered a cleansing agent with healing properties. "Research is showing that sage can be used to benefit physical, mental, and emotional well-being," says Reshma Patel, CEO and founder of Ananda Integrative Medicine. 2 Sage is a part of the salvia plant family and originates from the Latin word salvere, which means "to heal." Patel shares several different studies that show how medicinal smokes, such as sage, have powerful antimicrobial and antibacterial properties, and can improve K ARLY JONES/UNSPL ASH.COM