Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/70551
THE POWER OF INTENTION CELLULAR MEMORY As a professional massage therapist, you know emotional stress can cause physical tension, sometimes to the point of serious dysfunction. A recently published book, The Biology of Belief (Hay House, 2011) by Bruce Lipton, PhD, suggests that our thoughts and emotions have a direct impact on our cellular structure, as well as our ability to effectively respond to our environment. In other words, our thoughts and emotions direct many of our bodily functions and malfunctions. The concept of "cellular memory" has long been experienced, studied, and handed down through generations of energy healers. Cellular memory is the idea that our life experiences and emotions are stored as genetic memories in our physical cells, passed down from cell to cell through replication. In fact, Louise Hay, author of You Can Heal Your Life (Hay House, 1999), asserts that specific types of organ cells have affinities for specific emotions. For example, the colon is affiliated with the inability to let go of the past, which can afflict one with chronic constipation, diarrhea, or inflammation. For decades, therapists have explored the process of storing and releasing emotional cell memory, and developing different releasing therapies and technologies. One of the oldest treatments is acupuncture; this ancient division of Chinese medicine releases blockages and balances the body's energies through the use of needles inserted along meridians, or the energetic lines of the body. As more consumers begin to explore alternative therapies, an even greater diversification of mind-body treatments is emerging. More recent therapies such as Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), otherwise known as "tapping," and the Release Technique provide the client with a simple and easy way to self-release emotional patterns from the mind and body. But how can you effectively—and appropriately—integrate the basic concepts of release into your practice to bring clients deeper into release? A SIMPLE SHIFT IN INTENTION The common thread in all metaphysical healing is intention. A slight shift in your own personal intention, as well as that of your client, can make a significant difference in results. Intention is defined as an "aim or a plan that guides an action to reach an objective." In alternative therapies, meditation, yoga, and other practices, intention is the foundation and the guide for creating desired outcomes in healing. Energetic therapies are based on the theory that human beings are energy, that we create our own reality through energetic intentions, and that an emotional attachment to the outcome alters our freedom to create our desired reality. Therefore, when we speak about intention in the context of healing, we refer to setting a specific desired outcome and then letting go and allowing life to guide us in unplanned and unexpected ways to reach that goal. Being clear about your intention and clarifying your clients' intentions are essential to deepening their healing, as well as your own. When you begin a session or a series of sessions, take a few minutes to explore what you would like to learn or experience, what outcomes you would like to see for your clients, and what results you would like to see for your business or practice. Then, before beginning the massage, and in addition to the questions you regularly ask, find out from your clients what results they would like to see in their bodies and in their lives. Allow them to express anything on their minds and validate their desired goals. Acknowledge even lofty goals or outcomes they mention that seem irrelevant to the massage. Set aside your personal stories, and refrain from giving personal advice or indulging in your clients' dramas and stories. Remaining objective and nonjudgmental will allow you to successfully bring your clients deeper into relaxation and release by providing a safe place for them to be vulnerable. Let them know you are honored to be a part of their life path and will assist them in creating the 82 massage & bodywork july/august 2012