Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/77424
If you put your attention on someone who is experiencing one state or another, you start to experience that person's state. function, etc. You are working to change dysfunctional memory patterns by means of physical manipulations. Think about that for a second. You work on your client by imposing your intent on your client's memory patterns, which have physical expression as muscular tension, circulation, myofascial pattern, or visceral functioning. You are imposing your intent on tissue, in effect, to change the controlling memory associated with the tissue. You may think in terms of muscle memory, if you like, although the memories reside elsewhere than in muscles, which carry out the memories. A person's functioning is more than his or her tissue; it's more intimately his or her subconscious memory of self, to which he or she returns after being affected by experience. You may think that the pattern of the tissue is the pattern of the memory, but the pattern of function (generally, movement) is actually the pattern of the memory; the tissue is just the medium through which function manifests. The tissue physically expresses the habitual self by its patterns, which are dynamically self-maintaining through the holographic memory of the entire person (and his or her relations in the world). Let's look more closely at changing memories by changing tissue. How do memory patterns change? We might say there are two ways: imposition/inducement and learning. IMPOSITION/INDUCEMENT Ever argue with someone who had firm convictions? How successful were you in changing their point of view (i.e., their memory of "how things are")? Even if they give in, many say if you "convince a man against his will, he remains an unbeliever, still." In bodywork sessions, you are trying to do the same thing—not verbally, but physically. You are, in effect, arguing with your clients' subconscious, which maintains his or her patterns. That's why bodywork can be so laborious; why changes either come slowly, painfully, or temporarily; and why you take on so much from your clients. You two are in a nonverbal argument, which involves the heightened communication of stresses. You are experiencing the somatic contagion of the conflict-stress between your client's old, entrenched adaptation (habits and life stresses) and the new adaptation you are inducing (induced release of those habits and life stresses). The more you are concerned with making functional changes, and the larger the changes you intend, the more of that stress your client experiences— and you experience. It's the "backwash" of the stresses of change with which you resonate; it's somatic contagion. There is no doubt about it—people are more or less toxic, both physically and psychically. Here, however, we are talking about an intensification of that, as your client reflexively maintains his or her pattern against your work. However refined your touch may be and however much your client may want your work, there is that conflict- stress between subconscious patterns of adaptation—cognitive dissonance—that some misunderstand as resistance. LEARNING Contrast this with a situation in which, instead of arguing, you are teaching a willing student who is internalizing what you are teaching. There's a certain amount of labor there, but much less stress. Instead of conflict‐stress, there is excitement and appetite. In many instances, your student's energy combines with your own. THE ANSWER If you're doing bodywork, that kind of conflict-stress and the somatic contagion of it are inevitable. What can you do to minimize it? Some people try to avoid somatic contagion by doing gentle work. But, of course, that doesn't get much done. There are some self-care techniques, however, that might reduce the chance of that physiological stress with your clients. APPLY YOURSELF IN YOUR WORK Much is taught about good body mechanics as an aspect of good technique. But your body mechanics (and technique) can be only as good as your own state of somatic integration— your kinesthetic awareness and your coordination, your feeling- attention and your intentions. You may apply yourself relatively well or relatively poorly, and not know it. earn CE hours at your convenience: abmp's online education center, www.abmp.com 47