Sessions

Do you offer different kinds of bodywork?

Yes..

 I offer a standard Thai massage session.  Its full body and it goes deep, but not so deep that any part of the body is neglected.  I work you from head to feet.  Finger tips, temples and ankles and toes.  Its relaxing and helps to point out where tension might be in the body that evades conscious awareness.  This is an assessment and helps me to understand who I am working with, its often a great first session.

 I offer a specific session to treat an aliment, this is effective for people who have active, chronic or acute pain.  This massage often contains long holds and deep wide pressure; giving specific attention to local pain and the lines that relate to that space proximal and distal to the point specific location.  Each person and situation is different and requires a unique approach.  The entire body will not be massaged in equal proportions or with similar timing.

 I also offer an abdominal massage, this massage starts with a hello to the body with relaxing stretches and releasing any obvious tension.  Then a focus on the abdominal cavity, touching and delicately yet firmly massaging the viscera. This is often best as a second session, after your familiar with my working style.

 My final type of massage is the scarf massage, I do use scarfs in other massages but this one I use it for the majority of the session. For this massage I start with a gentle warm up, then I transition to the rocking stretching and traction with the scarf.  The scarf is used in various places around the world to aid in treating many disorders of the body.  I find that the scarf is a great tool for massing the neck as it provides security and flexibility in the motion.  This security allows the cervical region of the body to relax and allow deeper stretching, and the scarf also is ideal for strong traction in the neck as well.

What should I know about working with Charles?                                                                                                                                            

Looking at the stories we tell ourselves about who we are and what we are is one of my favorite parts of doing massage.  Usually this process is non-verbal, yet identifying that this process is happening can help  make it more powerful.  Setting intentions and understanding how the various layers of our lives interact with each other help to paint a picture of how complex and miraculous our lives are.  I’m often curious what I am touching and what my impact of massage is on parts of the psyche that don’t seem related to the physical structure. I am not talk therapist, yet the therapy happening is often deeper than the physical body most people are familiar with.  In the book The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van der Kook he basically says that what is happening in ones life is often reflected in the physical body and that some places where pain live are hard to talk about because pain and trauma often shuts down the parts of the brain that use logic and verbal processing.  My belief is that bodywork can when invited be an effective tool for exploring some of these spaces in our lives.  One analogy is like an oyster creating a pearl around a hard surface,  sometimes what happens within is a hard space in the psyche seeking out to be be softened with touch and awareness.

My work usually takes place on the floor, as my style is influenced greatly by traditional Thai massage I enjoy the leverage and depth of possibility while the client is close to the ground.  I do work on the table for some specific purposes.   Cupping, oils and balms are commonly used to target specific issues and tensions.  Using a scarf to rock the body and to focus on elements in the neck has proven to be very effective and enjoyable to folks.  Sometimes, Tok Sen a wooden mallet and chisel, is very effective; the vibration moves the energy down and out the lines of the body.  Tea and discussion is a great way to begin the session and allows for the transition from the busy street to the massage mat. I have developed and use a number system (1-10) 1 being barely any pressure up to 10 which is a hard stop on the pressure.  Ideally the pressure and sensation lives at about a 6 or 7.  This scale is used to help get specific pressure for someone, and helpful when more communication is needed.  

How do you best prepare for a session with Charles?

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Get clear on why you want to work with me.  What’s happening in your life and what do you want to feel like when your both receiving the massage and afterwards.  Most people say relaxed and free from pain.. naturally,   Some people just want to relax and enter a trance state, for these folks I usually work at a 4 on the number scale, usually no talking.  Other people want lots of communication and want deep pressure and want to go to some edges that they are unable to reach in their personal practice.  I find it helpful when like the zen proverb says, Before you study Zen, a bowl is a bowl and tea is tea. While you are studying Zen, a bowl is no longer a bowl and tea is no longer tea. After you’ve studied Zen, a bowl is again a bowl and tea is tea. Perhaps let go of what things are and allow the flow to redefine what things are why they may be that way.   This proverb I often use in the treatment session, I use my mind to balance my focus  and make logical sense yet as I let go of what I think I'm supposed to be doing it allows the intutive magic to flow from a place deeper than my understanding of it.

Wear loose fitting clothes, drink enough water to feel hydrated.  Don’t eat food for 1 hour before the session and 2 hours if your requesting deep abdominal massage.  Allow some spaciousness after your massage before many responsibilities request your attention, it’s best to have some time to rest and reflect.  Do things to reflect on your self care and your well-being when the session ends.