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Run Down? Give Back To Your Body With Bodywork

What's covered: Why we need to stop waiting for the "perfect time" to receive the benefits of therapeutic touch, such as massage & other body-loving natural therapies


My body gave a big, fat contented sigh.


It was also humming, like a car that's just had a much-needed service. And, not for the first time, I thought, Why have I left this for so long!? Confession time: As anyone who knows me will attest, I love touch! Yep, I'm that person who will stick their leg out for a foot rub while watching telly or try to bribe my fellow couch-sitter for a quick shoulder massage. I also love receiving bodywork - remedial or relaxation massage, Bowen therapy, acupuncture, reflexology, kinesiology, craniosacral therapy, energy-healing bodywork, Reiki, osteopathy, and the list goes on. Yet, like a lot of people, actually booking a bodywork appointment often gets stuck in the mental "I've really got to do that" file and the well-meaning intention gets swallowed up by daily life.

Person playing the harp

I do regularly give to my body in many ways, such as walking and meditating, but there's something magical about being in a safe space and allowing yourself to fully relax and joyfully receive. And that's what I was reminded of as I lay on the massage table last week with a gifted osteopath working on my body like a musician, because when you hit on the right practitioner and modality for you, it can really feel like music. What stops me from having more bodywork, such as massage and other beneficial natural therapies or complimentary modalities? At the risk of confessing too much at once, I'm one of those people who really likes to steer my own ship; I don't easily relinquish control. There's a part of me that really wants to find a nicer word than "control" to describe that aspect of me (seriously, I just checked the thesaurus), but let's call it for what it is: I can be a control freak, and it can be hard for me to be vulnerable and allow someone else to take over. But there's only so much we can do ourselves. Imagine a surgeon lying on the operating table and trying to perform their own surgery - weird, messy and kinda impossible! Sometimes we need to reach out and allow ourselves to hand over the baton and say, "Hey, can you help me on this?" I feel like I'm really stating the obvious when I say there is so much going on in the world right now. Life requires us to be ON most of the time; how often do we get to flick the OFF switch? So, if like me, you've had it in your mind to book that appointment, then do it. Not next week, not after things settle down or you get that mythical opening where there are no demands on your time or energy.


Don't wait for the perfect time; make the perfect time.

Please do not disturb sign set amongst trees

If getting a treatment is not within your means right now, then give back to your body in the ways you can: draw that bath, give yourself a foot rub, listen to your favourite music, dance to a few body-humming tunes, watch a sunrise or sprawl yourself on the bed like a starfish! ;-) We all need to hang out the Please Do Not Disturb sign every now and then, why not now?


Keep listening to your body and trusting your wise self,


Lauren x


P.S. I hear the following question a lot: "What is bodywork?" It's actually the opposite of "work" for the body; instead, it's an enjoyable break for the body, involving one or more healing modalities or specialized techniques that help to holistically treat the mind and body, such as trigger point massage or emotional release breathwork. Curious? You can read more about the healing power of bodywork here. If you live in Cairns and are looking for a bodywork therapist, you can make a booking with me here.



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