Nei Ching, a Chinese physician, talked about the benefits of therapeutic touch in 2760 BC. Early references were also found in Ayurvedic texts from India. The ‘Ayur Veda’ was a book about the ‘art of living’ circa 1700 BC. It described various massage techniques, with a focus on the erotic and sensual aspects of touch.
Greeks and Romans
The development of massage soon spread to the West where it was picked up by the ancient Greeks and Romans. Hippocrates, the Greek physician better known as the ‘father of medicine’ (460-377 BC) believed that a ‘daily massage and a scented bath’ were all we needed for good health. Greek women also liked to use essential oils for pampering treatments.
The Romans practiced massage regularly, borrowing many techniques from the Greeks. Julius Caesar enjoyed a daily massage and was ‘pinched’ to help relieve his neuralgia and epilepsy. Gladiators also had regular massages before battle to keep their bodies in peak physical shape. Most people visited the public baths, where massages were on offer to all.
Swedish Massage
Swedish massage developed in the 19th century. Per Henrik Ling was a Swedish fencing master and gymnast who picked up eastern massage techniques during a trip to China. He used it to cure himself of rheumatism and went on to develop Swedish massage, which consists of five long, flowing strokes: Effleurage (light touch), Petrissage (kneading), Tapotement (tapping), Friction and Vibration.
Aromatherapy
Massage was widely used to help treat injured soldiers during both World Wars. In 1937 the French chemist Rene Maurice Gattefosse accidentally discovered that he could soothe a burn by applying lavender oil. He did further research into the use of oils for massage and developed the term ‘aromatherapy,’ a popular form of massage today.
Mind, Body & Spirit
During the 1960s and 1970s there was a leaning towards all things natural and new age. This came out of work at the Esalen Centre in California, where massage was being used as a way to treat the body holistically. In the UK, people were also moving towards more holistic methods of treating illness.
Touch Therapy
In 1992 the Touch Research Institute was set up at Miami University’s School of Medicine to explore the importance of touch therapy. Studies have indicated that massage is hugely beneficial in many areas. It facilitates weight gain in premature babies, enhances attentiveness, reduces pain and stress hormones in the body, alleviates depression and improves our immune system.
Massage is now the most widely practiced complementary therapy and there are many types, which have grown out of different cultures including tantric, g-spot, hot stone, lomilomi, shiatsu, and four-handed massage. There’s no need to strip off and lie in a quiet room for an hour, either. Mobile therapists come to the workplace and you can have a 20-minute chair massage at places such as Relax in Soho, London. Our knowledge and enthusiasm continues to develop as we learn more about the human body and how it works.
Resources
An Introductory Guide to Massage by Louise Tucker and Pamela Gaillard, Holistic Therapy Books, 2001.
The History of Massage by Robert Noah Calvert, Inner Traditions Bear & Co, 2002.
The General Council for Massage Therapy - Find a local practitioner online.
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