toxic

what lies beneath

My husband and I went to a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) centre yesterday.

We were coming in for gua sha, traditional chinese massage and cupping.

I have had cupping and gua sha done before, but not at the same time.  I had not experienced the traditional chinese massage before though.

My husband, while familiar with these treatments, will experience it done professionally for the first time.

---

I like deep tissue massages.

I enjoy the relief that comes after a spot is pressed to release blockages.  You feel it when the therapist puts pressure on certain points and there, discomfort.  You think 'I am in trouble'.

And then, Wow.  

It is like overcoming an obstacle.  Done and done!


---

I especially remember that time I went for foot reflexology and I started feel warm in the face then before I knew it, I was sweating despite the a/c (and I hardly sweat, even during hot yoga!).

I knew then, the therapist found something.

---

TC massage was good.  

And by that I mean, the therapist really got in there and made it her business to get those stubborn blockages out of the way so that Chi will flow, as it should.

I felt every line she traced, every spot she pressed, every area she scraped (gua sha).  Everything.

It was goooooooood.

---

I came home with spots and seemingly worked up muscles.

Admittedly, I felt exhausted after everything.  I was too happy to get home and nap.

---

My husband?  He loved it!

It was more interesting for him because his body bore a significant amount of sha from the scraping.  I didn't.  Not any.

We could barely stop talking about various steps in the process, comparing experiences.

Like me, he also felt new spots.  These are key points that somehow were neglected in all other massages we had in the past.

This is unlike new poses in Yin class when you feel new muscles being stretch--being aware of a certain muscle for the first time.

---


The only challenge was that the therapists could hardly speak English so we are unable to catch their recommendations.  

The only advice we were able to capture was that my husband must refrain from drinking ice cold beverages because his body is too warm inside.

Think, steam.

---

We decided we will come back in February.


As the therapist said you come more more, less less.

By that I think she meant, the more sessions we have, the less markings we'd get.

spotted

I had been so curious about this cupping method since I first read about it.

The therapist would spend 45 minutes to an hour alternating massage and pulling your muscles with suction cups all over your back and you can literally feel the tension on your back melting away with every rub, press and pull.

After the session, I felt young again. As in no back pain!

Of course the hassle is that your back looks ridiculous afterwards, but that is a very small price to pay for the relief and wellness that you get out of it. I promise that it is well worth the trouble--even if you spend a day at the beach where obviously, your back is exposed for the world to see.

I would have booked another session with the therapist if only you can do this as often as you like. Apparently, the body can only take one session every four weeks.