Geez, how many times have I heard that phrase in my career as a Massage Therapist?! Over and over again. Hey, I've been there myself. For example, when I am doing too much deep and intense bodywork on clients, my wrists get "stuck", or my neck gets "stuck". My body constantly tells me when I am overworking, both physically and mentally. And how many times have we all gotten sick with a cold or the flu, when our body just quits on us after prolonged overwork, stress or trauma? It happens to everyone, and it is our job to listen to what our body needs and wants.

When I am working on my clients, I am feeling for "stuck" places....to you, these are "tight" spots that cause pain or discomfort. And they feel so good to be released don't they?! As human beings, we often store all our emotional and mental energy in our bodies. Everyone has that one area that tends to get tighter faster, causing aches and pain. From my experience, necks and low backs are the most common, but everyone has their own special brand of "stuck-ness".

I know for me, as soon as I get an ache or pain, or get physically sick, I ask myself, what is going on inside me? What is my body telling me it needs or wants? I inevitably always link it to an emotional or mental issue, unless physically I know I am just doing too much. I look at any "illness" as a dis-ease, or lack of ease, in my body, where my energy is stuck and needs to be moved through. Resolution usually comes through physical bodywork, emotional "house-cleaning" or just taking some time for myself. The key is to look inside, because there you will always find the answers.

But what about chronic cases? Constantly nagging body parts that no matter what we do to resolve, just don't get better? For those, I say again, look inside. Chances are you are ignoring an important issue. It's often not easy or fun, but it really is worth it. Some of our "stuff" is so buried, that the only way to reach the light, is to go through the dark.

To help this process along, my suggestion is to gather a "team" of health care practitioners that you respect and trust. I have found a combination of bodywork, psychotherapy, homeopathy, proper exercise and nutrition, and some good old laughter helps tremendously. Sometimes we need to ask for help, and that is okay. The body is a wonderful mystery, and is an incredibly intelligent communicator. We get stuck when we stop listening to the wisdom of our own cells.

I will use a quote here I have used before, but that's only because it speaks such truth in my mind...

                      We cannot heal what we cannot feel.
                       --John Bradshaw

Listen!

Peace, Jodie