Massage Musings: The Well

I think that it is safe to say that most people feel that they lead busy lives. Really, really, really busy lives.  Family and work responsibilities often keep us going all day long and well into the evening. I met someone the other day whose job necessitated being on call via their smart phone 24/7. The extraordinarily tight muscles that I encountered throughout the massage were a testament to the stress resulting from that scenario. Wow!  And although many of our “busy-ness” activities are pleasant, it’s out-going energy just the same. Even the energizer bunny eventually needs new batteries.

We’d like to think that we hold a never-ending supply of resources in our bodies (our inner wells, so to speak) to meet the ongoing demands of life, but we do not.  Our inner wells need to be nourished, recharged, and replenished – since the beginning of time.

The I Ching is a text of Chinese philosophy written thousands of years ago to provide guidance for moral decision-making in society in the realm of Taoism and Confucianism. It is still studied by scholars today and has greatly influenced philosophical thinking throughout the world.

One of the entries in the I Ching speaks of ˜The Well”.  It is described as, “an inexhaustible source of nourishment for the satisfaction of mankind’s basic needs. It is flowing in abundance”. It exists for all, and as I interpret it, for the purpose of drawing from its reservoir the wisdom of ancient sages. The wisdom to nourish ourselves through education, self-development, through staying curious, and with all these endeavors, doing so in an organized and cooperative manner. So it is that he who lives by this teaching will then “become a boon to mankind”.  ‘The Well’ with its inexhaustible source of nourishment is vital for survival, and thousands of years later, that still rings true.  If your inner well begins to run dry, you suffer and when you suffer, your village suffers.

Do you nourish your inner well?  What activities renew and restore you?  Is it a walk outdoors, reading a book, working on a puzzle, having tea with a friend, cooking a delicious meal for your family, meditating for ten minutes, receiving a therapeutic massage?  Create a working list of things that you feel replenishes your inner well.  Post it where you can see it everyday. Start small, but do start. Taking time for you is not a luxury, but a necessity. You need it – you deserve it!