Radical Embodiment: Calming Self Massage

By Megan Amal
AFO Staff

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Your body is yours! Know your body! Love your body!

Take time for your body. For yourself.

Do not allow this culture to separate you from your body!

For yourself, your health, your wellness.

For resistance, to give you strength.
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Your body is yours! Know your body! Love your body!

At AFO we understand the toll daily resistance can take on your body. When you have some time to yourself, give that time to yourself. Dim the lights, turn on some comforting music, maybe light a candle and try this calming self massage*.
* You can edit this massage in any way you like! Listen to your body and do what feels good.

• Choose your favorite oil or lotion (recommended- olive/grapeseed/coconut oil with essential oils added, like lavender, ginger, or frankincense) and use a generous amount.
• Start at your feet. Work the oil into the soles of your feet. In your mind, thank them for the work they do carrying you, holding you. Try to feel, with your fingers, every bone in your foot. Take time.
• Move up to your calf. Cover your whole lower leg in oil. Use your thumbs like hooks in your calf, one leg at a time. Knead, still using your thumbs, the muscles of your calf. See if you can feel the different muscles. On the front of your lower leg use the heel of your hand to rub the tough long muscles.
• When you are ready rub your open hands all around both knees. Warming them and noticing their internal stability and flexibility.
• Next move to your thighs. With open hands take long quick strokes down the thighs. Warming up your skin to your touch. The muscles in the thigh, especially on the outsides, can be tender or sensitive. Take these light broad strokes until they feel ready for more firm pressure. You can also take gentle hold of the whole of one thigh and wiggle the flesh back and forth, sort of spinning it around the bone. When you feel ready, take the heel of your hand and rub, with increased pressure, in a circular motion all around the thigh. Linger in tender areas. Breathing deeply and appreciating the power in these large muscles.
• Bring this same movement up to your hips and the side of your buttocks. If you're sitting or lying, come to standing and use the thumb side of lightly closed fists to gently pound all around the buttocks. To further release the glutes you can do this pounding while repeatedly bending and unbending at the hips (folding forward).
• Lay down and bring your palms to your belly. First just lay them there, feel the weight, notice your breath and notice movement in your belly. Make a loose cup with your hands and place this cup over your belly button. Circle this cup around your belly button in the direction of digestion (clockwise if you are looking down at your belly). Breath deeply and send soothing energy to this complex process.
• Use the heel of your hand to rub your ribs in the direction they point (if this is too firm you can use your flattened finger tips).
• Use flat palms on your chest. Move the flesh of your pecs and notice the movement in your shoulders.
• Use the opposite hand to clasp the top of your shoulder, your high trapezius. This is a very tense area on many people. Use as much pressure as you can muster. As you do this speak to your muscles, tell them it’s okay to relax. Imagine liquids being released as you squeeze and rushing back in as you release, cleansing the area. Switch hand and shoulder.
• Now, alternating hands, brush and pull the back of your neck. Brushing from one side to the other.
• Use those same open palms to brush down your arms. If desired, you can knead the muscles in your arms.
• Finally, rub your hands together quickly, creating heat, and cover your eyes with them. Use your fingertips and rub, in small circles, the lines under your eyes, from your eye corners outward. Then, in the same fashion, rub the line of your jaw. Then, using your first finger and your thumb, rub small circles on your earlobes.
• Find a relaxed and sustainable position. Close your eyes. Mentally scan yourself, from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet. Imagine a warm light illuminating every inch of your body.It can be nice to repeat an affirmation “My body is good” “I matter” “I deserve to relax”, or any words that bring you peace.

In love and solidarity,
Megan Amal

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