“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.”
Audre Lorde
Body Altar Massage
After 19 years, we have formulated a blend of profound, deep, structurally-focused massage that incorporates the mindful prana of Yoga. Our therapeutic style blends the edgy manipulation of soft tissue in order to dissolve aching knots and free impingements with soothing & restorative massage.
At Body Altar, we create a space where your body can transform and you can move into the flow of deeper alignment. Many clients have expressed "this is more than just a massage" as well as "I should have done this sooner".
At Body Altar our approach is to sink in slow, so we can go deep without the tissue recoiling - giving you relief & results that last. Muscular adhesions dissolve like melting butter, allowing the deeper structures to move into alignment.
This work is sometimes edgy and sometimes soothing. While we value and dedicate a portion of the session to down-regulating the nervous system into a parasympathetic state, our main goal is to empower you toward alignment.
We have the tools to help you feel better - sooner. There is a solution to being in pain. Sometimes we just need to phone a friend and ask for help. Getting a massage WILL HELP.
What's Fascia?
I work with the myofascial system, which is the supportive structure of connective tissue throughout the body. Fascia is like a spider web wrapped around each muscle fiber, connecting structures and binding us together. Fascia is kind of like sausage casing. When it gets tight, it restricts the ability for tissues to glide freely and for muscles to move independently of one another.
Many of us, especially desk workers, need to use our bodies in habitual ways and are impacted by the demands of repetitive stress. Our fascial system literally hardens and movement becomes restricted. We are stiff and stuck in dysfunctional patterns of movement.
This can even begin to translate into how we orient ourselves emotionally out in the world. Maybe we feel stuck in aspects of our life and less able to "go with the flow". It can feel like there is a lack of space in our bodies and not enough space in our days to deal with the discomfort.
What I have found from doing this work for 19 years is that when we make space in our bodies, it translates into our lives. We gain a greater capacity to deal with stressors - internally AND externally.
Should it hurt?
It should "hurt so good" but not be "hurting you". Some like to use the number system as a way to communicate sensations during the session. On a pain scale of 1-10, we want to be around a 7 when working the tender knots.
"Often the hands will solve a mystery that the intellect has struggled with in vain."
Carl Jung