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Health and Healing
The gay and lesbian community is challenged to find and improve ways of maintaining
our health and healing our hearts and our bodies. This column will offer insights and
advice by various writers with a range of viewpoints and expertise. To submit an article or
request a topic, contact Franklin Abbott in care of Southern Voice, P.O. Box 54719,
Atlanta, GA 30308.
Massage for Health
and Harmony
Imagine lying nude, still and quiet in a
warm room. Strange synthesizer music
caresses your ears, taking you on a distant
journey to your own universal space.
Strong, gentle hands manipulate your sore
and tiled muscles into total relaxation.
Sounds yummy? Then give yourself the
gift of massage.
A massage is an ultimate weapon in your
quest for good health. Trained therapists
know how your body is connected, from the
tiniest knuckle bone to tendons, ligaments
and large muscles. By stretching and
manipulating each bit of you, the therapist
can eliminate all your stress and tension.
One benefit of massage that is not
obvious is that it satisfies the need to be
touched. We live in a repressed touchless
society. People are afraid to touch children
for fear of being misunderstood. Men are
taught that touching is less than manly.
Some folks do not like you to enter their
personal space. Older husbands find
themselves isolated in bed by wives who
have had enough of "that" and want to
reclaim their bodies for themselves.
There is a lack of loving touch in most
dysfunctional families. Often the only
touching is of a violent nature. Some
women needlessly burden themselves with
poor body image, causing them to be uneasy
or embarrassed by simply undressing.
Massage is a safe and loving way to
overcome latent fears, and an excellent way
to enjoy the remembrance of how good it
feels to be touched, without all the drag of
emotional involvement. You give yourself
permission to lie back and enjoy the
delicious tingles.
There are many techniques and strokes
used. Long, firm strokes from toe to
fingertips help create a feeling of
connectedness. We are often quite mental,
residing in our heads. Long strokes rejoin
you. It feels like you are the raw dough of
french bread being readied for the oven.
The therapist probably has thumbs like a
ball peen hammer, from years of pressing
those sore spots. Skillful use of thumbs for
a few seconds relieves the underneath
blockages, and soon the pain is gone.
Kneading strokes arc used to tone large
muscle areas, relieving any tautness found
in them.
Feather strokes are very sensuous. It is
a calming payback for those places where
pain has just surfaced from deep within the
muscle.
The more inventive a therapist can be
with his or her repertoire of strokes, the
more you will enjoy the different textures
upon your skin.
There are also mechanical aids which
can be applied. One is a rubber glove with
soft, firm bristles. This tones the skin.
Some therapists use deep muscle vibrators
to shake loose any stubborn spots. I
occasionally use a Spinolator, which is a
mat with rollers. It frequently makes spinal
adjustments in areas the therapist does not
address.
Now don't smirk! I sometimes use a
wide leather strap, laying light strokes
across the ribcage, thighs, calves and soles.
It is beneficial in surfacing blood to cold
areas, leaving you with a refreshing tingle.
At the end of my massage, I apply a steamy
hot towel, removing any trace of the olive
oil. It feels wonderful. I especially like the
way faces twist into a childface,
remembering how an adult once washed
behind the ears.
Your gift to yourself is now complete.
You feel relaxed and happy, loose and
stress free.
See you on the table!
-Miriam Carroll
Miriam Carroll is a message therapist and
can be reached at 627-7387.
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Euclid Ave 681-2831
natural food
grocer
A coalition of pro-choice groups marked the 16th anniversary of Roe v.
Wade, the Supreme Court decision which legalized abortion, with a day-long
rally and candle-light vigil at the Richard B. Russell Federal Building on
January 22nd. More than 300 people participated in the Atlanta
demonstration, the only one held in Georgia.
This year's anniversary ceremonies were especially sombre as activists
braced themselves for the high court's decision on a case it is currently
considering, Missouri v. Webster. Many fear that the justices will use
Webster to dismantle or reverse Roe v. Wade. The National Abortion Rights
Action League began a petition drive at the rally to gather one million
signatures in support of abortion to be presented to the Supreme Court and
President Bush.
Thursday & Sunday $7.50, Friday & Saturday $10.00
Tickets at Charis Books, 419 Moreland Avenue
Or Call SAME, 584-2104 for Reservations
A Musical Comedy
By, For and About Perverts
February 9- February 26
At Nexus Theater, 608 Ralph McGill Boulevard
Thursday’s-Saturday's 8pm, Sunday's 5pm
/Celley
Edwards
2 7
V Z.E A
DE/ARIA
JOAN SHERWOOD