The Magic of Massage

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About the Author Tanushree Podder is a management graduate. She has specialised in labour laws and HRD. Her inquisitive mind led her to make forays into various fields like: beauty, education, Reiki, Vipassana and computers. Lately, she has been into a detailed study of the various alternative therapies used in India and abroad. Her forte lies in writing on various subjects like human relationships, health and humour etc. She has been writing for over 20 years for almost all newspapers and English magazines published in the country. She has travelled widely through the country with her husband who is an army officer. She believes that travelling has been her greatest educator. It helped her in imbibing the essence of the different cultures and learning about life. Tanushree's interests vary from music to reading and community work. Her other books, which have been well appreciated are: Fit & Fine in body & mind, Over 1000 Plus Household Hints, and Youthful Forever.

Preface Much before the Western countries woke up to the magical powers of massage, the Eastern countries, in their native wisdom, had been using those very powers for centuries. Every Indian knows the efficacy of massage in relieving tension and washing away all kinds of aches and pains.

In India, massage therapy is given right from the birth of a baby, and continues through the life of an individual up to old age. In ancient times, the rich employed a retinue of servants who were experts in the art of massaging. When a woman delivered a baby, old ladies skilled in the art of post natal massage, helped in bringing back the tightness in the muscles thus helping the new mother get back in shape. Infants were given special massage to help them grow well, sleep better and become stronger even while making them feel secure and loved, thus fostering physical as well as emotional well being.

Introduction Massage comes from the Arabic word mass/mas's meaning 'to press softly.' Massage as a holistic treatment means treating the whole person, body, mind, and spirit. Research suggests that massage was in use several centuries before the birth of Christ. It was mentioned in ancient Greek. Egyptian, Indian and Chinese medical texts. It was mentioned in the 18th Century B.C. by Homer in his book Odyssey, mentioned by Hippocrates around the 4th Century B.C. and the physician Galen (AD 150) was known to use massage for the treatment and prevention of disease. Massage was taught in Egyptian temples alongside herbal medicine.

**Contents and Sample Pages**