A quick history of massage…

Massage is one of the earliest forms of medical treatment dating back to thousands of years BC in Egypt and China. 

The first images of humans kneading others were inscribed into ancient tombs of Egyptian pharaohs and still exist today. “The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine” from the Chinese dates to 2,700 B.C. It contains the earliest written record of massage techniques. 

In around 1,000 BC Japanese monks studying Buddhism in China observed the healing properties of Chinese medicine including massage techniques that were taken to Japan and developed into Shiatsu massage found in Japan today.  

Ayurveda is the traditional holistic medical system in India. Texts detailing Ayurvedic principles and practices were written sometime between 1500 and 500 B.C. Based on these texts, Ayurveda was widely adopted throughout India and Southeast Asia. 

Hippocrates, who was known to be the Father of Western Medicine, stated that a doctor needed to be proficient in many things, especially rubbing because it was this rubbing that could loosen a rigid joint as well as bind a joint that is too loose. 

During the Roman era Julius Caesar had massages every-day to relieve his neuralgia. Even athletes in Ancient Greece employed massage to keep their bodies in peak condition before competitions. 

A 19th century Swedish doctor named Per Henrik Ling developed the most common type of massage used today which is the Swedish massage. This massage therapy also included techniques founded in China, Greece, Rome and Egypt. In 1894, the massage techniques of Physiotherapy was established by the Society of Trained Masseurs.

 Although, not technically massage but just as relaxing the Bowen Technique is an original system Developed in Australia by the late Tom Bowen (1916-1982), a very intuitive, gifted and self taught healer, who devoted a lifetime to develop his original technique independently from any medical or bodywork background. 

The treatment includes gentle but powerful soft tissue mobilisation that affects the body both structurally and energetically to restore its self healing mechanisms. It is painless, non invasive and safe to use on anyone from the newborn to the elderly and provides lasting relief from a wide variety of acute or chronic conditions.