Healing With Grief Massage

“Those who will not slip beneath

the still surface on the well of grief,

turning down through its black water

to the place we cannot breathe,

will never know the source from which we drink,

the secret water, cold and clear,

nor find in the darkness glimmering,

the small round coins,

thrown by those who wished for something else.”

~ The Well of Grief (David Whyte)

“Contrary to our fears, grief is suffused with life-force.... It is not a state of deadness or emotional flatness. Grief is alive, wild, untamed, and cannot be domesticated.”

~ The Wild Edge of Sorrow (Francis Weller)

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Grief - a necessary condition of the untamed soul. In its depth, we seek the stillness of the storm and find even the eye to be wild. The whomping and flailing grief body is exhausted; it roves, reaching for mercy in gentle love. Mercy in the warming sun, in the promise of standing amongst our brokenness, not drowning in its vastness. Perhaps, we find mercy in the tenderness of another — where our brokenness can be collected again, if only to crumble again and again.

Massage may be a supportive offering for those have “slipped beneath the still surface of the well of grief”, where one sinks/floats/exists on that black water. We can find through bodywork a bridge, erected by compassionate hands, lifting another out of the water to allow a little more air in the lungs, to let the body form its shape. Where we can drape above where the water rushes, flows.

Massage for the grieving body is a heartfelt hand at your back. It’s smoothing your hair away from the forehead. It’s the feet held in reverence, squeezed, reminded of solid earth for a long moment. Massage for the grieving body and heart offers a space to rest, to fall apart, to come back together. It is without agenda and it is without intensity; rather, it is rhythmic, rocking, repetitive; a reprieve.

Grief Massage ~

A deep breath for the tired body,

a warm palm meeting you where you’re at,

a quiet sanctuary for your tenderness,

a sacred resting place on your journey…

The heart of grief massage is to offer a space for you to show up with your grief, as you are, without judgment or questions. Here, there is no need to keep it together or perform — just you, safe on a warm massage table, with open palms at your back.

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Note: Grief Massage is for those seeking rest from the physical symptoms of acute grief (tearfulness, fatigue, a feeling of tightness/heaviness, insomnia, aches and pains) and those yearning for peace in their hearts. It’s important to keep in mind that massage therapists are not licensed counselors or therapists and can not diagnose or treat mental health conditions, or provide psychological support for emotional/mental well-being. It is kindly requested that if you are looking for therapeutic talking related to your grief experience or recent loss, to contact a mental health professional.