As some of you know, I recently had to take a break from work for a couple of weeks with the flu. It was unpleasant and inconvenient, especially as I couldn't see clients, but it also provided me with time to rest and reset.
When I returned to work, I noticed that I was working differently. My curiosity was heightened, and I felt a renewed passion for what I do.
I've also noticed that some clients are becoming more actively engaged in their treatment, bringing their attention to what they are experiencing and sharing what they notice as we work.
I'm really enjoying this. It adds another layer to the treatment.
The more I treat different clients and their individual needs, the more excited I become as I witness the body's inherent ability to reorganise itself. Often, all it takes is the smallest of prompts from my hands.
It makes me want to understand what exactly is happening here. At the same time, I'm conscious not to become so focused on intellectual knowledge that it takes me away from being present in the moment, with the person in front of me.
I usually have an idea about what might help and where the tension is coming from, but when I start working and I listen to what's happening below my hands things often change.
And the client's response can be an important part of that.
Sometimes you notice something that I haven't. You might feel a change somewhere else in your body, notice a shift in your breathing or become aware of a movement or sensation that wasn't there before. Sometimes what you notice changes the way I work.
I really treasure when this happens. We're both engaged, paying attention to what is happening. This doesn't mean you have to do anything differently. You are always welcome to simply relax, drift in and out of sleep, and let me do the listening.
But if you would like to be more actively involved, that's an option too. You might simply bring your attention to what you're noticing, or share something that feels relevant. There is no right way to do it, and no expectation that you need to figure anything out.
This is part of what makes the work so interesting. As a practitioner, I need to be able to hold two things at once: applying my learned skills while maintaining a beginner's mind that is comfortable with not knowing and able to respond intuitively to what unfolds.
For me, that is a different kind of deep. Not necessarily deeper into the tissue, but deeper into listening, curiosity and trust.
With warmth,
Uschi