Relaxation and Bodywork Club Unrecognized

Mission Statement
We are a group of students who believe in the importance and power of healing touch. In a society where touch has become eroticized and taboo, we wish to bring this ancient method of physical and emotional healing back into peoples’ comfort zones and within their easy grasp. Our goal as a club is to make various forms of bodywork, which studies show can facilitate stress reduction, release of muscle tension, general feelings of well-being and relaxation, and many other benefits, more widely available to the community. We plan to do this by creating a group and a safe space within which community members can learn bodywork and other relaxation skills, practice them, and receive healing touch as well.

What we do: We hold weekly meetings at which some bodywork or relaxation treatment skill is shared either by one of the members or by an invited practitioner. Some possible topics for meetings include: how to do bodywork for headaches, self-acupressure, hand relaxation, foot relaxation, Reiki, stretching, and more.

What we hope bring to the Hampshire community: The Relaxation and Bodywork club offers the benefits of teaching relaxation and bodywork skills to anyone who wants to learn and creating a community within which to share and practice these skills throughout the semester. Healing touch can contribute significantly to physical, mental, and emotional health. There is evidence that receiving some types of bodywork can help reduce feelings of stress, release muscle tension, and induce general feelings of well-being and relaxation; bodywork may also improve circulation, focus, and sleep quality. In a safe and comfortable group setting, exchange of bodywork may help individuals feel connected to their peers and foster new friendships. Most importantly, learning relaxation and bodywork skills not only empowers individuals to help others feel better, but also empowers them to help themselves. Those who come to the Relaxation and Bodywork club meetings, along with their peers who do not, all stand to benefit from this group!

2010S
1st meeting: Thursday 2/11/10 at 7:30 in the CHC:

Input from the group was collected for what they could teach or wanted to learn about and practice in future meetings. Ideas recorded are headache relief, reflexology, yoga, breath work, self massage, pain management, and reiki.

2nd meeting: Thursday 2/18/10 at 8:30 in the CHC:

Amy taught us the beginning pieces of a tension headache massage.

2010F
9/22: Introductions and expectations/interests for the semester (holistic medicine, massage, meditation, reiki, cranial sacral work, acupressure, headache relief, anxiety relief, yoga, and tai chi). Went over a few acupressure points for headache relief

10/1: Brittany taught a shoulder/neck/face massage for relieving tension headaches. We also did "the elephant stampede" on each other

10/22: The group practiced accupressure to heal anxiety, tension, stomach aches, hiccups, etc.

11/12: The group practiced an energy exercise

2011S
2/17: the group practiced back massage techniques

Links
Energizing Self Massage video instruction http://www.metacafe.com/watch/798196/male_massage_video_www_free_massage_videos_com