You’re probably wondering why we are talking about two very different things in the same post. While massage and meditation are indeed different, they can also go hand in hand. Allow me to elaborate!

What is the purpose of massage?

If you’re like most people, you go for a massage because you’re looking to improve how you physically feel. Some people have pain, others have mobility issues, while some just want their body to feel relaxed. Whatever the reason may be, you massage to promote physical well-being!

What about meditation, why do we meditate and what’s the purpose?

Just like there are several different massage techniques, there are also many ways to meditate.
I think we can all agree that we meditate to promote mental/psychological well-being!
Personally, I meditate to declutter all the trash (AKA thoughts) in my mind.

Why Do We Need To Continue Doing These 2 Things?

It’s very important you understand that massage and meditation are not means to an end. That is, to constantly promote physical and mental well-being, massage and meditation will always be required! These are 2 processes that will remain a constant.

It’s important to always remember this so that you don’t get sidetracked! Now then, let’s get into the meat and bones of this article. After all it’s my job to convince you to start massaging and meditating!

1. It Gives Much Needed Clarity To Life! (Meditation)

For those who have never meditated before, this is not something I expect you to understand. Even still, let’s see if I can make it relatable! First things first, what is clarity?

Clarity is the ability to see things the way they are! Clarity is reality minus all the psychological drama in your mind!

Why is clarity important to a human being’s life? When you start to see things the way they are, you become unaffected by all the nonsense around you. Being 100% clear is the only way we can live a peaceful life.

How does meditation give clarity? I want you to try this out next time you’re at home. Go to your room, turn off the lights and shut the blinds, and sit cross-legged in an obstructed space. Place your palms on your knees, shut your eyes and focus on your breaths. Nothing fancy, just pay attention to when you inhale and exhale. Sit like this for 30-40 minutes and notice how you feel.

Everyone experiences it differently, but most will feel a sense of calmness and serenity.

I personally feel a little disconnected from my body and mind!

It’s this disconnection from mind that enhances clarity. As the wise mystic Sadhguru once said “Confidence without clarity is a disaster!”.

 

2. It Alleviates Pain! (Massage)

I’m talking about physical pain here. Massage is a great pain relieving tool.
Especially when we compare it to the 21st century alternates such as prescription pain medicine. Yes, there’s nothing quite as easy as popping a pill, but there will be long-term repercussions. Continued consumption of pain medication can lead to health issues such as liver and kidney damage.

If you keep taking shortcuts, you’re eventually going to get burned!Instead, you should opt for the more natural way of healing physical pain. I’m talking massage, acupuncture, and even Ayurveda. You may not see it in the short run, but the benefits will become glaringly clear in the long run!

3. It Makes You Peaceful & Happy! (Meditation)

It’s funny how in 2019 you have all these self-help materials (books, videos, podcasts) that somehow apparently teach or show you how to become happy. For example, I was reading a book where the following was prescribed:

1. Write down 3 things that you’re grateful for today.
2. Do at least one good thing for someone every single day.
3. Smile more in a day.

And my favorite of all is this one:

“Negative thoughts are what make us unhappy, therefore we must always think positive!”

This last one is a ridiculous statement! The problem with most of us is that we like to categorize everything. This guy is good, that guy is bad. This way is right, that way is wrong. This thought is positive, that thought is negative. Once you become meditative, you realize all thoughts are simply thoughts, there’s no good, bad, or otherwise!

So how does meditation make you more peaceful?

In #1 I talked about disconnection from body and mind. When you’re disconnected from your mind a little, all the silly and stupid things that once made you angry, sad, and depressed vanish into thin air. In fact, you feel ignorant that they even had that effect on you to begin with!
It’s something you really need to experience to believe!

4. It Improves Sleep! (Massage)

Sleep deprived much? Just like massage relieves pain, it also promotes relaxation and helps you fall asleep easier.

In #2 you tossed out your pain pills, you might as well do the same with your sleeping pills!
Because massage unlike over-the-counter sleeping pills or sleep-inducing hormones (such as melatonin), helps promote sleep the natural way. Allow me to elaborate….

The very act of massage promotes the release of the “feel good” hormone serotonin. This is the stuff that makes you feel all hubbly jubbly over the moon and all.

Some research indicates that low levels of serotonin could be one of the reasons why people are diagnosed with depression. In that sense, it kind of adds up as to why we feel so good mentally after a massage session!

So serotonin is released during massage we know this much, but how does it improve sleep?

Ever heard of the hormone melatonin before? It’s become super popular here in North America, and it’s readily available for purchase over-the-counter at most drug stores. For those who are unfamiliar, melatonin is a sleep regulating hormone. In other words, it reminds your body when it’s time to sleep and wake up.

Have you ever had late nights on Friday/Saturday only to realize your sleep schedule is toast for the beginning of the work week on Monday?

I’m sure this is the case for 90% of people. You’re just scared to admit it! Anyways, this happens to me a lot and the one thing that works really well at resetting my schedule is a pill of melatonin. It helps me get to sleep at 10 PM instead of tossing and turning around until 2 in the morning!

Okay, so what the heck does serotonin have to do with melatonin?

Serotonin is the precursor to melatonin. In other words, serotonin is used to synthesize melatonin. To have melatonin, you need serotonin! And because massage promotes the release of serotonin, your body can synthesize melatonin in the process. This explains why you feel drowsy and sleepy after a 60-minute massage!

I hope This Has Inspired You To Get Started!

If there’s one thing you got out of this post, it should be this:

Start taking responsibility for your life!

Your physical well-being is 100% in your hands. Your psychological well-being is 100% in your hands. Your spiritual well-being is 100% in your hands! If you do things the way nature intended them to be done, you’ll experience both positive physical and mental well-being. It’s up to you to take that first step towards building a routine for both massage and meditation.

For massage, I invested in a massage chair (one of the best decisions I’ve made!) that I use every other day. I also frequently visit a trained therapist for deep tissue work.

For mediation, I have been following the Isha Kriya routine for more than a month now, and the results are absolutely incredible!

Whatever you do, take action today, right now!

About The Author

My name is Eve. I used to be big into the whole “self-development” thing but the more I got into it,  the more I realized it only touches the surface of something much bigger. That’s when I started to get into spirituality! Massage has been a constant throughout my life, even as a young boy. Nowadays, I mostly write reviews of the latest massage technology on my blog (chairs, handheld percussion massagers etc.). You can check out my site by clicking here!