| There's a lot of talk about cellular memory these | | | | new way. I was a believer in the concept of |
| days. I remember the first time I was aware of | | | | cellular memory. |
| my body's capacity to house information. Before I | | | | In the first ever massage therapy class at Rocky |
| went to massage school or understood the body | | | | Mountain Institute of Healing Arts, one of our |
| in any way other than what I'd learned growing | | | | students did not have a sense of smell. She hadn't |
| up in Southern Appalachia, I was in a car wreck. | | | | been able to sense smell for many years although |
| As part of my rehabilitation, someone suggested I | | | | she did not know why. One day, I was teaching |
| try out Trager Therapy. I hadn't even gotten a | | | | neuromuscular therapy for the abdominals. This is |
| massage at this point in my life. | | | | such a sacred region of the body that I had |
| During one of my sessions, when the Trager | | | | prepped the students for being especially |
| therapist was working on my right ankle and I felt | | | | sensitive. During the practice, the student who |
| a rush of heat in my body and, though my eyes | | | | couldn't smell was receiving the treatment. She |
| were closed, I saw a field of red. Afterward, I | | | | began to feel emotional and started crying. Her |
| told my therapist about this and she said, "Oh, | | | | partner in the trade was a good friend and high |
| you must be storing some anger there." I | | | | school classmate, and he did a wonderful job just |
| immediately dismissed this notion. First of all, it | | | | softly maintaining his touch without pushing any |
| seemed impossible that I could store an emotion | | | | agenda. She couldn't understand why she was |
| anywhere in my body and second, I never felt | | | | feeling such grief, but was willing to stay open to |
| angry, so this just couldn't be! (I had a lot to learn | | | | the experience. |
| about anger!!) | | | | All of a sudden, she smelled a strong smell of |
| A week later, the incident buried in my | | | | cigarette smoke. (At the time, she thought |
| consciousness, I returned for another session. This | | | | someone was smoking outside the window). Then |
| time, as she began moving my ankle, I was filled | | | | came a memory of her grandmother when she |
| with a feeling of rage. It lasted only a few | | | | was dying of lung cancer. Her grandmother had |
| moments before I experienced an incredibly vivid | | | | been a lifelong smoker and even at the end of |
| memory. The memory was very real--as if I was | | | | her life, as she was using an oxygen machine, she |
| reliving the moment. In the memory, I was 5 | | | | continued to smoke. The student felt a lot of |
| years old and my parents were hosting a 4th of | | | | sadness with this memory. She had loved and |
| July party. Something (I didn't recall what) | | | | missed her grandmother tremendously. She |
| happened and that made me very angry. I took | | | | continued to let the feelings and tears flow. After |
| off running and ran down a steep portion of our | | | | a while, the emotions subsided and her trade |
| yard. At the bottom, I landed wrong on my ankle | | | | partner finished of the session with some soothing |
| and sprained it badly. I had not thought of this | | | | and soft strokes. After that massage session, her |
| event in many years and was astounded at what | | | | sense of smell returned and has remained since. |
| had transpired as my ankle went through the | | | | Our bodies are amazing. They are excellent guides |
| gentle movements of the Trager session. | | | | to healing, not only physically, but also emotionally. |
| After that, I began to relate to my body in a | | | | |