What is Body Annealing?

I encountered the practice known as Body Annealing by way of the Russian martial art of Systema. This martial art and its associated bodywork practices are said to have a lineage of over 1,000 years, having been passed down through living masters Mikhail Ryabko, Vladimir Vasiliev, and Konstantin Komarov.

The term ‘annealing’ is borrowed from metalwork, and refers to a process of heating metal (or in this case, the body) and allowing it to slowly cool in order to increase its pliability.

The purpose of this bodywork is multifaceted. It shares the basic goals of other types of massage therapy: to facilitate recovery from, and ultimately prevent, injury or stress by releasing tension from the body and illuminating alternatives to dysfunctional movement or postural patterns. Furthermore, it can also enable recipients to recognize and begin to let go of fears, especially as we work into deeper layers of bodily tension. As you develop more internal awareness, you can utilize the breathing and relaxation skills in any situation to reduce pain or stress. This often leaves recipients feeling 'like a new person,' rejuventated, with a new-found sense of freedom that may have far-reaching effects.

We will accomplish this by applying pressure to the body, bringing the recipient's attention to an area so that they can begin to actively let go of the tension. This is your work. I will guide you through specific breathing techniques which will allow you to achieve deep relaxation in the midst of intense work. While it is possible to benefit from this massage without its use, you will find much more profound effects by integrating the breath techniques.

As you gain proficiency in releasing tension, we can go deeper. This is where we meet fear. There are bodily memories of experiences, just as there are mentally, and I believe the body remembers much more precisely than the mind. There are often subconscious fears throughout the body, associated with injury, stress, or trauma, and it’s possible encounter these when doing deep bodywork. Body annealing and its associated breath practice can change one's relationship with these fears, which echoes an often-repeated mantra of Systema: 'poznai sebia' (know yourself).

A Body Annealing session will often be done lying on a mat on the floor (similar to Thai massage or Shiatsu), but may be done on a massage table or with the recipient standing or sitting as well; we’ll work together to determine what's appropriate for your session. It's best if you wear comfortable clothing so that movement can be done as needed. Techniques I employ include broad or specific deep tissue compression (including viscera), mobilization of the limbs, rhythmic rocking of the body, and percussive techniques, which are applied via the use of feet, hands, knees, or other tools.

Because of the vulnerability involved with this process, there must be a certain level of trust between the recipient and practitioner. In order to be able to relax, you must trust me to keep the intensity level safe and to be able to 'read' your condition throughout the session. I must also trust your willingness to engage in and accept deep work and your ability to communicate clearly. I will work to create this trust from the very beginning. I also recognize that not everyone has the desire or ability to tolerate the intensity of this work as it was taught to me. As such, I will gladly and attentively moderate the intensity of the session to suit your needs, which you may adjust at any time.

*NOTE: Please let me know before we begin a Body Annealing session if you have any new or long-term conditions that may be affected by this work, including osteoporosis, osteopenia, broken bones, joint injuries, wounds/cuts, high or low blood pressure.