About 6 years ago, a gentleman entered my office seeking help with a condition no one wanted to deal with. He was a geophysicist professor at a nearby college that had closed and he was headed north. When I asked him what the condition was, he proceeded to remove his shirt. His back was riddled with about 8 weeping lesions.
The skin on his entire back was rough and the color of plums and his demeanor was apprehensive and nervous. After taking a brief medical history, I suspected he not only suffered from extreme anxiety, but also a type of mental disorder.
Over the course of 7 days, Therapeutic Touch was applied daily for 90 minutes using warm coconut oil. By day three, the lesions were healed. By day seven, large silver dollar size flakes of skin floated off his back. During his time on the table, he regaled me with a fantastic story of bad aliens poisoning our trees causing his illness and good aliens adding something to counteract its effect as his condition improved.
He was apprehensive to tell me his theories at first, believing I would think him crazy. I assured him that my job was not to judge and he relaxed, allowing the sessions to take hold. Each day I observed a softening in his demeanor and a reduction in his anxiety level along with the healing of his lesions. The color of his skin did not change, but its suppleness increased.
It was apparent that through mindful massage and his knowledge of my acceptance, his wounds were healed and his anxiety reduced. I never saw my “beautiful mind” patient again, but I am grateful to him for showing me what the mind and body can accomplish together through the power of touch.
Melissa Jarufe, LMT
12/2018
