Let´s talk?

“The silence inside the bubble is one of the most intense impacts for anyone receiving an aquatic therapy, as it allows you to hear the heart impulses, combined with relaxation of the nervous system and a unique invitation to inhabit a specific and exclusive brain frequency, similar to the one we have waking up from sleep. In this article, we wanted to explore ways in which the receiver can open a window of conversation. This allows us, as facilitators, to invite talking during a hydrotherapy session.”

This is how Ofer Rosenthal, creator of Fly Deeper, begins a text in which he talks about the possibility of leaving an open door to conversation. The somatic experience in water allows “the mind and thoughts to be in a precious ‘vacation’ state”, which is why hydrotherapy is often approached as a moment of silence. However, verbal communication can bring benefits. Ofer points out which ones.

“One of the most common issues: when staying in the water for a long time, the need/urgency to pee arises, for some it will be easier to avoid it, for others it will be difficult to stay the whole session without draining liquids, due to various physical and emotional conditions, many of them related to the session, such as pregnancy, for example. A simple glass of water that was offered before the session or a smoothie that was drunk before coming with a light stomach and not hungry can change the conditions.”

“The urge to pee takes the recipients’ minds back to their bodies and needs, was stuck on the topic of inconvenience for the rest of the session and, for some, can trigger strong memories of shame and guilt; from an early age, when urinating in the bed or in the pants, which is very common in many children or even in adulthood for various reasons.”

“Even as a facilitator, I have experienced many times the need to interrupt a session for a urination break. I had the clock before my eyes to know how long I need to wait and the opportunity to have a break to take care of my needs. Hence this article it is also to remind us facilitators of this fact.”

“When touching on the primordial concept of basic needs, it must be remembered that also the “number 2″ can appear while all the organs are enjoying weightlessness, emotional release and a hydrodynamic massage.”

Pain perception

“Another common reason to invite those receiving a session to feel more comfortable talking is that there will usually be an awakening of important and relevant personal issues that were not addressed during the initial conversation, such as a neck injury or tenderness in certain parts of the body. This forgetfulness can have several reasons – it can happen because it takes some time to gain confidence or simply because people don’t remember these topics, they were well hidden by the subconscious.”

 

“When we are in a deep, special and moving session, it is almost certain that something will change and that we will no longer be in that “place” where we were. It is essential for the facilitator to be updated, to allow sharing the same page and, above all, to understand. Any session has the potential to heal or overlook these issues.

Not afraid to speak

“To take a broader view of compassion, we must remember that most people are not high-level meditators. Being in total silence for 45 minutes or more can be demanding for some people and intimidating for others. If we know that the doors to a conversation are open, everything can change smoothly and allow authentic and precious expressions to emerge in this encounter, raw and without pretense.”

 

“Water therapy has the privilege of touching deeply on many of these primordial topics, one after the other – we are able to touch the story behind the stories. As our skills grow beyond basic movements and gestures, we see the bigger picture and lead recipients to disassociate the concepts of “no control” or “helplessness”. Even without knowing what will happen, they are invited to express themselves.”

 

“A session has the potential to invoke, awaken and deconstruct strong pillars of self-perception created by society, such as intimacy, tolerance, acceptance and trust.”

Fascia and the somatic aquatic experience

This journey starts by meeting Marina Sans, founder of Liquid Cosmos, a very particular style, developed by this water goddess, master of Aguahara and eternally curious about the mysteries that surround our body. One of them is the fascia, a layer like a net which is found in all parts of the body (between the skin and the muscles and between the bones) and which holds within itself a specific sensitivity, the subject of Marina’s investigations. Having this therapist at Liquid Zome is not only a pleasure for her energy and company, but also for her ability to share knowledge, with and without words, just by observing the way she works her art.

Life source

The importance of water and the enormous reach of its benefits can be understood in so many ways. At Liquid Cosmos, that understanding goes deeper. It has a reading of the experience in the physiological, therapeutic and artistic field. It’s like a dance, but designed to touch the most relevant points of the fascia. The practitioner that guides us through the waters and leads us in movements, has a different awareness of touch. For this, it is necessary to feel the needs and state of the person receiving the session, to realize if they are tired or with a lot of energy, if there is a physical problem or just the desire to relax. Inside, as if by magic, we will always discover more. And sometimes what’s too much has to come out. It is the transcendence of the waters and their healing power. You can always go further and be surprised.

Listening to the body

The multiple states of consciousness and perception, the motors of action and emotion, the dynamics of the arms, legs, trunk, head, all these are factors evaluated in a fluid session focused on the fascia element. Hence its somatic character, in which the objective is to relieve the body and mind of tension and discomfort, of ailments and disturbances, which are so often hidden. In this type of investigation and exploration of somatic education, there is a whole journey to access all layers of the body, from skin, to muscles, to organs and to each person’s complete and unique universe. The more one studies about the somatic experience from the fascia, the more paths are opened for new movements and new sensations in the water.

Aquatic Therapy Liquid Flow Essence

It is one of the therapies most based on the principles and methods of Watsu. It was developed by two therapists from the Quiet Healing Center in Auroville, India, between the forest and the sea, in an environment that brings together various complementary and alternative treatments, in a kind of community work-in-progress from different areas. In other words, a small paradise of well-being.

 

Origin

Amongst the activities at this centre, there is a section dedicated to aquatic therapies, with a pool heated to 35 degrees where different therapists carry out their practices. Dariya and Daniel are the duo of residents who created this concept called Liquid Flow, a series of movements and touches that resulted in a very unique style, in line with the foundations of Watsu. At the center and also in other parts of the world, there are several people dedicated to aquatic therapies who have had specific training in this style, and many are linked to Liquid Zome.

 

The experience

It is different because it mixes the qualities of Watsu, OBA (Oceanic Bodywork Aqua), Healing Dance and Water Dance. The therapy starts at the surface, while the body relaxes, with smooth but continuous movements, so that the muscles and joints receive the effects of the warm water.

During the session, you can combine the placement of a nose clip, so to enjoy the second part of this massage: submersion. It is at this point that the experience becomes deeper and more relaxing. The sensation is similar to the passage of a river through us, in a fluidity of water that comforts us and stretches the body.

 

The Benefits

They are immediate, but they also extend over time. Water massages are a unique way to release tension and rest your body. They are a vehicle for treating injuries or muscle pain. They welcome a sense of effortless surrender that leads us to overcome mental or physical barriers, letting the body and mind flow freely. The session ends with a gentle return to the outside world, so that the impact is not sudden. There is a a moment of grounding that awakens emotions and bring a sense of inner peace. This sensation of floating remains even when we put our feet on the ground and it accompanies us for a long period of time after this wonderful experience.

WATSU Aquatic Bodywork – therapy and rehabilitation in water

When applied in water, the Japanese shiatsu massage technique gained a new term: Watsu. Its creator was Harold Dull, an American poet and professor of literature who, in the 1980s, became interested in Zen Shiatsu and later applied it to water, in the environment of the natural hot springs of Harbin, California. In one of the books he wrote on the subject he says that they are “poems written in water”. And thus WATSU was born. An aquatic therapy indicated for relaxation and rehabilitation.

The feeling of having your body floating in hot water is already very calming. If we combine this with a series of muscle stretches, effortless bends and twists, the benefits are even greater. When developing this method, both Harold Dull (who in the meantime founded the Worldwide Aquatic Bodywork Association – WABA) and the therapists who followed him realized that watsu brought relief not only for physical pain but also for the mental state of fatigue or stress. This holistic view taken to the aquatic universe has countless possibilities. His school in Harbin was responsible for training several therapists for the physical, neurological and psychological rehabilitation of hundreds of people.

The watsu method started by Harold Dull was developed and multiplied by different practices that exist today. There are so many that at a certain point it becomes complex to differentiate them if we do not investigate the variations of movements in each one. However, the fundamental thing to remember is that they are all based on the same principle: a body made to float effortlessly in hot water (ideally at 35º, although some prefer “wilder” waters), reaches a state of incomparable freedom and relaxation. , bringing countless benefits to those who live the experience. The purpose is always to create well-being through the fluidity, silence and non-gravity that exists when we float.