By Robert Noah Calvert
Note: The late Robert Noah Calvert authored The History of Massage: An Illustrated Survey from Around the World (Healing Arts Press, 2002). He founded Massage Magazine in 1985 and served as its president until 2005, also founding the World of Massage Museum in 2000. With more than 25 years of experience as a massage therapist, publisher, researcher and educator, his work appeared in numerous publications, including Body, Mind & Spirit Magazine, Massage & Bodywork and the Journal of Higher Education. At the time of his death in April 2006, he was working on three massage-related books.
These observations on massage were submitted to ABMP by the author just a few days before his death.
Massage … is a very ancient form of treatment, so
ancient that one may consider its history to be as old as
that of mankind and its beginnings prehistoric.
— Dr. Emil A.G. Kleen, Massage and Medical Gymnastics, 1921.
Touch Part of Human Social System
The history of massage and the evolution of human touch are intertwined with human history. Since prehistoric time, touch has been an integral part of the primate social system, initially as an element of grooming behavior. During the long transition from primate grooming behavior to human contact systems, touch took on other social characteristics. As human beings evolved to develop organized civilizations, touch was transformed into a variety of behavioral modes and touch methods. Touch became more complex, eventually becoming structured manual art therapies. But before touch was formalized it was first a part of social interactions — between friends, between mother and child — as well as simply basic healing of one’s self and others
via Media Corner.
Related articles
- A Muscle Therapist’s Thoughts: 10 Reasons to Get a Massage Today! (myholisticservicescom.wordpress.com)
- These Blind Massage Therapists Have the Right Touch (bellasugar.com)
