IMI: Closing Ceremony

On 8 May 2008, we held our final class. We partnered up for one last massage (blindfolded; think Luke Skywalker), shared a potluck meal, and then we gathered in the Harmony Room for our Closing Ceremony. I'll describe only part of the ceremony:

Picture us -- some fifteen students, two apprentices, two instructors -- sitting on the floor in a circle, lights dimmed, a tealight candle burning in front of each of us. Randy holds up a string, maybe two feet long, with the two ends knotted together so that the string forms a circle or loop. He says that this string represents all of us over the past year; the knot is Randy, our teacher. He picks up a pair of scissors and says...

I don't remember what he said next. I remember only the image of the string, the knot, and the scissors, my sudden and tiny gasp when he picked up the scissors, and my watery eyes as he cut the knot from the string, and I remember feeling sad and not sad.

Randy passed the string and the scissors to his left and asked us each to tie a knot at the end of the string and then cut it off. I snipped my little knotted "me" from the string and thought, this is so cool.

Rituals can be nifty things. I never would have guessed that such a simple event could have such a springboard effect on me. Whoosh! and Randy ushered our hinies out o' the nest, and again, Whoosh! ...the beating of wings.

Massage School in a Nutshell

If it's tight, loosen it. If it's loose, tighten it. If it's inflamed, don't squeeze it, and if it's oozing, don't touch it. ;)

Therapeutic Exam: Wee!

I took my final final exam at IMI last Thursday. I got an A, hurray! The kicker? I barely studied at all. Go figure. Granted, this exam was, in my opinion, easier than the Basic Exam in that it covered aspects of massage that we'd been practicing (hopefully) throughout the year. Less memorization, more common sense.

So, what's left?

- Last class, May 8: Blindfold Massage & Closing Ceremony
- Practical Exam (massage an instructor), May 9
- Clinical event hour (massage an apprentice), May 15
- Turn in my Program Summary (one page summary of my experience & growth while at IMI; one page, are they kidding? ::smiles::)
- Send my resume to our placement director

Graduation is on June 1.

The Basic Exam: Brain-Whoa

The Basic Exam, which covers physiology, pathology, and anatomy, is the first of two written exams given near the end of the IMI program. I took the Basic Exam on April 3. I got a B.

I studied hard. During the test, I kissed my A+ goodbye because I was making too many guesses. I was fine with that, no stress. But I didn't think I'd miss an A altogether; a B!

Wish I had a nickel for every time someone has said to me, "Nobody's going to look at your grades once you're in the working world." Yes, I know. And I don't care. It's not about that. I just plumb enjoy acing tests. Makes my brain say, "Wee!"

With so many folks both here in trade school and also at university repeating how unimportant your grade is in the "real world," I can't help but wonder if relatively few people have themselves experienced a brain-wee.

A brain-wee begins with intense study, crescendos during the test, hits a high plateau upon completion of the test (the waiting period during which you're pretty sure you aced it), and finally bursts into its glorious Wee! upon seeing the mark. The brain-wee is completely independent of others' responses to your mark.

When someone (like me) is accustomed to having a brain-wee after every test, and when they (like me) study very hard for a particular test and expect another A but see instead a B, their brain says, "Whoa!" This is known as a brain-whoa. A brain-whoa is not to be confused with a brain-woe, which is more Eeyore-like in nature. A brain-whoa is simply a surprise with a smidgen of bummer mixed in. Its effect is not long lasting.

;)

Springtime in Michigan

Last Day at Student Clinic

Your Body is a TempleThis is what we see upon entering IMI's student clinic. Today, however, this is what I saw as I turned to say goodbye. I snapped this photo on my way out, having just completed my last day working here. I owe many thanks to the incredible staff for their patience and guidance, and to those gracious clients who entrusted themselves to these learning hands. Learning and ever learning. Namaste.

Elective: Torso Techniques

Essential Torso Techniques, taught by the inimitable Larissa Cisaruk, is a 16-hour workshop covering a variety of massage techniques for the torso, with particular focus on the chest, abdomen, and buttocks -- those areas of the body on which the client may be hesitant to receive massage and/or the therapist may be uncomfortable working. These often neglected areas of the body need at least as much attention as any other, if not more.

Please note that although we spent equal portions of class time on the chest, abs, glutes, and back, as well as tying it all together into a flowing practice, and although I could write oodles about each of the sixteen class-hours, my focus for this entry will be on the chest, for soon-to-be obvious reasons.

I was the demo for the pecs/chest massage! Aren't I lucky? (Okay, I volunteered. Loudly). The photo above, which I nabbed off the web, does not represent the chest techniques that we learned in this class. The female client will have one towel draped across her chest to cover the breasts, and the other towel covers her from the waist down, leaving the upper abs exposed. This allows the massage therapist to access the center of the chest by reaching under the towel, working near and around but not touching or exposing the breast.

At one point, as our instructor stroked my chest muscles outward from the center (sternum), I felt my chest cavity open and rise as if now capable of deeper breathing. To my surprise and delight, I felt the same sensation in my closed eyes, as if my eyes expanded.

Have you ever cleaned out a closet or some part of your home and felt that you were making room for something else, making room in your life for whatever comes next? My chest massage in this class left me with the distinct sensation that I'd been opened up from the inside, that I was and am ready for more, for whatever comes next, which is the constant unfolding of this moment.


Larissa Cisaruk is one of the finest instructors I've encountered at IMI. Without a doubt, my future success as a massage therapist will have stemmed in large part from the techniques learned and the attitude and confidence developed in this class. Thank you, Larissa.

Last Physiology Lecture

Excuse me, but who stole the days? Who slipped the year out from under my feet? And who snatched my physiology classes away, hm?

Just as with our last anatomy class, I felt stunned at the end of our last physiology class yesterday. I knew this was our last class meeting; it's right there in my calendar, so there was no reason for surprise on my part. But surprised I was. Or maybe just sad. ::sigh:: I'm going to miss this class, too.

Above is my heart drawing for this class, completed in December. Physiology lectures have ended, but I'll be studying my notes for months to come; first for our two written exams at IMI (the Basic Exam in April, and the Therapeutic Exam in May), and then for the national certification exam.

Lecture class continues through March with two pathology lectures followed by two business lectures.

I complete my clinic hours in mid-March.

I have two electives yet to complete: Torso Techniques in early March, and Mind-Body Medicine in late April.

Hands-On class continues through mid-May, and graduation is on June 1.

Okay, so I said that I'll miss my anatomy and physiology classes, and it's true, but... I'm almost finished! Woo hoo!

Hands-On: Cranial Massage

Cranial Massage. That's what we did in hands-on class last Thursday. I enjoyed it immensely, both giving and receiving. I do believe that cranial massage will be a focus -- if not the focus -- of my future in massage therapy.

I have much to learn, of course, but for now what I'm referring to by "cranial massage" is just that: massage of the skull. The scalp is naturally massaged in the process, and the face is or can be massaged as well, but the focus is on the cranial sutures, those lines where the skull bones come together.

In class, each student gave and received a full one-hour cranial massage. Receiving the massage was an amazing experience; my whole body relaxed, tension melted away. At one point, it felt as if my spine slowly lifted off the table and then slowly sunk into the table, as if my spine itself inhaled and exhaled.

Giving the massage was also a wonderful experience. My eyes went blurry, and that's a good sign. Blurred vision during massage tells me that my focus has moved to my hands, and that I've let go of the mental noise, the worrying and wondering whether I'm doing this the "right" way or feeling what I'm "supposed to" feel. I've come to believe that my hands know and recognize far more than I give them credit for.

Pardon My Dust, Pt. II

I tried something new, but I didn't like it. I brought all my massage therapy-related posts back here to ChrysCrossing. I won't add anything new to the other blog. Sorry for any confusion or hassle. Methinks I've not caused much of a stir, but thanks for your patience, all the same.

Emmanuel's Final Anatomy Class

On February 4, Emmanuel and I spent our last Anatomy class together at IMI. He really could use more muscles -- traps, lats, pecs, abs, glutes -- but he is as complete as is required for graduation. At least he's smiling.

See the screen in the upper right corner of the above photo? While we put finishing touches on our "manikens," our esteemed teacher treated us to a video of Kodo; thundering, pulsating Japanese drums played by some very fine examples of human anatomy.

What a joy it's been to form muscles with my fingers, rolling them, shaping them, attaching them to bone.

Sometimes, on my own leg, I can see the lateral edge of my soleus, hiding like a mackerel behind my gastrocnemius. And I think of Emmanuel.

I'll still have Monday morning lecture classes through March -- physiology, pathology, and business lectures -- but this was our last lecture in anatomy.

I'm going to miss this class.

Pardon My Dust

I'm in the process of trying something different. This blog, ChrysCrossing, is currently under construction. Please bear with me during renovations. Thanks!

IMI Student Massage Clinic

One of five massage rooms at our student clinic. I've been working here since late November, and I expect to complete my 48-hr. requirement by the end of March.

Be at peace, all who enter here.

Elective: Hot Rocks

Giving...















...and receiving.