Presence Matters

Awhile back, one of my clients began talking about “The Dog Whisperer,” a TV show with Cesar Millan. He was fascinated by how Cesar recognizes the invisible connections between dogs and humans that other people just aren’t picking up, and how that information can solve all kinds of problems in seemingly magical ways. 

He grew quiet as his session progressed. Finally he said, “You know, Suzanne, you do something like that, what Cesar does with dogs. Only you do it with people – when you know where pain is emanating from and can address it, or when you know right where my tension is and you put your hands on it before I say a word….” He fell silent.  

I contemplated what he said. While I’m a practiced bodyworker with years of experience under my belt, I’m not alone in the ability he was speaking of. I share my talents with many others in the bodywork community. 

About a month later, out of the blue, my colleague Robyn McHugh said, “You know Suzanne, we’re like body whisperers – we know where to go, where to start and end a session, often without even knowing how we know….at an invisible, unspoken level.” 

Now I was tickled. We are body whisperers. We know how to make connections with the muscle and tissue and bones and membranes. And when we’re very good, we even connect with the energy field that runs through and around us.  

The body speaks to us, silently yet potently. Every good bodyworker hears this in a slightly different way. Yet in the end, if we’re truly listening and responding to the body’s whispers, we all end up facilitating healing for the people on our tables. 

I see it like different doors into the same room. There are many excellent systems of bodywork out there right now. We’re lucky to be alive on the planet at this point in time. There are so many talented people and systems designed to help us find our way home to the healing space that ultimately leads to growth and integration. 

I’ve experienced it all: CranioSacral Therapy, Lymph Drainage Therapy, Visceral Manipulation, Trager, Zero Balancing, Rolfing, Neuromuscular Therapy (and massage of all kinds) the Rosen Method, Feldenkrais, the Alexander Technique, the Rubenfeld Synergy Method, Cortical Field Reeducation, Shiatsu, Touch for Health, Healing Touch, Reiki, energy balancing of all kinds…I’m probably forgetting more than I’ve named.  

Some systems include talking, some are silent. Some are performed on clients who are dressed, others require no clothing at all. Some are short (20 minutes), others are long (2-3 hours). The point is that in every case, when the practitioner was dedicated to listening deeply to my system, I ended up feeling like I had come home more deeply to myself. I may have come in through different doors, but they all opened to the same room inside of me – that room that helps me relax, heal and integrate my life’s experiences.  

Feeling inspired? Me too! That’s why I propose that someone create “The Body Whisperers,” a reality TV show with different bodyworkers working with a range of people and issues. Imagine how well it could help educate our culture as to the depth of healing that can occur when people are touched in a caring, non-invasive way. Just give me credit for thinking it up and let me do a show or two! 

What do you think? I think the world may be ready for us. If we can have horse whisperers and dog whisperers and baby whisperers, we can certainly have body whisperers. 

In the meantime, come see me at The Upledger Institute booth at the National AMTA convention in
Phoenix on Friday, September 19th from 12-2 p.m. I’ll be signing my new book: Full Body Presence. Stop on by. I’ll sign your book and you can let me know what you think of my idea.  

And, enjoy!