Drumming the Heavenly Body
The lost art of Tapotement
Winter is the perfect time to reclaim the lost art of Tapotement. Tapotement is so beneficial for increasing circulation, warming the muscles and invigorating a tired body. Tapotement includes any percussive tapping, hacking, drumming of the body, which is generally light, rapid and rhythmic. I live in the Northwest, where winters are long, dark and damp. I find the heating and stimulating effects of Tapotment to be essential for thriving in the wintertime.
In tapotement, ancestral rhythms bounce off the sacrum, creating a body’s unique music. Music is originally rooted in the percussive actions of the body such as clapping our hands, stomping our feet and ancient tribal dances which include slapping the belly, buttocks, feet or sides of legs. There is vibration, contraction, expansion, movement of blood, soft tissue, and ethereal energy. The dance begins! Percussion can be used on the body to stimulate circulation, prevent muscle atrophy and loosen up soft tissue. It is a wonderful way to address the entire body at the close of a massage. It can help ground your client and awaken their senses enough to be able to safely drive home after receiving deep relaxation massage or energy work.
Sadly, tapotement seems to be fading out of massage trends. I have found few Massage Therapists who are doing tapotement anymore. When I do ask for it, I can tell by their fumbling over it, that it is not a part of their regular routine. My hope with this article is to revive an interest in tapotement.
Tapotement has had a huge role in healing in Asian cultures for centuries. Slapping has been an effective form of pain relief. For localized muscle pain, the cure is to slap the area until blood circulation increases. It has been shown that tapotement actually releases corticosteroids, which decreases pain. It can also have the same effects as ultrasound, soothing deeply sore muscles. In Tuina Massage, pinching, slapping and tapping are used to keep the skin vital and to retain a healthy, young appearance. Qi-Gong Masters have long incorporated these skills, self slapping the entire body in the morning as a way to awaken their vital energy. I was taught this technique by a Qi Gong Master who was in his fifties and he looked like he was thirty, that made me want to do it everyday.
I see many clients who suffer from stagnant circulation during long Northwest winters, because of the dampness. If you have too much dampness, you need more fire. Tapotement can bring that fire, nothing seems to get the blood flowing as effectively as it does. About 10 years ago, I treated a woman who had severe low back pain, menstrual discomforts and low energy. Her sacral region was so cold to the touch, that no amount of hot stones, circulatory massage or even tiger balm could warm it. I decided tapotement was my last resort. I completely relaxed my body, loosened my hands and began to drum on her sacrum in a way that was reminiscent of my women’s drum circle in college. Suddenly, I sensed a particular rhythm coming from the connection between my hands and her sacrum. I followed that rhythm and recognized its sound as ancient Tsalagi drumbeats familiar of my family’s lost Indian clan. I could sense my great Grandmother’s spirit smiling over my shoulder, saying “that’s it dear.” I had never drummed on someone’s sacrum for this long, maybe 5 minutes had passed. When I completed, I gently laid my hands over her sacral area, now it was as hot to the touch as coals left after a campfire. There was also a strong humming vibration. The client was amazed at the deep trance state she had experienced during the tapotement. She reported back 3 days later that her low back pain was completely gone for the first time in 7 years and she had her period with no cramps. She was also excited to report feeling more energy, so much so that she felt compelled to sign up for Salsa dance lessons with her husband.
Since that time, I have found that each client has their own rhythm, find it, tap into it and bring it forth. This is their song. Tapotement is a percussive movement using light, quick and rhythmic taps. Always allow your hands to gently bounce off the body as they make contact. Certain areas of the body can withstand more force than others, such as muscular areas like the Shoulders, Sacrum or backs of thighs. A more vulnerable area like the chest requires a gentle approach (tapotement above the sternum is great for activating the thyroid, which many women can benefit from). Tapotement can be a powerful healing ritual. I once did tapotement for a very long time on a client who had just lost his dad. He said thank you for honoring my loss with that ritual. It may be the most primordial technique we have as massage therapists.
Here is a list of different styles of tapotment and their uses:
Hacking
Drum the padded, outer edge of your hands lightly with varying degrees of speed, slow for relaxing, more rapid to energize and wake up muscle tissue. This is most useful for breaking up tension, armor, increasing circulation and warmth.
Cupping
Cup the palms so that only the outside rims of your hands make contact, making a hallowed sound. A slight suction or vacuum is created. This can be used on the chest to loosen respiratory congestion, like bronchial coughs. Cupping is also useful for broad scar tissue or deep fascial adhesions.
Patting
Using your hands palms down, simply pat in a continuing rhythm. This is useful for large regions, it brings warmth and blood circulation to the entire body. This can particularly ground a client, bringing them back to their body after intense emotional release or energy work.
Rapping
Using lightly closed fists, this can be done with palms down, like you were knocking on a door, or with the sides of your fist. Remember to allow your fist to bounce off the body in a gentle way. This will give a nice tingling sensation and wake up those tired muscles. This is frequently done in Sports Massage to activate muscles before a competition.
Slapping
I prefer to do this technique with the sheet or blanket covering the client, so it’s less stinging. Gently slapping over the body can be very energizing, tonifies the skin and relieves pain. Slapping on the bottoms of the feet can wake up a client who has been sleeping and now has to return to work or at least drive home. My favorite demonstration of this slapping the feet technique can be viewed in the film “Raise the Red Lantern,” where asian women use this technique in a pampering foot massage.
Tapping
Gentle tapping using just the fingertips can be useful in smaller areas, such as the face or more vulnerable areas like the chest or sternum. This is a great technique for times when other forms of tapotement would be too vigorous, like after illness or with osteoarthritis. Tilting the head and softly tapping the side of the nose can release sinus pressure and allow free breathing for a congested client.
Contraindications for Tapotement:
Never hit directly over the Kidneys, in the lower back.
Never use on a client with weak bones, such as Osteoarthritis or frailer elderly clients.
Do not use tapotement directly on the Spine or bony areas, it just doesn’t feel good either…
Benefits of Tapotement:
• Relieves pain by releasing corticosteroids & the accessing the pain gate theory.
• Tapotement increases blood flow and circulation
• Tapotement can reduce or prevent muscle atrophy.
• Tapotement can both stimulate and sedate nerve endings.
• Cupping can relieve a bronchial cough and decongest the lungs, assists lymphatic flow, when performed gently on the chest, it’s very beneficial to respiratory system.
• Tapotement can give the skin a healthy glow and younger, vital appearance.
• Tapotement can bring warmth and energy to cold, tired bodies in the Winter.
About the Author:
Terri Sandusky, LMP is the owner of Queen Anne Healing Arts Massage in Seattle, WA. She is a Brenneke Massage School graduate with further education from Bastyr University. She has had a private Massage practice in Seattle since 1999. She is a Reiki Master Teacher who teaches Continuing Education. She has studied several modalities such as Acupressure, Acutonics, Craniosacral, Foot Reflexology, Loku Lomi, Native American Studies and Shiatsu, while still having a deep respect for those Swedish techniques like Tapotement. She was featured in the Wall Street Journal and other publications. She can be found at www.queenannehealingarts.com
Source for all information was: Terri Sandusky phone # 206-285-8350
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