For more information: 828.768.9444
Understanding our philosophy
Our philosphy is rooted in African Massage and it begins with the understanding that tension in the body is not always simply physical tension, the emotional and the physical are intricately and inextricably connected. It is what we name as Ubuntu which in simple terms “Everything is connected and is the essence of being”.
How does this philosophy relate to massage?
To offer a holistic treatment the practitioner should therefore treat the whole body, working not just on muscles but also on the subtle energy systems that run though the body.
African massage focuses not just on the symptoms that clients present with, for example headaches, back pain or stress but on finding and eliminating the source of the problem as it is stored in the body.
With African massage a therapist can do just that, because in level one, a strong understanding of massage techniques, how to utilize them (to create the desired effect) is developed.
Mission and Goals – Deep therapeutic massage with good body mechanics, spreading the energy of community and support and deep transformation on a physical and meta-physical level.
As therapists, energy in motion can take our practice to a new level; creating greater flow of energy within us and allowing us to have more energy; physically mentally emotionally and financially.
To understand African massage you need to understand the core principles and premises of African Massage
African Massage premise is based on the African term Ubuntu.
Bishop Desmond Tutu as: : “I am a human because I belong. I participate. I share.”’ In essence, I am because you are.
Ubuntu: “I am what I am because of who we all are.” (From a definition offered by Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee.)
Archbishop Desmond Tutu offered a definition in a 1999 book: A person with Ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that others are able and good, based from a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole and is diminished when others are humiliated or diminished, when others are tortured or oppressed.
Tutu further explained Ubuntu in 2008: One of the sayings in our country is Ubuntu – the essence of being human. Ubuntu speaks particularly about the fact that you can’t exist as a human being in isolation. It speaks about our interconnectedness. You can’t be human all by yourself, and when you have this quality – Ubuntu – you are known for your generosity. We think of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas you are connected and what you do affects the whole World. When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity.
Nelson Mandela explained Ubuntu as follows: A traveller through a country would stop at a village and he didn’t have to ask for food or for water. Once he stops, the people give him food, entertain him. That is one aspect of Ubuntu, but it will have various aspects. Ubuntu does not mean that people should not enrich themselves. The question therefore is: Are you going to do so in order to enable the community around you to be able to improve?
Judge Colin Lamont expanded on the definition during his ruling on the hate speech trial of Julius Malema
Ubuntu is recognised as being an important source of law within the context of strained or broken relationships amongst individuals or communities and as an aid for providing remedies which contribute towards more mutually acceptable remedies for the parties in such cases. Ubuntu is a concept which:
- is to be contrasted with vengeance;
- dictates that a high value be placed on the life of a human being; is inextricably linked to the values of and which places a high premium on dignity, compassion, humaneness and respect for humanity of another;
- dictates a shift from confrontation to mediation and conciliation;
- dictates good attitudes and shared concern;
- favours the re-establishment of harmony in the relationship between parties and that such harmony should restore the dignity of the plaintiff without ruining the defendant;
- favours restorative rather than retributive justice;
- operates in a direction favouring reconciliation rather than estrangement of disputants;
- works towards sensitising a disputant or a defendant in litigation to the hurtful impact of his actions to the other party and towards changing such conduct rather than merely punishing the disputant;
- promotes mutual understanding rather than punishment;
- favours face-to-face encounters of disputants with a view to facilitating differences being resolved rather than conflict and victory for the most powerful;
- favours civility and civilised dialogue premised on mutual tolerance.
Tel: 828.768.9444
Email: Africanmassage1@gmail.com
561 Kelly Lane, Brevard North Carolina 28768
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