Words from one of the students on the part-time Rhythmical Massage Therapy Training which launched at Emerson College earlier April.
“A new world is opening.
My hands are learning to feel into,
to listen and to move in new ways.
Inwardly I feel moved
by the mystery of meeting another human being,
relating intimately, without much talking.
I feel warmed, enthused and my hands are warm!
They are coming to life as it were.”. H.
RHYTHMICAL MASSAGE THERAPY TRAINING
International English Rhythmical Massage Therapy Training
at Emerson College
Susanne Koszyk
Just days, still in the light of Easter this year…. a group of ten students came together at Emerson College for the first module of the International English Rhythmical Massage Therapy Training here in the UK. Aoine Landweer-Cooke and Shashi Gopaul Seedheeyan have put together an exciting programme. This first module was an unforgettable start for our group. Lectures by Drs James Dyson and David Martin sparked an enthusiasm for learning and research, making the study of the four elements the centre of our attention. This was beautifully deepened by a morning of observing movement in water, guided by Simon Charter, also an afternoon walk with Emerson’s residential herbalist Kirsten Hartvig.
At the heart of our learning was daily hands-on practice, meeting Rhythmical Massage Therapy and the human body in terms of the movement qualities and form dynamics which underpin and bestow this method of remedial massage with its unique attributes. It became intently apparent how this related deeply and directly to all which we had been experiencing and hearing in the lectures. I had a perceptible awareness with it becoming increasingly clear to me that Rhythmical Massage Therapy is an art and skilful technique combined, that its teaching requires a creative understanding and reverence for the work we are learning; it is here too where we could directly experience the wisdom in our teachers’ hands. We all went away inspired and keen to wake up our hands to this unique form of massage.
Offering healing touch is not merely a matter of mastering a technique, so much more must be considered; this too is very apparent, refined and cultivated from the very beginning of this course. We had the privilege to be reminded of the importance to develop our knowledge of what it means to be a human being, moreover we could directly experience the inherent wisdom within and around us. We ourselves are in process and so are the minerals, plants and animals around us. We can learn to become attuned to the process that gives a blossom a certain colour and we can learn to observe carefully how processes unfold. I can’t wait to be with my fellow students again this Autumn.
I can highly recommend this training, should you be considering this path. I myself have completed the Rhythmical Einreibung training at Emerson with Fiona Sim, alongside an ITEC level 3 in Holistic Massage. The RE diploma in conjunction with the ITEC qualification allows me currently to work with RE at the Kairos Painrehabilitation Clinic in London. I am inspired and keen to be adding Rhythmical Massage Therapy to my professional portfolio.
Do look at the Emerson College website for further information on both the Rhythmical Massage Therapy and the Rhythmical Einreibung training. Both trainings can lead to work opportunities in the UK promoting anthroposophic medicine, hopefully reaching many, many individuals.
Susanne Koszyk
“Behind all substance is process.”
“I’m really not sure about doing this course... I feel like I will be exhausted after doing nine days straight of massage! And it will be hard to be away from home for so long, several times over the next couple of years. I’m not sure I have it in me.”
Something tugged at me, I couldn’t resist giving it a go. The return home was the most difficult part. Instead of feeling exhausted, I felt entirely revitalised.
As a massage course, I’d imagined long days of practical work with some anatomy and physiology interspersed. My expectations were smashed when what I got was a healthy dose of the above, amongst so much more.
Plant studies and the stunning biodynamic grounds of Emerson College (particularly vibrant with the arrival of spring) satisfied the herbalist in me, regular group work via eurythmy, craft and morning echoes kept me feeling connected, and lectures on the elements were deeply moving -
“I’m not here to fill buckets, I’m here to light fires” James Dyson’s intro comment sounded like a clever one-liner. I didn’t expect these words to be the underlying theme of an entire world view, one we were afforded the opportunity to delve into over the coming sessions – the importance of recognising that behind all substance is process. “Well okay, what do you
fill a bucket with? Cement? Where does cement come from?” We took the time to explore what it means to be a four-fold being, and in doing so were afforded the opportunity to meet with the sacredness of the human being. I could already feel the quality of my massage improve as I remembered the very real existence of ancient waterfalls and karst crags tumbling through our bodies. The reinforcement of my belief of life as miracle, strengthening my capacity to support those, who I am encouraged to remember to be, humbled, to work with.
We entered discussion of higher realms, whilst also keeping ourselves firmly planted in the grounded reality of touch. Our bodies - the instruments we are here to tune. Trained as a massage therapist already, I was surprised at how unfamiliar my body was in touching this way – using levity instead of gravity, working my hands at times like ‘slow, sleepy, determined caterpillars,’ or waves on the ocean’s coast. Aoine and Shashi expertly supported us to understand our movements with endless metaphors from nature, again bringing a sense of reverie into the practice. I felt their patience and trust in our future success afforded me the space to crawl before I could walk. With their help, I was able to step into my inexperience, allowing my skills to develop in a timely manner.
The basic principle of this new effleurage involved 4 steps – ‘entering in, engaging with, traveling, and listening’. The bits we skipped or rushed seemed to reflect something deeper about ourselves in our own lives, made us question how we were existing in the world. It became clear that to become an effective practitioner, we would have to, and be helped to, move through life in a more easeful and purposeful way. Our sense of ‘I’, the twelfth sense
as recognised by Steiner, would undoubtedly be shifted by this, the first sense, of ‘touch’.
Stepping away from this new community we’d formed was difficult. I felt such a sense of connection, and generosity from the tutors, and the group as a whole. It was a relief to be in a space so steeped in the sacred, whilst also, somehow, remaining deeply down to earth. Synchronicity - for me, the great signifier of being exactly where I am meant to be - seemed to be flowing like white water rapids throughout. Mournfully, I left Emerson - for the time
being. I took to my window seat on the train at East Grinstead and prepared myself for the oncoming return to normality. An hour had passed when a perfect stranger boarded and caught my attention – ‘I’m sure this isn’t the first time we’ve met,’ he grinned, a playful knowing in his eye.
Faye O Donoghue, Massage Therapist at Ruskin Mill Trust, Student RMTT UK.
Water, a source of life and healing, has been a central focus in my professional journey for many years. I am increasingly dedicated to awakening the life forces within people and nature. Emphasizing the significance of touch and nurturing the body as a warm sanctuary for the I is becoming increasingly important to me. My motivation for mastering the therapeutic art of rhythmic massage for both myself and my clients lies in utilizing directed touch and rhythmic movement to stimulate the body's self-healing ability using these life forces within and around us.
In order to establish a solid medical foundation for my therapeutic practice, I pursued studies in Medical Basic Knowledge encompassing physiology, anatomy, and pathology. To deepen my understanding of human health, disease and healing from a holistic perspective, I completed a one year comprehensive online course: Foundation Studies in Anthroposophic Medicine, at the Arlesheim Clinic and the Medical Section of the Goetheanum.
As a child, I attended the Waldorf School for my entire school career. Here I already experienced in depth basic principles of Anthroposophy such as three- and four-foldness. I experienced life’s rhythms as a toddler (life is good), artistic training as a youngster (the world is beautiful), and self-conscious thinking as an adolescent (the world is true). Eurythmy I received through grade 6. The treasures for my further development I received through this pedagogy are still becoming clearer to me every day. The goal of this pedagogy to become Human, an individuality, self-conscious creator of my own life's destiny and talents, is something I wish everyone to experience.
Following my graduation with a bachelor's degree in social work in 2010, I continued to expand my knowledge through various therapeutic and artistic courses including cranio-sacral therapy, ayurvedic massage, Feldenkrais, voice work, eurythmy, yoga, dance, body awareness practices, and Qui Gong.
I have delved into holistic health through exploration of quantum physics, epigenetics, psycho-neuroimmunology from influential figures like Dr. Bruce Lipton, Dr. Joe Dispenza, and Dr. Deepak Chopra. For years I have invested in different techniques and awareness practices to heal and transform many subconscious limiting beliefs and traumatic aspects of my life.
I developed a strong interest in the healing properties and life-giving forces of water. Since 2017, I have incorporated energetic technologies based on quantum physics from AQwaTech, a Belgian company, into my practice to stimulate the self-healing abilities of humans, animals, and plants. My therapy also focuses on making tap water and the environment free of radiation and filled with vital energy. Using this technology, I have extended my services to schools, businesses, organic farms, and private homes. I have successfully transformed stressful environments into supportive and vital spaces at the local Waldorf school. In addition to promoting vitality, I now also lecture on healthy living in relation to electromagnetic radiation, energetically pure environments, vital water sources, and creating and maintaining a healthy liver. These topics are crucial for both children and adults during this period of energy scarcity and diminished vitality.
I recently participated in a comprehensive course focused on water and flowforms.
Subsequently, my wife and I relocated to De Haan, a village by the sea, formerly known as a spa town, where we are in the process of establishing our Center for Self-Development. My wife is actively involved as an Antroposophic art therapist at our center. Our goal is to gradually develop a therapeutic center with art therapy, rhythmic massage, and eurythmy being essential components. The principles of Anthroposophy increasingly serve as our primary source of inspiration for our endeavors.
My holistic practice is named Holy Well - your source of life. This name symbolizes both the non-physical source from which each individual derives their essence as well as water's role as a carrier of life force and consciousness.
Between 2019 and 2023, I completed training to become a Reiki Master from the traditional Japanese healing method. Since 2020, I have been providing treatment using this healing technique which emphasizes warmth, gentle touch, meditation, and facilitating flow of energy in the body.
Since 2020 until today I have been engaging in regular Feldenkrais training and continuing education sessions. These activities have deepened my understanding of physiology and anatomy pertaining not only to my own body but also that of my clients. Additionally, this training has enhanced my comprehension regarding how unconscious tensions and traumas can manifest within the body while also exploring methods for increasing freedom of movement and creativity. The recent training on the polyvagal theory also broughtened my knowledge on the subject of stress and healing.
Between 2020 and 2022 I studied Masterclass Healing and Reading. In this training I studied the human being physical, etheric, astral and spiritual. Man as a physical and energetic being was explored in detail through study, visualization and meditation. Working with higher powers, the soul, angels, the chakras, ... was also intensively covered here. This training was the perfect preparation for the following:
Between 2022-2023 I pursued Foundation Studies in Anthroposophic Medicine which provided an integrative perspective on life from an Anthroposophic viewpoint covering sickness and health, therapeutic work, inner work, eurythmy exercises, temperaments, nature observation, among other areas. Through this training I could experience a deep connection to my destiny. I could deeply feel a sense of coming home, on earth, in my body. This study has contributed significantly towards my aspiration for Rhythmic Massage Therapy studies.
My wife And I rejuvenated our interest in Eurythmy. Due to a lack of professional Eurythmists in our area we organized workshops Eurythmy ourselves at the Waldorf School nearby.
In the winter of 2022-2023, my wife and I made an intensive multi-day visit to the Ita Wegman Clinic in Arlesheim. We were introduced to its workings and experienced various forms of therapy (art therapy, body therapies, eurythmy). When they applied the Rhythmic Massage on my wife there, as a spectator I could strongly experience the ether forces, the water element, in, around and on the body from both the giver and the receiver. Also in the treatment on my own body I experienced the enveloping, flowing and soothing effect. The after-effects in a rest room made a deep impression on me.
Engaging in artistic activities such as clay work, soapstone carving, form drawing and painting has become a regular pursuit for me. These art forms have taught me how to infuse life into inert materials according to spiritual principles. Music has always been a significant form of expression for me, leading me to pursue singing training and become a sound art teacher. I sang a self-composed version of Steiner's Nurse meditation - Within the heart's together with my wife as a festive conclusion to the training in Arlesheim. Art is an important part of the development of my soul, influencing my healing work deeply.
Since 2022, I have been setting up a working group on a monthly basis, at the Waldorf School and in the forest nearby about observing nature and life forces. This is based on the work of Goethe and Dorian Smith under the guidance of Xavier De Keyzer, physics teacher at the Waldorf School. Here we learn to observe the different properties both physical and spiritual of plants, trees, minerals, planets, .... Xavier specializes in observing life forming forces in plants, and in water. Last year we also stirred different planetary waters. Wonderful.
The liver also plays a crucial role in my work. The vital organ par excellence. Together with my wife, I developed a liver purification pathway to remove gallstones in the liver. In this pathway we use physical purification, focused meditations, treatment, eurythmy and artistic exercise to deeply support the client's etheric forces.
In the past year I took formation from Dr. Matthias Girke around roads to develop through Raphael and Michael. I started class hours at the High School of Spiritual Science. In September I attended the International Class Conference for Professionals who work psychotherapeutically, at the Goetheanum. The theme was "Working with polarities and finding healing through the middle". We studied this theme through meditation, lectures and eurythmy.
After this I attended the Medical Conference, themed ‘The body and the I’. I participated in the Specialists conference for Body Therapy. The importance of the environment, loving and vital touch, use of proper oils, body awareness and care for the whole person, ... deepened my desire to study Rhythmic massage. Additionally, I recognized a pressing need to enhance and support the lower senses of the human being in both children and adults during this conference. My continued education with Dr. Michaela Glockler on ‘Raphael and the mysteries of illness and healing’ further underscored the importance of touch, rest, time, and care for the lower senses at this juncture.
Over the past three months, I served as a test subject for an Anthroposophic nurse undergoing bath therapy training. Through seven sessions of bath therapy involving brushing and packing, I experienced profound healing effects from rhythmic movements, gentle physical contact, pre-resting, and post-resting. I could clearly experience how step by step, stroke by stroke my body became and is becoming more of a home to live in. My sense of space and time, and care for my body have increased profoundly.
In October 2023, I commenced an online English annual training program on Philosophy of Freedom. Later this year in December 2023, I participate in a workshop in anthroposophical nursing focused on end-of-life care. This includes workshops on proper oil usage, einreibungen, and compresses.
I anticipate this winter, attending both 'the Christmas Conference - That good may become' followed by 'the 100 years Course for Young Doctors - How do we find the good' at the Goetheanum.
My desire to pursue on the Rhytmic Massage Therapy training stems from the wish to develop the stimulation of the life forces, combined with loving body touch. This form of therapy is a strong response to the current challenges to vitality. I deeply experience the need in myself and in my surrounding to embark on this wonderful journey.
Presently in Belgium, there is a scarcity of Rhythmic Massage therapists despite high demand. Various requests have been made to me concerning Rhythmic Massage treatment; even our local Waldorf school expressed enthusiasm about referring children to my practice for Massage treatment.
Through my training "Foundation studies in Anthroposophic Medicine" I got to know Emerson College. Since then, looking for a suitable place to study Rhythmic Massage Therapy, Emerson College often came my way. When I spoke to Aaoina Landweer-Cooke at the Body Therapy Conference it confirmed my desire to take this course in English, at Emerson College. Both the place and the teachers seem a very suitable place to take this training.
Sam Deraeve