So you’ve got pain. Sprained your ankle. Fell off your motorbike. Surfing injury. Dislocated a shoulder from a motorbike or a horse. Too much sitting at the computer and now have lower back pain. Headaches from staring at the computer screen. Knee pain from running. Sciatica. Or simply performed an activity you’ve never done before or not for a long time like taking up surfing or horse riding and the next couple of days your body aches all over. Perhaps you have some swelling which is painful.
We’ve all done these things and suffered for days or even weeks. We just want the pain to go away. Pain killers? Anti-inflammatory medication? Or massage? Massage can help tremendously. From my own experience of being in a car accident, motorbike accident, simply falling on a wet surface or the most unusual of a horse pulling me off my feet and dislocating my shoulder. In every case, massage has helped me to recover, eliminate the pain and get back to being active again.
But where do you go? Not your average spa or small massage place that offers relaxation massage. You need a place where the therapist knows the body system and how it works and they can understand your problem and know what to do to help you. After all its relief from pain that you want. When you’re in a lot of pain you’re willing to do just about anything for relief.
Where to find relief?
By chance I happened upon a small spa called Zema Healing, advertised as a healing place for: neck and back pain, frozen shoulder, knee and ankle pain, insomnia, tennis elbow and migraine. Zen heads Zema and is a master healer from Lombok, training all of his male staff who also hail from Lombok or Yogyakarta. Zen is a certified Musculoskeletal Therapist and has been practicing for ten years.
You’ll see charts of the muscular system on the wall as well as reflexology charts, indicating that they are serious about healing.
Although I didn’t think I had anything major wrong with my body I wanted to try Zen’s magic fingers. I had sent several friends to him for various problems like sciatica, sprained ankle, lower back pain and headache. All reported back to me that after one visit their pain was gone. Impressive record! However, for me the first thing he did was check my alignment lying face up on the massage table. Assessing my legs, torso and shoulders he informed me that one leg was longer than the other and the one shoulder was higher. He then took a few photos and showed me. Sure enough it was true. When he began working on my back he told me that my spine wasn’t straight, not scoliosis but the muscles had pulled it out of alignment. The curved spine affected my hips which caused lower back stiffness as well as upper back stiffness. No wonder I was having trouble with belly dancing movements.
Zen went to work on my back and legs. His touch was gentle yet strong. Occasionally he asked if I felt pain where he was working. Usually not. He methodically worked over my back and then my legs. After I turned over he tugged on my ankle that was shorter. Then rotated each leg. Then tugged on my ankles again. Eventually he worked on my shoulders and neck.
A couple of times he had me stand up and walk around a little to test the movements, then resumed his work on my body. When he finished I walked around the room and bent my body. My legs and shoulders were even, my spine was straight. Everything was looser and more flexible. All of this was accomplished in just over an hour. And with very little discomfort inflicted in the treatment. I was impressed. Zen does have magic hands. He advised me not to shower for at least an hour for their special oil consisting of bamboo and Sumbawa oil with menthol to enhance the healing in the muscles. Similar to Tiger balm but not heating up the muscles, cooling instead he explained.
This is definitely a great place to go when your body needs healing. Although the staff at Zema are well trained and experienced in alleviating many aches and pains see Zen for more serious problems at Zema Healing. Jl. Camplung Tanduk (Dynapura) No, 99.
T: 0361-734721
E: zema_healing@yahoo.com
I tried out a new place called Baliman Healing Spa on Jl. Nakula. It’s a new small place with only 3 treatment rooms and a staff of six male therapists. All of the staff have a couple of years of experience in healing. They have three comfortable treatment rooms. Their specialty is Baliman Healing Massage with a choice of 75/ 90 or 120 minutes of deep tissue sports massage combining Balinese, Chinese, Swedish, Thai and Shiatsu techniques.
I had a treatment with Alex one of the two senior therapists. It certainly was a deep tissue massage as he pressed his fingers into my muscles. Several areas were quite painful for me suppressing the urge to cry out. He performed quite a bit of Shiatsu type of pressure points on various parts of my body. At the end I felt like all of the tension had been squeezed out of my body leaving me feeling relaxed.
Baliman Healing Spa
Jl. Nakula no. 3A, Seminyak.
T: 87800021888
W: www.balimanhealingspa.com
E:balimanhealingspa@gmail.com
Some other recommended healers
Pak Putu with 30 years of experience in healing. I’ve had several treatments with this talented healer. He is able to fix most body problems.
Located now at Jl. Baik Baik in Taman Kerti Residence, Seminyak.
T: 081338527069
Pak Yasin was recommended to me as a great healer.
He will come to your home.
But doesn’t speak English.
T: 087860126292 / 085339575719
Bayu’s Healing Hands was highly recommended.
Jl. Raya Semer.
T: 081999879228
Get a copy of Shari’s book The Spa Guru’s Home Spa of home spa recipes from Bali available on Amazon as e-book or hard cover.
Copyright spa inspirations 2018
For clinics and spas offering new treatments contact me for an upcoming story.
Spa.inspirations@gmail.com
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