Five Signs Your Sixth Chakra is Weak

1. You feel lost when it comes to a sense of purpose and a path in life. This sense of being lost and without inner guidance can lead to becoming very ritualistic and dogmatic in following a particular leader or system that gives you a sense of purpose or meaning.

2. You have an active imagination, but not in a good way. Your imagination is often stuck in regret and worry mode. Regret about the past and worry about the future. You imagine all the things that could go wrong, all the negative things that people might be thinking about you, and a future that is scary if you don’t take massive action now to fix everything that is broken.

3. You spend much of your day in analytical, churn mode, trying to figure everything out and getting frustrated when you can’t.  You find it hard to turn off the churn mode which results in difficulty being present in the moment and difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.
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4. You are often highly attached to things turning out the way you want them to or think they should, so life is experienced as constant emotional roller coaster.  You feel up when things seem to be going your way and down when they don’t.
5. You experience any of the following physical symptoms on a frequent or chronic basis: frequent headaches, upper/frontal sinus conditions, neurological disorders, disorders of the eyes or ears, disorders of the outer brain.

Benefits of Deep Tissue Massage 

1. Treats Chronic Back Pain

One study that compared the effectiveness of two different kinds of massages for treating chronic back pain, therapeutic massage versus deep tissue massage (DTM), found that DTM treatment over the course of 10 days resulted in significantly better improvements in pain compared to therapeutic massage.

In this particular study, published in Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, therapeutic massage included techniques of tapping and friction, while DTM used “oblique pressure and a combination of lengthening and cross-fiber strokes.” All sessions were 30 minutes long and preformed daily, and all participants did not receive any other treatments during the course of the study. After 10 days, participants treated with DTM reported significant improvements in pain (lower back pain in this case) compared to those treated with therapeutic massage, based on scores using the Modified Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Index, Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale and Visual Analog Scales. (4)

Other studies have show similar findings. A 2014 study published in the Scientific World Journal even found that DTM treatment alone had just as much of a positive effect on reducing pain in patients with chronic symptoms compared to massage and NSAID painkillers used together. (5)

2. Helps Lower High Blood Pressure

A study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that deep tissue massage had positive effects on systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressure readings in adults with pain and high blood pressure symptoms.

The study involved 263 volunteers with an average age of 48.5. Overall muscle spasm/muscle strain was described as either moderate or severe for each patient prior to treatments, which consisted of a massage between 45–60 minutes in duration. Results demonstrated an average systolic pressure reduction of 10.4 mm/Hg, a diastolic pressure reduction of 5.3 mm/Hg, a mean arterial pressure reduction of 7.0 mm/Hg and an average heart rate reduction of 10.8 beats per minute following massage treatment. (6)

3. Reduces Stress, Anxiety and Muscle Tension

Inflammation caused by chronic stress and muscle tension can lead to worsened overall health, longer recovery time, reduced immune function and cardiovascular problems, such as high blood pressure. Studies have found that massage therapy can help lower cortisol levels and even boost production of the hormone called oxytocin, which relaxes the body and has soothing effects. (7) Oxytocin is the primary hormone responsible for sustaining social bonds in humans and increasing motivation for cooperative behaviors, which is why it’s often called the “cuddle hormone” and known to be released during hugs, birth, social bonding and from touch.

Several mechanisms for deep massage’s natural stress-relieving effects include its ability to dilate blood vessels and also lower activity of the limbic system (including the hypothalamus), which is responsible for autonomic nervous system regulation and cortisol secretion. Massage has been shown to improve relaxation by boosting activity of the parasympathetic nervous system, as measured by heart rate, blood pressure and heart rate variability. (8, 9)

4. Breaks Up Scar Tissue

Deep tissue massages are often utilized following injuries to help break up newly forming scar tissue that can make recovery more difficult and lead to stiffness. Massage has been shown to help reduce inflammation and muscle spasms by stimulating blood flow, loosening up muscles to allow for more oxygen and also helping reduce the nervous system’s automatic stress response.

Following injury, and especially if it’s also a very stressful time, inflammation can prevent proper blood flow from reaching damaged tissue and can cut off vital nutrients and oxygen. This can cause toxins to accumulate around damaged tissue, which only increases swelling and pain. Some studies have found that even self-administered massage can help reduce pain associated with plantar fasciitis and other injuries. (10)

5. Improves Athletic Recovery and Performance

Research published in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness reported findings of a positive trend for deep tissue massages in regard to improved athletic recovery and performance. The most beneficial type of deep tissue massage for athletes is considered to be “sports massage,” which is commonly performed prior to athletic events to help warm the body and prevent injuries or immediately after to improve recovery.

The report showed that the science of sports massage has become of growing interest to athletes, athletic trainers, coaches and sports physiologists. Studies show that deep tissue massages can help improve lactate clearance, delayed onset of muscle soreness, muscle fatigue, injury prevention and injury treatment. (11)

The researchers also note there are psychological benefits for athletes receiving massages, which other research shows can include improved focus and confidence. Although more research is still needed on a long-term scale, both tissue healing and the psychological effects of massages are areas that seem promising for both professional and recreational athletes.   

Five Signs Your Fifth Chakra is Weak
1. You are often afraid to speak up and stifle your opinions around others because you don’t think others will find your thoughts interesting or sophisticated enough.
2. You often avoid facing the truth or find the truth to be too painful to deal with effectively so you keep yourself distracted.
3. You often stop yourself from asking for what you want or for asking for help. You assume a “no” in order to avoid the possibility of asking and being rejected by others. You see a “no” from others as a rejection of you. This often shows up in a fear and loathing of selling.
4. You try to impress others and feel like you are rarely authentic in your expressions.
5. You experience any of the following physical symptoms on a frequent or chronic basis: sore throats, swollen glands in the neck/jaw, TMJ, sinus problems, thyroid disorders, disorders of the throat, mouth, teeth or gums.