The practice of using touch as a method of therapy originates from customs and techniques rooted in ancient history.
Ancient civilizations in the East and West discovered that natural therapies and massage could heal injuries, relieve pain, and prevent diseases. Furthermore, touch helped reduce stress and induce deep relaxation.
In ancient times, massage therapy was sacred in all cultures, only to acquire a disreputable image by the end of the late Roman era.
-In India, the practice of massage began in 3000 BC and, according to other sources, even earlier. It is part of the Ayurveda system, which is considered the traditional medical system in India.
-The first written documents on massage come from Egypt and China.
In Egypt, ancient stelae depict people massaging each other. Many also attribute the invention of reflexology to the Egyptians around 2500 BC.
Traditional Chinese massage developed through Chinese medicine by Buddhist and Taoist monks who believed that touch was important for spiritual development and body relaxation.
– Around 1000 BC, Japanese monks studying Buddhism in China also observed the therapeutic methods of traditional Chinese medicine, including massage. Subsequently, Japan developed its own traditional Japanese massage (anma), which later evolved into Shiatsu.
