Art and Massage: Ode to Kung Fu and Massage

By David Lauterstein, 4/22/10

People make fun of massage
And also of martial arts.
Both do attract people in love
with fantasy land.
I have the fantasy I am a healer.
I have the fantasy I am a warrior.

Yet the desire to be a healer and warrior
are two of the highest goals we can have.

This morning I was thinking how
just like our bodies heal cuts,
our life heals its wounds.
The rough time of yesterday
is smoothed over by last night’s dream;
the sadness of life being hard
is relieved by tears and the next lovely thing
that makes us smile.
Life is self-healing –
I know that and I help it
as a therapist.

And the warrior spirit –
I don’t give up.
In practicing martial arts
there is no end.
Every class deepens something I know
and reveals more that I don’t know.
We work on resilience of spirit,
mind and body.
The survival of the fittest is not a slogan,
it’s real.

The warrior and the healer in me
With a machete in one hand and
A loving spirit in the other
Proceed down this path of life.

I don’t give a shit,
I’m going to get what I want.
Get out of my way,
ME – get out of my way
You too!

Here comes the healer –
I want to see everyone
Smile.
I want to watch love
Soften and restore a caring spirit
To every man, woman and child.

With our strength and kindness
Humans carry a great hope from
person to person.

This body is an armament and a covenant.
This mind finds openings for new creation.
The heart loving and courageous –
This spirit unites us all.