In Dire Need of a Massage

Owing to the stress I’ve been experiencing, I feel tense all over, and I’m in desperate need of a full-body massage to loosen up my muscles. The massage parlor that I typically go to is inside the Chijmes complex, which mainly consists of bars and restaurants, conveniently located in the City Hall area. I don’t go there very often, as I normally don’t get too much tension, but today is one of those rare occasions when I genuinely crave for thorough relaxation. As soon as I’ve finished writing this journal entry, I’ll call the parlor up for a reservation.

Speaking of massages, here in Singapore, getting a massage is not very cheap, although it’s not outrageously expensive, either. For today’s 60-minute full-body massage session, the price is SGD 71, approximately USD 53. In Asia’s cheaper locales like Bangkok and Johor Bahru, you can get it for much less, so many Singaporeans like to go for massages whenever they travel to those destinations. I don’t know when my next trip to Thailand or Malaysia will be, but I’d definitely consider having a massage during my stay there.

By the way, while so-called new age or alternative therapy methods, such as full-body or foot reflexology massage, yoga or aromatherapy, can most likely make you feel more relaxed, I’m not fully convinced that it’s beneficial for your health, especially in terms of healing your chronic ailments. I say this from the perspective of someone who believes in science only: if you have an issue with your kidneys, for example, you should go to your doctor’s rather than your masseur’s.

Having said that, it is not my intention to make light of the usefulness of alternative therapy, much less disrespect the contributions made by those working in the industry, including therapists, instructors and masseurs, to bring joy to people seeking relaxation and a sense of healing. Sometimes, what truly matters to clients is not so much how their physical condition improves in a clinical sense, as whether they can feel good during and after the therapy session.

To sum up, if you have a physical condition that requires medical attention, you should go see the doctor immediately; but if you’re simply seeking a therapeutic experience for relaxation, you shouldn’t hesitate to choose whatever form of therapy that suits you, whether it’s considered “alternative” or not.