It is the 21st century. I am finding through trial and error, exploration and surprise there is a practice which could be named Virtual Bodywork.
Merriam-Webster's definition of bodywork, in my estimation, is woefully vague and lacking: "therapeutic touching or manipulation of the body by using specialized techniques." My experience of what bodywork is, from both the giving and receiving point of view, is complex and layered. It includes M-W's definition, but goes way beyond (see a more in-depth description in my post:). Bodywork is an act of a layered, mutual listening between facilitator and client. Intuition and all senses are engaged in an acute attention. The relationship in the experience of bodywork is anchored in trust; it has to be, because what occurs is deep, intimate, and often edgy. From both role's point of view (the facilitator and receiver), there is a heightened sense of the sublime in oneself: the way energy is moving, expressing itself; and the subsequent following provides information to the now and what is present. The facilitator is not only grounded in whatever skills he/she might have developed, but is also providing an attention (full-bodied listening capacity) and meta-witnessing skills that are flexible enough to go with the flow, often the unexpected. Trust is implicit. Trust of one's knowing in a moment. Trust in one's inclinations as they come (even if they seem cognitively bizarre in the moment). Trust in other. This happens for both parties. Whereas there is room for wonder and question, there isn't room for insecurity and fear. Easy to say, hard to Be.
Based on the decades I have done bodywork, I can say that communication between facilitator and receiver is not usually seated in verbalization. Bodywork is, by nature, often nonverbal; and when it's not, the verbal communication is based in an energetic exchange and doesn't usually have a 'chatty' or talkative quality. Good facilitators and open receivers who are experienced in this type of work don't have rigid agendas or hard and fast rules. To get the most from the work both facilitator and receiver allow the "energy bath" of the work to wash over them without immediately interpreting, but just following. We are curious energy detectives, following the small and large clues, making no immediate conclusions, allowing what is to Be.
Some of my work with people necessitates the use of the internet, webcams and (virtual) software applications. Up until recently I was using this technology primarily for wellness coaching, which works pretty well with clients whom are long distance. Almost accidentally, as of late, I have begun using this technology to do a version of long-distance bodywork.
