Eastern Culture

Massage may be the oldest and simplest form of health/medical care. According to Braun & Simonson (2008) the ancient river valley civilizations 7000-1000BCE (before the common era) rubbed oil into the skin – ‘anointing’. It was thought to banish the evil spirits that caused disease. Healthcare tended to demonstrate both a spiritual and religious basis. These civilizations also used medicinal plants, controlled breathing and a system of exercises and positions for healthcare. Ancient China used massage and finger pressure to energize, treat paralysis, chills, fever and poor circulation of blood 2600 – 220BCE. A Chinese book from 2,700 BCE, ‘The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine’, recommends 'breathing exercises, massage of skin and flesh, and exercises of hands and feet" as the appropriate treatment for paralysis, chills, and fever. "When this Chinese massage and bodywork made its way into Japan it became known as Shiatsu. Shiatsu is the best known Japanese form of bodywork. India handed down their systems of care verbally through the centuries. The Ayur Veda was not written until around the 3000–1000 BCE. Ayurveda, the traditional Indian system of medicine/ healthcare is a holistic approach that attempts to balance the body, mind and spirit to maintain health and prevent illness through combining the use of herbs, diet, fasting, aromatherapy, massage, meditation, yoga, colour and metal therapy. It places great emphasis on the therapeutic benefits of massage with aromatic oils and spices. It is practiced very widely in India and has permeated many complementary therapies all over the world. Therefore, in eastern cultures it can be concluded that in ancient times self-care/ healthcare involved massage, use of medicinal plants, controlled breathing and exercise.