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[alt.backrubs] Frequently Asked Questions (FAQL), (Intro)

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J. `send no junk mail' Blustein

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Jan 2, 2003, 3:58:31 AM1/2/03
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Archive-name: backrubs/faq/intro
Last-modified: 25 October 2002
Maintainer: J. Blustein <ja...@csd.uwo.ca>
Copyright: (c) 1994-2001 J. Blustein. All rights reserved. See question 0.7 for details.

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* This FAQ list will not be posted after January 2003 *
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Some questions come up time and time again in alt.backrubs. Often
the questions are interesting and the answers are not immediately obvious.
However, each time one of these questions appears, much bandwidth and
reader time is wasted on repetitive responses. These six articles are
posted to alt.backrubs (and alt.answers and news.answers) every two weeks
in an attempt to answer the most common questions, so that discussion can
move on to more interesting topics.
These six articles will not be posted after January 2003.
Your suggestions for changes to these articles are welcome. Please
see question 0.2 for information about whom to contact. Question 0.3 is
about what changes are planned. The disclaimer is in question 0.6. All of
those questions appear below, in section 0. If you are new to Usenet you
might find questions 1.4 and 5.2.6 especially helpful.
Questions that have been added or updated recently have a * before
their number below.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: List of Categories and questions
The questions answered here are divided into several categories:
Section 0 Administrivia and Acknowledgements
Section 1 General Questions
Section 2 Basics of Massage
Section 3 Novice Questions
Section 4 Professional Massage
Section 5 Other Sources of Information
Section 6 There is *no* section 6!

Each category is in a separate posting. Each posting includes a
brief list of the questions answered in it. This posting contains all the
questions in section 0 and a detailed table of contents for all the
postings.

------------------------------

Each question begins with `Subject:' on a line of its own. Users
with suitably equipped newsreaders can automatically skip to the start of
the next section, e.g. trn will display the start of the section when you
press ^G (control-G). Of course if your newsreader doesn't do this
automatically, you can still use a search command to find the next question.
To find the answer to question 0.2 search for a line beginning with
`Q0.2)', there will be only one.

Here is the list of questions in all the categories:
Section 0: Administrivia and Acknowledgements
0.1) Where can I get a recent copy of this document?
0.2) Whom should I flame for anything I don't like about this FAQL?
0.3) What is on the To Do list?
0.3 a) What projects are up for grabs?
0.3 b) What projects are people working on now?
* 0.4) Recent changes to this list
0.5) Acknowledgements
0.6) Disclaimer
0.7) Notice of copyright
Section 1: General Questions
1.1) What is alt.backrubs about?
1.2) I have a question not answered here. Should I post?
1.3) What does this acronym stand for?
1.3 a) alt.backrubs acronyms
1.3 b) organizations
1.3 c) other acronyms and abbreviations
1.3 d) `Please, sir, I want some more.'
1.4) Help! I'm new to this whole Usenet/'net thing
1.5) What must I know about anonymous posts?
1.6) What should I do about 'net abuse (spams, scams and ads)?
1.7) Does anyone discuss anything here anymore?
Section 2: Basics of Massage
2.1) What is massage? What is bodywork and how do they differ?
2.2) What are some examples of massage, bodywork & related therapies?
2.2 a) Swedish
2.2 b) Shiatsu
2.2 c) Reflexology
2.2 d) Aromatherapy
2.2 e) On-site massage
2.2 f) Erotic massage
2.2 g) Trigger point and Myotherapy
2.2 h) Polarity
2.2 i) Myofascial release
2.2 j) Craniosacral
2.2 k) Reiki
2.2 l) Trager
2.2 m) Hakomi
2.2 n) Jim Shin Do
2.2 o) Neuromuscular therapy
2.2 p) Pfrimmer deep muscle therapy
2.2 q) Rolfing [coming soon?]
2.2 r) Alexander
2.2 s) Feldenkreis
2.2 t) Hellerwork
2.2 u) others
2.3) Where can I read about massage techniques?
2.4) Is massage a sexual technique?
2.5) Could I hurt anyone if I do something wrong?
2.6) What does this technical term mean?
Section 3: Novice Questions
3.1) How should I start?
3.2) Where can I find people to give/receive massages? [See also 4.3]
3.3) What can I do about ticklishness?
3.4) What oil should I use?
3.5) How can I get oils?
3.6) Is there anything I can do about my tired hands?
Section 4: Professional Massage
4.1) What about licencing, certification and professional training?
4.1 a) Books, magazines and other resource guides
4.1 b) What are the AMTA and the ABMP?
4.2) Professional issues
4.2 a) What's in the archive?
4.2 b) Emotional response considerations
4.3) Finding a good professional massage
4.3 a) How can I tell what I'll get before I get there?
4.3 b) How can I tell how competent a MT is before I pay them?
4.3 c) What referral services can I call upon for recommendations?
4.4) Advice for a recipient of professional massage
4.5) How much will it cost? Should I tip? Can I get it cheaper?
4.6) I've got the following symptoms. What do you advise?
Section 5: Other Network Sources of Information
5.1) Other Frequent Postings to alt.backrubs
5.1.1) The [extinct] backrubs exchange
5.1.2) The alt.backrubs archive
5.1.3) The World Wide Web version of the alt.backrubs FAQL
5.2) Other Network Resources
5.2.1) Reference: Frequent postings to other newsgroups
5.2.1 a) List of Medical FAQLs
5.2.1 b) Stretching and Flexibility FAQL
5.2.1 c) Typing Injuries FAQL
5.2.2) Reference: Other archives and collections
5.2.2 a) Sunsite Alternative Healthcare Collection
5.2.2 b) Internet/Bitnet Health Sciences Resources
5.2.2 c) Internet Resources on Alternative Medicine
5.2.2 d) Acu-Ki Institute
5.2.3) Reference: World Wide Web Sites
5.2.3 a) A basic guide to Aromatherapy
5.2.3 b) The Center for Reiki Training
5.2.3 c) Complementary Medicine WWW Page
5.2.3 d) Aesclepian Chronicles
5.2.3 e) The OrMed Mailing List WWW Page
5.2.3 f) An Illustrated Guide to Muscles & Medical Massage ...
5.2.3 g) Where is the archive for newsgroup X?
5.2.4) Discussion: Newsgroups, mailing-lists and gateways
5.2.4 a) misc.health.alternative newsgroup
5.2.4 b) BODYWORK mailing-list
5.2.4 c) PARACELSUS mailing-list
5.2.4 d) pdax.services.massage newsgroup
5.2.4 e) alt.med.fibromyalgia newsgroup / FIBROM-L mailing-list
5.2.4 f) tuite mailing-list
5.2.4 g) aromatherapy mailing-list
5.2.4 h) alt.folklore.herbs newsgroup
5.2.4 i) alt.aromatherapy newsgroup
5.2.4 j) SOREHAND mailing-list
5.2.4 k) iu610-L mailing-list
5.2.4 l) alt.reiki newsgroup
5.2.4 m) alt.health.massage-therapy newsgroup
5.2.4 n) More lists
5.2.5) Discussion: Other groups (not Usenet, not mailing lists)
5.2.5 a) BODYWORK Fidonet echo
5.2.5 b) Compuserve Massage and Bodywork Forum
5.2.5 c) Massagenet
5.2.6) Miscellaneous: Network resources
5.2.6 a) How to find the right place to post FAQL
5.2.6 b) news.groups.questions newsgroup
5.2.6 c) Usenet Info Center (the `Bible of Usenet')
5.2.6 d) Where is the archive for newsgroup X?
5.2.6 e) The Internet by E-Mail FAQL
5.2.7) Miscellaneous: Major lists of Internet and Usenet resources
5.2.7 a) Scott Yanoff's Updated Internet Services List
5.2.7 b) List of Periodic Informational Postings
5.2.7 c) Publicly Accessible Mailing Lists

Questions that have been added or updated recently have a * before
their number above.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Section 0 -- Administrivia and Acknowledgements

Subject: Where can I get a recent copy of this document?
Q0.1) The most recent version of this multi-part frequently asked
questions list (FAQL) is posted to the Usenet newsgroups alt.backrubs,
alt.answers and news.answers every 14 days.
Copies of major releases of this FAQL are kept in the alt.backrubs
archive (see question 5.1.2). The news.answers version of this FAQL can be
obtained via anonymous FTP from the rtfm.mit.edu site in directory
`/pub/usenet-by-group/alt.backrubs/' or
`/pub/usenet/alt.answers/backrubs/faq'
(<URL:ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet-by-group/alt.backrubs/> or
<URL:ftp:///pub/usenet/alt.answers/backrubs/faq> in the standard notation).
Only if you cannot use anonymous FTP should you retrieve it by sending
email to mail-...@rtfm.mit.edu with the command
send usenet/alt.answers/backrubs/faq/*
in the message. See question 5.2 for more details.
Please note that this document has been produced for free
distribution. You should not have to pay anyone to obtain a copy.

Kjartan Clausen <kja...@ii.uib.no> has created a WWW version
of this FAQL. It is at <URL:http://www.ii.uib.no/~kjartan/backrubfaq/>.
Note that that version might not always be in sync with this version, but I
encourage you to use it anyway.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Whom should I flame for anything I don't like about this FAQL?
Q0.2) nobody (sic), of course! Any additions or suggestions or
discussion should be mailed to the FAQL maintainer <ja...@csd.uwo.ca> and
to Kjartan Clausen <kja...@ii.uib.no> who maintains the WWW version of the
FAQL.
This document is produced entirely by volunteer labour. The
maintainer is not a massage professional. All mail about the FAQL sent to
the FAQL maintainer will be acknowledged within seven days of receipt
(usually on the day of receipt). If you haven't received a notice of
receipt within two weeks then something is wrong.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: To Do
Q0.3) This FAQL is mostly finished but additions are welcome. There are
still some things I'd like to have added or changed:

- I think the part about massaging towards the heart needs to be
rewritten, but I don't have the time

- some paragraphs that summarize all the advice about oils in all the
various files about massage oil in the archive

If you would like to volunteer :) to write some or all of the answers
please contact the FAQL maintainer <ja...@csd.uwo.ca>.

The file `faql.to-add' in the archive (see question 5.1.2) may
contain postings that I would like to have incorporated into the FAQL.

Please use e-mail to submit updates or additions to this FAQL to
<ja...@csd.uwo.ca>, and send a copy to Kjartan Clausen <kja...@ii.uib.no>
so that it can be incorporated into the WWW version too.

------------------------------

Here were some ongoing projects related to alt.backrubs as of
October 2002:

- Lorre Smith, a senior professional librarian, was preparing a proper
index of the archive. On 30 July 1996 I received a draft copy! That
project has been abandoned.

- Karin Muglach <mug...@kis.uni-freiburg.de> and certified advanced
Rolfing Structural Integration practitioner Linda Grace <LL...@aol.com>
might still be working on definitions of Rolfing and Alexander therapies
for question 2.2, but the Rolf Institute (See question 2.2q) are working
on their own description too.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Recent changes to this FAQL
Q0.4)
Since 13 April 2001
Minor editing in Q1.7 (`Does anyone discuss anything here anymore?').
Also in Q1.7: specific mention of misc.health.alternative (before it
was just alt.health.massage-therapy and BODYWORK).
Sections 2 & 5: some of the longer questions now point back to the
complete list of subsections in this section.
Questions 2.2, 5.2.3, 5.2.4, 5.2.6: added a list of subtopics to the
beginning of the question.
Question 5.1.3 `The World Wide Web version of the alt.backrubs FAQL'
notes that it is very out of date.
Added reference to Section 0 after each table of contents (did not
updated last-modified date though).
Pruned extinct entries (and updated URLs) in question 5.2.3
(`Reference: World Wide Web Sites').

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Acknowledgements
Q0.5) Many parts of this FAQL are almost identical to those posted by
a...@math.columbia.edu (Winkler) on 3 Dec 1992 (see the `faql.all' file in
the archive). Andrew Winkler <a...@ckp.com> deserves a lot of credit for
the work he did. Specifically, questions 0.2, 1.1, 2.1-2.5, 3.1-3.5
and 4.1 began as questions in the original FAQL. Some of them have changed
very little from the originals (e.g., 3.3), some have undergone major
stylistic changes but are essentially the same (e.g., 2.5). Question 1.1
is completely changed.
The introductory portion of this article have been adapted from the
same section in the comp.lang.c FAQL (message-ID
<1994Jan01.0...@eskimo.com>, posted on 1 Jan 1994) which is
copyright 1988, 1990-1993 by Steve Summit. Steve Summit also suggested
corrections to several typos in every part except 4. Many of the additions
to question 2.2 (types of bodywork) have been adapted from a post by
MayaWay <may...@aol.com> for the Maine Massage Guild (message-ID
<3kuukf$p...@newsbf02.news.aol.com>). Yonina Chernick, RMT and Keith Grant
provided extensive help in adapting the definition of craniosacral therapy
in that question. Part of the answer to question 4.6 has been adapted from
postings by Richard Karasik (Message-ID
<36a84q$8...@warthog.eng.octel.com>), Terry Norman (Message-ID
<tnt-111294...@ftw04.onramp.net>) and the answer to a similar
question (#41) in the 13 Mar 1995 version of the Usenet FAQL (message-ID
<D657p...@deshaw.com>, posted to news.announce.newusers and news.answers
on 28 Mar 1995 by Mark Moraes <netan...@deshaw.com>).
The definition of fascia in question 2.6 is adapted from p.1045 of
volume II of _International Dictionary of Medicine and Biology: in three
volumes_, (c)1986 by John Wiley & Sons. The Editor-in-Chief is Sidney
I. Landau and the ISBN is 0-471-01849. The title of 1.3 d) (`"Please, sir,
I want some more."') is a quotation from chapter 2 of Charles Dickens's
novel _Oliver Twist_. Margaret Ann LaChance <mlac...@frog.thpl.lib.fl.us>
provided a guaranteed correct expansion for the ABMP acronym.
The FAQL used to include definitions of Alexander, Feldenkreis and
Rolfing that were provided by Karen Muglach <mug...@kis.uni-freiburg.de>
from the book _Rolfing Movement Integration_ by Mary Bond (Healing Arts
Press, Rochester, Vermont, 1993, ISBN 0-89281-444-6). The book has been
reprinted in late July 1996 with the title _BALANCING YOUR BODY: A
Self-Help Approach to Rolfing Movement_. Those descriptions have been
removed at the request of the publisher.
The FAQL has been posted by J. Blustein <ja...@csd.uwo.ca> for many
years, but is now posted by a kind soul (or daemon) at another site.
J. Blustein remains responsible for its content. The following (in
alphabetical order by surname) are collaborating to edit and amend the
FAQL: Bill Arnett <Bill....@mindlink.bc.ca>, Kjartan Clausen
<kja...@ii.uib.no>, Corrina Perrone <cor...@cs.colorado.edu>, John Cole
<jc...@mts.mhs.compuserve.com>, julian collier <jcol...@nyx.cs.du.edu>,
Keith Grant <k...@strathspey.llnl.gov> and Lawrence Warnock
<Mas...@ix.netcom.com>. Please send mail about this FAQL to
ja...@csd.uwo.ca, not to the other members of the `alt.backrubs team'.
The following have made suggestions that are incorporated into this
FAQL: A A Adams <a...@scs.leeds.ac.uk>, Steve Albertson
<sal...@casbah.acns.nwu.edu> Axel Boldt <ax...@uni-paderborn.de>, Brian
Carter <Brian_...@pop.com>, Kjartan Clausen, John Cole, Marcus Cox
<ma...@sunsite.unc.edu>, Keith Grant, ElGreene <elgr...@aol.com>, Kim
G. Kofmel <kko...@julian.uwo.ca>, Caroline Knight <cd...@hplb.hpl.hp.com>,
Kevin Kunz <Fo...@aol.com>, Margaret Ann LaChance
<mlac...@frog.thpl.lib.fl.us>, Lawrence F. London,
Jr. <lon...@sunSITE.unc.edu>, MayaWay <may...@aol.com>, Deanna McHugh, Lee
Murray <bh...@freenet.carleton.ca>, Terry Norman <t...@onramp.net>, Brother
Bernard Seif <mo...@epix.net>, Stormwind <ama...@kisio.engr.sgi.com> and Sam
Waring <war...@ima.infomail.com>

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Where is that pesky Disclaimer?
Q0.6) Right here:
All the answers in these postings have been included with good intentions
but none of them are guaranteed to be completely accurate. The
`alt.backrubs team' have endeavoured to ensure that the information in
these postings is correct and reasonably complete but cannot warrant their
suitability for any purpose. None of them acknowledge any liability
resulting from any mistakes contained in these postings or from the
application of anything contained in these postings. If you have a health
problem you should consult a health care professional (and we hope you get
better soon).

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Notice of copyright
Q0.7) All six parts of the alt.backrubs frequently asked questions list
(hereafter called `the document') are copyright by J. Blustein and have
been since 1994. All rights reserved. This is also true of all versions
that did not have this explicit notice but were posted by J. Blustein,
i.e. all but the two that Winkler posted. Andrew Winkler holds the
copyright on the two versions that he posted.
You are free to use the document for your own personal use. You
are free to distribute the document so long as all six parts are present
and none of them have been modified.
If you wish to distribute an incomplete or modified version of the
document you must obtain permission from J. Blustein <ja...@csd.uwo.ca> in
advance. I expect you will find the conditions completely reasonable, but
permission must still be obtained in advance.
--
Jamie Blustein <ja...@csd.uwo.ca>
No trees were destroyed to create this post.
Question 0.1 (above) tells you how to get a copy of this article.
You should not have to pay to get any (or all) of the six parts of this FAQL.

J. `send no junk mail' Blustein

unread,
Jan 2, 2003, 3:58:32 AM1/2/03
to
Archive-name: backrubs/faq/part1

Last-modified: 25 October 2002
Maintainer: J. Blustein <ja...@csd.uwo.ca>
Copyright: (c) 1994-2002 J. Blustein. All rights reserved. See question 0.7 for details.


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* *
* This FAQ list will not be posted after January 2003 *
* *
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

Section 1 -- General Questions

This posting contains answers to the following questions:


1.1) What is alt.backrubs about?
1.2) I have a question not answered here. Should I post?
1.3) What does this acronym stand for?

1.4) Help! I'm new to this whole Usenet/'net thing
1.5) What must I know about anonymous posts?

1.6) What should I do about 'net abuse (spams, scams & advertisements)?


1.7) Does anyone discuss anything here anymore?

Each question begins with `Subject:' on a line of its own. Users


with suitably equipped newsreaders can automatically skip to the start of

the next question, e.g. trn will display the start of the question when you


press ^G (control-G). Of course if your newsreader doesn't do this
automatically, you can still use a search command to find the next question.

To find the answer to question 1.2 search for a line beginning with
`Q1.2)', there will be only one.

------------------------------

Your suggestions for changes to these articles are welcome. Please

see section 0 (entitled Administrivia and Acknowledgements) in the earlier
posting for information about whom to contact and what changes are planned.

The questions are divided into the following general sections.
Questions from each section are answered in articles of their own. A list
of all questions appears in the first article (section 0).


Section 0 Administrivia and Acknowledgements
Section 1 General Questions
Section 2 Basics of Massage
Section 3 Novice Questions
Section 4 Professional Massage
Section 5 Other Sources of Information

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Section 1 -- General Questions

Subject: What is the alt.backrubs newsgroup about?
Q1.1) This newsgroup functions primarily as a place for discussion of
massage techniques and principles, and issues related to massage including
bodywork therapies, e.g. Rolfing. Although you'd be wasting energy by
posting messages seeking sexual partners here, there have been some
interesting discussions about areas of overlap between massage and sex.
See the archive for collections of such postings.
Details about the archive appear in question 5.1.2. Question 5.2
has a list of other network resources, e.g. newsgroups, with related
material. Of particular interest to professional massage therapists and
students is the BODYWORK mailing-list (see question 5.2.4 b).

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: I have a question not answered here. Should I post?
Q1.2) If you think your question is relevant to alt.backrubs (see
question 1.1 for a description of what alt.backrubs is about) and is not
answered in any of the six parts of this frequently asked questions list
then your question may have already have been answered and placed in the
archive. The archive contains over 3 Megabytes of postings along with some
indexes. Many of the answers in this document have been adapted from
postings in the archive; it usually provides more detailed answers to those
questions. Many questions that are answered in the archive do not appear
here. You'll have to decide for yourself if the archive has the answer to
your question but you will usually benefit by exploring it.
If you're not sure where to look for an answer to your question
then check out the lists of related network resources in section 5. There
is information there about what newsgroups to read, to post to, as well as
what essays and lists are available electronically to help answer your
health and body related questions. Question 5.2.6 is the most general.
If you do ask a question by posting please remember to request that
replies be sent to you by mail so that you can summarize them for the rest
of us. Be sure to say something like `please reply by mail, I'll post as
summary,' or it is likely that someone will think that you want replies by
mail only because you are too lazy to read the group -- I kid you not.
When it comes time to post your summary take some time to actually
summarize the mail you received. It isn't necessary to specify who gave
each answer or to quote them exactly. Do not concatenate all the messages
into one posting! By taking the time to make a proper summary you are
helping all the present and future readers of alt.backrubs. That group
includes the people who took time to write to you. Much more advice about
how to best work with the Usenet community can be found in question 1.4.
The archive is the subject of question 5.1.2 (in section 5). A
complete list of all the questions in this FAQL appears in section 0
(entitled Administrivia and Acknowledgements).

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Acronyms
Q1.3)
a) Acronyms peculiar to alt.backrubs:
CMT = Certified MT (see LMT and RMT)
CTS = Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
LITA = Look In The alt.backrubs Archive
LMT = Licensed MT (compare with RMT, see question 4.1 for more
information about licensing)
MT = Massage Therapist (Massage Technician, in some places)
RMT = Registered MT (usually abbreviated to MT, compare LMT)
RSI = Repetitive Stress Injury
TCM = Traditional Chinese Medicine
TMJ = dysfunction of the jaw (temporomandibular joint
pain-dysfunction syndrome)

------------------------------

b) Organizations:
ACCET = USA Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and
Training
ABMP = Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals
AMTA = American Massage Therapy Association
AOBTA = American Oriental Body Therapy Association
AMR'TA = Alchemical Medicine Research and Teaching Association
CCA = USA Career College Association Accrediting Commission on
Trade and Technical Schools
COMTAA = USA Commission on Massage Training Accreditation/Approval
NCETMB = USA National Certification Exam for Therapeutic Massage
and Bodywork
NCBTMB = USA National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage
and Bodywork

------------------------------

c) Other acronyms and abbreviations you should be familiar with:
ETLA = Extended TLA, i.e. a four letter acronym
FAQ = Frequently Asked Question (this is also the traditional
acronym for a list of FAQs)
FAQL = Frequently Asked Question List
FTP = File Transfer Protocol
GMT = Greenwich Mean Time
ISBN = International Standard Book Number
TLA = Three Letter Acronym
TM = Trademark
URL = Universal Resource Locator, a computer network address
standard developed in conjunction with the World Wide Web
USA = United States of America
WAIS = Wide Area Information Servers (a type of automated index
of documents available via the Internet)
WWW = World Wide Web (a global network of hypermedia documents
connected by links implemented using the Internet)
:-) = An emoticon often used to express humorous intent or
happiness, also used to abate a strong statement so as not
to offend
:) = ditto (but less formal)

------------------------------

d) `Please, sir, I want some more.'

For more definitions see `Frequently Asked Questions about Usenet'
which is regularly posted to the news.announce.newusers and news.answers
newsgroups. There is a list of resources to help you understand acronyms
at <URL:http://dir.yahoo.com/Reference/Acronyms_and_Abbreviations/>.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Help! I'm new to this whole Usenet/'net thing
Q1.4) The following two newsgroups contain some excellent introductory
postings: news.announce.newusers and news.newusers.questions.
Whoever is providing you with access to Usenet should be able to
give you some basic introduction or instruction. This isn't because they
are necessarily nice, but because if they don't at least attempt to tell
you the basics then they can't blame you when you do something awful. If
they haven't offered you any advice or instruction then ask someone
responsible for some pointers to useful information. I advise you not to
ask another newcomer -- that is a great way to propagate misconceptions.
There are many introductory books about the global Internet and
Usenet. If you learn well from books then you might consider buying one or
borrowing it from a library. Some books are available for free, others are
available for sampling online as an enticement to get you to buy them. For
a fuller discussion of such books see a) the misc.books.technical
newsgroup, b) the Unofficial Internet Book List at the rtfm.mit.edu FTP
site (filename `book-list' in the directory
`pub/usenet/news.answers/internet-services') that's written
<URL:ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/internet-services> in the
standard notation. See question 5.2.4 for more information about the
rtfm.mit.edu FTP site.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Anonymous Posts
Q1.5) There isn't a lot of tolerance for anonymous posting in
alt.backrubs. This intolerance is often expressed by people not following
up or responding to anonymous posts. If there is some reason you must post
using an anonymous service you will find people more co-operative if you
give your real name and e-mail address as well as explaining why you must
use the service. In case you must remain anonymous you are advised to
mention the reason in your post. There is some discussion of this in the
`anonymous.posts' file in the archive (see question 5.1.2).

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: What should I do about 'net abuse (spams, scams & ads)?
Q1.6) You've just seen a chain letter, or spam, or an unsolicited and
apparently inappropriate advertisement, posted to alt.backrubs. You are
enraged. What should you do? First, take a deep breath and exhale slowly;
Calm down, this is only Usenet! :) Resolve *not* to post a message about
this to alt.backrubs -- you'll just annoy the rest of us more. Next, read
the resources listed here and choose a moral and legal course of action (or
inaction) then carry it out.

I don't like to duplicate information that is available in more
general frequent postings. Instead, I direct you to the following three
documents. This list was current as of 9 October 1995.

1) Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Usenet
Posted to news.announce.newusers and news.answers
by Mark Moraes <netan...@deshaw.com>.

2) How to Get Rid of Junk Mail, Spam, and Telemarketers
<URL:http://www.csn.net/~felbel/jnkmail.html>
[Entry updated on 25 August 1996]

3) Boycott Internet spam!
<URL:http://www.vix.com/spam/>
[Entry added on 25 October 1996]

4) Blacklist of Internet Advertisers
maintained by Axel Boldt <ax...@uni-paderborn.de>.
<URL:http://math-www.uni-paderborn.de/~axel/blacklist.html>

5) Advertising on Usenet: How To Do It, How Not To Do It
Posted to news.announce.newusers, news.admin.misc,
misc.entrepreneurs, news.admin.net-abuse.misc,
news.misc, misc.answers, and news.answers
by Joel K. Furr <jf...@acpub.duke.edu>.
Also at <URL:http://www.danger.com/advo.html>
[Entry updated 11 August 1996, URL included 13 Feb 1997]

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Does anyone discuss anything here anymore?
Q1.7) As you can see from the archive (see question 5.1.2), for a long
time there was very interesting, exciting, and sometimes insightful
discussion in this newsgroup. Alas you might find there is far less
discussion of any sort here anymore. Why is that, and more importantly,
what can you do to find the sort of information and discussion you want?

Why is that? Briefly, there was such an influx of new posters who
had no understanding of (or concern with) how Usenet functioned that they
overwhelmed the resources of the people who posted to and read discussions
in alt.backrubs. (Some say that alt.backrubs was hit harder by the
so-called September That Never Ended than other groups, but any discussion
of that is beyond the scope of this list.) Over time many of the former
regulars stopped reading the group and they were not replaced by posters
who maintained the former type of discourse. Some of the those former
posters have continued discussions in mailing lists and other networked
fora. See question 5.2 for some examples.

What can you do to find the sort of discussion and information that
you want? The `group.split' file in the archive contains excerpts from
previous discussion of related problems with the group. Here are some
suggestions from previous discussions (from least to most radical):

* Make postings of the sort you want to see, or at least about
topics that you are interested in. As Bill Arnett wrote,
alt.backrubs is a newsgroup not a magazine. If you want to read
something in it then you have to write something (a question,
comment, answer, summary, etc.).

* If you have a suitably equipped newsreader you can use killfiles
and scorefiles so that you don't have to see posts you wouldn't
read anyway. (You may have a copy of my trn style killfile just
by asking for it.)

* Abandon this newsgroup in favour of mailing lists and other fora
(see questions 4.2(a) about the BODYWORK mailing list, and 5.2.4
and 5.2.5 about online discussion fora such as
misc.health.alternative).

* The most radical notion is to create a new newsgroup but it is
far from clear that any new group would be free from the trouble
that has afflicted alt.backrubs.
The alt.health.massage-therapy newsgroup is an example of such a
group. With your help it could succeed.
That group was created in mid-March 2001. Some discussion
preceding the creation is in the archive's `group.split' file.
When there is a description of the group then it will appear in
question 5.2.4(m).

[question added 13 November 2000, latest update 13 October 2001]
--
Jamie Blustein `No trees were destroyed to make this post' <ja...@csd.uwo.ca>
The disclaimer is the subject of question 0.6
See also http://www.ii.uib.no/~kjartan/backrubfaq/
This document is archived in ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/alt.backrubs/

J. `send no junk mail' Blustein

unread,
Jan 2, 2003, 3:58:32 AM1/2/03
to
Archive-name: backrubs/faq/part2

Last-modified: 25 October 2002
Maintainer: J. Blustein <ja...@csd.uwo.ca>
Copyright: (c) 1994-2002 J. Blustein. All rights reserved. See question 0.7 for details.

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
* *
* This FAQ list will not be posted after January 2003 *
* *
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

Section 2 -- Basics of Massage

This posting contains answers to the following questions:

2.1) What is massage? What is bodywork and how do they differ?

2.2) What are some examples of massage and bodywork techniques?


2.3) Where can I read about massage techniques?
2.4) Is massage a sexual technique?
2.5) Could I hurt anyone if I do something wrong?
2.6) What does this technical term mean?

The complete lists of subparts of all questions is in part 0 of
this FAQ list.

Each question begins with `Subject:' on a line of its own. Users
with suitably equipped newsreaders can automatically skip to the start of

the next question, e.g. trn will display the start of the question when you


press ^G (control-G). Of course if your newsreader doesn't do this
automatically, you can still use a search command to find the next question.

To find the answer to question 2.2 search for a line beginning with
`Q2.2)', there will be only one.

------------------------------

Your suggestions for changes to these articles are welcome. Please

see section 0 (entitled Administrivia and Acknowledgements) in the earlier
posting for information about whom to contact and what changes are planned.

The questions are divided into the following general sections.
Questions from each section are answered in articles of their own. A list
of all questions appears in the first article (section 0).

Section 0 Administrivia and Acknowledgements
Section 1 General Questions
Section 2 Basics of Massage
Section 3 Novice Questions
Section 4 Professional Massage
Section 5 Other Sources of Information

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Section 2 -- Basics of Massage

Subject: What is massage? What is bodywork and how do the two differ?
Q2.1) Massage includes a number of disciplines which share the use of
pressure, friction and strain upon the muscles and joints of the body for
therapeutic or affectionate physical responses. In the book _Massage: A
Career at your fingertips_ Martin Ashley identifies several types of
massage: massage for preventive general health; massage for relaxation,
pampering or `beautification'; sports massage, massage for pain relief;
rehabilitative massage (for recovery from physical injury); massage as an
adjunct to medical or chiropractic treatment; and massage for personal
psychological transformation. See Section 4.1 for more details about the
book.
The term `bodywork' is often used to refer to therapies that are
often combined and confused with massage, e.g. Shiatsu, Trager, Rolfing,
Polarity and Reflexology. Some of these therapies are described briefly in
question 2.2; there are postings about all of them in the archive (see
question 5.1.2).

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: What are some examples of massage, bodywork and related therapies?
Q2.2)

The complete lists of subparts of all questions is in part 0 of this FAQ
list. Here is the list of subparts for this question (in no particular
order):

(a) Swedish (b) Shiatsu (c) Reflexology (d) Aromatherapy
(e) On-site (f) Erotic (g) Trigger point (g) Myotherapy
(h) Polarity (i) Myofascial release (j) Craniosacral
(k) Reiki (l) Trager (m) Hakomi (n) Jim Shin Do
(o) Neuromuscular therapy (p) Pfrimmer deep muscle therapy
(q) Rolfing (r) Alexander (s) Feldenkreis (t) Hellerwork
(u) others

a) Swedish massage (which is a proper name, not a reference to Sweden)
refers to a collection of techniques designed primarily to relax muscles by
applying pressure to them against deeper muscles and bones, and rubbing in
the same direction as the flow of blood returning to the heart. The lymph
system and veins (which carry blood back to the heart) both rely on muscle
action, rather than heart pump pressure, to operate. Many believe it is
safe to apply light pressure in the opposite direction.
Friction is reduced by oil, or lacking that baby powder. Some
practitioners claim benefits from vegetable rather than mineral oil while
others disagree. (See question 3.4 about oil and the `oil.vs.powder' file
in the archive; the archive is the subject of question 5.1.2.) Swedish
massage can relax muscles, increase circulation, remove metabolic waste
products, help the recipient obtain a feeling of connectedness, a better
awareness of their body and the way they use and position it.
The strokes and manipulations of Swedish Massage are each conceived
as having a specific therapeutic benefit. One of the primary goals of
Swedish Massage is to speed venous return from the extremities. Swedish
Massage shortens recovery time from muscular strain by flushing the tissue
of lactic acid, uric acid and other metabolic wastes. It improves
circulation without increasing heart load. It stretches the ligaments and
tendons, keeping them supple. Swedish Massage also stimulates the skin and
nervous system while at the same time relaxing the nerves themselves. As
it can help reduce emotional and physical stress it is often recommended as
part of a regular programme for stress management. It also has specific
clinical uses in a medical or remedial therapy.

------------------------------

b) Shiatsu, on the other hand, is a system based on the body's energy
meridians. Shiatsu massages are normally done fully clothed and involve
pressing points on the body and stretching and opening of the energy
meridians. Shiatsu is somewhat related to acupuncture, which is a form of
anaesthesia and therapy used in Chinese hospitals for surgery. Its
proponents view it as a form of treatment alternative to medicine or
surgery. (Toru Namikoshi's Complete Book of Shiatsu Therapy -- published
by Japan Pubns., Inc. with ISBN 0-87040-461-x in 1981 -- claims to be the
definitive work; Zen Shiatsu by Shizuto Masunaga & Wataru Ohashi, also
published by Japan Publications Inc, ISBN 0-87040-394-x is also recommended
in the archive.) Question 5.2.3 has references to WWW resources
dealing with Shiatsu.

------------------------------

c) [This subsection, about Reflexology, is largely based on notes
provided by Reflexology expert and author Kevin Kunz. He notes that there
are significant differences between foot massage and Reflexology. Any
errors are the fault of the FAQL maintainer and no one else.]
Reflexology is based on the belief that there are places on the
feet (and hands) that correspond to parts of the body, e.g. internal organs
and joints. Manipulating those parts of the feet (or hands) can have
direct effects on corresponding parts of the body. Some proponents claim
the ability to diagnose and treat illnesses of these organs by appropriate
reflexological treatment.
I haven't seen a convincing explanation of why this is supposed to
work but many people cite Reflexology as an excellent technique for
holistic assessment and adjunct to other therapies. Although Reflexology
is often discussed as part of Zone Therapy this isn't completely accurate.
The archive contains some discussion and references to books about
Reflexology.
According to Reflexology teacher Terry Norman <t...@onramp.net>:
a currently accepted theory in the West is that Reflexology works
by way of the neuro-reflex points found in the feet & hands. When
organs don't function normally the neural signals along the
network change patterns. Such changes can be detected and
monitored through the reflex points. Chemistry at these points
sometimes changes as well -- hard painful spots (said to be uric
acid crystals) may form at points that relate to the organ, or
area of the body, to which the reflex point corresponds.
Occasionally, when rubbing or pressing firmly on these spots you
can feel them "pop" or burst apart -- they feel grainy or gritty
like sand or sugar. After the spots disappear, the area begins to
become less tender and the organ to which the reflex point relates
also functions better.
In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) the points on the hands
& feet correspond to the channels & collaterals. TCM has charts
dating back thousands of years illustrating the same points on
these areas as modern day Foot & Hand Reflexology charts. I
believe that the "true" system is some convergence of both
systems. Although, I think that what has been called
"Reflexology", or "Zone Therapy" is nothing more than a
re-discovering of the wheel you might say.

The Home of Reflexology provides details of Reflexology Organisations
together with information on reflexology and other reflexology related
links.

WWW: <URL:http://www.reflexology.org/>

------------------------------

d) By mixing scents with oil, various pleasing moods can be created.
Aromatherapy is the use of fragrant substances for health and beauty
treatment. It is often combined with massage since oils can be used to
carry fragrances while also allowing more pressure to be applied to
muscles. Its proponents claim that health benefits are associated with
specific choices of scent. For example, clary sage can be used to combat
depression. (See questions 5.2.4 and 5.1.2 for other sources of
information about Aromatherapy.)

------------------------------

e) `On-site massage' is one name for a short (15-20 minute) massage of
a client sitting in a special, portable massage chair. The client remains
fully clothed and no oils are used while their shoulders, neck, upper back,
head and arms are massaged. On-Site is popular at some offices as an
employee benefit and for some conferences, workshops and certain social
events.

------------------------------

f) Erotic massage is really a sexual foreplay technique, rather than a
form of massage. Massage focuses on muscles, whereas erotic massage
focuses primarily on skin. It's been said that 95% of erotic (or sensual)
massage is the same as other massage. This is not an accepted form of
bodywork and therefore not something that you should expect from a
Registered MT. There is nonetheless some information specifically about
erotic massage in the archive. See also question 2.4, entitled `Is massage
a sexual technique?' for further clarification.

------------------------------

g) Trigger point and Myotherapy are pain-relief techniques to
alleviate muscle spasms and cramping. The therapist locates and
deactivates `trigger points', which are often tender areas where muscles
have been damaged or acquired a re-occuring spasm or `kink' that worsens
painfully when aggravated. The major goals are to reduce spasm inducing
new blood flow into the affected area. The spasms are partly maintained by
nervous system feedback (pain-spasm-pain) cycle. Spasms also physically
reduce blood flow to the trigger point area (ischemia), reducing oxygen
supplied to the tissues and increasing the spasm.
Pressure is applied to trigger points, for a short time (between
about 7 to 10 seconds per point), which can be momentarily painful but is
greatly relieving. It is common to hit the same trigger points several
times during a session, but you won't be leaning into a sore spot for
several minutes. Often ice or another cooling agent is used to reduce
nervous system response, making the area easier and more comfortable to
work. Then the muscles are gently stretched to complete the relaxation
process, hence the name `spray and stretch'. Myotherapy aims to erase pain
and soothe tightened muscles. People with acute or chronic muscle tension
and the associated pain are likely to benefit greatly from this type of
treatment.

------------------------------

h) Polarity therapy is a holistic approach to natural health care. It
asserts that energy fields exist everywhere in nature, and that the flow
and balance of this energy in the human body is the underlying foundation
of health. Stress, tension, pain, inflexible thinking, and environmental
stimuli are among many factors that can contribute to the restriction of
this energy flow in the human body. According to Polarity therapists, such
energy blocks can be released by the use of four therapeutic methods:
bodywork, diet, exercise and self-awareness. The founder of Polarity
Therapy, Dr. Randolph Stone DO, DC, ND, emphasized the interdependence of
body, emotions, mind and spirit. Polarity therapy includes gentle body
manipulation and holding pressure points (poles) as well as counselling on
developing positive thoughts and attitudes, understanding the principles of
food combining and easy exercises to increase energy flow. Polarity is
often used by care givers in conjunction with many other therapies.

------------------------------

i) Myofascial release is used to evaluate and treat restrictions in
the body's contractile connective tissues (muscles) and non-contractile
supportive connective tissues (fascia) by the application of gentle
traction, pressures and positioning. Fascia is a complex supportive web
throughout the body affecting all components of the musculoskeletal,
nervous and visceral (organ) systems. It surrounds groups of muscle
fibres, and entire muscle groups and organs. While it is not contractile,
it can be passively elastically deformed. That is how it retains tensions
from physical and emotional traumas. It is also involved when a person
suffers chronic pain or physical dysfunction. Chronically tense muscles
restrict blood flow and fatigue the body. Both fascia and muscle tissues
can become shortened if they are improperly used. As well, layers of
fascia can stick together.
Myofascial release techniques are used to coax muscles in spasm to
relax, and break adhesions in the fascia. Bodies respond to these
therapies by releasing tension that has been stored in the fascia, thus
allowing more functional flexibility and mobility of the muscles, fascia
and associated structures. Another definition of fascia appears in
question 2.6 (about technical terms).

------------------------------

j) Craniosacral therapy can be considered to be a type of myofascial
release that is especially suited to addressing tensions in the
Craniosacral system: the membranes that contain the cerebrospinal fluid
within the head and spinal column, as well as the cranial (head and face)
bones to which these membranes are attached. Release of restrictions in
these membranes and at the sutures between the cranial lobes is deeply
relaxing and may relieve certain types of headache, spinal nerve problems,
temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ), and stress in the nervous
system. Other body functions can also benefit and emotional tension may be
discharged through the process of Somato-Emotional Release.

------------------------------

k) Reiki is a gentle hands-on healing technique to reduce stress,
relieve pain, and facilitate healing. Practitioners hold that the vital
energy of the universe is channelled through the practitioner to energize
the various body systems on levels that promote healing and wholeness. The
hands (and intuition) are used to scan a client's body, and to perceive and
treat areas of reduced vitality.
The following subsection, about Reiki, is based on a text provided by
Usui Shiki Ryoho Reiki Master Brian M. Carter.
In English, the Japanese word `Reiki' refers to the teachings of Usui
Shiki Ryoho, translated as the `Usui Method of Natural (or Drugless)
Healing'. The Method has been known in Japan since the late 1860s. It was
brought to U.S.A. in the 1930s and, although it has no Christian roots, it
is certainly not a so-called New Age concoction.
It is based on the same energetic principles as acupuncture, t'ai chi
chuan and chi kung. But Reiki is neither invasive, as is acupuncture, nor
does it require physical agility and effort to gain benefits, as do t'ai
chi and chi kung.
According to Usui Shiki Ryoho Reiki Master Brian M. Carter: `this
adjunct to competent medical care is definitely based on a traditional
Oriental model of bodily healing, because it assumes the presence of an
imbalance of an energetic nature that is manifesting in the physical body
as stress, or, in more serious cases, as a life-threatening disease one may
be facing. As Reiki practitioners, we have learned that, in many cases, we
can help persons with such illnesses to remove these unseen causes and
replace them with robust energy that will have a definite, noticeable,
beneficial physical effect.'
There are two principal aspects of Reiki practice. As one
successfully builds a strong practice of Reiki, one also learns how to
convey this ki energy to others who need it. One aspect is called practice
`for oneself', which is emphasized in First Degree Reiki practice. The
other is called practice `for others' and is emphasized in Second Degree
and Master level practices.
For most daily stress, tension, minor illness, trauma, etc., First
Degree Reiki practice is very effective. For life-threatening illness --
in which severe physical manifestations have already materialized
(e.g. cancer and AIDS) and congenital diseases (e.g. cystic fibrosis and
muscular dystrophy) it is often very difficult for a person to effectively
practice `for oneself' therefore help from a more advanced Reiki
practitioner is often required for the best results. Second Degree and
Reiki Master level practitioners have acquired considerable ability in
directing and focusing ki energy through practice and study with persons
with severe illness. Such practitioners will have specific, advanced
techniques with which to help the ill person.
Much more information about Reiki is available in the archive's
`reiki' file. Information about the archive is available in question
5.1.2. There are also some WWW resources about Reiki -- see question
5.2.3 for details. The alt.healing.reiki newsgroup seems to be an
excellent place for serious discussion of Reiki (July 1996).

------------------------------

l) Trager Psychophysical Integration (usually just called Trager) uses
light, gentle, non-intrusive movements to facilitate the release of
deep-seated physical and mental patterns. Each part of the client's body
is moved rhythmically so that the recipient experiences the possibility of
moving lightly, effortlessly, and freely on their own. A Trager session
should help reduce stress from chronic tension, teach more effective ways
to recover from stressful situations, enhance conscious awareness and
flexibility, improve self-image, expand energy, restore free flowing
movement and full self-expression by reducing constriction and rigidity. A
Trager session can bring about the experience of peace and serenity -- a
high-energy state of well-being beyond relaxation.

------------------------------

m) The Hakomi method is a body-based psychotherapy using special
states of consciousness to help clients probe non-verbal levels where core
beliefs direct and influence their experiences. Body-mind awareness and
touch are used to explore the body as a deep source of information,
empowering the client to change their attitudes.

------------------------------

n) Jin Shin Do (transl. the way of the compassionate spirit) is
derived from acupressure. The technique involves applying gentle fingertip
pressure to thirty specific points along the body to release, smooth and
balance vital `chi' energy. Practitioners meditate and try to transfer chi
to clients by using knowledge of where energy flows and patterns meet.
According to its practitioners, Jin Shin Do pervades all aspects of our being
by affecting general muscle tension, improving circulation, balancing
emotions and raising the spiritual state of being.

------------------------------

o) Neuromuscular therapy uses advanced concepts in pressure therapy to
break the stress-tension-pain cycle. It aims to relax muscle so that
circulation can increase and the body will return to normal neuromuscular
integrity and balance. The St. John Method is a type of NMT.

------------------------------

p) Pfrimmer deep muscle therapy was developed by Therese Pfrimmer.
Once partially paralysed, she overcame her disability through deep muscle
manipulation and spent the next 30 years developing this technique.
Pfrimmer Deep Muscle Therapy works across the muscles manipulating deep
tissues, stimulating circulation and regenerating lymphatic flow, thus
promoting detoxification and oxygenation of stagnant tissues.

------------------------------

q) Rolfing will be described here someday. Professionals at The
Rolf Institute of Structural Integration are working on a short descripion
of Rolfing. That's a big project that may take some time to complete.
Until it is I'm referring all interested readers to the WWW documents of
the Rolf Institute and the Guild for Structural Integration (respectively):

WWW: <URL:http://www.rolf.org/>,
WWW: <URL:http://www.rolfguild.org/>.

[Added 6 Sept. 1995; Rolf Institute URL added 30 May 1996;
Guild for Structural Integration URL added 1 March 1998]

------------------------------

r) This subsection, about the Alexander Technique, has been adapted from
a description of the Technique that was sent to me by the North American
Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique (NASTAT). Brian McCullough
of NASTAT approved the adaptation.

People often develop habitual reactions, beliefs and movement
patterns that cause physical and mental strain. These patterns are
typically expressed by tight neck and back muscles, collapsed posture or
lack of mobility. Many of us don't realize how much cumulative damage,
pain or even injury these movement patterns can cause.
F. M. Alexander's method `The Alexander Technique' is used to teach
people to observe and correct their own habits of misuse. With a subtle
touch and verbal instructions, an Alexander teacher analyzes a client's
imbalances and reinforces their innate postural reflexes. Anyone --
whether sitting at a computer, playing a sport or an instrument or simply
walking -- can use this method to awaken untapped energy and power.
Ultimately, clients learn to harness their innate `kinesthetic
intelligence', become less stressed.
Many people who suffer from back and neck problems, chronic pain,
repetitive strain injury and breathing difficulties have found the
Alexander Technique a useful tool for solving a wide variety of problems.
Anyone -- including those with structural conditions such as scoliosis or
arthritis -- can utilize this approach to maximize their movement
potential. The Alexander Technique has taken its place in the curriculum
of music conservatories, theater schools and universities throughout the
world, as a foundation for creative exploration, improved health and an
expanded understanding of human potential.

For more information about the Alexander Technique contact the
North American Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique:
<nas...@ix.netcom.com>
North American Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique (NASTAT)
3010 Hennepin Ave. South, Suite 10
Minneapolis, MN 55408, USA
tel: +1 (800) 473-0620
fax: +1 (612) 822-7224

WWW: <URL:http://www.life.uiuc.edu/jeff/nastat.html>

See also Robert Rickover's The Complete Guide To The Alexander
Technique website at the address below. [`See also' included 1 Oct 1998]

WWW: <URL:http://alexandertechnique.com/>

------------------------------

s) This subsection, about The Feldenkrais Method, is adapted from a
a text provided by Feldenkrais practitioner Jerry Larson.

The Feldenkrais Method is named after its originator, Moshe
Feldenkrais. It can be used to improve grace, ease and range of motion, to
relieve pain and limitation resulting from accident or illness, to improve
the performance of athletes, artists, actors, etc., and for self-discovery
and personal growth.
Feldenkrais work is based on learning. Humans learn posture and
movement, and then, in effect forget them. We can improve the ways that we
move and organize our bodies by paying conscious attention to our posture.
Feldenkrais practitioners hold that there is no single ideal posture -- the
ideal way of organizing your body is something for you to discover, and can
change over time.

There are two ways of doing Feldenkrais work: Functional
Integration lessons and Awareness Through Movement.
Functional Integration lessons resemble some forms of massage in
that the Feldenkrais practitioner gently moves the client, who usually lies
on a table similar to a massage table. Clients are fully clothed. No
lubricants are used. The practitioner moves the client's bones and joints,
in natural, functional ways, i.e., no high-speed or forceful manipulations.
These techniques are collectively known as `a skeletal contact'. There is
no stroking or manipulating of the body's soft tissues.
In Awareness Through Movement, the client actively explores
movement by following verbal instructions. This format resembles an
exercise or Yoga class, but there is no strenuous effort, and smaller
movements, or even imagined ones, can be more effective than large ones. A
lasting change can occur in one session, because the changes brought about
in this work are changes in one's self image, which determines the body's
movements and posture.

`Feldenkrais Method', `Awareness Through Movement', and `Functional
Integration' are registered service marks of the FELDENKRAIS GUILD.

More information is available from `The Feldenkrais Method Home
Page' which the Guild maintains at the address below.

WWW: <URL:http://www.usc.edu/hsc/neuroprotection/feldenkrais/>

------------------------------

t) [The following description of Hellerwork has been adapted from a
text provided by Jacqueline Freeman of Hellerwork International, LLC. The
adapted text has been approved by Jacqueline Freeman.]

Hellerwork's system of deep-tissue bodywork and movement education
is designed to realign and recondition the body while releasing chronic
tension and stress. Verbal dialogue also helps clients become aware of
emotional stress that may be related to physical tension. Hellerwork helps
people move from their current `average' state to the optimal state of
health and wellbeing which is the body's `normal' and natural condition.
Hellerwork practitioners offer a series of integrated one-hour
sessions of deep tissue bodywork, movement education, and verbal
dialogue. The number of sessions can vary from person to person due to the
varying needs of individuals. The series is organized along eleven
sections and each section can take one or more sessions to accomplish the
desired result.
Although Hellerwork may be effective for temporary pain or tension
relief, Hellerwork recognizes that pain and tension are usually the result
of an overall pattern of imbalance occurring in the body. Rather than
treating the pain or tension `symptom' of this imbalance, Hellerwork
focuses on rebalancing the entire body, returning it to a more aligned,
relaxed and youthful state.
The verbal dialogue component of Hellerwork focuses on allowing you
to become aware of the relationship between your emotions and attitudes and
your body. As you become aware of these relationships, you are able to
become responsible for your attitudes so that they are less likely to limit
your body and your self expression.
All Hellerwork Practitioners are certified by Hellerwork
International, which is responsible for the continuing education required
of all Practitioners, and for the maintenance of professional standards.

More information about Hellerwork is available in the archive's
`hellerwork' file, from the Hellerwork web page (see below) and from
Hellerwork International, LLC at:
406 Berry Street
Mount Shasta, CA 96067, USA
+1 (916) 926-2500 / +1 (800) 392-3900
+1 (916) 926-6839 (fax)

WWW: <URL:http://www.hellerwork.com/~hwork/>

------------------------------

u) There are many more types of massage and bodywork than those
dealt with here. If you are interested in learning about a specific type
that is not mentioned here, look for a file about it in the archive or read
one of the books recommended in this FAQL (see question 2.3) or in the book
file in the archive (see question 5.1.2).

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Where can I read about massage techniques?
Q2.3) _The Massage Book_ by George Downing (and illustrated by Anne
Kent Rush) is highly and frequently recommended. It has been co-published
by Bodyworks and Random House with ISBN 0-394-70770-2 (paper) since 1972.
The trade edition is reported to have ISBN 0-394-48241-7.
Keith Grant recommends _The Complete Book of Massage_ by Clare
Maxwell-Hudson (Random House, 1988) and _The Book of Massage: The Complete
Step-by-Step Guide to Eastern and Western Techniques_ by Lucinda Liddel
with Sara Thomas, Carola Beresford Cooke and Anthony Porter (A Fireside
Book published by Simon and Schuster, 1984).
The FAQL maintainer thinks _The Back Rub Book: How to give and
receive great back rubs_ by Anne Kent Rush (A Vintage Book published by
Random House, 1989/ISBN 0-394-75962-1) and _The Massage Book_ are great.

The alt.backrubs archive (see question 5.1.2) contains detailed
recommendations for these and other books as well as much advice for novice
and experienced massagers. The archive category `Getting Started' contains
basic advice about massage techniques. The archive also contains
suggestions for videos, journals and specific magazine articles.

The alt.romance FAQL contains some advice about giving some basic
massages too. You can find that document in the alt.romance newsgroup and
at the rtfm.mit.edu FTP site in pub/usenet-by-group/alt.romance. See
question 5.2 for information about FTP and the rtfm.mit.edu site in
particular.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Is massage a sexual technique?
Q2.4) It can be, but it need not be.
Massage operates in a continuum between physical therapy or say
Shiatsu, which is exclusively muscle focused and is highly non-erotic, to
Swedish massage, which is muscle focused and includes affectionate but not
erotic touch, to erotic massage which is a sexual technique.
Most people's response to a good (Swedish) massage is to fall
asleep, not to get aroused. If a massage is focused on relaxing muscle
groups, it will not be an erotic experience. The donor will get a major
workout and the receiver will be very relaxed. If a massage is focused on
touching skin it will be an affectionate experience and a highly intimate
and emotional one -- but not an erotic one. If a body rub is primarily
focused on touching skin, especially if that focus includes erogenous
zones, it may be an erotic experience.
There are some very nice strokes which are used only in sexual
contexts, they are quite distinct from the strokes used in other kinds of
massage. Some of them are described in the archive.
One of the hallmarks of a dysfunctional family (one which
perpetuates a culture of addiction and dependence) is a deep confusion
between affectionate and erotic touch combined with a strong yearning for,
yet fear of, emotional intimacy. People who have this confusion are likely
to experience any kind of touch as erotic or to use affectionate touch as a
surrogate for forbidden erotic touch. These same people are likely to view
all nudity as sexual, or more properly, to consider touch, nudity and sex,
as surrogates for the intimacy vacuum associated with the culture. This
forms the subtext for some of the threads that appear periodically in the
newsgroup. Because most massage, like most body therapies, is hindered by
clothing, and involves touch, this newsgroup periodically attracts the
attention of some of these unfortunates.
You will avoid unpleasant misunderstandings if you are clear in
your own mind on what you want, and if you are able to clearly discern
between a prospective masseur/masseuse/massee :-) and a prospective sexual
partner, or someone with a voyeuristic interest in the pseudo-intimacy of
nudity.
There is lots about this in the archive (see question 5.1.2 for
information about the archive). In particular, see the sections entitled
`Sex & Massage' and `Sexual Massage/Foreplay'.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Might I hurt someone if I do something wrong?
Q2.5) There are some things of which to be careful. Read a good book, to
learn all you need to know. In general, be careful of organs, joints
(including vertebrae), and veins. Avoid applying heavy pressure to the
kneecap, back of the knee, the abdomen and the front of the neck. There is
a right direction (toward the heart) and a wrong direction to apply
pressure. (Veins have valves that act to prevent the back flow of blood
returning to the heart. You don't want to blow those valves!) Read the
`toward.heart' file in the archive (see question 5.1.2) if you are
interested in the discussion of why certain massage techniques do not go
towards the heart. Similarly, the abdomen should be massaged in a
clockwise direction because of the way the intestines are laid out.
Obviously avoid broken bones, acute inflammations, etc. and use
caution if the recipient has a medical problem, including infections.
Information and advice about massaging bruises, and dealing with chronic
pain, is available in the archive. Cancer and plebitis have been mentioned
as conditions incompatible with massage.
Beyond that, you're responsible for getting your own expert
therapeutic, medical, legal, etc. advice :-)
The `warning' file in the archive contains some of the more dire
warnings posted to the newsgroup. The `toward.heart' file in the archive
contains some more information about the direction in which to apply
pressure.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: What does this technical term mean?
Q2.6) Below is a short list of technical terms which arise in
alt.backrubs. If you would like to see an addition or change to this
list please read question 0.3. Expansion of acronyms is in question
1.2. Descriptions of some massage and bodywork techniques are in
question 2.2.

Draping: refers to the covering of the client's body while they are
being massaged.
Effleurage: is used in Swedish massage. It is a long, gliding stroke.
Esalen: Keith Grant posted this quotation from the Esalen catalogue:
`Esalen Institute is a center to explore work in the humanities
and sciences that promotes human values and potentials. Its
activities consist of public seminars, residential work-study
programs, invitational conferences, research, and
semi-autonomous projects. (Its [sic - JB] been described as being a
state of mind as much as a physical place).'
Fascia: A layer or sheet of connective tissue that connects the various
structures and organs of the body. Some fascia is simple sheets,
others are complex and multi-layered. Fascia is usually divided
into two types: superficial and deep. (See question 0.5 for
reference source.)
Fibromyalgia: an arthritic condition affecting muscles.
Holistic Massage: treats the body as a whole and does not concentrate
on only a troubled area. (compare with Therapeutic)
Petrissage: is used in Swedish massage. They are kneading, grabbing,
wringing strokes used to focus on body regions.
Strain/Counter Strain is a set of techniques for relieving musculoskeletal
spasm and pain. It is a passive procedure that places the body or
limb into the position of greatest comfort. This reduces or arrests
the inappropriate nervous system activity that maintains protective
muscle spasm. Normalization of both muscle tone and joint function
normally accompany the decrease or elimination of pain that result.
Tapotement: are a variety of percussive strokes, hitting, tapping, or
pinching strokes used in Swedish massage.
Therapeutic Massage: usually concentrates on a particular area which
needs treatment. (compare with Holistic)

J. `send no junk mail' Blustein

unread,
Jan 2, 2003, 3:58:33 AM1/2/03
to
Archive-name: backrubs/faq/part4

Last-modified: 25 October 2002
Maintainer: J. Blustein <ja...@csd.uwo.ca>
Copyright: (c) 1994-2002 J. Blustein. All rights reserved. See question 0.7 for details.

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
* *
* This FAQ list will not be posted after January 2003 *
* *
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

Section 4 -- Professional Massage

This posting contains answers to the following questions:

4.1) What about licencing, certification and professional training?

4.2) Professional issues (table suppliers, organizations, etc.)


4.3) Finding a good professional massage

4.4) Advice for a recipient of professional massage
4.5) How much will it cost? Should I tip? Can I get it cheaper?
4.6) I've got the following symptoms. What do you advise?

The complete lists of subparts of all questions is in part 0 of
this FAQ list.

Each question begins with `Subject:' on a line of its own. Users


with suitably equipped newsreaders can automatically skip to the start of

the next question, e.g. trn will display the start of the question when you


press ^G (control-G). Of course if your newsreader doesn't do this
automatically, you can still use a search command to find the next
question.

To find the answer to question 4.2 search for a line beginning with
`Q4.2)', there will be only one.

------------------------------

Your suggestions for changes to these articles are welcome. Please

see section 0 (entitled Administrivia and Acknowledgements) in the earlier
posting for information about whom to contact and what changes are planned.

The questions are divided into the following general sections.
Questions from each section are answered in articles of their own. A list
of all questions appears in the first article (section 0).

Section 0 Administrivia and Acknowledgements
Section 1 General Questions
Section 2 Basics of Massage
Section 3 Novice Questions
Section 4 Professional Massage
Section 5 Other Sources of Information

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Section 4 -- Professional Massage

Subject: What about licencing, certification and professional training?
Q4.1) Licencing is, of course, only relevant if you are looking to charge
for giving massages. The restrictions and regulations differ from state to
state in the USA and province to province in Canada. If you have
information about regulation in other countries, please post it to the
newsgroup.
Some jurisdictions have no restrictions, some provide two-tier
regulation (distinguishing between so-called technicians or bodyworkers and
therapists), some just want to make sure massage is not being used as a
cover for prostitution. Some even require a level of training level
equivalent to what a physical therapist would have.
The rest of this question is in two parts: the first part is about
various resource guides that are available; the second part is about the
two major organizations that are frequently discussed in alt.backrubs.

a) Books, magazines and other resource guides

Two books have been mentioned in alt.backrubs: _Massage: a career
at your fingertips_ and _International Massage & Bodywork Resource Guide_.
Martin Ashley's book _Massage: A Career At Your Fingertips_
(published by Station Hill Press with ISBN 0-88268-135-4 in 1992) used to
be recommended often in alt.backrubs. It provides a thorough overview of
career choices for bodyworkers and massage therapists and a career-planning
guide. The extensive section about legal requirements, schools and
equipment may be out of date by now. A Table of Contents (for the first
edition) is in the archive's `getting.registered' file. Information
about the second editon is available on the WWW at
<URL:http://www.cloud9.net/~martash/massage.htm>.
According to Keith Grant, the _International Massage & Bodywork
Resource Guide_ compiled by Robert Calvert and Noel Abildgaard and
published by Noah Press (with ISBNs 1-879933-04-7 and 1-879933-03-9 in
1991) contains more than 520 listings of schools, associations, seminars
and laws related to the healing arts of massage, bodywork and holistic
health along with tips on choosing a school, a glossary of techniques and a
book review section.
Massage magazine (also published by Noah Press, with ISSN
1057-378-X) contains a section for paid advertisements about massage
schools and training centres. Because they only accept paid ads I can't
tell how complete the listings are. It seems that Massage is aimed
primarily at American markets. The magazine publishes a brief list of the
most basic regulations for registered massage therapists in each of the
United States of America. The list includes telephone numbers for
additional information. Noah Publishing's address is
P.O. Box 1500,
Davis, CA 95617
USA.
They can be reached by telephone at +1(800) 872-4263 or +1(916) 757-6033.
The magazine has e-mail address <massa...@aol.com>. Their webpage is at
<URL:http://massagemag.com>.
Informative postings about massage schools may be found in the
archive's `mas.schools' and `esalen' files. More information, and much
discussion, is available in part b) below and in the archive (see the
category about certification; information about the archive appears in
question 5.1.2).
The AMTA (American Massage Therapy Association), the ABMP
(Associated Massage and Bodywork Professionals) and the COMTAA
(Commission on Massage Training Accreditation/Approval in the USA) often
come up in discussions of massage schools in alt.backrubs. For that reason
only, the following address and telephone numbers are included here. They
were extracted from the archive's `mas.schools' file. If you have more
accurate information please tell the archive maintainer.
American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA)
820 Davis Street, Suite 100,
Evanston, IL 60201-4444
USA
+1(847) 864-0123
+1(312) 761-2682 (for a list of COMTAA schools)
The AMTA's web page is at <URL:http://www.AMTAmassage.org>.
N.B.: inclusion of this information does not imply approval (or
disapproval) of the AMTA, the COMTAA, the USA or any other organization,
their policies employees, fashion sense, etc. It is here because it is
part of an answer to a frequently asked question.

------------------------------

b) What are the ABMP and the AMTA?
Before you decide to join any organization you should read part a)
above and possibly the relevant archive files. If you want to know what
the various abbreviations used in alt.backrubs mean then you should be
reading question 1.3.
In the USA and Canada, the AMTA (American Massage Therapy
Association) and the ABMP (Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals)
are major organizations offering malpractice insurance and forms of
professional accreditation. It is entirely possible that these
organizations also offer these services in other countries, but those are
the only ones of which I am aware. If someone from those organizations
will supply more information then it will be used to update this
document. See question 0.2 for information about whom to contact.
The AMTA and the ABMP are competing organizations with different
approaches to massage, massage and bodywork regulation and many other
issues near and dear to the hearts of professional MTs. If you are
thinking of getting certified (within or without the USA and Canada) then
you might find the discussions in the files in the archive's certification
category helpful. The archive and its categories are the subject of
question 5.1.2.
Please feel free to submit an unbiased summary of the posts in the
archive files relevant to this question. If such a summary is received it,
or some version of it, will replace this answer.
The AMTA's web page is at <URL:http://www.AMTAmassage.org>.
The ABMP's web page is at <URL:http://www.ABMP.com>.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Professional issues
Q4.2)
a) The alt.backrubs newsgroup has had many discussions of issues
related to massage as a profession and tools and techniques for massage
professionals. Copies of many posts on these topics are available in the
alt.backrubs archive (see question 5.1.2). For example, the archive
contains information about massage tables, professional organizations,
exams and draping standards.
The BODYWORK mailing-list aims to be for discussion amongst bodywork
practitioners. If you are a professional MT or studying to be one then you
might be interested in the list. Question 5.2.4 b) has details about the
list and how to subscribe.

------------------------------

b) Emotional response considerations
Keith Grant, a massage instructor (amongst many other things), has
submitted the following notes about emotional response considerations in
professional massage. More information about this topic is available in
the archive file `emot.release' (see question 5.1.2 for information about
the archive).

EMOTIONAL RESPONSE CONSIDERATIONS

As a massage professional you should be aware that some
clients might suffer strong emotional release during massage.
You need to be able to recognize signs of such sublimated
emotions and to know how deal with such issues when they arise in
your massage practice.

Background
Unresolved emotions can become anchored in the body as a
result of physical and emotional traumas. One can think of the
body as maintaining `physical memories' of such emotions in the
tension of muscles. The condition is especially common with
those who suffered physical or sexual abuse as children. It can
be that over time, the body becomes habituated to the unbalanced
muscle tensions. Eventually, patterns of body usage and posture
are changed in an unconscious attempt to compensate.

Massage can bring anchored emotions and associated memories
back to conscious awareness. Indeed some psychotherapies involve
forms of bodywork intended to focus the patients attention on
tension in their body (more information is available in the
`mas.vs.psychotherapy' file in the archive, which is the subject
of question 5.1.2). While the re-awakening of emotions is a
process that can contribute greatly to re-integration and
healing, it is important as a massage practitioner not to assume
the role of emotional therapist or become caught up in listening
to verbal stories.

Indications
It is equally important, however, to bring your focus and
awareness to bodywork sessions. A massage professional should be
aware of their client's overall way of inhabiting their body.
Watch how they hold themselves, walk and gesture. Projections of
being overly rigid, collapsed, or inanimate/dissociated can be
indications of past abuse.
Abuse survivors can have trouble `owning' their bodies. They
may feel loss of breath or voice. If their physical memories are
triggered, such clients may remove all of their conscious
awareness from their body. Not feeling able to `own' parts of
their body can lead to discernible splits in the use and vitality
of their body, e.g. left/right or upper/lower.
Be aware that a client may verbally agree to a technique while
disagreeing with their body language. An example could be saying
yes while shaking their head or retreating slightly from your
hand. Such incongruence in presentation is a subtle indicator of
the incongruence between their conscious and unconscious thoughts
and feelings. Try to be attentive to subtle changes in
breathing, tension level and small movements, that might be early
indicators of emotional responses during a session.

How you should react
In the event that one of your clients has a strong emotional
response to deep tissue work, you may need to forego further work
planned for the session. Keep your own centre, stay calm, and
remember that your goal is neither to `fix' the problem nor to
add your own emotional reaction to the client's process. Instead
assume a role of offering the quiet acceptance and support that
will enable the client to reach an acceptable level of
equilibrium by the end of the session. This may include gentle
grounding work around the head, neck, shoulders, or feet and
ankles. Remind the client to breathe. Often the most important
thing you can do is to quietly convey to the client a sense of
connectedness and support.

Aside: The words people use
Although many people do refer to storage of memories in the
body I tend to avoid referring too literally to this as a
mechanism. I prefer to think of memories, not necessarily
available via conscious cognitive paths being indexed (hence my
phrase `bookmark') or reached by the more primitive and
unconscious sensory paths from touch. It's not necessary to
understand the mechanism or location of memory storage for the
metaphor to useful. I've come to this view, partly from some
training I've had in Ericksonion trancework.
In a similar vein, I try to avoid limiting the bodily causes
to habitual tension. The interactions are complex. The original
abuse could have been any (or all) of: physical abuse, emotional
abuse, sexual abuse, or neglect. The abuse or neglect survivor
often loses both their voice (in the physical and metaphorical
senses) and possession of parts of their body.
Many times they lose all conscious sensation in parts of their
body. The physical outcomes can include tension, disruptions in
movement, breathing and speech. However you should not assume
that these symptoms are necessarily a direct result of tension.
One of the outcomes can be muscular collapse that leads to a lack
of normal tonality or tension. On the emotional level, the
ability to establish normal boundaries may be lost or never
learned. Incongruence between verbal and nonverbal responses
(e.g. saying yes and shaking the head no) often indicates the
resulting conscious/unconscious split.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Finding a good professional massage
Q4.3) In many jurisdictions, people may advertise as giving massage when
do not provide a good massage. Some provide substandard services and
others provide sexual services under the guise of massage. Many people
post to alt.backrubs seeking advice about how to tell where they can get a
skilled massage before they have paid for the services. Three questions
are answered here: (a) how can I find someone who will give me a massage,
or other bodywork treatment, rather than some sexual service; (b) how can I
tell if they are any good before I pay them; and (c) what referral services


can I call upon for recommendations?

If you are not sure what to expect from a professional massage you
might find some of the information in the archive (question 5.1.2) of
interest. The files in the professional category and the `what.to.expect'
and `what.price' files should be of especial interest. If you'd like to
summarize that information for inclusion here, please see questions 0.3 and
4.4.

------------------------------

a) Either way typical advice is to get a referral from a trusted
friend, physician or other health care professional, local massage school,
health food store or Chamber of Commerce. Steve Brooks
<XFW...@prodigy.com> suggested (in article
<3eco5n$1a...@usenetp1.news.prodigy.com>) that major hotel chains that cater
to Japanese tourists should be able to refer you to reputable Japanese
style massage therapists. How you're supposed to locate such hotels is
left as an exercise to the reader. Some people like to search
advertisements in the telephone book and so-called New Age or Holistic
Health stores and publications. Other people say this is a terrible way to
find a MT. I suppose it depends on where you live and what your local
publications are like.
If all you care about is whether you are going to get a
professional massage or sexual services then ask. Be aware however that if
they are using massage as a cover for sexual services then they probably
won't answer direct questions about whether or not they offer sexual
services. Many of the suggestions in this answer come from the
`finding.a.MT' file in the archive. The archive is the topic of question
5.1.2.
Someone suggested some questions that might help you detect whether
the prospective masseur offers such services as `relief massage' (often a
codeword for masturbation). You might also ask what professional
organizations they belong to as members of the AMTA (American Massage
Therapy Association) and ABMP (Association of Bodywork and Massage
Professionals) are strictly forbidden from sexual involvement with their
clients. Not all professional MTs belong to either of these organizations
-- you can read some of the arguments in the archive (see question 5.1.2)
if you're really interested. Those arguments appear in the `certification'
file. The `medical.model' and other files in the Professional category may
also be of particular interest.

------------------------------

b) When you're satisfied that you have found an above board MT you
should try to find out if they will be suitable for the type of treatment
you want. Be clear about what your needs are and tell the MT. Perhaps you
want massage for relaxation or you have a specific area that needs
attention, for example. A good MT will help you pinpoint what it is you
want from the session, often just by talking about it with you.
If you are at all uncomfortable with the thought of being
unclothed, then discuss draping with the MT before the massage begins.
Absolutely no professional MT will demand a client remove any clothing that
the client is not comfortable removing regardless of what impact this will
have on the massage. Are you comfortable with a male (or female) MT, or
would you prefer a MT of the other sex?
Please note however that just because a MT graduated from a
professional school they aren't necessarily going to give you a great
massage. It has been said many times in alt.backrubs that some MTs have
the technical knowledge of what to do but lack the sensitivity to detect
what clients really need. Corrina Perrone has written that, in her
experience, it almost always takes at least two years of practice after
graduation for MTs to a develop a truly professional calibre of massage.
Once you have a short list of MTs you want to consider, then you
should ask questions to determine what services these unknown massagers
really provide, and how skilled they are in the type of massage you want
(see question 2.1). You could ask about their professional education,
e.g. how many hours of training have they had (this varies from about 250
to 2000), which massage school did they attend, what their favourite course
was and what types of massage they prefer.
Corrina Perrone <cor...@cs.colorado.edu> recommends:
If you still have doubts about the qualifications ask direct
questions about the types of bodywork they do -- and expect some
technical answers [such as those in question 2.2]. Ask them to
describe these techniques, and how they use them in a session.
You'll get a lot of `it depends' answers, but a good therapist will
be able to give you an example, such as, `I warm the muscle tissue
up using mostly Swedish massage strokes, and then use deep tissue
techniques to work out tightness. If there is limited movement I
might use NMT [neuromuscular massage therapy] work on the muscle
attachments, and some Trager techniques to integrate the work.'
Find out how long they have been in practice.
If you are screening the therapists by phone, look for qualities
that indicate they would be a good person with whom to work:
Do they listen to what you are saying and respond to it?
Do they ask questions about your needs?
Do they impress you as professional?
Do you feel like you are being listened to, or do you feel
like you are getting a lecture in physiology?
Take some time to consider those questions strategically. You want
something from the bodywork, and you are picking the best partner
to help you achieve that goal. You should also be clear in your
mind about what you want. The MT's answers will tell you something
about them and their massage practice.

------------------------------

c) In the `finding.a.MT' file mentioned above Brother Bernard Seif
<mo...@epix.net> noted that the Associated Bodywork and Massage
Professionals (ABMP) offer a free referral service. To use the service
call +1(800) 862-7724.
Please note that the inclusion of information about a commercial
organization (the ABMP in this case) does not indicate in any way approval
or disapproval of the organization in any way by anyone responsible for
this document. The information is included because it is deemed useful to
the readers of alt.backrubs and is part of the answer to a frequently asked
question. If you have corrections to the telephone number or additions
(e.g., the number of another referral service) then please inform the FAQL
maintainer.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Advice for a recipient of professional massage
Q4.4) Much information about what you should expect as a massage client
is available in the archive file `what.to.expect'. The archive is the
subject of question 5.1.2. In addition, Corrina Perrone
<cor...@cs.colorado.edu> recommends:
If you aren't comfortable with the MT touching you the treatment
isn't going to help you regardless what techniques they use. Be
sure to tell them if something makes you uncomfortable, and feel
free to ask questions about anything they do. You should feel
respected and honoured, and the session should provide
opportunities for you to relax and get back in touch with yourself.
Remember that any MT needs to know if you are seeing another
practitioner, in order to make sure the massage won't interfere.
Many people don't know for instance that if they are taking drugs,
even for chronic illnesses, their dosages will often need to be
decreased if they regularly receive bodywork treatments.

What follows is adapted from some advice that MayaWay
<may...@aol.com> posted the following advice for the Maine Massage Guild:

How To Enhance Your Treatment Experience

- You'll feel more comfortable if you don't eat for two hours before
your session.
- Draping will be employed for traditional massage. For other
therapies wear loose fitting comfortable clothing.
- Let your therapist know if you have any medical or physical
conditions which might contraindicate certain types of treatment.
(See also part b) of question 4.3, about finding a capable MT,
above).
- Remove any unnecessary jewelry that could cause scratching or
interfere with having a smooth massage.
- If you wear glasses or contact lenses, consider removing them. It
may add to your relaxing experience.
- If you're concerned about getting oil on your hair, inform your
therapist. You won't want to miss out on a head massage!
- Quieting yourself will allow you to tune in to your experience and
relax more deeply. Do give your therapist feedback regarding your
experience and feel free to ask any questions you'd like.
- Breathe deeply and regularly, stressing your exhalation. Imagine
your body becoming heavy and sinking into the table or mat. As the
therapist locates areas of tension, consciously allow yourself to
breath and relax into those areas.
- Sometimes during a massage or other type of treatment emotions
will surface. It may be of great benefit to release and work
through them if you feel comfortable doing so. (See the archive
and question 4.2 for related information. Information about the
archive appears in question 5.1.2.)

Additionally many MTs recommend that you drink water (about 250 ml
= 1 cup = 8 oz.) after your massage.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: How much will it cost? Should I tip? Can I get it cheaper?
Q4.5) There are no definite answers to the first two questions. The
answers vary by location and culture. The `what.price' file in the archive
(see question 5.1.2) contains a record of some of the discussion of these
points that has taken place in alt.backrubs.
That file also has suggestions for where to seek less expensive
professional massage than usual. Some of that advice is presented here,
but is not meant to replace a thoughtful reading of that file. Some MTs
will accept trades of good and services in place of money. Some are listed
in the exchange file (see question 5.1.1). MTs-in-training often need to
practice :) -- local massage schools can often put you in contact with the
trainees. Question 3.2 is about where to find people to give (and
receive) massage.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: I've got the following symptoms. What do you advise?
Q4.6) The symptoms could be the result of something serious. A health
care professional should be consulted for a diagnosis. This newsgroup is
read by many people with great talent, however none of them can diagnose or
treat ailments or injuries solely over a network connection. If there is a
serious problem then it should be dealt with promptly by a health care
professional.

Richard Karasik advises:
If you insist on asking for advice then you'll have to provide
some details. For example, have you ever been diagnosed with any
osseous deformities, e.g. 6 fingers on one hand, arthritis or any
ligamentous tears? Do you exercise regularly? If so, what
exercises do you do? When was the first time you noticed the
pain, what were you doing in the 24 hours prior to that. Do you
have headaches associated with the pain? Describe the pain in
detail -- is it sharp, radiating or local?
The description you give may suggest muscle tests you can do
yourself to isolate the areas of dysfunction -- the causality you
will have to puzzle out further than that -- but even isolating
the muscle groups affected and determining how they are affected
will help you when you consult (in person) with a health care
professional.

Terry Norman advises:
Soft tissue massage may be only one of several types of
modalities necessary to bring about a complete rehabilitation of
an injury. You can't tell exactly what the appropriate therapy is
to pursue without a complete physical exam by a competent
physician. It's not always a waste of time and money to consult
one before starting on a course of physical rehabilitation.

If you are seeking advice about treatment not diagnosis then you
might find useful information in the archive. At the time of this writing
(April 1995) there are files about: back pain, fibromyalgia, wrist and hand
pain, massaging bruises and knots, neck aches, scoliosis, massage as an
adjunct to cancer treatments, headaches and chronic pain. There may be
much more by now. Information about the archive is in question 5.1.2.

J. `send no junk mail' Blustein

unread,
Jan 2, 2003, 3:58:32 AM1/2/03
to
Archive-name: backrubs/faq/part3

Last-modified: 25 October 2002
Maintainer: J. Blustein <ja...@csd.uwo.ca>
Copyright: (c) 1994-2002 J. Blustein. All rights reserved. See question 0.7 for details.


*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
* *
* This FAQ list will not be posted after January 2003 *
* *
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

Section 3 -- Novice Questions

This posting contains answers to the following questions:

3.1) How should I start?
3.2) Where can I find people to give/receive massages? [See also 4.3]
3.3) What can I do about ticklishness?
3.4) What oil should I use?
3.5) How can I get oils?
3.6) Is there anything I can do about my tired hands?

The complete lists of subparts of all questions is in part 0 of
this FAQ list.

Each question begins with `Subject:' on a line of its own. Users


with suitably equipped newsreaders can automatically skip to the start of

the next question, e.g. trn will display the start of the question when you


press ^G (control-G). Of course if your newsreader doesn't do this
automatically, you can still use a search command to find the next
question.

To find the answer to question 3.2 search for a line beginning with
`Q3.2)', there will be only one.

------------------------------

Your suggestions for changes to these articles are welcome. Please

see section 0 (entitled Administrivia and Acknowledgements) in the earlier
posting for information about whom to contact and what changes are planned.

The questions are divided into the following general sections.
Questions from each section are answered in articles of their own. A list
of all questions appears in the first article (section 0).

Section 0 Administrivia and Acknowledgements
Section 1 General Questions
Section 2 Basics of Massage
Section 3 Novice Questions
Section 4 Professional Massage
Section 5 Other Sources of Information

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Section 3 -- Novice Questions

Subject: How should I start?
Q3.1) Practice. Practising bad technique will have a bad effect,
practising good technique will have a good effect, so do some reading
first. Read about technique often as you are starting out to help you
correct yourself. The archive (see question 5.1.2) contains
recommendations of books to read (in the file `books') and techniques to
try (in the file `technique').
Do not restrict yourself to a few recipients. You will learn much
more from giving one massage each to 20 people than you will by giving 20
massages to one person. Even if there is a primary recipient you have in
mind, the quality of that one person's experience will be severely limited
if your experience is limited to that one person.
Receiving a massage can also be a learning experience. You may
better understand variations of touch, pressure, etc. as well as learning
new techniques and strokes from others. Caroline Knight adds: you can
learn a lot by applying strokes to yourself.
As you massage another person, be aware of the effects that your
touch is having both on the person you're touching and on yourself.
Temporarily put aside anything else you might have going on, and focus your
attention on the massage. What are your fingers conveying about the
tension and texture of the recipients muscles? Be aware of how both of you
are breathing. Use your body weight to gently and smoothly apply pressure,
instead of muscling the pressure. Learning to give a good massage is only
partly about learning technique.
Much of what you need to learn is about being present in your body
and present in the current moment. You can learn a lot about superficial
anatomy just paying attention to what your fingers are feeling.
Question 3.6 is about tired hands, a common affliction among
newcomers to massage. You might also find the `advice' file in the archive
helpful. The archive is the subject of question 5.1.2.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Where can I find people to give (or receive) massages?
Q3.2) Such people can be found amongst those who share an interest in
massage and among people who trust you. (See question 2.4 about sexual
massage.) A list of people willing to exchange backrubs has been set up.
See question 5.1.1 for more information about the exchange.
Question 4.3 is about how to distinguish between a proficient,
professional MT and someone who just calls themselves a MT, before you pay
for their services.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: What can I do about ticklishness?
Q3.3) Ticklishness arises from hypersensitivity. Sometimes, but not
always, this is due to nervousness or discomfort with being touched, or
with being unclothed. (See question 2.4 about sexual massage.) This can
be dealt with by massaging first less threatening areas. The back is
perhaps the least threatening area to massage, followed by (in most cases)
the limbs, neck and head (including the face). By the time you reach more
sensitive areas, i.e. legs, chest and abdomen, they will have relaxed from
the effects of the massage. They will also have had a chance to develop a
level of comfort with you that they feel safe. Note this assumes that your
attitude and approach to massage are consistent with such feelings.
Increased pressure will also reduce ticklishness, particularly if their
sensitivity is physiological rather than emotional.
lon...@meaddata.com recommended: The easiest solution is to have
the person receiving the backrub place their hands on or near the hands of
the person giving the backrub... After several times of using this
technique the recipient will no longer need to touch the masseuse.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: What oil should I use?
Q3.4) There is much information in the archive (see question 5.1.2)
about massage oils. Please, read it before posting something like `Hey, I
use oil for my massages. Has anyone else tried this yet?'.
Mineral oil and some vegetable oils are thick. If liberally
slopped on they will both tend to clog pores. Some people have skin
especially prone to inflammation from this. On the other hand many massage
lotions have a mineral oil base. When applied sparingly, as for deep
tissue work, they don't usually cause problems. There are also a number of
lighter weight vegetable oil blends available. They go on easily and
produce a much thinner oil film. They also spill a lot faster if you get
careless with the cap open. Vegetable oils can go rancid (in the bottle,
on clothes, on sheets, etc.) which mineral oils don't. Some massage
schools use mineral oil exclusively because of this -- rancid rugs and
sheets are not appealing. Also, mineral oils are hypoallergenic.
A convenient squeeze dispenser bottle (i.e., one having a narrow
spout with a small opening) can be found in many stores (you might try at a
camp outfitting store, a pharmacy or even a cosmetics outlet).
Refrigerating oil when not in use and keeping bottles full also
helps. If you refrigerate the oil then you might want to warm the bottle
of oil in a hot water bath before using it. Some people have allergies to
specific vegetable oils. Some people feel that vegetable oils are in some
way more natural than mineral oils. Oils containing vitamin E may have a
better shelf life, since it's an antioxidant.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: How do I get oils?
Q3.5) You don't need special oils, but they can be a nice touch. Make
sure you remember to rub the oil between your hands to warm it, never pour
it directly on the person you are massaging as it is uncomfortable and
distracting.
The file `oil.buy', in the archive (see question 5.1.2) contains
lists of places you can order ready-made oils from. The file `oil.make'
contains information about making your own oils.
If you are just starting out, John Cole recommends trying safflower
oil. It is a light, odourless vegetable oil available from most grocery
stores. Caroline Knight wrote: `I'm still using grape seed oil as my base
as recommended by someone from alt.backrubs ages ago!'

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Is there anything I can do about my tired hands?
Q3.6) Many people use their hands too much for massage. If you need to
apply lots of pressure (see the `deep.back' and `knots' files in the
archive, which is the subject of question 5.1.2) you should lean into the
massage and let your weight provide much of the pressure. The `weak.arms'
file in the archive is also of interest.
Don't be afraid to use other parts of your body than just your
hands for variety. I've had great success using my forearms and wrists.
The palms and heel of the hand are commonly used for certain light and deep
strokes respectively. Some people like to use their feet but must be very
careful not to apply too much pressure. The variety of strokes and
pressure that can be achieved by using other parts of the body can be a
blessing to both the recipient and giver. The `with.feet' file in the
archive contains some discussion of these points.
You can prevent your hands from getting tired by strengthening them
through regular exercise (see the `finger.excer' file in the archive). The
archive contains information about massages you, or others, can give to your
aching hands too (see `finger.excer', `hand&neck', `wrist.pain' to start).

J. `send no junk mail' Blustein

unread,
Jan 2, 2003, 3:58:33 AM1/2/03
to
Archive-name: backrubs/faq/part5

Last-modified: 25 October 2002
Maintainer: J. Blustein <ja...@csd.uwo.ca>
Copyright: (c) 1994-2002 J. Blustein. All rights reserved. See question 0.7 for details.

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
* *
* This FAQ list will not be posted after January 2003 *
* *
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

Section 5 -- Other Network Sources of Information

This posting contains information about the following:


5.1) Other Frequent Postings to alt.backrubs

5.1.1) The backrubs exchange


5.1.2) The alt.backrubs archive
5.1.3) The World Wide Web version of the alt.backrubs FAQL
5.2) Other Network Resources
5.2.1) Reference: Frequent postings to other newsgroups

5.2.2) Reference: Other archives and collections

5.2.3) Reference: World Wide Web Sites

5.2.4) Discussion: Newsgroups, mailing-lists and gateways

5.2.5) Discussion: Other groups (not Usenet, not mailing-lists)
5.2.6) Miscellaneous: Network resources


5.2.7) Miscellaneous: Major lists of Internet and Usenet resources

The complete lists of subparts of all questions is in part 0 of
this FAQ list.

Each question begins with `Subject:' on a line of its own. Users


with suitably equipped newsreaders can automatically skip to the start of

the next question, e.g. trn will display the start of the question when you


press ^G (control-G). Of course if your newsreader doesn't do this
automatically, you can still use a search command to find the next question.

To find the answer to question 5.2 search for a line beginning with
`Q5.2)', there will be only one.

------------------------------

Your suggestions for changes to these articles are welcome. Please

see section 0 (entitled Administrivia and Acknowledgements) in the earlier
posting for information about whom to contact and what changes are planned.

The questions are divided into the following general sections.
Questions from each section are answered in articles of their own. A list
of all questions appears in the first article (section 0).

Section 0 Administrivia and Acknowledgements
Section 1 General Questions
Section 2 Basics of Massage
Section 3 Novice Questions
Section 4 Professional Massage
Section 5 Other Sources of Information

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Section 5 -- Other Network Sources of Information
If you are unfamiliar with network basics see question 1.4 in the
section 1 article.

Subject: Other Frequent Postings to alt.backrubs
Q5.1)

Subject: The [extinct] backrubs exchange

Q5.1.1) The new backrubs exchange programme was a list of people from
around the globe willing to exchange backrubs. The list used to be posted
to the alt.backrubs newsgroup on the first of every month. In January
1996, a WWW version of the list was created (its address is below). There
was once another backrubs exchange programme but it disappeared without a
trace long ago. Paul Selkirk was the third person to maintain the new
list.
There are two files in the archive (see question 5.1.2) about the
backrubs exchange programme: the announcement, `exchange.prog', and the
most current update, `exchange.update'.
The archive also contains information about other exchanges held in
Chicago (`exchange.chicago') and Seattle (`exchange.seattle').
In late 1998 Paul stopped maintaining the list because there was
so little interest in it. If anyone wants to start up the list again they
should contact Paul. Copies of all of the files and web stuff are
available if you want to start it up again.

WWW: <URL:http://www.apocalypse.org/pub/u/paul/massage/exchange/index.html>

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: The alt.backrubs archive
Q5.1.2) There is an FTP- and WWW-accessible archive of alt.backrubs
postings organized by topic. Full details can be found in the archive
announcement (posted to the newsgroup every 30 days and archived at the
rtfm.mit.edu FTP site, see question 5.2.1).
Before you post a question to alt.backrubs you are advised to check
in the archive to see if it has already been answered. You might be
pleasantly surprised by the breadth of topics and depth of detail.

The archive is cross-referenced and crudely indexed. You can read
the details in both the archive announcement and the archive's `00README'
file. The files are in mailbox format (so you can read them as ordinary
text files or use any standard mail reader to treat them as a list of mail
messages).
The file Archive.Index is an easily searched list of 21 categories
and filenames. The index doesn't include all files or categories. The
`Abstracts' file is a list of brief descriptions of all the files which the
maintainer uses to decide where postings should be archived. Here is the
current list of categories in the `Archive.Index' file:
Archive Back Pain/Knots/Pain
Certification/Exam/Registration Clothed
Disease/Illness Exchange/Partners
General Getting Started
Massage Tables Oils/Scents/Aromatherapy
Problems Professional
Psychological Aspects References
Self Massage Sex & Massage
Sexual Massage/Foreplay Specific Problem/Body Part
Technique Tools/Devices
Usenet-related/Newsgroup

Essential details about the archive follow. Copies of the
alt.backrubs archive are kept at four anonymous FTP sites: a main site and
two mirror sites. The main site is ftp.csd.UWO.ca, which has (or had) IP
address 129.100.11.252. Please connect during off-peak hours, i.e. between
7pm and 7am Eastern time, the server is 5 hours behind GMT during standard
time (it is in Ontario, Canada). The files are in the directory
`pub/news/alt.backrubs'. The archive is mirrored in the USA, Japan, and
Sweden.
The USA mirror is at the sunsite.unc.edu anonymous FTP
site which has (or had) IP address 198.86.40.81. The sunsite copy of the
archive is in directory
`pub/academic/medicine/alternative-healthcare/massage-therapy/alt.backrubs'.
The anonymous FTP site in Japan is sunsite.sut.ac.jp which has (or
had) IP address 133.31.180.200. The files are in the directory
`pub/academic/medicine/alternative-healthcare/massage-therapy/alt.backrubs.'
The anonymous FTP site in Sweden is ftp.lysator.liu.se which has
(or had) IP address 130.236.254.64.

Most of the files in the archive have been compressed by the Free
Software Foundation's (`the GNU people') gzip program. The compressed
files all have `.gz' at the end of their names. The ftp.csd.uwo.ca FTP
site provides a method to decode files as they are being sent. For
information about the special transfer features (including automatic
decoding) at ftp.csd.uwo.ca read the file ~ftp/pub/README at that site --
the file is only at that site because it is not part of the alt.backrubs
archive.
If you want to transfer the compressed versions of the files to
your site for decoding, the transfer must be in binary form and you'll need
to use a decoding program (often called an uncompress program) before you
can read the files normally. The GNU unzip, `gunzip', works fine. The
file `00README' in the archive contains information about where you can
obtain an uncompress program. It is the only file in the archive that is
not compressed or solely for indexing.

World Wide Web access to the archive is available from any of the
addresses below. The file `alt.backrubs.archive.info.html' contains a
version of the archive announcement as first posted in mid-August 1995.
Currently the WWW interface consists of hypertext versions of the category
index and the file abstracts.

WWW: <URL:ftp://ftp.csd.uwo.ca/pub/news/alt.backrubs/WWW/README.html>
WWW: <URL:http://sunsite.unc.edu/pub/academic/medicine/
alternative-healthcare/massage-therapy/alt.backrubs/WWW/
README.html>
WWW: <URL:http://sunsite.sut.ac.jp/pub/academic/medicine/
alternative-healthcare/massage-therapy/alt.backrubs/WWW/
README.html>
WWW: <URL:ftp://ftp.lysator.liu.se/pub/news/alt.backrubs/WWW/README.html>

The archive is maintained by J. Blustein <ja...@csd.uwo.ca>.

[This question last updated on 9 Feb 1998.]

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: The World Wide Web version of the alt.backrubs FAQL
Q5.1.3) Kjartan Clausen <kja...@ii.uib.no> created a WWW version
of this FAQL. Note that that version is OUT OF DATE and I have not
been able to contact Kjartan to have it fixed.

WWW: <URL:http://www.ii.uib.no/~kjartan/backrubfaq/>

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Other Network Resources
Q5.2) Please note that this list is almost certainly not complete and
none of the materials listed here are maintained by the person responsible
for this document. If you have any corrections or possible additions to
this list please send mail to the FAQL maintainer; question 0.3 has other
relevant details.
If you are new to the Usenet then you will probably find question
5.2.6 the most useful.

------------------------------

The lists in the following sections do not include the entire
subject line for many of the newsgroup postings to which they refer, since
the postings appear in many parts. The notation `[etc.]' appears at the
point where the subject lines were truncated to help you use the rest to
search for the postings.
The Archive-name can be used to find the files at the rtfm.mit.edu
FTP site. Files are stored in directories corresponding to the newsgroups
they are posted in (pub/usenet-by-group/ and pub/usenet-by-hierarchy/) and
archive-name (pub/usenet-by-group/news.answers/). Archive-names that end
with `*' are directories that contain the multi-part postings.
For example, the alt.backrubs archive announcement (which has
Archive-name `backrubs/archive', Subject `[alt.backrubs] FTP archive site'
and is posted to the newsgroups alt.backrubs, alt.answers and news.answers)
is stored in the following files at the rtfm.mit.edu site:
pub/usenet-by-group/news.answers/backrubs/archive
pub/usenet-by-group/alt.answers/backrubs/archive
pub/usenet-by-hierarchy/news/answers/backrubs/archive
pub/usenet-by-hierarchy/alt/answers/backrubs/archive
pub/usenet-by-group/alt.backrubs/[alt.backrubs]_FTP_archive_site
pub/usenet-by-hierarchy/alt/backrubs/[alt.backrubs]_FTP_archive_site
It is a single part posting.
If you can't use FTP but can send and receive mail, you can use a
mail server to retrieve the files. To learn about the news.answers mail
server send an e-mail message to <mail-...@rtfm.mit.edu> with the word
help on a line of its own in the body (not the Subject) of the message.
There is some information about other FTP mail servers in the alt.backrubs
archive announcement, and still more information about how to retrieve
networked resources by mail is available from the Internet by E-Mail FAQL
(see question 5.2.6 e).
Hypertext versions of many of the FAQLs stored at the rtfm.mit.edu
site are available for browsing within the world wide web (WWW) at URLs:
<URL:http://www.faqs.org/faqs/>
<URL:http://www.cs.ruu.nl/cgi-bin/faqwais>
<URL:http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/top.html>
<URL:http://faq.sph.umich.edu/cgi-bin/faqsrch>
<URL:http://www.lib.ox.ac.uk/internet/news/faq/by_group.index.html>
N.B.: this doesn't mean these hypertext versions are necessarily as good
as, or better than, the posted version.

A hypertext version of this document should be available at
<URL:http://www.ii.uib.no/~kjartan/budofaq/backrubfaq/>.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Reference: Frequent postings to other newsgroups
Q5.2.1)

The entries in this section are in the format described in question
5.2. If you don't understand the format then read the example above
before reading this section.

------------------------------

a) List of Medical FAQLs

Subject: List of Medical FAQ Postings
<URL:ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet-by-group/news.answers/medicine/
med-faq-list>

The document is no longer current. The maintainer gave up becaue
it generated too much junk mail! Scum who harass the rest of us take note.
See also question 1.6.
The description below was part of version 2.0 of the document
(posted on 1 September 1995). In message
<med-faq-list-0...@cybertas.demon.co.uk>
med-fa...@cybertas.demon.co.uk (Bruce C McKenzie) wrote:
>----------------
>About This File:
>----------------
>
> This file is a list of 'Frequently Asked Questions' and other
> periodical documents on medicine/health-related topics posted to
> UseNet Newsgroups on the Internet. FAQ-type documents elsewhere
> (such as on the WWW) are also included. These medical/
> health-related FAQs are of value to both patients and health
> professionals, as they highlight the most common concerns held by
> sufferers, and help to fill the health information void. Some are
> qenuinely frequently asked questions from Usenet discussions;
> others represent the efforts of individuals to share information
> they have collected. Please remember that the information found in
> these FAQs may not represent general medical opinion, and should
> not be a substitute for consulting your doctor or other healthcare
> professional.
[This entry was added on 1 September 1995 and
last updated on 13 March 1997.]

------------------------------

b) Stretching and Flexibility FAQL

Subject: Stretching and Flexibility FAQ [etc.]
Newsgroups: rec.martial-arts, misc.fitness.misc, misc.fitness.aerobic,
misc.fitness.weights, rec.arts.dance, alt.arts.ballet, rec.sport.misc,
alt.answers, rec.answers, misc.answers, news.answers
Archive-name: stretching/*
FTP-site: <URL:ftp://cs.huji.ac.il/pub/doc/faq/rec/martial.arts>
WWW: <URL:http://www.cs.huji.ac.il/papers/rma/stretching_toc.html>
N.B.: The archive's `self.mas' file has information about stretching.
[This entry was updated on 19 September 1995.]

------------------------------

c) Typing Injuries FAQL
Subject: FAQ: Typing Injuries [etc.]
Newsgroups: sci.med, sci.med.occupational, comp.human-factors,
comp.answers, sci.answers, news.answers
Archive-name: typing-injury-faq/*

WWW: <URL:http://www.cs.princeton.edu/~dwallach/tifaq/>
[The WWW address was included here on 24 March 1996.]

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Reference: Other archives and collections
Q5.2.2)

a) Sunsite Alternative Healthcare Collection

Lots of information about network resources for `alternative healthcare' as
well as about Sun microsystems computing products, sustainable agriculture
and `alternative energy'. Sunsite maintains archives for many mailing-
lists and newsgroups. There is far too much at Sunsite to list here.
Mail: send mail to in...@sunsite.unc.edu to automatically receive a
help file (about 500 lines long).
Telnet: sunsite.unc.edu
Connect with telnet to use: a WWW browser, WAIS, or a gopher
client
FTP: sunSITE.unc.edu
directory pub/academic/medicine/alternative-healthcare
<URL:ftp://sunSITE.unc.edu/pub/academic/medicine/alternative
-healthcare>
WWW: <URL:http://sunsite.unc.edu/>
<URL:gopher://sunsite.unc.edu>
<URL:ftp://sunSITE.unc.edu/pub/academic/medicine/
alternative-healthcare>
Gopher Bookmark (medicine):
Type=1
Name=medicine [...]
Path=1/../.pub/academic/medicine
Host=president.oit.unc.edu
Port=70
<URL:gopher://president.oit.unc.edu/1/../.pub/academic/medicine>

------------------------------

b) Internet/Bitnet Health Sciences Resources

Lee Hancock <Le0...@Ukanvm.cc.ukans.edu> has compiled an extensive
list of network resources about health. It is available in ZIPped form for
FTP from ftp2.cc.ukans.edu in the pub/hmatrix directory with filename
medlstXX.zip, where the XX portion is the month of the latest update. A
non-compressed version is also available at medlstXX.txt.
The ftp.sura.net FTP site may also have a copy of the file in the
pub/nic directory with filename medical.resources.XX-XX where the XX-XX
portion are the version identifier assigned by an FTP administrator at
SURANet. At the time of this writing (2 February 1995) the most recent
version is 3-26-94 and the filename is `medical.resources.3-94'.

FTP: ftp2.cc.ukans.edu : file pub/hmatrix/medlst* [see note above]
ftp.sura.net : file pub/nic/medical-resources.* [see note above]

------------------------------

c) Internet Resources on Alternative Medicine

John Makulowich <mak...@trainer.com> has written a short (229 lines) list
of references to network resources about alternative medicine.

FTP: <URL:ftp://ftp.clark.net/pub/journalism/altmed.txt>

------------------------------

d) Acu-Ki Institute
In an article in the archive's `acupres.pt' file,
ta...@mercury.interpath.net (TARR Volunteers) wrote that the Acu-Ki
Institute is a non-profit organization that provides individuals with
information about how to use acupressure to treat medical conditions,
e.g. arthritis, cancer, chronic pain.
Note that they do not diagnose or treat. They provide information,
tools, others' results, research data and offer to assist people with
painful conditions in various ways through an introduction to acupressure.
They will send information by e-mail. Send your information
request to <acu...@bigfoot.com> (Monte Cunningham at Stressaway
Acupressure) or by postal mail to: The Acu-Ki Institute, Stressaway
Acupressure, Monte Cunningham, P.O. 564, Snowflake, AZ, 85937 USA. Their
toll-free telephone number is (888)-853-0646, and their website is at
<URL:http://www.stress-away.com>.

[address updated on 03 November 2000]

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Reference: World Wide Web Sites
Q5.2.3)

The complete lists of subparts of all questions is in part 0 of this FAQ

list. Here is the list of subparts for this question (in no particular
order):

(a) A basic guide to Aromatherapy
(b) The Center for Reiki Training
(c) Complementary Medicine WWW Page
(d) Aesclepian Chronicles
(e) The OrMed Mailing List WWW Page
(f) An Illustrated Guide to Muscles & Medical Massage ...
(g) Where is the archive for newsgroup X?

The `w3.sites' and `WWW/other-sites.html' files in the archive may
contain references to some WWW sites not listed here. Details about the


archive appear in question 5.1.2.

------------------------------

a) A basic guide to Aromatherapy

Graham Sorenson created and maintains a basic guide to Aromatherapy and
massage oils. It includes a guide to how to use oils and detailed
information about some oils.
WWW: <URL:http://www.fragrant.demon.co.uk/index.html>
[This entry updated on 11 August 1996.; Current as of 13 Oct 2001]

------------------------------

b) The Center for Reiki Training

`The Center for Reiki Training, a non-profit organization, offers an
open flow of energy and information to assist all Reiki practitioners and
Reiki teachers in doing the best job possible for themselves and their
clients.' (quoted from the webpage on 2 March 1997)

WWW: <URL:http://www.reiki.org/>

[Entry included on 2 March 1997, Current as of 13 Oct 2001]

------------------------------

c) Complementary Medicine WWW Page

In article <pbower-0903...@lanrover1-gilmer-a2.acc.virginia.edu>
pbo...@virginia.edu (Peter J. Bower, M.D.) wrote
>For those interested, I have begun to link the information available on
>all forms of complementary medicine topics onto a www page.
>
>If for no other reason then to check out the diversity of topics please
>point your browser at :
>
>http://galen.med.virginia.edu/~pjb3s/ComplementaryHomePage.html

WWW: <URL:http://www.peterbower.com/Complementary_Practices.shtml>
[URL updated on 13 Oct 2001]

------------------------------

d) Aesclepian Chronicles
The Chronicles are an electronic journal published using the WWW.
Here is an expert from the journal as it appeared on 30 April 1995:
The editorial policy of Aesclepian Chronicles is to publish
informative and inspirational articles about the many new
complementary and allopathic treatment modalities that are
emerging. These modalities may be approached from both a
personal and a clinical perspective. The editorial goal of
Aesclepian Chronicles is to critically evaluate the role,
usefulness and applicability of complementary alternatives within
the mainstream of medicine. We are interested in both the
clinical and philosophical implications of the interaction of
complementary and allopathic medicine. Equally of interest are
the structural and economic issues as they relate to the attempts
to reform the national [U.S.A.'s] health system.

WWW: <URL:http://www.forthrt.com/~chronicl/archmay/homepage.htm>
[URL updated 13 Oct 2001]

------------------------------

e) The OrMed Mailing List WWW Page

According to the 22 April 1995 version of this document: `OrMed is
a mailing list dedicated to the discussion of Oriental Medicine in all its
forms, including acupuncture, herbs, massage, breathwork, exercise and
more! We now have over 200 subscribers to the OrMed mailing list, from 11
countries and are growing all the time.' The document is meant to make it
access to the list message archives, FAQs, etc. easier for WWW users.
Norman Kraft <nkr...@bkhouse.cts.com> is the maintainer.

I could not find a webpage specifically devoted to the mailing list
on 13 October 2001, but I did find several references to the list. If you
are interested in the list then you should use a WWW search engine to find
current infomation about it.

[Entry updated 13 Oct 2001]

------------------------------

f) An Illustrated Guide to Muscles & Medical Massage Therapy for Pain
Relief and Postural Alignment in Children, Teens & Adults

James H. Clay ("Doc") <d...@danke.com> describes the page he
created thus:
The page is intended as an educational page; it links to a number
of pages with descriptions and photographs of pain referral zones
and mt work on a variety of specific muscles, with some
discussion of those muscles and what they do and how and why they
can cause pain and dysfunction. It also includes photos of
posture examination and of results of work with idiopathic and
postural scoliosis. In addition, there are a number of text pages
that elaborate on various aspects of massage therapy treatment.

WWW: <URL:http://danke.com/Orthodoc/>

[This entry added on 13 May 1996, updated URL and e-mail address with
information by e-mail from James Clay on 14 March 2001;
Current as of 13 Oct 2001]

------------------------------

g) Where is the archive for newsgroup X?

See question 5.2.6(d).

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Discussion: Newsgroups, mailing-lists and gateways
Q5.2.4)
(A complete list of all of the subsections of question 5.2.4 is in part 0
of this FAQ list.)

The complete lists of subparts of all questions is in part 0 of this FAQ

list. Here is the list of subparts for this question (in no particular
order):

(a) misc.health.alternative newsgroup
(b) BODYWORK mailing-list
(c) PARACELSUS mailing-list
(d) pdax.services.massage newsgroup
(e) alt.med.fibromyalgia newsgroup / FIBROM-L mailing-list
(f) tuite mailing-list
(g) aromatherapy mailing-list
(h) alt.folklore.herbs newsgroup
(i) alt.aromatherapy newsgroup
(j) SOREHAND mailing-list
(k) iu610-L mailing-list
(l) alt.reiki newsgroup
(m) alt.health.massage-therapy newsgroup
(n) More lists

------------------------------

a) misc.health.alternative newsgroup
The misc.health.alternative newsgroup sometimes carries
discussions of the same or similar topics to those discussed in
alt.backrubs. Its charter includes discussions of Aromatherapy for
example. The charter can be found in the `control.messages' file in the
archive (see question 5.1.2). Sunsite (see question 5.2.2) has collections
of many postings to the newsgroup.

------------------------------

b) BODYWORK mailing-list
In [alt.backrubs, misc.health.alternative] article
<4h4gqj$c...@park.interport.net> gto...@interport.net (Greg Tobias)
announced the BODYWORK mailing-list thus:
>BODYWORK is a restricted, but unmoderated, mailing list for discussion
>amongst bodywork practitioners. The list owner intends for the
>definition of bodywork to be fairly expansive, including all sorts of
>body-centered therapies and modalities. Examples include Swedish
>massage, Trager Approach, trigger point therapy, Rolfing, Polarity
>Therapy, Reiki, Reflexology, Alexander Technique, Jin Shin Do,
>acupuncture, Shiatsu, physical therapy and training, and
>body-centered psychotherapy.
>
>Membership on the list will be restricted to practitioners and
>students. New subscribers will be screened by the list owner before
>being added to the subscriber list; however, the discussions will not
>be moderated.
>
>
>To subscribe, send the following command in the BODY of mail to
>LIST...@ECHONYC.COM on the Internet:
>
> SUBSCRIBE BODYWORK yourname
>
>For example:
>
> SUBSCRIBE BODYWORK Jane Doe
>
>Owner: Greg Tobias (gto...@interport.net)

[Added 29 February 1996]

------------------------------

c) PARACELSUS mailing-list
In [misc.health.alternative] article
<mitch-08039...@ip-pdx3-18.teleport.com> Mitch Stargrove
<mi...@teleport.com> wrote that
PARACELSUS, is a mailing list aimed at promoting communication,
cooperation and exploration among health care
professionals. Subscription is limited to practitioners, educators,
researchers and students in alternative and conventional medical
fields. The list is intended to focus on interesting cases,
practical clinical pearls, recent publications, useful anecdotes
and medical news.
"We all have unique experiences, different perspectives and
valid insights. No one has all the answers," commented Dr. Mitchell
Stargrove, Research and Education Coordinator of AMR'TA. "We can
serve our patients best and advance the evolution of the healing
arts and medical science best by working together, sharing ideas
and being willing to learn," the naturopathic physician continued.
Those wishing to participate in PARACELSUS should send a
e-mail message to <Majo...@teleport.com>, reading "subscribe
paracelsus". As part of the subscription approval process, send a
biographical note indicating training, practice and interests to
<parac...@teleport.com>.
The entire article is in the archive's `w3.sites' file. See
question 5.1.2 for details about the archive. Other AMR'TA information
sources are listed in question 5.2.3 a).

------------------------------

d) pdax.services.massage newsgroup
According to a report that appears in the archive's `group.split'
file, the pdax.services.massage newsgroup is for the discussion of
professional massage by professionals. (The archive is the subject of
question 5.1.2.) The pdax newsgroup hierarchy has a small distribution so
most people can't read it. Repostings of significant postings from that
newsgroup to alt.backrubs would probably be appreciated.

------------------------------

e) alt.med.fibromyalgia newsgroup / FIBROM-L mailing-list

The alt.med.fibromyalgia newsgroup is a gated version of the
FIBROM-L mailing-list. Jim McIntosh <j...@american.edu> wrote in article
<94179.1...@auvm.american.edu>:
>FIBROM-L is a discussion forum for the disease/syndrome known as
>fibromyalgia / fibrositis. It is an opportunity for patients, family and
>friends of patients, physicians and researchers, and other interested
>persons to discuss this condition.
That article is in the archive's `fibromyalgia' file.

------------------------------

f) tuite mailing-list
The tuite mailing-list is `[t]o discuss the theories of traditional
chinese medicine as it relates to the martial arts. Pressure points, KO's,
revivals, massage techniques will all be discussed.' [This is according to
the 18 Dec 1994 version of the Publicly Accessible Mailing Lists list, see
question 5.2.7c.]
To have your address added to the list send mail to
owner...@virginia.edu
with the line:
"subscribe [address]"
in the body.

------------------------------

g) aromatherapy mailing-list
Steven Katz <ste...@metron.com> told the FAQL maintainer: to
subscribe to the Aromatherapy List, send mail to list...@idma.com with no
subject and `subscribe aromatherapy' (without quotes) in the body of the
message.
This is the second address for the list (as of 13 Dec 1995).
Articles announcing and describing the list are in the archive's
`oil.scent' file. Please note that this is the second incarnation of the
list. The first one was accidentally lost. For archival reasons, the
announcement of the first list is in the archive too. Take care not to
confuse them.

[This part last updated on 13 Dec 1995]

------------------------------

h) alt.folklore.herbs newsgroup
You might be able to have specific questions about herbs (for use
with oils), Aromatherapy, etc. answered in the alt.folklore.herbs
newsgroup. It would be nice if summaries of information thus obtained were
posted to alt.backrubs.

------------------------------

i) alt.aromatherapy newsgroup
The alt.aromatherapy newsgroup doesn't exist in many parts of the
Usenet because of the way it was made. My site didn't even receive the
message that the group had been created! (See the `control.messages' file
in the archive.) Discussions of Aromatherapy also occur in the mailing
list and in other newsgroups listed above. A collection of postings to the
newsgroup is available from Sunsite (see question 5.2.2).

------------------------------

j) SOREHAND mailing-list
The SOREHAND mailing-list is `for the discussion of Typing injuries,
Repetitive Stress Injuries/Disorder, Cumulative Trauma Disorder, Carpal
Tunnel Syndrome, etc.' [according to the Publicly Accessible Mailing Lists
list, see question 5.2.7c].
To have your address added to the list send mail to
list...@itssrv1.ucsf.edu with the line:
subscribe sorehand your-name
in the body.
For more information, write to <sorehand...@itssrv1.ucsf.edu>.

[Addresses updated on 14 Oct 1997. Thanks to Deanna McHugh.]

------------------------------

k) iu610-L Revolutionary Health/Health Care Workers Info Clearinghouse
A mailing-list for news, information about and discussion of
- working in the health care industry
- union organizing as health service workers
- self-health maintenance and protection
- health and safety in the workplace
- building a new health industry for life on earth
The mailing-list was created by the San Francisco Bay branch of the
Industrial Workers of the World (IWW).

Subscribe by sending e-mail to: iu610-l...@iww.org
Post messages to: iu6...@iww.org

[This entry was added on 24 September 1995, with help from Lee Murray.]

------------------------------

l) alt.reiki newsgroup
If you would like to write a description for the alt.reiki newsgroup
please contact the FAQL maintainer.

------------------------------

m) alt.health.massage-therapy newsgroup
If you would like to write a description for the
alt.health.massage-therapy newsgroup please contact the FAQL maintainer.

According to Roy Fox in message
<Xns907ADD4D94C0BS...@209.155.56.98> the charter of the
group is:
Topics to include discussions about the practice and various
modalities of professional massage therapy, including Swedish,
NST, Cranial Sacral, Reflexology, Reiki, differences between
professional massage therapy and non-professional massage,
etc. DO NOT solicit for non-professional massage, or post
advertisements of any kind except for professional massage
therapy or massage products. Binaries are prohibited. Please do
not cross post to newsgroups that are sexually or erotically
oriented. This newsgroup will not be moderated.

[entry added 15 March 2001, last updated 13 April 2001]

------------------------------

n) More lists
More mailing list information is available in question 5.2.7(c).

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Discussion: Other groups (not Usenet, not mailing-lists)
Q5.2.5)

a) The archive file `fidonet.echo' contains some information about a
FidoNet echo named BODYWORK. For information about the archive see question
5.1.2.

Sam Waring <war...@ima.infomail.com> sent this excerpt from the July
1995 Fidonet Echolist:
<echotag> BODYWORK
<description> Bodywork & Massage Therapy Forum
A forum for both the layperson and the bodywork professional
to discuss various modalities of "healing" touch. Demysti-
ying human touch and educating about the body. Recent de-
velopments in the field. What's new in the "National Cer-
tification" debate. (Began 8/91)
Origin:
Distribution: Fidonet Backbone, ADAnet, DharmaNet
Gateways: ADAnet via 1:3602/24, DharmaNet via 1:125/33
# Nodes: Volume: 30/Week
Flags:
Moderators: Barry Kapke, barry...@f33.n125.z1.fidonet.org
Craig Denega, craig....@f939.n273.z1.fidonet.org
Last changed: 27-Feb-95 by Barry Kapke, 1:125/33

------------------------------

b) Compuserve has a `massage and bodywork' forum. If you would like
to add information about the forum please contact the FAQL maintainer.
(See question 0.2 or send mail to <ja...@csd.uwo.ca>.)

------------------------------

c) Massagenet hosts a number of WWW-based forums for discussing
massage and bodywork related topics. See also the BODYWORK list (question
5.2.4 b).

WWW: <URL:http://www.massagenet.com/BBS/>

[Entry included on 28 May 1998]

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Miscellaneous: Network resources
Q5.2.6)

The same format is used here as in question 5.2.1. An example is
given in section 5.2

The complete lists of subparts of all questions is in part 0 of this

FAQ list. Here is the list of subparts for this question:
(a) How to find the right place to post FAQL
(b) news.groups.questions newsgroup
(c) Usenet Info Center (the `Bible of Usenet')
(d) Where is the archive for newsgroup X?
(e) The Internet by E-Mail FAQL

------------------------------

a) How to find the right place to post FAQL

Subject: How to find the right place to post (FAQ)
Newsgroups: news.announce.newusers, news.groups.questions,
news.groups.reviews, news.groups, news.newusers.questions, alt.config,
alt.answers, news.answers
Summary: This article gives some general hints to help you find an
appropriate place to post on a given topic, and gives pointers to some
available resources. A few other new-user topics are also addressed,
mostly through pointers to other FAQs.
Archive-name: finding-groups/general
<URL:ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet-by-group/news.answers/finding-groups/
general>

------------------------------

b) news.groups.questions
In article <Cn0uD...@uunet.uu.net> ta...@uunet.uu.net (David C
Lawrence) wrote:
> The unmoderated group news.groups.questions is an appropriate place to
> ask (and answer) questions about newsgroups, such as which topics are
> discussed where, and how to start, find or create groups or mailing
> lists for specific interests.

------------------------------

c) Usenet Info Center [sic] (formerly the `Bible of Usenet')
For serious information about newsgroups (as opposed to the sloppy lists
found in many books and the short, often misleading, descriptions posted
in news.lists) check out the `Usenet Info Center'. Kevin Atkinson
<kev...@clark.net> has been putting together this monumental work with
help from many people across the Usenet. He is committed not to charge
anyone to redistribute the list.
The list is intended to include the following information about every
newsgroup:
a one line description of the group;
a longer description of the group;
a list of FAQLs that are posted to the group;
the moderator's name and e-mail address (for moderated groups only);
where and how the group is archived, if at all (not implemented yet);
the average volume of postings to the group;
the average number of readers;
a list of mailing-lists gated to or from the newsgroup.

Here's a reference to the frequently asked questions about that
document:
Subject: Usenet Info Center FAQ
Newsgroups: alt.internet.services, news.misc, news.admin.misc,
news.groups, news.answers, alt.answers
Archive-name: usenet/info-center-faq
Posting-Frequency: every 25 days
<URL:ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet-by-group/news.answers/usenet/
info-center-faq>

Here's an excerpt from the 22 February 1995 version of that FAQL:
> ------------------------------------------------------------------
><> Where can I get it? <>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>As far as the Newsgroups Info Center goes, an abbreviated version is
>available under "ftp.clark.net:/pub/usenet-bible/report/" (currently
>over 700K). This is the only version I plan on making available
>at my home site. All other versions of the Newsgroups Info Center are
>only available at the mirror sites or on the WWW, in order to avoid the
>load on my system. Currently they are two additional versions of this
>Info Center available at my mirror site, and several version on the WWW.
>The versions at my mirror sites are:
> "ul-abriv.txt", an Ultra Abbreviated version (text, almost 600K)
> "full.txt", the Full & Complete version (text, over 1.7 Megs)
>and more are to come. So, Let me know what you think of them; comments
>and suggestions are always welcome.
>
>The two sites mirroring my files are:
> usenet.eel.ufl.edu:/usenet/info-center
> sunsite.unc.edu:/pub/docs/about-the-net/usenet-info-center
>
>The WWW home pages are:
> http://www.clark.net/pub/usenet-b/www/home.html and
> http://sunsite.unc.edu/usenet-i/home.html
>The 2nd site is where all action is and where the WWW version is located.
>You can expect many more WWW versions in the near future.
>
>As for as the Usenet Info Center goes, it is available on the WWW, at
>the second site listed. A collection of these documents is available
>under the dir "starter" at my mirror sites.

------------------------------

d) Where is the archive for newsgroup X?

Cameron Laird <cla...@neosoft.com> maintains a WWW document that
includes a list of Usenet archives. The address below is new as of
4 February 1995.

WWW:
<URL:http://starbase.neosoft.com/~claird/news.lists/newsgroup_archives.html>

[Current URL as of 13 Oct 2001]

------------------------------

e) The Internet by E-mail FAQL
If you do not have access to the 'net by any method other than
e-mail then you should read `Doctor Bob's Guide to Offline Internet Access'
which is posted weekly by BobR...@Delphi.Com (Doctor Bob). [This entry
was added on 1 September 1995.]

Subject: Accessing the Internet by E-Mail FAQ
Newsgroups: alt.internet.services, alt.online-service, alt.bbs.internet,
alt.answers, comp.mail.misc, comp.answers, news.newusers.questions,
news.answers
Summary: This guide will show you how to retrieve files from FTP sites,
explore the Internet via Gopher, search for information with
Archie, Veronica, Netfind, or WAIS, tap into the World-Wide Web,
and even access Usenet newsgroups using E-MAIL AS YOUR ONLY TOOL.
Archive-name: internet-services/access-via-email
<URL:ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet-by-group/news.answers/
internet-services/access-via-email>

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Miscellaneous: Major lists of Internet and Usenet resources

Q5.2.7) This section should list only the most modern, major and general
lists of network resources. It is meant to serve as a catch-all for
anything that was missed above. Be sure to also read about `How to find
the right place to post' FAQL, the news.groups.questions newsgroup and how
to use the 'net if all you have is e-mail in question 5.2.6.

------------------------------

a) Subject: Updated Internet Services List
Newsgroups: alt.internet.services, comp.misc, biz.comp.services,
alt.bbs.internet, news.answers
Archive-name: internet-services/list
FTP-Site: <URL:ftp://ftp.csd.uwm.edu/pub/inet.services.txt>
Gopher: gopher.csd.uwm.edu (select Remote Information Services...)
Mail: bbs...@aug3.augsburg.edu (Auto-replies with lists)
WWW: <URL:http://www.uwm.edu/Mirror/inet.services.html>
Note: compiled by Scott Yanoff

------------------------------

b) Subject: List of Periodic Informational Postings, [etc.]
Newsgroups: news.lists, news.answers
Archive-name: periodic-postings/*

------------------------------

c) Subject: Publicly Accessible Mailing Lists, Part [etc.]
Newsgroups: news.lists, news.answers
Archive-name: mail/mailing-lists/*

Scott Southwick <sco...@bluemarble.net> runs the Liszt directory of
e-mail discussion groups. The service can be used at http://www.liszt.com.
If you only have e-mail access, send a message to lis...@bluemarble.net to
learn how to search the list by e-mail.

WWW: <URL:http://www.liszt.com>

[The information about the searching service was updated on 24 March 1996
thanks to Scott Southwick.]

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