In this post we are going to talk about “Dive in, let it go”
Often we get told that we should ” let it go “.
How easy it is to say such a thing, but how hard it is to do so.
When I was studying in Thailand to be a Thai Massage therapist, our teacher, Pichest, was making so much fun of us students when we were trying to approach his massage technique.
And he was right to laugh.
What students there are trying to do, is copy his movement without having his fluidity in approaching the Thai Massage technique itself.
So, how does he teach others to let it go?
This is how I did find a way to interpret Pichest teachings.
Let’s start exploring the meaning of “let it go”.
Let it go stands for no holding back on something/someone. No holding on to a loved one, an object, a situation or a feeling.
So how we can recognise the fact that we are holding on to something then? This, I think, is the starting point. Recognize where and when we do hold on to something. From here, we can understand how to let it go. We tend to hold on to situations and feelings that make us feel safe, happy or protected. As these situations get exposed/under threat, we tend to tense up with our bodies. The first step, in order to recognise those tensions, we have to live in a clear state of mind, by reducing the body/mind intoxication to a safe/personal level. As the connection with the body gets clearer and deeper, we can start facing how that attachment affects our being.
As you feel the body’s sensation arises, you should learn how to breathe through it.
Let your breath be.
Often when I do give Thai Massage or teach a Self Thai Massage class I have to recall the client of the importance of the breath.
Breathe in and out from the nose and focus on the body area that is requiring your attention. Don’t feed the hunger or the fears that would arise, but do not either feed the excitement and joy of understanding the tensions, just feed your breath.
As this cycle of understanding of the body takes place, we will automatically learn how to release the emotional tension/s related to the body’s sensation.
Furthermore working from outside, just on the body level such as exercises and work-out is just a shallow approach to the let-go action.
The strong work on the body will actually disconnect the body/mind connection. This is because hormones produced during physical exercise will fake up the body’s feelings.
In conclusion, that’s how we can dive in to let it go, by slowing down the intake of sensorial input and by focusing on the body sensation that arises from discomfort situations.
Giovanni La Rocca
Giovanni moved to Melbourne, Australia, from Italy in 2008 and became a citizen in 2017. He started studying massage therapy in 2016, then completed a Bachelor of Health Science in Clinical Myotherapy in August 2024. During those years, he also specialised in Thai Massage and Manual Lymphatic Drainage for presentations like Lipedema and Lymphoedema. Nowadays, he runs his clinic in Fitzroy North, Melbourne, where he integrates movement therapy into his practice to enhance overall well-being. He also values meditation, having completed several Vipassana courses. Committed to continuous learning, he aims to share his expertise in integrated therapies to help others achieve balance and resilience.