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Feeling weightless: This is how water therapy can help you

A unique treatment that blends elements of massage and water therapy is capturing people's attention in UAE

Since ancient times, water has been celebrated for its therapeutic and healing properties. Across diverse cultures — Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Asian — water has been revered as a source of purification and even healing. People travel to remote locations to bathe in or drink from mountain springs, wells, or sacred rivers, believing that pure water possesses special energies capable of healing the body and soul. Many believe water can cleanse unwanted energies and provide medicinal benefits. Even in our modern lives, we draw from these ancient traditions and incorporate the soothing qualities of water into our daily routines. After a long day, who doesn’t enjoy a warm soak, perhaps with Epsom salts, to ease the mind and relax the body?

One of the most remarkable forms of water therapy is Watsu. A marriage of “water” and “shiatsu”, Watsu is a type of water-based therapy that blends elements of shiatsu massage with the calming, weightless feeling of being submerged in warm water. It was developed in 1980 by Harold Dull, a Zen Shiatsu instructor, who realised that clients’ muscles and tissues could relax more effectively in water. Watsu sessions involve gentle stretches, massages, and acupressure, all performed in warm water, providing deep physical and mental relaxation.

Inspired by Watsu, Dubai-based Water Therapy Practitioner & Women’s Health Coach Liberty Gelderloos and internationally recognised therapist Pranshu have created their own unique water-therapy sequences. These experiences blend the therapeutic effects of water with deep inner work, offering profound healing journeys. Liberty’s practice, called ‘BEcome WATER’, is a gentle, nurturing underwater experience aimed at fostering emotional and mental healing. Pranshu’s technique, called ‘WaterFlow’, focuses on dynamic deep tissue work, spinal adjustments, and joint release. Both approaches provide powerful, unique benefits and have their place in an individual’s healing journey.

BEcome WATER: A Deep Dive into Healing

Liberty’s ‘BEcome WATER’ is a transformative underwater experience that helps individuals escape the chatter of the mind and — quite literally — dive deep into the tranquillity and abundance of the water body. This journey allows participants to experience something akin to a time-space distortion, offering a real-time lesson in flowing, adapting, trusting, and most importantly, surrendering. In this therapeutic practice, the water is not just an environment but a medium that encourages personal transformation and healing.

As you surrender to the water, both your body and mind relax, creating space for emotional calm and healing. The warm water envelops you, mimicking the sensation of being in the womb, providing a profound sense of security. This encourages feelings of surrender, trust, and flow — the very essence of letting go.

Throughout the session, you are guided into synchronised breathing as you float, sink, and resurface, creating a rhythm of breath and heart resonance. This harmony is carried into the stretches and movements, like a dance between flow and stillness. This gentle underwater journey is more than a physical experience — it’s an emotional and spiritual awakening, allowing you to reconnect with your inner self and the healing power of water.

The Benefits of Water Therapy

Water therapy is unlike any other form of relaxation or treatment because it allows the body to let go in ways that gravity-bound environments cannot. The weightlessness provided by water takes away the stress and pressure from the joints and muscles, enabling deeper relaxation and release. It fosters a connection between the body and mind, allowing individuals to experience themselves as part of nature. Some of the profound benefits include:

•Release of Muscular Tension: The warm water and gentle movements help soothe tight muscles and alleviate physical tension.

•Breath Harmonisation: The rhythmic breathing exercises in water promote deep relaxation and mindfulness.

•Reduced Anxiety and Stress: The calming environment and gentle guidance provide a safe space for letting go of mental stress.

•Improved Joint Range and Pain Relief: Water’s buoyancy helps relieve pressure on joints, reducing pain and increasing mobility.

•Improvement of Circulatory and Lymphatic Systems: The movement in water stimulates circulation, aiding in the body’s natural healing processes.

•Emotional Release: The experience encourages participants to confront and let go of deep emotional blockages.

•Presence and Mindfulness: Water therapy offers an opportunity to practice being fully in the present moment, free from distractions and mental clutter.

WaterFlow: Dynamic Healing through Movement

‘WaterFlow’ takes a more dynamic approach to water therapy, focusing on deep tissue work, spinal adjustments, and joint release. This method is ideal for individuals looking for a more physically focused session, yet it still provides the same profound mental relaxation that water offers. The dynamic movements, combined with water’s natural buoyancy, create an experience of freedom and release that is difficult to achieve on land. The combination of physical therapy and mental relaxation makes ‘WaterFlow’ a powerful tool for holistic healing.

What to Expect during Water Therapy

Water therapy sessions, depending on the weather conditions, are held in open seas or warm spa pools. A typical 60-minute session involves a combination of floating, gentle stretching, and breathing exercises, both on the surface and underwater. Nose clips are used to facilitate underwater activities and floats are placed on the lower limbs to provide support. Participants don’t need to know how to swim; they are gently guided through breathing patterns and are securely held throughout the session, ensuring they are always close to the surface.

Embracing the Healing Power of Water

Water is an element that surrounds and sustains us, both physically and spiritually. It’s no surprise that we find comfort, relaxation, and healing within it. After all, 70 percent of our bodies are composed of water, just like 70 percent of the Earth’s surface. Water is vital to life, and immersing ourselves in its flow is a reminder of our connection to nature.

So, the next time you take a bath or relax by a pool, remember the deep, historical relationship humans have had with water. Allow its therapeutic power to wash away your stress, cleanse your energy, and restore balance to your mind, body, and soul. Let the wellness of water renew you, just as it has for countless generations before.

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