MercuryRising's Massage Interview
Some people say that being a Masseur is addictive. Would you miss your Masseur days ?
Of course, missing massage isn’t even a question. Touch and massage has always been apart of my life. To not be able to share my gift & art of touch with others would break my heart. My main love languages are acts of services & touch. This gives me a deep appreciation of touch & the ability to be of Service to others. The appreciation of being a Masseur & Master of Touch is something you never take for granted. So as long as we all have the ability to touch, then there is hope to continue being of service & healing with my touch until the end.
How long have you been a Masseur and how long do think you'd like to continue?
8 years professionally. 88years old at least.
Being a Masseur is a joy & pleasure for me. Every client is different, every experience is unique, & my clients make it worth sharing my gifts, indefinitely. My craft only continues to grow & the journey of discovering how my touch can heal the world gives me a drive & passion to keep going.
One of the biggest reasons it is hard to imagine an end to Massage is my curiosity of who my next client will be. Some of my biggest 'Aha Moments' have been from my clients. Having met what seems to have already been every type of person & background you can imagine, you think you can't possibly meet even more amazing clients. Then a new client comes with some of the most interestingly incredible stories, who are intoxicatingly brilliant, & so much more that you can't help & have gratitude to share your healing hands & other healing tools. In getting to know some of my clients who enjoy communication during a session is always something to look forward & learning about all kinds of walks of life.
On the opposite side there are the clients who enjoy the quietness of the mind & those sessions are equally meditative & powerful to go deep in healing.
Is extensive training necessary for a Masseur in order to be successful?
While training is important & beneficial there is something said for having Talent in your Touch. There is no amount of training that can teach you how to touch firm yet smoothly and with a caring energy that allows for a higher Level of comforting peace. It is something you must understand instinctually. In some ways you need to be born with the gift of touch. Massage, touch, and the energy exchange which occurs is something anyone can do, but not all understand how to embrace this instinct and use it.
That being said, knowledge is power, training breeds truth, & communication is always key in being successful at anything you do.
All my trainings & education over my lifetime has guided me to understanding the body in a way uniquely my own. In being a Successful Masseur, training & education has been an invaluable tool & investment to evolving my basic skills. Along with my more advanced skills, into a style all my own. It is also why continuously learning about new techniques, other forms of touch, & challenging myself to think beyond the box is a key part of my training to grow as a masseur & Master of Touch.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to be a Masseur?
Expect to make an upfront investment in the must haves, like a quality table, quality massage creams/oils, quality sheets/other sanitary products, & quality in your service.
Finding a masseur mentor to help you navigate the world of massage, in the beginning is valuable. It can often be scary or even give you feelings of vulnerability venturing into a new path on your own. Having someone to guide, teach, and talk to in this path is invaluable. You never know what’s going to come your way in life and it’s always good to have help for whenever you will need it.
In my personal experience, not having a steady masseur mentor didn't hinder me from being a successful masseur, however it would have been worth a lot to have had someone to talk to when trying to figure things out & feel confident in my skills during my beginnings as a Masseur.
One last recommendation, is to get a few massages from other masseurs with good ratings & lots of experience to understand the process of how other Masseurs work/play in the field of Touch & how you can learn to incorporate your own unique skills from others who are already doing the thing you want to do. You are on your way to be A Master Masseur.
Do you remember your first client ? Tell us something about that first day when you decided to be a Masseur!
Of course, I was so nervous my first time. Even with all my training and practice the first time massaging on a paying client, on your own, can be very nerve racking. You don't always know who is going to be on the other side of the door, even now. It can be even more intimidating for a young Mercury, when your first client is an outcall. This allows for so many more 'what if's' that could happen.
In a great way, all the what ifs went out the door the moment I arrived at his building. My first client was a kind, incredibly striking, and a fit gentleman who works in fitness and health & the only other thing to say about him is that he is incredibly successful in his field. Luckily, he didn’t notice my nerves and he became a loyal client after the first session. He is still a client of mine to this day, now over 8 years ago. Though we don’t live in the same state now, when he does come to NYC for business he always makes a point to book a session or two. He's even brought me down a few times when he is in desperate need of great massage & healing touch that only my hands provide.
The first decision to become a masseur was both a nerve racking, exciting day & no regrets in my choice.
Do you consider yourself a successful Masseur?
Yes, most definitely consider myself a successful Masseur.
Some of the reasons for my success is my ability to treat every one of my clients with dignity, respect, & care. Proud to say, my clientele includes all walks of life, including those with physical disabilities, trans bodies, big bodies, small bodies, fit bodies & so much more. For me, there is no discrimination, as long as there is a mutual expectation of dignity & respect. It is this kind of attention to client satisfaction that has given me more repeat clientele than 1 timers & what allows me to build strong relationships with my returning clients. Allowing me to give better Service each & every session that gives a real sense of connection to my clients body. My approach to touch is very well rounded & there is great consideration to your whole being & not just the parts of you, you think need attention.
In my personal drive & determination to continue to be a Successful Master Masseur comes from my confidence of skill mixed with a passion to grow my skillset to be always evolving my success in my work & play.
You will not regret coming to see me as long as you are open to a truly loving transformative experience.
Tell us a little about yourself, if you were to pick something what would you like your clients to absolutely know about you?
If We play baseball, it's best we discuss ahead of time who is playing what position or even if we are switch hitting & the extra rate to play sports. Love to pitch & catch. Also a big believer in safety, so gloves are always a great idea.
In Addition to a love of playing sports, something else important to mention is another passion & NEW Premium Offer/Business of mine as A FUUN Coach. You might be thinking, 'What is a FUUN Coach?' Great Question Reader.
A FUUN Coach is someone who helps you gain more freedom in your purpose of PLAY. Often times we can see the world as only a place of work & there is no place to have fun or experience play. This can be a depressing way to live your life & certainly won't bring a sense of freedom in this gift of life you have been given, as we all have been given. No one truly wants to be enslaved to their life, at least not after a few sessions with me. You will crave freedom & FUUN like never before.
If you think my massage skills are something just wait until you've had a FUUN Coaching PlayDate with me. Some of just the 'i words' used to describe our sessions are interesting, introspective, inspiring, & incredibly playful.
Ask Me about FUUN.
What are your hobbies, what do you like to do in your spare time?
in my spare time i do a multitude of things including visual arts, writing/directing, reading, volunteering with those in need, & many more things. Feel free to ask me about anything. i am an open book & love to talk about my passions & hobbies.
How would you like someone that contacts you for a massage to feel when they leave?
i expect you to feel in total bliss when you leave. i expect you to feel like the needs you didn't even know you needed will be met. i expect you to forget for a while the troubles & outside world for a while & for a while longer after you leave. i expect you to feel like my massage is the best, most holistically focused massage you have ever received.
Why did you become a Masseur?
i have always been a tactile person & love to touch. i became a masseur to fulfill my need to express touch & to also share my gift of healing through the power of my touch.
What distinguishes you from all the other Masseurs?
i am constantly learning & improving my technique, skills, & more to my practice. i like to focus on & think of the whole person. in my experience & in talking with clients i have discovered many masseurs focus more on the physical aspects of massage. i like to think bigger & focus on the physical, mental, spiritual, & wholeness of each client.
How often do you travel? Do you prefer to travel or are you more of a homebody?
i love to travel. i don't get to travel as much as i used to. Now that things are opening up a bit more i do plan to travel a little bit more & specifically want to travel more within the United States. i've spent a lot of time traveling abroad & have realized i haven't seen enough of the country in where i live. So one of my goals of the next few years is to see more of the US as a whole.
How do you like clients to feel about the experience when they leave?
i like for my clients to feel like you made right decision in booking me & know that you will have a reliable, kind, skillful, & more masseur to call on to take care of all of you & not just the parts you think need attention. i want you to feel whole when you leave.
