Here are some guidelines that we have available for our massage clients. We have included answers to some questions that first-time massage receivers may wonder about. The guidelines present general information about what happens during a massage, along with some tips to help you get the most from your massage. Other massage therapists we know feel the same way.

Tell your massage therapist if there is something to be careful of. Speak up if you are too cool or too warm. Tell us if there is something special you want. Also let us know if there is something you don't like or something you especially like. We are adaptable, and this massage is for you. You are in charge.

You will be covered with a sheet during your massage. Your back will be uncovered as it is worked on, as will one arm or leg at a time. In undressing to prepare for a massage, do what feels most comfortable to you. Understand that it is difficult to massage around a bra, so if you want a decent back massage, it needs to come off. Similarly, massage on lower back, low abdomen and hips can be done through underwear, though not as well. About half of our clients leave their underwear on, and about half remove it. Either way works for us. It's most important that you feel comfortable; otherwise, how could you relax?

A reputable massage therapist will always respect your modesty. Proper draping techniques include the covering of genitalia. We cover women's' breasts when we massage the abdomen. If you have concerns, please ask. If you need treatment on or near a sensitive area, we can discuss it without embarrassment and find a way to treat you so that you are comfortable.

Go ahead and make noises. Sigh, grunt or moan. Cry if you feel like it. It helps to release the tensions you've been holding in your body. But remember that a lot of unnecessary talk distracts from feeling. Don't think you have to carry on a conversation. This is a time to feel, breathe, and visualize healing. Being aware of your emotions as well as your physical feelings as you receive bodywork is part of the healing process. You may recall something from your past as an old injury is being worked. It could be something you've been holding in your body for years that you're now ready to let go of. Just notice it. Visualize letting it go, if you're ready to let it go. You can talk about it, or not.

You may not have noticed that something was sore until it was touched. When you focus your attention on the part of your body that your therapist is touching, you give your subconscious instructions for self-healing.

Slow deep inhales and exhales actually send a chemical message that triggers muscular as well as emotional relaxation. Breathe consciously during your massage and in your everyday life.

Receiving a massage is an act of surrender. Get over the idea that it's good to give but bad to receive. When on the massage table, don't help. Don't lift up your head so that your neck can be worked. Refrain from holding your arm up in the air so that it can be massaged. If your massage therapist is holding your hand up in the air and swinging your arm to relax your shoulder, don't take over. Helping doesn't help.

Pretend you're a rag doll and be totally limp. Let yourself be moved. Practice makes perfect. The more massages you get, the better you get at relaxation; this carries over into your daily life. You will become better at functioning under stress.

One more thing: in order to relax, you'll have to turn your cell phone off and leave the baby at home with a sitter. Let everything else go and focus on YOU for an hour and a half. See how luxurious loving yourself can be.

Don't let your massage last only for the time you're receiving it. Let it be practice for feeling good every moment. Take responsibility for your own healing. Come back often. By treating yourself to regular massages, you will be helping yourself to function at optimum level.

We have a prepaid punchcard that allows our clients to buy 5 massages and get 1 free. This makes it easy for you to get regular treatment. Ask your massage therapist if s/he has a special quantity deal.

As always, drink lots of water. Eat a good diet. Get regular exercise. We recommend yoga, partly because it's designed to exercise every part of your body, mind and spirit. Yoga helps you become strong, flexible, balanced and at ease. The body is remarkable in self-healing abilities. It wants those parts that you care about to be healthy. It also gets the message that you're not interested in the parts that you neglect.

You can't hire someone else to heal you, only to assist you in healing yourself. It's the same with your emotional and spiritual bodies. Your health is your responsibility. Too many people rely on (or blame) others for the way their life is going by believing what others tell them to do or to believe. We all create our own reality. Some of us do it consciously, others unconsciously. Experiment. See what works for you. Consciously create what you want to have in your life in this new millennium.

Susan and David Luce are massage therapists at their own Raven Bear Studio in midtown Anchorage. They can be reached at 561-9609.