Massage may be the oldest and simplest form of holistic care. Egyptian tomb paintings show people being massaged. In Eastern cultures, massage has been practiced continually since ancient times. A Chinese book from 2,700 B.C., The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine, recommends 'breathing exercises, massage of skin and flesh, and exercises of hands and feet" as the appropriate treatment for -aches, chills, and fever." It was one of the principal methods of relieving pain for Greek and Roman physicians. Julius Caesar was said to have been given a daily massage to treat neuralgia. "The Physician Must Be Experienced In Many Things," wrote Hippocrates, the father of western medicine, in the 5th century B. C., "but assuredly in rubbing… for rubbing can bind a joint that is too loose, and loosen a joint that is too rigid."

The knowledge that unseen energy flows through all living things, and directly corresponds to one’s quality of health, is part of the wisdom of many cultures since ancient times. The existence of “life force energy” has been verified by recent scientific experiments. Many members of the healthcare community now embrace the role that healing plays in bolstering the immune system, aiding in detoxification and overall healing.