Holistic massage techniques have been used for thousands of years in Egypt, China and India. Ayurveda, an ancient Indian healing system, uses the therapeutic benefits of massage combined with plant extracts, spices and aromatic oils.
Techniques
There are four main massage techniques used in holistic massage. Effleurage involves stroking movements; petrissage is a technique that resembles kneading; tapotement includes cupping movements and hacking; and vibrational movements are created using the fingers.
Considerations
When giving a holistic massage, it is important to remember that only muscle should be massaged; the masseuse should not massage directly on any bone area, as this can cause discomfort or damage to the recipient. If you recently had an operation, consult you doctor before receiving a massage.
Benefits
Holistic massage can lead to better circulation, less physical tension and deeper breathing, which oxygenates the entire body. There are also many emotional and mental benefits from holistic massage.
Holistic massage
Holistic massage is a deceptively simple but powerful form of healing, involving touch, movement and energy, qualities long associated with well-being and good health. It has been practised in one form or another for thousands of years. Today it is recognized increasingly as a powerful aid to the body’s own healing mechanisms, it has a profoundly calming effect on the neuromuscular system bringing about deep relaxation and restoring energy. It is used both as an adjunct to conventional medicine and as a therapeutic tool in its own right for maintaining the body’s natural balances.
The massage treatment
Holistic massage as practiced at Holistic Body Therapies is the gentle, rhythmical stroking and kneading of the body’s soft tissues, soothing away tensions and relaxing and balancing mind and body. With this approach the whole person is treated, rather than just the symptoms of disease, anxiety or excessive stress.
This is achieved by the use of relaxation techniques, the playing of calming music, where necessary essential oils are employed, the treatment room is warm and calming, and we provide a caring and informal atmosphere, and most importantly, listening carefully to the client and attending to their needs in a holistic manner.
After the massage, you will be offered fresh spring water, and ample time is provided to bring the treatment to a close. Therefore, please allow fifteen minutes extra for each session. A one hour treatment, for example, will last one hour and fifteen minutes.
The effects of massage
You will immediately notice some of the effects of massage: this gentle therapy relaxes the body, releases muscle tension, and the rhythmical, soothing nature of the massage strokes helps your mind to unwind and become still, leaving you calm and refreshed.
Massage aids our ability to deal with stress. Excessive stress is a major contributor to disease and general ill health. It can cause energy to be blocked, muscles to tense up and remain tensed (in the ‘fight or flight’ reaction) and it can bring about mental and emotional anxieties and a feeling of being unable to cope. As massage strokes release muscular tension and calm the mind, the effects of stress are eased away and the body is able to re-balance itself.
After a treatment many people report improved joint mobility and feeling taller as well as the common sense of well-being and calm.
The Consultation
To ensure full benefits from your massage, you will be asked at your first session to give relevant information about your health, past and present. This ensures that your massage therapist can give you a treatment which is unique to you and ideally suited to your needs and wishes. All treatments are by appointment only.
Holistic Massage is fundamentally based around oil-based Swedish massage, but an array of techniques are incorporated to ensure that the client receives the best possible treatment. The treatment deals with the client as a whole. The aim is to rebalance the body so it achieves homeostasis (balance).
Some Benefits of Holistic Massage
- Mechanical cleanser (increase the interchange of tissue fluids emptied into the capillaries and lymphatic system)
- Improves circulation
- Brings about a state of general relaxation
- Relieves muscle spasms
- Improves muscle tone
- Produces an alpha state in which the body and mind are totally relaxed
- Promotes good digestion
- Helps release negative and pent-up emotions
- Helps remove toxins from the skin
- Stretches tight muscles
- Relieves tired and sore muscles.