Hot Stone Massage
The Idea Behind Stone Therapy:
- Flat stones ar usually volcanic in origin, but flat river bed rocks are used extensively in stone therapy. The hot Basalt lava stones are rich in minerals and can be heated and used for deep body massage and intensive energy work.
- They may be placed on specific points or chakras to help the body clear blocked energy patterns and help relax and dissolve stress, drawing excess hyper energy away from over stimulated areas, bringing new energy to depleted zones.
- Different mineralogy in cold stones may bring a cooling, clearing effect when placed on the eyelids.
- The heated stones, by giving their heat and electromagnetic energy to the individual, virtually “feed” the person with relaxation and a sense of peace.
Various Stones Used For Different Therapies:
Stones used for massage can be of various sized, be it large or small, smooth or rough, dark or light. Large stones can be used to treat large areas of the body, and are great for some of the more sweeping strokes of Swedish massage. Smaller stones can be used for smaller spaces. Smooth stones glide easily and do not hurt the skin, but rougher ones are useful too, because the friction they produce wakes up and warms up tissue, and can even exfoliate the skin. And pointed stones are wonderful for treating very specific areas. Very dark coloured stones heat up faster and can sustain heat for a longer period of time. But they can sometimes get too hot, or release their heat too fast. Stones that are not quite so dark, that is grey in colour, may not get as hot, but they also won’t cool down so fast. And if the requirement is for cold stones, then there are light coloured of white stones.
People who have only had hot stone massage cant stop talking about it. So why would anybody want to use a cold stone massage. Well, cold is better for areas of the body which are inflamed, if you have tendonitis you probably wouldn’t want to add heat there, because it would only make the area feel worse. And cold is great for the face, it gives a lovely feeling. Think of how good a cool compress feels if your head is stuffed up. A cool stone will have the same effect. Stones can be used to give a massage, or they can be placed on various parts of the body and left there for a while. They can be used as tools for specific work like neuromuscular therapy. They can be used throughout the massage, or only during certain parts of it, such as at the beginning and the end. Techniques for using stones in massage are limited only to the imagination of the therapist and the needs of the client.
So why would you go in for a regular ordinary massage when a stone massage is easily available and more beneficial. Professional therapist associate a hot stone massage with peace, solace and harmony as this massage promotes a soothing positive feeling in a person along with relaxation.
The Hot And Cold Stones:
The stones used in therapies are never rough.- They are always flat and smooth.
- The stones used on the back are about the size of a large egg, only flat.
- The massage therapist always holds the stones, first before touching them to your body, which ensures that the temperature will not be too hot.
- Everyone has their own comfort range as far as the temperatures are concerned, therefore if the stones are too hot, it is advisable for the therapist to be informed.
- A hot stone massage is suited for people, who tend to feel chilly or who have cold feet and muscle tension but prefer a lighter massage.
- The heat relaxes the muscles, allowing the therapist to work the muscles without using deep pressure.
- Cool marble stones are occasionally used during a treatment particularly if there is inflammation.
