Hot Stone Massage – a Wonderfully Warming Experience

You’ve probably seen the photographs used to advertise a hot stone massage. They usually show a model lying on a massage couch with stones placed neatly on her back or around her body. You may have thought that the therapist left the stones around the body for them to do the work. Well a hot stone massage is actually more than this, the stones are used to massage the body. If you have experienced a hot stone massage then you will know what a wonderful and luxurious massage it can be.

Naturally smooth basalt stones heated in water are used in a hot stone massage treatment. The volcanic properties of the stones means they absorb and hold heat for longer periods of time. The heat from the stones warms the muscles quicker than just the hands. One stroke of a hot stone is equivalent to between 5 to 10 strokes with the hands. When muscles are warmed up they are looser and less resistant, so using heat allows for a much deeper and more effective massage. Once used some stones may be placed or tucked around the body to keep the area warm whilst the therapist works on another part of the body.

The stones are of varying shapes and sizes and are chosen depending on which area of the body is being massaged. For example medium sized stones are used to massage the back and smaller stones are used for the face. Flatter more pointed stones are used for specific focussed trigger point work.

From the first stroke of a hot stone on the body, the client can feel the stress and tension they are holding literally melting away. A hot stone massage takes clients on a blissfully relaxing journey. During a hot stone session I interchange between using a stone, my hands, forearms and knuckles in addition to varying the speed of the strokes. These variations make it difficult for the client to follow the process of what I am doing and the resulting confusion forces their minds to surrender and allows them to just enjoy the treatment.

With the addition of cold stones a hot stone massage can be adapted to treat injury and pain conditions . The stones can be cooled in a fridge or a freezer. The benefit of using cold stones are that they prevent and reduce swelling, and decrease pain. Contrast bathing is the alternate use of hot and cold stones and is useful for dealing with chronic pain conditions. Flat stones can be used to strip through the muscles, searching for and deactivating trigger points, which may be causing pain.

As a therapist when I give a hot stone massage treatment I am able to work deeper without any strain to my hands or body . This is very important in order to avoid me getting injured. The stones feel comfortable in my hands and almost become an extension of them.

For the client receiving a hot stone massage is a deeply relaxing experience and leaves them feeling nurtured and pampered. It can help to ease their aches and pains and the body stays warm for a while following the treatment.

I studied Hot Stone Fusion Massage with Jing Advanced Institute of Massage. www.jingmassage.com Their specialised training is an innovative and exciting fusion of the advanced stone techniques, using principles of Eastern massage therapies, Swedish massage, holistic medical massage, trigger point work, stretching and energy work.

Hot Stone Fusion Massage treatments with Grace at Natural Grace Therapies are priced at £45 for 60 minutes and £60 for 90 minutes.

Natural Grace Therapies - My business name journey

Choosing a business name for my complementary therapy business was a lot more difficult and took much longer than I had anticipated. For years I have been using just my name and tagging Massage or Complementary Therapist on at the end. At the start this was okay but I felt the time was right to give my business some structure and so having a business name would help me to achieve this.

My first approach was to think of a good name for my website but all the most popular domain names had already been taken. I needed something that was memorable, easy to say, unique, distinctive, described what I did and was also still available as a website domain name.

Initially I was deciding between the names Massage by Grace or Massage with Grace. My first name is Grace so I really wanted to include it in my business name. I felt that both names were simple and said what I did. I ran it by a few of my therapist colleagues and some friends who all thought both were good names. However when I mentioned it at a social gathering, my friend’s husband repeated the name in a way that sounded more sleazy than therapeutic so that was the end of those names.

On the Internet I looked at the foreign translations of words that described my work, maybe having an exotic slant would make my business sound more appealing and distinctive. I trawled through dictionaries and thesauruses looking for the right words to jump out at me. There are thousands of words in the dictionary so surely something would fit but alas this wasn’t the case. I didn’t want predictable words like hands and healing. I also needed to avoid words that might align my business with adult services or the escort industry.

My focus was just on my new business name but I also needed to think of a logo to go with it. Again there are logos in the world of therapies that bore me to tears, not meaning any disrespect to those therapists who use them but logos with hands, the ying and yang circle and butterflies don’t do it for me. I had a consultation with my graphic designer and talked through the things I did and didn’t like in terms of design. I wanted my business to appeal to both men and women so something neutral that was neither too feminine nor masculine would be perfect.

I also mentioned that I really liked wood and in particular Ashanti hand carved wooden stools from Ghana. As well as being something to sit on the symbols in the centre of the stool have specific meanings based on Adinkra symbols. As a child I sat on one of these stools whilst my mother plaited my hair.

A few weeks later my graphic designer presented me with my new logo. The logo is based on the Ashanti wooden stools with a leaf at its centre.
To those not familiar with the stools, my logo may look like an essential oil burner with a leaf. Whatever people make of my logo is fine by me, as I know that it perfectly represents me.

So I’ve got the logo but what about the name? After playing with variations of Unique Essence, Grace Essence, and Natural Essence it finally came to me Natural Grace Therapies.

NATURAL – my massage therapy treatments are natural, I use natural base oils, pure essential oils, and I am quite a natural person.

GRACE– this is my name and also describes a sense of calm, peace, and movement.

THERAPIES – massage therapies is what I do and the word leaves me scope for adding non massage therapies in the future.

The journey to finding the right business name for me took about 6 months, it was long with a few twists and turns along the way but I got there eventually and I must say that I am more than happy with the final result.

Chavutti Thirumal - The Ultimate No Hands Massage

In May 2009 I had the opportunity to learn the Chavutti Thirumal. It was a therapy that I had seen a demonstration of about 10 years earlier and had been quite fascinated by it. Chavutti Thirumal is also known as Indian Rope Massage and it’s translation literally means “massage by foot pressure”. It is a unique massage therapy that involves using the feet to massage the body instead of the hands.

Chavutti Thirumal has a history spanning over a few thousand years. It originated in South India alongside the Kalari System which is a form of martial art, Kathakali dancers and amongst yoga practitioners.

The client receives the massage whilst lying on the floor with the therapist standing above them. The therapist holds onto a rope suspended above them for balance and to vary the pressure of the massage strokes. The hands are used to apply oil to the body at the start of the session and at the end to massage the face and feet.

The body is massaged in sections by the foot and all the major muscle groups are covered. The foot easily moulds to the shape of the body and cover a large surface area. Using different parts of the foot adds depth and precision to the massage. The heel is used to give a deeper pressure to strong muscles like the glutes and thighs. Using the toes add precision when working on specific muscles on the back and hands. Fluid, rhythmic and long sweeping strokes with the sole of the foot induces a sense of relaxation and helps to release tension in tight muscles.

A full 90 minute Chavutti Thirumal massage covers the back, sides and front of the body. Giving a Chavutti Thirumal treatment feels like a rhythmic dance and feels very different to a table based massage.

For the client the feet feel very much like hands and they cannot always work out which part of the foot is being used on them. By the end of the session, the client feels relaxed, grounded, balanced and has a sense that their body has been stretched.

For me as a massage therapist giving a Chavutti Thiriumal massage provides me with a sense of freedom and is the ultimate no hands massage. Using my body weight enables me to work effectively with minimum strain to my body and my client experiences a deeper yet relaxing massage treatment. They also become more aware of the areas of their body where they are holding stress and tension.

A Chavutti Thirumal massage is suitable for anyone particularly those involved with playing sports, dancers and yoga practitioners. So if you are looking for uniquely different massage experience then Chavutti Thirumal may be just what you need.

I was taught Chavutti Thirumal in London by Helen Noakes who is based in Goa but travels the world teaching Chavutti Thirumal, Yoga and massage. It was truly an honour and a pleasure to have met and worked with her.

Chavutti Thirumal treatments with Grace at Natural Grace Therapies are priced at £55 for 60 minutes and £70 for 90 minutes.

How to get the most from your massage session

Arrive on time for your appointment. Being late can be stressful and it may take you longer to relax. Also your therapist may not be able to give you your full treatment time if they have another client booked in after you.

Avoid eating a large meal before your massage. It takes a while for food to digest and you may feel uncomfortable during your treatment.

Be honest when completing your health consultation form at the start of your first session. Let the therapist know if you have any allergies, injuries or health issues.

Reschedule your appointment if you feel unwell, have a cold or flu. A massage at this time is likely to make you feel worse and you may pass your flu or cold virus onto your therapist.

Do not worry if you forgot to shave your legs, have cellulite or don’t have a washboard stomach. Your therapist will have seen many bodies of all shapes and sizes. If there is anything that you are particularly concerned about then do tell your therapist. The therapist will be assessing your body in terms of muscle tightness, tension and pain.

Do communicate with your therapist. What is your reason for having a massage? Is it for general relaxation or do you have pain or health concerns that need addressing? This will enable your treatment to be tailored specifically to your needs.

Let the therapist know if anything during your massage feels uncomfortable, painful or if the pressure being used needs to be adjusted. Also mention if you are feeling too hot or cold as your body temperature can change during a treatment.

It is okay to be quiet during your treatment session. Do not feel that you have to have a conversation for the full duration of your treatment. Some people are naturally talkative but taking time to be quiet can help to relax and calm your mind.

Falling asleep during your massage treatment is allowed. Rather than thinking you are being rude your therapist will see it as a compliment. It means that you trust them enough to let your mind body relax completely.

Keep breathing naturally. Breathing helps facilitate relaxation. If the therapist finds a painful area or knots keep breathing rather than holding your breath.

Relax your muscles. Try not to tighten your muscles during your massage. If you are doing this because an area is painful or sensitive tell the therapist so they can adjust the particular technique being used.

Avoid doing too much following your treatment. Allow your body to rest and absorb the work that has been done.

Be ready to book more massage sessions. The frequency and number of treatments is different for everybody and dependent on your reasons for having massage. The therapeutic effects of massage are cumulative, so the more often you get a massage, the better you will feel and the more quickly your body will respond.

Welcome to Natural Grace Therapies Blog

Hello, I decided to start writing a blog so that I can share information about massage therapy, health tips and anything else that I think readers will benefit from. This is a new and exciting medium for me to use so as I learn more about blogging I will include photos and clips from YouTube. I hope over the coming weeks and months that you will enjoy reading what I have to say.

Wishing you a fantastic day

Grace