Personal Finance Tips

Holistic body massage therapy promotes wellness by balancing the body, mind and spirit. You can learn to do some body massage strokes on your loved ones at home and then get the full deal from professional body massage therapists at reputable massage therapy spas in Oldsmar, Safety Harbor, Trinity and Clearwater, FL.

Sara Thomas and Lucy Lidell share their home massage tips in the article “Holistic Massage” at PositiveHealth.com. Sara Thomas is the president of the Massage Training Institute in London, the author of Massage for Common Ailments from Gaia Books, and co-author of The Book of Massage from Ebury Press. Lucy Lidell is a massage therapist and healer trained in various massage and body therapy modalities, healing, dreamwork and yoga, and specializes in helping clients work through emotional problems. She is the author of The Sensual Body from Unwin Hyman, and is co-author of The Book of Massage and The Book of Yoga from Ebury Press.

According to Thomas and Lidell, holistic massage has profound emotional and spiritual effects, creating trust and optimism and nurturing self-acceptance and body awareness. When receiving massage, one is able to let go and reach a deeper connection with one’s self. The authors believe that massage can even create a state of expanded awareness and consciousness. They, therefore, recommend learning basic massage strokes for use in the home as a complement to professional massage therapy sessions.

For headache, smooth soothing strokes can be made on the forehead down to the muscles of the jaw. The fingers can make small circles on the temples. The finger pads can also be used to massage the scalp. This will help release tension and pain. Tension can be released by massaging the back of the neck and the shoulders.

When someone has neck aches and shoulder aches, the muscles at the top of the shoulders can be squeezed with the hands, from the neck outwards. The base of the skull can be pressed with the thumbs and the back of the neck can be kneaded and stroked. The areas between shoulder blades on both sides of the spine can also be massaged with circular strokes of the thumbs.

For backache, the muscles on both sides of the spine can be massaged with long smooth strokes. The palms can then make circular strokes outward from the spine and then over the sacrum or the base of the spine. For particularly tense areas, the thumbs can be used to make smaller circles with deeper pressure.

For leg ache, the long smooth strokes can be made from the ankles toward the tops of the thighs and down, with more pressure on the upward strokes and lighter pressure on the downward strokes. Rhythmic strokes can then be used, alternating your hands on each leg. This will break up and drain lactic acid built up from strenuous activity.

For leg cramps, assist the person in stretching the leg. Knead the cramped muscles to loosen them and release tension. Once the person is able to stand, assist him or her in walking. This will help restore proper blood circulation to the leg.

For menstrual cramps, the palms can make slow circular strokes over the sacrum and the lower back. This may be complemented with slow light strokes over the lower abdomen.

It’s good to exchange body massage services with your loved ones at home, but getting full body massage from professional massage therapists is still the best thing you can do for yourself. Professional body massage therapists offer Swedish massage therapy, deep tissue massage therapy and sports massage therapy at body massage therapy spas in Oldsmar, Safety Harbor, Trinity and Clearwater, FL. Surrender your body, mind and spirit to a blissful holistic experience.