Massage

The sense of touch is a powerful and highly sensitive form of communication and the healing power of touch therapies are so important and all can benefit from them.

An effective aid to relaxation, massage helps to smooth away stress, unknotting tense and aching muscles, relieving headaches and helping with sleep problems. But massage is also invigorating, it improves the functioning of many of the body’s systems, promotes healing and tones muscles, leaving the person receiving it with a feeling of renewed energy.

The skin, blood and lymphatic systems are all stimulated during massage and this boosts circulation, aids cellular renewal and removes toxic waste. As tense muscles relax, stiff joints and nerves are soothed and an all over feeling of wellbeing comes about.

During an aromatherapy massage we use a range of techniques to both relax and to stimulate.

Effleurage is a smooth, sliding movement which soothes and relaxes, we use this to distribute the essential oil blend and to warm the muscles for deeper massage. Pettrisage is a technique used to knead and manipulate areas of tissue and muscles, it is a deeper form of massage which stretches the muscles alleviating tension and compresses the tissues thereby improving elasticity and suppleness. It is excellent for stimulating circulation. Friction is used on areas that are particularly small, knotty or tight, it is a firm, circular movement which creates heat in the muscles and stimulates both the circulatory and nervous systems. Lymphatic Drainage helps to encourage and boost the lymphatic circulation, it directs tissue fluid (lymph) back towards the bloodstream. Gentle pressure is used, with movements always in the direction of the heart.

Massage is key within our aromatherapy treatments, it enables us to link the senses using both touch and smell and take you on a wonderful journey to peace and stillness. We use soft music, low lighting and ensure your warmth, comfort and privacy at all times. Slow, calm breathing is encouraged and we use our experience of breath-work and meditation to guide you into a deep relaxed state before massaging away aches, pains, worries and stress.

References – Aromatherapy, Massage and Yoga by Carole McGilvery, Jimi Reed and Mira Mehta. Practical Aromatherapy by Penny Rich, Aromatherapy A Step-by-Step Guide by Sheila Lavery.