Therapies in more detail: Hot stones massage
I’m sure we all have an image that comes to mind when hot stone massage is mentioned…Lovely smooth black stones placed along the spine of the back while the client lays there in bliss…
Hot stones are basically used as a replacement of the hands and fingers. They are a fantastic way to relax the muscles even more, especially tension that’s built up over a long period of time that’s being a bit stubborn…basically not cooperating with solely hand/elbow manipulation!
When I have finished using the stones for practical purposes, I tend to leave stones in different places on the body whilst moving on to another body part, as it is a lovely warmth that you want the client to enjoy for as long as possible!
If a client comes to me with a lot of tension and hasn’t booked a hot stones massage, I tend to use them a little bit anyway, as they really do encourage the muscles to just let go that bit more.
Heat on muscles is a wonderful thing, and once you try them, it’s hard to go back to your usual plain oil massages, as the combination of both is next level gooood.
Now that we are entering the winter season, it’s something I like to incorporate into my treatments a lot because I feel like everyone needs that extra bit of warmth in the colder months.
For someone that has been diagnosed with SAD (seasonal affective disorder), I really appreciate the addition of hot stones to my own massages when I get them. As soon as it gets cold I just want to be bundled up in warmth, and the element of heat really helps me both mentally and physically.
Because I see everything with an Ayurvedic outlook; we are in Kapha season which is cold, damp & wet. To balance these external qualities out, we need to find the opposite elements to keep us balanced and stable. So, anything with heat- be that hot stones, hot water bottles & hot cups of tea, are all good things to incorporate now! I also prefer to drink warm cups of water instead of cold, as it keeps body temperature at the right level without dampening. Did you know it’s actually better for you to drink room temperature water instead of cold anyway, as it requires less energy for our bodies to process?
We’ve now turned on all the heated pads on our massage tables too, after a long hot summer without them, so it’s ULTRA cosy in the shop right now! The dream. ♥️
Keep warm & toasty my friends,
All my love,
Ali xx