Hot Stone Massage Therapy is a type of massage using specially heated volcanic lava stones, combined with Swedish-style massage movements, which has healing properties for both skin and muscles.

 

Special smooth basalt stones are heated to a comfortably warm temperature prior to treatment. While the heat from the hot stones penetrates your body, you will be given a Swedish-style massage with aromatherapy oils. The theory is that the heat from the stones helps to increase your heart rate and helps to regulate blood flow. It also helps to rid the muscles of toxic waste products, which build up from stress and bad lifestyle habits.

 

Stiff joints benefit from the penetrating heat, making this an excellent choice after exercise or any physical work. Sometimes cold stones are used along with the warm ones, to further stimulate the circulation and to reduce inflammation. The whole Hot Stone Massage treatment is both relaxing and revitalising and is said to clear the body's energy channels to promote wellbeing and good health. One thing most people say after a Hot Stone Massage therapy session is that they sleep really well the night after treatment and always look forward to going back.                       

 

Hot Stone Massage makes you feel deeply relaxed, allowing you to let go of all the stress and tension that is held within your body.  
 

Benefits of a Hot Stone Massage

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• Continuous heat therapy throughout the massage.

• Deeper and quicker relaxation of muscles, helping to alleviate stress and tension more effectively.

• Direct heat relaxes muscles, allowing manipulation of a greater intensity than with regular massage.

• Vaso-dilation of blood vessels causing an increase in blood flow around the body; providing the important fuel to keep the body functioning at total efficiency.

• Increases the pulse, therefore the heart pumps faster.

• Increases cell metabolism; thereby increasing the rate at which the body processes nutrients and toxins.

• Heat from the stones increases that relaxation response and increases healing through improved blood flow and circulation.

• Increases lymphatic function, thereby increasing detoxification, cleansing and elimination.

• Creates a feeling of balance and harmony. Enhances the feeling of wellbeing.

• Much more effective than manual massage – it is said that one stroke of a stone is the equivalent to ten of the hand.

• Enables the therapist to work more deeply and effectively with chronic pain conditions.   

 

Those experiencing a hot stone massage may notice a healing improvement of the following symptoms:

 

• Muscular aches, pains, sprains, and strains

• Poor circulation

• Rheumatic and arthritic conditions

• Fibromyalgia

• Multiple Sclerosis 

• Back pain

• Stress, anxiety and tension

• Insomnia

• Depression.



​The Five Elements

The five elements - water, wood, fire, earth and metal - each have a profound effect on one another, either creative or destructive.

 

eg: water nurtures wood, wood nurtures fire, fire creates earth, earth creates metal, metal condenses water: this is the creative cycle.

 

The destructive cycle: wood penetrates and destroys earth, earth absorbs and destroys water, water puts out fire, fire melts metal, and metal chops wood.

 

The five elements are used within a Hot Stone Massage:

• Metal = the metal stone heater

• Fire = the electricity powering the heater

• Earth = the stones, towel and wooden spoon

• Water = the water used to heat the stones

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​Chakras
A chakra is a non-physical energy located around an inch away from the physical body. Each chakra in your spinal column is believed to influence or even govern bodily functions near its region. The energy field of each chakra penetrates beyond the physical body into the aura. By placing the hands along the axis of the chakras, energy and balance can be restored. A chakra is believed to be a center of activity that receives, assimilates, and expresses the life force energy. 

​Root Chakra
Located at the base of the spine, the Root Chakra represents our foundation, survival, and the feeling of being grounded. It deals with tasks related to the material and physical world, and your own security. Emotional issues include insecurity with money and food. Imbalances associated with your Root Chakra are anaemia, fatigue, lower back pain, sciatica, depression, and frequent cold hands and feet.

 

​Spleen Chakra
Located just below the navel on the lower abdomen, the Spleen Chakra is all about feelings. It’s connected to sensing abilities, intimacy, sociability, openness to new experiences, and your sex organs. Physically, the spleen governs reproduction, mentally it governs creativity, emotionally it governs joy, and spiritually it governs enthusiasm. Emotional issues include pleasure, sexuality and sense of abundance, and imbalances associated with the Spleen Chakra are eating disorders, drug and alcohol abuse, relationship problems, depression, lower back pain, asthma, allergies, urinary problems, yeast infections and impotency.

 

​Solar Plexus Chakra

Located above the naval on the stomach, the Solar Plexus Chakra embodies personal power, self-confidence, and ego; the ability to have self-control and humour.  Physically, the Solar Plexus  governs digestion, mentally it governs personal power, emotionally it governs expansiveness, and spiritually, all matters of growth. Key imbalances associated with this Chakra are issues of fear, anxiety, poor memory, and low self-confidence, and can also relate to digestive problems, ulcers and diabetes.

The warming of the hot stones stimulate the chakras, improving the flow of energy, which activates and eases the respective process in life. A hot stone gently stimulates and balances a chakra having a holistic effect on the spirit , body and mind.