My massage stones

As I wrote last week in "The good, the bad and the ugly hot stone", it's important to choose the right stones for your hot stone massages. Therefore I think it's only appropriate that I show you the rocks and stones I use in my LaStone therapy, as well as my Creative Stone massages.

Please allow me to introduce my massage stones to you.

Image by Taunaki via Flickr

These are my twelve massage stones. I use them for general and overall massage of the entire body. They're smooth to the touch and keep their temperature for a nice long while. The tingsha have a diameter of 7 centimetres to give you a comparison.

There are six pairs ranging from large to medium in size (compared to my hand at least). Once you're used to the stones, it's easy to pick and feel which stone pairs with which stone. It's like they just fit together as a team and work in unison.

The larger stones I typically use on the legs and the back, while the two smaller pairs are used for the arms and hands. The more pointy the stones are, the more in depth and detailed work I can do.

I use my massage stones the most, along with my worker stones.

Image by Taunaki via Flickr

The worker stones are generally pointy so they can work deeply into the tissue. They can have odd shapes and you quickly find out which stone is best for what type of work. For instance, the long inward curved stones are great for shoulder work, where the more round ones are good for details on feet for instance.

There are small humps and points on the worker stones that allows for one stone to do several different types of work. Stretching, pressure, precise massage and so on.

It is important that they are comfortable in your hand and you can get a good grip around them.

Image by Taunaki via Flickr

The spinal layout stones are much more specific and great care has been taken to find the right stones for the right positions.

The layout on the photo is not how the spinal layout is.

When starting an Original Body LaStone treatment, the client lies face up and a bed of hot stones is arranged for them to lie on.

All the stones are paired, but otherwise different. Some round and lumpy, some oblong and flat and so on. Each stone has a precise position in the Spinal Layout, and it'll feel uncomfortable for the client to lie on a layout that's wrongly made.

In spite of how it sounds, it's surprisingly comfortable to lie on the hot stones. And also when a couple of cold stones are added for balance and treatment.

Image by Taunaki via Flickr

Special stones are used for face massage. The two largest stones in this picture are the face stones. They're very smooth and soft so they feel like baby skin. They're a pleasure to feel upon your face and are a special experience.

The eight smaller stones, again paired two and two, are used between the toes of the client. The smallest stones go between the smallest toes and the largest stones between the biggest toes.

Those flat warm stones between your toes feel very grounding and comfortable. They're placed after the feet have been massaged and represent a nice way to keep them warm while the rest of the body receives treatment and attention.

I also tend to use them during my Cocoonings, once the feet have been massaged. They sit between the toes while I smudge the client or massage hands or head.

Image by Taunaki via Flickr

Grandmother and grandfather are the largest stones in my collection. He weighs 1,41 kilo, while she weighs 680 grams.

He is a wonderful, heavy black stone that really helps with grounding. The time he keeps his heat is incredible. I've with great success also used the grandfather stone to massage the stomach. That extra layer between the client and my hands is a reassurance which allows the recipient to relax and receive the massage with a more open heart.

She is beautiful with her deep red colour and is a wonderful stone to lie on when your back is being massaged. You adjust it under your stomach to the most comfortable position and soon you'll only notice a deeply relaxing warmth and not at all that you're lying on a stone. I have people who when they turn around have completely forgotten about the grandmother stone.

The small greenish stone is the third-eye stone which is placed upon the brow during an Original Body massage. Often it's replaced with a crystal, depending on the client.

Image by Taunaki via Flickr

The Heart stone, made of sardonyx, is placed on the heart. I find it so beautiful and vibrant that I have a hard time giving a massage without it.

The four chakra stones are used during the Original Body treatment. They're placed along with the Grandfather stone, on the front of the body and the chakra points there.

They have a nice heavy weight and keep their heat for a long time. They're also wonderful stones to use during the Cocoonings.

Image by Taunaki via Flickr

The top stones are inguinal stones which are used in the chakra placement as well.

The middle pair are the hand-stones which the client holds during the Original Body and Cocooning. They are warm and safe, and it almost feels like you're holding someone in their hand. When you hold them, you're never alone even if the therapist walks away from you to get more stones from the heater.

The bottom stone is the pillow stone which is used along with the Spinal Layout. It goes just under your nape, lightly pressing against the edge of the skull.

When the weather is warm, it's often replaced by a cold stone to help cool the brain and leave the client feeling refreshed and alert after the massage.

Image by Taunaki via Flickr

Finally, meet the cold stones. These are made out of marble and are kept on ice until they're used.

While cold and ice sounds unpleasant, they bring in the balance in the LaStone. They help cool the body when it has become too warm from the hot stones, they help freshen you up so you're not all sluggish after a treatment, and then they're great therapeutically.

The hot and cold combined works like a pump for the soft tissue. The heat makes veins expand and muscles relax. The cold makes the veins and muscles contact, creating a pumping effect which increases circulation in that area.

Again, the cold stones are paired to work together. The different sizes are used at different places on the body. The big flat squarish stones are for under the shoulder blades for instance, while the oblong ones are often used for hands or stretching the nape. The bigger stones on large muscles.

Now you know my 56 hot stones, my 12 cold stones and my one heart stone. This is a basic set for the LaStone Original Body and Cocooning. I'm certain I over the coming years will collect more stones, both  hot and cold during my travels.

The good, the bad and the ugly hot stone

Image by Caro's Lines via Flickr

Not that any stone is ugly, but there are good and bad stones when it comes to Hot Stone Massage.

It matters what size and shape the stones used for a Hot Stone Massage are and what they're made from. Energy-wise it matters how the stones were harvested and how they've been treated. Once you've held good stones and worked with them, or received a massage by them, you'll begin to feel sorry and pity many of those stones you can find on eBay or see at alternative health fairs.


So what makes a good massage hot stone?

Basalt

The stone is made of basalt as it keeps the heat for a long time. But there are differences between types of basalt, all depending on how the lava the rocks are made from cooled.

Weight
Basically, the longer time it took for the lava to cool, the more dense the stone is and the better it can keep the heat. So the rocks created by lava running into the sea like on Hawaii contains a lot of air pockets inside, which doesn't keep heat well. It's easily felt as the rock is much lighter than the slow-cooling ones. The heavier a basalt stone, the more compact it is.

Colour
The colour is less important than the weight. Some stones have a reddish cast, while others have a green cast. This is merely a sign of what other minerals and metals are found in the stone. Though the darker a heavy stone is, the more likely it is to keep heat well.

Size
The purpose of the stone dictates its size. For overall massage, the stone should be the size of and fit your palm. It should be so large that you easily can cup it without curling  your fingers around the stone. This way the stone becomes an extension of your hand and you can hold it effortlessly.
For the stones that go between the toes you want small flat stones, while for chakra-work and passive stones you want them as large as your hand if not larger. The weight adds its own dimension, and the size allows for the stones to keep their heat longer.


Shape
Good massage stones are flat, but not thin, and have a oval shape.  They essentially have the shape of your palm without any rough edges.
For detailed in depth work, a stone with pointy ends serves best. This way you can work into depth and in detail. The stone should have a size and shape that allows you a good grip and ability to do different types of work. As you become familiar with using the stones, you'll quickly pick specific stones for specific work, but not be limited by them.
For the face a smaller flat and thin stone is useful.
The shape of the big chakra stones is less important, as long as they can rest on the body without rolling off.

In general, flat roundish shapes work the best for the massage stones, with the exception of pointy stones for deep tissue and detailed work.

Texture
Any stone that's used to massage with should be smooth and soft to the touch. Not polished to a sheen where it feels like it's been lacquered, but smooth so there are no rough edges or nicks which can scratch and hurt the recipient. The more sensitive the area massage is, the smoother the stone should be. The stone should feel pleasant and enjoyable to the touch.
For the stones which are used passively, such as chakra-stones, the texture is less important. Again, make sure there are no rough edges or nicks.


Harvesting
The best massage stones have been harvested with respect for nature and the place they've been taken from. Riverbeds and breaches are good places to find massage stones. The best stones have been fully shaped by nature over thousands of years. To take the last rough edges, they're sand-polished. You can easily find your own massage stones this way. Just make sure you respect nature and environment when you harvest them. Be critical, go for the stones that already have the right shape and size and weigh each one in your hand asking if it's the right stone for hot stone massage.

Unfortunately, there are big commercial interests in spas and wellness and as result you have many stone-producers who harvest stones in quarries, where-after they polish these stones in big machines, creating some very random shapes, even cubes. No need to say that these producers have no idea of how the stones will be used or what their purpose is, nor do they think about respecting nature in their production.

Maintenance
Massage stones should be treated properly, just like other tools you use when you massage. Between each client they must be sterilized, as I wrote about in Hygiene in Massage. Ideally, if there's time, the stones should be washed with soap after each massage, removing the oil and grease on the surface. At least, do this by the end of every day, while they're still warm after their last use. If they're not washed, a layer of oil and fat will build upon the surface of the stones, making them feel greasy, sticky and unpleasant to the touch.

The stones should be respected and thanked for their work. The Native Americans consider them living beings, the Stone People, who're here to help us in our journey and help us with our work. It is said that stones which have been mistreated will stop working. Either they won't keep their temperature no matter how long you heat them, or they'll be too hot and burn the clients.

There are many ways you can pay your respect to the stones. Allow them time to recharge in the sun and moon light, place them in patterns that has meaning to you. Play with them and become familiar with them, appreciate them and love them. They're the extension of your hands and a tool of healing. Treat them as you would yourself and your own hands.

Finally
So do yourself a favour and don't buy the first and cheapest set of hot stones you can find on eBay, but take your time to find a stone supplier who treats the stones with respect and provide stones of the right size and shapes. Or even better, go on a field-trip and harvest your own stones. This way you know they suit and fit you. You, your clients and the stones deserve it.

If you want a hot stone massage, take a moment to ask your therapist about his stones, or even better, see them and feel them before you decide upon the massage. Receiving a massage with good stones  instead of cheap stones, is like eating at a good restaurant compared to cheap fast food.

Geothermal Therapy Association

GTA, is an association of Geothermal Therapy and Non-Thermal Geotherapy Practitioners, Educators, Vendors and Employers, supporting the safe use of stones combined with body work techniques as a method of wellness.

The association was formerly known as Stone Walkers Association, hence the web-address http://www.stonewalkersassociation.com - Their Facebook page can be found at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Geothermal-Therapy-Association/183701173721

Geothermal Therapy includes the use of hot and cold stones in massage and therapeutic work. GTA also include those using non-thermal Geotherapy, such as energy work with stones and crystals.

The mission statement reads:
The Geothermal Therapy Association is dedicated to promoting the highest standards of professional protocol by establishing safe temperature ranges, hygiene and sanitation standards, recognizing specific contraindications, promoting professional ethics and integrity to protect clients worldwide.

Their Goals are:

• GTA seeks to promote stone modalities to the public in the professional venue as a complimentary and holistic approach to wellness.
  
• GTA has established an enrolment process that tests for competency to ensure that all established criteria is being met by all Board Certified members of this association.
  
• GTA will continually educate the general public about proper safety techniques and protocols that must be employed during a treatment session involving temperature and direct body contact with stones, encouraging the client to seek out Board Certified Practitioners.

Those educated in LaStone qualify for GTA membership.

The creating force behind the association is Jenny Ray, a Native American Shaman who also works together with LaStone and offers LaStone workshops along with her own Stone Medicine classes. Her website can be found at: http://www.sacredstonemedicine.com/ and is found on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stone-Medicine-LLC/159197228881

Creative LaStone

Image by cobalt123 via Flickr

Combining the hot stones with massage creates amazing results. LaStone and Massage Créatif compliments each other beautifully and carry the same energy and purposes.

The two therapies can be combined in several ways, depending on the needs and requirements of the client.

One way is to use the hot stones to warm the tissue before the massage commences, simply adding another step to the Massage Créatif. Warming the tissue makes the hands-on work easier for the therapist and allows her to work much deeper after a shorter time of tissue manipulation. Heating the muscles makes them relax, which gives the therapist easier access to the tight knots and tense muscles.

The stones also provide a great massaging tool, which with less effort can go deeply into the muscles and reach the deeper layers. It is gentle on the hands and fingers of the therapist, allowing her to work for a longer time before tiring herself. Using the hot stones feels like a pair of very warm hands massaging your muscles.

If there is a particularly troubled area, then including a cold stone can provide that last touch needed to fully let a muscle release tension and return to normality.

For the Creative Lastone, the number of stones used can vary from 4 to 12, depending on how much deep work is needed. The fewer stones included, the more flowing and uninterrupted the massage will be.

Please note that the Creative LaStone is an extended version of Massage Créatif, adding certain elements from the LaStone therapy and combining the two into a symbiosis. It gives you a taste of what a LaStone treatment feels like, but doesn't replace it in any manner. The energy and flow of the massage is that of the Massage Créatif, enhancing it with the stone advantages and energies.

Stress relief with Cocooning

Image via Wikipedia

Cocooning can be a great stress reliever, both from current work stress as well as old emotional wounds. The best way to illustrate this is to use a couple of case studies from some clients I have recently given a cocooning to.

One came to me after work with a headache after a stressful day. She felt burnt out, tired, and lacking motivation for doing her job. As part of her salary is commission based, the current economic times are particularly stressful for her.

After she lay on the table, I put on relaxing, quiet music and began to place the hot stones under and on her. Some were placed under the neck and shoulders to warm the tense muscles causing her headache, and the rest were placed to warm her up and give her the feeling of one long hug. While she lay with the stones I massaged her feet, again focusing on the areas related to neck and shoulders, but mostly just giving her a caring and warm foot massage that would help her relax.

After half an hour's treatment with stones and foot massage, she came out of the massage room feeling revived and refreshed. And she told me how her headache had disappeared while I massaged her feet. In the days following she had much more energy than usually, so much so that people actually commented upon it.

For her the Cocooning is a perfect treatment to deal with work related stress, especially when too busy for a full massage.

Another example is an elderly lady who came to me seeking to try something new. She's a very spiritual lady and teaches yoga in spite of her age. She was curious about the stones and could feel their earth energy. She received the treatment with the stones around her as well as a gentle foot massage with essential oils. I could sense I should be gentle with her as not to overwhelm her emotions with the treatment.

Afterwards she asked to be allowed to stay alone on the table for a while longer. Half an hour later she came out of the treatment room indicating desire to speak to me. She told me how it had released some very old tensions. The treatment had been so powerful that she had cried afterwards, releasing old emotions and pains. She seemed much more serene and balanced after the treatment, and very thoughtful. She asked to come back and continue with the Cocooning, as she felt it had done her much good.

For this lady the Cocooning aided her in healing old hurts and pains, letting go of some of the past and becoming more balanced and happy.

Even if Cocooning doesn't include much physical manipulation of soft tissue, it can be an incredibly powerful treatment, both physically and mentally. Cocooning is very suitable for those who can't otherwise receive a massage, as it's very gentle and not intrusive.

Bewares in Thermal Massage

Image via Wikipedia

Not all people should receive massage. There are contraindications and situations where a massage can be directly harmful. When you use heat and cold in a massage, these multiply and you need to be even more aware of the conditions the client has and how to deal with them.

Temperature extremes stresses the immune system, which is no problem and actually beneficial for those who're healthy and with a normal immune system. It's good for it to get a bit of work to do once in a while to keep it in shape and ready.

But when people have a stressed immune system, applying heat and cold can become too much for it, with the risk of rendering it less effective in dealing with the real challenges. This is why it's generally advised that people who're sick do not get a massage, and especially not thermal therapy. That said, massage and thermal can help in the recovery phase, or with minor issues. This is where the therapist must take these things into consideration and adjust the treatment accordingly.

There are three areas where the therapist can adjust her treatment. The length, the temperatures and the techniques. If a client has a condition, it's always wise to lower the temperature to perhaps 40 degrees Celsius for the hot and room temperature for the cold, shorten the treatment to maybe just half an hour and use light and gentle techniques when massaging.

It is also essential that the client gives constant feedback and instantly informs the therapist if anything feels uncomfortable or painful. If it's too hot or too cold and describe what reactions and feelings that might happen.

Over a period of treatments, the temperature, techniques and length can be adjusted to suit the client's condition and situation. This allows the client to gain the benefits of thermal therapy and massage without putting him at risk.

There are of course situations where a client shouldn't receive a thermal massage under any conditions, unless the therapists is especially trained to deal with it. These includes:

• Thrombosis/embolism
• Contagious skin diseases
• Cancer
• Pregnancy

Conditions where a LaStone massage can be given, but precautions and special attention must be given, including using special techniques and reducing temperature or length:

• Epilepsy
• Diabetes
• Heart conditions
• Bruising
• Sunburn
• Psoriasis
• High blood pressure
• Low blood pressure
• Asthma
  
• Any condition where normal massage is contraindicated

In short, if the immune system is under any form of stress, then that must be taken into account and the treatment be adjusted accordingly, or avoided all together. There are luckily many other treatments and therapies which only apply minimal physical manipulation, such as Reiki, Craniosacral therapy and aromatherapy.

Make sure that your therapist are aware of the contraindications for a thermal massage and who to adjust her treatment according to the condition of the client. It's even more important when using temperature than during a normal massage, so be certain that your therapist is properly qualified and knowledgeable.

Cocooning - relaxing with stones

What I call Cocooning is within LaStone called Castle-building. I think Cocooning better covers what it is actually about. To be cocooned within stones and emerge revitalized and relaxed after the treatment.

It is in essence a very simple treatment that even children can receive and be part of. Heated stones, and cold ones as well, are placed randomly under, beside and on a person lying on her or his back. Intuition guides where the best position is for each stone. The client lies under a towel, and as the stones are placed it begins to feel like getting one warm long gentle hug.

The treatment is based upon an American Indian ritual, called Bury the Soul, which originally lasted days. Within LaStone it has become a gentle and reviving treatment, especially suited for those who're stressed or who can't receive a normal massage.

Cocooning can easily be combined with other treatments. While the client lies cocooned, the feet can be massaged for 20 minutes, the hands can be manicured or massaged, the face and scalp can get a go as well. Reiki and other energy work will work really well with Cocooning as well.

Combining cocooning with coaching or psychotherapy could prove very interesting. You feel very safe, relaxed and comfortable as you lie there covered by warm stones, which in return would allow you to open up for emotions that you feel threatening or painful.

Why not try a Cocooning next time you want to relax and see what in particular it gives you.

What is LaStone Therapy

LaStone Therapy is the original hot and cold stone massage. It is a massage and therapy form that includes the use of hot and cold stones, both passively and actively. Some stones are placed to heat and cool muscles, while other stones are used as a massage tool instead of the hands. The stones do a lot of the work, which can give a very deep and profound massage.

The therapy was created by Mary Nelson in 1993 where she started to implement hot and cold stones into her massages and it quickly grew from there as it was shown to be very effective. Not only did the clients experience increased benefits, the therapists did too. Their hands and fingers were spared during massages and work related injuries drastically reduced.

Hot basalt rocks are heated in water, normally to a temperature between 52-55 degrees Celsius. The cold marble stones are normally kept on ice. For more deep tissue and therapeutic work, more extreme temperatures are often used, especially colder stones. Sardonyx can also used as cold stones which can be very beautiful.

LaStone is not a routine or specific way of massaging, but rather an implementation of hot and cold stone routines into any massage given. This makes LaStone a very broad and varied massage form, which can be tailored to any need a client has; therapeutic, sports massage, well-being and relaxation. There's room for a tender, nurturing touch, emotions and energetic work that revives and revitalises you.

A typical 50 minutes Lastone spa routine will include both active and passive work with the stones. First you'll be asked to undress and lie on the table, draped under a towel. You sit up with the sheet and towel around you and the therapist places hot and cold stones which will lie under your back while your legs and arms are massaged. More stones are placed on your stomach and chest, which aids you in relaxing completely.

As you lie there on and under hot and cold stones, your legs are massaged with hot stones, which can work deeply into the muscles. Cold stones can be used as well, which makes the experience invigorating and refreshing. Once the legs are covered again, your arms will get their turn. Again, using the hot to make your muscles relax completely, and the cold stone to draw out the excess heat and energizing you. During a 50 minutes treatment there's not much time for a face massage, which then generally is saved for the 1h20m massage.

When the front side is completed, you're asked to turn around the stones you lay on are removed. A new hot or cold stone is placed under your belly and you're asked to adjust it so it's comfortable. It might sound hard, but is actually very pleasant. You remain draped, only moving the towel aside as the therapist begins to massage your legs and back with hot stones, finishing with a cold stone. Your neck and shoulders also get a treatment before you're covered up again and asked to turn around.

Finishing the massage your face receives a brief cold caress which serves to energize you and freshen you so you don't feel all tired and drowsy after the massage, but instead rather ready to face the day and able to function as normal.

The longer LaStone Therapy includes more targeted and in depth work, as well as massage of the face and neck. For those interested, energy work can be implemented, making it a complete treatment of body and soul.