Tips to a better massage energy

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As mentioned last week, massage is energy exchange. This makes it important that the therapist is aware of the mechanisms and takes that into consideration both before, during and after a massage.

There are different approaches, many depending on personal beliefs and experiences. The preparations and practices can be very personal and should generally not be shared with the client to avoid potential conflicts of beliefs and religions. I will list suggestions and ideas based on my own practices and what other therapists have shared with me.

Before the massage, preparing the massage room helps the therapist prepare for the massage while creating a healing environment for the client.

• Candles can be lighted, music put on, the temperature adjusted, incense burnt or essential oils put in the vaporizer.
• Preparing the table with sheets and towels, sorting the tools used and mixing a massage oil.
• Ritual purification, smudging, energy cleansing, a prayer etc.
  

Cleansing one self and preparing the massage room is very important to many massage therapists. This is one of the major reasons many prefer their own space, or at least their own room for all massages.

Preparing the therapist:

• Shower, hair, make-up, general appearance.
  
• Changing clothes to the "massage uniform". Changing clothes between massages (or at least the t-shirt) is refreshing and helps to let go of the former massage before receiving the next client.
• Washing of hands while the client undresses and get ready is both hygienic and a way to release negative energies.
• Ritual cleansing, smudging, a chant, prayer etc.
  

Just before entering the massage room with the client in it:

• Deep breathing releasing tensions.
• A quick meditation or prayer
  
• Visualization, eg. leaving behind negative energy, being filled with light, opening op etc.
• A prayer, chant, invoking guides or guarding angels etc
  

These suggestions can become a small ritual that calms the mind and helps the therapist focus on the task at hand. If done properly, the therapist will leave behind all personal worries and problems and be able to focus fully on the client and his needs.

During the massage the therapist can increase her energy. Most often these things are silent and private and the client will have no conscious notion that it's happening:

• Focus on intent. The intent of a massage is to provide healing, relaxation, make the client feel good, get the muscles to relax etc. Keeping this firmly in mind will help this to happen and invoke the energies wanted.
  
• Feel love and compassion for the client and tune in. Try to understand what's going on and how the client feels.
• Visualize being a channel, for pure light, universal energy, love or god's power. Let the energy come from the outside, go through you and your hands into the client. This way you don't drain yourself completely and give yourself (and those emotions not left behind) to the client. The energy given becomes pure and untainted.
• Talk to the client's body. While massaging an area, silently ask for cooperation and explain that you only seek to heal and help it feel better.
• Use prayers, invoke deities, protectors, chants etc as suits the situation and beliefs.

There are of course many other ways to increase the energy and give a better massage. We're all different people and what works for me might not work for another. The most important is the intent. That we all go into a massage with the intention of giving compassion and healing to the client. Giving a massage with the right intent goes a long way to create a wondrous experience for the receiver.

Feel free to share your own experiences in the comments below. Both as a giver and receiver of massages. I look forward to hearing from you and learning from your knowledge.

My best experiences as a massage therapist

As a massage therapist I've had some truly moving moments with clients. Pretty much all massage sessions bring something unique and amazing to me. I learn from each session, I gain insights and great enjoyment from letting my hands and stones heal and help the person lying on the massage table.

In spirit of the season, I want to share some of my best massage experiences and give thanks for being allowed to be part of these incredible touching and insightful experiences.

The first was while I still practised massaging for my exam and certification. A young mother was so touched by the release and relaxation that she cried after the massage. The touch and compassion gave her something she strongly needed at that time. To be taken care of, to be looked after, to be loved and treated well. A wonderful break from the stressful life of motherhood, especially with a first baby. It was such a remarkable experience for me to see how powerful my touch can be and to be shown this complete trust by a stranger.

A Cocooning can bring such intense reactions from the client. An elderly woman, widowed years ago and very spiritually aware, received the stones as they were her friends. They helped her release old pains, fears and uncertainties. They brought her into contact with her higher self. That I could be there for her, while she cried out all those old emotions was heart-touching.

Wry-neck can be a tough one to battle, though one massage can help with. A fitness trainer came to me with a stiff neck, unable to turn her head when she entered my door. Hands, oil and heat made the muscle relax and when she left it was with a big smile on her face and her turning her head. Not quite without pain, but mobility had returned. She was very happy because her vacation now would be enjoyable without the intense pain she had gone through.

There are of course many other situations. People opening their eyes after the massage with a huge smile on their face because they feel so good. Soreness and pain gone, stress released, feeling deeply relaxed and nourished. Each massage brings me joy as I see what difference I make for my clients. This is why I enjoy my craft so deeply. That I am able to help people heal, be it physically, emotionally or spiritually.

Thank you for this skill and being allowed to apply it where it's needed.

Renew yourself

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As a massage therapist, but this is true for all people, it's important to renew yourself and regularly learn new skills. If you don't undertake these challenges, there's a risk of your life growing stale as well as your craft. It's healthy for your mind to expand and grow your expertise. Not only your customers or workplace will benefit, but you will also.

It is also a good break from daily life and treadmill to take time out and devote it to mastering a new skill. You gain new challenges, you get away from habits and routines. Once mastering what you set out to learn, you have the benefit of accomplishment and success.

Learning new skills can be a great way to boost your energy and obtain renewed interest in your profession and work.

Today, as this post is published, I'm sitting in the Eurostar heading to England. I'll attend a 4 days intensive course in LaStone Therapy at LaStone UK in Chelmsford, Essex. The classes take place Thursday to Sunday from 8:45 to 5pm all four days.

The course I'm taking is called LaStone Original Body and teaches the techniques, information and theory needed to give good and therapeutic Hot and Cold Stone Massages. It's the first step in an exciting journey and I greatly look forward to it.

The importance of massage exchanges

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As a massage therapist it can be hard to remember to take care of oneself regularly, especially if you have a busy schedule and focus on the well-being of your clients. It's important though that you take time to get a massage often, for those working full time at least once a week. This just to take care of your body and prevent injuries and fatigue. What we preach to our clients is true for ourselves as well and shouldn't be ignored if we want to last long in this profession and be able to give our clients the best experiences possible.

Ideally though is to do massage exchanges with other therapists. There are several reasons for this.

It builds professional relationships with other therapists and allows you to assess their skills so you can recommend them to your clients should you not be able to see them for an appointment. This in return of course will have your massage partner refer clients to you as well and the end result becomes better for all partners.

You build upon your own professional experience and can share knowledge, techniques and experiences with the massage partner. Together you can work on a technique, introduce new ones or simply fine-tune the ones you already use.

It can at times be hard to get feedback from clients as they don't have the professional background to tell if the way you moved your thumb is the best way technically or if there are minor details you need to correct and change. A fellow massage therapist will provide the best feedback and constructive critique of your massage, as well as being able to show you the better way. We also often build bad habits over time, as we develop our own styles and techniques. Without feedback from a professional massage therapist it's easy to get caught up in something that might not be the best for the clients.

With a colleague you can share your experiences and help each other. One might know a lot about sport injuries and be able to fill in gabs in your knowledge about a specific field. But it's not only technically experiences can be shared. It can also be ideas and advice on how to deal with certain situations you can experience as a massage therapist. The client who doesn't play, an erection during a massage, the client who gets such an intense mental release from the massage that they break down in tears afterwards. All these things can be difficult to handle if you don't have any experience in it. By hearing of others experiencing these things, you find other ways to see a situation and get ideas on how to deal with it next time it might happen.

It doesn't just need to be massage therapists within your own fields you exchange massages with. A lot can be learned from receiving massages from someone doing something entirely different from yourself. It brings in new perspectives and gives ideas that you might use on your own clients. It also allows you to counsel and advice your clients based on first hand experience and not just theory. First hand experiences always become more valid. Or even, expands your knowledge about massage styles into areas you might not even know about.

Finally, massage exchanges can teach you new techniques and massage forms. It can even grow into a situation of you teaching each other about your own special areas and techniques. Not just as inspiration, but as a full skill-set. Here of course you'll need to keep in mind if the other therapist is qualified and allowed to teach. You might consider taking classes and courses to finalize the training and use the massage exchanges as practice and general education.

Giving and getting massages from another massage therapist is a great way to improve your own skills and perfect your techniques, while for a small cost maintain your wellness and counter injuries and exhaustion. A good site for finding a fellow massage therapist to do exchanges with is http://www.massageexchange.com/