Benefits of Hot Stone Massage Therapy

 

Hot Stone Massage is a wonderfully relaxing treatment that provides greater muscular relaxation than manual massage alone, with a host of additional health benefits.

 

Benefits

 

The deep heat from the stones is very good for easing and soothing muscular aches and pains and alleviating tension and stress.  The treatment is particularly beneficial for those with back pain, and fibromyalgia sufferers can experience an improvement in their symptoms. Strains and sprains are improved. Hot Stone Massage helps those with poor circulation by increasing blood flow: dilation of the blood vessels causes an increase in blood flow around the body, resulting in improved body functioning.  Lymphatic function and cell metabolism are increased, thereby increasing detoxification and improving elimination.  The treatment is also ideal for people who feel the cold as it provides a local rise in body temperature of 1-2 degrees C.  In addition, it aids joint mobility, improves muscle tone and stimulates the nervous system, heart and respiratory system.



 

The warm stones have a very grounding, nurturing quality which is beneficial for those with depression and insomnia.  The work on the physical body, combined with the vibrational energy of the hot stones resonating with the energy of the chakras, promotes a feeling of total relaxation, balance and harmony.

 

In summary Hot Stone Massage can aid the following conditions:-

General aches and pains

Soft tissue injuries

Muscular tension and stiffness

Stress, tension and depression

Lethargy and fatigue

Sluggish metabolism

Sinus congestion and headaches

 

The Treatment

 

The massage is performed using the hot stones instead of the hands.  One stroke with a hot stone is considered equal to 10-15 normal manual massage strokes in its effect.

The first half of the treatment covers upper and lower back and backs of legs.  The client is then asked to turn over and the therapist treats the scalp, face, chest, arms, front of legs and feet. The chakra stones are also placed on the front of the body.

 

Vibrational Effect of the Stones

 

During the full body treatment, large stones are placed over the chakras on the front of the body.  Basalt stones are used due to their ability to retain heat.  Basalt is formed from the cooled lava produced from an erupting volcano.  Basalt stones are high in vibrational energy which resonates in balance with the human chakra system.  When placed on the body, vibrational energy is transmitted from the stones into the body to positively affect the person’s energy balance and auric field.  Balancing of the 7 major chakras increases wellbeing by increasing positive energy, strengthening weak areas and neutralising dominant areas.

 

Contra-indications

 

This treatment is not suitable for those with high blood pressure (unless controlled), heat sensitivity, prickly heat, nerve damage or loss of tactile function, people on blood thinning medication, people with diabetes who inject insulin,  people with nervous system dysfunction, an over-active thryroid gland or varicose veins, or anyone who has had an operation within 6 months.
 

Healing Meditation CD now available!

 

This CD has been recorded in the structured format of a class or workshop for you to use at home.  It includes a body scan relaxation, creative visualization to promote positive psychological qualities, healing the body meditation, closing down and grounding.

Priced £10 plus £2 p&p. If you would like to purchase one, please send a cheque (made payable to Helen Shortland) to Little London Herbal Stores, 9 Kings Walk, Nottingham, NG1 2AE. Alternatively please ring me to pre-order and collect in the shop for just £10.

I would like to give special thanks to all those who advised me in the recording and production of this CD, namely Mitch Gamble and Andy Sutcliffe. I would also like to thank Claire Chesters of Celestial Healing for providing me with copyrighted music. This project has been a huge learning experience and is hopefully the first of several meditation CDs from Helen Shortland Holistics.  Two more CDs, Beginners Meditation and Relaxation and Connecting with your Spirit Guide, should be available later this year.

Helen Shortland is a Reiki Master Teacher, Meditation Teacher and Holistic Therapist based at Little London Herbal Stores on Kings Walk in Nottingham city centre. For further information about her courses, workshops and therapies, please visit her website at http://helenshortland.com.

The Chakras: Their Purpose and Vibration

What are they?

 'Chakra' is a Sanskrit word meaning 'wheel' which describes their spinning motion while absorbing, giving out and distributing life force energy (ki) throughout our subtle and physical bodies.  The chakras are the major energy centres of the body: when they are functioning correctly there is good free-flow of energy throughout the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual bodies, resulting in balance and harmony.  Chakras should be open to let energy flow freely in and out and between the different auric levels.  The more energy that flows, the healthier we are.  Illness in the system is caused by an imbalance of energy or a block in the flow of energy: in other words, lack of flow in our energy system eventually leads to disharmony and dis-ease.

There are 7 major chakras - crown, 3^rd eye or brow, throat, heart, solar plexus, sacral and root/base.  Each is positioned along a central channel called the sushumna which runs from the base chakra to the crown chakra.  The base and crown chakras form our connection to earth and spirit.  The sushumna is encircled by two energy channels called Ida and Pingala which spiral upwards in opposite directions from the base chakra.  The points where they meet along the central channel are known as the chakras.  Chakras can be likened to multi-dimensional gateways that allow us to access different experiences and states of consciousness.

Each chakra relates to a different colour, note, element, endocrine gland and auric layer, which I will address is more detail in the next two blogs. 

 

Purpose of the Chakras

The chakras have three main functions:-

1.    To vitalise each auric body and therefore the physical body.

2.    To promote the development of different aspects of consciousness.  Each chakra relates to a specific psychological function.

3.    To transmit energy between the auric layers.

 

Why do they vibrate at different frequencies?

Everything in the universe consists of vibrations occurring at different frequencies.  The colours we see all around us are different frequencies of visible light as perceived by our physical senses and interpreted by the brain.  Beyond this range lies ultra-violet light, radio waves and other light waves.

In eastern esoteric literature, each chakra is seen as having a certain number of petals.  These appear to be small rotating vortices spinning at very high rates.  Each vortex metabolizes an energy vibration that resonates at its particular spin frequency.  For example the base chakra has 4 small vortices and metabolises 4 basic frequencies of energy, vibrating at the colour red.  Four vortices is a relatively small amount of energy being metabolized and so this chakra relates to the physical, material world and issues of survival and security.  The 3^rd eye chakra has 96 vortices and corresponds to the colour indigo.  Now consider that the crown chakra has 972 vortices and vibrates at the colour violet-white.  This seventh chakra metabolizes the greatest amount of energy out of all the 7 major chakras and carries a very high spiritual vibration.

The chakras vibrate at different frequencies according to the spiritual qualities that govern each chakra:-

 

Root/base chakra – security and survival – colour red

Sacral chakra – relationships with others, power and control – colour orange

Solar plexus chakra – sense of self, self-esteem and self-worth – colour yellow

Heart chakra – compassion, tolerance, joy and love for others – colour green or pink

Throat chakra – self-expression and communication – colour blue

Brow/3^rd eye chakra – vision, direction, understanding and mental processes – colour indigo or violet

Crown chakra – sense of connection, oneness and spiritual awareness – colour violet or white

 

Personal Variations

Each chakra deals with particular functions but the quality of the energy in the chakra can vary from person to person.  For example, a strong red root chakra indicates someone who is well grounded with strong physical energy and vitality.  If this chakra was dull in colour or weak, it would indicate an imbalance in the corresponding mental/emotional qualities such as lack of stability and financial security.

For most people the heart chakra vibrates at the colour green but in those who have developed greater compassion and universal love, it vibrates at the higher vibration colour pink.  Similarly the crown can be violet, lavender or white, according to the level of spiritual development of the individual.  If the higher crown chakra, the seat of the soul, is activated, the crown area is likely to be white, indicating a person living in line with their higher self, and living by higher truths with a strong sense of oneness and spiritual connection to others.

  

Suggested further reading:-

‘Hands of Light’ by Barbara Brennan

‘Anatomy of the Spirit’ by Caroline Myss

 

 

This is the first in a series of 3 blogs looking in detail at the human energy system.  Part 2, The Chakras: Qualities, Correspondences & Stages of Development, will be available at the beginning of June.

 

 

 

Helen Shortland is a Reiki Master Teacher, Meditation Teacher and Holistic Therapist based at Little London Herbal Stores on Kings Walk in Nottingham city centre. For further information about her courses, workshops and therapies, please visit her website at http://helenshortland.com.