Magic of Massage

Tanushree Podder

Description

It is heartening to see how the modern age is rediscovering the beneficial effects of massage. In fact,right down the ages it has been regarded as one of the most effective therapies for de-stressing. It is unfortunate that the art of massage, which was so intricately woven in our custom, is slowly dying a sad death while the western countries have woken up to the magic of massage. This book brings you all the different kinds of massage techniques used all through the world. The Tui Na, Chua-ka, Nuad Bo'Rarn and our famous Kerala Massage are just a few examples of the various types of massage globally popular, today. With the help of this book you can learn all about healing through the use of massage therapy.Allied therapies like Aromatherapy, Osteopathy, Reflexology, Rolfing and Shiatsu are very popular for their efficacy. What is lesser known is that they mostly use the basic tenets of massage, for efficacy.

Sujets

• Masaje
• Massage

Informations

• Publié par: V & S Publishers
• Date de parution: 01 avril 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 2
• EAN13: 9789381384824
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Published by:

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© Copyright: Tanushree Podder ISBN: 978-93-81384-82-4 Edition: April 2011
The Copyright of this book, as well as all matter contained herein (including illustrations) rests with the Publishers. No person shall copy the name of the book, its title design, matter and illustrations in any form and in any language, totally or partially or in any distorted form. Anybody doing so shall face legal action and will be responsible for damages.
DEDICATION
This book is dedicated to all the experts in the art of massage. Some sung and some unsung, these heroes have brought enormous comfort, relief and health to thousands of people, all over the world .
As a baby, I have enjoyed the massage given by my mother; after the birth of my children I got back to shape with the massage given to me by Radha — an expert masseuse. In my forties, my tired feet found solace in the loving massage treatment given to them by Vasantha .
In this fast paced world of stress and fatigue, these people brought priceless happiness in my life with their comforting touch .
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Much of the information about Ayurvedic Massage has come from various people who are practising these therapies. I am indebted to my mother and aunt who have taught me the technique of ‘baby massage’.
I am also thankful to Vasantha, my devoted Maid-Friday who has spent hours performing ‘head massage’ and ‘body massage’ on me and gave me precious tips on the tricks of the trade.
I am also thankful to Yvonne who was the first person to educate me on the intricacies of ‘Reflexology”.
A big round of thanks goes to my persevering husband and the daughters. Each of my books is an agony to them because I go through an enormous amount of tension and work, which cuts into the attention and time I give my family. None of these books would have been possible without the unstinting support and encouragement given to me by my family.
CONTENTS
Preface
Chapter 1 Introduction
Origin of Massage
THE HISTORY OF MASSAGE THERAPY
WHAT IS MASSAGE THERAPY?
Physical Benefits of Therapeutic Massage
Mental Benefits of Massage Therapy
Types of Massage
Massage and Health Benefits
THE STAGES OF MASSAGE-HEALING
When Should You Seek Clinical Massage Therapy?
USING MASSAGE FOR PAIN CONTROL
Chapter 2 Massage for Babies and Others
Baby Massage in Different Countries
The Benefits of Baby Massage
How can Massage Benefit Your Infant’s Sleep?
HOW TO MASSAGE
Some Tips About the Massage
HEAD MASSAGE
The Origins of Indian Head Massage
Benefits of Head Massage
FACIAL MASSAGE
Benefits of a Facial Massage
Facial Massage for Beauty
A STRESS RELEASE FACIAL MASSAGE
A DIY Facial Massage
CELLULITE BODY MASSAGE
What is Cellulite?
SPORTS MASSAGE
Event Massage
Benefits of Sports Massage
Aromatherapy and Sports Massage
Medical Massage
WORKPLACE MASSAGE
Chapter 3 Ayurvedic & Swedish Massage
Ayurveda and Ayurvedic Massage
Panchakarma
Ayurvedic Massage
What is Kerala Massage Therapy?
Herbal Steam Bath
Specialised Forms of Therapy
Abhyanga Massage
SWEDISH MASSAGE
Basic Techniques of Swedish Massage
Trigger Point Therapy
Trigger Point Treatments
Guidelines for Giving Deep Tissue Massage
Guidelines for Receiving Deep Tissue Bodywork
Chapter 4 The Oriental Massage Techniques
Yin and Yang
The Five Elements
JAPANESE MASSAGE—SHIATSU
Shiatsu Philosophies
Basic Rules When Practising Shiatsu
The Meridians
Shiatsu on the Face and Head
Using Shiatsu for Common Ailments
Chinese Massage (Tui—Na Therapy)
MONGOLIAN MASSAGE, CHUA-KA
TIBETAN MASSAGE
NUAD BO’RARN:
The Traditional Healing Massage of Thailand
About Thai Massage
Thai Yoga Massage
Chapter 5 Allied Therapies
Aromatherapy Massage
AROMATHERAPY OILS AND THEIR BENEFITS
Facial Massage
Hand Massage
Which Essential Oils To Use, and When
AROMATHERAPY MASSAGES THROUGH THE DAY
REFLEXOLOGY
Benefits of Reflexology
Foot Reflexes Chart
Hand Reflexes Chart
Relaxation Technique
Thumb Technique
Index Finger Technique
Rotating
Flexing
COMMON AILMENTS AND REFLEXOLOGY
ROLFING
OSTEOPATHY
Chapter 6 Healing with massage
Basic Massage Techniques
PREVENTIVE MASSAGE
Self Massage
Hand Massage
Revitalising Arm and Neck Massage
Leg Massage
Massaging Your Partner
Back Massage
Arm and Hand Massage
Ailment and Remedies
Self Massage
Massage Oils and Their Therapeutic Qualities
Basic Oils and Their Uses
PREFACE
Much before the Western countries woke up to the magical powers of massage, the Eastern countries, in their native wisdom, had been using those very powers for centuries. Every Indian knows the efficacy of massage in relieving tension and washing away all kinds of aches and pains.
In India, massage therapy is given right from the birth of a baby, and continues through the life of an individual up to old age. In ancient times, the rich employed a retinue of servants who were experts in the art of massaging. When a woman delivered a baby, old ladies skilled in the art of post natal massage, helped in bringing back the tightness in the muscles thus helping the new mother get back in shape. Infants were given special massage to help them grow well, sleep better and become stronger even while making them feel secure and loved, thus fostering physical as well as emotional well being.
Our forefathers knew that tired muscles of the legs could be brought back to action through gentle massage. They also knew the benefits of a good head massage with a cooling concoction prepared from the leaves of Brahmi or Bhringaraj and coconut oil. Most Indian households revelled in a weekly body oil massage and a head massage. It was almost a ritual, to be observed every Sunday, without fail.
‘Champi’ and ‘malish’ were two professions that were practised by the experts in scalp and body massage. They were skilled in relaxing taut muscles of the neck and shoulder region and relieving cramp or settling minor muscle pulls. These professionals were much in demand and earned a fairly decent living.
With time, however, this breed of specialists dwindled and they could only be found in the smaller towns and villages. The westernisation of life took away the soothing benefits of a massage. What is ironical is the fact that the art of massage began vanishing just when it was required most. The modern lifestyle brought with it a fast paced life, hundreds of reasons for stress and a need for stress relieving techniques. It is now that the benefits of massage can be fully exploited. But, there are few massage-specialists remaining in the metropolitan milieu today and the present generation can only connect the word ‘massage’ with their childhood memories of a loving massage by the mother or grand-mother.
There was another factor that drove people away from the ‘massage concept’. The mushrooming of dubious massage parlours in large cities gave the concept a very bad name. Massage began getting sexual overtones and the very mention of the word became taboo in most social circles. Rampant sexual favours granted under the guise of giving a massage became the turning point for this highly effective therapy. The word ‘massage’ had acquired a shady connotation.
By now the mothers had taken up jobs and so didn’t have time to give a massage to their babies and no one had the time to indulge in the healthy practice of the weekly body and head massage. The result was a whole lot of frayed nerves and stressed people around the house.
It is only in the recent years that the magical powers of this effective therapy have been rediscovered. As with most eastern therapies, the benefits are brought back to our minds by the interest sparked about it in the western world. And so with the ‘massage therapy’! Once again, the Indian population is realising the magic of this therapy and interest is beginning to be evoked about the subject. Like with the other facets of life, we are coming a full circle to all the ancient and wise methods that were in practice throughout the Indian subcontinent. Therapeutic methods based on the traditional methods of healing are re-surfacing with a vengeance and there is a perceptible shift in the thinking of the medical community, which is incorporating the traditional methods with the non-traditional ones to get better results.
I was surprised to note that enterprising business people in the Western countries are running educational courses on ‘baby massage’ and ‘Indian head massage’. Institutes are offering diplomas in these courses and making a fast buck, cashing in on the craze to learn the art of massaging. Many have opened health spas, where the ‘Indian head massage’ is a hot item. Surprisingly, we have forgotten it all!
When I was undergoing a course in Vipassana, I met a French girl, Yvonne, who was an expert reflexologist. Over a few weeks, she coached me on the intricacies of the therapy and opened my world to the magic of this amazing therapy. I realised that there was a strong bond between the ancient massage therapy and other therapies like shiatsu, reflexology, aromatherapy and osteopathy.
The effect of these therapies is simply stupendous. They need to be tried first, before one goes for the modern medicines. And they are simple enough for anyone to learn, just a little perseverance and patience is all that is required.
This book takes you back to the potent message of massage, showing you the path to a stressfree and healthy life through the power of massage. It is simple, it has no side effects, it is free and it is effective. What more could a person want!
— Tanushree Podder
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
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