After all the linking and reading and what have you yesterday to try and get ACE back to his owners I think a little gentle massage is in order for today!
Aroma Stone or Hot Stone Massage is probably one of the most relaxing and luxurious massages anyone could have. I call it a "melting" massage and vaguely remember that it feels fabulous (vaguely because I haven't had one since I trained on it four years ago).
The stones used are two varieties -
We have the igneous basalt which erupts from the centre of the volcano and flows as lava. Rock is formed when the lava cools in the air or sea. Erosion and weather breaks down the rock into particles and these are transported by glaciers, rivers and the wind and deposited as sedimentary layers in lakes, rivers and sea bed where heat and pressure (by movement) change sedimentary and igneous rocks to metamorphic rocks.
Examples of metamorphic rocks are Slate, Marble, Shale.
What we use in the massage are the basalt (hot stones) and marble (cold stones).
As a contemporary therapy, stone massage was introduced to the world of Spa treatments by Mary Nelson in 1993. The therapeutic use of stones and rocks has, however, been employed for thousands of years in various forms.
Today we are familiar with spas, although they are nothing new. They were originally used to improve health and well being. Spas were about getting better, the hot pools, cold dips, plunge pools, saunas and steam rooms were designed to balance the body so it could heal. The same principles apply in stone therapy - using alternating temperatures to heal. The term geothermotherapy is used because the Earth (geo) is used to deliver the temperature through the stones.
Ezine Articles writes:
....there is actually a lot of history behind the technique, especially in ancient Native American culture. With them, hot rock massages were used during sweat lodge ceremonies. Basically, as the people were sweating out their physical and spiritual impurities, hot rocks were used for added relaxation. They worked so effectively, they became known as "grandfather stones."
Many ancient cultures used stones in some form or another and nearly always there was a spiritual meaning as well as the physical. The basalt stone has been imbued with energetic and healing attributes and marble is used for protection which is why altars are often made of marble.
For the actual massage - the stones are preheated in a receptacle that looks alot like a slow cooker. They are heated to around 50 degrees C and to start with the heat is transferred from the stones via the therapists hands to the clients body. When the stones have lost their heat then fresh ones are retrieved from the heater. The cold stones are used briefly - a balanced use of "hote" and "cold" renews, invigorates and soothes the body.
Amazingly enough a hot stone massage is very tiring. The heat induces detoxing which the body needs but it uses a lot of energy. Therefore choose your day for a hot stone with the idea that when you finish you will NOT be going to run a marathon. A calm day with lots of water, light diet and preferably no alcohol are a great follow on to the massage.
If you want to know more please visit our website: mybutterflybliss.com or call me on 636105863 (spain) or 202 3239 4830 (UK).
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