Sensual Massage

Sensual Massage is an intimate art, an ancient practice which is great for old and young alike. Sensual massage combines the physical with the spiritual, it is a fusion of environment, preparation and pressure points. It is as much about how to touch as it is about where to touch.

This massage can be performed by anyone, with a little practice, and it is proven to improve intimacy, trust and relationships.

Sensual massage is the ultimate stress reliever. Your partner will feel relaxed throughout the experience. Sensual massage tickles the senses, it shows the recipient the promises of unbridled passion if ever it is unleashed.
Although it holds back to emphasize the emotional over the physical, it can promote heightened sensuality, which can lead to less inhibitions during lovemaking.
Sensual massage is the perfect mood-setter for romantic encounters.

Sensual Massage Preparation

• The temperature in the room needs to be comfortable; it is better to have the room too warm than too cool.
• Turn down the lights and use several candles throughout the room.
• Sensual lingerie is always an eye-pleaser, so use it.
• Put on a CD with gentle, relaxing, romantic music.
• Floral fragrances like jasmine, vanilla, rose, strawberry, raspberry are considered aphrodisiacs, so use scented candles, scented massage oils, or incense sticks.
• Your hands should be warm. Rub oil in the palms of your hands to warm them up before they touch your partner's skin.

The Massage

Start out by lightly stroking your partner's body with the tips of your fingers (start on your partner's back).
Move from one area of the body to another covering shoulders, arms, thighs, calves and buttocks.

When your partner is completely relaxed, begin the sensual massage by making long, gliding strokes over your partner's body.
When you’ve covered the shoulders, arms, thighs, calves and buttocks, switch from long gliding strokes to short deep strokes.
For the deep strokes you need to lightly use your body weight rather than your arm strength, but be gentle.

As you work your way around using short deep strokes, also massage their feet and hands, brush over their buttocks and if you’re massaging a female partner, make sure you gently stroke her breasts.

When you think the time is right, begin working your way very slowly down your partner's legs gliding your hands as you go. Tease your partner by stroking their inner thigh.

When the sensual energy has had time to build, continue the massage with more strokes to the front of the body. Then, ... well, you can take it from there!

You Can Also Give Her A Sensual Bath

Simply fill the tub with warm water and bubbles, blindfold her and put her in the bath. You have the option of getting in with her, but you will likely have more freedom to maneuver and focus on the task if you stay out.

Massage Video Demonstration

Massage therapist Susan Winchester shows some tricks of the the trade on how to massage your partner.

Tip: Sexual Energy Release Points - neck and ears. Encourage your partner to breathe in a deep and relaxing manner as you gently massage their neck, making small circles over the release points on the upper neck and about halfway up the ears.

Self Brest Massage Technique

Neck Pain Neck Massage

Neck pain can be caused by injury, stress or by other health problems, including some that could have serious consequences.

One of the most common causes of neck pain, and sometimes headaches, is poor posture.

Your neck contains bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, muscles and nerves, any of which can hurt. Neck pain also may come from regions near your neck, such as your head and shoulders.

Giving Neck Massage

1. Place yourself at your partners head, while they are lying on their back. Oil the front of the body, starting with hands on their upper chest, then move down over the breastbone and back up the sides of the body to the starting position. Place hands on the upper chest, fingers pointing toward each other and press down, gliding the hands out toward the top of the arm.

2. Cradle the head in one hand and turn it slightly toward the right. With the other hand, glide firmly out from the center of the chest to the top of the arm, back along the top of the shoulder, and up the back of the neck to the base of the skull.

3. Make small circles along the back of the neck to release tension, then continue down the side of the neck to the chest. Stroke firmly down the side of the neck and out along the top of the shoulder, stretching the neck muscles.

4. Turn the head back to the center with both hands supporting the head under the neck, and pull gently to stretch out the neck muscles.

5. Turn the head to the opposite side and repeat the sequence for the other shoulder. Return the head to the center and pull gently. Make small, circular movements up the back of the neck to the skull and then stroke up the back of the head and off.

Heat can help relax sore muscles, but it sometimes aggravates inflammation, so use it with caution. Apply heat or ice for 15 to 20 minutes, with a 40-minute rest between applications.

For pain that doesn't get better, your doctor may recommend:

• Physical therapy. Heat, ice or similar treatments combined with an appropriate stretching and muscle strengthening program may enhance the structures that support your cervical spine. Such treatments are often all you need for neck pain.
• Pain medications. Your doctor may prescribe stronger pain medicine than what you can get over-the-counter. Opioid analgesics are sometimes used briefly to treat acute neck pain. Muscle relaxants also may be prescribed.

Also see your doctor if the following signs and symptoms occur together with neck pain:

• Severe pain from an injury. After head or neck trauma, such as whiplash or a blow to your head, see your doctor immediately. Severe pain over a bone might indicate a fracture or an injury to a ligament.
• Shooting pain. Pain radiating to your shoulder, through your shoulder blades or down your arm, or numbness or tingling in your fingers, may indicate nerve irritation. Neck pain from nerve irritation can last from three to six months or longer. Because serious problems may occur after continued nerve irritation, see your doctor.
• Loss of strength. Weakness in an arm or a leg, walking with a stiff leg, or shuffling your feet indicates the need for immediate evaluation
  

Massage Strokes

There are many strokes used in giving massage, and each stroke has its own purpose. Each stroke used by a massage therapist in giving massage is chosen for a specific reason and not on some random whim. The therapist uses a particular kind of stroke depending on what her client wants out of the session of treatment, whether he or she wants to be relaxed or energized. That is how it is: a particular stroke can act like a calming sedative or a refreshing stimulant depending on the speed and pressure with which it is applied.

In massage, each stroke is done rhythmically, with one stroke flowing fluidly into the next. Also, massage strokes are ideally done with firmness towards the heart, and with lightness when moving away from it.

Below are the names of the massage strokes that a therapist often uses, and what these strokes are for.

Cupping. The hands and fingers are curled into a cup shape, and with the palms facing downward, are beaten across the area being massaged.

Draining. Draining is a stroke done with medium pressure and used with the heel of the hand on larger areas, or with the thumbs on smaller areas. The thumb or the heel of the hand is pushed upward along the sinew of the area being massaged and is aimed at stretching the muscle and increasing blood circulation.

Friction. Friction strokes are massage strokes specifically used to loosen knots in the muscles. It is always deep and with pressure, done using the thumbs and fingertips moving in tiny circles along the area being massaged. Some receivers of the massage prefer this stroke above all others; other receivers find it painful and could not tolerate it for long.

Gliding. The purpose of gliding strokes is to apply the massage oil onto the skin, as well as to stretch and relax the muscles of the person receiving the massage. The gliding stroke is done with the fingers together and the hands themselves outstretched; contact with the skin of the receiver of the massage is done with the flat of the giver’s hands. The gliding stroke can be firm and reassuring, or merely as light as a feather’s touch. It can be in a long and forward motion or in a circular pattern. One or both hands may be used in doing the gliding stroke.

Hacking. This stroke is also known as the chopping stroke. The sides of the hands, with the palms facing each other, beat up and down the area being massaged. Sometimes the hands are folded into loose fists for added pressure.

Kneading. Kneading is done on the fleshy parts of the body with the purpose of relaxing muscle tension and increase blood circulation. It is always done firmly, with both hands grasping the part being massaged and then mashing it with the fingers and the heel of the hands, like kneading dough.

Plucking. Plucking is done by lifting the flesh using the fingertips. The lifted muscle is then pinched before it is allowed to slide back.

Pulling. This is a stroke done on the muscles of the torso and of the legs. Done with both hands, with one alternating with the other, the muscles are pulled and stretched to loosen them.

Wringing. Wringing is done on the torso, the arms and the legs. The hands are placed on either side of the area being massaged and are moved in an alternating forward and backward motion, in an upward direction until it slowly reaches the head.

The giver of the massage should not forget to keep her hands and wrists relaxed in performing these different massage strokes, or else she would end up hurting her arms. The force of the massage should also not be limited to the giver’s arms and shoulders; she should use her entire body weight to perform the massage.

Massage Benefits

The spa business is booming all over the world, and more and more people, women and men alike, are becoming enamored with the comfort and relaxation that massage brings to their bodies.

We all know that soothes aching muscles and relieves pain, but are there other benefits to having our bodies massaged?

Here are some fast facts on what benefits we can get from massage.

Massage helps remove the feeling of pain in the body by stimulating the release of endorphins, which are the body’s feel-good hormones. Because massage relieves pain regardless of cause, it also lessens the body’s need for pain-killing medication.

Another type of hormones that massage helps to release is called cortisol, which is responsible for lowering the stress levels of the body. With lowered stress levels, the body becomes more capable of healing itself. It also lowers blood pressure, allows the body to breathe more properly and lessens feelings of anxiety.

Manipulation of the muscles through massage aids in loosening and relaxing stiffened muscles. Inflammatory afflictions such as arthritis and tendinitis can also be treated using massage.

The circulation of blood in the body is enhanced through massage. Improved circulation means improved supply of nutrients to individual cells of the body, not to mention improved transport of wastes from these cells.

Improved circulation also leads to clearer, softer and healthier skin, as the skin cells become more nourished with oxygen and nutrients.

It is said that massage helps break down accumulated fat underneath the skin, thus aiding weight loss.

Massage also aids in the stimulation of the lymphatic system, boosting the body’s immunity and natural defense mechanisms. A healthy lymphatic system means less susceptibility to various illnesses and the body’s heightened ability to heal itself.

Regular massage improves the flexibility of the joints and makes the body more capable of a wider range of movements. Fluidity of movement brought about by regular massage also reduces the probability of getting muscle injuries. It also improves posture.

In hospitals and other health facilities, massage is now being used to help trauma and surgery patients recover and be rehabilitated. Post-operative massage therapy is also claimed to help shorten the stay of patients in the hospital.

Many pregnant women now seek massage to relax their bodies and prepare themselves for childbirth. Such pregnant women who have undergone massage therapy during their gestation period are said to have shorter and less painful labors.

Massage fulfills the body’s need for touch. Regular massage improves emotional well-being by allowing the person to feel cared for and nurtured. Such not only lowers stress levels but also reduces a person’s tendency to feel anxious and sink into depression.

With massage, the mind is made to feel calm and relaxed. Such a state of the mind is good for enhancing focus and improving concentration, thereby making the mind more creative and productive. Massage also makes the mind aware of the body, allowing it to recognize more quickly its needs and possible afflictions.

Massage For Babies

Did you know that massage is just as enjoyable and beneficial to babies as it is to adults? Many proponents of complementary and alternative therapies are now recommending for massage to be administered to babies.

Just like in adults, massage will help an infant relax and sleep better. It also improves the baby’s circulation, which aids in enhancing health, and can also help the baby digest his or her food much easier. Most of all, massage strengthens the bond between the baby and the adult who gives the massage to him or her.





Below is a step-by-step guide to giving babies a massage.

1. Lay the baby on his or her back and then begin work on the face. With light and gentle strokes, massage the forehead with your fingers going outward to the temples. Afterwards, proceed from the nose to the ears, and then from the cheeks down to the chin.

2. Place your hands on the baby’s chest and rub your hands upward and then going outward to the arms.

3. Stroke the baby's belly, around the navel in particular, in a clockwise direction. After that, gently wring the baby’s belly and work your way upward.

4. Raise the baby's arm and stroke it with both hands from the shoulder to the wrist. Squeeze the baby’s hand and then rub the palm with your thumb. Remember to rub and rotate each finger.

5. Wring the baby's legs, one at a time, and then squeeze each leg starting from the ankle to the thigh. As you go back down to the ankle, make the return stroke as feather-light as possible.

6. Gently lay the baby on his or her stomach and begin stroking the back. As with the chest, move your hands upward and then out towards the arms. Knead the shoulders lightly.

7. Massage the baby’s buttocks by pinching or kneading.

8. Lightly rub your hands along the spine of the baby, starting from the neck to the tailbone.

9. Glide your fingers along the legs. To massage the baby's feet, bend the leg at the knee and clasp the ankles. Slowly rotate the foot, and then rotate and pull at the toes. Squeeze the baby’s heel and then rub your thumb along the arch and sole. Repeat these with the other foot.

10. End the massage by letting your fingers glide from the baby’s head, down to the toes.

Massage is good for the baby's well-being. If you do this to your baby on a regular basis, you will find it an enjoyable way to bond with your baby. However, always remember to keep your touch on the baby’s skin gentle and feather-light. Warm your hands first before starting the massage. The baby may squirm a lot so you just have to keep patient with him or her. If the baby is showing discomfort at what you are doing, just end the massage. Avoid doing this if the baby is a little feverish, because massage may make the fever worse, or if the baby has just eaten.

Lomi Lomi Massage

Lomi Lomi massage or Hawaiian massage is a unique massage technique which involves prayers and chanting, as well as dancing the hula. This massage technique is based on the philosophy of the Huna, which holds that all things in this world seek to be loved and be in harmony with others. The Polynesians' word for this massage technique is "lomi lomi," which is actually their word for "massage."

In Huna, it is believed that negative thoughts and behavioral patterns, as well as bad memories, causes the body to lose its harmony with its surroundings. Love ebbs away from the system. The loss of harmony and the lack of love lead to stress and afflict the body with various forms of illnesses. The aim of lomi lomi massage, therefore, is to restore harmony to the body and make the body aware that it is loved.

Lomi lomi massage is not just about the relief of physical pain. In the application of the lomi lomi massage, the practitioner also seeks to bring calm into her client's mind and to bring balance back into his or her spirit. It is said that if caring and compassion is not present during a session of lomi-lomi massage, the treatment itself will not work.

A session of lomi lomi massage can be done with the client fully clothed, but oftentimes, it is done with the client having only a towel to cover the body. This exposure of skin helps the therapist to go about her work continuously.

A session of lomi lomi massage begins with prayers. The philosophy of the Huna holds to the existence of a higher power, and the aid of this higher power is invoked by the therapist with her hands laid on her client's body. The practitioner seeks the help of this higher power so that healing may take place as a result of the session. The client is also often asked to speak his or her own prayer, naming the affliction of his or her body which the massage session is supposed to handle.

In performing the massage, the practitioner makes use of aromatic massage oils, which she applies on her client’s skin. Broad, two-handed strokes are often used; it is not uncommon to feel one hand of the practitioner applying pressure on one part of the client's body, while her other hand is massaging another part. It is also not uncommon for the giver of the massage to make use of not just her hands but also her forearms and elbows.

There is no set routine with the lomi lomi massage, and so no two sessions of a lomi lomi massage are alike. Oftentimes, the therapist chants while performing the massage, and she also dances the hula. The purpose of the hula dancing during the massage may seem funny to those who experience the lomi-lomi massage for the first time, but it is actually a technique employed by the therapist to keep her body in harmony with her client's body. After all, the restoration of harmony is the point of lomi lomi massage.