Massage...The Remedy to Heal
What is Thai Massage?
Thai Massage is an ancient kind of massage that is an ancient healing kind of massage which uses acupressure as compressions and stretches to heal the body. Thai Massage is often referred to as “Yoga for Lazy people” as the massage Practioner actually applies assisted yoga postures to the client.
Thai Massage often follows the “sen lines” in the body which are lines in which our energy goes up and down our body. Thai massage combines techniques including trigger point treatments, Myofascial Techniques, muscle stretching, acupressure and reflexology. It is a deep full body treatment that often begins at the feet.
What are some PHYSICAL BENEFITS of Thai massage?
- Thai massage help detox the body and boost the immune system
- Thai massage gets ride of energy blockages in the body and helps chi or energy flow better
- Great for improving proper breathing
- Can assist in helping arthritis and back pain
- Improves posture, and helps align the body misalignments
- Help with sports performance and slows the aging process.
What are some MENTAL BENEFITS of Thai massage?
- Thai massage can calm and clear your mind
- Reduce stress and anxiety
- Can help you relax and improve your outlook towards life
- Assist you with concentration and creativity
- Can help you with mind and body concentration and connection.
- Increase energy levels and stamina and help boost energy levels
- What can you expect from a Thai Massage?
When getting a Thai massage ….fully clothed….
What is Swedish Massage?
Swedish massage was invented by a Fencing teacher named Henrick Ling in the 1830’s who had spent time in Asia and had received many different kinds of massage from travelling. He had an injured elbow and apparently cured himself by giving himself long strokes around the affected area. This kind of technique was brought to North America in 1850’s and includes the use of long gliding strokes, sometimes friction, kneading and tapping movements of soft tissue often with an oil base. Often these strokes are used to warm up the body, calm the nerves and increase blood flow in the body.
Swedish massage is incredibly relaxing and puts the mind and body into complete relaxation.
PHYSICAL BENEFITS of Swedish Massage:
- Loosening joints and improving range of motion
- Relaxing tight muscles and connective tissues.
- Relieving muscle cramps and decreasing muscle fatigue
- Stimulating blood circulation
- Improving lymphatic drainage of metabolic wastes
- Calming the nervous system
- Relieving cramps and healing injury
- Helping relieve disorders such as chronic and acute pain, headache and athletic injuries from overuse.
MENTAL BENEFITS of Swedish Massage:
- Improvement in the quality of sleep
- Improved sense of well being and relaxation
- Relief of stress, depression, anxiety and irritation
- Increased ability to concentrate.
This kind of massage what can you expect?
In Swedish Massage, the person lies on a massage table and is draped with a sheet and a blanket. Generally Swedish massage is a full body treatment of the back, neck, shoulders, arms and legs.
What is Raynor Massage?
Raynor Massage is a powerful system of bodywork developed by Canadian born and Austrailian trained Naturopath Brandon Raynor. This type of bodywork focuses on the muscular system of the body as well as the subtle body energy systems of the body. It has eveloved from a combination of different styles of massage around the world including: Theraputic massage, Deep Tissue, Accupressure, Ayurvedic Massage, Swedish Massague, Lomi Lomi (Hawiian) Shiatsu as well as foot reflexology. This type of massage is not a routine massage (starting in one place and finishing in another). Instead, the goal of Raynor massage is to find any residual tension or blockage in the body and get rid of it. Residual tension is tension that is still present in a person’s body when the body is at rest. In other words if a person has muscle tightness in an area when they are not using this area, this is what we would refer to as residual tension.
Another important concept of this kind of massage is the sorce of some residual tension can be repressed emotions or stress. This type of massage follows Eastern medical theories that the physical body is a gross manifestation of a subtle body which is composed of alife force, emotions or other subtle energies..
We refer to this life force as chi or prana. A blockage or disruption in the flow of chi or prana will cause and aread of the physical body to become tight, blocked or forced out of position in the case of the bones.
Raynor massage perspective believes that the person is one holistic organizim and all parts of the body affect each other. So in this way, the subtle body of emitions and the physical body are related and that some tension may not be gotten rid of in the body unless the corresponding emithion is released.
Raynor Massage treats massage like an art form, catering to the needs of each individual client. We encourage clients to breathe deeply into their bellies during the treatment and to encourage the release of repressed emotion.
This kind of massage emphasizes important parts of the body that are often neglected by traditional massage therapists such as the abdomen, the sacrum, the hips and the feet and the fingers, hands toes and feet. These areas hold a lot of stagnation and blocks the life force – freeing them up will generally do a lot of benefit to the person as a whole.
Raynor Massage is generally reconized as one of the most powerful and effective forms of massage therapy today. It goes well beyone the realm of what most people consider to be the confines of a massage treatment.
These kinds of massages can facilitate a healing crisis. This is when the massage causes the release of physical toxins and stirs up old emotions in the body causing a person to feel slight discomfort as they release these. After this kind of healing crisis, the person should feel a lot better. After I personally had one of these massages, I felt better than I had in years (and I did not even go to the massage feeling like I was holding much tension.)
PHYSICAL BENEFITS of Raynor Massage:
Raynor massage can actually fix your problem. For example, if your neck hurts it may be related to tightness in your finger or toes and once this blockage is released, the neck problem disappears.
- Increases circulation of blood and lymph.
- Relaxes tight muscles, tendons and ligaments.
- Frees up nerve tissue that has had tight muscles restricting it.
- Breaks up stored toxins in the body so that they can be eliminated easier.
- Allows better organ and brain function by improving circulation and nerve supply and by taking pressure from tight muscles of the organs.
- Increases vitality by stimulating the flow of chi or life force.
- Can assist in the healing tissue by increasing circulation in that area.
- Can break up fibrous adhesions around joint tissue.
This massage is very beneficial for the following: headaches, tight back, shoulders and neck, menstrual problems, digestive disorders related to nervous tension, anxiety and stress, knee problems, lower back problems, old injuries, constipation, lockjaw, emotional problems.
MENTAL BENEFITS of Raynor Massage:
Emotional releases and increased energy levels.
- Stress release
- Release of emotional blockages.
An emotional blockage may arise during the physical healing. It may emergy alone or in combination with a healing episode that is physical in nature. THis can be seen as an opportunity to achieve healing on more than one level.
You can interpret the emergence of a specific emotional issue as a gentle signal from your psyche that it is time to deal with it. In some cases, it is essential that we address both the emotional and physical issues in order to successfully pass through the next layer of healing. If we address one part but not the other, the healing may be incomplete and have to be addressed again at a later date.
What is Reiki?
Reiki is an ancient holistic technique used to reduce stress on the body and mind, promoting balance and healing through deep relaxation. We all have a row of very powerful chakras in our bodies that are similar to flashlights. Each of these flashlights or Chakras have different attributes (such as power or lack of, emotional energy, etc) Everyday these Chakras have a different brightness or dimness and Reiki helps in balancing out these energy centres which essentially balance us physically, mentally and emotionally. Reiki is based on the belief that a collective Universal energy flows through us and is what causes us to be alive. If our own energy is low, then we are more likely to experience illness, tension and pain. When it is recharged, and realigned we are more capable of being happy and healthy. And so, having a Reiki treatment accelerates and enhances the body’s innate healing ability.
Reiki promotes natural self-healing and enhances mental, physical and emotional well-being. It helps strengthen the immune system, clear toxins and relieve pain within the body by releasing blocked and suppressed feelings within us such as guilt, shame, and resentment.
When there is an imbalance we can feel tired, restless, uninspired and unwell. Physically, we become stressed and tense, creating a blockage of energy that wreaks havoc on our nervous, digestive and hormonal systems. Emotionally, we may feel overly sensitive to personal interactions with others or our surrounding environment. Spiritually, we may feel unplugged or disconnected from our higher selves (the Universe, Source Energy, God, Allah, Krishna, whatever you feel comfortable calling it).
To balance one’s energy requires the willingness to develop a stronger understanding and relationship to one’s thoughts, feelings and actions. We bridge the mind and body through meditation and deep relaxation and as we truly relax, our body speaks to us and we are more open to listening to what it tells us. We can then make different choices in our lives that are more aligned with our deeper needs.
Reiki is safe and works in concert with all other forms of therapy. It is a wonderful compliment to other treatments. If you have never tried Reiki, it is really something special.
During a Reiki treatment my hands may be on or above you. During the treatment you may experience tingling feelings in your body, heat and cold feelings, warmth or energy passing through. You may also undergo a bit of a healing crisis and giggle and laugh or release whatever energy you may be feeling at the time or old repressed energy. Through this release you become balanced.
I have been a Reiki Master since November 2002 and I got my first Reiki Level one in 1996. I have encountered some really incredible experiences of Reiki treatments having been involved with this for over 20 years and it is something that has really changed my life. I have also taught Reiki Level 1, Reiki Level 2 and also teach some participants to be Reiki Masters.
I am always happy to add even 10 minutes of Reiki to a massage appointment or do half massage and half Reiki.
Physical Benefits of Reiki:
- Promotes relaxation and natural self healing, helps calm the nervous system.
- Helps strengthen the immune system, clear toxins and release pain within the body by releasing blocked and supressed feelings.
- Bridges the mind and body through deep relaxation and develops a stronger relationship to ones thoughts, feelings and actions.
- Helps relieve disorders such as chronic and acute pain.
What to expect during a Reiki treatment?
During a Reiki treatment you will wear all of your clothes and lay down on my massage table.
At the beginning of a Reiki treatment, you will be asked to do some deep breathing to get the flow of Reiki happening. Then I place my hands either over or around or possibly on your body. During Reiki, there is no movement of the skin or tissue, the hands are simply placed on the body.
The feeling that you may experience with reiki may depend on each person or how they are feeling at the time. One may feel very relaxed, like you are floating, you may get sensations of hotness or coldness or tingling. Sometimes a person laughs or even says a few words unknowingly, kind of like a murmur. This signals that the client is having an intense and well needed release, emotional or physical and that the chakras are being balanced.
Please see my story to learn about how I got involved in Reiki and have been a Reiki Master since 2002 and practiced Reiki Level 1 from 1996.
I have also taught Reiki level 1, Reiki Level 2 and Reiki Masters level at different times and please contact me for future upcoming classes.
Sports/Deep Tissue Massage:
Sports Massage and deep tissue massage is a kind of massage that concentrates in the deeper layers of muscle and fascia of the body which is used to treat a variety of physical issues. Deep tissue massage works to physically break down bands of painful and hardened tissue to get rid of pain and restore normal movement. As a person who does sports regularly, I often get this kind of massage which helps my muscles feel less tight and rigid. I also recommend this one to my personal training clients.
BENEFITS of Sports/Deep Tissue Massage
- Sports massage can reduce chronic pain. Since Deep tissue massage can increase the blood flow through the body it can help reduces the inflammation that causes pain. Sometimes we have chronic pain as we have tight clusters of tissue in the body, this can help loosen it up.
- Sports massage reduces scar tissue
- Can help injured muscles. This kind of massage helps muscles relax, reduce pain, facilitates the movement of toxins
- Stress relief
- Increase blood pressure
- Improved flexibility posture and agility
- Helps repetitive strain injury such as carpal tunnel syndrome
Does deep tissue massage hurt?
At certain points you may have some discomfort and pain, however breathing through discomfort and communicating pressure to the person doing the massage is important if anything is out of your range of comfort
After a deep tissue massage, you may experience some stiffness like after working out , but it should subside within a few days.
After a massage of this kind, you want to drink a lot of water to help flush out the toxins and properly rehydrate the muscles. It is also a good idea to not workout or do any strenuous activity after this kind of massage.
How does a Mobile Massage session work?
- Book an appointment online or by calling me directly or email.
- Give me details regarding parking
- I will arrive 15 minutes before the appointment
- You will fill out a form to let me know your medical history, problem areas and sign a consent form.
- I will set up massage table and bring my own linen, blankets and bolsters. I will put on some relaxing music and you will choose your choice of massage oil (if necessary).
- Treatment will begin.