History and Background of Hot Stone Massage

Introduction
Massage is probably the oldest type of hands-on-healing recognized to humans, conveniently predating written records. For millennia, men and women from pretty much just about every culture
have utilized a combination of touch, heat (thermotherapy) and stones as therapeutic resources. It
really is fairly harmless to say that just about every culture has either utilized heat and/or stones to
have some type of healing impact on the body - regardless of whether it really is working with stones
immediately on the physique like we do in a Scorching Stone Massage, or indirectly, equivalent to a
construction like Stonehenge affecting the entire body energetically.
Most therapists who integrate heated stones into their massage program agree that the Chinese,
Native Americans and Hawaiians have played a significant part in how Stone Treatment is applied
today (despite the fact that the Egyptians, Ayurvedic Medicine, Pacific Islanders and numerous other
cultures are also explained to have made use of stones in their healing arts).
Regular utilizes of stones
One particular of the 1st recorded utilizes of stones for healing was by the Chinese. Prior to the
invention of metal acupuncture needles, ancient Common Chinese Health care (TCM) practitioners
frequently utilised many shaped and sharpened stones to deal with disease. These stones have been
recognized as 'Bian Stones', and had been utilized to prick, pierce and bleed several factors on the
body (as well as lancing boils and doing other superficial procedures). The Chinese also utilised
heat, in the type of 'moxabustion' (burning 'mugwort' - a dried herb - above acupuncture factors), to
raise the yang/heat in the physique and have a healing impact on patients. Moxabustion is
nonetheless utilized currently by practically all TCM practitioners.
Undoubtedly, both Bian Stones and moxabustion had been used collectively in the exact same
therapy even so there are differing opinions when it comes to the certain use of stones to massage
the body. TCM practitioners did 'scrape' several muscles and meridians with jade resources (and
other difficult objects) to treat various diseases. This was/is acknowledged as 'Gua Sha', and is
nonetheless practised today.
The Native Americans had numerous rituals which involved the use of stones. One particular of the
much more properly-known rituals concerned putting heated stones (typically basalt) into a tepeelike framework, otherwise identified as a 'Sweat Lodge'. This practice was made use of to cleanse
and heal the entire body and mind. Quite a few other cultures, which include the Romans, had a
comparable concept, major to the advancement of modern day-day Saunas. Another Native
American ritual made use of a heated stone that was wrapped in cloth/bark. This warm stone was
positioned onto the reduce abdomen of a lady who was menstruating, in order to relieve cramps
(women right now utilize this exact same principle when they use a scorching water bottle).
Heated stones were maybe even much more regularly used in common Hawaiian healing practices.
Customary employs incorporated wrapping heated stones in 'ti-leaves', a particular form of leaf with
therapeutic properties. These wrapped stones have been then placed on sore regions of the physique
in buy to cut down pain - related to making use of a heat pack or poultice. Hot stones had been also
placed in shallow pits and covered with these identical leaves. The patient would then lie on major of
the leaves, permitting the healing properties to infuse into the entire body.

Volcanic stones are also explained to have been rubbed in excess of the physique after a
conventional Hawaiian Kahuna/Lomi-Lomi massage (in the Hawaiian language, Lomi-Lomi simply
just signifies 'to knead/rub/massage'). Due to the coarseness of the stones employed, this was maybe
significantly less of a massage method and more of an exfoliation. The Hawaiians are a single of the
most closely linked cultures to modern-day-day Stone Treatment.
There are also endless references to the use of gems, crystals and other kinds of stones by a lot of
cultures during the history of healing.
About modern day-day Sizzling Stone Massage
Modern-day-day Stone Treatment, a certainly distinctive style of massage, has been gaining
recognition throughout the globe right after being 'discovered' in the United States in 1993. The
story revolves about a massage therapist named Mary Nelson, who was struggling from repetitive
use injuries in the shoulders/wrists. She was getting a sauna with her niece who was about to get a
massage, and was 'called' to use the stones. Mary chose some of the smoother stones and applied
them in the massage. It felt good (for the consumer as well as the therapist) and hence Stone
Therapy as we know it today was born. This first style of modern-day-day Stone Therapy was/is
referred to as 'LaStone Therapy'.
Mary 'channelled' considerably of the information about LaStone Treatment from her Native
American spirit guide. This is one particular of the factors why many Spas/Salons and journalists
imagine that Stone Treatment is a 'traditional' Native American treatment. Though LaStone
Treatment is based mostly on Native American culture, it is substantially additional accurate to say
that present day-day Stone Treatment is a mixture of Chinese, Native American and Hawaiian
healing ideas (as properly as the a lot of other cultures who by some means utilized heat and/or
stones in their healing arts).
What to count on for the duration of a Hot Stone Massage
A present day-day Scorching Stone Massage (also often called Hot Rocks Massage) will normally
consist of the therapist putting heated stones (generally basalt stones ) of a variety of shapes/sizes
onto the client's entire body (for safety, most of the time these 'placement' stones will not be in
direct make contact with with the skin, as an alternative they will be positioned onto a towel to
buffer the heat). These stones are placed onto various factors (chakras, energy points, sore muscle
tissue, etc), dependent on the type of Sizzling Stone Massage or Stone Therapy.
Whilst these placement stones are warming and activating specific areas, the therapist will take
numerous other heated stones and start off massaging a unique place of the body. The heat from the
stones is launched deep into the muscle tissue, considerably enhancing the massage. It is said that a
single stroke with a heated stone is equivalent to ten usual massage strokes! Some therapists will
also incorporate cold stones (commonly marble) into their remedy which, despite the fact that not
quite as calming as the heated stones, do have a portion to play for lots of disorders. A common
Sizzling Stone Massage will get 60 to 90 minutes.
Most persons who have a Scorching Stone Massage will be 'blown away' by the degree of relaxation
that is accomplished. Some customers will have vivid dreams or even 'out-of-body' experiences. It is
ordinarily a very grounding, calming and healing experience. Apart form the deep degree of rest,
Hot Stone Massage is also great to integrate into Remedial or Deep Tissue massage. Not only does
the client acquire the added benefits, but when practiced properly, the therapist will lessen the
strain placed on their hands and wrists.

Practically every Spa in Europe, America and Australia offers Sizzling Stone Massage or Stone
Therapy on their menu. The variety of different variations on the other hand, is pretty much as
varied as the stones themselves.
As with all forms of massage, it is significant that therapists undertake experienced Scorching Stone
Massage training. Test with the Spa, Salon or therapist in advance of your therapy to ensure you are
having the very best massage from the most experienced therapist.