Originally posted by Massage Heights 4/20/15

Are you ready to rejuvenate your health and wellness for spring? Start by incorporating massage therapy into your wellness routine and expect a springtime renewal! Massage offers a host of health benefits that can give you increased energy, better circulation and overall wellness. Here are just a few of the reasons you should schedule a therapeutic massage today.

Lower Your Stress and Tension Levels

Therapeutic massage has been proven to help reduce stress and tension in your body by increasing circulation through manual pressure enacting your blood vessels to dilate”, helping you achieve lower blood pressure and heart rate. If you are trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle to improve your cardiovascular health, massage is a wonderful addition to your routine, especially when combined with healthy eating and regular exercise.

Flexibility and Range of Motion

If you are an active person, you want the best care for your body. Adding massage therapy is a great way to enhance your physical performance, giving your muscles the care they need for added flexibility and range of motion. Top athletes use massage to help improve muscle repair and reduce pain after strenuous use; techniques such as passive and active stretching, cross fiber tissue manipulation, and fascia release are used to achieve this. The same benefits can be gained by anyone with an active lifestyle, regardless of their level of activity.

Improved Mental State

Massage therapy helps your body and mind to relax. People who receive regular massage therapy notice an improved sense of well-being and feel less daily anxiety and stress. Many mental health professionals recommend massage to their patients to combat depression and anxiety disorders. Clinical studies have proven that massage increases your feel good hormones serotonin and dopamine, while reducing the stress hormone cortisol. Your mental state is as important to your overall health as being physically fit. Give both your mind and body the relief they need by adding therapeutic massage to your wellness routine.

Immunity Boost

This spring, don’t fall victim to illness. Massage therapy has been used to promote health, including helping improve many medical conditions. The increased circulation and reduction of tension in the body can aid in helping bolster the body’s immune system and allow it to heal fasterby increasing the number of lymphocytes, these are white blood cells who’s primary goal is to defend the body from disease. People with asthma, heart disease and many other medical conditions have noticed improvements in their health with regular massage.

Pain Management

If you suffer from pain from an injury or ongoing health issue, massage therapy can be a way to reduce or manage your pain. Massage can release endorphins from your brain, the natural pain-killers that most drugs only try to mimic. People with arthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and many other health issues that cause pain have used massage as part of their health program. For many, massage offers a relief from their pain both during and for a prolonged period after their massage.

Spring is the perfect time to find new ways to improve your health and well-being. At Massage Heights, we offer a wide variety of massage therapy options to help you achieve better health to spur your springtime renewal into action. Request a Reservation today at one of our many Retreats to experience the benefits of adding massage therapy to your wellness routine.

by Suzanne Scurlock-Durana, C.M.T., C.S.T.-D.

As you catch glimpses of spring, those warmer days of thawing iciness and more sunshine, you may feel an inner stirring, an urge to get up and get moving. In this season, our natural impulse is to follow all of nature as it comes alive again.

In traditional Chinese medicine, spring is represented by the element of wood. Think about the rising of sap in the trees, new buds pushing through cold ground to find the sunlight, and new life emerging everywhere. Spring is the season of new beginnings.

Here’s what you can do to ride the energy of spring, and catalyze an emergence of the new within yourself.

Move your body

Springtime is when life is waking up from its long winter sleep. This is an excellent time to start moving.

Perhaps you want to explore a new exercise program you have read about during the winter but could not quite get the energy to start. As the weather becomes warmer, allow yourself time to bike, walk or run outdoors rather than retreating to the gym for exercise. Join friends or family for activities that take place in nature. Remember, if you have been hibernating all winter on your couch, let your movement activities start slowly and build up at a healthy pace.

If you are questioning how to begin this process in a way that works for your system, take a moment now and allow yourself to slow down and tune in to your inner wisdom by closing your eyes and following your breath. If it is comfortable, inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth, allowing your jaw to relax and drop open slightly. Sometimes a gentle sigh will come with your exhale. If it does, allow this to happen, as this enhances the natural relaxation effect. Practice this breathing method until you feel comfortable and centered.

Next, imagine yourself in the near future as the air warms and spring arrives. Ask yourself:

• What kind of movement or exercise does my body want?
• When I drop my awareness down into my legs, how do they feel?
• If my legs could have a voice, what kind of movement would they ask for in the coming months?
• How about my torso? How does it want to get moving?

Listen for any other parts of yourself that need to let you know something important about how they want to move. Allow yourself to imagine your schedule and what times you can make available for movement.

Move toward new things

Another element of spring is the internal quickening that occurs in all living beings. Winter gives the body the signal that we should hibernate and rest; spring, on the other hand, tells us to get up and start something new.

Spring is an incredible time to create, whether it’s a new business venture, new relationship or new chapter in your current relationship. It could mean revising your outlook on life or setting fresh goals. It is a time to dream and dare to expand who you are and how you see yourself.

As you did when you considered physical movement, take the time to slow down, breathe, drop inside yourself and listen. What does your heart say about your deepest inspirations? At certain points in my life, this time of year was when some big changes cracked open for me, and I had the energy to follow through and make them a reality. Allow yourself to dream, plan and ground your plans in your current reality, taking the steps to make them happen.

Just get moving

When you’re ready to harness the elements of nature and go with the natural flow of this time of year, think of initiating new movement in your life, creative thought, growth on all levels and the necessary steps you need to take.

Spring is a wonderful time to start—anything. Nature is with you. Notice the crocuses pushing through the cold, hard ground. These tender but sturdy shoots are like our dreams of growth and change. Nature reaches for the future in the spring—and you can, too.

People looking to fend off the winter blues may find relief by integrating massage therapy into their health maintenance routine. Shorter days and colder temperatures leave many Americans feeling depressed and lethargic, yet studies show that regular massages improve mood and reset circadian rhythms, leading to better sleep and more energy.

“As we approach the colder, darker months, massage therapy may be an effective method of deflecting common seasonal challenges,” said Jeff Smoot, President of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA). “Massage benefits the way our bodies react to negative influences, whether that’s weather, anxieties or disorders.”

Whether you’re getting a refund or owe, come get an affordable, quality massage and relax the stress of it all away. Schedule your appointment today!

Massage is no longer available only through luxury spas and upscale health clubs. Today, massage therapy is offered in businesses, clinics, hospitals and even airports. If you’ve never tried massage, learn about its possible health benefits and what to expect during a massage therapy session.

What is massage?

Massage is a general term for pressing, rubbing and manipulating your skin, muscles, tendons and ligaments. Massage may range from light stroking to deep pressure. There are many different types of massage, including these common types:

• Swedish massage. This is a gentle form of massage that uses long strokes, kneading, deep circular movements, vibration and tapping to help relax and energize you.
• Deep massage. This massage technique uses slower, more-forceful strokes to target the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue, commonly to help with muscle damage from injuries.
• Sports massage. This is similar to Swedish massage, but it’s geared toward people involved in sport activities to help prevent or treat injuries.
• Trigger point massage. This massage focuses on areas of tight muscle fibers that can form in your muscles after injuries or overuse.

Benefits of massage

Massage is generally considered part of complementary and alternative medicine. It’s increasingly being offered along with standard treatment for a wide range of medical conditions and situations.

Studies of the benefits of massage demonstrate that it is an effective treatment for reducing stress, pain and muscle tension.

While more research is needed to confirm the benefits of massage, some studies have found massage may also be helpful for:

• Anxiety
• Digestive disorders
• Fibromyalgia
• Headaches
• Insomnia related to stress
• Myofascial pain syndrome
• Soft tissue strains or injuries
• Sports injuries
• Temporomandibular joint pain

Beyond the benefits for specific conditions or diseases, some people enjoy massage because it often produces feelings of caring, comfort and connection.

Despite its benefits, massage isn’t meant as a replacement for regular medical care. Let your doctor know you’re trying massage and be sure to follow any standard treatment plans you have.

Risks of massage

Most people can benefit from massage. However, massage may not be appropriate if you have:

• Bleeding disorders or take blood-thinning medication
• Burns or healing wounds
• Deep vein thrombosis
• Fractures
• Severe osteoporosis
• Severe thrombocytopenia

Discuss the pros and cons of massage with your doctor, especially if you are pregnant or you have cancer or unexplained pain.

Some forms of massage can leave you feeling a bit sore the next day. But massage shouldn’t ordinarily be painful or uncomfortable. If any part of your massage doesn’t feel right or is painful, speak up right away. Most serious problems come from too much pressure during massage.

What you can expect during a massage

You don’t need any special preparation for massage. Before a massage therapy session starts, your massage therapist should ask you about any symptoms, your medical history and what you’re hoping to get out of massage. Your massage therapist should explain the kind of massage and techniques he or she will use.

In a typical massage therapy session, you undress or wear loose-fitting clothing. Undress only to the point that you’re comfortable. You generally lie on a table and cover yourself with a sheet. You can also have a massage while sitting in a chair, fully clothed. Your massage therapist should perform an evaluation through touch to locate painful or tense areas and to determine how much pressure to apply.

Depending on preference, your massage therapist may use oil or lotion to reduce friction on your skin. Tell your massage therapist if you might be allergic to any ingredients.

A massage session may last from 10 to 90 minutes, depending on the type of massage and how much time you have. No matter what kind of massage you choose, you should feel calm and relaxed during and after your massage.

If a massage therapist is pushing too hard, ask for lighter pressure. Occasionally you may have a sensitive spot in a muscle that feels like a knot. It’s likely to be uncomfortable while your massage therapist works it out. But if it becomes painful, speak up.

The take-home message about massage

Brush aside any thoughts that massage is only a feel-good way to indulge or pamper yourself. To the contrary, massage can be a powerful tool to help you take charge of your health and well-being, whether you have a specific health condition or are just looking for another stress reliever. You can even learn how to do self-massage or how to engage in massage with a partner at home.

Tantric Massage is an ancient art, originating in the East and has been practiced for thousands years. It is designed to relax our inner bodies as well as quiet the mind. The philosophy that parallels this art suggests that once we quiet our minds, we can experience a whole new world where touch becomes far more important than thought. Through this practice, we are able to not only just live in the moment, but to enjoy it fully as well.

The body’s natural way of healing works best when the client leaves his or her thoughts at the door. By removing logic from the equation and simply allowing ourselves to just exist, we allow ourselves to experience something deeply peaceful and spiritual. This peaceful, relaxing energy removes negativity from all parts of the body.

If the body is properly nurtured, pampered, and cared for, the spirit truly blossoms. When the body is happy and at peace, we are able to make more efficient decisions. This type of balance provides us with a better quality of living.

When the body reacts to pleasure, our inner awareness also reacts and awakens. Pleasure allows us deeper fulfillment and enjoyment. This is because we are allowing ourselves to give in to the needs of our body.

Tantric massage empowers the body by accepting the natural rhythms that are unique within each individual. It custom tailors itself to the needs and desires of each individual and provides us with the sensuality and attention that we so desperately crave and need. At first, it might be difficult to give in to the pleasure and sensuality. It can be awkward or we may feel that we do not deserve this amount of attention and care. Some may even fear giving up the control even if it means something greater for themselves. However, there is so much to be gained from surrendering. You will gain respect, honor, and strength when you allow your inner self to feel vulnerable and to experience what is offered through a Tantric massage.

Massage Benefits

The massage strokes are done very slowly, sensuously, and carefully so that you can become fully present and aware. These strokes are designed to treat the body, heal it, nourish it, and awaken your inner self. During a tantric massage, all of your senses will be engaged. You will the see the beauty of the therapist catering to your every whim, feel his caresses, smell the wonderful oils, hear the soft music and figuratively taste the healing being done to your body. You will lose yourself to the moment and melt into an alter reality where life is blissful.

In addition to relaxation, Tantric massages will also reduce stress. You will feel relaxed, your heart rate and blood pressure will drop into a peaceful balance and circulation throughout your body will even be improved.

Increased circulation is so significant because this allows more oxygen and nutrients to travel throughout your body, nourishing it fully and removing toxins. Increased circulation will target your lymph nodes, encouraging the removal of fluid and wastes products.

Your body will also release endorphin during the massage, providing you with a deeply satisfying feeling. Endorphin’s also maintain your body’s sense of well-being, manage stress chemicals such as cortisol and nor-adrenalin and even manages physical pain. Your mind will also relax fully.

There are several misconceptions about what Tantric massage is. One of the reasons behind this is fairly obvious. There are many scam artists who are hoping to take advantage of people and will sell a sensual massage under the guise of a tantric massage when in all reality, it could not be further from it. With this being the case, you need to know the difference between a tantric massage and the erotic massage that you will get from a shady salon. An erotic massage involves a full nude massage that focuses primarily on the sexual regions. There is no goal in this type of massage; at least not anything holistic or beneficial. This is simply a quick means to an end and will leave you just as unsatisfied as the moment you walked in the door despite the initial attraction. It is important to note that this is NOT a tantric massage. Tantric massage is something more spiritual, ancient, and beneficial.

The point of tantric massage is to improve your overall health and well-being. Sexual health is a part of your well-being, but it goes deeper than just the sexual satisfaction and that is not the goal of a tantric massage. Instead, it uses subtle sexual touches as part of a ritual to connect two people on many levels. This connection allows the client to free him or herself from the stress of everyday life and awaken spiritually. Professionally trained tantric therapists conduct these rituals to benefit your body, mind, and soul, and after the massage you will definitely see the benefits. The client is encouraged to release all expectations and goals of the massage and instead, be present in the moment. This allows the person to fully engage themselves in the pleasurable here and now and enjoy the sensual touches of the therapist, gaining an experience unlike any other.

The Western version of this massage differs slightly. The Western version encourages the touching of the entire body so that sexual energy may be released. It is argued by teachers and followers alike that this is only way to release this form of energy.

After the massage, you will notice that your body is not only absorbing more oxygen, but that it is using it more efficiently. Your blood circulation will also improve. Your body will recover faster from muscular strains since you will be no longer be as stressed. During the experience of the tantric massage, your body will open in ways that were not possible before and sexual interaction is just one of these ways.

Tantric massage holds many benefits for couples. Besides bringing them closer together, tantric massage also helps out in moments when one partner might not necessarily be in the mood for sex. At this point, the partner can massage him or her, allowing for great pleasure without the act of or need for sex. If this massage occurs regularly between couples, it will heal any divides between them allowing them to connect fully and deeply. Through tantric massage, couples can heal wounds inflicted by their significant other’s behavior, thus bringing intimacy, love, and connectivity back into their relationship.

In many instances, the ritual of tantric massage starts with a short, simple breathing exercise followed by visualization. Client and expert are encouraged to synchronize their breathing in order to add deeper harmony to the practice. These exercises prepare the practitioners to harmonize their energy levels. The session is then followed by a full body massage that is both sensual and erotic.

This massage is not about the achievement of an orgasm but rather, it seeks to release all of your sexual tension and allow you to sink into a state of relaxation and enjoyment. However, energetic orgasms are often achieved and it is completely normal to experience one.

In this sacred healing space, you are totally safe and free to allow whatever emotions or experiences that might arise. Pleasure, arousal, healing, joy, relaxation, sleep, excitement… anything.

Each treatment is intuitive and unique, focusing on what will serve you best in the moment. This is a beautiful gift to yourself.
These sessions can help you in:
• Learning to surrender, and receive Life deeply
• Being fully sexual while staying relaxed
• Awakening the kundalini energy
• Healing of past trauma that has been holding you back in experiencing intimacy
• Becoming pleasure
• Learning to circulate a LOT more sexual energy
• Releasing tension which helps you to last longer and feel more

Sessions are given in my private studio near Westheimer and Fondren (Exact address will be in your confirmation email.)
60, 90 and 120 minute sessions are available. Customized sessions are also available.

This is almost a trick question. By definition massage is a sensual experience. It is perceived through our senses. It makes you feel good. It is meant to be sensual.

Is there an easy definition of sensual and sexual massage?

The problem arises with the fact that most people do not clearly distinguish between sensuality and sexuality. The distinction is quite simple: Sexuality is sensuality with sexual intent, whereas sensuality by itself does not have to have any sexual intent.

I admit that it is often quite hard to draw a clear line between those two concepts. Therefore you can’t blame professional massage therapists for avoiding the issue and just distancing themselves from the entire problem by siding with professional, clinical and scientific concepts.

While that keeps us in safe territory, it also denies or downplays the fact that massage is a sensual experience. Most of our clients do want to experience this aspect, the enjoyment of being touched. So we end up with a dichotomy.

I understand my colleague’s reservations about the sensual aspects of massage. As far as I am concerned, I have decided to live up to my truth in my professional practice. I love to receive massage that feels sensual, and my clients love it too.

When the therapist is totally clear in his or her mind about the distinction between the sensuality versus the sexuality in massage, then in my experience it will never be an issue for the client either. Our clients trust us when we are clear, clean, strong and transparent. Therapists who are fearful of misperceptions are more likely to encounter clients who reflect that, since that is part of their energy and that is what they send out to their clients.

Can sensual massage be professional? Maybe I should rephrase the question: How can professional and high quality massage not be sensual?

` Adapted from http://www.thaihealingmassage.com

Swedish – There are four strokes in Swedish massage: effleurage, petrissage, friction and tapotement. Effleurage is the long flowing strokes, petrissage is the kneading strokes, friction is used to generate heat and bring blood to the surface, and tapotement is the hitting type strokes. The aim of a Swedish massage is to relax the tissues of the body, relieve stress and improve circulation. Most all Massage Therapists incorporate deep tissue work where needed, with their Swedish massage.

Esalen – This modality involves long, nurturing strokes along the entire length of the body. At the Esalen institute, where this modality was initially developed, both the student receiving the massage and the student giving the massage were naked.

Sensual – A sensual massage is a massage that is pleasing to the senses. NOT to be confused with a SEXUAL MASSAGE.

Reflexology ( foot massage ) – A reflexology massage involves the therapist massaging various areas of the feet to promote health in various areas of the body. In general, the big toe represents the top part of the body (the head), the bottom of the heal represents the lower part of the body and the middle part of the foot represents the middle parts of the body.

Tantric – A Tantric massage usually involves sacred sexuality and was brought to the United States from India. Tantra doesn’t always involve the expression of sexuality (sexual activity), but usually involves sexuality indirectly.

Thai – A Thai massage involves a lot of stretching of muscles and balancing the positive and negative energies in the body (Yin & Yang).

Full body – A full body massage is nothing more than massaging the entire body. Many therapists leave parts of the body out, such as the buttocks, face, scalp, chest or abdomen. The effects of a full body massage will last much longer than a partial massage. This is because, in a partial massage, the tension in the part of the body that wasn’t massaged will work it’s way into the parts of the body that were massaged. A full body massage does not include massage of the genitals and usually not the breasts.

Deep tissue – A deep tissue massage simply means the therapist is massaging deeply into the tissues of the body.

Sports – A sports massage isn’t very strictly defined. Any modality that works well for an athlete will work well for someone who’s not an athlete. The techniques used in sports massage are the techniques that work well on someone who has just performed an athletic event. Also, it can be techniques used to prepare a person for activity before an event. One example of a sports massage technique is a boxer getting his arm shaken by his trainer in between rounds. A sports massage uses many of the same techniques as Swedish massage, except that the person is dressed and no oil or lotion is used. Many people request a sports massage, because they think it will help them become athletic. This is false. Most modalities of massage help with fitness as much or more than sports massage, especially Swedish.

Tandem – A tandem massage is two Massage Therapists massaging one client at the same time.

Shiatsu – Shiatsu means finger pressure and is a Japanese form of acupressure. A Shiatsu treatment involves balancing the meridians of the body by pressing and holding certain points for 2 to 3 minutes each. Meridians are energy channels through which chi (energy) flows through the body.

Aromatherapy – An aromatherapy massage involves incorporating scents from plants (essential oils) into the massage. Different scents are supposed to trigger different areas of the brain to allow healing of various conditions. Most of these conditions are psychological. Certain scents relieve anxiety, some relieve depression, others have a calming effect. So basically, they all are supposed to elevate mood (just different kinds of mood). Some people have claimed that certain essential oils will help with certain medical conditions. For example, rosemary oil is supposed to help with rheumatoid arthritis. I believe in the elevation effect, but I’m not so sure about the rest. Since stress either causes or aggravates nearly all medical conditions, I think it’s great to use essential oils.

Acupressure – Acupressure uses pressure in points of energy flow. Pressure at these points is supposed to balance energy in the body (Chi). The points are very close to acupuncture points and in reality probably are the same points.

~ Adapted from http://www.sandiegomasseurs.com