Meditation and Massage Therapy

When you think of ways to de-stress your life, massage is one of the options that come to mind, right? A good massage is not only good for the body, it’s good for the soul too, and to have a regular massage is like a little treat for you and a great asset to your body’s overall wellbeing. When you go into a massage however, if your mind is running a mile a minute, can you really enjoy the massage? If your mind is constantly in the state of stress, will your body get the overall benefit of a massage?

Meditation and massage has frequently been used together to fully relax the body and allow the therapist to get deep into your muscles and release the toxins. If you’ve never meditated before, it’s ok; the meditation will come naturally as all five senses relax, preparing for the massage.

The best way to begin a meditation, especially for a novice,  is to tense up your body, tense up as tightly as you can (just trust us), then, release each small body part and count the parts of your body as you work your way up to the top of your head. Say this to yourself:

“Release the toes; release the feet, now the ankles. Release the calf; relax the knee. Relax the thigh, relax the hip….” So on and so forth.  Your therapist may choose to help you with imagery. He or she may use words such as “Imagine warm sunlight coming in from the window. The warm, golden light is beaming down and enveloping your entire body. Feel the heat on the top of your head, moving down your body. As the sun removes the tension, your body is now light, ad lifts you off the earth. You’re floating like a cloud through the sky…” This kind of imagery allows you to fully focus on your internal thoughts; not worries, not stress, not future plans, or past issues. Just on the here and now.

Studies suggest that imagery boosts immunity, and when combining this type of meditation with your massage, you boost your immunity even more. Deep relaxation releases neurochemicals that act as a natural brain tranquilizers and lower blood pressure, heart rate, and anxiety. Because imagery relaxes the body, doctors specializing in imagery often recommend it for stress-related conditions such as headaches, chronic neck and back pain, high blood pressure, spastic colon and cramping from premenstrual syndrome (integrativehealthcare.org).

Make your appointment today with one of our specialists and discuss the method you feel will work best to help you meditate while you receive your massage. While you are in, we will recommend the best essential oils to help you reduce stress, boost immunity, or to help you heal from sickness or injury.