SIMPLE BODY MASSAGE
Before you begin your massage, check that your hands are clean and your nails are fairly short with no jagged edges. Take off any rings if you wear them. If you use aromatherapy oils regularly, you will find that your nails become strong, and your hands become
smoother and more supple. Also, check with your massage partner to make sure there are no reasons to stop you from going ahead.
THE FEET
Probably the most neglected part of our bodies, feet deserve a loving massage from time to time. Make sure your partner is warm and comfortable. Uncover one foot by folding back the towel or blanker. Now pour a little of your chosen oil into the palm of one hand. Rub your hands together to evenly distribute the oil. Now you are ready to begin.
• Enclose the foot between both hands (one on top, one underneath), then gently slide your hands off the foot coming forward to the toes. This movement should be slow and soothing. Repeat four or five times.
• Gently circle around the ankles using your thumbs. This area can be tender, so go easy.
• Rub over the top of the foot with your thumbs in little circles, coming down from the handle area to the toes. Repeat three or four times.
• Now rub each toe with the same little circular movements.
• Rotate each toe twice in each direction.
• Gently pull each toe between the finger and thumb.
• Zigzag down the sole of the foot from toe to heel with your thumbs overlapped.
• Enclose the foot in your hands, then rub them in opposite directions to create friction. This is very warming.
• Hold the foot firmly and slowly rotate the ankle clockwise, then anti-clockwise. Repeat a couple of times.
• Repeat step 1.
Once complete, wrap the foot up again for warmth and repeat the movements on the other foot. By now, your massage partner will feel more relaxed and at ease with your touch.
THE LOWER LEGS AND KNEES
Warm a little oil in your hands.
• With one hand behind the other, smooth the oil onto the front of the leg, starting at the top of the foot and working up to the knee. This movement distributes the oil and soothes and relaxes the whole area.
• Rub across the front of the leg using both hands to create friction. This increases the blood circulation to the area and reduces aches and pains.
• Lift the leg so the knee is bent. Squeeze and relax rhythmically down the calf muscles from knee to ankle. Repeat several times. Put the leg down.
• Work around the kneecap in little circular motions with both hands. Be careful not to use too much pressure.
• Now, gently slide them around each side of the kneecap using your thumbs.
• Stretch out your thumbs from your fingers to create an arch. Sweep over the whole knee using alternate hands several times. Now Wrap up the lower leg and proceed to the thigh.
THE UPPER LEGS
• Apply oil to the lower leg.
• Glide up the leg from knee to groin, using one hand behind the other. This movement should be pretty slow and rhythmical. Make sure your movements cover the whole of thigh area. Repeat four to five times.
• Stroke the upper inner thigh diagonally from knee to groin hand over hand. Repeat four or five times.
• Squeeze and release rhythmically along the inner thigh from knee to groin, then along the outer thigh.
• Using your knuckles, rake quickly up from the knee to the groin, taking in the whole thigh area. This is a friction movement and increases the surface blood circulation. You’ll notice the skin colours quite quickly and feel warm.
• Uncover the lower leg, then effleurage the whole leg from the foot to the groin as in step 2.
• Finish off by enclosing the foot in your hands several times. Cover the leg, then repeat all the movements on the other one.
By now, you’ll find your hands have become more sensitive to your partner, and you’ll notice differences in skin texture and muscle tone.
THE HANDS AND ARMS
• Smooth on the oil as before. When working on the arm, it’s easier to effleurage with one hand, using the other to hold the arm steady.
• Bend the arm at the elbow. Massage around the wrist with little thumb circles using both hands.
• Work down from the wrist to the fingers’ ends using little thumb circles. Repeat five times.
• Stretch each finger, then thumb, between your finger and thumb.
• Rotate the fingers and thumb first clockwise, then anti-clockwise
• Turn the handover and rub gently along the solar plexus (from the centre wrist down the palm to the middle finger) using alternate thumbs. This is calming to the nervous system.
• Rotate the hand at the wrist clockwise, then anti-clockwise. To do this, lock your fingers into your partner’s.
• Turn the handover and work on the inside of the wrist up to the elbow using alternate sweeping movements. Repeat four or five times.
• Bend the arm at the elbow and bring the lower arm up and across the chest. Squeeze all along the upper arm from elbow to shoulder using both hands.
• Bring the arm back down to the side, then effleurage the whole area from hand to shoulder four or five times. Cover the arm and repeat on the other side.
THE ABDOMEN
The abdomen is a soft area protecting vital organs, so please be gentle. Fold the towel or blanket to expose the area from just below the breasts to a couple of inches (centimetres) below the navel.
• Apply oil, starting just under the rib cage and working toward the waist. Be careful to keep your hands relaxed and contoured to your partner. Poking my fingers feel very uncomfortable here.
• With one hand on top of the other, iron around the lower abdomen in large circles. Keep the pressure light and even.
• Fan your hands out and work from the navel out to the waist. Slide your hands under the waist, then gently pull them back to the front again. Repeat several times.
• Stroke diagonally with alternate hands from the waist down to below the navel, first on the left side, then on the right.
• Stroke down from the solar plexus to the navel, one hand behind the other, to finish off this area.
THE BACKS OF THE LEGS
• Effleurage oil for the front of the legs but working from the foot right up to the top of the thigh. Repeat four of five times.
• Bend the leg at the knee, supporting it with one hand. Stroke firmly down the calf, across behind the knee, then back up to the foot several times, keeping your hands contoured to the leg. Put the leg down.
• Work up the calf to the knee, using little circles. Repeat several times to cover the whole calf.
• Using your index and middle fingers, make small circular movements behind the knee. Be careful not to press too hard.
• Squeeze rhythmically along the inner thigh from the knee upwards. Repeat on the outer thigh, doing each movement several times.
• Diagonally stroke from the inner knee upwards and across the thigh. Repeat several times.
• Finish by encouraging the whole leg several times, from foot to thigh. Wrap up and repeat on the other leg.
THE BACK
Don’t be surprised if your massage partner dozes off at this point. Back massage is incredibly soothing, relaxing, and great for relieving stress and tension.
Uncover the back to just show the buttock crease. At this point, it is a good idea to place a small rolled-up towel under your partner’s forehead otherwise he or she will have to turn his or her head sideways or end up with a squashed nose through which it is difficult to breathe.
• Starting at the lower back, effleurage oil using both hands. Work slowly up the back to the shoulders, pressing gently on the upward strokes, releasing the pressure as you come back down.
• Starting at the base of the spine, work up on either side, using gentle thumb pressure or little thumb circles. Repeat five or six times.
• With reinforced hands (one on top of the other), sweep up the spine, then work around the shoulder blades in a figure-of-eight movement. Repeat the figure of eight four or five times.
• Now work around each shoulder blade individually, still with reinforced hands, in a circular motion. Repeat four or five times on each side. You may feel knots (little bumps) around the shoulder blades. These are an indication of tension, and massage here gives excellent relief.
• Work around the shoulder blades with your thumbs, helping to break down the knots and bumps. Allow your partner to guide you, as these areas can be tender.
• Squeeze along the top of the shoulders from the neck, using your fingers and thumbs. Repeat four to five times on each side.
• Stroke up the back of the neck and the ears using your thumbs.
• Stand at your partner’s head and sweep your hands down the centre back, across the top of the buttocks, then firmly pull up at the sides. Repeat five times.
• Move to your partner’s side and rub backwards and forwards over the whole back with friction to warm the area.
• Make thumb circles from just above the buttock crease round towards the hips. This area can often be tender, and massage here is soothing. Repeat several times.
• Effleurage the whole back.
• Gently stroke up the spine, hand over hand, several times, allowing your touch to get lighter and lighter.
Finish by gently holding your partner. Place one hand at the base of the spine and the other at the base of the neck. Hold this position and feel the warmth build up under your hands. After approximately one minute, gently lift your hands off. Cover your partner over.
By now, he or she might be sleeping!
THE SHOULDERS AND NECK
If your partner is feeling very tense, and you haven’t time to give a full body massage, working on the shoulders and neck will still offer significant relief. For this, your partner should be lying on his or her back. Uncover the chest by folding down the towel or blanket.
• Apply oil to your partner’s chest, shoulders and neck.
• Begin effleurage by placing both hands on the upper chest, fingers facing each other. Now, slowly pull your hands across the chest and shoulders. Curve your hands around the shoulders and under them, then bring your hands in to meet at the back of the neck. Stroke up the neck to the base of the skull. Repeat four or five times.
• Gently knuckle the chest and shoulders in the sequence shown in the diagram on the left. To knuckle, turn your hands into relaxed fists, and move the knuckles in circular movements. This sounds more difficult than it is.
• Gently turn your partner’s head to one side. Stroke along the top of the shoulder and the side of the neck with your first three fingers. Repeat three times.
• Repeat the above sequence, but circle your fingers this time. Do this three times.
• Turn your partner’s head to the other side and repeat movements 4 and 5. Return the head to the centre.
• Slide your hands down your partner’s back as far as you can. Find the groove on each side of the spine with your fingers. Pull your hands up the spine with a bit of pressure on the groove on each side. Repeat three times.
• Now you are going to stretch the neck—these movements stretch out the shoulders and neck muscles and ease tension. If your partner is relaxed, you’ll find you will take all the weight off the head. If he or she is tense, go easy and make the movements slow and gentle. You don’t want any pulled muscles.
• Cup both hands under your partner’s head, your fingers resting on the base of the skull. Lift the head slightly, then gently pull it towards you. Lower the head slowly, then repeat.
• Hold the back of the head in one hand and move it slowly towards the left shoulder while gently pressing down on the right shoulder with your other hand. Bring the head back to the centre and repeat on the other side.
• Finish with some effleurage movements as you begin.
THE FACE AND SCALP
Until you’ve had the pleasurable experience of a face massage, you probably won’t have realized how much tension we hold in our faces. Think of frowning—this is caused by muscle action, and these muscles tire just as much as any other body part. A caring face massage can smooth away some of this tension, leaving us looking (and feeling) more at ease and relaxed.
Offer to take your partner’s hair off the face with a headband, as it will inevitably get a little oily around the hairline during the massage. Be careful not to use too much oil on the face, or you’ll find it challenging to massage specific areas without slipping.
Encourage your partner to close his or her eyes to focus on your touch. Also, it can be disconcerting to have someone staring up at you, especially as a novice.
• Begin by stroking up each side of the jawline to the forehead.
Repeat four or five times.
• Slowly stroke the forehead rhythmically with the flat of your hand from just above the brows to the hairline.
• Starting at the centre hairline, slide your thumbs out to the side, applying gentle pressure. Move down the forehead slightly and repeat. Continue this outward stroking pressure until you reach the eyebrows.
• Now place the heel of each hand on the centre forehead and slide out to the sides. Repeat three times.
• Place the first two fingers of each hand on the temples and circle gently for a minute or two, applying a little pressure. All the above movements help to relieve a headache. Try lavender oil for your massage; I’ve found it can ward off a headache if used in time.
• Place your thumbs on your partner’s inner eyebrows and slide out to the sides. Repeat three times.
• With your index finger and thumb, gently pull along the brow bone. Repeat three times.
• Stroke gently over the eyelids with your ring fingers, from the inner to the outer corner. Repeat three times.
• Alternately stroke down the nose with your thumbs, then gently rub around the nose tip and nostrils. Be careful not to press hard on the nostrils.
• Stroke the cheeks across the cheekbones and gradually work down the face to the chin.
• Make little circular movements across the top lip. When you reach the corner of the mouth, lift slightly, then repeat.
• Make pinching movements out along the jawline and up towards the ears.
• Rub the earlobes between your fingers and thumb, then gently pinch around the outer ear. Most people love this.
• Sweep your hands up the neck and onto the cheeks. Hold, then repeat.
• Finish by stroking the forehead, getting lighter and lighter until you remove your hands.
SCALP MOVEMENTS
• Remove your partner’s headband. Bring your hands up the side of the face to the forehead, then rake them through the hair. Repeat several times.
• Glue your fingers onto the scalp and move it around against the skull. Move your fingers to a different position and repeat this process until all the scalp has been covered.
• Rub vigorously over the scalp as if shampooing the hair.
• Take little bunches of hair all over the scalp and tug gently.
This feels lovely and really stimulates the scalp.
• Repeat step 1 to finish off.