Come. Relax. Experience Pure Solace.

Relax

You’ve scheduled your appointment for a much-needed massage.  As the anticipated day draws near, excitement grows at the thought of actually stopping and enjoying something for yourself.  Muscles begin to ache even more and you wonder, “why did I wait so long to make this appointment?”  You’ve perfectly planned this time of retreat for after work and dinner.  A hot bath will be waiting for you when you get home and then sleep awaits.  Perfect!  As you are leaving work, you get caught up in non-emergency issue that could be dealt with tomorrow.  You find yourself in traffic that’s bumper to bumper.  This shouldn’t have been a surprise, but you weren’t thinking about it when you scheduled your appointment.  A few minutes late to your appointment you rush in out of breath.  You are face down on the table – finally!!  How can you go from a thousand miles an hour to peaceful inner reflection and relaxation to fully benefit from and enjoy this long awaited hour of massage?

Consider these tips when you’ve reached your destination of relaxation:
Breathe.  Inhale slowly and deeply as you count to seven.  Hold your breath for three counts and exhale slowly as you count to four.  This is just one way to focus on your breathing and bring awareness to your body and the need to breathe deeply.  For our guests, we have prepared the environment for this breathing by infusing the air with a varied selection of essential oils.  If you have a favorite essential oil that you would like to have during your session, let your therapist know.  Lavender, eucalyptus and peppermint are among the favorites.  There are also blends of essential oil for anxiety, stress and headaches to name a few.

Talk or not to talk.  It is entirely up to you!  It is your session and your time.  If you don’t want to talk, let your therapist know that you want to just relax.  Say something like, “I don’t want to talk during the session.  I need to relax and let go.”  Communicate with your therapist your needs for the session.  This takes eliminates the guesswork for the therapist as well as for you.  You won’t be laying there on the table hoping that the therapist will massage your lower back or focus on your feet.  Let them know what you like or dislike about massage.  If something is uncomfortable or if you need to use the restroom before or during the session, gently let your therapist know.  It is difficult to relax when you are distracted.  On the other hand, don’t micromanage the session – let go and let your therapist take care of you.  If they are experienced, they will know how to handle the session and pay attention to your verbal and non-verbal cues.

Stretch.  Your therapist will give you a few minutes to prepare for your session.  This time isn’t only for disrobing and positioning yourself for the massage on the table under the sheet and blanket.  It is time to bring the focus to yourself and your body.  A few easy stretches will ease your body into relaxation mode.  During this time you may BLOG.stretchpicturethink of something that you forgot to inform your therapist during the intake portion of your session.  When the therapist returns and asks if you are comfortable, take this opportunity to share any additional concerns or points of pain and/or discomfort.

Whether it’s rushing around and barely making it to your appointment or your life is full of circumstances that are simply out of your control, following these simple tips can help you relax and fully enjoy the benefits of massage.  So, schedule your next massage and start practicing the art of relaxation!