As odd as it sounds, going for your first professional massage can be a stressful event. I would like to relieve as much stress for you here as on my table.
Following are questions with answers which I hope will prepare you for your first professional massage.
What happens during a massage?
A massage play-by-play:
From the time you walk in the door...
Sit down with a glass of water and tend to paperwork (there is always paperwork!). When you have completed your intake form, we will discuss it briefly, so that I can begin to understand the issues you live with in your body.
I will ask how you are feeling generally and then specifically. We will discuss the upcoming session, and what issues you would like to have addressed. I will leave the room and allow you to disrobe to your level of comfort. Please remove all jewelry. You will make yourself comfortable under the topsheet on the massage table. Lie under your sheet on your back as if you were lying in bed.
I will return, after washing my hands, place a bolster under your knees and begin the session. In a typical 1-hour session, I will spend about 20 minutes working your neck, head and shoulders. The next 15 minutes are spent on your limbs, hands and feet. As I work each limb, I will undrape the area and when I am finished, I will cover you up again.
At this point, I will ask you to turn over onto your stomach and place your face into the face cradle. I spend 20 minutes on the posterior portions of your legs and your back. For the last 5 minutes, I will have you turn over again, so you are once more on your back. I will then massage your face very gently, to encourage sinus flow. I will leave the room again to wash my hands, and you can slowly and calmly get off the table, get dressed and be ready to go back to your day!
What about hygiene?
The sheets on the table are freshly laundered for you. I wash my hands before and after every session. The table is cleaned with an alcohol solution after every session. The face cradle cover is disposable, or washable, so each one is fresh. I have a deep personal commitment to prevent any cross-contamination.
What if I have to go to the bathroom during the session?
By all means, say so! It is not unusual, since massage increases circulation, that you may feel the need to use the bathroom. Don't worry, we can take a break and still get back to where we were.
Can I talk during the session?
By all means, yes! Tell me if something I am doing does not feel good, or if you would like more pressure or if it feels great! I need you to communicate, so that we can both make the most of our time together. But you do not have to "entertain" me- don't worry about me I have plenty on my mind (and hands!). I usually will not talk very much, so that I can concentrate on the session.
What should I do after the session?
First of all, relax!! Enjoy your calm state of mind as you re-enter your daily life. Drink plenty of water. Massage releases metabolic toxins from your muscle tissue. Drinking water will help flush these toxins out of your body. Try to get to bed early.
What is Reiki?
It is a "laying on of hands". It is a still touch technique that honors the energy "chi" that surrounds and fills us. Reiki creates a relaxed state so that your body can have the space it needs to heal. For more information visit www.reiki.org, or www.reiki.com.
You may have seen chair massage in an airport or at a convention.
