How to Do a Holistic Medicine Massage

Holistic medicine is an approach to improving health that emphasizes all aspects of a person's well-being. It considers both physical and psychological factors with techniques like massage. Massage involves rubbing or kneading areas of the body to stimulate circulation, relax the muscles and promote relaxation. Massage is commonly used to treat symptoms of stress, headaches or muscle tension. Massage materials, like oils and lotions, are relatively inexpensive. Follow these steps to learn more.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Massage oil or lotion
• Two tennis balls
• Peace and quiet
• A chair

Begin by Letting Go

1. Choose a quiet, peaceful area to settle into.
2. Find 2 points at the base of the skull. Find the hollow spot between these points where the neck meets the skull's base.
3. Make a pressure-giving device by placing 2 tennis balls in a sock.
4. Apply pressure to these 2 points by placing the tennis balls directly under the skull's base.
5. Relax in this position for about 15 minutes until you begin feeling the pressure release out of your muscles and spine.

Try the Feet

6. Take a chair and sit. Then place your right foot over your thigh.
7. Begin to massage your toes, one at a time, with your fingers. Move each toe around until you feel an opening sensation and a small stretch.
8. Rub the arches from the bottom toward the top of your foot with your thumbs. Using lotion will help your hands maneuver with ease. Repeat a couple of times.
9. Knead the sole of your foot using your knuckles. Always start at the heel and move up to the toes. Repeat a few times.
10. Switch feet and repeat steps 8 through 10 on your left foot.

Enroll In a Class

11. Visit the Massage Therapy Schools page of the "All Allied Health Schools" Web site to find a location near you where you can learn more about massage therapy (see Resources below).
12. Scroll down the page to locate schools within the state of your choice.
13. Click on the "Request Info" button to get started.
14. Make a choice within the check box, depending on the program you're interested in.
15. Fill in your contact information and click "Submit" to receive a reply.

Tips & Warnings

• It's recommended that you seek out an experienced practitioner when getting any sort of holistic medicine therapy.
• Holistic medicine massage isn't intended to treat skin infections. Do not massage infected skin or put pressure on varicose veins. Signs of infected skin include boils, warts, herpes or odd-looking lumps. Do not massage bruises or open cuts. Visit your doctor for treatment of these conditions.