Aromatherapy Massage Techniques

The basic sequence you are about to learn is a modified version of a professional aromatherapy massage. It is based on five massage movements: stroking (using the whole of the hand), kneading (rhythmic squeezing), pulling (a firm lifting stroke), friction (using the ball of the thumbs or heel of the hands), and feathering (light fingertip stroking). More vigorous strokes such as hacking and pummeling are rarely used in aromatherapy, though they do have a place in sports massage.

 

Even if your first movements may seem uncertain, the more often you practice, the quicker you will gain confidence. Initially, you could try out the strokes on your own leg. Once you have developed a feel for massage, practice the strokes on your partner, preferably a person who is happy to try out the strokes on you too. By practicing on each other, you will begin to develop a sense of how massage should feel, and what feels good to you should also feel good to your partner.

However, it can be daunting to attempt a full-body massage at the outset. Far better to practice on just one area of the body, preferably the back, where you have a large area to stroke.

Tips For Giving A Good Massage

• Never give massage while feeling anxious, angry, depressed or irritable. Your partner will pick up your feelings and will begin to feel equally distressed.
• Ensure that your partner is not wearing spectacles, contact lenses or any jewellery that will impede the massage.
• Never pour the massage oil directly on your partner's skin; instead, pour a small amount into the palm of your hand, to warm the oil, then rub your hands together before applying. You need just enough to provide a comfortable slip. Too much oil will cause your hands to slide all over the body part, thus hindering any beneficial firmness of touch and sensitivity to areas of tension. Too little oil will create uncomfortable friction as a result of dragging the skin.
• Ensure that your hands are warm. Cold hands will shock your partner and may even cause their muscles to contract.
• When applying the oil in long smooth strokes, try to keep the whole of your hands in contact with your partner's body, moulding to its contours just as if you were sculpting clay.
• Generally speaking, strokes towards the heart should be firm, whereas strokes moving away should be much lighter.
• Try to keep in contact with your partner's body throughout the massage, even when you need to apply more oil. Keep one hand on their back, arm, foot or head, for instance. Ideally, the massage should feel like one continuous flowing movement. To break contact mid-flow will feel most disconcerting to your partner. However, it is fine to break contact once you have reached a natural break in the sequence, for instance when you have finished working on the back of the body and you wish your partner to turn over.
• Add interest by varying the pressure from very light to very strong. It should be lighter over bony areas, such as the shins and knees, but quite firm over large muscles such as those either side of the spine and the buttocks. But never apply pressure to the spine itself. Generally, slow movements are calming; fast movements are bracing; very slow and deliberate movements can be erotic. However, the moderately slow movements employed by most aromatherapists tend to relax or stimulate according to the state of the recipient. In other words, aromatherapy massage has a balancing effect on the mind/body.
• Work with the whole of your body, not just your hands and arms. For instance, when you are kneading, move gently from side to side in time with your hands; when applying the long smooth strokes on the back or legs, lean into the movement, using your body weight rather than just your arm and shoulder muscles. The more relaxed and fluid your own movements, the more relaxed and at ease your partner will become.
• The key to working with the whole of your body is to become aware of your breathing. For instance, when gliding over the legs or the back, exhale slowly as you lean into the stroke; inhale as you release the pressure on the return stroke. Try not to hold your breath while doing the gliding strokes (a common mistake) as this creates tension in the whole of your body, especially in your hands. This tension will then be conveyed to your partner.
• Remember that sensitivity combined with the sheer joy of giving massage, no matter how basic, far outweighs a full routine of complicated strokes if they are carried out in a mechanical manner. The intent that goes with touch makes all the difference to its effect.