Hot stone massage is the practice of heating smooth stones and placing them on various areas of the body during a massage. They can either be left on tense spots or used by hand to aid in heating and relaxing sore muscles, and it feels nothing short of amazing.
The earliest use of hot stones to improve health and relaxation took place in India. The practice began among the Hindus in India approximately 5,000 years ago and was called Ayurveda. This involved the placement of stones on the body to relax tense muscles and relieve related pain.
Around 3,000 years later, the Chinese used shaped stones called Bian while burning mugwort to treat disease. They also placed stones on the abdomen to improve digestion.
Later, natives of the Sandwich Islands – what we now know as Hawaii – discovered that wrapping heated lava rocks in leaves and applying them to the body brought pain relief. The leaves were used as medicine by Kahunas shamans
Heated stones then found their way to the Native American sweat lodges. Though the stones weren’t applied to the body, the natives recognized that the heat produced by the stones eased tense muscles and brought whole-body relaxation.
Modern-day use of hot stone massage is varied to suit many different needs. Usually, the stones are heated in hot water and replaced as they cool, but they may also be chilled and alternated with the heated ones, which increases circulation to the targeted muscle. If the therapist uses the stone itself to massage, it may be coated in oil or used over a sheet to facilitate a smooth glide across the skin.
What is Hot Stones Massage Therapy?
Hot stone therapy is a specialist massage that uses smooth, flat, heated basalt stones that are positioned along your spine, in the palms of your hands, along your legs and between the toes. Typically, from river beds, basalt stones are used for massage as they have a rich iron content that retains heat.
What is Basalt?
Basalt is a stone that underlies more of the Earth’s surface than any other rock type. It is a dark, volcanic rock that is caused by the rapid cooling of basaltic lava. Basalt also underlines the Earth’s ocean basins. Basalt is lava rock formed when the fires deep in the earth’s core meet the surface. It is lava rock made of dark-coloured minerals such as olivine and pyroxene. It also contains some light-coloured minerals such as feldspar and quartz, but the amounts are small. Found in a range of colours from grey to black.
Power & Benefits of Basalt:
Basalt is a stone that brings stability, raises energy levels, and promotes courage. It opens you up to creativity and gives you the courage to follow your bliss. This crystal offers a calm and goal-oriented focus which will help to encourage and motivate you to keep pursuing positive progress.
Spiritual & Emotional Influence:
Basalt helps to anchor you to the Earth and is an excellent healing aid when faced with major life changes. If you feel drawn to Basalt, chances are, the crystal has chosen you to help elevate your vibrational fields by lighting the fire of spiritual enlightenment.
It helps with difficult transitions, providing confidence, stability, and support. Connect with the energy of Basalt to help shift your mentality. It is used to enhance warmth and stimulation.
The Physical Connection:
Basalt is thought to be good for the muscles and intestines.
The Chakras Connected to Basalt:
Root (Base) Chakra, Sacral Chakra, Solar Plexus Chakra, Heart Chakra, Throat Chakra, Third Eye (Brow) Chakra, Crown Chakra.
Astrological Signs:
Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius.
Locations Found & History:
Worldwide. Basalt gets its name from late Latin basalts, which is a misspelling of Latin basanites meaning hard stone.
So, take a tip from the ancients and let the power of heat take your next massage to a higher level of healing. Hot stones can be added as special enhancements at The Conscious Woman therapy rooms.
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