Hot Stone Massage

What is Hot Stone Massage?
Hot stone massage is a technique used in ancient cultures including native American healing practice. Hot (and cold) stones provide the benefits of thermal therapy with energy balancing properties. Thermal therapy, hot and cold, affects circulation and provides a method to reach deep tissue for healing. The targeted alternate hot/cold/hot/cold technique is beneficial for the treatment of acute and chronic injuries or conditions such as muscle spasms (acute) and osteoarthritis (chronic).

Balsat stones are used for the hot therapy. These are aged, volcanic rock smoothed by many years in rivers and oceans. The rocks are hand harvested and vary in size and shape. Each rock comes with a history of its own. And, being massaged with the stones, brings that history to you. Since the balsat stones hold heat but not cold, marble or crystals are used for cold therapy.

What are the benefits of Hot Stone Massage?
Since the hot stones are used to massage the body, you receive the same benefits as a Swedish massage, deep tissue massage and trigger point work. The added benefit is heat that penetrates the muscle and tendon providing deeper work with less pressure.

The smooth texture of the rock and the heat provides dramatic stress reducing results. Many recipients go into a deep meditative state early in the session. The stone placement along the chakras helps clear the body’s energetic system.

What can I expect from a session?
As in any massage session, I respect the privacy and confidentiality of my client. My "healing space" is designed for maximum privacy. Draping is specific to expose only the body part being worked and then re-covered before exposing another body part.

The massage session is generally 1 hour due to the extra time in working with the stones and combining massage with the energy work.

The hot stones are kept in water in an electric roaster. You will hear the clinking of the stones as they are handled and during the session. Most recipients describe this as a pleasant and relaxing sound….an added benefit to the actual massage.

You will have small stones placed between your toes and in the palms of your hands.