Hot Stone Massage & Aroma Therapy

HOT STONE MASSAGE- DO IT YOURSELF!

Spring has sprung and so has all the aches and pains. It seems that everyone is in full swing and is busier then ever and so are their stress levels.Along with stress comes muscle tension and pain.

Here are some ways to relieve pain, stress, and arthritis:

Arthritis is a condition in which there is painful inflammation around the joints, most commonly in the hands, wrists, elbows, and knees, although it can be present in any joint. There are a number of kinds of arthritis, from osteoarthritis to rheumatoid arthritis. All forms of arthritis can see relief through the use of aromatherapy.

My hubby needed some chilax time so I treated him to a hot stone massage and just used stones that I collected from the beach. You can purchase hot stones from local stores to use.

I took a metal mixing bowl and dropped the stones in the bowl. Next, I filled the bowl with hot water and left the stones inside. I also used a hot compresses, you can add a few drops of essential oil to a bowl of hot (not scalding) water, submerge a cloth in the water, wring it out and place it around the affected area until the cloth cools to room temperature. Repeat several times. It is also very relaxing and helps to relieve stress.

Hot stone massage is an ancient technique that can be traced back to its roots in India, which is also the home of the Ayurvedic tradition. In order to fully understand the benefits of hot stone massage, a brief background on Ayurvedic principles will be helpful.

Ayurveda means “science of life,” and holds that the five elements – ether, air, fire, water, and earth – are all at play in any given human. Any healing tradition, it follows, will come from one of these five elements. As for the personal constitutions of each person, there are three doshas. Doshas are the way the elements manifest in any given person. Most people are stronger in one dosha than another, but have aspects of all three. If a person’s doshas are out of alignment with one another, this can manifest in energetic, mental, or physical illness.

In the case of hot stone massage, the vata dosha is balanced. The vata dosha is associated with air and movement, and is considered very important to keep in balance as it can cause the other two doshas, pitta and kapha will become unbalanced.

When you give the  hot stone massage, you can drape as in any other massage or just lay a towel on the floor and let the person your giving the massage to conenct with the ground.  I suggest  lighting some candles, soft music, and oil for mood. Stones may be placed on the torso, limbs, and face. Hot and cool stones will not be used at the same time except on the face. The hot stones may simply be placed on the body, or they may be used to massage muscles in order to help muscles relax and release. Both the heat and the smoothness of the stone are effective in releasing muscle tension. You can click the stones together before applying them to the body – this is said to activate the stones and also lets the person know that the stones are about to be applied.

So what’s your aroma – Astrology and Aromatherapy

Fire Signs: – Aries, Leo and Sagittarius.

Aries

1. Rose
   The raw energy of Aries and a fully blossomed rose may not seem to go together, but imagine the intense blood red of the bloom and the its presence in this list is fitting. The rose’s therapeutic fragrance in addition to calming the mind and getting the body into a state of harmony, is a very strong love perfume
2. Pine
   Pine and my promotion of its clean fragrance may be getting a little too familiar for my readers. Keeping it short and sweet, pine’s fragrance characteristic of freshness and vitality, makes its frequent appearance well derved, indeed!
3. Lemon
   Lemon – Not a stranger to us, be it in terms of its refreshing flavour, both to the tongue and to the nose. Since we are more concerned about the latter here, it has an interesting combination of being energizing as well as calming on the mind and body. Not only does the humble lemon work as a stimulant, it doubles up as a blood purifier too.
4. Cinnamon
   As I mentioned with pine, Cinnamon pops in here again with the fire sign of Aries. Its spicy and stimulating fragrance works on you as energizing tonic and a heady aprodisiac

Leo

1. Rose
2. Patchouli
   Patchouli does lend itself to the flamboyance of a Leo, both in terms of its colour (either of a light golden yellow or of a deep golden brown depending on the distillation method) and its rejuvenating fragrance.
3. Musk
   Musk is something I can very distinctly relate to a Leo’s sense of ’sweep-you-off-your-feet’ – intoxicating, exhilirating and extremely exciting. A very physical perfume, affecting your instinct deeply.
4. Lemon

Sagittarius

1. Pine
   (As I promised earlier, no more words from me on Pine, look up at Aries)
2. Musk
   Musk is as becoming on a fiery Sagittarius as it on a flamboyant Leo.
3. Muguet
   Relatively unknown and unheard of, muguet is a variation of the very famous lily of the valley. Its extremely rare, because it apparently grows only in a small area in France. As with anything rare, its priceless in its virtue. Think French, think sensuality and that is exactly what this embodies.
4. Myrrh
   Fiery Sagittarius and musty Myrrh go together awakening spiritual zeal within.
5. Hyacinth
   Sprouting from the blood of the ill-fated Hyacinthus, a lasting tribute to love and youth, the hyacinth works as a sedative curing insomnia and calming.

Air Signs

Now, getting down to the air signs – Gemini, Libra and Aquarius

Gemini

1. Violet
   Produced from both the leaf and the violet flower itself, the oil affects the body as much or even more than it affects the mind, which makes it an oil to be reckoned with. In addition to its calming properties, it is interestingly used to draw out introverts!
2. Lavender
   Calming, relaxing and balancing, lavender is essentially Gemini!
3. Heliotrope
   Marvelous in its distinct blend of scents, heliotrope is derived from Heliotropium arborescens, a flower originally from Peru. Heliotrope’s fragrance combines in itself a dash of the woody with the fruity and a hint of vanilla, exuding a unparalleled smell!
4. Mimosa
   Mimosa reminds me of a cocktail I had of the same name . Dreamy and ethereal, a fragrance leading to a starry world, rich in imagination. The perfume truly gets the creative juices flowing , what with all the imagination spurring and artistic thought awakening!
5. Frankincense
   Frankincense is prepared from the resin obtained from the bark of a boswellia tree. Frankincense is of supreme importance in religion (The three wise men in the Bible carried gold, frankincense and myrrh.) The perfume is clarifying and promotes a sense of awareness, which is of extreme importance in spiritual pursuits.

Libra

Calm, gentle and fresh – Just as these words personify Librans in all their glory, the 3L-oils manifest the same.

1. Lily of the valley
   Floral and fresh, Lily of the valley is a very soothing fragrance.
2. Lavender
3. Lemon

Aquarius

1. Jasmine
   Well known and well loved fragrances the world across, Jasmine’s stimulant and aphrodisiacal properties are not new to us.
2. Lavender
3. Patchouli
4. Lemon

Earth Signs

Taurus

1. Ambergris
   Ambergris is a gray waxy substance produced naturally by sperm whales and is present in this list due to sweet and earthy odor. It acts a tonic and stimulant, strengthening the brain and the heart.
2. Patchouli
   There are a couple of essential oils that are associated with more than one sign, and patchouli is one of those many . If you remember from my earlier post on water signs, patchouli is used as a tonic and a body-mind balancing oil, in addition to it being used widely as a skin restorative and rejuvenating agent.
3. Musk
   Musk – The very word triggers off a heady, earthy and a sweep-you-off-your-feet fragrance. It essentially awakens your instinct and spurs on your body’s capacity for self healing.
4. Jasmine
   As I mentioned with Patchouli, Jasmine makes it entry again with the earth sign of Taurus. Stimulating and emotionally healing effects makes Jasmine very essential indeed

Virgo

1. Rose
   Extremely becoming of a very feminine Virgo, the rose is rightly popular for its use in matters of the heart. Calming and powerful at the same time, without being a sedative, rose either as an oil application or a body gel would set the mood for your day as well as your night right!
2. Lavender
   Lavender’s therapeutic properties of soothing and calming the body and mind make its reappearance in this list justifiable.
3. Patchouli
4. Honeysuckle
   Honeysuckle evokes in my mind memories of the sweet and earthy fragrance of the yellow and white tiny blossoms. This oil works more on your emotions than your body making it a very nostalgic perfume.
5. Wintergreen
   The name itself, in my opinion lets us on in its refreshing properties. Used to relieve muscle pain and for general wellness, wintergreen’s energising and rejuvenating properties are put to good use in general medicine.
6. Bay
   A staple in your kitchen, bay is known for its stimulating and tonic properties, enhanced by its intoxicating fragrance.

Capricorn

1. Carnation
   Carnation too makes a renetry here, due to its uplifting and stimulating effects on the body.
2. Pine
   The clean fragrance of pine again is something I have already talked about.Not only does it promote a clarity in the thought process, its refreshing and revitalizing effects on the brain reflect instantaneously on the body too.

You can use the oils and burn in a candle and put it in your office, bath, or room to get your creative juices flowing or just to relax.

xoxo,

Nicole ( Coley B.)