Hot Stone Therapy

Be Inspired…..

Relax your mind, body and soul with the benefits of Hot Stone Therapy

Stone therapy is an wonderful and relaxing treatment and is used to create balance within the body. It provides a deep massage using either hot or cold basalt stones. It is the perfect treatment that is as enjoyable and healing for both the client and the therapist.

Stone therapy can be traced back to ancient Egypt, China and Incas.

stone bodyThis deep massage will leave you feeling very relaxed with an overall sense of well-being. Heat from the basalt stones increase the blood flow and relaxes the muscles, resulting in a variety of health benefits. The warmer stones expand the blood vessels, pushing blood and unwanted waste materials through the body. This has a sedative effect on the nervous system. Hot stones connect the flow energy in order to rebalance the physical body and emotional mind. As the stones cool the therapist replaces them with hot stones again. The feet are extremely energy sensitive and are also stimulated in Hot Stone Massage. Hot Stones can be placed between the toes to de-stress and stimulate the nerve endings in the feet. The therapist will then massage the feet and body with the stones and scented oil.

Cold stones soothe the body and can reduce inflammation and muscular injury. This creates a type of thermo therapeutic ‘vascular gymnastics’ in the circulatory system to help the body detoxify and heal. The cold stones cause the blood vessels to constrict, stimulating the nervous system and drawing blood and waste products along the body. This ensures that every cell in the body receives more oxygen and nutrients while at the same time waste material is removed more effectively through the corresponding increase in lymph flow. Cool stones could then be placed on the pulse points for revitalising and rejuvenating.

What happens during a treatment?

A stone massage will last approximately 40 minutes to one hour. Stone massage involves the application of water-heated basalt stones of varying sizes to key points on the body, giving a deep massage and creating sensations of comfort and warmth. The direct heat relaxes muscles, allowing manipulation of a greater intensity than with regular massage.

3450-3The therapist will apply warm, oiled stones in several places during the treatment. Heated stones are applied to the spinal area by laying stones on the body, in between the toes and fingers and will also be applied to the top of the body according to the chakra system. The heated stones will deliver heat to those concentrated areas, improving the flow of energy in your body. The stones will be massaged over areas of the body in comfortable strokes, replacing them as the stones cool. A full body hot stone massage includes the arms, legs, torso. A full body massage will take an hour and a half.

If you have a muscle injury, cold stones will be applied to soothe affected areas. They will also refresh and invigorate, creating a cleansing effect in the body.

The use of the stones allow a gentle but deep and relaxing treatment. The use of extremes of temperature has long been scientifically and medically proven to be of benefit to the body.

imagesStone therapy is beneficial for most people and treatments can be adapted to suit individuals, however stone therapy is not suitable for people who have:

  • High blood pressure
  • Skin conditions
  • Diabetes
  • Pregnancy

Benefits of Stone Therapy?

  • Increased circulation which allows the blood to flow more freely, helping to regulate hormones and the immune system, promoting self – healing.
  • Higher metabolism—increasing the rate at which the body processes food, toxins and burns energy. The Heat may help to regulate digestion.
  • Detoxification of the body – increased lymph function which improves the efficiency of the body’s waste disposal system.
  • Helps to relieve pain and muscle spasms.
  • Reduces muscle tension by the concentrated heat and massage from the stones.
  • Reduces inflammation from cold stones, which can also refresh the mind and body.
  • Provides a deep sense of relaxation and well-being.
  • Warm tendons will loosen faster and stretch further.
  • It increases range of motion.
  • Creates a feeling of peacefulness and spiritual well being.
  • In many cases, warm treatment instantly soothes PMS-related symptoms.
  • May ease bloating caused by water retention.
  • May provide relief of chronic or temporary back and neck pain.
  • Instant relaxation of tight and sore muscles.
  • Heated stones gently and slowly elevate the body temperature.
  • Warm temperature helps to expand capillaries.
  • Flexibility increased as the connective tissues relax and benefit from the removal of waste and supply of nutrients is improved
  • Warmth improves blood circulation and increases the body’s energy reserve
  • An increase in microcirculation will bring oxygen to the cells stimulating cell metabolism
  • Respiration and heart rate increases
  • The systemic effect of the warm stones is sedative

When warm stones are applied to the skin they are aided by gravity. Application by the hand means the effect is intensified and penetrates the tissue layers up to and over 1.5 inches (4cms). Heat produced on the surface of the skin will be carried down to the deeper layers by the blood, and this is called conduction, which will cause local physiological and systemic changes in the body.

The reflex of the warm stones may be used to bring blood to the immediate skin area. The nerve fibre will carry the heat to the spinal cord. From the spinal cord the stimulus can travel to a related organ or another destination in the body – the skin area over an organ is in a reflex relationship to that organ.

What Are These Stones?

stonesWarm stones are basalt, which is volcanic rock that can be found all over the world. On the exterior of a volcano is where basalt can be found, formed from the hot lava which spills out of the volcano on eruption. Years and exposure to the elements of sun, wind, hot and cold, rain and pressure these factors then press the minerals together resulting in a formed concentrated mass of minerals and crystals. Famous for their heat and cold retention properties, these mineral stones are a perfect choice for stone therapy.

Effects

This concentrated mass traps the energy present with the live, pulsing, vibrating lava as it spills out of an erupting volcano. It is in a positive way that basalt stones affect the body as they emit “vibrational” energy which will interact on one’s energy field namely the “Aura” and vibrations of the major chakras of the body.