What is holistic massage: all about this practice for body and mind

Holistic massage has numerous benefits, both for the body and for the mind. Let’s see together what they are, and all there is to know.

Do you know the definition of holistic massage? Well, let’s start by saying that it is not a simple massage to combat stress. This technique, born in the United States in the 1970s, acts on a physical, mental, spiritual and emotional level. Therefore, it deals with well- being in its entirety , hence the holistic name, which derives from the Greek olos , in its entirety .

Through this type of massage, we try to regain a state of health by focusing not on the disease, but on the individual as a whole. Let’s see better how it works.

Holistic massage: what it is and how it works

The holistic massage is a global body manipulation technique, which acts at 360 ° on body and mind, trying to restore the balance of the energy meridians , or those channels of the body where vital energy flows.

It is therefore not a treatment of a well-localized part of the body (a massage of the shoulder, abdomen, back, etc.) but a technique that acts on the person as a whole: it is based on communication between the patient and the holistic operator. , which occurs through touch. When the masseur places his hands on the patient’s body, he feels physiological responses that involve all nerve and sensory receptors, skin, muscles, joints, blood and lymphatic circulation.

Through this practice, the patient will try to solve their physical and psychological problems, understanding how often the two are deeply linked .

How to do a full holistic massage

A holistic treatment is carried out by the so-called holistic masseur, who is a trained expert and who has followed specific courses on the subject.

Before going into practice, an interview usually takes place between operator and patient, where they try to understand the disorders, problems and tensions of the latter. In this way, links are sought between any muscular, bone or other disorders to emotional problems , emotional and energetic blocks.

Subsequently the operator, after having ascertained any health problems and particular conditions of the patient , begins to practice the massage, helping himself if needed with oils or, sometimes, with clay.

The operator must be able to vary the speed, depth and direction of his touch based on these responses he receives from the patient. We mainly work on posture, muscles and joints, through non-invasive manipulations, but in some cases very deep.

Contact with the patient’s body also communicates his feelings and mood, as these affect his movements, posture and muscle stiffness. The massage therapist’s task is to get in full harmony with the patient, helping him to overcome his difficulties.

Where holistic massages are done

If you are wondering where holistic massages are practiced, try to avoid DIY or to entrust yourself to inexperienced hands, but contact specialized centers and authorized holistic masseurs. In general, in these structures you will find a perfect environment: calm and tranquility are the masters, and the lighting is not too strong, indeed the lights are dim.

Holistic massage: benefits

Full body holistic massage has benefits for the whole body. First, it improves blood and lymphatic circulation . As a result, tissue oxygenation also improves and toxins are eliminated.

During the massage, breathing becomes more regular and relaxed, muscle tensions and contractures melt away. It also works to combat anxiety and stress , and improves sleep quality

Holistic treatments also have aesthetic benefits: they make the skin softer and more toned, dissolve fat deposits and help fight cellulite.

On an emotional and psychological level, massage improves mood , self-knowledge and self-esteem.

Contraindications

There are no details against this technique, although it is nevertheless good to remember that the figure who will act on your body is neither an osteopath nor a physiotherapist . Therefore, if you suffer from back problems, joint problems or muscle disorders, it is best to avoid this type of treatment.

Furthermore, all the possible unpleasant consequences of any massage must be added to this, therefore pains in the points that have been treated most intensely .

Holistic massage: the meaning of the theoretical current

Holistic massages are part, as well as holistic medicine, of a current that is called Holism, a theory that as a basic concept has the belief that the properties of a system are not determined by all the individual components, but by the system as a whole . .

Hence holistic medicine, a series of alternative treatments that sees the individual as a single thing, made up of body, mind and spirit, and which acts and moves within a certain environment .