Shiatsu Massage

Shiatsu is a Japanese word meaning “finger pressure”.  Shiatsu uses hand pressure and manipulative techniques to adjust the body’s physical structure and its natural inner energies, to help ward off illness, and maintain good health.  The Oriental tradition describes the world in terms of energy.  All things are considered to be manifestations of a vital universal force, called “Ki”.  Ki is the primary substance and motive force of life. It is most often described as “energy”, but Ki is also synonymous with breath in the Japanese and Chinese languages.  In Oriental medicine, harmony of Ki within the human body is conceived as being essential to health.

Shiatsu Massage uses the manipulation of key points along energy lines, meridians, throughout the body to assist in the regulation and establishing balance throughout the body.  By doing so it can help treat and prevent a wide variety of ailments.

Swedish Massage

When most people think of massage, they think of Swedish. The style takes its name from a 19th century Swedish physiologist, Per Henrik Ling, whose system of medical gymnastics included massage. Traditional Swedish massage consists mainly of long strokes over oiled skin and kneading of the outer layers of muscle tissue to reduce stress and soothe sore joints and muscles. Swedish massage relaxes the nervous system, aids circulation and helps with detoxification. There are very few people who can't benefit from these things.

Thai Massage

Thai Massage is based on ancient Indian and Buddhist teachings and combines pressure-point massage and yoga in slow, rhythmic compressions and stretches along the body's ten sen, or energy lines. It is performed with the client lying on a floor mat, the therapist uses her palms, thumbs, elbows, and feet to apply pressure to your body and moves it through yoga poses. Like other Eastern approaches Tai massage purports to preserve good health and balance energy, it also reduces muscle tension, encourages relaxation, and increases, flexibility. While stretching is a big part of it, you don't have to be flexible, and because there are so many positions, just about anyone can benefit from Thai massage.

Infant Massage

After having been confined in the womb for months, in constant contact and protective encasing with the mother, the loss of touch can be devastating to the new born child.  The early introduction of touch and stretching, which helps the child to retain the flexibility it possesses at birth, is critical to the short-term and long-term developmental process. 

Massage can be started from birth.  Because infants are always in a lying position it is important to help them develop balance and strength in their core and extremities.  The legs form the roots of the body and are therefore imperative that they gain strength while the baby is unable to support itself to help in developing them and the lower back.  This helps prepare the infant for upright posture and mobility.

There are many benefits to regular baby massage, including:

Inducement of a more relaxed state

Encouragement of muscular coordination

Creation of ease throughout the body

Calming of emotions and relief of trauma

Soothing of the body and relief of pain

Antidote for hypertension and anxiety

Promotes sleep

Stimulates baby’s immune system

Increases circulation

Assists in digestion and elimination of waste

Improves texture of skin

Works to retain the resilience and elasticity of skin

Provides tactile stimulation, necessary for baby’s development

Fosters relaxed and fluid movement