Before the Massage
Eating: You’ll be more comfortable if you eat lightly or postpone eating until after your massage session.
Arrival Time: Arriving a few minutes early will help you begin to relax sooner and ensure that your massage can begin on time.
Eyeglasses, jewelry, watches, chewing gum: These items should be removed before the massage begins.
Cell Phones: Please be sure your cell phone is turned off.
Contact lenses, hearing aids, bridgework: For your safety, advise your therapist if you are wearing any removable devices that might be disturbed during the massage.
Makeup and Hair: Massage of the face, scalp or neck may disturb your makeup or hair style. Let your therapist know if this is a concern and your wishes will be accommodated.
During the Massage
Receiving a massage isn’t passive at all.
The mind-body is receiving sensations constantly, and processing all sorts of information. The more massages one has received the more sensitive one is to nuance, the more adept the mind-body is at relaxing. Each massage received is a learning experience for the mind-body. The nervous system of a person who has never received massage won’t have developed the sensitivity to the nuances of touch that someone who has received massage for years (like wine tasting, or listing to music, understanding a foreign language . . . ) would have.
Quiet your mind.
Once the massage begins, let your mind focus on your therapist’s hands and your body’s sensations. This focus permits a deep, rejuvenating mind-body relaxation that is not possible when your mind is mentally and emotionally engaged in talking, listening, and thinking. It is at this deep level of relaxation that your body’s self-healing processes operate naturally and spontaneously.
Be like a rag doll.
Let your body be heavy and sink deeply into the table’s cushioning. Be limp and don’t “help” your therapist when she moves you, such as lifting your arm or turning your head to one side.
Notice your breath.
People often stop or limit their breathing when they feel anxious or when a sensitive area is being massaged. Let your inhalations and exhalations be slow and deep to minimize any discomfort and maximize the effects of the massage.
Breathe through your mouth if your nose gets stuffy.
For many people, lying face down on the table causes temporary congestion in their nose and/or sinus cavities. This stuffiness will clear up as soon as you turn over or get up. In the meantime, breathe through your mouth.
Speak up if you’re uncomfortable.
Is the music too loud? Is the fan giving you a chill? Would you like the therapist to use more or less pressure? Always speak up if you feel uncomfortable so your therapist can make the necessary adjustments.
After the Massage
Drink lots of water.
Massage causes toxins and metabolic debris to be released from the body’s soft tissues. Drinking plenty of water for several hours following your massage will help flush these wastes out of your body, which in turn will maximize the loosening up of muscles and joints and minimize any day-after soreness.