Do-it-yourself thai massage

For a quick-me-up, it’s quite simple and very effective to give yourself a massage! Soulflower  offers the following tips for the self-massage techniques that can be easily done while sitting at your desk or relaxing at home. The following techniques work on the acupressure points on the neck, shoulders, face and head.

Use any of the available Soulflower Massage oils

REFRESHING

PEACE

UPLIFTING

ROMANCE

INVIGORATING

CALMING

LAVENDER

TENSION RELIEF MASSAGE FOR THE NECK

This Neck Tension Relief Massage works on the pressure points at the base of your skull and helps relieve headaches and tension in the neck.

1. Lock the fingers of both hands together, leaving both thumbs free. Place the locked hands behind your head.
2. Keeping your head straight, start by pressing the pressure points at the base of your hairline between your ears and your spine. Press both thumbs very slowly, in small, circular motions for 10 seconds and end by pushing both thumbs upward in a swift, brushing movement.
3. Move your thumbs about an inch inwards towards the spine and slowly repeat this motion.
4. When you reach the spine, place each thumb on either side of the spine and slowly repeat this motion down along both sides of the spines.
5. Repeat this motion downwards and then upwards again.
6. After a while you should start to feel relaxed. End the massage when both thumbs reach the base of the hairline at the top of the spine. You will find a natural depression at the top of the spine, directly below the base of the skull. Press both thumbs into the depression, and quickly brush thumbs upwards 3 to 4 times, to release energy there.

SHOULDER MASSAGE

This Shoulder Massage relieves tension on the back of your shoulders. It works on the energy lines running along the top of your shoulders and down your shoulders blades, where muscle knots can form from long hours of sitting at a desk or at the computer.

1. Cross your right arm across your chest and reach your right hand over your left shoulder.

2. Use your right middle finger to locate any tension knots along the area between the shoulder blade and spine.

3. Press your finger firmly in slow, circular motions around this area, working on knotted muscles.

4. Repeat the same motions on the other side, with your left arm crossing your chest to work on your right shoulder.

FACE MASSAGE

This Face Massage helps relieve the tension of frowning that occurs when you have been concentrating too hard on your work or while reading. The massage works on the acupressure points along your brow bone.

1. Interlock the fingers of both hands, leaving your thumbs free. With elbows pointed outward and towards your sides, place each thumb on the inside of the brow bone on each eye. Press in firmly.
2. Slowly and firmly slide your thumbs in one motion along the brow bone of each eye until you reach your temples on either side of your head.
3. Press thumbs into each temple in small, firm, circular motions for a minute or two, or until you feel some relief from tension.
4. Slowly repeat this motion with both thumbs moving toward the back of your head, until both thumbs reach the centre of the back of the head.
5. Keep repeating this massage, starting from your inside brow bone, until you feel better.

HAND AND SCALP MASSAGE

The Head and Scalp Massage is a highly relaxing massage that is given at the end of every traditional Thai massage session. It helps relieve headaches and stimulates the nerves in the head. It exercises the scalp, stimulating the blood circulation in the head to promote hair growth. It also strengthens the roots of the hair and is thought to help prevent baldness.

1. Starting at the temples, grab a handful of hair on each side of the head, about an inch from the scalp. Slowly pull along the hair, gradually adding pressure as you move your hands along the length of the hair away from  the scalp.
2. Repeat this motion on both sides of your head, continually moving backwards until you reach the centre of the back of your head.
3. Starting from the hairline on your forehead, repeat this motion along the top of your head, moving backwards all the time.