Hot Stone Massage Guide

Hot Stone History

Hot stone massage seems to be the 'in' new thing on Day Spa Menus worldwide. But stone massage is not a new therapy. Hot stones have been used for massage for many thousands of years by Indigenous Cultures from Russia, Hawaii, Japan and North America. The stones used in Hot Stone Massage are mostly basalt stones created by Volcanic activity. The surfaces have been completely smoothed — in river beds or tossed by the ocean for many years.

A Stone Massage Session

Smooth warmed basalt stones are used to massage the body in long flowing strokes to relax and unwind muscle tension and stress from the body. The sensation produced by gliding, heated stones over the body along with the occasional “click” of the stones touching each other, is something that can only be appreciated by experiencing it. The heat of the stones, combined with the soothing gliding movement, warms and relaxes the muscles to a much greater extent than that achieved by simply massaging the body with the hands alone. Using stones in massage is similar to 'ironing'. The warm stone 'irons' the muscle effectively helping to unwind and relax tight tense areas.

What to Expect

The stone massage varies from therapist to therapist. The stones will be warmed in a heater and then placed on your body. A variety of very specific shapes and sizes of basalt stones are used throughout the massage, applied to specific areas and energy centers on the body. The therapist will massage you with the stones in a similar manner to normal relaxation massage - mostly the only difference is that the therapist is holding a stone while they are massaging.

The stones should be warm - not very hot even though the massage is called Hot Stone Massage. When the therapist places the stone on your body ideally you will feel a sensation similar to getting into a warm bath or shower. The temperature should be wonderfully warming and inviting and never be a shock to the body or feel as though it may burn. If you are at all concerned in your massage that the stones are too hot - be proactive and ask that they be taken off straight away. With an experienced Stone Massage Therapist you will be in very good hands and half an hour into your massage you will be blissed out. In fact you may not even remember all your massage.

Tips for Therapists

Stone Selection for Hot Stone Massage

Stones for Hot Stone Massage are selected according to their composition, size, texture and shape. The composition of stones refers to the types and minerals the stones are made of - such as iron, copper, nickel, manganese, serpentine and olivine. The stones for hot stone massage are igneous or metamorphic and come in a variety of colours depending on the mineral make up of the stone: green, black, brown, blue, and gray.

The shape of a stone is important for particular body placements, such as a cylindrical stone for the neck or an oval stone for the palm. The texture is important as you don’t want to scratch a client. Be careful when choosing stones you don’t use ones that have sharp edges or any sharp cracks. Most natural stones have curves and crevasses and as long as they are smoothed they are excellent to use in massage. A slightly rough stone can be used for exfoliation.

Finding Massage Stones

Stones are found in areas of old Volcanic activity - take a look in river beds or around ocean headlands nearby. Be careful though when you are picking up stones that there isn't a spider or snake hiding. Use a stick to move the stone. Stones for massage are best when they have been tossed by the water for many years. This process is natures way of tumbling them.

Heating the Stones

When you heat basalt stones always make sure they are heated in water as there is always a possibility of them cracking. If you heat them in water, the water will contain any damage that may occur due to the stone breaking. This is highly unlikely - but you still need to be aware of the possibility. NEVER heat the stones in a microwave or in a dry oven. Have a container with cool water in it to place in a stone that you may feel is too warm for your client. The stone will cool quickly. The water in the stone heater should be a temperature that is comfortable for you to place your hand in - it is quite simple really if the stone is too hot for you to handle it is too hot for your client to have on their body. By taking precautions with your stones you will ensure a safe session for both you and your client.

The stones feel wonderful for the therapist to work with and at the end of a session don't be surprise if you feel as renewed and relaxed as your client. The therapy that once early man found effective is now being used once again in our modern day practices. Try it - you will understand why.