WellnessCouncil If the only time you get ahead massage is a fleeting experience at the barbers’, you don’t know what you are missing.
A complete head massage will leave you feeling super relaxed if done correctly.
What Are the Origins of Head Massage?
Head massage is also called Champissage and has been in use for hundreds of centuries for medical, relaxation, and cleansing purposes.
Head massage originated from ancient Indian Ayurveda medicine, which focus on balancing the mind, body, and spirit, promoting a long and better quality life.
Ancient Indians believed that the use of herbs, oils, and spices in a massage helped keep skin healthy and muscles strong, and that general good health meant better body healing powers.
Indian women began head massage practices more than 1,000 years ago by massaging their daughters. They used oils with the massage, such as almond, buttermilk, coconut, and olive oil, which kept their hair in pristine condition.
The traditional Indian head massage initially included a scalp and hair massage. The modern Indian head massage includes the shoulders, neck, and face as well.
The person getting a massage is fully clothed and sits upright. Unlike other massage types, Indian massage requires no certification, but all the same, several schools around the globe offer head massage courses.
Expansion of the Tradition
The Indian head massage was only practiced within India until Narendra Mehta went to study physical therapy in England and began offering head massages.
The practice spread to other countries as more people learned how to do it. Mehta expanded the head massage to include the shoulder and neck.
Today, most Indian children get head massages daily to keep them healthy. From the age of three to six years, they get a massage once or twice weekly.
Once they reach six years of age, they are expected to start giving the massage therapy, sharing the treatment with the rest of the family. Indian barbers still practice head massages on their clients, as do other barbers and therapy centers around the world.
How to Do an Indian Massage
The process of giving an Indian head massage is straightforward and anyone can learn to do it. An alternative is to buy a head massager and use it at home. Follow the steps below to give a great head massage:
- Comfort
Get the person recieving the massage either sitting or lying comfortably.
- Let the person get used to your hands
Make a single stroke from the nape of the neck to the skull base. Let your hands rest there while you ask any necessary questions.
- Rotate the head
With your fingers, apply light pressure to the base of the skull (occipital ridge). Rotate the head from side to side.
- Oblong motions
Make oblong motions with your fingers and the thumbs of both hands over the scalp. Start at the base of the skull and move toward the back of the ears. Continue massaging using these oblong motions.
- Massage the crown
During a head massage, the crown is often ignored. Ensure you knead it the same way you massage the scalp.
- Massage the temple
Most people assume the temple is the area between the corner of your eye and ear. However, the temple includes the area in front of the top part of the ear. Massage this area using deep and slow strokes using a clockwise motion.
- Playing with hair
Play with the hair and comb it using your fingers, then stroke the head with your palm gently from the base of the skull to the crown.
Conclusion: A Word From the WellnessCouncil
A head massage is relaxing and has myriad benefits. Learning to do a head massage is very easy and becomes more comfortable as you become more familiar.
