General Methods
1. Gentle stroking: This is probably the most useful technique in aromatherapy massage. It involves a series of gentle, soothing movements to allow the essential oils to penetrate the body and promote overall relaxation. Use the entire palm of your hand, not just your fingers, and keep your hands relaxed. The pressure can be firm or gentle, and the movements can be large or small. This will help relax the muscles and improve blood circulation, relieving tension and stress.
2. Kneading and squeezing: This technique is similar to kneading dough, where you can apply slight pressure with your thumb, but the movements should be slow and moderate. This technique is particularly helpful for areas with thicker fat and the back, as it can relax the muscles, promote blood and lymphatic flow, and assist in the elimination of toxins.
Using these two basic techniques, all massage methods for different parts of the body should be done in the direction towards the heart. When massaging infants or the elderly, use gentle stroking movements.
1. Head: Apply massage oil to your fingertips and massage the entire scalp. When experiencing a headache, massage around the base of the neck and move up to the scalp. Use sliding massage movements with strong pressure to allow the essential oils to penetrate the body.
2. Neck: Use small circular motions, dividing the neck into two sides, and massage each side from the base of the neck to the scalp using circular movements.
3. Shoulders: Use gentle stroking and kneading techniques with your thumbs and palms, massage from the shoulders to the neck with repeated back and forth movements.
4. Back: Use gentle stroking and kneading techniques, with varying pressure, but avoid massaging the spine. Start from the inner side of the lower back and smoothly move upwards to the shoulders, then massage the outer side of the back downwards. Repeat this massage movement several times, and the longer the duration, the more relaxed the body will feel.
5. Abdomen: Apply a small amount of massage oil to your fingertips and use gentle stroking movements. When massaging yourself, use clockwise circular motions; when massaging others, use counterclockwise motions. The essential oils can help nourish the skin of the abdomen.
Aromatherapy Massage Techniques
Foot massage technique example:
1. During the massage, completely cover the foot with your palms and fingers, and use circular movements with both hands for the massage.
2. Start by massaging the top of the foot, then the sole, followed by the inner and outer ankle, the calf, and the back of the knee. The massage direction should be from bottom to top, which can help improve venous return to the heart and enhance the massage effect.
3. Use massage oil to knead the Sanyinjiao acupoint, which can regulate the liver, spleen, and kidney meridians, relieve lower limb paralysis and foot swelling, and regulate the reproductive area.
4. Use massage oil to knead the Yinlingquan acupoint, which can protect the knee joint and reduce swelling.
Sanyinjiao acupoint: On the inner side of the calf, three finger widths above the inner ankle.
Yinlingquan acupoint: On the inner side of the calf, in the depression below the inner knee.
