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Introduction to Massage

By Jeff & Kris Booth

Preparing the Space   Giving the Massage    Learning More

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Preparing the Space

One of the most important things to make sure of is that the massage space is comfortable. If the person you are massaging is too cold, they will not be able to fully enjoy the massage. You'll be working, so the room will feel warmer to you, but make sure you check on them to see if they are comfortable. Have a couple of large warm towels to cover them with if they get chilly.

Lighting is important. Candles are always a good choice. If you can dim the lights in the room, great. You just need enough light so that you can see what you are doing. One of my favorite places to give a massage is in front of the fireplace, but keep in mind that most fireplaces suck heat out of the room and right up the chimney, which can create a cool draft on the floor right in front of the fireplace.

You'll also want to make sure there are no distracting sounds. You might turn off the phone ringer. Music is nice to have in the background, but you don't want music that is too fast as it will tend to speed up the pace of your massage. Also, if you have a CD changer, make sure that the soft pleasant music being played does not suddenly jump to something a lot less relaxing.

The best thing to give a massage on is a massage table. For a special occasion, you may even be able to rent one fairly inexpensively from a local massage supply store. Trying to give a massage on a bed is a real workout for the person giving the massage and not really the best choice. Even a sleeping bag on the floor with a sheet over it is better, as it is much easier for the person giving the massage to maneuver around, and you have a lot of places you can set your massage oil.

Make sure that everything you need and are going to use is close at hand. You don't want to waste time fumbling or looking for something.

Anyone, even without any training, can give a relaxing and sensual massage if they follow these simple guidelines.

1. Take your time, with long, slow strokes. Never rush.

2. Keep your focus on the other person. Their reactions and responses will let you know what is feeling good to them.  Pay a lot of attention to what your hands feel, as they will tell you a lot about their body.

3. While very firm pressure and deep tissue work can do wonders for people, if you don't know what you are doing this can be more unpleasant than therapeutic. Stick with a medium firm to gentle pressure and don't dig into the the muscles. If you do find a section of very tight muscles, gently work your fingertips into them with just enough pressure that you can feel the muscle strands, and with a little persistence they will begin to relax. Its like untying a knot- pulling too hard just makes the knot tighter.

4. Keep your hands in contact with their skin as much as possible. Even when getting more massage oil, just turn one hand palm up with the back of the hand resting against their skin, apply a little oil to the palm, warm it by rubbing the hands together, and turn the oiled hand over to apply. See the How to Use Massage Oil section for more information on using oils.

5. You want the person being massaged to concentrate wholly on being touched, so extraneous conversation should be avoided.  You can check in occasionally and ask if they are warm enough, or if they want a little more pressure on a stroke, but the less you do of this the better. You should begin to learn how to read what their body is telling you, and it will answer a lot of these questions for you.