During our six week adventure in Eastern Europe my wife Sona and I both decided to treat ourselves to massage. Being massage therapists this is a two fold benefit. First the benefit of massage when traveling is a great way to alleviate jet lag, especially when traveling East or "back in time". A six hour difference can put a damper on your travels unless you can reset your body clock by sleeping on the plane. I'm not sure about you, but unless you are in a first class seat or you can sleep on a rock, sleeping in coach is a challenge. Massage assists the body to relax from the stresses of flying and can assist your body clock to adjust by receiving a massage right before bedtime in the new timezone.
Second, experiencing a massage when your profession is massage gives you the opportunity to experience what else is out there. The spa Sona and I went to offered many exotic styles. I was like a kid in the candy store, hmm what style to choose? Ah! Lomi Lomi!
Lomi Lomi is a Hawaiian influenced massage that is in the same family as Kriya massage, the style Sona and I currently practice. Sona chose a European hot stone to help her with sore muscles in her upper back.
Off we went in our directions, I felt such gratitude for being on the receiving side, the Spa was beautifully designed with all natural wood decor and minimalist designed furniture. Upon entering you took off your shoes and were transformed into another world of soft lights, cedar wood designs and fresh flowers welcomed your senses. A staff all dressed in contemporary spa designs greeted you with smiles and a welcome in your language.
The massage rooms were larger in size than in U.S. and offered different stations of therapies before receiving your treatment. A curved bed that looked similar to a tanning bed was made with slotted wood that underneath contained hot stones with a light steam permeating through the top. You would lay down for several minutes to loosen up any troubled areas before treatment.
Lomi Lomi was a treat to experience, similar to our style, yet different enough that I let go of paying attention to the technique and embraced receiving all the benefits. One element of the massage is the use of heated herb infused oils, awesome.
After the treatment Sona and I embrace the winter air and took a casual walk back to our flat. That night I slept like a rock and awoke refreshed and ready for our next adventure, a ski trip to Austria and to experience a Finnish style Sauna.
I will save that story for another post.
Jack
Second, experiencing a massage when your profession is massage gives you the opportunity to experience what else is out there. The spa Sona and I went to offered many exotic styles. I was like a kid in the candy store, hmm what style to choose? Ah! Lomi Lomi!
Lomi Lomi is a Hawaiian influenced massage that is in the same family as Kriya massage, the style Sona and I currently practice. Sona chose a European hot stone to help her with sore muscles in her upper back.
Off we went in our directions, I felt such gratitude for being on the receiving side, the Spa was beautifully designed with all natural wood decor and minimalist designed furniture. Upon entering you took off your shoes and were transformed into another world of soft lights, cedar wood designs and fresh flowers welcomed your senses. A staff all dressed in contemporary spa designs greeted you with smiles and a welcome in your language.
The massage rooms were larger in size than in U.S. and offered different stations of therapies before receiving your treatment. A curved bed that looked similar to a tanning bed was made with slotted wood that underneath contained hot stones with a light steam permeating through the top. You would lay down for several minutes to loosen up any troubled areas before treatment.
Lomi Lomi was a treat to experience, similar to our style, yet different enough that I let go of paying attention to the technique and embraced receiving all the benefits. One element of the massage is the use of heated herb infused oils, awesome.
After the treatment Sona and I embrace the winter air and took a casual walk back to our flat. That night I slept like a rock and awoke refreshed and ready for our next adventure, a ski trip to Austria and to experience a Finnish style Sauna.
I will save that story for another post.
Jack
Jack, you certainly got the most out of your trip with both a vocational experience and a reminder how massage therapy can play a vital role for the the traveling business person or vacationer. Enjoyed your descritive writing, felt like I was transported. Waiting to hear more.
ReplyDeleteDave