When starting the Basic Training of Spazio Californian Massage ®, one of the main misgivings of our students is that they have never given massages, or at least, never from the presence and quality of conscious touch, the main premise of our work. They focus on their lack of technical knowledge or worrying about how your touch will feel to the other person, without realizing that Californian Massage really starts with paying attention to yourself and to a series of other important cares that will help you to feel better. We will now explain in this step-by-step guide.
We hope it will serve as a review of the Basic level of Spazio Californian Massage®, if you are already our student, or as an incentive to put it into practice if you are not yet. Keeping in mind these 4 essential steps before starting a good relaxing massage, almost half of the stretcher work is already done and we are well on our way to achieving the meditative state we will need when we move on to long movements.
Not to mention that we started our basic training this October. You can ask for more information about the trainings in Madrid, or more information about the Esalen® Massage Introductory Course in Barcelona.
Step 1: FOCUS ON YOU
Begin to focus on your own energy, to be present, calm and in touch with your body and your breath. Take a few deep breaths and place your attention on the soles of your feet and imagine that you have roots that go all the way to the center of the Earth itself.
Let that energy go up your legs, up to your belly, feel it. Take a deep breath naturally and let that energy warm your heart and extend it to your shoulders and hands. If you are familiar with the chakras, you can mentalize the Hara, your vital energy center, our true center, source of health and vitality.
“The more connected you are in your Hara, the less fear you will feel of life and death, because this is the center of life and death. Once you are in tune with the Hara center you can live courageously. Courage comes from there: less thoughts, more silence, less uncontrolled moments, natural discipline, courage and rootedness. It is a rooting.“Osho
Step 2: THE IMPORTANCE OF BREATHING
Breathing deeply will help both of you relax more. During this stage prior to the massage, the intention is to make the person aware of his breathing, since in life we do not find these moments to breathe. It is the way to be active and present with what is happening in your body, but at the same time disconnecting your mind.
The person receiving the massage does not breathe alone, but together with the giver. It should guide when to breathe more deeply. The therapist joins in this deep breathing as an accompaniment, as a way of saying “…”.I am also present, you can let go.”
We delve more into this topic in this other post: Conscious breathing is to the mind what exercise is to the body.
Step 3: INITIAL TOUCHES ON SHEETS
The initial touches on the sheet are very important to begin to empathize and receive permission to touch. Moving the patient’s whole body gently and rhythmically will help muscles and joints to loosen up. With the whole body rocking harmoniously, the mind can also let go of its rigidities and enjoy this pleasurable sensation.
It would be what we call in Californian, to do some “hamacados“, that is to say the basic technique of the
Harmonic Hammocks course
The basic technique, which consists in the re-education of the subconscious through movement.
Fourth Step: CARING FOR THE PERSON
The basis of Spazio Californian Massage ® is to start by making the person feel very comfortable and safe, for this you have to pay attention to every detail such as feeling supported, not being cold and being in a comfortable position. One of the fundamental pillars of how this work feels is the quality of contact, without it healing could not occur without the quality of being “touched” with this quality of contact in the massage.
It is very important that when we work we use our whole body because the pressures do not come from the hands, nor does the strength come from the hands but from the weight of the body that is behind the hands incorporating forearms as well. In addition to always being present.
After this rich introduction to the massage, we have already established the necessary connection with the person so that the long movements, characteristic of Californian massage, really become deep.
The step-by-step of what follows will be the subject of our next post. In the meantime, we hope that these previous steps will inspire you in massage and invite you to practice.
If you want to go deeper into this Californian Massage technique and even become a professional, don’t miss the start of our next trainings. They start in October!
