Indian Head Massage for Teachers and Learners
By Tom Delaney
Published by Tom Delaney at Smashwords
Edition 2
Copyright Tom Delaney 2011
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Contents
1. What is Indian Head Massage?
2. Brief history of Indian Head Massage
5. The sequence of a treatment
7. Benefits of Indian Head Massage
9. Locations where Indian Head Massage can be given
10. Use of oils with Indian Head Massage
Chapter 1 What is Indian Head Massage?
Indian Head Massage is one of the many therapies which falls, in the West at least, under the banner of 'Alternative' or 'Complementary' Therapies. It is a seated massage covering the upper back, shoulders, neck, scalp, ears and face. A treatment will also
aim to include a balancing of the client's spiritual energy by working with Chakras (see Section:8). The key aims are to promote relaxation and wellbeing by working on the physical, mental and spiritual aspects of each client. This approach is holistic - treating the client as a whole.
Indian Head Massage is not a replacement for conventional western medical treatment. It is certainly a powerful therapy that works alongside medical treatment as well as being a stand-alone therapy. The key benefits are to reduce the effects of stress, promote relaxation and general wellbeing. There is also nothing at all wrong with just having a soothing pampering session as a treat during a busy lifestyle!
What to expect at an Indian Head Massage session
The massage is gentle and the client is seated, fully clothed.
The therapist will also work to restore balance and harmony by working on the three higher Chakras. In Sanskrit these areas are called Vissuddha (the base of the throat), Ajna (the forehead) and Sahasrara (the crown).
A Chakra (or "wheel" or "disk") is a centre of vital energy in the form of a lotus flower. The head of the "flower" is found at the front of the body and the stem is thought to go through the central spinal column. There are seven chakras situated throughout the body. Starting at the root chakra at the base of the spine and ending at the crown chakra – just above the head. When the therapist balances the top three chakras, the rest will vibrate in balance encouraging the client’s own healing powers to work to their best advantage.
A professional Indian Head Massage should in fact feel like a full-body massage, just as a reflexology massage is performed on the feet, the benefits are felt throughout the entire body. This is because there are several important acupressure points on the head and face.
Indian Head Massage may be dry or oils may be used. The oils not only nourish the hair, but can also help with dry scalps. Oils are not often called for during treatments in the West but it is an important area to learn as a student as some clients may expect knowledge of use of oils.
Chapter 2 Brief history of Indian Head Massage
Indian Head Massage (or "Champi" in Hindi) is a practice that originated around 2000 years ago in India as part of an ancient system of medicine called Ayurveda (section 3 for more on Ayurveda).
Head Massage is also a tradition of family grooming and Indian mothers still massage their daughters' hair with different oils to encourage long, lustrous locks. Men typically receive a vigorous head and shoulder Champi at the local barber shop.
Narendra Mehta grew up in an Indian community where Champi was an important part of life was the first person to develop and formalise Indian Head Massage and introduce it to the West.
Mehta arrived in England in the 1970's where he trained as a physiotherapist. In 1978 he returned to India where he studied the benefits and practice of Champi. Mehta soon included the upper back, neck, shoulders, head and face into the massage and employed modern knowledge of shiatsu and acupressure to relax tense areas, rebalance the energy and clear any areas of concentrated negativity. He also incorporated the gentle smoothing techniques used by the ladies in India as well as inclusion of working on three chakra points, Throat, Brow and Crown (see Section 8.)
This new therapy was introduced at the 1981 ‘Mind, Body and Spirit’ exhibition at Olympia, England, where a total of 179 clients came to Narendra’s stand suffering from headaches and many other stress-related symptoms (staffing a stand at an exhibition can be quite stressful!). They left recharged and relaxed. Exposure to these and countless other clients during the next few years at his clinic and at various exhibitions allowed Narendra to study the effects of his techniques in depth and to revise and expand them. He opened a successful training college in London and was awarded the MBE in 2008.
Narendra Mehta passed away in India in February 2011 but his legacy lives on.
By the 1990's a range of high level Indian Head Massage training courses emerged such as ITEC, where students gain a professional qualification. Indian Head Massage has now spread globally and continues to become more popular each year.
Chapter 3 Background of Ayurveda
Ayurvedic medicine (also called Ayurveda) is one of the world's oldest medical practices. It originated in India and has evolved there over thousands of years. Many therapies used in Ayurvedic medicine are also used on their own for example, herbs, massage, and specialised diets.