Self Massage: Power Of Healing In Your Own Hands

You can massage any specific area that you feel is tense, such as the scalp, the back of the neck, temples, shoulders, hands, lower back, calves and feet. Self-massage is particularly helpful in relieving aches and pains accumulated during the day, such as headache or tired feet. It is better if you can work directly on the skin but it not necessary. Massaging while having a bath or watching television is ideal.


Here’s how you can massage different parts of your body:


1. Face massage:

Sit comfortably on a chair, preferably which has a back rest.
Hold your palms over your eyes for a few seconds.
Now move your hands up to your forehead and stroke firmly with your fingertips from the center outward.
Repeat this several times.
Place one or two fingertips on your temples and gently rub or use circular pressing movements.
After a few seconds on each spot, move your fingertips up or down or behind a little.
Repeat the movements.


2. Scalp and neck:

Spread out your fingertips over the scalp.
Press firmly and try to move your scalp.
Now place the middle three fingers of each hand on either side of the spine, starting just below the head, and firmly stroke outwards for a few seconds.
Move your fingertips lower down and repeat the movements until you have covered your entire neck.


3. Back:

Place your hand on either side of the lower back with the fingers first pointing downward and make deep stroking outward movements several times.
Repeat the process after moving your hands gradually upwards.
Use kneading movements and squeeze a small portion of areas of the right palm and wrist using squeezing movements.
Knead your fingers and thumb up or down.
Now turn the hand palm downwards and rub the knuckles and all the areas of your hand.
Repeat the movements as you move a little further up each time, thus covering the entire arm.
Repeat on the other side.


4. Legs and thighs:

Sit on the floor and bend your right knee with your foot resting firmly on the ground.
Start low down on the calf and work gradually upwards as far as you can go on the back of the thigh.
Stroke deeply upwards and downward with both hands.
Rub with the thumbs or fingertips to relieve localized tension.
Rub by moving the fingers and the thumb in the opposite direction.
Repeat on the other side.


5. Feet:

Rest your right ankle over your left knee.
Hold the foot in one hand and with the thumb of the other hand rub the entire sole, moving the thumb little by little after three to four seconds of rubbing over each spot.
In addition, give deep strokes with the heel of your right hand while supporting the foot in your left hand.
Grasp each toe between the thumb and the index finger.
Pull it outwards and stretch the muscles and tendons. Repeat on the other foot.
For the purpose of reducing stress, the most useful part of the body to concentrate on is the neck, shoulders and forehead.


6. Forehead:

Sit in a relaxed position.
Place the fingertips of your right hand on your right eyebrow.
Using good pressure, slowly slide your fingertips outward along each eyebrow until you reach the temple.
Using small circular movements, massage this area.
Bring fingertips back together and repeat the process, working your way up the forehead until you reach the hairline.
Finally spend a few minutes with your hands cupped over your eyes, with fingers resting on your overhead.


7. Neck & shoulders:

Sit in a relaxed position.
Place your right hand on your left shoulder.
Using a kneading action, massage your tense and knotty muscles in the neck and shoulder area.
Repeat several times.
Change arms and repeat on the other shoulder.
Again, using opposite hands and shoulders, place your right hand on the top of your left shoulder and make small circular movements with your fingertips on the back of your shoulder working outwards from the spine to the top of your arm.
Repeat several times and then change arms and repeat on the other shoulder.

Try any of these massages and rediscover that the power of healing lies in your own hands.