INDIAN HEAD MASSAGE

Historically, massage has played an important role in India and Ayurvedic texts dating back around 4,000 years describe its use. Traditionally, Indian mothers often give their children massage from birth into early childhood. One young person who benefited from this practice was Narendra Mehta.

Narendra came to the UK in the 1970s to train as a physiotherapist, but he felt certain that massage, particularly head massage, could be good for patients in addition to standard physiotherapy.

When Narendra completed his training, he returned to his homeland to research the subject fully. The result was the formalised Head Massage he brought back to England in the 1980s. Experience has shown many benefits including:

• Increased relaxation
• Stress reduction
• Help in relief of muscular pain in the shoulders and neck
• Dispersal of toxins from the muscles treated
• Improved sleep patterns

In addition, Narendra’s system aims at helping the three higher chakras, or energy centres, to function at optimum level. In Ayurvedic medicine there are held to be seven main energy centres in the body, and the flow of energy around these is believed to greatly influence a person’s well-being. The centres affected by Indian Head Massage are the Crown, the ‘Third Eye’ (in the middle of the forehead) and the Throat.

So, Indian Head Massage can help a client on a direct physical level and on a more subtle level also. Certainly from my own experience, I can confirm positive results in a number of areas, particularly in encouraging relaxation, producing a feeling of well-being and in combating stress.

The format is simple – the client remains clothed, only items such as necklaces and earrings being removed. Even studs do not really present a problem! The client is seated on an ordinary low-backed chair and then shoulders, upper arms, neck, head and face are massaged. Relaxing music is normally played, unless the client prefers otherwise. A session would normally last 40-45minutes.

The client will be asked about their health and any problems they have prior to treatment. There are a few contra-indications where someone should not have head massage, but this is very rare. Examples would be if the client has very low or very high blood pressure; if they have had a recent accident where whiplash or head injuries have been sustained; or if they have a contagious skin condition in the areas to be massaged.

Certainly, the experience of those to whom I have given Indian Head Massage has always been positive, not least because of the relaxation response that has been engendered. It certainly is an invaluable treatment for stress-linked troubles.

This is the Crown Chakra that relates to consciousness as pure awareness. When fully developed, it will bring us knowledge, wisdom, understanding, spiritual connection and bliss!
The “Third Eye” or Brow Chakra relates to seeing, both physically and intuitively. It follows that when healthy it allows us to see clearly, or see ‘the big picture’
The Throat chakra is related to communication and creativity and will assist us in our self-expression.

Graham Palmer M.A.R.
Article first published in Healthy Life, Mind, Body & Soul Magazine, issue 3 Summer 2006

Graham Palmer was a qualified Complementary Therapist offering various therapies including relaxing and therapeutic Indian Head Massage.