Lomi Work: The Lomi School was established in
1971 by Richard Strozzi Heckler, Ph.D. with Alyssa Hall, M.A.,
Catherine Heckler, M.A. and Robert Hall, M.D. Influenced by Polarity
Therapy, Reichian Breathwork, Structural Integration, Deep Tissue
work, and principles of Aikido and Vipassana meditation, Lomi Work
seeks to contact the deeper areas of the client's body instead
of focusing on "tension." It demands extreme concentration
on the part of the practitioner.
Lymphatic Massage: Lymphatic
massage uses a combination of pumping motions
and gentle rhythmical stroking. It is touted
as one of the gentlest of massages yet one that
has the most profound physiological effects.
Those who practice lymphatic massage state that
normal massage pressure affects venous circulation
(which delivers oxygen and hormones throughout
the body) but not lymphatic circulation (which
plays a very active role in removing waste products
and maintaining the health of the immune system).
Swedish massage can be relaxing or invigorating,
whereas lymphatic massage has a typically sedative
effect. Lymphatic massage also relieves pain
caused by nerve inflammation, adhesions, and
poor circulation.
Polarity
Therapy: The brainchild of Dr. Randolph Stone in the
early 1900s, polarity therapy uses a four-part program to restore
the body's proper energy balance: clear thinking (positive mental
attitude), bodywork (to alleviate energy blockages), body movement
(stretching postures combining movement, breathing and sound),
and diet (fresh vegetables, fruits and natural foods). As in
other forms of bodywork, the practitioner of polarity therapy
is viewed as a nonjudgmental channel that the client can use
to discover his/her own self-healing powers.
Reflexology: Reflexology, also known as zone therapy, is a turn-of-the-century practice fostered by three American physicians (Bowers, White and Fitzgerald). In their view, energy travels from critical zones of the body and ends its journey in the feet. Charts are available showing which zones correspond to which internal organs. The theory is that when excessive granular texture is felt in the feet as pressure is applied, it indicates the presence of uric acid crystallization. By rubbing the crystals on the nerve endings in the soles, a reflex reaction is supposedly set up between that zone and its associated body part. Reflexology is one of the massage techniques a person can learn to self-administer.
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©Courtesy of Laurel Olson Cook, author of Spas of California (2002) and Wine Country Spas of California (2003). Visit www.LaurelCook.com