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Beat Stress With Meditation: Massage

by Alice Muir

From a full body massage lasting an hour, to a quick back rub given by a friend or partner, a massage is a great way to relax. Massage can loosen your muscles and ease tension.

You should feel calm and relaxed during and after your massage, be it Indian head massage, shiatsu, aromatherapy massage, Swedish massage, hot stone massage, chair massage, or any other type. Occasionally, there might be a mild aching in the muscles for a day or so afterwards. Chair massage, or head and shoulder massage, can be given fully clothed at work, or at the airport.

If you have a willing friend or partner, a foot or hand massage can help relax your entire body. Massaging the face, scalp, shoulders and neck, or back, can also be very relaxing, and remove tension in those areas. Start slowly with gentle, short, broad strokes, with flattened fingers, to warm up the whole area to be massaged. Then, still with flat fingers, use slow, gliding strokes, and light to medium pressure to release tension. If the pressure used could just crush a ripe grape under your fingers, you’ve got it about right.
 



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