Definitions of massage and body work modalities:

Acupressure:
An ancient healing art that uses the fingers to press key points on the surface of the skin to stimulate the body's natural self-curative abilities. When these points are pressed, they release muscular tension and promote the circulation of blood and the body's life force (sometimes known as qi or chi) to aid healing. Acupuncture and acupressure use the same points, but acupuncture employs needles, while acupressure uses the gentle, but firm pressure of hands (and even feet). There is a large amount of scientific data demonstrating why and how acupuncture is effective. But acupressure, the older of the two traditions, was neglected after the Chinese developed more technical methods for stimulating points with needles and electricity. Acupressure, however, continues to be the most effective method for self-treatment of tension-related ailments by using the power and sensitivity of the human hand. Foremost among the advantages of acupressure's healing touch is that it is safe to do on yourself and others - even if you've never done it before - so long as you follow the instructions and pay attention to the cautions. The only pieces of equipment needed are your own two hands. You can practice acupressure therapy anytime, anywhere. Acupressure can be effective in helping relieve headaches, eye strain, sinus problems, neck pain, backaches, arthritis, muscle aches, tension due to stress, ulcer pain, menstrual cramps, lower backaches, constipation, and indigestion. Self-acupressure can also be used to relieve anxiety and get better sleep at night. There are also great advantages to using acupressure as a way to balance the body and maintain good health. The healing touch of acupressure reduces tension, increases circulation, and enables the body to relax deeply. By relieving stress, acupressure strengthens resistance to disease and promotes wellness. In acupressure, local symptoms are considered an expression of the condition of the body as a whole. A tension headache, for instance, may be rooted in the shoulder and neck area. Thus, acupressure focuses on relieving pain and discomfort, as well as responding to tension, before it develops into a disease - before the constrictions and imbalances can do further damage. The origins of acupressure are as ancient as the instinctive impulse to hold your forehead or temples when you have a headache. Everyone at one time or another has used their hands spontaneously to hold tense or painful places on the body. More than 5,000 years ago, the Chinese discovered that pressing certain points on the body relieved pain where it occurred and also benefited other parts of the body more remote from the pain and the pressure point. Gradually, they found other locations that not only alleviated pain, but also influenced the functioning of certain internal organs. (Definition in part from the book Acupressure's Potent Points, by Michael Reed Gach, director of the Acupressure Institute.)

Aromatherapy:
The use of essential oils (which are extracted from herbs, flowers, resin, woods, and roots) in body and skin care treatments is known as aromatherapy. Used as a healing technique for thousands of years by the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, essential oils aid in relaxation, improve circulation, and help the healing of wounds. Aromatherapy diffusers are utilized to fill the massage room with the scent of the oils. Specific essential oils are blended by the aromatherapist and added to a carrier oil, such as almond oil, to be used during the massage. Each of the oils has its own unique characteristics and benefits. Use of this technique declined as the modern pharmaceutical industry developed. However, the French chemist Gattefossé revived the art by coining the term aromatherapy and by publishing a book on the subject in 1928.

Ayurvedic:
One part of the traditional detoxification and rejuvenation program of India called panchakarma, in which the entire body is vigorously massaged with large amounts of warm oil and herbs to remove toxins from the system. With the client's permission, oil is also poured into the ears, between the eyebrows and at specific chakras, or energy points, during techniques known respectively as karna purana, shirodhara, and marma chikitsa. These treatments have been modified to meet the needs of the West and have been powerful in their effects upon the mind and nervous system - calming, balancing, and bringing both a heightened sense of awareness and deep inner peace. The techniques can be done either as stand-alone treatments or in conjunction with the ayurvedic body massage. The basis for effectively performing all of the various ayurvedic massage techniques is a thorough understanding of the primordial energies of the five elements (ether, air, fire, water, and earth) and of vata, pitta, and kapha - the three basic constitutional types (similar to the ancient Greek method of mind/body classification). This knowledge allows the therapist to determine not only which ayurvedic massage techniques to use, but also how to customize treatments by selecting the proper oils and herbs and the rate and pressure of massage strokes to maximize the benefits for each client.

Couples/Partners:
A special arrangement that allows a couple to receive their massages at the same time, in the same room with two massage therapists. The massage may be any type of massage such as Swedish, deep tissue, etc. Couple's massage is a wonderful way to share the power and benefits of massage.

Deep Tissue:
Techniques which utilize deep tissue/deep muscle massage are administered to affect the sub-layer of musculature and fascia. These techniques require more advanced training and a more thorough understanding of anatomy and physiology. The muscles must be relaxed in order to effectively perform deep tissue massage, otherwise tight surface muscles prevent the practitioner from reaching deeper musculature. It helps with chronic muscular pain and injury rehabilitation, and reduces inflammation-related pain caused by arthritis and tendonitis. It is generally integrated with other massage techniques.

Esalen:
Developed in the 1960s, this style originated at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, Calif., and is based on a combination of Oriental and Swedish massage techniques. Esalen is light and gentle in nature, emphasizing nurturing and empathy. The strokes are soft, easy, and slow, prompting deep relaxation. It is used to reduce stress, relieve pain, improve sleep, aid digestion, and promote healing.

Hot Stone:
A unique connection with nature. Stone massage involves the application of water-heated basalt stones of varying sizes to key points on the body, giving a deep massage and creating sensations of comfort and warmth. The direct heat relaxes muscles, allowing manipulation of a greater intensity than with regular massage.

LomiLomi:
A system of massage that utilizes very large, broad movements. Two-handed, forearm, and elbow application of strokes, which cover a broad area, is characteristic of lomilomi. Similar to Swedish massage in many aspects, this system uses prayer and the acknowledgment of the existence of a higher power as an integral part of the technique. Lomilomi - Hawaiian for rub rub - is described by teacher Aunty Margaret Machado as "the loving touch - a connection between heart, hand, and soul with the source of all life." Aunty Margaret was the first to teach lomilomi in a formal, classroom situation; previously the training was passed on within the family by Kahunas or shamans. Oils are used in the application of cross-fiber friction techniques. The practitioner often uses the forearm and elbow in the application of pressure.

Lymph Drainage:
This healing technique has become a popular massage choice. It blends soothing, gentle, rhythmical, precise massage-like movements to accelerate the flow of lymphatic fluid in the body. Deep Tissue Massage Deep Tissue Massage is used to release chronic muscle tension through slower strokes and more direct pressure or friction applied across the grain of the muscles. This invigorating experience is a process of detection of stiff or painful areas by determining the quality and texture of the deeper layers of musculature, and slowly working into the deep layers of muscle tissue. Specific hand positions and strokes are then used to respond to various tissue qualities. Techniques employing breath and movement are also used for releasing muscular congestion. Rolfing by Dr. Ida Rolf, aligns the major body segments through deep manipulation of the fascia or connective tissue.

Myofascial Release:
A three-dimensional application of sustained pressure and movement into the fascial system in order to eliminate fascial restrictions and facilitate the emergence of emotional patterns and belief systems that are no longer relevant or are impeding progress. First, an assessment is made by visually analyzing the human frame, followed by the palpation of the tissue texture of various fascial layers. Upon locating an area of fascial tension, gentle pressure is applied in the direction of the restriction. Myofascial release is an effective therapeutic approach in the relief of cervical pain, back pain, fibromyalgia, scoliosis, neurological dysfunction, restriction of motion, chronic pain, and headaches.

Prostate:
Massage or stimulation of the prostate gland, either for medical purposes or sexual enjoyment. The two terms are somewhat interchangeable, although "milking" is more commonly used in a context of erotic sexual denial and "massage" more in the medical context of relieving prostatitis, or in the sexual context of anal sex. The prostate is a part of male sexual response, and a key contributor to male orgasm. Located adjacent to the rectum, it can be stimulated manually through anal masturbation or through anal sex. Sexual fluids collected in the prostate are released during orgasm. In many males the prostate is highly sensitive to repeated touch, which can trigger orgasm. Prostate massage thus refers to any action which stimulates the gland. Prostate milking more usually refers to the specific sexual practice of relieving the buildup of seminal fluids within the prostate, and discharging them by means of massage without orgasm or ejaculation.

Reflexology:
The application of appropriate pressure to the leg and feet, by the hands of a trained practitioner, to bring about physiological and psychological changes in the body.

Reiki:
Buddhist in nature, reiki (pronounced "ray-key") is the combining of universal energy with individual energy to open pathways of healing. It teaches that disease is not separate from the body; it is the body out of balance. Rediscovered by Japanese Buddhist and Christian scholar of theology Mikao Usui around 1921, this energy healing method involves placing the hands on or just above the body in order to align chakras and bring healing energy to organs and glands. The practitioner, trained to access and serve as a channel for the life energy, uses a passive touch that some clients experience as a warmth or tingling. The hands remain in position for 3 to 5 minutes, alternately covering 10 to 12 positions over the body. Treatments work by dissolving or eliminating toxic energy and substances from many levels of one's being, whether it is physical, emotional, or mental. This works to strengthen the harmonic flow of energy within the body. The three levels of training in the initiation process of becoming a reiki master are referred to as attunement levels. Through this training, the practitioner reaches a level where she can access energy flow through the hands to heal herself and others.

Sacred Intimate:
A session involving nurturing touch and conversation performed by a sexual healer. Provides a safe environment for the client to gain a practical understanding of how to work with sexual energy. Sessions offers the client the ability to explore their sensuality, learn more about their bodies, experience pleasure more deeply, or healing from a wide variety of past or present sexual issues. Provides a safe playground to explore sexual expression and other related areas. This is done in an unconditionally accepting, non-judgmental environment that honors the client's expressions and desires, allowing him to explore and accept himself. This type of session is for someone seeking to explore a deeper and more intimate level of contact and interaction. It is an exploration of touch, sensation and awareness through intimate experience. For many clients, sessions offer a chance to explore intimacy and receive the nurturing and erotic pleasure that their current life circumstances may inhibit them from experiencing. For others, they may have a specific new experience they are wanting to explore. Some are wanting to reeducate the body around specific acts, such as overcoming fear of being penetrated. This session can also be used for erotic pleasure coaching to learn how to use techniques for deeper felt, heightened sensations of pleasure, greater control over orgasm, as well as increased connections of intimacy.

Sensual:
The term 'sensual massage' varies widely. The term does not describe a specific massage modality, but rather it describes the type of touch that a therapist uses during a modality such as a Swedish massage. A sensual massage offers soft, gentle, nurturing touch rather than a massage that is intended to 'work muscle'. A sensual massage usually involves lighter, flowing strokes rather than stokes that may be abrupt or deep in nature. A true sensual massage involves all the senses and is a form of communication of feelings and emotion through sight, sound, hearing, and touch. Sensual massage offers a way to relax and opens the awareness to self and ones surroundings. Although a therapist who offers sensual massage is very comfortable with the entire human body, a sensual massage usually does not involve genital touch and the therapist is usually clothed (for genital touch and/or a massage where the therapist is nude, see 'erotic massage'). Sensual massage often enhances each individual's ability to experience pleasure, and strengthens the relationship they have with their partner.

Shiatsu:
A system based on the body's energy meridians. Shiatsu massages are normally done fully clothed and involve pressing points on the body and stretching and opening of the energy meridians. Shiatsu is somewhat related to acupuncture, which is a form of anesthesia and therapy used in Chinese hospitals for surgery. Its proponents view it as a form of treatment alternative to medicine or surgery.

Spiritual Massage Healing:
A form of divinely inspired and divinely guided religious healing. It consists of prayer, love, anointing with oil, and movements derived from the laying-on of hands. It is the practice of one's religious faith and conscience, and it is a mode of worship. Without prayer, there is no spiritual massage healing. However, each practitioner does spiritual massage healing their own way, which may vary from one client to another.

Sports:
Used primarily for the serious athlete who trains continuously. It focuses on the muscles relevant to the particular athletic activity. It also an include pre-event, post-event and maintenance techniques that promote greater athletic endurance and performance, lessen chances of injury and reduce recovery time.

Swedish:
(a proper name, not a reference to Sweden) refers to a collection of techniques designed primarily to relax muscles by applying pressure to them against deeper muscles and bones, and rubbing in the same direction as the flow of blood returning to the heart. The lymph system and veins (which carry blood back to the heart) both rely on muscle action, rather than heart pump pressure, to operate. Many believe it is safe to apply light pressure in the opposite direction. Friction is reduced by oil, or lacking that baby powder. Some practitioners claim benefits from vegetable rather than mineral oil while others disagree. Swedish massage can relax muscles, increase circulation, remove metabolic waste products, help the recipient obtain a feeling of connectedness, a better awareness of their body and the way they use and position it. The strokes and manipulations of Swedish Massage are each conceived as having a specific therapeutic benefit. One of the primary goals of Swedish Massage is to speed venous return from the extremities. Swedish Massage shortens recovery time from muscular strain by flushing the tissue of lactic acid, uric acid and other metabolic wastes. It improves circulation without increasing heart load. It stretches the ligaments and tendons, keeping them supple. Swedish Massage also stimulates the skin and nervous system while at the same time relaxing the nerves themselves. As it can help reduce emotional and physical stress it is often recommended as part of a regular program for stress management. It also has specific clinical uses in a medical or remedial therapy.

Tandem:
A massage performed by two therapists on one client. Can be profoundly relaxing and deeply nurturing. Performed by two massage therapists working rhythmically together.

Tantra:
A massage session where both the practitioner and client experiences the practice of tantra (an ancient body of holistic study). The massage may put the client and practitioner in a trance, where physical boundaries dissolve, time disappears, worries and problems no longer seem important, or are forgotten altogether. Nothing escapes attention. Energy flow is stimulated and senses awakened as the body's sensitivity increases. According to Tantric ideals, the entire body is massaged, including those particularly sensitive areas such as the inner thigh, the crook of the knee, the back of the neck, etc. A client usually feels profoundly relaxed, yet wide awake with increased awareness of all senses. In this very loving ceremony, clients often feel completely nurtured and pampered in the arms of the practitioner, providing a feeling of comfort and a sense of well-being.

Thai:
The traditional massage of Thailand, has been practiced for at least 2,500 years. It came to Thailand along with Buddhism and was originally practiced by Buddhist monks in their temples. The work consists primarily of pressure on energy lines and points, and a large variety of stretching movements. The stretching movements of Thai massage often resemble passive yoga asanas. One receives all the benefits of Yoga without having to perform any of the work! These stretches affect the entire body by increasing flexibility, releasing both deep and superficial tension, and helping the body's natural energy to flow more freely.

Therapeutic Touch:
Developed through the collaboration of a nursing professor and a spiritual healer, Therapeutic Touch is based on ancient energy healing methods. Practitioners, primarily nurses, are trained to feel or sense energy imbalances in the client and to use "laying on" of hands to disperse blocks and channel healing forces to the client's body. The therapist uses a light touch or holds the hand above the body, with the client generally seated. Meditation is used by the therapist to center herself and strengthen her connection to the client's energy system. Therapeutic Touch has been applied in an assortment of medical situations, including the care of premature infants and emergency room patients. It is known to induce a state of relaxation within minutes. Therapeutic Touch is considered safe because of its gentle, noninvasive approach. Developers of this technique affirm that everyone has the potential to heal with Therapeutic Touch and may be taught the methodology in one day.

Trigger Point:
Pain-relief techniques to alleviate muscle spasms and cramping. The therapist locates and deactivates 'trigger points', which are often tender areas where muscles have been damaged or acquired a re-occurring spasm or 'kink' that worsens painfully when aggravated. The major goals are to reduce spasm inducing new blood flow into the affected area. The spasms are partly maintained by nervous system feedback (pain-spasm-pain) cycle. Spasms also physically reduce blood flow to the trigger point area (ischemia), reducing oxygen supplied to the tissues and increasing the spasm. Pressure is applied to trigger points, for a short time (between about 7 to 10 seconds per point), which can be momentarily painful but is greatly relieving. It is common to hit the same trigger points several times during a session, but you won't be leaning into a sore spot for several minutes. Often ice or another cooling agent is used to reduce nervous system response, making the area easier and more comfortable to work. Then the muscles are gently stretched to complete the relaxation process, hence the name 'spray and stretch'. Myotherapy aims to erase pain and soothe tightened muscles. People with acute or chronic muscle tension and the associated pain are likely to benefit greatly from this type of treatment. Polarity therapy is a holistic approach to natural health care. It asserts that energy fields exist everywhere in nature, and that the flow and balance of this energy in the human body is the underlying foundation of health. Stress, tension, pain, inflexible thinking, and environmental stimuli are among many factors that can contribute to the restriction of this energy flow in the human body. According to Polarity therapists, such energy blocks can be released by the use of four therapeutic methods: bodywork, diet, exercise and self-awareness. The founder of Polarity Therapy, Dr. Randolph Stone DO, DC, ND, emphasized the interdependence of body, emotions, mind and spirit. Polarity therapy includes gentle body manipulation and holding pressure points (poles) as well as counseling on developing positive thoughts and attitudes, understanding the principles of food combining and easy exercises to increase energy flow. Polarity is often used by care givers in conjunction with many other therapies.