Try these head Massages

I still remember, in my body, how it felt when I had my first Indian Head Massage. It was simply divine. I both sank into and lifted from my physical being. That was more than twenty years ago. She was the only one in Bermuda who offered it. I would look for it whenever I travelled, and when I moved to Singapore.

Beneath our scalp is a structure that runs from the occipital area at the back of our head to our brows. You’ll probably know also that tension in the neck is felt all over the body and head. According to Chinese medicine, yang meridians converge in the head. These meridians include some that go all the way to the foot. “The six yang meridians of the hand and foot all reach the head and face to connect with the five sense organs. That is why it is said ‘the head is the convergence of all yang meridians.’ All the six yin meridians run deep in the head and neck to connect with the throat, tongue, and eyes.” (TCM Window) Both the Bladder and Stomach meridians go to our toes, moving through different parts of the body along the way.

Indian Head Massage

Traditional Indian Head Massage is called champi. Based on Ayurvedic principles, it is a whole body practice that works on important pressure points in the head to bring balance, support hair health, release tension, and improve circulation. Through different types of techniques that include kneading and tapping, the receiver can enjoy a shift in how they feel and think.

Aside from being a self-care ritual, champi is also a family ritual for grandmothers, mothers, and children. Giving family members head massages supports emotional connection through positive touch.

The most common way to receive an Indian Head Massage is while seated in a chair and fully clothed. This is how my sessions have mostly been done. I’ve also had Indian Head Massages with and without oil. The first time – that golden standard for me – was with oil. My session was also much longer, including time for me to come back to my body to drive home. Once home, I went straight to bed.

You can also give yourself one, with or without oil. Traditionally, the oils are infused with herbs such as like amla. Some oils to consider – coconut, sesame, jojoba, and almond. I’ve tried all these and it depends on how I feel, what I have at home.

• Gently warm the oil by placing the container in a bowl or pot of hot water.
• Apply the oil onto the scalp and massage it into the whole head.
• Using different strokes, such as circular ones, massage the base of the head, back of the head, temples, and behind/around the ears.
• Leave the oil in for at least half an hour or use a cap to keep it in overnight.

Head Massage on Yourself

Whether I’m using my fingers, palms, or gua sha tool, self-massage to move the scalp is amazing. We hold a lot of tension here and just in our head, where a lot of energy can get locked up. I’ve also found that with my hair being very long, and the consequent weight, paying more attention to my hair and scalp is important.

I like to start my own head massage with the neck by massaging both sides, kneading any tension from the middle to the outside. Slow circles to loosen my neck muscles and massaging the tops of my shoulders also help. Then I massage the scalp, following my own flow and staying longer where more attention is called for. I also shift areas of my scalp by holding strands of my hair and gently lifting and pulling sideways. Taking time with the ears is relaxing and invigorating and addresses the whole body. The ear is the body map.

After learning dien chan, I started giving myself a facial and head massage to start my mornings.

Self-massage is also something I grew up with. My mom does this all the time and she has all these different stone and wood tools. It seems like every time I see her, she has a new tool for me. A comb, a stick, different shaped tools of different materials…It’s preference as some hold heat or coolness better. Some shapes also make it easier to assert the type of pressure you like. Or to focus on specific areas. I like using them on different parts of the body, especially when more pressure is necessary.

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Gua Sha

I got into facial gua sha in 2020, like many people. It was the same time I discovered dien chan. I started with a session in Victoria, Canada, and then an online workshop. Gua sha, however, was not new to me. I was more familiar with body gua sha. My mom uses a porcelain spoon to scrape our backs when we start to feel under the weather. While visiting China with her and after, receiving body gua sha was a common practice. That, and cupping.

The difference between body and facial gua sha is that the second is much gentler, for obvious reasons. Body gua sha results in much more redness, again, like cupping. A sign of internal heat.

While I love all the different materials for a gua sha tool, you can simply use a porcelain spoon.

If you do love tools – I do! – here are some gorgeous rose gold and gold stainless steel gua sha tools to check out.

The simplest way to do gua sha on the head for a massage is to start at the midline (top of the head) and scrap towards the back of the head. Some areas may be more sensitive, especially if you have a headache or feeling under the weather. Use gentler strokes and work until the energy dissipates.

Tapping the Cortices

I was just sharing this with someone the other day. It’s so easy to do and so powerful. This BodyTalk practice reconnects the hemispheres.

• place one hand on the back of your head and with the other hand, gently tap the top of your head with your fingers and then the centre of your heart area. Do this while taking two deep breaths.
• next move your hand up the back of your head and again tap while taking two deep breaths
• continue up the back of your head, to the top of your head, and then to just above your eyebrows and tap the top of your head and then your heart area each time. The key is to cover your entire head, so make sure when you move your hand that you aren’t leaving a gap from where you covered your head last. So, you’re moving up one handwidth at a time.
• place your hands on the sides of your head, then use one hand to tap the top of the head and your heart area.
• place your hands on the side of your head and then use the other hand to do the same.

I love head massages because they shift and move energy. Blockages can be a result of many reasons, from overthinking, inability to process stress, and shock. If you’re reading this because of a headache, look into cell salts, flower essences, and homeopathics. There can be many underlying reasons and we can also discover them through your Human Design Map and a Jin Shin Jyutsu session. Contact me for more information.

Whether it is a traditional Indian Head Massage from a practitioner, self-massage, gua sha, or tapping the cortices, there are many ways we can release the pressure and the stagnation in our energetic, physical, and emotional bodies.