While stone massage therapy, be it hot or cold, has only surfaced in recent years as a popular form of massage, its roots can be traced back to ancient civilizations. There are three main cultures that not only influenced the origins of stone massage therapy, but also influenced how this form of therapy has evolved in modern day. Hawaiians, the Native Americans, and Chinese all have histories of stone massage therapy in their culture.
One of the first ever formally documented uses of stones for healing and massage was found in the writings of Chinese medical practitioners. These ancient doctors used stones that were shaped and sharpened to treat disease. The effects of the healing powers of these stones were enhanced with various herbs that were rubbed on the stones.
Native Americans are also well known for their use of stones in their culture. Some of the first saunas can be traced back to the Native Americans, who firmly believed that the use of these heated stones was beneficial to everyone and not just those suffering from particular ailments. That being said, it was common for Native Americans to treat lower abdominal cramping with heated stones placed on the affected area.
While the Chinese and Native Americans used stones to treat ailments and promote better health, most would agree that it was the Hawaiians that played the most major role in promoting stone massage therapy as we know it today. Hahana Stone Massage, developed by the Hawaiians, is perhaps the earliest form of actual stone massage therapy. This form of therapy utilized hot stones wrapped in leaves that had certain therapeutic properties. These stones where then placed directly on sore muscles and were meant to help relieve inflammation and pain. The use of these stones was similar to how one might use a heating pack. If a practitioner wanted to ensure that the healing properties of these leaf-wrapped stones were more fully absorbed into the body, they had the patient lay directly on top of the stones for an extended period of time.
Hawaiians also had access to large numbers of volcanic stones, which they discovered worked great for exfoliation. These stones were massaged all over the body both for relaxation and the great skin benefits. Skin often looked healthier and was glowed more after a treatment, and of course; this ancient art is still practiced today.
Modern day massage has adopted several of these practices. Most spas not only offer extensive exfoliation treatments using ground up forms of pumice and volcanic stones but they also offer hot and cold stone massage therapy. While these forms of massage are different in both execution and practice, the basic concept of using stones to promote healing and relaxation remain the same. Modern massage therapists recognize what those in ancient civilizations first realized; that particular types and shapes of stones not only work well at effectively absorbing heat but also at promoting healing in a way that's more relaxing than just using the hands alone.
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