• Hands on upper sternum, slide down to stomach and open to sides
• Flat thumbs around ribcage to iliac crest
• Petrissage stomach
• Reach to back, pull from spine to navel
• Thumbs in navel, pull in 4 cardinal directions
• “Energy Massage” – palm circles above body, becoming wider as palms ascend
Neck/Face
• Hands on upper sternum (crossed)
• Finger friction out in 3 intercostals. Outline inferior clavicle, pivot over shoulders, come up neck.
• Linear hand friction – upper sternum to ear – turn neck a little to get each side
• Knuckles (“duck bill”) from acromion process to ear
• Thumb behind ear to brachial plexus, press, out over shoulder
• Lift head with one hand, do “hourglass” friction with the other (fingers, thumb on opposite sides of cervical vertebrae, start at C4 or so, expand up to occiput, contract to start position again, expand down to rhomboids, repeat)
• Fingers hold head up at occiput. Slide fingers in slowly and let head slide down to table.
• Side neck stretch
• Cheeks
• Chin
• Eyebrows
• Scalp friction, in groups of three
• “Star” hand to client’s face (hold hand up in air first)
• Starting at ankle, full arm effleurage leg all the way up. Inside arm around iliac crest (over, then under).
• Support leg with your knee/thigh
• Warm foot
• Fingers around malleoli, alternating, with foot moving back and forth
• Palm drains up anterior tibialis while other hand presses hard on quads
• Thumb (wrist straight) along tibia, fingers (flat) looped on other side of tibia. Fan open at knee.
• Petrissage the knee with both hands – one on each side (to just below patella)
• Pick up leg by skin just below knee and wiggle
• Bend knee (client’s heel to client’s buttocks) and sit on foot
• Fingers grab quads. Lean in and out rhythmically as you glide down leg.
• Effleurage medial and lateral thigh with palms of hands moving at same time up and down. Should rock leg.
• Pick up leg and stretch (frog leg). Lean on knee.
• Stretch leg, straight, to side of table. Push at heel, support at knee.
• Rotate hip, letting heel touch table each time, hand under heel. When knee inside just let leg slide drop. Immediately vibrate quad to foot.
• Seat hip: hand on foot, push straight up to acetabulum
Arm
• Forearm drains, thumbs together, one set on each side
• Thumb friction of palm
• Arm over face, go around head of humerus.
• Bend your knees, lift arm at elbow, hook arm at elbow, stretch over client’s head
• Undrape leg, while leaving arm’s side undraped too
• Starting at ankle, full arm effleurage leg all the way up. Inside arm around iliac crest (over, then under).
• Repeat above step, but just lower leg
• Repeat above step, but full leg
• One stroke up all the way and stretch arm
• Use body weight instead of force
• Use as much of arm as possible
• Do everything three times (unless noted otherwise)
• Do Back, then Front
• Do Left, then Right
• Cultivate grace: if it looks beautiful, it probably feels beautiful
Back
1. “Superstroke” like motion: three circles around heart, three around ribs, one around glutes (come back with forearms along sides), three brushes out over shoulders, one going down arms and up glutes as before.
2. Form T with both hands at sacrum, travel up over spine (vertebrae between index and middle finger), vibrating as you go.
3. Quick “flush” up side (up, shoulder to neck). On third go out to arm, wriggle wrist, and break popsicle.
4. Hand to face cradle
5. Elbow to armpit
6. Elbow to ribs
7. Elbow to glutes. On third pivot to head of table
8. Glutes to ribs
9. Glutes to armpit. On third sandwich arm and stretch.
10. Arm to table, and repeat for other side, starting with “flush”
Back of Leg
• Undrape leg, go to opposite side of table
• Place foot off side of table. Compress Glutes: place, lean, and drop with heel of hand in three places (sacrum, middle, external)
• Fist compression into thigh/calf, working down and up. Fists at angles
• Pull up inside of leg, go around, pull up outside of leg
• Wrap around trochanter three times
• Split hands, effleurage with one to shoulder, the other down to foot. Put two hands on sacrum and cover foot.
• Go to same side of table
• Effleurage full leg with open palm and forearms
• Pick up foot, drain calf (up tibia, down gastroc, and visa versa)
• With knee bent, flex foot and drain Achilles
• Effleurage foot to knee
• Effleurage foot to glute (one hand up hams, one up ITB), after third compress ischial tuberosity with one hand and area above trochanter with the other
• Effleurage from foot up to top of fingers, back down arm, pivot when going up at ribs, pivot at knee when going down.
• Forearm effleurage plantar surface of foot (hand up, leg up – hand down, leg down)
• Foot compression/rock
In daily life our problems are stored in the body’s memory bank, deep in the physical structure. This tenses the body. The release has to be dealt with, and herein lies the secret of the practitioner: how to help the client resolve that which is released – be it termed as toxins in the cellular structure or the stored emotional aspect. Elevating the person to a better understanding of themselves and of their experiences is the determining factor in Lomi Lomi.
The person is free to talk openly and discuss in a confidential environment. Sometimes the person will talk at the start of a session; others may talk of how their life has changed over the course of several sessions. There is then a counselling aspect to Lomi Lomi. This is not sought by the practitioner, but may be a welcomed opportunity by the client. The practitioner has, through life experiences, the ability to pinpoint the real point of stress or issue, at that particular moment.
One cannot say the various techniques evolved by the Kahunas are better than others. The Way is different for everyone and people will be drawn to whatever suits them for the resolution of the conditions at that moment in time.
The secret of the Lomi Lomi massage technique lies with the practitioner. It is embodied in the way of the Kahunas. It is not something one can just learn and do, as in the Swedish massage technique – the strokes, the pattern etc; or in remedial massage, by working on specific muscle groups. It is a culmination of life processes in understanding – an understanding through their own work, experiences and through meditation. Most practitioners evolve from working with other therapeutic practices to learn Lomi Lomi. From this basis the Kahuna teachings afford greater insights into the nature of life and are therefore able to relate more effectively to the client. This is the gift of healing.
The path of the healer is one who dedicates life to the helping of others to attain health and well-being. The healer too is on a journey of greater self-awareness and discovery and is often filled with a desire that can lead to travels around the world in search for the tool and the secrets of healh and the philosophy that is part of this. This path may lead to many people and places throughout the world – be it India, Tibet, China, the Middle East – some exotic, some seemingly more down-to-earth. The island of Kauai in the Hawaiian group is one such place, a powerful energy node on the Earth’s meridians.
It is on the island of Kauai that this traditional wisdom flourished with the elders and keepers of the Huna (Kahunas), wise spiritual teachers, who were the holders of the esoteric knowledge of ancient Hawaii. The quality of the teaching of the Kahuna is such that they are recognized for their holistic understanding of life in that the spiritual, emotional, mental and physical aspects are not separate but one. The Kahunas teach that healing is the integration of the four aspects. This is the underlying concept of many of the holistic healing modalities now making a greater presence in the West.
Serendipity is the word used to describe why one comes to learn the art of Lomi Lomi massage. Most practitioners are qualified in other fields of therapy, which include other soft tissue or structural work. The place to learn it is in Hawaii and all who come to learn are drawn to the amazing energy of the islands – unique and mystical. It is an experience that words cannot express. The teachings of the technique of the Kahunas are part of a very intensive course, which can only be built upon from the integrity of past experience. The practitioner has arrived in the practice of a superior healing modality.
The Kahunas were wise men – they have worked on themselves. The intent or consciousness of the practitioner of Lomi Lomi is the key element in the practice of this healing technique. One does not learn this from school, but is part of the life process through experience. Life’s resistance, the challenges and obstacles, makes us look inwards, and the Lomi Lomi practitioner has achieved a semblance of mastery. This enables greater and more sensitive use of the consciousness aspect of the massage and strong centred energy flowing hot from the hands.
Whilst the technique is an important part of the massage and associated healing, the work is done with unconditional love. The focus of the practitioner is deep and complete. Feeling love and compassion for the client, rather than treating her/him as an object to be ‘fixed’, allows for harmony to be created within the body. This incorporates two of the main principles of Huna – everything seeks harmony and everything seeks love.
These master healers of Hawaii knew there were special ways to release and unblock the powers of the body so that physical, mental, emotional and spiritual healing could take place effectively. The Hawaiians see life in terms of energy flow. Following this premise, an idea or belief can block energy flow. Using body and energy work helps release the blockages, while at the same time gives energy new direction and sets new patterns. This results in mental clarity and physical release, thereby allowing powerful healing in yourself and your life. This creates a new level of harmony and facilitates healing on many levels, levels one may not be aware of at the time.
Flowing with total energy, combined with a very loving touch, relaxes the entire being. Using one of the principles of Huna-Makia, which states that energy flows where attention goes; the focus is totally on the client. This initiates a ‘letting go of old belief patterns and behaviours that are not appropriate and cause limitations’.
Lomi Lomi is a deep and rhythmical massage. The rhythm is very relaxing; like rocking a baby in a cradle. It works gently but deeply into the muscles using continuous flowing strokes totally nurturing the body. The practitioner uses the forearm, fingers, heel and palm of the hand in flowing movements over the body that bring fresh oxygen to every cell.
It differs from other forms of massage in many ways. It is an experience that overwhelms the mind with sensations and at the same time communicates an acceptance and a nurturing of the inner self. Most massage techniques work on only one level, usually the physical such as in remedial massage. Massage is often used in stress management but not necessarily addressing or transcending the cause of the stress. Lomi Lomi changes the way you think, feel, move and breathe.
On a physical level
The lymphatics, immune, circulatory, respiratory, muscular and digestive systems are treated to promote health.
On a mental and emotional level
The nervous system and the senses of awareness are tuned. The use of Frankincense essential oil may be used. This has an uplifting quality on the emotional level. It offers a bridge between mind and body and can be effective for depression and similar mental states.
The body work may also release past life memory, stress and trauma locked away in the subconscious mind.
On a spiritual level
Harmony is achieved between the body, mind and soul through energy activated in the body. The body’s subtle energy channels – the chakras, nadis and meridians – are used to effect the harmony.
This healing system is derived from the ancient Polynesian methods of restoring balance to the body, mind and soul (Huna). Through this treatment of the physical body, powerful healing is able to take place more quickly and completely on the physical, psychological and spiritual levels.
The body work has a beautiful way of: bringing the joy of life to your body; bringing a feeling of peace to your mind; and bringing a sense of wonder to your soul. It also releases memories and allows change physically, mentally and spiritually, bringing them into balance and harmony.
Preparation
Before the massage begins, stone therapy is used to relax the client completely. This therapy (often used on its own) has a long history in Hawaiian healing. Special stones (those that retain heat) are warmed and gently placed at specific points along the spine for five minutes or so. This gentle warmth permeates the whole body and is deeply relaxing, dissolving stress through its application on the major junctions of the nervous system.
Most therapists come to Lomi Lomi after years of doing other types of massage and bodywork. One can expect months of training and years of practice to truly master the technique. This is due to the mental and emotional clarity and physical stamina required of the practitioner. Many massage traditions teach that the therapist must continually shield him or herself from negativity that may be coming from the client, but Lomi Lomi teaches the opposite. The client is considered to be the vulnerable one, open to and receiving the therapist’s energy, positive or negative. Lomi Lomi practitioners must learn to control their thoughts and trust in their higher selves in order to direct positive healing energy to clients. Dedicated practitioners know that this is a constant process of self-awareness and prayer.
Some months ago a new client, who for years had concerns about her size, was in tears at the end of the massage. She told me that it was the first time in her life she had ever felt safe & beautiful. Why do I do what I do? Thats why.
The old ways of the Hawaiian ancestors are being absorbed into a technological world; however, the original intention of aloha remains. A Lomi Lomi session is a respite from the outside world. My passion with Hawaiian healing and wisdom continues to grow and expand, and so do my regular sojourns to my island home to reconnect with the energy that feeds my soul. My desire is to spread the Aloha Spirit and bring as much of the energy and wisdom back to create a little piece of paradise here.
If something has occurred which interferes with the therapist’s ability to control their thoughts, then ho oponopono is practiced. Ho oponopono is a prayer of forgiveness and of making things right. It must be done if we have harmed another person or ourselves in thought, word or deed. Ho ponopono “is a spiritual practice of making things right with yourself and all others before God. One who truly practices ho’oponopono is one who takes a daily inventory of his or her thoughts. This practice is frequently performed at sundown as a way to end the day with a right heart. Any intent to harm, any conscious or unconscious attitudes of malice, jealousy, or hatred must be rooted out and replaced with aloha. Aloha is recognizing the divine nature in every living thing.”
Ho’opnopono is a Spiritual practice which was nearly lost in the last few generations. It is a precisely structured traditional family health maintenance procedure in which discordant family conflicts and problems are resolved through pule, discussion, confession, repentance, and mutual restitution, forgiveness, release and severance. Its overall goal is to “set things right”, to correct and restore pono among family members.
