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What Is Lomi Lomi Massage Anyways?
It’s difficult to explain just what lomi lomi massage is. Why? Because unlike most other massage techniques, lomi lomi is much more than just muscle work. Here’s what I think about lomi lomi:
Lomi lomi is a combination of both physical and spiritual work.
In that sense it’s so much more than massage. Below is a video from Sundae Thomas at Expert Village that does a great job explaining lomi lomi (all credit to Expert Village).
To summarize, lomi lomi is:
- A massage that’s widely practiced in Hawaii, and now the rest of the world.
- A practice that has been around for ages.
- Not just muscle work, but also work of the mind and spirit.
- A technique that has evolved over the years. Lomi lomi today is not quite the same as it was hundreds of years ago.
- Not restricted to one technique or way. Each practitioner is not the same and may therefore do things differently.
Hopefully you now see why it’s so hard to describe lomi lomi. If you want to read more about the history of lomi lomi, Wikipedia has some pretty useful stuff here.
What Does A Lomi Lomi Massage Look Like?
Since it’s difficult to describe in words, let’s look at an actual example of lomi lomi massage. Below is a video from Kumu Karen Carroll showing how it’s done (all credit to Madre Productions Hawaii). I highly encourage you to check it out!
Here’s what I learnt from the video:
- The importance of prayer in lomi lomi. Did you notice how the practitioner always starts with a prayer?
- The importance of breathing not just for the patient, but also the practitioner.
- All the different strokes and movements involved. It’s interesting how each one has its own significance and importance.
I’m not a massage therapist, so I can’t tell you how different lomi lomi is from other techniques, but what I can tell you is the difference in feeling. Lomi lomi is deeper and therefore more intense than other massage techniques.
And it’s not limited to just muscular healing. There’s a lot of emphasis on spiritual healing also (probably my favorite thing about it!).
4 Benefits Of Lomi Lomi Hawaiian Massage Therapy!
At this point you should have a basic understanding of lomi lomi, and how it’s typically done. Now let’s look at some of the benefits that make this therapy a favorite for massage lovers!
#1 All The Benefits Of A Traditional Deep Tissue Massage
Typical lomi lomi technique consists of long, deep strokes, thereby making it similar to a deep tissue massage. As such, you experience all of the benefits of deep tissue work.
These include pain alleviation, increased mobility, and stress reduction to name a few.
There are obviously many more benefits, but I won’t list or discuss them here. Here’s an article from Dr Axe that talks about 7 deep tissue massage benefits. Definitely worth a read!
#2 And Then Some!
In #1 we said lomi lomi gives you all the awesome benefits of deep tissue massage, but if done properly it can be even better!
One of the main reasons for this is breathing.
In lomi lomi, there’s a strong emphasis placed on breathing, and we know that with proper breathing, massage is much much more effective. Not only is it more effective, it also puts the patient in a calmer, more relaxed stated of mind.
Here’s an article titled “The Power Of Deep Breathing” from the Canadian College Of Massage & Hydrotherapy. It’s a short read, so make sure you check it out!
#3 It Clears Your Mind & Emotions
This is where lomi lomi really differentiates itself from traditional methods. Everything from the prayers, chanting, and humming have a way of reducing stress and anxiety, and promoting overall mental well being.
Yes I know it sounds a little far fetched and over the top, but you’d have to experience lomi lomi if you want to truly understand what I mean.
It’s important to have an open mind, not just during the massage, but also before and after.
This is key if you want to reap maximum benefits!
#4 It’s Fun & Exciting!
If you’re looking to take your massage adventures up one level, you should seriously consider trying out lomi lomi!
The best part about it is the experience is very unlikely to be the same the second time round, and that’s because every therapist has his/her own way of doing things. To me this is pretty interesting and cool!
In my opinion, lomi lomi is an experience everyone should try out at least once in their lives!
Anything I Should Be Concerned About Before Doing Lomi Lomi?
As is the case with any massage, it’s always a good idea to discuss with your doctor before you start.
Also, there are times when you shouldn’t get a massage altogether. Here’s a post I recently wrote that you may wanna check out.
You should always try to cultivate an open relationship with your therapist.
What do I mean by this? I mean if you suffer from a certain illness or condition, be sure to disclose this to your therapist.
You need to realize that your therapist’s sole objective is to provide you with the necessary care and comfort to help you heal. In order for this to happen, there needs to be a transparent relationship.
Now Your Turn!
Did you find this post useful? If you did, please consider sharing on the socials. But before you go, let me know in the comments:
- What are your favorite benefits of lomi lomi Hawaiian massage?
- What topics would you like me to focus on for future posts on this site?
Enjoy what’s left of your weekend and i’ll see you in the next one!
