This article is written by Claire French, one of our regional tutors. Based out of beautiful Lancashire, she runs Claire’s Holistics, a mobile therapy service specialising in Swedish, Ayurvedic, Indian Head and Pregnancy Massage.
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Surely I‘m not the only one who gets a little squiffy when the hairdresser goes to town with all that preparatory shampooing, scalp rubbing, washing, rinsing, and combing? For me, it’s the best bit about a visit to the salon. But why does it feel so good?
Touching our heads is instinctive. From an early age, we’ve become practiced at smoothing the temples, applying pressure to the forehead, supporting the chin, or simply holding our heads in our hands in despair. Look around on your next commute, what are people on the train or at the traffic lights doing after a long day at work? We naturally know which areas to work on when we feel bad, hungover, stressed, headachey, tired, confused, or anxious. Feels better already, right?
Now imagine you’re relaxing in a softly lit room, soothing music playing, maybe some aromatherapy oils diffusing. A trained therapist is focusing fully on you. A variety of techniques – rhythmic tapping, pulling, chopping, massaging – are all used to stimulate the scalp, nourish hair follicles, and work the skin, facial muscles, ears, eyes, and neck. Throw in a bit of breathwork and the powerful intention to send negativity packing and you’re on your way to paradise.
You may also come across the beautiful if somewhat archaic term for this kind of headwork, champissage. It comes from the Hindi ‘champi’, which has also given us the word shampoo. Nowadays, in an Ayurvedic spa, you’re more likely to see the Sanskrit, ‘shiro abhyanga’ or just simply head massage. Indians have a good laugh finding out it’s named for them. Why? Because it is the most natural thing in the world, and it’s common to find three generations sitting in a line, each massaging the head of the next. Okay, if you want to get technical, there are marma points around the face, neck and head that are stimulated. These have been recognised through thousands of years of Hindu medical history for their contribution to energetic healing. Coconut, sesame, or Ayurvedic medicated oil flows freely, applied to the hair daily. It’s not a big deal or something you need to book in for, it’s just a natural practice.
So apart from feeling great and giving you luscious-looking hair, what are the benefits? Clients have fed back that they feel clearer, headache-free, less congested, more emotionally sound, more relaxed, and are sleeping better. One lady said, ‘I feel like my deepest thoughts and fears are being dug into, and then pulled out’. Another claimed, ‘when I am getting a body massage, musings are still going on and on, but during head treatment, I find it impossible to think about anything, for me it is the ultimate meditation’. Yes, it is powerful stuff.
I still find every day, that is an absolute privilege to be allowed to hold someone’s head. It is the precious roost of their thoughts, their inspiration, of their very life. The face is their window to the world, the opening through which they show their personality, their emotions, their anxiety, and their joy. I do not take this responsibility lightly. I treat each client how I would want someone to hold me, with care, with delicacy, but with a firmness and confidence that offers the pressure needed for release. For those who have never experienced Indian Head Massage, it can be a really special experience. Some might be reluctant at first, but with time, find it an essential part of their regular massage treatment.
Keen to learn more? Natural Touch Training offers an excellent, fully accredited one-day course in Indian Head Massage. There are no pre-requisites but pre-reading is recommended prior to the event, and an assessment needs to be passed before certification. Venues across the UK. Find out more here. Let this course open the world of Indian Head Massage to you, but we draw the line at hair cutting, for that, you’ll still need to make that wonderful, well-deserved trip to the salon.