What is an “intuitive hot stone massage” and how does it help ‘create flow’ in life and in business?

Yesterday I had the divine pleasure of receiving my very first ‘hot stone massage’ and aside from being a bit apprehensive about lying naked {facedown} on a table I was amazed at how much it helped shift the clutter that was going on inside my head.

For those of you who have had a hot stone massage (or a massage) before –you probably know how it feels to let your body melt and surrender the tension you are unknowingly carrying in several areas. Outside of a couple deep-tissue massages I’d had after a car accident (many, many years ago) and the fumbly, sexually-charged massages would-be partners have given over the years… I’ve never actually had a “real massage”.

What a blessing this one was, as it was gifted to me by a very dear friend and also happened to be an “intuitive hot stone massage”… which might you thinking “what is that?”

What is an “intuitive” hot stone massage?

An intuitive hot stone massage is where you let the practitioner work not just on your physical body, but on your energetic, mental and emotional body as well. It is a trifecta of oils, hot stones and scents guided by the intuitive touch of the practitioner… it helps you recognize and release pent up energy that has physically manifested itself into tension in your body.

In my case I arrived at the session with a fair bit of “excess mental energy” –though when asked at the beginning of the session how I was feeling, I relayed “pretty good, normal?” and laughed unsure how to answer the question. I am normally pretty tuned in to my emotions, thoughts and the way my body responds to them… but on the other side of that is a tendency to ‘brush things off’ and let them come up again and again until they demand more of my attention (rather than risk getting neurotic or fixated on something, as I sometimes witness in others).

My body responds by getting tense and carrying energy in areas like the heart, the shoulders and as of right before this massage… my head.

I wouldn’t have known it walking in, but I needed to talk about some things. Which is funny, because as the practitioner began to walk me through what the process was going to be like she asked “would you like it to be a quiet massage, or would you like to talk?” –I smiled and said that I was comfortable with silence, that I was going to more or less ‘check out’ and let her work her magic.

What can you expect?

I had no idea what to expect to be honest with you.

Prior to leaving my house that morning I texted the practitioner and asked “do I need to be naked for this? Or do I wear clothes the hot stones can go on top of?” –the only reference I’d ever been given {about what a hot stone massage was} was seeing a picture of a woman’s naked back with these beautifully laid stones canvassed across her. It seemed like one of those “movie-like spa treatments” that women who get ‘mud baths’ and ‘cucumbers on their eyes’ have done… it’s not something I was raised to ‘indulge’ in so I only had an outside point of view of what a massage might be like “for the sake of relaxing”.

When I arrived the room was set with a lovely glow of soft lights and lightly scented aromas –the practitioner had asked me ahead of time if I was sensitive to smells (which I am) and had chosen some ‘toned down’ essentials oils for my massage– which was really nice. The entire feel of the experience was as though you had someone who just genuinely cared about you “create time and space” to help you unwind –and just let you ‘be you’.

I was given a few minutes to disrobe (get undressed) and lay facedown on the table, with a soft fuzzy blanket to lay on top of you while the practitioner re-entered. My face lay scrunched inside that little hole at the top of the table, which made me laugh a little… and for a bit I wasn’t sure where to put my arms. She guided me through how to get comfortable and gave me options for where to rest my arms, and whether or not I’d like to set an intention for the session.

Hmmm. “Set an intention, eh?”

What makes it “intuitive”

Aside from the very luxurious feeling of having warm oils spread over your body at these really wonderful pressure points (applied with the use of a literal hot stone) –the massage itself is “intuitive” in nature because the practitioner is able to ‘feel you out’ and guide the energy of the session in the direction that they feel your body/mind/soul need it.

In my case, my practitioner was an energy intuitive, which means she is able to pick up on thoughts, feelings and “awarenesses” that can sometimes open us up to ‘more information’ she calls it. The beautiful part of about having someone ‘hold space’ and ‘guide your energy’ for you is that they will intuitively know when to let you be still/quiet (so you can work through things yourself) and when to speak so they can help you gain an awareness of things that are ‘coming through for them on your behalf’.

This level of intuition can be compared to the intuitive nudges you might feel as a parent or partner; the ‘knowingness’ that something is up or needs to be talked about in a sensitive manner… for those of you who subscribe to psychic, mediumship or ‘bigger than life forces at play’ you could call it ‘tapping into Life Force’ or ‘Source’. Whatever you want to call it is inconsequential; it’s felt as compassion and heightened awareness when you’re in the midst of a hot stone massage…

Your practitioner will ‘intuitively’ know how to work certain areas of the body based on the physical tension they feel there and the ‘feedback’ they are getting (whether that’s noticing how your breathing changes, or if you start talking out loud when given a prompt about an area of tension).

For athletes this might be likened to discussing how you got your injury while working with a physiotherapist –for “highly sensitive people” (empaths) a hot stone massage will likely bring up how you feel about certain areas of your body carrying tension, and what messages that tension is trying to tell you about your state of affairs.

Your body carries stories…

In my case, my body was carrying stories in my ankles (‘moving forward’) and shoulders/neck (‘responsibilities’). These stories came through when I asked about the tensions she was picking up. I felt “removed” from my own body… I knew there were things that were tight/tense but I couldn’t put my finger on any one thing that was really bothering me to be able to “release it” the way it seemed my body was asking me to.

That’s what was unique about this massage…

I’m not sure my chiropractor or physiotherapist would’ve been able to identify the emotional and mental connection between my recent lifestyle, relationship and career shifts and the knots in my shoulders. It’s not like she popped a couple knots and I suddenly started sharing the story of my life… but it’s funny that as she moved her way up to my shoulders, my mind began to swirl new kinds of questions that hadn’t been there before. I’m normally a pretty private person, I prefer to write (privately) when it comes time to ‘work through things’ that are bothering me… so I was a bit amazed when I started to open up and discuss the things that were floating around my head.

My own experience…

The first half of my session had been me lying quietly, feeling the feelings of having someone literally push and pull on parts of my body that felt foreign and calming. The stones I’d envisioned ‘lying stationary on my back’ were actually being used to transfer the oil and heat over all areas of my body. It felt like a little hot ‘rolling pin’ (the kind you use for baking) being grazed over all these little touch points… and it really did help me melt away from my head, back into my body.

The second half of my session (a focus on my upper body) was, surprisingly, me talking out loud about the things that (it turns out) were really bothering me. The thoughts I’d dismissed as ‘swimming around in my head’ and the frustrations I’d been feeling about something at work was actually just “information” about where my body was telling me I was carrying a lot of tension. As I released (the thoughts, the feelings and the ‘awarenesses’ that had been coming up lately) –I felt a weight I didn’t even know was in my chest subside. I was able to breath clearer. I was able to think clearer.

Partway through the latter session I noticed I was holding my head in a ‘tension headache’ kind of pose (I was now flipped over, on my back, and she was rubbing oils on the front of my body; legs and arms) –I noticed myself kind of being a bit ‘neurotic’ (it felt like) and relaying this whirlwind of information that kept coming up again and again. The ‘information’ that was coming up in my case had been coming up for a week, and honestly even a year in some cases… and I kept looking at that information with a sense of self-judgement. I kept looking at it and forming conclusions about what it meant about me, and how it basically meant I wasn’t trying hard enough (to apply myself or figure it out). That “information” wasn’t finding release, it just kept swimming there, telling me stories about myself that honestly didn’t feel good… so when I dismissed it (in an effort to be kind to myself) or when I tried to work through it (which created more tension in my body) I just kept ending back at “square one”. It felt frustrating to be honest.

If you are feeling ongoing frustration, or a sense of ‘banging your head against a wall’ in a certain area… an intuitive hot stone massage might be for you.

How does it help create flow?

While no one can ever guarantee that they can “solve your problems for you” (thanks for showing up to help though therapists, friends and advisors) –one often unspoken ‘tool’ is the gift of someone who can help move you into FLOW.

I could write an entire series on the power of “flow” –it’s something I’ve been studying from the standpoint of neuroscience, sports/creative psychology and business for the last six years or so. I’ve learned how to harness more and more of the the ‘bio-mechanisms’ that help lead my clients (and myself) into states of ‘total flow’ –literally a place where your and body’s rhythmic systems (like brain wave, nervous system, heartbeat, etc.) start to optimize and perform at their peak; which in turn, helps you to create and execute ideas from a state of “no resistance”. It’s a phenomenal practice once you understand the foundations, and can have an incredible impact in all areas of your life. I’ll have to tell you more about this later, because it’s honestly a game-changer if you’ve never worked with it (or feel free to book a Discovery Session with me so I can show you how to apply it in your business or brand).

–In all my years of studying flow I’m surprised I overlooked the power of a massage (and an intuitive massage nonetheless) to help move me, and others, back into flow.

The very premise of “flow” is that “things are moving” –when things stop flowing, we can’t move forward as easily. We start to feel stuck, slow or difficult. Many of us experience this in our jobs, relationships and areas of our life where we feel dissatisfied –and you should! Life is all about growth, movement and learning how to “move with the ebb and flow”. Nothing ever stays the same, and it is our ability to ‘let go’ and ‘go with the flow’ that brings us to the next best chapters of our lives.

What this session did for me was CREATE FLOW where there was none. I was stuck in my head and despite working out quite regularly, practicing breathing and other ‘energy moving techniques’ –I hadn’t given myself an external outlet to be able to offer guidance and reverb back. This massage opened things up for me in a way that I’d previously been quite hard on myself about. I had been approaching ‘the problem’ with a “try harder” mentality (which manifested as tension in my body) when in reality my body needed “gentleness” –a way to release the conclusions I’d formed about myself with that “try harder” energy. It opened me back up to my flow; and for that I am incredibly grateful (thank-you Christine).

–I didn’t cry during the massage, but I suppose it left me with the feeling a good cry might leave someone with… just a feeling of having moved the things we didn’t really understand out of our system so we could think clearer and feel better. How you quantify that is up to you; the way your body feels it is unmistakable.

Is an intuitive hot stone massage for you?

If you are someone who sometimes has a hard time expressing their feelings, talking through their problems or feels like it’s kind “you figuring everything out” (about your life, business or relationships) then yes, a hot stone massage is probably a great outlet for you.

In speaking with the practitioner, Christine Bizier the “Bliss Architect” and owner of “Serenity Soul Spa” (based out of Ottawa, ON) –she mentions that it’s especially valuable for other female entrepreneurs like me, who come to her ‘just needing some body work done’ to help get them out of their head. “Some of them need quiet sessions, where they’re body does the talking and others will fill the session with questions and receive intuitive nudges or answers to things that have been weighing on them for a while –intuitively, your body will tell us what you need” she says kindly.

Her sessions are approximately 1.5hrs long and include an Oracle, Angel or Tarot card reading at the end (3 cards pulled to help give you more information about themes that are coming up). The hot stone feels *incredible* on your body, even if you are the super sensitive type like I am. As trained masseuse she (and other practitioners like her) will know what level of pressure you and your body are comfortable with, helping to make this experience one that leaves you feeling truly cared for and “back in flow” with the magic of your life.

When do you know it’s time for a massage?

If you are experiencing feelings of frustration, stagnancy, overwhelm or even heartache… ‘body work’ and intuitive hot-stone massages are a powerful way to help you shift energy in ways our heads and hearts can’t always do by ourselves. Give yourself permission to overcome the feelings of apprehension, insecurities or “oh, that’s not for people like me”. I didn’t think I was a ‘massage person’ either…but it turns out that kind of limiting thinking was keeping me from actually feeling like myself again –which is calm, loving and kind when I’m not encumbered by tense feelings of ‘not being good enough yet’.

What stories are swimming around your head that are making you feel anything less than wonderful right now? Are you curious what stories your body is telling you under all that tension, pain and discomfort?

Let this be your ‘intuitive nudge’ to consider trying something new, and booking an intuitive hot stone massage to see what kind of flow is waiting to open up for you…

If you or someone you know offers these kinds of intuitive, emotional or body-based services encourage them to sign-up and list their services for free in The Healers Directory so they can be found by people like me, who need new ways of releasing old hurts and finding their flow again.