Indian Head Massage

Massages can be given basically to aid the process of injury healing, manage pain, psychological stress and improve body circulation. Indian Head Massage is an ancient technique that Ayurvedic healers have been using for thousands of years. This technique is formally called as Champissage (champi is an Indian word for head) based on medicinal principles, specifically those surrounding flow of energy.

The Following are the simple steps to do Indian head massage

1. The Indian head massage should be done in a quite place only, a place with out any distractions.
2. The Person who is to do head massage has to inform the recipient about what he will be doing and tell them to notify you of any discomfort or pain.
3. The massage trainer has to stand behind the recipient, placing his hands lightly on the shoulders as you both take several deep breaths.
4. Then Squeeze the trapezius muscle gently and slowly with almost care.
5. Start close to the neck and gradually work your way outward to the shoulder. Repeat the process for few minutes until pressure increase a bit and then bring your hands back up next to neck with the thumbs extended and make small circles with the thumbs on either side of the backbone just below the collar line quite gradually.
6. Indian head massages have certain different attitude and passion so step by step you can feel the changes effectively. You have to place your forearms at the sides of the neck and roll those outwards toward the shoulder by rotating gradually at the wrists. Repeat the process by bringing forearms to center two-three times.
7. The trainer has to place one hand at the base of our recipient’s neck, and his front hand lightly on our recipient’s fore head. With the back hand, spread the thumb from the fingers and begin to glide your hand up the back of the neck, with out putting direct pressure. We have to do the steps gradually until we reach the hair line, once you reach the hair line, remain for quite some time for creating internal pressure.
8. After that slowly allow the head to tilt forward with out effort. Then gently lift the head back to vertical and continue backwards and make each steps carefully and repeat this 3 times both forward and backward.
9. After that bring massagers hand to the recipient’s forehead for perfect stability as the massager has to place the heel of the other hand in contact with the back of the head. Begin rubbing the scalp by moving rear hand vigorously back and forth. You have to continue rubbing as much of the scalp as you can work on and the repeat on the other directions.
10. Gradually stroke your fingers through the volunteer’s hair from the top of the forehead back. Final finishing is made with smooth stokes beginning at the fore head and slowly working your way to the back of the head. Continue doing this for a minute, allowing pressure to become slightly lighter towards the end, hear some soft music and light some lamps to create a relaxing atmosphere.

These are some the basic steps for working out Indian head massages.

Yoga using Bench

Benches can be put to good use to support children in Sethu Bandha Sarvanga-asana. This resting pose performs wonders to calm the nerves, rest the brain and refresh the child. This pose can be done by girls during menstruation.

Since children find Forward Bending Poses difficult and unappealing, the teacher can make these poses more endurable for children by asking a child to sit on a bench, the heels on the floor, and then to bend forward.

A bench can also serve as a support to perform Half Hala-asana: rest the toes on a bench.

Yoga using Brick

Stiff children can’t do Ardha Chandra-asana easily as their palms don’t reach the floor. They tend to get disheartened with such poses. A vertical brick gives them the support they require to learn the pose. Over time the brick can be placed horizontally and when they advance in their practice they can dispense with it.

A brick provides useful resistance between the palms when older children learn to perform Pincha Mayura-asana.

Often stiff or heavy children are not able to raise themselves off the floor in Urdhva Dhanur-asana. Resting their hands on bricks placed against a wall, will enable them to lift up more easily.

Yoga using Chair

Sarvanga-asana can be done with the help of chair. Here is the method:

Place a bolster or two folded blankets near the front legs of a chair. Then sit side-ways on the chair.

Swing your legs onto the back rest of the chair and hold the sides of the back-rest.

Gradually lean back till your shoulders rest on the bolster or blankets and rest the back of your head on the floor.

Extend your arms backwards within the legs of the chair and hold the back legs of the chair, if possible.

It is easy for a child to stay a while in Sarvanga-asana performed in this manner. This pose is very effective in removing fatigue and refreshing the child. The inversion leads to healthy blood circulation in the thyroid gland and the brain.

Chairs can also provide useful support to prepare the back for Backward-Bending Poses. Here is the method to perform Viparita Danda-asana on the chair.
Insert your legs in the gap between the backrest and the seat of a chair.

Hold the back rest, bend your knees and gradually lie back.

Insert your arms between the legs of the chair and hold the back legs if possible. Straighten your knees and press your toes and heels to the wall. Look at the floor. Stay up to five minutes in this pose.

To come up, hold the back rest of the chair, bend your knees and come up with a swing.

Yoga Mudra-asana

This is a simple version of Yoga Mudra-asana. Sit in Padma-asana. Take your hands behind your back. Interlock your fingers. Then bend forward raising your arms to a perpendicular position behind your back. Pause. Then bring your arms down, interlock your fingers the other way, change the crossing of your legs and repeat the pose.

Prasarita Pada Shirsha-asana

Always stand behind your partner.

After your partner has positioned the arms head ask your partner to raise one leg up.

Grab hold of the leg and pull it up to a perpendicular position. The other leg will come up by itself.

Support your partner and ensure that she/he is straight. Let go occasionally so that she/he learns to balance.

To bring your partner down, place your hands at the root of the thighs and ask your partner to descend the legs till the toes touch the floor. Your partner must not land on his/her knees.

Shirsha-asana

Kneel in front of a folded blanket. Place the crown of the head on the blanket and the palms on the floor forming a tripod.

Raise your knees off the floor and walk towards your head.

Raise your legs upwards, together or one at a time.

Come into an inverted position and balance. Lift up and broaden your shoulders. Do not widen your elbows. Stay a while, and then come down.

Shanmukhi Mudra

Sit in Padma-asana with your eyes closed. Plug your ears with your thumbs. Then cover your eyes with your index and middle fingers. Next place your ring fingers on your nostrils and partially block your nasal passengers. Lastly, rest your small fingers on your upper lip. Keep your elbows lifted and level with your shoulders. Be steady and stay a while in this position.

Yoga Nidra-asana

Lie on your back. Then take the right leg behind your shoulder as in Eka Pada Shirsha-asana.

Then also take your left leg behind your shoulder. Cross the ankles behind the neck.

Then take your arms around your back and clasp hands. Pause, then change the crossing of the ankles and repeat the pose.

Yoga Props for Children

Using Wall

Walls can serve as useful props. They provide invaluable support when a child begins learning Inverted Poses like Shirsha-asana and Adho Mukha Vriksha-asana.

Place your blanket against a wall preferably in a corner or against an edge where two walls meet.

Rest your forearms on the blanket and interlock your fingers. The knuckles must touch the wall.

Come into an inverted position. Be sure that you are not tilted to a side.

Only the heels should rest against the wall. Broaden and lift your shoulders.

Tighten the buttock muscles. Stay a while.

Difficult arm- balancing poses like Baka-asana can also be learned with the help of a wall, resting the toes against a wall.

Children can gain confidence and flexibility by practicing Urdhva Dhanur-asana using the wall for support.

The wall can also provide resistance whereby the pupils can improve their pose an in Adho Mukha Shava-asana.

Supta Pada-angustha-asana

Lie flat on your back with the legs stretched out and the knees straight. Rest your left hand on your left thigh.

Raise the right leg and hook the right big toe with your right thumb, index and middle fingers. Straighten your leg and pause a while.

Now take the right leg side way down towards the floor without bending the knee. Do not disturb the left leg.

Mayura-asana

Kneel. Place your palms on the floor fingers pointing towards your knees.

Bend your elbows. Then lean forward and rest your stomach on the elbows. Keep your head raised off the floor.

Straighten your legs and raise them off the floor.

Balance keeping your body parallel to the floor.