Indian Head Massage vs. Reiki: Why Choose One When You Can Have Both?

Why settle for just physical relief or just energetic healing?

My Reiki and Indian Head Fusion Treatments seems to be my most popular offering so far this year! This treatment is something I was really excited to offer, and one of the reasons I did my training in Indian Head Massage (IHM). I really believe that the benefits of Reiki can be greatly enhanced when delivered following a massage treatment, especially IHM.

Reiki is a Japanese system of energy healing, and Usui Reiki was founded in 1922 by Mikao Usui Sensei. The “Holy Fire” element that I specialise in, was introduced in 2014 by William Lee Rand, the founder of the International Centre for Reiki Training (ICRT). It is a development of the Usui system, honouring the lineage and techniques originally used by Mikao Usui but tapping into a more refined source of energy (prana).

IHM, also known as Champissage, is rooted in the ancient Indian system of Ayurveda (which means “The Science of Life”) and goes back over 5,000 years. Ayurveda views health and wellbeing as a balance between mind, body and spirit. It was brought to the West in the 1970s. In this tradition, IHM is specifically designed to target the three higher chakras, the Throat, the Third Eye and the Crown. Chakras are basically energy centres located from the bottom of your spine, beginning with the “root chakra” all the way to the “crown chakra” at the top. In some traditions, chakras are represented as spinning wheels of energy. When energy does not flow correctly, due to certain blocks or imbalances or due to overactivation, these energetic wheels spin at a lower or faster rate than is optimal, and this has a knock on effect on the entire energy system of the human being. If the energy body is out of balance, this can lead to physical and mental symptoms, which is why energetic health is so important to address.

The Crown Chakra is located at the very top of the head, and if you’ve ever had a Reiki session with me, you will know that after grounding your energy into the Earth, we work to open the crown chakra in order to open ourselves and really start to receive and draw universal energy from this centre and the eighth chakra above it. Physical stimulation during IHM is believed to “wake up” these energy centres, clearing stagnant energy and allowing for a better flow of life force to the brain and nervous system. I use specific techniques to do this, including brisk friction, circular movements, and gentle tapotement (tapping) directly on the scalp.

The head is the seat of the central nervous system, and by stimulating and relaxing the scalp and the cranial muscles, we can move the body out of fight or flight mode (survival, sympathetic) into rest and digest (parasympathetic) – a more receiving, open and accepting state. This makes it easier for the recipient to experience spiritual connection, deep relaxation and bliss which is often associated with the balancing of the crown chakra.

As mentioned previously, IHM works with the higher three chakras, which constitutes the upper energetic circuit. Deep shoulder, trapezius and neck massage balances and opens the throat chakra, which aids in self expression, communication, and putting yourself first in a healthy way. We can’t pour from an empty cup – meaning we can’t help others to the best of our abilities if we ourselves are in a state of stress and exhaustion. If you’ve ever been on an airplane, you will know the air hosts always tell us to put our own masks on before helping others, and this instruction really translates to every day life. IHM includes soothing strokes on the face, forehead, jawline, ears, temples, and neck to stimulate lymphatic drainage. These movements can also stimulate the third eye chakra, which encourages inner wisdom, intuition and being able to see yourself, other people and situations from different perspectives. Stimulating the crown chakra, as we have previously discussed, aids greatly in mental clarity and the clearing of “brain fog”.

If you tend to feel mentally foggy, overwhelmed, or disconnected from yourself and others, or even spiritually disconnected, you may have a blocked, heavy or “tired” crown chakra. Receiving a Reiki and Indian Head Massage Fusion Treatment can stimulate your crown to be more receptive, clearing out stagnant energy, working through any blocks and getting that flow of energy back to a more balanced and harmonized state. IHM in this modern world also works well for digital eye strain, relieving the muscles around the eyes and forehead; strain in the back of the neck from looking down at devices and phones throughout the day; and mental burnout, stimulating the flow of blood to the cranium.

In the West, most healthcare centres and hospitals are solely focused on the physical body. There is a growing evidence however showing the benefits of holistic therapies when used in conjunction with conventional medicine. Practices like therapeutic touch and Reiki are now actively being researched and practiced on cancer wards in the UK, with notable studies taking place at St George’s Hospital in London: Our mission | Reiki in hospitals, clinical practice, research.

You can book an Reiki Indian Head Massage Fusion Treatment with me at:

 LEOMINSTER, North Herefordshire – The Body Clinic Leominster – https://tinyurl.com/bethanvaughan

 SHREWSBURY, Shropshire – Jenna Blair Yoga – DM me or book online: https://facesconsent.com/bookings/bethan-vaughan

I also offer home visits on a case by case basis in and around Leominster, Ludlow and Shrewsbury. Get in touch for more information.