IHM with client on massage table

[Flopdingme]

One IHM call I went to showed us an old black & white Indian movie ('40s? '50s?), with the champissage man singing his song (Bollywood style before it was called Bollywood?) walking down the streen with his fold up chair, he'd unfold it and work on someone (hardly any oil, he just rubbed a bit in his hand like a barber does in movies ) and fold the chair up and move on. It was in Hindi, but our instructor was giving us a translation. Most of the moves were pretty much as per Nerendra Mehta's routine, there were even upper arm squeezes.

THAT's what IHM means to me.

I've learnt LOTS of different techniques, and I will use whatever works for the client in a treatment, pulling from any of the techniques I know, they'll get Thai, Hawaiian, MLD, Shiatsu, stones, Ayurvedic, whatever in a bit of a soup of a treatment, but that soup treatment, I would no more call a lomi lomi massage than I would call it IHM.
If someone books in for a lomi lomi, that's what they get; if someone books in for IHM, that's what they get; if someone books in for a generic treatment, they get whatever I do in that treatment which draws on a variety of modalities.

Labels ARE important. If I booked in somewhere for IHM and they told me to get undressed and get on the table, it would not be what I was expecting. I would think the person didn't know what they were doing. Maybe I wanted a traditional IHM because I didn't want to get undressed, since I have body issues, cultural standards, or whatever.

Is it if you only know IHM you want to be able to adapt it, to cater for all environments? And if you have a whole lot of modalities to draw from, you know there is no point mislabelling something, it just confuses people? you can adapt without having to call it IHM?

 

[magicmann99]

IMHO You are absolutely right cola.

IHM is IHM. I experienced it in the 1960’s whilst in India and have been teaching and practicing it for many years. If we are going to give a body massage then we should advertise it at such. Not as IHM. If people wish to change the core details or direction of a therapy then they should call it something different. Instead of offering Indian head massage why not say that you are offering “upper body massage” or even “western head massage”

After all “western head massage© 2007” based on the principle of IHM would appear to be an honest and transparent way to go.

 

[Pompal 09.]

Phew!

I was starting to feel very lonely for a minute there, thanks Cola and Healistic, I couldn't agree more!



Yes Cola, from reading some of the threads and my own experience I think this is a very valid point.

Siberia suddenly feels a bit warmer and friendlier!

 

[terry v]

Hi ya

At last some evidence!

This is what I have been trying to drag out through debate.

It is very easy to make assumptions (that's a generalise comment) and believe such a thing about something because the tutor says so.

I'm going to use Cola's comments (if you don't mind) in my next IHM course intake. I feel as a tutor I have got to be as accurate as possible.

Thanking you all.

Dave

 

[Purnendu]

Hi ya

Just as an added point, did you know that 2 recent IHM books have added arm and hand massage to the routine. Is this still IHM?

One of these books is the new 3rd edition Indian Head Massage by Helen McGuinness. An excellent textbook but it does have that extended routine. Should I teach arm & hand massage or not?

Yours, the cheekest of pixies

Dave

 

[azdudbrq]

Hi Dave IMHO Yes you can teach any extended routine as I do, but I always say to my students, "There are many extensions in all holistic therapies and whilst they are not original they are beneficial to your client and you can offer them as an add on to your client”. An example would be to say to their clients “I offer traditional IHM and if you wish you can also have a hand and arm massage” etc etc. IMO you can offer many varieties within the field of Holistic therapy, provided that you say implicitly what you offer and are fully trained and insured to do so.

My only concern with the add-on’s is that it seems to be heading in the direction that each therapy is interlinking with each other. Whilst this in principle is a good idea, we do need to be sure that the training reflects that. An example would be the use of essential oils into a therapy without full training in their use and contraindications Etc.

The other side of the coin is, if you want to publish and sell a new book or course then all you need to do is to add a new move and bob's your uncle it becomes "New" and within a few months the traditional has gone. Why can't they just admit it and issue the book and call it “a new style of head and body massage”

 

[Gexi]

Hi ya healistic

Thanks for your reply.

I think you hit the nail on the head (if you pardon the pun), how can you sell books, well you have a different twist.

My scheme of work this year is based on 5 x 10 hour weekend workshops, where the last weekend I'm going to go into extentions and variations to the routine. I don't think it's fair on students to pressurise them into extra stuff since they only have 30 minutes in the practical exam anycase.

As for books admitting a new style of head work, at least there is Head Massage by Rosalind Widdowson (not easy to follow but full of interesting ideas) and Dr. Wu's Head Massage (based on TCM). But understand what you mean.

Cheers

Dave

 

[Murphy(Fu cc an Elitist)]

Personally I'd recommend waiting for thr fourth edition as by then you will be able to peform an IHM involving head, neck, face, shoulders, back, arms, hands and no doubt legs and feet.

There are still enough body parts left to probably bring out another couple of books after that!!

 

[The_samich]

Hi ya relaxed

Lots of laughter in the Pixie household. Good comment!

Cheers

Dave

 

[Shauna Rae]

I have decided that I am going to teach what I am going to call Aromaology as a full time course.

I am just starting to put a course together based on the essence of aromatherapy and its use with Massage, IHM, energy healing, Reiki, colour, Reflex etc. © 2007

 

[Adriana]

I've just received my first ever indian head massage. I have to say, I was expecting great things but was disappointed. First of all I had to lay down face up whcih surprised me. I was on the treatment couch with a towel over me and my shoulders and neck exposed. To do the sides of my head the therapist tipped my head gently while supporting with one hand and massaged each side. Although the treatment was nice, it didn't have the "wow" factor I expected. And it only lasted 25 minutes - I was expecting an hour. And I was charged £30. Not impressed.

 

[Hieldonaigh]

Hi ya Jade

Sorry to hear that you didn't enjoy the head massage experience.

Personally I always discuss with my clients options of seated or couch or futon treatments. Did the person you went to have proper qualifications and experience? Did you know that there are also different ways of practising IHM? If you feel you like the idea of head massage, prehaps find another therapist. If you discover that head massage isn't for you, fair enough. It isn't everyones cup of tea, some people like foot reflexology and other people rather stick pins in their eyes. Some clients love Reiki, others think it's a waste of time.

Please don't dismiss this experience, but at the same time IHM for some hasn't got that 'wow' factor.

£30 sounds a lot of money (depending on where you live of course and where you went for the treatment), I'm sure you could get it cheaper and receive a better treatment. Someone working from home can be often better then a high priced spa or salon. IHM treatments are often 30 to 45 minutes rather than an hour.

Best Wishes

Reiki Pixie

 

[mizzie]

Hiya all,
I must disagree with you once again Reiki Dave,

Shirobhanga is infact a SEATED Massages, as is INDIAN HEAD MASSAGE.

I have trained in many massage disciplines, and although I use these skills to add to a treatment that I am giving if I think it warrants it, I try and stick to the main principles of the treatment.

if you look at the pictures in narenda Mehta's book, IHM is performed SEATED.

I agree with many of the above comments, "why book an IHM if what you want is a back massage".

If I went for an IHM treatment and they asked me to either remove my top and cover myself if a towel, or lie on a couch I would walk away. If I book for an IHM I would expect an IHM not a mish-mashed intrepretation of what someone has cobbled together and given it the name IHM.

 

[xtfatabd]

relaxed, healistic and cola, please join me in siberia, and we can given each other an authentic IHM, please bring your own chairs.

 

[keani]

None of my clients are complaining about my eclectic style of treatment.

They keep coming back and recommend me to others.

Reiki Pixie

 

[Zia]

I was taught to do both seated then finish laying on a couch. You start seated doing the head neck and shoulders then lay the client down to do the face. The clients love it and it is a lovely relaxing way to end the treatment. If I were to do it in an office environment I probably wouldn't use the couch.

 

[red dye #2]

Calling all IHM newbies. Read this thread it's brilliant, it's like listening at the staff room door to your tutors having a ding-dong.

And Relaxed1 should receive an award for comment #48. Read it from #1 though. It's a long thread but worth it!

Hoorah the therapy tutors of this world!

 

[aseotonsomi]

It's the set text for our VTCT Indian Head Massage, which I'm learning at Daventry College!

 

[moonflower_75]

just remember that Indian head massage is a traditional treatment performed with the client seated and fully clothed. Oil can be applied to the scalp.

Shirobhyanga is a seated massage with oils to the upper arms, neck, shoulders and scalp.

Having a massage lying down on the bed is having a massage.

 

[Brown Eyes]