Everyone who has enjoyed a Thai massage at a five-star spa understands the healing power of touch
But touch is only one of the senses that is working to make you feel wonderful. In fact, it’s the last one that comes into play.
Your other senses set up your body to get the maximum benefit from your massage. They let you know that good things lie ahead from the moment you set foot inside the spa.
Smell
Your sense of smell is in the vanguard as the receptors in your nose come alive. They take in the diffused essential oils and aromatherapeutic fragrances. Time slows down as you move towards a calm, peaceful relaxed state, where stress, anxiety and fatigue are reduced and you begin to experience a general sense of well being.
Hearing
Your ears are next. The soft soothing music and gentle rhythms help slow down your heart rate and breathing. Quality acoustics in the walls and soft materials of carpets and drapes minimise the impact of echoes and external noise, creating a world apart, a cocoon of stillness. You become more aware of your own body and the way you breathe and move.
Taste
Do not overlook your welcome drink. It’s a subtle refreshment that serves multiple purposes. It helps create an immediate sense of care and hospitality. It gently stimulates your taste buds, helping you relax. And it hydrates you, beginning the process of physical rejuvenation, supporting the body’s detoxification process and preparing it for the treatment that will follow.
Sight
Your eyes have a part to play too. From lighting to layout, everything you see when you walk into your spa makes an impression. The warm, natural tones of the colour palette, the smooth flowing lines of the wallpaper, when combined with soft and gentle lighting, help create a serene environment, countering the excessive visual stimulation of the world outside and helping to reduce anxiety and lower your heart rate. Inside your treatment room the lighting is carefully directed at the massage table, focusing your attention on your needs and your experience. Soothing lighting supports mindfulness and helps you achieve a meditative state.
Touch
And now we come to the central core of Thai massage: the healing power of touch. Physical touch, delivered through therapeutic massage techniques, has immeasurable benefits. It helps reduce cortisol, the hormone responsible for stress. When your cortisol is lowered, your body enters a state of relaxation, diminishing feelings of anxiety. As cat lovers everywhere will tell you, gentle comforting touch triggers the release of serotonin and dopamine, neurotransmitters that enhance mood, boost feelings of well-being and create a sense of happiness and calm. Touch also stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the body’s 'rest and digest' response. And because massage works directly on your muscles, it increases circulation, helps oxygenate tissues and flushes out toxins, reducing pain and stiffness.
Sa-Ni Massage and Wellness Centre, 8 Upper Queen Street, T: 09 320 1742, www.sa-ni.co.nz
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