“Oooooh. Aaaah. That feels soooooooo good.”

Ever have someone wash your hair and massage your scalp? It feels so good, you’re probably glad your head is leaning back over the sink so you won’t drool on your chin. It’s a time for allowing your consciousness to go to your scalp and just feel the pleasure. This is not a left-brain thinking/talking experience; it’s one of those right-brain feeling experiences. And my hairdresser Molly in Questa makes it feel so good.

Scalp massage has been used by many cultures throughout history to stimulate hair growth. I can’t vouch that it will grow new hair, but it does increase blood circulation to the brain. Of course, the top of your head is one of the most difficult places to get blood flowing since we usually just keep our head upright all day. Scalp massage will get blood circulating up there and may even stimulate new hair growth, as some folks claim.

Here’s one way to massage your scalp: use the balls of your fingertips of both hands and rub in gentle, circular motions over a small area of your scalp while you count to five. Then, with your fingertips in the same place, rub in circular motions, allowing only your scalp to move while you count to five. Then move on to the next place on your scalp and continue until you’ve massaged the whole thing.

Body massage is another nourishing form of skin stimulation. An ancient form of healing, massage helps rejuvenate your body by activating its natural restorative powers. It also feels incredibly good.

There are many variations of massage; some, such as deep tissue massage, require advanced training and a thorough understanding of anatomy and physiology. Choosing a licensed massage therapist will assure that level of expertise, but education and certification are not enough. You’ll gain the most from someone whose energy resonates with yours. How can you determine that? Talk with that person and listen to your body. You know how it feels to be standing close to someone you’re fond of – your body and emotions send signals to your brain that say I really like this person. You feel comfortable. You also know how it feels to stand close (your body won’t let you stand too close) to someone you’re not comfortable with. Use those feelings to see how you resonate with the massage therapist. I resonate well with Patrick Shaw in El Rito.

When you find someone you have a good feeling about, try a massage and see if they give you their total attention and are quiet during your session. If not, keep looking.

Ellen Wood of Questa is an award-winning author as well as an artist using the name, Maruška. Her website is
www.howwtogrowyounger.com. Contact Ellen at ellen@howtogrowyounger.com.