Principles of a Great Massage

• Be centered and focused.
  
  
• Respect the recipient fully: have clear intention.
  
  
  
  
• Listen to the client's body and breath with your hands, heart, ears, and intuition.
  
  
  
  
• Massage to create more space (length and breadth) and breathing room.
  
  
  
  
• Massage to facilitate movement. Include secure range of motion work.
  
  
  
  
• Massage toward the heart to improve blood circulation and lymph return.
  
  
  
  
• Massage muscles thoroughly: body, tendons, insertions.
  
  
• Start gently, then massage deeper.
  
  
  
  
• Massage as deep as is comfortable for the client. Deeper means slower.
  Listen very carefully to the recipient's body and breath.
  Cool down after deep work.
  
  
  
  
• Don't over-massage an area.