To allow real relaxation thanks to the Californian massage, it is important to provide a suitable place and atmosphere. Soft light, a sufficiently heated room, candles and soft music are the basic prerequisites. On a bed, a mattress or possibly a massage table, lay out a large towel on which the person will sit comfortably. In addition, provide a soft and light blanket. It will be used to cover the parts of the body that you will not be massaging. Choose your massage oil for the Californian massage according to your tastes and those of the person being massaged, or according to the expected results. Wash your hands with hot water, dry them thoroughly. All you have to do is rub them vigorously together, help yourself to some oil and you're ready to go!
Always keep in mind that you are not a physiotherapist and that your touch must remain cautious during the Californian massage. The first rule is to avoid intervening directly on the vertebrae or insisting on a sensitive area. Remember to be enveloping in your gestures and attentive to the reactions of the massaged person. Finally, absolutely avoid massaging a pregnant woman or a person in the acute phase of illness (flu, nasopharyngitis, osteoarthritis, etc.).
The Californian massage takes place in five main phases, which you will apply to the whole body, in a specific order. The aim of effleurage is to establish contact with the person while coating their body with massage oil. The gesture is soft and light, like a caress. Start with the person lying face down. Cover the lower part of his body with a towel, place yourself at his head and start effleurages with downward gestures. Don't forget the arms and hands! Kneading consists of kneading the skin, a bit like bread dough, insisting a little on certain tensions that you will spot under your fingers. The friction comes next, it must be done in the direction of the blood circulation, in the direction of the heart, and remain light when you start. The vibrations are then practiced with both hands, which you shake over the whole body. This phase, which sometimes makes the skin red, is intended to tone the tissues and prepares for the next and final stage of the Californian massage. To perform the tapping, use both hands, in a measured, but brisk and repeated way. These more invigorating movements complete the massage and allow the person to reconnect, becoming aware of the energy gain and relaxation provided by the massage. Follow these five phases when the person is on their stomach and repeat this same process once they are lying on their back, adding the massage of the hands and feet. At the end of the Californian massage, completely cover the person with their blanket and give them a little moment of tranquility and integration. And there… savor the well-being that you will inevitably experience! Because the massage is a benefit for the one who receives it as much as for the one who gives it.
