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A rolfing with rocks really, uh, rocks

by Wendy Smith

I think I was a Siamese cat in a previous life, or a turtle. I’ve always sought the warm spot on the couch where the light comes through the window or a nice, sunny rock. I’m either warm-blooded or cold-blooded, depending on whom you talk to. But either way, I love warmth. So the idea of a warm stone massage was very appealing to both my mammalian and reptilian natures.

However, even though the idea was intriguing, I had no idea what to expect. Rocks are hard; I’m soft. It’s that simple. On the other hand, hot stone massage is one of the most popular types of relaxation massage going, so obviously no one is getting hurt. Thus, the allure of warm rocks was too much to resist.

I went to Stephanie vonBrunner to try this procedure. Stephanie is a certified rolfer and massage therapist, so I felt like I would be in good hands. When I got to her office, I knew I was in great hands. There was an Enya type of music playing and the room was full of interesting tapestries and personal artifacts. She left the room for a few minutes while I put on a thick robe, and as I looked around I saw a large, white basin on the side table full of rocks heating in water. I was about to experience a rock rub, and they still looked pretty hard.

Stephanie came into the room and began. The massage starts out with a warm footbath with sea salts and oils. The footbath is to ground the body and calm the mind. I love this grounding process. There is something about having my feet rubbed that immediately relaxes me. After that, I slipped onto the massage table, and she began to toss rocks at me. Just kidding. She actually just told me a bit about her stones. She said that she had purchased most of hers, which are a type of lava rock. The stones look like small river rocks, kind of flat and very smooth. Massage stones can either be bought or found depending on the therapist’s preference.

Stephanie started on my back. The stones were very warm, but not hot. They never burned me or made me uncomfortable. She used massage oil, and it is amazing how easily the stone slid over my skin. It felt more like her palm than a rock. Who would have thought a rock could feel so soft? The heat of the rocks lets Stephanie get deep into the body without a lot of pressure. The warmth did seem to loosen up my muscles quickly. After she massaged an area with a stone, she put the stone on the nearest chakra. By the time she was ready for me to turn over, I had a row of warm stones resting on my back like little islands of slight weight and heat.

The cat in me was purring like a train. I found it incredibly relaxing. I think I solved or let go of every problem I had. And the flip side was even better. I still can’t decide what I liked the most: warm stones between my toes (heavenly) or crystals on my eyelids (very clearing). Oh, and she put warm stones under my back, so I was lying on them as she did the massage.

Hot stone massage is an intuitive process, Stephanie says the stones do the work. Some therapists place the stones on the body and let them do their thing, and others, like Stephanie, use the stones to massage the muscles.

A hot stone massage is not quite as personal as a lot of hand to skin massages, so people who are a bit uneasy with a lot of contact might really enjoy this type of massage. Me? All my stress melted away and I felt connected to everything around me. I think modern living removes us from our natural selves, and these rocks bring a little bit of nature to us, kind of like a giant hug from Mother Nature. No pun intended, but it rocks.

Stephanie vonBrunner can be reached at 865-584-3864, www.vonBrunner.com or [email protected]. (Stephanie is offering a two for one massage package through November so now might be a good time to try this.)

VARDATE © 2004 Metro Pulse