Lomi Lomi: A Hawaiian Massage
In ancient Hawaii, a group of master healers recognize the need of a Hawaiian massage to release the negative energies in the human body. They believe that massage can be a great tool to promote better health as it works to release the powers of the body, allowing the mental, emotional, and physical healing to take place more easily and completely. It is from this belief that Lomi Lomi, a popular Hawaiian massage, was born.
Lomi Lomi is known throughout Hawaii and the world as the “temple style”. This Hawaiian massage technique is noted particularly for its grace and in-depth movements that highlight the principles of Hula, a Hawaiian dance that is believed to tap the spiritual healing energy in the body.
According to some researches, the ancient healers in Polynesia first practiced the Lomi Lomi Hawaiian massage. The healers performed this massage technique with the use of palms, sticks, stones and their fingers, elbows, forearm, knees, and feet. However, unlike the ancient therapeutic massage practices, the Lomi Lomi is not considered effective unless the healer or the therapist performs it with loving hands. This belief actually stems from the so-called Huna philosophy, which holds that every single thing in this fast-paced world hunts for harmony and love. Well, note that this is also the real reason that Lomi Lomi is now known throughout the world as the “loving hands Hawaiian massage”.
Lomi Lomi is generally performed in four contexts. First, hundreds of Hawaiian native healers consider it as a healing practice. Second, this Hawaiian massage is practiced throughout Hawaii as a form of luxury, as well as an aid to digestion. As what most reports have noted, the ones who usually consider this Hawaiian massage for that particular purpose are the ruling chiefs. Third, Lomi Lomi is performed as a form of restorative massage. The family is usually the subjects in this context. Finally, Lomi Lomi is particularly practiced by olohe lua, the known masters of the Hawaiian martial arts.
Aside from those above mentioned contexts, it is further worth noting that the Hawaiian massage, Lomi Lomi, was typically conducted with some prayers and intentions. In fact, many of the traditional and modern healers who do this type of technique consider it as the praying bodywork. Auntie Margaret Machado, a celebrated Hawaiian Kapuna (elder) particularly holds such claim. With this fact, it’s no surprise then that before a Lomi Lomi Hawaiian massage begins, the therapist will say a quiet prayer. The prayer is delivered to request an effective healing, so it’s also usual that the client of this Hawaiian massage will be asked to state their healing intention. Also, it is not uncommon for the Lomi Lomi therapists to do some chanting while performing the massage. Strange, isn’t it?
Today, the Lomi Lomi Hawaiian massage is performed with the hula dance. The ones who perform the hula movements are the practitioners. And, perhaps what’s more interesting to note is that these movements are performed around the massage table during the massage procedure. According to the Lomi experts, this dancing will encourage the energy flow between the receiver and the practitioner. This is what makes this Hawaiian massage exciting.
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