Rain, rain, come my way

Raindrop therapy massage --- the very name throws you into images of nature. When I first heard the name I imagined cascades of water rushing down the side of a mountain ... well, perhaps not quite that dramatic, but at least it conjured up a picture of round drops of moisture poised upon large tropical leaves, ready to drop to earth.

Yet Charlotte Warn, LMT, tells us that raindrop therapy uses essential oils, not water. Oils are for plants what blood is for our body, and the essential oils extracted from plants can offer powerful healing effects to our body for an entire host of reasons. They stimulate tissue growth and the nervous system, and help to bring the body back into structural and electrical alignment. The technique can be used with many different types of massage. 

So what do the oils affect? They release toxins from the body, such as viruses and bacteria. They boost the immune system and even help bone health. It is a detoxifying system. When particular concerns are brought to the practitioner, the oils can be tailored to create a perfect formula for each person.

And how does it work? The oils are applied in a unique fashion. They are not put into the palm of the massage therapist’s hands to be rubbed into the body. Instead, they are literally dropped, like raindrops, onto the body from about six inches above the spine. This is so the first contact is strictly between the oil and the receiver, allowing the body to respond without distraction from the healing properties.

After the oils have been dropped, the therapist then steps in with hands to facilitate the process by moving the oil to helpful spots upon the body. Some use a technique called "vita-flex." It is a simple motion of the fingertips rolling and releasing upon reflex points. From there an electrical charge is spurred, traveling upon the body’s nerve path until it reaches the blocked place (usually caused by toxins or damage). In addition, hot compresses are sometimes used to assist the release of healing properties in the oil.

Get a first-hand taste by meeting Charlotte at Sarasota Naturally, Nov. 10 on downtown Main Street! 
 

This article is brought to you by:
- Kimberly Braun, Empowerment Guru and Director of Sarasota Naturally and Celebrate Wellness Fest.Visit kimberlybraun.com for more information.
- This Week In Sarasota, a media sponsor of Sarasota Naturally and Celebrate Wellness Fest.