#23 - Great news for the Rentrée

Greetings All,

This is a month of great news and a few changes, which I'm happy to announce to you all.

First of all, thank you so much for everybody who showed me support and booked an extra massage to help me reach my goal of attending my third LaStone® course in England. I'm leaving in a week and am greatly looking forward to my 8 days with Jenny Ray and her teachings. I cannot wait to share with you all my new skills and knowledge.

Secondly, I am now working with the Wellness Centre élément to provide massages and LaStone® treatments in the 6th. This means that you don't need to go to Noisy le Grand for a LaStone® treatment any longer, and that you can direct friends and acquaintances to the 6th. I am still available for home visits  and do receive clients in Noisy le Grand, as usual.

élément
16 rue de la Grande Chaumière
75006 Paris
01 53 10 86 00
info@elementparis.com
http://elementparis.com
Just next to M°4 Vavin
And close to M°6 Raspail, M°12 Notre-Dame-des-Champs, and RER B Port Royal

My times are flexible and depends on bookings. So give them a ring and inquire, both English and French is spoken. If you want to recommend me to others, there's a special new client offer: 

Two one hour Massage Créatif for the price of one massage.

Finally, the menu on the website has been redesigned and I now have a French version as well. If you visit it with your smart-phone, there's even a small screen friendly version.

New articles this month:

Pray Massage
The last two weeks I've been writing about massage from an "Eat, Pray, Love" point of view. Today I want to cover the spiritual and mental aspect. By spiritual I don't mean religious, but rather a way of thinking that searches for awareness, personal growth and development, becoming a better person and understanding one's own role in life, sometimes including religious...
http://blog.starkeys.com/2010/08/pray-massage.html

Eat Massage
Last week I wrote "Eat, Love & Pray Massage", an article inspired by the book Eat, Pray, Love and how that relates to massage. This week I would like speak about the importance of senses. Massage awakens the senses. The physical aspect of massage, especially wellness and holistic  massage, is not only about "fixing what's wrong", but just as much about  awakening your senses to touch...
http://blog.starkeys.com/2010/08/eat-massage.html

Eat, Pray & Love Massage
Like so many others, I read "Eat, Pray, Love" and was touched by the story and the author's insights and discoveries. Now as the hype, around the book and coming film, is growing, I began thinking about it again and in my mind the word massage kept popping up. A clear request from my subconsciousness to look at the messages from the book  and relate them to massage.
http://blog.starkeys.com/2010/08/eat-pray-love-massage.html

Massage at home?
There are reasons to choose to have a massage in your own home, and there are reasons not to. When it comes to it, it all comes down to your temperament and what you value important in regards to relaxation. If you're in doubt if having a massage at home is for you, look at the list below and see what weighs the most in your mind.
http://blog.starkeys.com/2010/08/massage-at-home.html

Thank you so much for your attention. I hope you all have a wonderful rentrée and a good start on the new semester.

Cheers,
Pia

#22 - Holiday Specials

Finally, the holidays are over us and most are away on vacation. For those of you who're staying home this summer, I have good news. I am in Paris all summer and available for bookings. To make things a bit nicer for those of you staying home, I have a special August holiday offer.

90€ for one hour Massage Créatif in your home.
and just 1€ per additional minute.

Coming to me in Noisy le Grand will just cost you 1€ per minute of massage!

Don't forget that you can Save 25% on your first LaStone® treatment. Try out the LaStone® Original Body, Creative Stone, Cocooning/Castle Building and Deep Stone Therapy.

There will be more exciting news later this month, including a new version of the website and information about my new offer of LaStone® in the 6th at "la rentrée".


New articles this last month:

Wellness with evening rituals
When I feel confused about things in my life and can't seem to find the answers to my questions, or even quite figure out what my questions are, I turn to a form of meditation. I have created an evening ritual that fits into my work and philosophies as a massage therapist. You will find your own expression that suits what you do and what your beliefs are...
http://blog.starkeys.com/2010/07/wellness-with-evening-rituals.html

What is wellness massage?
The expression wellness massage is fairly new, though the concept has been around for years. Often they're called relaxation massages. Relaxation massage is not quite the same as wellness massage. Nor is wellness massage to be confused with therapeutic massage. There are some distinct differences, which I will explain below...
http://blog.starkeys.com/2010/07/what-is-wellness-massage.html

LaStone therapists are unique
Being a LaStone® Therapist isn't just about learning a new massage routine or learning a new technique. It's learning a whole new approach to massage and implementing these principles into the different bodywork techniques we already know and use. We learn some routines such as the Original Body or Castle Building. These are very specific types of massages...
http://blog.starkeys.com/2010/07/lastone-therapists-are-unique.html

Properties of massage stones
It is no coincidence that the stones I use in my massages are those they are. Not only are their thermal properties important, but also the nature of the very stone plays an important role. Stones are harvested with respect for nature and treated well. Time is taken to find the right basalt stones which were created via volcanic eruptions thousands and thousands of years ago...
http://blog.starkeys.com/2010/07/properties-of-massage-stones.html

Again, thank you to all who have supported me in reaching my goal of becoming an Advanced LaStone® Therapist. Attending the courses in England in September are now a certainty.

To those of you who're on holidays, I hope you have a wonderful time with lots of Wellness and deep relaxation.

Cheers,
Pia

#21 - Cool Stones on a Hot Day

Greetings all,

A you feeling too warm these days? Then try a LaStone® treatment and start your holidays feeling great!
Massage and placement with hot stones release tensions and relax your body, while cold stones are used to draw out all that excess heat and make you feel renewed and energized.
In order to introduce more people to LaStone® I have a special offer for July and August:

Save 25% on your first LaStone® treatment. Try out the LaStone® Original Body, Creative Stone, Cocooning/Castle Building and Deep Stone Therapy.

I have created more massage packages and "forfaits".
Buy a package and support me in obtaining my goal of becoming an Advanced LaStone® Therapist, so I can give you even better treatments and massages in the future.
Take a look at my price-list for further details: http://www.starkeys.com/prices.shtml
If you purchase a package in July, I'll give you a 10% discount as a thank you for your support.

I look forward to seeing you and introduce you to the wonders of LaStone®. Please don't hesitate to contact me for further information or if you have any specific requests.


Newest articles this month:

Creative Stone
Last year I wrote a post called "Creative Stone" describing a Massage Créatif enhanced by hot stones. As I've learned more skills and know my stones better, that writing has become inadequate. Creative Stone is now so much more than just adding a few hot stones to a Massage Créatif session. In fact, I wouldn't even call the massage part for Créatif any longer, as that...
http://blog.starkeys.com/2010/06/creative-stone.html

Should a massage hurt?
Often there's a perception that a massage must hurt in order to do any real good, and if we're sore or in pain the day after it's just because the massage was really deep and did a lot of good things. Nothing is further from the truth than this idea that pain is necessary to achieve good results. In fact, pain is a sign that harm has been done to the body and should be...
http://blog.starkeys.com/2010/06/should-massage-hurt.html

Why do we think pain is good?
A while ago I wrote an article about misunderstood touch, and how touch becomes sexually charged. Recently I wrote about if a massage should hurt, discussing the misconception that a massage must be painful in order to do any real good. There are probably many reasons why people think pain is necessary  during a massage. Poor education of how the body reacts and functions and...
http://blog.starkeys.com/2010/06/why-do-we-think-pain-is-good.html

Six steps to increased body awareness
Last year I wrote an article about body awareness and how we walk through most of our lives not aware of our bodies and the signals it sends us. The article focused mainly on the physical aspects of body awareness and how massage therapy helps you increase body awareness.
Recently I came across a website describing a technique called "Focusing". The basics of focusing is that you use awareness...
http://blog.starkeys.com/2010/06/six-steps-to-increased-body-awareness.html

Defining the sensual touch
It can be difficult to discuss massage with others if we don't have the same definition of words. In France there's typically a focus on a loving and sensual touch during a massage. A touch that's nourishing and deeply compassionate. Where you connect and awaken the senses of the other person. When  we speak of a sensual touch in massage, we mean a touch that pertains  to the...
http://blog.starkeys.com/2010/06/defining-sensual-touch.html


Thank  you all for your interest, support and attention. I hope you will have a wonderful month full of joy and happiness.

Cheers,
Pia

#20 - Summer is a perfect time for Deep Stone Therapy

Greetings All,

With this beautiful summer weather over us, it's time to enjoy life and feel good. To carry smiles in our hearts and let the rays of the sun warm us. I would like to thank those who already have supported me by booking a few more massages. From the support shown so far, I have faith I will reach my goal and have booked all eight days in September.

I still need your help though. So please book a few extra massages the next couple of months and help me reach my dream, and thereby enable me to give you even better massages in the future. Alternatively you can mention my name to friends or family, spread the word about LaStone and massage in Paris, or even forward this mail to those who might be interested in massage.

Keep in mind that for just 30€ extra per visit I come to your home. I can do up to 3 massages per visit, so get together with a couple of friends and make it a special day.

Summer and warmth is the perfect time to try Deep Stone Therapy, where cold stones are used in abundance to release tensions and help your body heal.

I still write weekly articles about Massage and Wellness and among the new can be found:

Should a massage hurt?
Often there's a perception that a massage must hurt in order to do any real good, and if we're sore or in pain the day after it's just because the massage was really deep and did a lot of good things. Nothing is further from the truth than this idea that pain is necessary to achieve good results. In fact, pain is a sign that harm has been done to the body...
http://blog.starkeys.com/2010/06/should-massage-hurt.html

Difference between Cocooning and Castle Building
I have previously written about Cocooning and how it can be a great stress-relief. I've focused on creating a safe environment where people can let go and just feel warm and nourished, to allow them to relax and let go of stresses. In LaStone terms, they call it Castle Building and I've always wondered about that name. It didn't seem right to me and how I felt about the experience.
http://blog.starkeys.com/2010/05/difference-between-cocooning-and-castle.html

Geothermal Deep Stone Therapy
Geothermal Deep Stone Therapy is essentially deep tissue massage using hot and cold stones to treat and normalize tight and inflamed muscle tissue. Instead of using hands, knuckles, fingers and elbows to work deeply into the muscles and release the tensions, the stones are used to perform the same job.
http://blog.starkeys.com/2010/05/geothermal-deep-stone-therapy.html

Beware of the sun after a massage
Now that the sunny weather has arrived, there's a reason for caution. Massage oils often contain essential oils, which jave pleasant fragrances and can help you in many different ways. One thing that many people don't realize is that some essential oils can make the skin very photo-sensitive. This means that after the appliance of these oils, even in a diluted form, you should avoid exposure to the sun.
http://blog.starkeys.com/2010/04/beware-of-sun-after-massage.html

Massage helps dealing with grief and loss
An article on The Medical News website describes how massage helps bereaved deal with grief and find strength to better deal with the situation. Receiving soothing massages for eight weeks after the death of a loved one can provide much-needed consolation during an intense, stressful period of grieving.
Touch can be very powerful.
http://blog.starkeys.com/2010/04/massage-helps-dealing-with-grief-and.html

Massaging in the Zone
Giving a massage can become like meditation for the therapist. Once immersed fully into the massage, the hands seem to be moving on their own and conscious thought is reduced to a bare minimum. My hands just "know" where to massage and what techniques to use. I can place my hands on a client and instantly find that spot that's sore and needs attention.
http://blog.starkeys.com/2010/03/massaging-in-zone.html


I look forward to hearing from you and thank you for your support and thoughts.

Cheers and happy week-end,
Pia

#19 - New treatments and LaStone special offers

Image by Taunaki via Flickr

Greetings everybody,

A lot has happened since my last newsletter. I've attended another LaStone course as well as a reflexology class and I have a contract with a concierge service twice a week. I still accept private appointments and will gladly come to your home.

In September I hope to attend 8 days of LaStone courses hosted by the Native American Shaman Jenny Ray in England. When I have completed these courses, I will be an Advanced LaStone Therapist.

You can help me reach my dream by booking massage appointments over the next few months. I will return your favour by offering you a whole new range of skills and special treatments that can't be found anywhere else in France.

In June I have the following special prices:

LaStone Original Body - a geothermal journey into relaxation, wellness and stress-relief for body and soul:
- 80 minutes: 95€
Read more at: http://www.starkeys.com/lastone.shtml

Deep Stone Therapy - geothermal deep tissue massage to release tensions and normalize tissue (focus on specific the muscle groups where tension is):
- 45 minutes: 50€
Read more at: http://www.starkeys.com/deepstone.shtml

Massage Créatif - wellness and relaxation massage:
- 90 minutes: 90€
Read more at: http://www.starkeys.com/creatif.shtml


Starting June 1st, I am available at the following times:

Monday:

- 13:00 - 20:00

Tuesday:

- 10:00 - 16:00

Thursday:

- 10:00 - 20:00

Friday:

- 16:00 - 20:00

Saturday - Sunday:

- 10:00 - 16:00

(Holiday closed from May 13th until May 28th)


My prices can be found at: http://www.starkeys.com/prices.shtml


I've updated my blogs and their addresses have now changed to:
http://blog.starkeys.com - weekly articles about massage and wellness.
http://news.starkeys.com - monthly newsletter

#18 - Cocooning

Greetings,

Fall has come upon us and the days get darker and colder. Now is the time to find alternative heat sources when the sun's power weans. Why not try a Cocooning, where you lie for half an hour relaxing with warm comforting stones, while your feet, hands or face receives a releasing and pleasurable massage.

Cocooning is gentle stress relief, warmth and caring of you, body, mind and heart. Cocooning is a perfect break in a busy day where you get a chance to just let go, relax and be nourished by the hot basalt stones coming from the riverbeds of New Mexico where the sun shines most of the time.

Cocooning is a perfect gift to the stressed and busy person. A chance to wind down, relax and feel the warmth penetrate tired and tense muscles. It's releasing physically and emotionally.

A Cocooning is just 45€ and lasts about half an hour.


Latest articles:

Stress relief with Cocooning
Cocooning can be a great stress reliever, both from current work stress as well as old emotional wounds. The best way to illustrate this is to use a couple of case studies from some clients I have recently given a cocooning to. One came to me after work with a headache after a stressful day. She felt burnt out, tired, and lacking motivation for doing her job...
http://www.starkeys.com/blog/2009/09/stress-relief-with-cocooning.html

Stress and tensions
Stress has a tendency to settle in the muscles, making them tense and eventually painful. For myself, it's especially the jaw-muscles which tense up and can become so tense and sore that it can be hard to yawn. For many mothers I've treated tension is located in shoulders and back. For working people it's often neck and shoulders....
http://www.starkeys.com/blog/2009/09/stress-and-tensions.html

Bewares in Thermal Massage
Not all people should receive massage. There are contraindications and situations where a massage can be directly harmful. When you use heat and cold in a massage, these multiply and you need to be even more aware of the conditions the client has and how to deal with them....
http://www.starkeys.com/blog/2009/09/bewares-in-thermal-massage.html

Hygiene in massage
Hygiene is very important when you massage, especially in these times where the threat of the new flu is hanging over us. We as therapists are very aware of the situation and take our precautions. For a normal massage we do the following: Wash our hands before and after a massage. Change sheets and towels, so a client will always have fresh clean sheets and towels...
http://www.starkeys.com/blog/2009/09/hygiene-in-massage.html

More massages, more benefit
Body Sense recently published an article "Massage Multiplied - benefits of massage improve with frequency" (the PDF file can be downloaded here). In short it tells how frequent massages can improve your overall health and wellness, get rid of injuries and tensions faster and how it serves as preventive health care...
http://www.starkeys.com/blog/2009/09/more-massages-more-benefit.html

I'm on vacation until the 14th of October, but do still receive bookings via e-mail.

#17 - LaStone®

Greetings all,

I've finally collected all the things I need to perform the LaStone treatments. I'm really excited to start and share this wonderful experience with everybody. I am still looking for a location in Paris to give massages and treatments. Please don't hesitate to let me know if you've heard of anything.

My LaStone® prices are:
LaStone® Spa Massage (about 50 min) - 85€
Full LaStone® Massage (1h15 - 1h30) - 125€
30m Cocooning with foot, hand or face massage - 45€

Due to the equipment used, 56 hot stones, 13 cold stones, heater, cooler, sheets, towels, table etc, LaStone® treatment isn't mobile and can only be offered from my location.


Articles this last month:

Cocooning - relaxing with stones
What I call Cocooning is within LaStone called Castle-building. I think Cocooning better covers what it is actually about. To be cocooned within stones and emerge revitalized and relaxed after the treatment.It is in essence a very simple treatment that even children can receive and be part of. Heated stones, and cold ones as well, are placed randomly under, beside and on a person...
http://www.starkeys.com/blog/2009/08/cocooning-relaxing-with-stones.html

Effects of hot and cold
Physiotherapists and medical professionals have long used both hot and cold for treating injuries and pains. Sports people apply cold packs on muscles after heavy exercise, they use hot packs to reduce tightness and pain in muscles. Hot and cold is a very effective treatment method of muscles and the body.
http://www.starkeys.com/blog/2009/08/effects-of-hot-and-cold.html

What is LaStone Therapy
LaStone Therapy is the original hot and cold stone massage. It is a massage and therapy form that includes the use of hot and cold stones, both passively and actively. Some stones are placed to heat and cool muscles, while other stones are used as a massage tool instead of the hands. The stones do a lot of the work, which can give a very deep and profound massage.
http://www.starkeys.com/blog/2009/08/what-is-lastone-therapy.html

Massage oils blends
I use different massage oils depending on who I massage and what extra effects I want added to my massage. Sometimes I mix oils specifically for one client. Most often though, I use one of my standard blends and from session to session pick the one I feel will be the best in the current situation. As a rule of thumb, only use about 1 drop of essential oil per 10 ml...
http://www.starkeys.com/blog/2009/08/massage-oils-blends.html


I hope your rentrée is enjoyable and not too stressing.

All the best.