Head massage, based on the ancient Ayurvedic system, has existed in the Indian culture for thousands of years. Traditionally, this social grooming routine was confined to the scalp and head. It was regularly practiced on the entire family to promote physical health and psychological well-being. It was generally accepted that head massage kept the hair in good condition and kept away the greying process.
In the 1970s, the founder of the adapted Indian Head Massage, Narendra Mehta, was training in London to become a physiotherapist. In India he was accustomed to receiving regular head massages, but in London he was unable to find anyone who practiced it professionally. Apart from encouraging a healthy scalp and head of hair, he firmly believed that head massage relieves stress, enhances mental clarity, improves sleep and increases energy. He thus proceeded to formalize an Indian Head Massage therapy to include techniques which treat those areas of the body which are particularly prone to tension as a result of the stress typically experienced in today’s modern lifestyle. He extended the treatment areas to the neck, shoulders and upper arms, and incorporated Swedish movements, Chinese pressure points and Japanese Reiki energy techniques.
There are several muscles in the face and scalp, and these muscles, just as those in the back and shoulders, are subject to stress and tension. In the face, acupressure points and muscles are stimulated. Tight scalps are loosened. Tender knots in the back, neck and shoulders are ironed out with either direct contact on the skin or through light clothing.
