The Indian massage technique of Marma-Point is in keeping with many Eastern therapies which concentrate on the integration of the body and the mind. This is a very old massage technique that has been practiced for thousands of years and is now making its way into the Western spa’s.
The first part of the name of this technique “Marma” is a Sanskrit word whose meaning is the same as the word hidden. So the basic idea of this massage technique is to use deep tissue massage to reach the hidden places and stimulate the muscles and joints and ligaments where they meet.
It involves stimulation of 107 body points and is based on principles of Eastern philosophy but even Western practitioners can see that it provides health benefits. The therapist uses light stimulation to apply a very gentle pressure which relieves stress on the joints.
In Indian massage session can be quite lengthy as it works on both the front and back of the body. Marma-Point consists of applying pressure with the fingers to strategic locations which are called anguli. This technique is similar to what is done in reflexology and dates back to 1500 B.C. were it was practiced in southern India. It actually originated as a complementary practice to a type of martial arts and the Marma Points were the areas where a blow could result in a lot of harm thus the massage technique was used to release tension in those areas.
The Marma Point technique uses circular motions with a very low pressure and the typical session lasts about 1 1/2 hours. During the session, the therapist will constantly be seeking your feedback to be sure that they are working the points correctly without exceeding comfort levels.
This is not an easy technique to learn and sometimes can take as long as five years for an apprentice to become familiar with all the points and the best methods of stimulating them. However someone familiar with Ayurvedic medicine and a burning desire to learn could become familiar with the basics in a few months. Much of the early study involves learning about a type of energy called doshas.
In this Indian massage technique each of the points has a unique name. While there are 107 of them, some of them you might not even think of, but others might be more familiar with you such as the temples, the backs of the knees and points at the base of the skull. Although an ancient technique, Marma Point can have many health benefits in modern times when done properly.