 INNOVATIONS |
 More articles! |
|
Raindrop
Technique As a lover of aromatherapy and massage, I couldn't resist the opportunity to experience “Raindrop Technique” when Montana offered. When I arrived at her lovely office, she declined an interview, saying she'd rather let the experience speak for itself. Now, I understand her viewpoint; raindrop technique makes words seem so. . .superfluous. . ..(mmmm). D. Gary Young and a Lakota medicine man developed the Raindrop Technique in the 1970s. Combining massage with therapeutic-grade essential oils, it is intended “to bring the body into structural and electrical alignment.” Raindrop is based on the theory that “many types of spinal misalignments are caused by viruses or bacteria that lie dormant along the spine.” Using a sequence of highly antimicrobial essential oils, the technique is designed to “simultaneously reduce inflammation and kill the viral agents responsible for it.” Its originators stressed that this is not a cure-all, nor can it replace exercise, healthy eating, or proper rest. The Raindrop Technique is just one tool among many that may help to restore a healthy balance in the body. When I visited Montana to learn about the Raindrop Technique, I had spent a sleepless night and felt like something the cat drug in. She took me to a warm, comfortable room with low-level lighting and asked me to disrobe to my undies and lie on the massage table, covering myself with a blanket. When she returned, she began by applying an oil blend called Valor to the soles of my feet, which she held for five to ten minutes. She instructed me to breathe deeply and slowly. As she worked on my back, she held each bottle of essential oil under the headrest so that I could smell each one before she applied it. “This is Valor. It works on both the physical and emotional levels, supporting the electrical and energy alignment of the body,” she informed me. Later, I learned that a structural alignment can occur once the frequencies balance in these areas, according to the materials Montana shared with me. The Essential Oils Desk Reference (compiled by Essential Science Publishing) maintains that research conducted by Gary Young at Weber State University, as well as other documented research, “Indicates that most viruses, fungi, and bacteria cannot live in the presence of many essential oils, especially those high in phenols, carvacrol, thymol, and terpenes.” Oils are said to stimulate nerves and the regeneration of tissue. Sprinkling the oils down my spine from a height of several inches, she followed the Valor oil with Thyme, Oregano, and Basil. Thyme and Oregano both have antimicrobial properties, and oregano is also anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral. Basil is anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antispasmodic. Birch followed, with its analgesic property; its primary constituent is methyl salicylate, which acts like cortisone. Then followed Cypress for circulation, helping damaged tissue, and relieving spasms and swelling. Marjoram helps relax muscles, and Peppermint has pain-killing properties, stimulates circulation and cools inflamed tissue. As she applied each oil with the gentle Raindrop Technique, she would lightly 'feather' it into my skin along the spine. This is the complete antithesis of some massage techniques; there's no deep tissue work, no strenuous manipulation. It's so gentle, warm, and completely, blissfully, relaxing! Somewhere along the way, the combination of oils got a bit TOO warm, but Montana diluted them on my skin with a massage oil, which also served to seal in the essential oils. Fair-skinned people may experience excess warming or reddening of the skin due to oils high in phenols, but this is quickly and easily remedied. As if I weren't sufficiently blissed-out at this point, Montana covered my back with a warm towel, the thin blanket, and a huge heating pad. She then moved to work on my legs and feet before finishing. She advised me to lie still as long as I needed to, until I felt I could sit up again. I admit it. I pushed it. My mental do-list popped up on my mental screen, and I thought I'd best get on with my day. Bad move. I didn't make it to the car before I had to sit down in the waiting room and try to come back to the real world. I should have listened to Montana. Even after I drove back to the office (mercifully, a short distance!), I was as high as a kite from all those essential oils, and I smelled like a fresh herbal salad! This is something you might want to plan for a day off, so that you could go home and sleep the rest of the afternoon. Forget trying to concentrate. You'll be so far out in La-La Land, you wonąt even care about your do-list. If you are stressed out, knotted with tension, or experiencing back problems, you couldn't give yourself a nicer gift than the Raindrop Technique. If you have a long-term problem, you may need to have several sessions before you find long-lasting relief, but I found that the oils continued to work in my system for days afterward. I canąt wait to go back for my next session! To
learn more about the Raindrop Technique, for classes or to |