The History of Lomi Lomi Massage While the early Polynesian settlers brought a form of massage with them, over time it has evolved into an art form that is uniquely Hawaiian. The American missionaries who arrived in Hawaii in 1820 to convert the island to Christianity, disapproved of lomi lomi as a form of heathen worship, the practice, however controversial, continued and lomi lomi remained popular. How is lomi lomi massage performed? If you get the opportunity to experience a lomi lomi massage you will see that the practitioner is using their palms, forearms, their fingers, knuckles, their elbows, knees, their feet, and even sticks and stones. When people talk about a “full body” massage, that’s exactly what lomi lomi is – except it is the masseur who is using their full body on you. The precise techniques will vary from practitioner to practitioner and from region to region, for example some people will use a massage oil to provide lubrication others won’t. The lomi lomi massage works deeply into the muscles, using continuous, flowing strokes. Fluid, rhythmic motions are required, almost like gentle waves washing over the body. The concept of energy flow is at the heart of lomi lomi massage, lomi lomi practitioners learn that ideas or beliefs can block energy flows as can muscle tension. The lomi lomi technique is designed to release the blockages and assisting the natural energy flow – resulting in mental, emotional, and spiritual healing. Lomi lomi practitioners are often described as almost doing a hula dance around the table as they work on a patient – these movements are designed to assist the energy flow between the patient and the practitioner. Breathing techniques are also used to assist energy flow. What are the benefits of lomi lomi massage? In ancient Hawaii there were traditionally four reasons that a lomi lomi massage would be applied: It was used for healing. It was used to aid digestion (particularly by the ruling chiefs – it was seen as a luxury). It was used between family members. It was used as part of martial arts training. Who can give a lomi lomi massage? Traditionally, only special people were selected to be trained in the art of lomi lomi. Using a range of different signs or indicators (such as a birthmark on the head), children were chosen as young as five years old to begin to study the art of lomi lomi. Lomi lomi massage today For visitors to Hawaii today, lomi lomi massages are widely available. Traditional practitioners generally favor home-based treatments (as opposed to working in a spa or commercial setting). Your visit to Hawaii is an opportunity to not only experience everything that this fascinating archipelago of islands has to offer, but also a unique chance to benefit from a lomi lomi massage -the traditional healing massage of the Hawaiian people.