Hit Counter

17 Nov 2009

My First Massage

I had been ignoring the crick in my neck for a while. As is bound to happen, one day it got so bad that I couldn't sit for long, without my neck giving me grief. I hoped it would go away with some well-needed sleep but when it didn't, I decided to get a massage. That had to help, it was just a few knots in my neck and shoulders, after all.

Mum suggested I go for a proper ayurvedic massage, instead of the beauty parlour. So, I looked up on the internet and booked myself for a full body massage on Saturday afternoon, at the Ayur Wellness Centre.

I received a warm welcome and the girl at the reception explained the various massages available. I picked the Ylang Ylang Olive Oil Massage, which was supposed to help me get rid of stress and such distress, in addition to making me feel good. When I mentioned my neck situation to her, she consulted an in-house 'doctor', who suggested they give me a Karpooradhi oil massage for my neck.

All set, I walked in. The girls waited while I switched off my mobile. They continued to wait after I was done. I waited for them to tell me what next. Then one of them looked at me and asked, "Is this your first time?". It felt embarassing to say yes, as if I had erred in not having been massaged earlier. I nodded and pretended that it didn't bother me. They directed me to a cupboard, opened the door and asked me to undress. What??? Okay, fine, this is my first time and I didn't see that coming. Silly of me, though, because I did sign up for a 'body massage'. For some funny reason, I just thought it was going to be a neck massage.

Once I was over the initial reaction, it was plain sailing. I just closed my eyes and decided to enjoy the feeling of a good massage. They started with oiling my hair with warm olive oil. There were two women and they were in such perfect sync that I wondered if they ran by a computer program that someone was running somewhere far away. Trust me to think like that, a typical software developer with a limited sense of real life. It was nice to watch them when I occasionally opened my eyes. They moved with the grace of two swans.

During the hour-long massage I waited for that feeling so good that I'd fall asleep but it never came. Well, I consoled myself with the fact that if it helped my neck, it's good enough for me. Probably. Then it was time for the 10 minute steam. It felt good. As good as the massage itself. Well, almost.

It was time for a bath afterwards. Clean bathroom (how I love those) but hey... what were those little things there? Towels? Really? I was expecting a nice huge steamed turkey towel. What do they have. The flimsy, thin, white 'Kerala' towel things. Whoa! Anyway, a not-too-bad experience. I come out, drink up the concoction they give me (pretending it was tequila) and water.

The girl at the reception explains something to me about the 'packages' they have and then asks me to fill a feedback form. Considering that I hadn't tipped the masseurs (wasn't sure whether to and if yes, how much - remember, it was my first time), I gave them excellent feedback.

Walked back home and by the time I had returned, the crick in the neck was crying out loud already. So much for the massage! Cost me a good two thousand rupees too. Sigh!

I slept for some more time but it wouldn't help. Mum came over with her ayurvedic oil (Mycodin) and gave me a quick massage for 10 minutes and made me do a few neck exercises and voila! I was feeling much better. The pain remained the next day and another of mum's massages, some exercises later my neck is back to feeling human again.

Well, if I keep working at office without a break and if I keep coming home to write more on the laptop, it is not going to help my neck. I had better watch out. Off I go now.

2 comments:

  1. Be careful with 'no-breaks, gotta finish this' stuff. NK had has taken to wearing belts for the back coz the pain in neck reached other regions in that vertebra

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yeah, trying to. Making a start by leaving early. Abhi'll be so proud of me ;)

    ReplyDelete