The oil therapy

Most of us have been juggling hectic lifestyles while trying to multi-task every day with increasingly fewer hours to invest in ourselves. While the West has embraced the benefits of coconut oil in every form, it has also inspired the need to bring back the massage to its land of origin. Devote a few minutes to yourself for implementing the following massage techniques (preferably using oil), for instant rejuvenation.  The signature lines of massages that I have developed are:

For Facial Glow
Pour some coconut oil into your right palm and apply on the top of the head using circular movements to spread evenly.  Use all the fingers, including thumbs, of both hands to perform circular movements on the entire scalp with medium pressure. Begin by placing your hands on either side at the hairline in front of the ears and work your way towards the back of the ears following it up to the back of the head and working up towards the front of the head to the hairline and continue slightly down towards the starting point.  

Use the thumbs and fingers of both hands on the forehead and thumbs and index finger on the rest of the face for a slow pinch and slow release.
Starting from the forehead, sweep out and up with your entire palm by alternating the hands and continue to perform the same around nose, eyes and cheeks to the temples.

For Office De-stressing
While at office in the middle of a workday, rotate your neck clockwise and counter-clockwise and do the same with your shoulders ending with quick shrugs.

Use one hand at a time to squeeze the top of the shoulder. Then begin massaging the entire back of the neck starting at the base reaching up to the occipital region in small circular movements using the fingers of both hands.

Alternating your hands, comb through the hair, starting at the hairline from the forehead to back of the head. This can be in any pattern as long as you keep it in line with your breathing and cover the entire scalp.

For Instant Energy
Bring both arms out in front to shoulder level and swing them left and right, then up and down. Repeat five times and end each set with five open hand claps over the head. Begin by placing your hands on either side above the ears and perform up and down movements alternating your hands. Each time move slightly towards the top of the head and repeat all over again.

Use both hands alternatively to perform the technique of tapotement (used in Swedish massage) on the head. Relax the wrist and gently hit the first phalanges of the little fingers. Use both hands and massage both ears simultaneously to massage the entire ear in small circles. The ear has many auricular pressure points connecting the entire body.

— The writer is the director of a massage institute in London.