Relaxing The Sacred Lomi Way

Most people find themselves looking for massages in spas or massage parlors, ready for their muscles to be worked with deep-tissue or sports massages. For those looking for something more relaxing, Lori, an advanced Sacred Lomi® practitioner in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, works with individuals to not only work the muscles in the body, but also cleanse the soul and mind to create a euphoric feeling.

A traditional Hawaiian ritual, the Lomi Lomi massage is designed to knead and soothe the body to confuse the mind, allowing the mind and body to enter a deep state of relaxation. Founded in the early 1800s, the massage was given to young men and women by Hawaiian tribal shamans. It wasn’t until the 1970s when Hawaiians decided to share the healing powers with the rest of the world.

A Healing Experience

The effectiveness of the Lomi Lomi stems from the practitioner using his or her forearms to create healing movements in a figure eight motion, which is used with the intention of healing and to create pressure. The practitioner uses long movements to confuse the mind into a deep state of relaxation, Lori said, which allows the individual to return to pono – the alignment of the body, mind, and spirit. She explained that this type of massage is about the experience and ritual and that the work centers around the intention of healing and staying present.

“I like to describe it as a dance on the body,” Lori said.

Lori begins each experience by discussing a client’s needs and identifying the overall goal of the massage. This includes understanding each client’s comfort level when it comes to touching and about massages in general. Unlike in other massages, there is no sheet under the table; more oil is used, along with a lot of under-the-body work and less draping.

Lori starts each massage with aromatherapy and breathing exercises, which allows her to find “aloha” – connecting with tribal elders and grounding herself. This is how she gets her mana, meaning energy, and uses that to begin circle eight motions with her forearms. While a lot of the massage is about breathing and connection to the client, Lori reassures that the breathing creates a good pressure for relieving muscles throughout the massage.

The massage, ranging from 90 to 120 minutes depending on the service chosen, concludes with hot stones placed along the body. Hot towels are draped around the arms, hands, feet, and forehead as a ritualistic sign of caring towards the individual. Relaxing music is played to allow the person to integrate back into the real world. As the client awakens, a sarong is gently dragged across the client’s body and Lori places a hand on his or her forehead or heart in a moment of “safely nurturing them and protecting and embracing them.”

Lori says the practice is just as healing for the client as it is for the practitioner. It creates a relationship between them, allowing healing on cellular, spiritual and emotional levels. No two massages are the same—it’s about facilitating a safe space that honors the client.

“I really feel I have a gift [in] the way my touch is translated,” Lori said. “I love what I do. It’s an intuitive gift, knowing and sensing and healing the body through the power of touch.”

Receiving the “Lomi Love”

Anyone interested in receiving a Sacred Lomi® massage from Lori, who is a nationally certified licensed massage therapist, can schedule an appointment with her by calling 754-234-3466 or emailing by her: Lori@IntuitiveTouchLomiMassage.com