How is Heavenly Head Massage different from Indian Head Massage?
The Heavenly Head Massage system was originally created in 2001 by Shama Kern, the founder of Thai Healing Massage Academy. It grew out of the Thai Massage system, and then greatly expanded from there, becoming a separate modality.
The Indian Head Massage system, also known as Champissage, has been practiced in India for hundreds of years. In the 1980s it was introduced to the western world in England by Narendra Mehta, a blind massage therapist from India.
Both Shama Kern and Narendra Mehta were motivated by the fact that there was not much good and specialized head, neck, and face massage available.
However the two styles developed in different ways.
Comparing Heavenly Head Massage with Champissage
This comparison is based on the Indian Head Massage style which was introduced by Narendra Metha. There are other styles of Indian head massage within the Ayurveda system which are not included here.
- Heavenly Head Massage is done with the client lying on the back.
Indian Head Massage is generally done with the client sitting on a chair.
It is much easier to relax deeply while lying down. In this way at the end of the massage the client can remain in a blissful or even trance-like state as long as it takes to come back to regular waking consciousness. - Heavenly Head Massage includes a lot more neck work than Indian Head Massage.
The reason is that many neck manipulations and stretches can be done with the client lying down. The sitting position, however, does not allow for so many neck manipulations.
The Heavenly Head Massage online training system includes enough neck training so that you can do an entire hour of exclusive neck therapy. - Heavenly Head Massage is more gentle than Indian Head Massage. It is a blend of massage therapy and energy work and uses a very meditative approach.
- Heavenly Head Massage sessions are generally longer (1 hour) than Indian Head Massage sessions (20-30 minutes) since they include work on the upper chest, the shoulders, the neck, face and head.
It is a more comprehensive upper body work system which also includes stretches and other manipulations. - Heavenly Head Massage can be easily integrated into any kind of massage, since it is done with the client in the supine position, either on a floor mat or on a massage table.
Indian Head Massage, however, is designed as a separate session in the sitting position and therefore does not lend itself as well to integration with table massage.
Heavenly Head Massage goes beyond techniques
It uses elements from yoga and energy work. Besides using the actual techniques, the therapist uses subtle and energetic elements:
Practical applications of a versatile system
Thai Healing Massage Academy’s Heavenly Head Massage online training course has a number of applications. Here is how you can use it:
- You can do full one hour sessions with approximately 15 minutes spent on upper chest, neck, head and face each.
- You can use 10 or 15 minutes of Heavenly Head Massage at the end of all your massage sessions. It is the perfect way to end any session.
- You can use just the neck massage section to do neck therapy sessions.
Clients often mention that is is very difficult or often impossible to find anyone who can do specialized and highly effective neck work.
Compared to the more meditative general Heavenly Head Massage sessions, the specialized neck therapy work is more intense. - You can use the wide variety of face techniques for separate face massage therapy sessions. Many people hold a lot of stress in their face and jaws.
Clients often mention that they had a hard time finding anyone who can give a good therapeutic face massage. Heavenly Head Massage face therapy is the solution.
Heavenly Head Massage is a refined and highly specialized upper body massage system that can be used in a variety of ways.
It already is a very specialized massage system, and on top of that it fills the need for excellent neck and face therapy work which is generally not much addressed in many massage systems.
Heavenly Head Massage is unique, and it really does feel heavenly. It works within any massage system or as a standalone therapy. It is very flexible.
Additionally it includes highly effective and specialized therapeutic training for neck and face.
CLICK HERE to learn Heavenly Head Massage
through Thai Healing Massage Academy’s
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The author, Shama Kern, is the founder and director of Thai Healing Massage Academy. He has been practicing and teaching Thai Massage for two decades, and he is the creator of 20 Thai Massage online training courses.
Great post and Thanks for this nice post..
Thankyou for posting! I am interested in your head massage. Is this a home course with video? Or do you have to be present to learn it?
Thankyou!
It’s a home study video course.
As an Ayurvedic Practitioner I am responding to comments made regarding Indian Head Massage. Indian Head Massage does uae energy work via Marmas to shift energy around the body and does include shoulders upper chest and back work. It is alsi followed by hot towel treatment and the massage is done with specific herbal oils to support clarity and soothing qualities to the mind. It not only benefits the physical and mental relaxation of a client but also aids connection to all levels of being. By sitting a therapist has access to all moving parts of the shoulder and a lot of release can bw gaied by working this way. Small stretching and expansion of shoulder movement can also be activated as can stretching of neck and upper chest and back muscles. Having said all that, Love Thai massage and although his id one of the ouple of courses with Shama I have not done, I am sure it is a wonderful treatment. Just felt the comparison between the two modalities was incomplete and I believe they are probably both fantastic treatments. Kind regards and much love and respects to you Shama. Very happy student of your style of Thai Massage.
Hi Lynney, thanks for your comment. Actually my comparison is only between Heavenly Head Massage and the champissage style which was introduced by Narendra Methta in the western world. I have taken a course in that, and this didn’t have most of the elements which you mentioned – no oil, no towel, and quite limited shoulder/chest/back work compared to Heavenly Head Massage.
I am aware that there are more styles within the Ayurveda system which use different elements as you mentioned. However by including oil and towel applications, it is so different from Heavenly Head Massage that it is not such a relevant comparison anymore.
I have added something to the article to clarify that I am not referring to the entire Indian head massage system in Ayurveda, but that I am comparing two specific styles – Heavenly Head Massage versus Narendra Mehta’s champissage.
I have also written another article comparing Thai Massage to Ayurvedic massage. Again this is only based on my personal experience with Ayurveda when I received treatments in Sri Lanka. I am sure there is more to it than what I had experienced:
https://thaihealingmassage.com/thai-massage-versus-ayurvedic-massage/
Since you have much more experience with Ayurveda, and you know Thai Massage as well, maybe you might be interested in writing a guest post on our site comparing the two? That would add more completeness to the subject, I imagine.
And if you ever feel inspired to enroll in the Heavenly Head Massage course, I would be very interested in your take on it, and how you see the differences between it and the Indian head massage style.
Great post. Thank you for information
Dang, I had no idea there were two different types of head massages. This is so cool!
Very nice information. Good blog
Good Information. Thank you