Give the gift of relaxation this holiday

How many times have you given a futile, if not totally useless, Christmas gift due to a total lack of inspiration? To avoid disappointment, it can be a good idea to forget material gifts and turn to beauty or well-being experiences instead.

As well as reducing waste, these gifts can be a great way to help loved ones relax and unwind, ready to start the new year on the right foot.

Maybe you’ve been buying the same thing – or almost the same thing – every year without feeling like your gifts ever leave a lasting impression, or that they’re (really) making someone happy.

In fact, you’ve probably experienced it yourself: some gifts always end up at the back of a closet, without ever really being used. It’s a real waste, and it can usually be avoided by choosing a gift experience rather than a material object.

Offering a massage or a spa or a wellness session can also be a great way for loved ones to recharge their batteries before starting the new year.

Sound therapy with singing bowls

Relax, release, let go and unwind. The benefits of sound therapy are numerous and increasingly sought after. Therapeutic bowls, which are also called singing bowls or Tibetan bowls, count among the many alternative therapies that are rooted in Asian traditions. The technique allows followers of the session to refocus, relax deeply, and rebalance their chakras.

Providing a real escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life, as well as from everyday worries and problems, singing bowls can also help the body and mind regain the strength and well-being necessary for a more serene future. While the bowls can be purchased for home use, an introductory or regular session with a professional is preferable, to begin with, and for enjoying a moment of pure relaxation.

Tui Na massage

Considered one of the branches of Chinese medicine – in the same way as acupuncture or dietetics – Tui Na massage, also called Chinese massage, is characterized by actions (tui meaning ‘to push’, na ‘to grasp’) performed to rebalance and release energies.

Contrary to some massage techniques, it’s not about following predefined patterns or actions, since the latter depends essentially on the problem(s) encountered by the person being massaged.

A session lasts between 30 minutes and 1 hour and does not (necessarily) require undressing. However, Tui Na massage is not always considered entirely pleasurable, since some of the actions used can be quite vigorous, or even unpleasant.

But it can be worth it, since the technique promises to restore the energy flow in the body, offering a kind of body reboot. What could be better at the start of a new year?

Kobido

Straight out of Japan, Kobido is much more than just a massage – in the land of the Rising Sun it is a traditional holistic art. Again, it is all about harmony between body and mind, except that the technique is used as a beauty booster to act on signs of fatigue, bring definition to the facial contour, enhance complexion radiance and tighten pores.

All this is achieved through precise hands-on techniques, spanning kneading, percussion and tapping.

Kobido not only allows you to leave with a rested, smoother and firmer face but also, by releasing vital energy, to bust stress and help instil a certain level of well-being. The massage even promises to protect the skin against future external aggression by boosting blood microcirculation and collagen.

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