This post is a continuation from special guest Jill Sanchioni of Pure Spirit Potions.  Jill is a Licensed Massage Therapist, Aromatherapist and Yoga Teacher. This second part in the two part series focuses on massage techniques that you can share with your loved one.  The first post, Sensual Massage Part 1, focused on preparing for your sensual encounter.  We will be giving away a free ritual oil from Pure Spirit Potions.  See the bottom of the post for details.

So you’ve found the time, made the plans, oils are warming, the room is ready..but are you?  You may think you don’t know how to give a massage, especially a Sensual Massage your partner will love and remember.  But with just a few practiced techniques you can wow yourself and your Valentine!  Always take a moment before beginning a massage to ground yourself.  This is done by just sitting and consciously taking a few deep,long and full breaths.  Many of us take the simple act of breathing for granted, not knowing how this natural and usually unconscious act can transform our well being, mood and health.   Begin by placing your hand on your stomach, close your eyes and start to slowly breathe into your abdomen filling it under your hand, allow your belly to expand and grow.  Then let your breathe fill your chest and collarbone.  Exhale the breathe slowly out finishing with emptying the belly, letting your navel press out any left over breathe..Repeat two to three more times until you notice a calm and peaceful feeling.  Now you are ready to start the fun part.

Invite your partner into the Bedroom or place you have chosen for this special event.  If you are going to be working on the full body have them lay down in the designated area.  If you are only going to be doing maybe feet and shoulders (which is a great way to introduce this technique if the full body is not something you are ready for yet) have them sit or lounge comfortably.  Always be sure the receiver is warm, comfortable and ask if they need anything.  To prepare you both you can take a few grounding breathes either facing each other which increases intimacy, or your partner can lay face down with your hands firmly on their back and ask them to take a few deep breathes with you.

Now you can undrape the back to your level of comfort.  Leaving the backside and legs covered at this point with a towel.  Cover your hands in the warm oil and apply from the shoulders down the back in long, slow, sweeping motions.  If they are on a bed you can stand in front of the head and neck.  If they are on the floor, just kneel in front being careful of your back.  The key to keeping the massage sensual is keeping your strokes slow, long and firm.  By keeping your pattern slow your partner can feel each area more effectively.  You can also choose to leave a little mystery, going a bit slower and further down the back on each pass. Make the massage a fun learning experience for you to gain insight on what makes your partner feel good.  When you reach those spots, take note.  Come back to those areas, linger, use your hands, forearms and elbows to play but be sure to keep your focus and remember better to give a little less and leave them wanting a bit more.  Once you’ve covered the back begin to work down just a bit lower.  The hips, just below the back and right above the butt is a place of tension and stress but also contains many nerves that send feelings of relief and pleasure when worked just right.  Pay some attention here, begin to relax their hips in the back and if your feeling risky allow your hands to work the sides of the hips as well, not quite to the gluts yet..mystery remember.  Now leave the back (wanting a bit  more, we will get back to it) and move on to the legs.  Uncover them if the towel is still on.  Leave the towel covering only the butt now.  Using the same long, slow firm strokes begin to apply warm oil to the backs of legs and feet.  I like to to do one leg at a time, again so you can be focused and your partner gets to feel more.  You can sit behind one leg placing the backside of your partners foot and shin on your lap.  Start by squeezing the feet, relieving tension all over the body through the powers of Reflexology.  So if you are not giving a full body massage tonight thats alright. By giving an amazing foot massage you will release stress, tension and positive feelings through your partners entire body just through their feet. Squeeze and hold in three or four spots from the heel to the balls of the feet.  By holding for a few moments you will give their body and mind a chance to feel what’s going on and let go.  Rub and gently pull on each toe.  Squeeze through the ankle and begin in the calf.  Be sure you check in with them that the pressure is comfortable.  Continue slow strokes, mixing long flowing ones with holding squeezes.  Little by little move higher up the back of the leg, finding the usually tight hamstrings.  Allow you forearms to work here, running them slowly up and down the backs of the thighs.  I can’t stress enough the slowness, especially through the deep muscles of the legs.  Let you forearms and elbows creep up towards the hips again.  Now finding the bottom part of the hips where the thigh meet the gluts.  If you and your partner are comfortable you can uncover the side of the hips and gluts at this point.  Use your arms and knuckles to carefully press into this area.  There are lots of deep muscles and nerves through out the gluts and you can bring a lot of relief and pleasure paying attention here.  Once that leg is relaxed and happy, you can repeat the same process on the next leg.  Now your partners entire backside should be relaxed and covered in oils.  For one more lasting move, begin at the feet placing one hand on the back of each foot.  Start to slowly move your hands up the back of your partners calves, then thighs.  Move carefully along the sides of the hips and butt and up the back again.  You should now be sitting on the towel (and your partners butt).  Place your hands on their low back and begin to massage up to their shoulders and neck for a final once over.  Let your body get in on the action by using it as a massage tool. Have fun here and use you imagination.  But hold back a little, remember you have the whole front side to do.  When the backside is complete, recover with the towel and have them turn over.

With your partner face up you can choose to either cover their eyes with an eye pillow, scarf or ..blindfold.  Or leave them uncovered, the choice is yours.  As things may have gotten heated working the backside, we’re going to slow things down now on the front. Start with the hands and arms.  Apply your Aromatherapy Oil of choice to the first whole arm and hand.  Start squeezing hand, wrist and fingers giving gentle traction on each finger.  Squeeze and hold a few places on the palms of the hand to relieve deep tension.  Move up through the arm with the same slow, long strokes as before.  Using more of your hands for the work now.  Once the whole arm is relaxed wrap both hands around your partners upper arm and give firm, rhythmic compressions from the top of the arm down to the wrist.  Repeat on the other arm.  Move to the head of you partner and begin to massage the shoulders, neck and scalp. You can use your knuckles into the shoulder for firm pressure.  You will feel the tension in the shoulders so just notice those area and try to use your body to compress and hold to help your partner let go.  The scalp is not only soothing but can also be very pleasure inducing.  Be sure to pay special attention while working the scalp.  Grasp and compress the whole head a few times and then use your fingers to attentively work the around the sides, crown and back of the head.  A gentle pull of traction for the neck and you are ready for more fun.  Undrape your partners legs.  Allowing the towel to cover only the most intimate of parts.  As we did with the back of the legs begin with one at a time. Apply warm oil slowly from foot to thigh.  Allow your hands to linger by the sides of the hips before returning back to the foot to begin.  As you have practiced already slow and controlled sweeping motions flowing up the shin, and leisurely making their way to the thigh.  The legs offer a great area for sensual massage. Many large muscles and nerves that are tense and ready to be released make your job more rewarding than you may think.  Stay on the thigh for a little while, allowing your strokes to linger and lead you to the inner and outer thigh.  Remember to keep yourself present in the moment and your partner will also stay present. Then following up towards the hips once again, use your forearms or knuckles to compress and release.  Finish with one long stroke from foot to hip, and then repeat on the other leg.  One last finishing move and your gift is complete.  As on the back side place one hand on each foot, slowly move your hands up each leg, purposefully working onto and around the hips and now seated once again massage your partners chest. To what ever level is comfortable to you both.  Once again allow your body to be the massage tool and have fun!  The rest is up to you.  Happy Valentines day!

Leave a comment on this post about what you plan to get your special someone for Valentines Day or your thoughts on what we’ve shared with you in this post and we will enter you for a drawing for the Ritual Oil of your choice from Pure Spirit Potions. The winner will be drawn on February 9th, just in time for you to get it to give your own sensual massage for Valentines Day.

Products mentioned in article: from ‘Pure Spirit Potions’

• Be Loved ~Body & Bathing Ritual Oil $28
• Be Desired~ Herbal Infused Ritual Oil $33

For information on products mentioned please visit www.purespiritpotions.com