Corporate Wellness

The History of Champissage (Head Massage)


Massage has always played an important part in Indian life. It features in the earliest Ayurvedic texts, which date back nearly 4000 years. These ancient texts describe that, when used in conjunction with herbs, spices and aromatic oils, massage had an important medical function and could not only "strengthen muscles and firm skin", but also encourage the body's natural healing abilities (innate healing energy).


Today, Indian infants often receive a daily massage from birth until they are three years old to keep them supple and in good health. From three to six years of age, they are massaged once or twice a week. After six years of age, they are taught to share a massage with family members. Massage occurs across the generations in India as an integral part of family life.


Indian Champissage springs from this rich tradition of family grooming. Head massage has been practised for over a thousand years. The concept was originally developed by women who used different oils according to the season (coconut, sesame, almond, olive oil, herbal oils, buttermilk, mustard oil and henna) to keep their long hair strong, lustrous and in beautiful condition. Barbers practised many of the same skills with their male clients. They visited individual homes, cutting hair and often offering Champi (head massage) as part of the treatment. It was customary for most people from the king down to have someone attend to them in this manner.


Like most of his compatriots, Narendra Mehta had grown up with head massage as an integral part of his daily life. It was something to be automatically experienced every time he visited a barber. However, when Narendra came to England in the 1973 to train as a physical Therapist, he was dismayed to find that head massage was not generally available. He was also disappointed to discover that the head seemed to be completely neglected even in a full body massage. In 1978, Narendra decided to return to India to research the ancient art of head massage. He studied it wherever it was practised; in barbers shops, on street corners, at the beach and in family homes. He enjoyed being worked on but he couldn't help feeling that there was something missing in the massage. Although he experienced a slight improvement in well - being the effects were too short lived to be of any therapeutic benefit. Soon he arrived at two conclusions:

1. The therapy could benefit by being extended to include the face, neck, upper arms and shoulders - areas that accumulate high levels of stress and tension.
2. By introducing an Ayurvedic element into the massage to include work on the three higher Chakras (energy vortices) - Visuddha, Ajna and Sahasrara - the body's entire energy system could be rebalanced.

This new therapy was introduced at the 1981 Mind, Body and Spirit exhibition at Olympia, England where a total of 179 clients came to the stand suffering from headaches and exhibition exhaustion and left recharged and relaxed. Exposure to these and other countless clients during the next few years at his clinic and at various exhibitions allowed Narendra to study the effects of his techniques in depth and to revise and expand them.


Indian Head Massage (Indian Champissage) has received a lot of positive exposure since its introduction in the UK and has led to its current popularity amongst health parishioners and the general public. The future of traditional Head Massage (Champissage) is open and exciting.

Benefits of Champissage (Indian Head Massage)


Champissage works on physical, mental and subtle levels. It works on the upper back, shoulders, upper arms, neck, head and face - the areas most vulnerable to stress and tension.

Physical Benefits

• Through physically working with the upper back, shoulders, upper arms, neck, head and face, many positive physical benefits can be obtained
• General and specific relaxation for muscles, providing immediate relief;
• Fibrous adhesions (knots and nodules) can be broken down;
• Dispersal of toxins from tense, knotted muscles;
• Relief from chronic neck and shoulders stiffness;
• Loosening of the scalp;
• Increased oxygen uptake in tissues;
• Improved circulation of blood in previously congested muscles, providing extra oxygen for the brain.
• Stimulation and improvement of lymph circulation;
• Restoration of joint movement and mobility;
• Promotion of hair growth;
• Helps in relieving tension headaches, eye-strain, earache, tinnitus, jaw ache, sinusitis congestion, neck and shoulders stiffness, insomnia and disturbed sleep;
• Relaxation of the whole person.

Relaxation of the whole person

• A sense of calmness, peace and tranquillity;
• A release of anxiety;
• High levels of alertness and concentration;
• Clearer thinking;
• Helps in dissipating mental tiredness, edginess, depression, stress etc.

Subtle Benefits

• Balancing of chakra energy;
• Release of stagnant energy; boosting available energy on all levels;
• General energetic healing.

Chair massage


Chair Massage  a quick and effective way to smooth away tensions Now available in London South London by VTCT qualified and insured masseuse. Tense, aching muscles are a common side-effect of the daily life. A soothing, relaxing massage sounds like just the thing to smooth those pent-up tensions.


Yet for most people in offices and other workplaces, a conventional, full body massage is too time-consuming, impractical and expensive as a regular stress-busting therapy. The answer is the Chair Massage.


More than 1,000 masseurs are now thought to be visiting workplaces throughout the UK from high street stores to call centers, local authorities to hospitals offering chair massage to busy office staff and others workers. A typical session takes, 15-20 minutes so it can easily be fitted into a lunch hour or tea-break. The cost is subsidized by some employers. There are no messy oils or lotions. And you don't even need to take your clothes off.


The basics


As many masseuses, I use my techniques and acupressure, also dubbed as coffee-break massage. Acupressure was originated in the US where it was devised as quick stress-reliever for high powered professionals too busy even to leave their desks. I work focuses on the muscles, back arms, hands, shoulders, neck and head, where tension and pain often build up desk-bound staff working under pressure. According to the UK training organization, the Academy of On Site Massage, acupressure uses more than 100 different stress release points on the head, neck, shoulders, arms and back. This is intended not only to relax tense and aching muscles, but to release energy and invigorate both mind and body.


I use my hands, thumbs and even elbows to knead, prod, pull and stretch the muscles. This can feel a little painful but should not be uncomfortable. I also combine acupressure with more traditional methods, as Indian Head Massage. As any traveler through India will know, head massage is very much a part of the daily family ritual in the West; it has been adapted to incorporate the upper back, arms, neck and face, providing relief from strain of extensive computer use. This treatment helps to relieve muscular aching, tension headaches, eyestrain, and sinusitis