Added on Tuesday 14 Nov 2006

Issi Wilson

In February this year my colleagues at work very kindly bought me a voucher for A FULL BODY HOT STONE MASSAGE at Balance in Napiershall Street, Glasgow. Balance is Glasgow's first Yoga Centre and Chiropractic Clinic supported alongside Complementary Health disciplines. Balance has created a centre providing services for those who have an interest in their own health and well being. Whatever your age or state of health, they offer therapies and yoga classes to suit each individuals varying needs.

This voucher was a gift for passing my post-graduate studies at the University of Glasgow. I found it in my purse a few weeks ago and as it was only valid for nine months, I thought that I should book an appointment, which I did for Friday 11th November 06 late on in the afternoon.

For those of you who remember that Friday afternoon, it came on torrential rain just about 3.30pm. Just the time that Davy and I were walking from Tiso's at Port Dundas to Napiershall Street. I thought that it would be good to get a bit of exercise before my Hot Stone Massage. Mistake, I arrived at Balance with the rain running out of me, cold and miserable. My feet were soaking, trousers and jacket wet through. I stood in the reception and dripped. I tried lamely to re-arrange my appointment but eventually agreed to go through with it. I thought that it was better to get it over with. Sort of like going to the dentist!!

I'm not good at anybody touching my body and am not a big fan of massage. I had tried to persuade Davy to go in my place as we ran through the rain but he would not be persuaded. I left him at the door of the shop pleading with him to return with the car and dry clothes for me. You can imagine his response as he ran off to get the underground home equally as wet as me.

Jill, my masseuse, encouraged me into the treatment room and offered to hang up my wet clothes up to dry. Eventually I relaxed enough to lie out on the treatment table. Jill was very calm, picking up my anxiety levels and began the Hot Stone Massage. Firstly she massaged oil into my back and shoulders and then very gently introduced the Hot Stones. Well it was wonderful. All warm and cosy. For me it was better than a massage as the Stones were touching me rather than someone else's hands. She used different shapes and sizes of Stones for different parts of my body and cupped small Stones in the arch of my feet and in my hands. Jill used the side of the Stones to get out some "knots" in my shoulder muscles not that I knew that I had any "knots" until she tackled them. The large Stone placed on my tummy was fab and felt like a hot water bottle. The whole procedure took about an hour and a half and by the end of it I was a total convert to this type of massage.

Jill explained that the Stones came from a riverbed in Arizona. They are made of Basalt and are good for retaining heat. Jill had a range of shapes and sizes of stones, which were especially chosen by her for their shape and size.

Jill gave me a few minutes relaxation before I had to get dressed and yes I dreaded those wet clothes and the thought of leaving this lovely warm cosy relaxed environment for the driech night outside.

BUT.. ? guess what!! Davy was waiting in the reception and he had brought dry clothes for me and the car. He got lots of "Brownie" points that night!!