RE: Recommended DVDs/Books for Hot Stones

Hi,

I don't recommend the Helen McGuinness DVDs - pricey for 60 minutes and the Advanced disk recaps much of the first. Can't say they are value for money - but I found that out the hard way!

Hope some other members have some more positive suggestions for you. It's worth checking on eBay - I've picked up some good therapy DVDs there from time to time.

Good luck working with your stones

derekw

Videos

Most of these are from the US, but they will ship overseas. I got some of them as VHS video and some as DVDs, all the DVDs I got have been region free, but make sure you ask. Make sure your DVD/VCR can cope with playing NTSC DVDs/videos, I think most outside of America can, but because American ones don't cope with PAL they think no-one can cope with NTSC (I've had almost arguments via email with some sellers saying they don't want to sell it because I won't be able to watch it...)

Japanese Hot stone massage is great but out of print. Check eBay. It assumes you have the companion book which tells you why something works (and why the video starts at Chapter 3, Chap 1&2 are theory in the book)

Sacred Stone [link= http://www.sacredstonehealing.com ]www.sacredstonehealing.com[/link]videos are good. The Classroom demo is probably the best. The first 15min of the classroom, concepts, facial and shirodhara video are almost exactly the same showing the stone layout (so much so, I had to rewind one to make sure I was watching what I thought I was watching...) Sacred Stone are better than the Healing Stone Massage ones [link= http://www.healingstonemassage.com ]www.healingstonemassage.com[/link]- both have an Ayurvedic slant.


The best video if you are after a bit more deep tissue/sports style ideas is Bruce Baltz' Deep Tissue Healing: The Art of Stone Massage [link= http://www.spiriphysical.com ]www.spiriphysical.com[/link] Highly recommended

IMSTE Hot Stone Massage Healing Through Touch is not worth the effort IMO

I've not seen The Art & Practice of Stone Massage by Meade Steadman, but it reportedly makes the IMSTE video look good, so I've not been in a rush to see a copy.

RE: Books

ThStone have a video, not seen it, no comment, but her book The Art of Stone Healing by Sonia Alexandra is easy to read, very easy because it is a small book, huge margins and a huge font. Most of the book is about her journey with stones, but there is a little bit of info in there.

The Official LaStone Therapy Manual by Mary Nelson, a lot about her journey with stones, but has so much other info I don't mind.

LaStone Therapy by Jane Scrivner, More about her journey with stones than anything else. Don't bother, get The Official LaStone Therapy Manual by Mary Nelson

Aurum Manus: The "Golden Hands" Method of Crystal-based Holistic Massage Including Treatment for Tinnitus and Migraine by Ricky Welch is a German book, as is Crystal Massage for Health and Healing by Michael Gienger but they the English versions are both published by a UK publisher. Aurum Manus is a bit more massage than layout, so probably better.

RE: Recommended DVDs/Books for Hot Stones

Thank you very much Derek and Cola for your useful advice.

Thanks Derek, I was looking at the Helen McGuinness range and thought it was expensive so will not bother with that one after your advice.

Cola, thank you for taking the time to provide all that information and I will follow up your recommendations, they were really helpful.

It is always good to gather other people's opinions as there is so much material out there it would be easy to waste alot of money on trial and error.

Thanks again, much appreciated [sm=1syellow1.gif]

RE: Recommended DVDs/Books for Hot Stones

The Helen McGuiness one's really aren't that great. Very basic. I returned them to Amazon after watching them becuase I was so disappointed.

TheofficialLastone therapy bookis good and gives good ideas on how to lay out your tank, something I didn't learn on my course.

The IMSTE again is OK, but there are much better ones out there. I got the massage nerds river stone techniques, it's a bit boring but shows different techniques

RE: Recommended DVDs/Books for Hot Stones

A point to remember also is that any LaStone product will probably cover the use of cold stones as well so be aware that you might be buying info you can't use (yet!).

derekw