HISTORY
Ancient civilizations believed that hot stones were beneficial in healing in many ways, especially for cleansing the body, relaxing the heart, grounding the soul and soothing the mind. Shaman placed stones on or near a body to facilitate healing.
Native American women would place a warm stone on their belly during menses and they use heated stones in their sweat lodge.
The Roman baths involved hot water and the cooling effect of lying on marble tables. Pilgrims would put a hot stone at the end of their bed to warm the feet and Cowboys would lay their bedding on warmed stones by the campfire. Japanese priest that fast wears a sash in which he puts three stones to help slow the digestive process.
Have you ever heard of the story Stone Soup? In this story, a young man carrying a stone brings people together for a meal. Today we still use heated stones in saunas. Look at the stones as an extension of the therapist and just not another tool.

OTHER NAMES
•        La stone® Therapy
•        Hot Rock Therapy
•        Stone Therapy
•        Stone Massage
•        Hot/Cold Stone Therapy
•        River Stone Therapy
•        River Rock Massage
•        Geothermaltherapy  
•        Geothermalcryotherapy

SUGGESTIONS
• Have the client test the temperature before you begin.
• Keep fresh drinking water available at all times and encourage them to drink regularly.
• Test the temperature of the rocks on your forearm before placing them on their body.
• Place towels on the client’s body before you begin the treatment.
• When you use hot and cold stones together, it helps balance yin / yang concept.
• Hydrotherapy can be exhausting and dehydrating to the body.
• Working with temperatures ranging from 0 degrees to 140 degrees.
• More temperature is not always better.
• A 10-degree difference in cold temperature is the minimum to be placed directly on the skin.
• You can incorporate other forms of hydrotherapy into a hot rock therapy.
• Treatments usually are booked for 60-90 minutes.
• The more times you use the stones with oil, the darker they become.
• Ask questions during the treatment.
• Oil can be used to massage the rocks on their body.
• Stay with the client at all times or give the client an emergency signal such as a bell (be sure it can be heard above anything else).

THE ROCKS
• The hardness of basalt stones is 7 on the Mohs' Scale of 1-10, a diamond being a ten.
• The density of basalt stones is 2.5 times the weight per volume of water.
• The basalt stones have been formed downwind of a volcano.
• Boil & disinfect the stones before you use them on a client.
• Either you can buy a set of rocks for around $100 or you can find your own rocks at lakes or rivers (watch for “No picking rocks” signs).
• The joy of finding your own stones carries with it a deep connection to each stone.
• Make sure the rocks are smooth, many different sizes & flat.
• Black basalt stones stay hotter longer than any of the other colors.

SUPPLIES
• You can use a freezer for the cold stones.
• You can use a crock-pot, electric frying pan or a roaster with water in it for your heated stones.
• If you don’t heat the stones up, then you can use them for cold rocks (They are naturally a little cold).
• “Bed, Bath & Beyond” and “Target” and other retail stores sell hot rock sets (not recommended).
• Use a tongs, fish net, giant curved spoon or rubber gloves to take out the rocks.
• 30-50 different size Basalt riverbed stones are the choice.
• Aqua marine stones or marble stones are the stones of choice for cold stone therapy.
• People can purchase seven semi-precious stones for the chakra points.
• Thermometer
• 2-3 large towels
• Laundry bag

PLACEMENTS
• Test the rocks with essential oils on one part of the body for one minute to find if the client is allergic to the essential oil (also called “patch test”).
• Once the rocks start cooling down, you may place them on the client’s back or other parts of the body.
• You can place rocks or crystals on Chakra points on the body.
• Small rocks can be put in between the client’s toes and fingers.
• Place the rocks on a towel between the whole lengths of their legs to cool them off.
• Never place cold stones directly on the body.
• Once the rocks are getting cold, place them back in the heating unit and take out the rocks on the bottom.
• Apply cold or hot compresses to the head for long treatments.
• Rubbing alcohol is sprayed on the rocks if they are too hot.
• Next is the massage itself, which can involve a variety of treatments including deep tissue, Shiatsu and basic Swedish.

AFTER THE TREATMENT
• You can finish with a no rock massage or just lay the rocks on the client to relax.
• To finish the treatment put all the rocks in the crock-pot (In the laundry bag) and wipe the oil off the client with the sheet or towels.
• Keep client from being chilled after the treatment by giving the client warm towels or a bathrobe.
• The body should be allowed to rest for at least 15-30 minutes after a full body hot application to allow the body to return to normal.
• Clean the stones with soap, water and a vegetable brush. Tea Tree oil can be used to clean the stone.
• Let the rocks breathe after they are cleaned (lay them on a towel).