VASTNESS — Sensitivity. Gentleness and power. Our relationship with water is marked by memories. All life begins in water. From the intrauterine world until birth. The source of life, water takes us back to our deepest roots. Returning to water also means returning to the self.
From this perspective, water is the beginning and the continuity. In the form of holistic treatments or rites of passage, water accompanies us during birth, life, and death, marking the major stages of life.
IN-WATER MASSAGE: THE PERFECT HOLISTIC TREATMENT FOR PREGNANT WOMEN
Boasting the same virtues as massage on a table, in-water massage has been growing in popularity for several years, becoming without a doubt the muse of expectant mothers. For pregnant women, the third trimester is marked by a feeling of heaviness in the body. In-water massage meets the need to regain a feeling of lightness thanks to the position of the body suspended in water. The wave that envelops the body and the reduced gravity lets you surrender and be carried away. In addition to soothing physical tensions and stress, contact with water soothes the mind, strengthens inner peace, and encourages a connection with the baby, who is also bathing in an aquatic environment.
Flø: massage in hot water*
A fully fledged technique created by Pierre Blais and recognized by the Fédération québécoise des massothérapeutes
“Massage on a table and massage in water are two totally different universes,” explains Pierre Blais, a massage therapist at Strøm Nordic Spa and the creator of the Flø massage. Combining the benefits of flotation and massage therapy, the Flø massage is an intense and immersive massage therapy experience offered in an outdoor pool heated to 37°C. Bearing the entire body, water softens each movement, helps restore range of motion, provides a feeling of lightness, and relieves muscle and joint pain and tension. The intensity in water is quite unique. When a body part is massaged there, the entire body feels the benefits of it at the same time thanks to the dynamic movement of the water. A true journey to the heart of the senses, the Flø massage offers a moment of letting go, carried by the current. Enveloped in water, the expectant mother floats and surrenders to the present moment, in communion with her baby.
Veechi aquamassage
A massage in hot water created by Carole Dion-Veechi according to the wave-like principles of aquamovement
During the 1970s, Quebecer Carole Dion-Veechi developed different techniques of movement in water: aquamovement, which is similar to aquatic yoga, and aquamassage, which will be discussed here. By using the undulation of water to create movement, aquamovement increases movement while decreasing effort. By harmonizing the body to the movement of the water, the resulting undulation creates space in the joints between the bones and muscles. As the patient lies on the surface of the water with the aid of flotation devices placed at their head and ankles,the therapist transmits a series of wave movements, mobilizations, light rocking, and gentle stretches to their body, promoting relaxation and release. When one part of the body is targeted, the resulting wave spreads throughout the body, which increases relaxation. Experienced in a pool of water heated to body temperature, the enveloping experience is compared to intrauterine memory. “We feel cradled as in our mother’s arms,” explains Carole Dion-Veechi.
While Veechi aquamassage is recognized for its wave technique, the Flø hot water massage, which is similar to Watsu (water shiatsu), promotes relaxation through acupressure, stretching, and massage in hot water.
GIVING BIRTH IN WATER
An approach marked by soothing and calm during a moment of high intensity, water birth, which has been practised for dozens of years in Europe, is becoming increasingly popular here in Quebec. Thanks to its effect of weightlessness, water allows you to surrender to the present moment with your body as a guide, which knows the way. While giving birth in water is beneficial for mom, it’s just as good for baby, who can be born in the same water that cradled them during the nine months of pregnancy. Enveloped by water, the newborn enjoys a smoother transition and a calm first contact with the world. A different type of childbirth characterized by well-being and intimacy.
In Quebec, water birth is practised in a birth centre, in certain hospitals, and at home, where the support of a midwife is essential, both for monitoring the pregnancy and for the delivery. In this regard, Australian researchers noted in the context of a 2018 study that 95% of midwives recommend that expectant mothers give birth in water to reduce the pain associated with childbirth and accelerate labour.
For expectant mothers, giving birth in water is synonymous with reduced pain from the contractions and lower stress. It also allows for an improvement in terms of breathing capacity, dilation of the cervix, and elasticity of the tissues and the perineum (and therefore a reduced risk of tearing). Water provides an effect of weightlessness, lightness, and muscular relaxation, which promotes bodily mobility and the efficiency of the contractions. For the baby, there is also reduced stress, a smoother transition from the aquatic environment to ambient air, and nearly immediate skin-to-skin contact. Since the mother’s contractions are more efficient, the trauma of birth is less pronounced. In hospital environments, women who use the bath also enjoy the relaxing effects of water, such as the relaxation of the muscles and tension, as well as reduced bodily resistance and pain related to the contractions. Safe and beneficial in many ways, water birth may be available to anyone interested in it; however, it is contraindicated for women with a high-risk pregnancy.
THALASSO BATH FOR BABIES: A WELCOME R ITUAL IN THE WATER
The Thalasso Baby Bath is a return to the source, a transitional treatment. It allows the newborn to find their bearings by reliving the sensations experienced in their mother’s womb. Birth can be painful for both the mother and the baby. As a ceremony of entry into the world, the Thalasso treatment soothes the newborn, which is particularly welcome when the birth has been difficult, and often becomes a beautiful moment of bonding between the parents and their baby.
The Thalasso Baby Bath is recommended for all babies aged three to four days or more, and ideally under five weeks. Lasting up to two hours, the treatment involves a bath, a baby massage, and the sharing of information and massage techniques with the parents. In a warm and subdued atmosphere, the newborn is immersed in a bathtub full of water heated to body temperature, or about 37°C. Under the stream of water, the specialist rocks the baby and has them adopt different positions while holding their head and letting their body float. Observed and heard, they surrender and let go of their tensions, regaining certain positions that they adopted in their mother’s womb. The baby guides the session. The water relaxes the muscles, softens the joints, and stimulates blood circulation and the cardiovascular system. In the longer term, the experience promotes the baby’s sleep and allows them to develop a bond of trust and security with their parents.
In Quebec, nine certified Thalasso Baby Bath technicians have received training from founder Sonia Rochel and offer the treatment at a specialized centre or at home.
EXPERIENCING WATER, REGARDLESS OF AGE
From the benefits of daily bathing or swimming to the thermotherapy experience, as well as doing water activities suited to young or old, experiencing water in all its forms is a source of openness, pleasure, and abandon.
Certain schools specializing in aquamovement offer an exclusive selection of classes, immersive workshops, and holistic treatments to refine body awareness in resonance with water. Commonly referred to as “baby swimmer” or “baby water movement,” aquamovement for babies helps toddlers develop motor skills, build confidence, and have fun in water. Some classes allow the parents to join in the experience so that they can also enjoy an increased sense of confidence. Offered to adults, aquamovement, inspired by Carole Dion- Veechi’s wave technique, presents aqua yoga, wave swimming, or water dancing to release tensions in the body and develop mobility, flexibility, ease, and fulfillment. Aqua yoga, AquaDouceur, and hydrotherapy are formulas suited to seniors that focus on stretching, joint health, and strength, while targeting problems specific to this age group, such as arthritis. In water, the body is weightless and regains a better range of motion. Contact with water helps increase blood circulation in the body, improve balance, reduce swelling in the joints and legs, and lower stress throughout the body.
Aimed at adults, thermotherapy is based on a relaxation ritual that alternates hot and cold, followed by a period of intense relaxation. It helps reduce stress and revive the body and mind. In particular, the thermal experience helps eliminate toxins, relax the muscles, improve sleep quality, and strengthen the immune system. It is conducive to good spirits, because the alternation of hot and cold releases energy and endorphins, the wellness hormones. Some spas, such as Strøm Nordic Spa, innovate by offering one-time events where children can also discover the benefits of the thermal experience, where the temperatures of the baths are adapted to them. During Børn family mornings, parents and children are invited to experience water, one thermal cycle at a time.
AQUAMATION: ENDING YOUR L I FE IN THE WATER
Aquamation, a new cremation technique using water, made its appearance in Quebec in 2019, and Quebecers took notice. Éric LeSieur, owner of the LeSieur funeral complex and the first owner of an aquamation machine in Quebec, explains that, while the strength of fire may scare some people off, water seems to be a gentler and less radical option.
Aquamation lets you keep as many memories as cremation. Since the family still receives an urn with ashes, the stages of mourning remain unchanged, allowing loved ones to let go of their deceased in a healthy way.
The scientific name of the process is alkaline hydrolysis. This is the same process that occurs in nature when a body lies in the ground. A combination of freshwater flow, heat, and alkalinity is used to accelerate the decomposition of the organic matter. Kept to a suitable temperature, the water never reaches its boiling point. While the body is made up of 65% water, the solution helps dissolve human tissue. At the end of the aquamation, the bones are reduced to dust and deposited in an urn.
From an environmental standpoint, aquamation offers the lowest impact of all end-of-life options. Using electricity, the process consumes much less energy than traditional cremation, and above all, does not rely on fossil fuel combustion. A source of life and hope, of dreams and the absolute, water can be the memory of life and the memory of death. A symbol as powerful as it is evocative, it represents the original character, the life force marking the most crucial stages, contributing to the health of the body, soul, and mind.
*Some restrictions may apply. Factors such as the season, outdoor temperature, or health measures related to COVID-19 may influence the availability of the Flø massage in hot water. Please contact Strøm Nordic Spa to check availability. Thank you for your understanding.
