HackingWithCare GeneralGuidelinesAndPrecautions

General Guidelines and Precautions

IMPORTANT! Read this before participating to Hacking with Care, at Village:La_Quadrature_du_Camp.

Precautions and Contraindications

Massages, physical therapy, and movement, emotions, all affect the circulation and communications within and between all systems in the body (muscular, circulatory, nervous, etc.), it is how they can achieve their really nice effects. However, for the same reasons, they should be avoided (totally or partially) or exercised with caution in cases of certain conditions or pathologies.

Please consult the precautions and contraindications sign next to the booking sheet at the tent or here, online, prior to your session, and make sure you inform you caregiver if need be.

http://hackingwithcare.in/wiki/doku.php/massage_precautions_contra_indications_sign

Understand we can and will refuse offering a session if we believe it would not be good for you or us in the moment.

If you are the one giving massage, make sure you are aware of these precautions and contraindications and that the person you'll massage is too. If you feel specific questions about their health is too instrusive, have them read the sign. When you have doubts, use common senses, have a dialogue open with your partner. Use less force, work less time, stop. Don't improvise yourself a mechanic : Better to leave intense pain, serious injuries or blocks alone, until your friend can find qualified help.

In massage like in other arts, less is sometimes (often) more. For example a very long tonic massage can in fact be draining for the receiver (and the giver), while a simple almost still contact on the forehead will regenerate. Between 10 to 40 minutes is good for your first massage sessions.

General guidelines for the use of the massage table and tent

When Emily, Sarah, Flo are not working, the table will be open access. Please follow the general guidelines so that everyone can enjoy.

• You can book your time slot or just go in if it's free. Be reasonable with the time you spend in it so others can enjoy it too.
• The massage tent and table are dedicated space for caregiving, and we would like that it serves just that purpose, so please respect our intentions and the people who might want to use the space, do not use it for anything else.
• Always observe the precautions and contraindications (see above)
• Observe hygiene rules: wash hands before massage, use disposable paper covers to protect the table and headrest, dont leave trash behind..
• Take care of the material and accessories, appreciate the quality and don't waste products.
• Do not sell/price anything.
• Be transparent and honest about your actual qualifications in caregiving, do not pretend to have skills or knowledge you don't have. There is plenty magic amateur warm hands and heart can accomplish, really, so no need to push it.
• Do not give a massage to someone who's not quite sure they want one or who is intoxicated - here, like in love, it has to be a YES. And you both can stop whenever you want !
• Respect physical reserve. No one has to take their clothes off if they don't want to (very good massage can be done with clothes on). Similarly, if you, the masseur.se, are not comfortable with full nudity, say it.
• Because massage induces relaxation in the nervous system it can sometimes trigger erection or reactions similar to sexual arousal in both men and women. It's not so frequent that you should worry about it, and besides it is normal and nothing to be ashamed of. The masseur/se should bear in mind that however sexual in appearance, these reactions might not be experienced exactly as such by the receiver, and so they should not be considered an invitation to act sexually. Leave them alone.
• Discuss "privacy settings" with your partner, what would they be comfortable with ? Can you talk about your experience later without mentioning their name, or not at all ? The default setting is "what goes on in the massage room stays in the massage room", to the point that you don't even mention who you've given massage to, when etc.
• Clean and tidy after you !!