Venik Massage or BDSM session?
Recently, I learned of a Russian massage which includes wet birch branches used to beat a body. Yes, you read this correctly. Birch branches used to beat a person for massage.
I looked it up and found this website which gives a pretty good description. Venik - Russian treatment. I find it interesting they use the word "twigs" rather than "branches". Still, I looked around where I live to see if any massage place gives this type of massage. The answer would be NO.
Still fascinated with this massage, I kept my eye out for it. Luckily, I vacationed in London UK where there a spa provided this service. Excited, I made an appointment to experience it. I think my experience was rather disappointing.
When I arrived, it was required that I shower completely as well as wash my hair. The shampoo, conditioner and soap were all high end and lovely. Wrapped in a robe and wearing disposable flip flops, I followed the masseuse into one of the therapy rooms. There was a sauna as well as a shower in an adjoining room. The massage table was the standard type I'm used to see, except it was covered with only towels. There was no sheet. My room is the one below. I found a picture which is shown below. Where the chair is in the back, the right side was a large shower and the left side was a small sauna which holds easily 4 people sitting. If it was laying down, then just 2 people.
I was sent to the sauna for 5 minutes. I came back out and laid belly down. I only wore a disposable panty they provided. The masseuse proceeded to take two bundles of birch twigs soaked in water with some kind of oil and started whacking me. She started from the top of my back and went all the way down to the soles of my feet. Then she returned back up to the top. She repeated this three times before she took the leafy part of the branches and dragged it up and down my body. Then I flipped over onto my back and she repeated this process starting at my chest down to my toes.
The room was a bit chilly to be naked. It felt really good when I first came out of the sauna. With the whacking, it caused the air flow to increase and it became rather chilly. That was unpleasant. Fortunately, by the time I was cold, I was sent back into the sauna. I stayed in the sauna this time for a bit longer than 5 minutes. When I returned to the table, she repeated the process again. I was sent to the sauna for a third time for 5 minutes. After this last sauna, I was sent to the shower to rinse off. Once I rinsed off the leaves on my body and in my hair, she had me lie down on the massage table which she laid fresh sheets on. She rubbed oil all over my body, front and back. And that was it.
For 30 minutes and 40 GBP, this is what I received. I'm not sure if it was a good deal or not. The beating with the twigs was rather light. She could have hit me harder. The twigs and leaves didn't look fresh. They looked dried.
And really, I hope she didn't use these bundles on someone else. How hygienic would that be? I think if the whacking was carried out in the sauna, it would have been more comfortable. My muscles would have stayed looser and I'd have been more relaxed. As it was, with the hot/cold my muscles tightened.
Now, before the treatment, I neglected to mention they required I drink tea or water. Since I was coughing, they had me drink ginger tea. It was very tasty. After the treatment, they walked me to a "after treatment" room. I swear it looked like some kind of room set up for orgies. The light was dim. There were candles and waterfall fountains. There were see through drapes. I found a picture of it below. If I recall correctly, there were about ten beds like the ones below. There were headsets to listen to music. It was actually one big room with a little divider for the water and fruits. There were five beds to each side.
They leave me in here and recommend I drink water which they provided. And they recommended I eat a piece of fruit. There were clementines, bananas and plums.
After this experience, I really think this can be turned into a BDSM paid session. I mean, they even have the aftercare room where the temperature was a bit warmer. Throw in a few blankets, and the sub or bottom would be all set.
I looked it up and found this website which gives a pretty good description. Venik - Russian treatment. I find it interesting they use the word "twigs" rather than "branches". Still, I looked around where I live to see if any massage place gives this type of massage. The answer would be NO.
Still fascinated with this massage, I kept my eye out for it. Luckily, I vacationed in London UK where there a spa provided this service. Excited, I made an appointment to experience it. I think my experience was rather disappointing.
When I arrived, it was required that I shower completely as well as wash my hair. The shampoo, conditioner and soap were all high end and lovely. Wrapped in a robe and wearing disposable flip flops, I followed the masseuse into one of the therapy rooms. There was a sauna as well as a shower in an adjoining room. The massage table was the standard type I'm used to see, except it was covered with only towels. There was no sheet. My room is the one below. I found a picture which is shown below. Where the chair is in the back, the right side was a large shower and the left side was a small sauna which holds easily 4 people sitting. If it was laying down, then just 2 people.
I was sent to the sauna for 5 minutes. I came back out and laid belly down. I only wore a disposable panty they provided. The masseuse proceeded to take two bundles of birch twigs soaked in water with some kind of oil and started whacking me. She started from the top of my back and went all the way down to the soles of my feet. Then she returned back up to the top. She repeated this three times before she took the leafy part of the branches and dragged it up and down my body. Then I flipped over onto my back and she repeated this process starting at my chest down to my toes.
The room was a bit chilly to be naked. It felt really good when I first came out of the sauna. With the whacking, it caused the air flow to increase and it became rather chilly. That was unpleasant. Fortunately, by the time I was cold, I was sent back into the sauna. I stayed in the sauna this time for a bit longer than 5 minutes. When I returned to the table, she repeated the process again. I was sent to the sauna for a third time for 5 minutes. After this last sauna, I was sent to the shower to rinse off. Once I rinsed off the leaves on my body and in my hair, she had me lie down on the massage table which she laid fresh sheets on. She rubbed oil all over my body, front and back. And that was it.
For 30 minutes and 40 GBP, this is what I received. I'm not sure if it was a good deal or not. The beating with the twigs was rather light. She could have hit me harder. The twigs and leaves didn't look fresh. They looked dried.
And really, I hope she didn't use these bundles on someone else. How hygienic would that be? I think if the whacking was carried out in the sauna, it would have been more comfortable. My muscles would have stayed looser and I'd have been more relaxed. As it was, with the hot/cold my muscles tightened.
Now, before the treatment, I neglected to mention they required I drink tea or water. Since I was coughing, they had me drink ginger tea. It was very tasty. After the treatment, they walked me to a "after treatment" room. I swear it looked like some kind of room set up for orgies. The light was dim. There were candles and waterfall fountains. There were see through drapes. I found a picture of it below. If I recall correctly, there were about ten beds like the ones below. There were headsets to listen to music. It was actually one big room with a little divider for the water and fruits. There were five beds to each side.
They leave me in here and recommend I drink water which they provided. And they recommended I eat a piece of fruit. There were clementines, bananas and plums.
After this experience, I really think this can be turned into a BDSM paid session. I mean, they even have the aftercare room where the temperature was a bit warmer. Throw in a few blankets, and the sub or bottom would be all set.
Comments
Like the pics. Price is right for London. But cheaper £25-30 are the better deals offered by leisure deals including amazon...
Cheers, carol alias anonymouse ;)
judith