The Neck Tips

With your partner lying on her back, you should position yourself at her head, with your knees on either side. Before beginning work on the neck, take a moment to be sensitive to your partner's body. The front of the body is naturally more vulnerable and open than the back, and your massage should reflect this. See the soft, relaxed round¬ness in the way the body lies, from the swell of the breasts to the abdomen, hips and legs. Note the delicate facial features, the muscles of the neck and then concentrate your full attention on the shoulders and gently bring your hands toward your partner's chest.

The neck often carries a lot of tension, so in this position the muscles are resting naturally, without having to support the head. A soft, releasing massage on the neck muscles immediately affects the upper back. The most important muscles for neck massage are the 'trapezius' (at the back of the neck), and the 'sternolcleidomastoid' (at the side), which turns the head. The cervical vertebrae supporting the head form a natural spinal curve. If the neck is lengthened through stretching, a feeling of release reverberates down the spine.


The sweeping effleurage strokes you use around the breasts and ribs will connect

effleurage and stretch

Rub more oil onto your fingers. Begin the massage by placing your fingertips lightly on your partner's chest (above), then sweep dawn with your hands between her breasts. Spread your hands to follow the curve of your partner's body, sweeping your fingers round the ribs (above center). As you turn your hands, press the flesh firmly, then slowly pull up the side of the body (above right). Drag slightly with your fingertips. Curve your hands to dip around the shoulders, then sliding round behind the shoulders, stretch down and away from you with the heels (below right). Continue by sweeping up the back of the neck, until your fingers are under the base of the skull. Complete the movement by stretching up and back towards you, lengthening the neck and releasing tension in the spine (main picture). Pull off through the hair and gently lower the head. Complete this movement several times, using luxurious, gliding strokes

sensations from the torso to the neck. In fact as you stretch the neck and push the shoulders, the whole upper torso begins to release. Including the movements of the relaxation massage (see pages 38-39), bring your hands to the back of the neck, and use small circles to release. Pressing slowly at the base of the neck releases tension, at the same time increasing sensuality. To end the massage, relax the scalp and tousle your partner's hair, tug¬ging gently at the roots -with your fingertips.

It is only after releasing the neck that we feel a wonderful sense of freedom, the body almost flooding with euphoria. It is no exaggeration to say that a soft, relaxed neck creates a softer and more open state of mind

Rolling

Roll the head from side to side. Then with your hands beneath the neck make small circles up the muscles on either side. Use your fingertips to work lightly from the base toward the skull (above left). Turn the head, and after pushing the shoulder down, smooth up the neck with the flat of your hand (above). As you reach the base of the skull, press in and under with your fingertips, keeping the pressure slow and even (below left). Tousle and shampoo your partner's hair (below), then finger up to the ends (main picture).

The best part of neck massage is that is gives the most sendual and erotical massage to whole body giving a poing of relaxations and deep sleeply sense.

he neck and throat areas are extremely delicate and sensitive. This makes them extremely responsive to sensation. Using a tender, delicate touch will fully open up your partners sense.

With the sensitive backs of your fingertips, trace lightly up your partner's throat. Follow every detail, softly drawing up and under the chin. As your touch continues almost imperceptibly, the entire body will be

awash with sensation. Or you can gently hush with your forefinger around the crescent of the ear following the curve back and forth. The shin behind the ear is very soft and delicate. Stimulate it with the pads of your fingers, playing softly along the line of the hair. More wonder-fiil sensations are produced by you brushing up the side of her neck with your fingers. Start stroking in the sensitive hollow above the col¬lar bone, and pull softly upwards until you reach the dimple behind the car. This sends tingles over the skin, down the spine and around the scalp. Watch to see the goose bumps on your partner's flesh. Choose a few strands of hair from the highly sensitive nape of your partner's neck, then gently tease and pull the hairs, keeping them taut between your fingers. Draw out the sensation by pulling the very ends.

Exploring your partner's body, watching closely the way she responds, increases the feeling between you of tenderness and inti¬macy. It is a whole new pleasure to find ways to please your partner, providing different sensations for her to experience. As you touch your partners body, share your experiences, bow her body feels to you and bow your touch feels to her