Services
A collection of Original, Modern and Traditional practices, brought together with care
At Flow State, we work with a range of holistic practices, each with its own history, philosophy and way of approaching the body.
Our practitioners bring their own training, experience and way of working to each treatment. Rather than treating these traditions as rigid formulas, we approach them with respect for their origins while allowing the session to respond to the person in front of us.
Below you can discover the practices offered.
Abhyanga
The Ayurvedic oil massage
Abhyanga is a traditional Ayurvedic oil massage originating from India. The word is commonly translated as anointing or oiling of the body, and oil is central to the practice.Unlike many Western massage styles, Abhyanga is not primarily concerned with finding a particular “knot” and working it out. It is traditionally a rhythmic, flowing practice in which warm oil, continuous touch and repeated movements create a sense of deep nourishment and relaxation.
The massage typically uses long, flowing strokes alongside more focused movements around the joints, muscles and limbs. The rhythm is steady and meditative, allowing the body gradually to settle rather than being pushed into release.
At Flow State, Abhyanga is approached as an opportunity to slow down and reconnect with the physical body. The generous use of warm oil creates a particularly soothing quality to the treatment, while the continuous nature of the touch can encourage a profound sense of calm.
The treatment may be especially appealing if you are looking for something nurturing and grounding rather than highly corrective or intensely deep.
What to expect
Abhyanga is generally a full-body, oil-based treatment. Your therapist will work with long, rhythmic movements and varying degrees of pressure, adapting the treatment to your comfort and needs.
The experience is unhurried and deeply tactile, with the oil and rhythm of the massage becoming as important as the individual techniques themselves.
It is a beautiful choice when what you need is not to be “fixed”, but simply to be cared for.
Ayurvedic Massage
An ancient approach to body, rhythm and balance
Ayurveda is one of the world’s oldest systems of traditional medicine, originating in India. Its approach views wellbeing through the relationship between body, mind, lifestyle and environment. Ayurvedic bodywork places particular importance on touch, oil, rhythm and the qualities of the treatment itself.
There is no single “Ayurvedic massage”. Different traditions and practitioners use different techniques, oils and approaches. At Flow State, our Ayurvedic work draws particularly from the tradition of oil-based bodywork, combining flowing massage with more specific techniques according to the treatment and practitioner.
The intention is to create a treatment that feels deeply grounding and restorative, while encouraging awareness of the body and a greater sense of ease.
Some Ayurvedic treatments may incorporate traditional powders or other elements. Where appropriate, these can add another sensory dimension to the experience; from the texture of the treatment to the scent and warmth of the oils.
Our Approach
We respect Ayurveda as an ancient, traditional system with its own philosophy rather than reducing it to a collection of massage techniques.
Our approach focuses on the qualities that make Ayurvedic bodywork so distinctive: warm oil, rhythmic touch, continuity, presence and the relationship between the practitioner and the person receiving the treatment.
It is particularly suited to those drawn to slower, more nurturing forms of bodywork and to anyone wanting to experience massage as a ritual of care rather than simply a treatment for muscular tension.
Abhyanga and Ayurvedic Massage : what’s the difference?
The terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but there is a subtle distinction.
Abhyanga is a specific Ayurvedic practice: a traditional full-body oil massage characterised by warm oil, continuous rhythmic strokes and a deeply nurturing quality. It follows a recognisable approach and places particular emphasis on the use of oil and the rhythm of the treatment.
Ayurvedic Massage is a broader term. It can encompass different forms of Ayurvedic bodywork, techniques and traditions, depending on the practitioner, lineage and purpose of the treatment. It may include Abhyanga, but it does not necessarily follow the same format.
At Flow State, we offer both as distinct experiences. Abhyanga stays closer to the traditional flowing oil massage, while our Ayurvedic treatments allow for a broader interpretation of Ayurvedic bodywork and the individual approach of the practitioner.
Nuad Bo Rarn
Traditional Northern Thai massage
Nuad Bo Rarn - often simply called Thai massage - is a traditional form of bodywork originating in Thailand.
Unlike oil massage, Thai massage is traditionally performed clothed, without oil, and combines pressure, assisted movement, stretching and rhythmic compression.
Northern Thai massage has a distinctive quality: rather than the therapist simply working on the body, the recipient becomes part of the movement.
The practitioner may use their hands, thumbs, forearms, elbows, knees or feet to apply pressure while guiding the body through passive stretches and mobilisations. The result can feel somewhere between massage, assisted yoga and movement therapy. The pace is generally rhythmic and meditative rather than rushed. Pressure is applied progressively, with the intention of working with the body’s natural range rather than forcing it beyond its limits.
What it feels like
Thai massage can be deeply physical without necessarily being aggressive. The therapist works around the body through a sequence of compressions, stretches and movements. Some people particularly enjoy Thai massage when they feel physically restricted, stiff or as though they need movement as much as massage.
At Flow State, Thai techniques may also be incorporated into other treatments where appropriate — particularly stretches, compressions and mobilisations — allowing the benefits of this traditional Thai bodywork to become part of a broader, flowing treatment.
Reiki
Stillness, presence and gentle energy work
Reiki is a Japanese practice of energy work developed in the early twentieth century by Mikao Usui.
Unlike traditional massage, Reiki does not involve working into the muscles or manipulating the body. The recipient remains fully clothed, usually lying comfortably on a treatment table, while the practitioner works with a series of gentle hand positions, either resting lightly on the body or held just above it.
The practice is quiet and unhurried. There is very little movement, allowing the experience to unfold through stillness, breath and presence.
For some, Reiki is experienced as a deeply relaxing and meditative practice. Others describe sensations of warmth, lightness, spaciousness or simply a profound sense of rest. There is no particular experience you are expected to have — the value of the treatment is in creating the space to slow down and receive.
A practice of stillness
Reiki offers something quite different from massage.
There is no pressure to release tension, no stretching and no need to actively participate. Instead, you are invited to become still and allow your attention to settle.
In a world that rarely asks us to stop, this simplicity can be powerful.
A Reiki session is a chance to step away from the constant movement of everyday life and spend some uninterrupted time resting, breathing and reconnecting with yourself. It can be especially beautiful for those who are drawn to quieter forms of holistic practice, or who feel that what they need most is not more stimulation, but less.
At Flow State, Reiki is offered with a gentle, grounded approach — creating a calm space in which you can simply be.
Chi Nei Tsang
Traditional abdominal bodywork
Chi Nei Tsang is a traditional form of Chinese abdominal massage associated with Taoist practices.
The name is commonly translated as “working the energy of the internal organs”. Traditional practitioners work with the abdomen using hands-on techniques intended to encourage movement, relaxation and awareness around the abdominal area.
The abdomen is a highly personal part of the body, and Chi Nei Tsang therefore requires particular sensitivity, communication and trust between practitioner and client. The work may involve gentle yet specific pressure, circular movements, rocking, compression and techniques around the abdomen, ribcage and surrounding tissues.
Rather than approaching the abdomen as an isolated area, Chi Nei Tsang considers it in relation to breathing, posture, movement and the wider body.
A deeply grounding practice
For many people, the abdomen is an area they rarely experience through touch.
Chi Nei Tsang can therefore feel very different from conventional massage. The work is focused, slow and often surprisingly subtle.
At Flow State, the emphasis is on listening to the body and working within comfortable boundaries. Pressure is never something to endure for its own sake. The treatment can be particularly interesting for those drawn to abdominal awareness, breath, grounding and slower forms of traditional bodywork.
Reflexology
Working through the feet
Reflexology is a traditional complementary therapy based on the practice of applying pressure to specific areas of the feet, hands or ears.
Modern reflexology is based on the concept that particular areas of the feet correspond with different parts of the body. The feet receive a remarkable amount of pressure and stimulation every day, yet they are often overlooked. Reflexology creates the opportunity to bring attention back to them through deliberate, rhythmic pressure and detailed touch.
The treatment can range from gentle and soothing to more focused and stimulating, depending on the practitioner and the person receiving it.
More than a foot massage
Although the feet are the focus, reflexology can become a surprisingly immersive whole-body experience.
The repetitive pressure and attention can encourage a deep state of relaxation, while the focused nature of the treatment makes it particularly appealing if you want something more contained than a full-body massage.
It is also a beautiful treatment when you simply want to stop, rest and give your body some undivided attention.
Aromatherapy
Massage through touch and scent
Aromatherapy massage combines therapeutic massage with carefully selected essential oils.
Essential oils are concentrated aromatic extracts from plants, and aromatherapy traditionally uses them for their distinctive sensory qualities. In massage, they are generally diluted into a carrier oil before being applied to the skin. The experience therefore works on several sensory levels at once: the rhythm and pressure of touch, the warmth of the oil, the scent of the plants and the atmosphere of the room.
Aromatherapy is not about overwhelming the senses with fragrance. The oils are chosen thoughtfully and used to complement the treatment rather than dominate it. The massage itself can draw from flowing, Swedish and other therapeutic techniques depending on the practitioner.
A personalised experience
Different essential oils have different aromas and qualities, and your practitioner may discuss your preferences before the session. Some people are drawn towards fresh, uplifting scents. Others prefer something warm, woody, floral or deeply grounding.
The result is a treatment that feels both physical and sensory ; combining the restorative qualities of massage with the simple pleasure of botanical aromas.
Flow State
Silvio’s signature way of working
Flow State is not a traditional massage technique.
It is Silvio’s signature style of bodywork — shaped by the traditions, techniques and experiences that have influenced him over time.
It draws from Deep Tissue, Nuad Bo Rarn, Ayurvedic and Abhyanga traditions, assisted stretching, pressure-point work, mobilisation, fascial techniques and flowing oil massage. But also is complemented by many years of Yoga and Meditation.
These influences are not applied as separate chapters or followed according to a fixed sequence but become part of one continuous treatment.
They have been brought together into a way of working that is intuitive, responsive and continuously adapted to the person on the table
The most important element is not the technique.
It is listening.
Every body is different. Every person arrives carrying something different. Your posture, breathing, movement, tension, energy and state of mind can all change from one day to the next. So there is no fixed sequence.
Instead, the treatment develops gradually. Pressure can deepen or soften. Movement can become stillness. A stretch can become compression. Long flowing strokes can give way to precise work where the body asks for more attention.
The therapist follows rather than forces.
A massage without a script
Flow State is deliberately unhurried.
We believe the body needs time to transition from the pace of everyday life into genuine relaxation. This is why this signature treatments begin at 90 minutes: not because longer is automatically better, but because meaningful bodywork needs enough space to unfold.
The first part of the treatment may feel deeply physical — working through muscles, fascia, joints and areas of accumulated tension.
As the body begins to soften, the quality of the work changes.
Breathing becomes slower. Movement becomes more fluid. Pressure becomes more intuitive. The boundary between “working on the body” and simply being present with it begins to disappear.
The aim is not to chase pain or force a ‘release”, but to create the conditions in which the body can let go at its own pace.
What makes Flow State different
Many massage treatments begin with a technique and adapt it to the client. Flow State begins with the client and draws from many techniques.
Thai, Ayurvedic, Deep Tissue, stretching, mobilisation, fascial work and oil massage are all tools. None of them is the destination.
The aim is to work towards a state of greater ease and stillness. a connection to yourself.
You may arrive feeling physically tense and leave feeling lighter. You may arrive exhausted and find yourself deeply rested. You may come simply because you want time away from the noise of everyday life.
There is no single correct outcome. Every session is different because every body is different.
The experience
Flow State is designed as a complete experience rather than simply a period of massage.
There is time to arrive, talk, breathe and settle before the treatment begins. During the massage, the pace remains spacious and responsive. Afterwards, there is time to come back into yourself rather than immediately being pushed back into the outside world.
The intention is simple:
To create enough space for you to slow down, reconnect with your body and find your own state of flow.
Which Treatment is right for me ?
Each of our independent therapists has their own training, experience and areas of expertise, so the treatments available vary between practitioners.
If you are not sure which practice is right for you, we recommend exploring our Therapists page first. There you can discover each practitioner, the treatments they offer and their current availability.
You might be drawn to:
~ Flow State ~
for an immersive, intuitive full-body experience that brings together multiple traditions.
~ Abhyanga ~
for slow, rhythmic, nourishing oil massage.
~ Ayurvedic ~
for traditional Indian-inspired oil bodywork and a deeply restorative experience.
~ Nuad Bo Rarn ~
for assisted stretching, pressure and movement without oil.
~ Reiki ~
for quiet, stillness and deeply restful hands-on or hands-off work.
~ Reflexology ~
for focused work through the feet and a contained, deeply relaxing treatment.
~ Chi Nei Tsang ~
for slow, focused abdominal bodywork and greater awareness around the centre of the body.
~ Aromatherapy ~
for combining therapeutic massage with the sensory experience of carefully selected essential oils.
And if you are still unsure, simply get in touch below
We’ll take it from there.
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