Lomi Lomi for Headaches: Open the Crown, Ease the Pain

Many of us carry a quiet ache at the base of the skull—tension, fogginess, or recurring discomfort. This post shares how Lomi Lomi for headaches offers relief not just through massage, but through deep spiritual alignment. Whether we call it tight shoulders, tension headaches, or the weight of the world, the truth is: this is a sacred space in the body. In Hawaiian healing, the suboccipital region, nestled just below the crown, is not just a cluster of muscles and nerves. It is a spiritual gateway.

From a Hawaiian perspective, we always look at this area and the wisdom of the bones. What is the spiritual, emotional, or metaphysical source of what might be going on? So when someone arrives with tightness at the base of the skull—headaches, dizziness, or foggy thinking—we listen not only to the tension in the tissues but also to the stories hidden there.

And often, the story sounds like this: the perspective has become narrow. There’s too much linear thinking, too much forward-driving effort. The energy is rigid, and the flow is blocked.

What You’ll Learn in This Post:

• The spiritual significance of the neck and crown in Hawaiian healing

• A simple step-by-step Lomi Lomi self-massage for the suboccipitals

• A unique eye-led stretch to increase neck mobility and relieve headaches

• How headaches can reflect blocked energy and narrow perspective

• An invitation to deepen your healing practice during a Lomi Lomi workshop on Maui

The Spiritual Wisdom of the Crown and the Neck

In Hawaiian tradition, each part of the body holds a sacred teaching. The area at the base of the skull is a powerful energetic intersection—home to the suboccipitals. These small but mighty muscles connect the head to the spine and are responsible for some of the most essential movement in the human body. They influence balance, orientation, and blood flow between brain and body.

But even more important, this area represents the crown, our connection to divine guidance and universal energy.

When there is pain or rigidity here, Hawaiian wisdom teaches us to look at our viewpoint—literally and figuratively. Are we seeing with a full 180-degree view? Are we open to multiple perspectives? Or are we staring straight ahead, missing what’s happening all around us?

Rigidity in the neck often reflects rigidity in spirit. It may mean we are resisting change, clinging to control, or moving forward without spiritual alignment. It’s like trying to cross an ocean while only looking at one wave.

The Lomi Lomi Approach: Addressing the Whole Being

At Ho’omana Spa on the island of Maui, we teach that healing happens on many levels at once—physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental. That’s why, when we work with tension or pain, we’re not just loosening muscles. We’re asking deeper questions:

• Where is the energy stuck?

• What stories are you carrying here?

• What would it take to see your life, your path, your purpose from a wider lens?

This is the essence of Lomi Lomi. We listen to the body like an ancient chant, and we invite healing through the breath, through loving presence, and through the powerful rhythm of touch.

Watch this short video demonstration to follow along with the massage and stretch techniques. Seeing the movement in action can help you integrate these teachings into your own practice—or share them with clients.

A Simple Lomi Lomi Self-Massage for the Suboccipitals

You don’t need to wait for a massage table to start your healing. Here’s a technique I share with all of my students and guests. It’s gentle, effective, and infused with the aloha spirit.

1. Begin with Awareness
Turn your head to one side, and then to the other. What do you feel? Is one side more restricted than the other? This is your baseline—your body’s starting point for healing.

2. Thumb Walk at the Occiput
Place your hands behind your head, thumbs resting on either side of your spine at the base of your skull. Drop your chin slightly. Then, begin to walk your thumbs up toward the occiput, letting your head gently side-bend and rotate away from the pressure.

3. Change Direction
Now, reverse the pressure. Drop your thumbs just below the occiput and peel them down and out, walking toward the ears and back again. You’re gently activating circulation, freeing tension, and inviting openness.

4. Check Your Work
Turn your head side to side again. Feel the warmth? The mobility? That’s circulation returning and the energy beginning to move.

The Bow-Tie Stretch: Releasing with the Eyes

In Lomi Lomi, we don’t separate movement from intention. That’s why the following stretch begins with the eyes—our window to awareness.

1. Up and to the Left
Start by leading with your gaze. Look up to the left with your eyes and chin, then draw a diagonal path down to the right.

2. Switch Sides
Now look up to the right and draw down to the left. Repeat both sides three times, letting the movement shape a flowing bow-tie.

3. Reverse the Pattern
Flip it: look up to the right, down to the right, then up to the left, down to the left. Continue crossing until you feel your neck softening and your mind quieting.

4. Final Check
Turn your head again side to side. Drop your ear to your shoulder. What do you notice? Most people report feeling lighter, clearer, and more open—physically and spiritually. This simple technique is part of what makes Lomi Lomi for headaches so effective—you’re treating the root cause, not just the symptoms.

A Teaching for the Healers

If you’re a massage therapist, energy worker, or student of the healing arts, I invite you to reflect:

Where in your own body are you holding a narrow view?
Where could you invite more spiritual alignment into your work?

Many of my students come to the lomi lomi training expecting to learn techniques (and yes, you will). But what they often leave with is transformation. They begin to see how every physical touch is a prayer. How every area of pain is also a story waiting to be honored.

One student recently shared after class, “I didn’t know that working on someone’s neck would bring tears to my eyes. But I felt something shift. It was like I opened a doorway—not just for her, but for me too.”

This is Lomi Lomi. It’s more than bodywork. It’s a return to sacred sight.

Join Us on Maui: Learn Lomi Lomi from the Source

If you felt something stir in you as you read this—an invitation, a soft pull—perhaps this is your moment.

I would love to welcome you to our retreat on Maui, where we teach Lomi Lomi in its full depth: technique, tradition, and the spiritual philosophy of care passed down from our ancestors.

You’ll learn:

• How to release deeply held patterns in the body

• How to work with energy as much as anatomy

• How to embody the aloha spirit in every session

Our workshop calendar is posted online, and we’d be honored to share it with you. Come experience the healing power of Lomi Lomi, not just for your clients—but for yourself.

Ready to take the next step?

Visit www.LearnLomiLomi.com
Or speak with a team member about an upcoming workshop. Schedule a phone call >> HERE.

Let’s open the crown and walk this healing path together.

Aloha,
Kumu Jeana