Abhyanga - Self-Massage
This is something I do at the very least once a week. 3 months before and during my 3 month intensive teacher training I would do this everyday without fail. Massaging helps to melt away stress and tension from the muscles. When you do an Ayurvedic oil massage, this can be further enhanced by implementing a regular morning or evening routine. I found learning this technique was especially beneficial with my meditation practice and complemented each other very nicely. I would usually practice abhyanga in the evening and prepared me nicely for a good nights sleep, something I didn’t experience for a good 15 years.
I hope the instruction below helps you!
Some of the benefits include:
* Musculoskeletal and nervous system health
* Proper circulation and lymph drainage
* Improved sleep patterns
* Softer, stronger skin
* Healthy vision
* Graceful aging
* Lustrous hair
* Firm, strong limbs
* Tone and vigor for the body’s tissues
* Increased longevity
* Nourishment for the whole body
In Sanskrit, the word sneha can be translated as both “oil” and “love.” So in Ayurveda, there is an inherent connection between enveloping the body in oil and enveloping it in love. Both experiences can give a deep feeling of stability, warmth, and comfort. Sneha—oil and love—is sukshma, or “subtle.” This allows it to pass through minute channels in the body and penetrate deep layers of tissue (dhatus). I normally have coconut oil in a small squeezey pot and leave it in a cup of boiling water for a few minutes, so the oil is warm and easy to apply.
How to get started:
Choose your oil, this can be coconut, sesame, almond oil, or the Dosha oils supplied by Maharishi Ayurveda https://www.maharishi.co.uk/ayurvedic-massage-oils/vata-massage-oil-500ml (my favourite is Vata Oil, but maybe try using coconut oil as a start, before spending money on this).
Do your abhyanga in a warm place that is free from cold drafts (a towel on the bathroom floor is a fine spot) using towel-covered pillows for back support, etc. as needed.
Warm your oil safely and gently before use (I have a plastic squeezy bottle and leave it in a cup of boiling water for a few minutes until warm).
Start the abhyanga by applying the oil everywhere first, so the whole body (including scalp) is covered with oil for the maximum time. About ¼ cup oil should be enough for most people’s needs.
The general principle for strokes is: circles on the joints and round places (e.g. head, stomach); straight strokes on the limbs and long places (e.g. neck, spine). Applying the oil and gently massaging the body in whatever way feels good will bring benefits (7.5 minutes minimum amount time with the oil on / 15-20 minutes is much better).
According to how much time you have, do your own version of the following, full abhyanga (or do an abbreviated abhyanga if time is short,by applying oil to head (scalp), ears, palms, navel, and soles of feet. Massage each area briefly before showering (7.5 - 10 min. minimum time with oil on skin). Remember that you will get more from abhyanga by doing it regularly, than by straining to do something longer occasionally (a bit like meditation, funny that)
START with the head, face, and ears, massaging with whole hands whenever you can, or using flat fingers in smaller areas (not tips). Your strokes can be circular or straight (back and forth), or both ways—however you prefer.
The main purpose of the strokes is to soothe and stimulate the tissues gently and pacify (calm) Vata Dosha throughout the body via the connections the skin has to all the inner organs and systems. It is the herbalized (maharishi) oil, soaking into the skin for some time, that draws out the toxins (not so much comes out with plain oil, so using herbalized oil is important for best results).
Next, stroke up and down the neck and shoulders and move down to the torso front with circular strokes on the chest (both sides at once is fine) then broad, clockwise strokes on the abdomen, and circles on the sides. You can also try doing horizontal cross-strokes (reaching from side to opposite side with both hands crossing back and forth over each other), up and down the torso (helps the energy to flow more freely within the body).
Then massage your back, wherever you can comfortably reach, with circles or straight strokes on the upper back; up and down ‘sweeps’ from ribs to hips; circles on the hips and buttocks; circles on the sacrum, and long sweeps up and down the spine and neck, as far as you can comfortably reach (end spine strokes DOWN if you have any kind of back pain, to help apana vata flow down properly). Horizontal cross strokes wherever you can on the back are also very good for proper energy flow (try reaching behind with both hands and crossing back and forth across the middle and low back, reaching back and forth from side to opposite side).
Now massage the arms and hands (left side first for ladies, right side first for men) starting with circles on the shoulder joint; straight strokes down and up all sides of the upper arm; circles again on the elbow joint; straight strokes on the lower arm; and circles on the wrist joint. Finish with circles on the palms and back of the hand, and pulls (slides) on the fingers and gently between the fingers (in the webbing).
If you have any arthritis concern (for prevention or cure) you can use Mahaganda Prana oil and massage each knuckle joint more firmly, grabbing the joint between thumb and straight or bent finger and rotating there (will deliver excellent results if done daily).
Then repeat the full sequence for the other arm.
Finish your abhyanga with massage to the legs and feet (very similar to arms, starting on the left side for ladies / right side for men).
Begin with circles on the hip joint; long strokes (with 2 hands) up and down the whole thigh; circles on the knee.
Use long strokes up and down on the lower leg with both hands; circles on the ankle joint; sweeps and circles on the feet with more pressure on the soles with palm and thumb strokes in any way that feels good.
End with the same kind of strokes on the toes and in-between the toes as for the hands.
Repeat the full sequence for the other leg and foot.
Even the firmer strokes mentioned above should still have a gentle, even quality and NOT BE TOO DEEP OR STRONG OR EXCESSIVELY BRISK. The main value of abhyanga is to balance vata dosha, which is responsible for movement and flow in the physiology, so excessive movement (speed) during abhyanga does not do the best job for reducing vata. EVERYONE needs to keep vata in balance for good health (no matter what your body qualities are).
Try to leave the oil on the body at least 15-20 minutes, and up to 45 minutes at the most before washing it off, to give the ‘kum’ oil time to pull the toxins out effectively.
It is VERY important to wash, or wipe off, the oil afterwards so that the toxins are not reabsorbed (must remove before one hour for this reason—note that during PK, the other treatments maintain the outward flow of toxins so the oil can stay on longer). After abhyanga, it’s best to shower than bathe in the tub (see quotes from Dr. Krishna below for timing details and exception re hot salt baths). Note that water temperature must be mild on the head (not hot or cold—lukewarm). Temperature can be comfortably warm on the body and quite warm on the legs and feet (good for circulation).
BE VERY CAREFUL not to slip when you get up after abhyanga…THIS HAS NEARLY CAUGHT ME OUT A FEW TIMES! wear some old socks or slippers if you have to walk at all, and use a good, non-slip mat in your bath/shower.
A Quote from DR J.R.RAJU a Vaidya (Ayurvedic Doctor) about Abhyanga:
