Everything You Need To Know About Chavutti (Ayurvedic Massage with Feet) ~ An Ayurvedic Treatment Profile

What is Chavutti?

Chavutti is the oldest form of Indian massage based on the teaching of the marmas, which are vital energy points of the body. Chavutti Thirmal, as it’s traditionally called, literally means food pressure and so is otherwise known as foot massage.

On a physical level, marma points are points of intersection between muscles, tendons, arteries, veins, bones and joints, and on a spiritual and energetic level, marma points are also connections between body and consciousness. 

In the Chavutti massage, all marma points and nadis (subtle channels of the body) are revitalised, cleansed and strengthened, thereby activating the body's innate self-healing powers and allowing these internal energies to flow again.

Purposeful attention is focused on lengthening and aligning the spine, which allows internal space to be created, breathing to deepen, and energetic alignment to be harmonised. 

Benefits of Chavutti

 Chavutti is a technique for vitalising the body that stimulates and rejuvenates the nervous system, thereby increasing blood circulation. It’s main action is on releasing and directing prana (vayu or vata dosha) through the spinal cord (sushumna nadi), balancing the air & ether elements within.

The focus of Chavutti massage is to increase flexibility of the body and to release tension and stress, strengthen the muscles, allow the hips and thoracic area to open, release accumulated stress and stimulate the energy channels of the metabolism. 

Chavutti is an very effective therapy for; fatigue, mental depression, aches and pains in the whole body, fatigue, muscular dystrophy, sciatica, improving libido, increasing flexibility, energises the senses of the eyes & ears, regulating blood pressure, for rheumatism & asthma, enhanced posture as back muscles become activated, improves circulation which nourishes and revitalises the nerves, improved immunity because of the stimulated lymph flow, facilitates detoxification and therefore weight loss, improves fluid retention and muscular spasms.

The combination of the release of muscle tension, the stimulation of the metabolism and the relieving of mental stress all come together to make Chavutti massage a truly unique Ayurvedic treatment.

What to expect from a Chavutti Treatment?

Chavutti massage is unique as the feet are used to deliver the treatment. The therapist uses support from the walls or ceiling ropes for balance, and manipulates her body weight to vary the pressure of the massage using her feet. The massage is done with the client lying on the floor on their belly, on a thin comfortable mat.

Using the feet gives the client the feeling that the tension is being ironed out of them.

From a standing position, the therapist uses the weight of their body to press and knead the client using her toes, heels, arch and whole feet to press and massage with pressure and then release. Working with the energy lines (nadis) and marma points helps to ground and align the client, which facilitates a meditative state where deep healing can take place.

The great thing about Chavutti is that it can be received by the client whilst fully clothed, and without the application of oil. This makes it a fantastic treatment to receive during the hotter, summer months for those adverse to the copious amounts of oil used in many of Ayurveda’s other star treatments.

Chavutti is always practiced on the back of the body only, avoiding the neck, chest, throat, heart, genitals, face, belly & sternum are not massaged. Shiro Abhyanga (head massage) and full body Abhyanga can sometimes be done first with selected oils based on Vkriti or Prakriti (natural constitution or state of imbalance). 

**Chavutti should not be received within two hours of eating, after drinking alcohol in the previous 48 hours, or when the person has a fever, cough, skin disease or open wounds, during pregnancy or the first three days of menstruation.

The Origins of Chavutti

Chavutti is a traditional Indian massage technique developed by the Kalari martial arts of Kerala, India and it is thought to be approximately two thousand years old. An understanding of the energetic channels of the body was necessary for effective combat, and so knowledge of these energetic channels allowed the martial artists to not only harm, but also heal. 

From this ancient and precise knowledge of the bodies energetic channels and nadis (similar to the meridian lines of chinese medicine), as well as an understanding of the medical system of Ayurveda Kelari Chikitsa was born - a healing system which comprises the body therapies Chavutti Thirumal and Uzhichil (Marma Massage). 

As with most Eastern practices, Chavutti concentrates on both the physical and spiritual aspects of a treatment, and takes into account the Ayurvedic elements Vata (Air/Wind) Pitta (Fire/Bile) or Kapha (Earth/Phlegm) to restore balance.