Everything You Need To Know About Abhyanga (Ayurvedic Massage) ~ An Ayurvedic Treatment Profile
What is Abhyanga?
Abhyanga, otherwise known as ayurvedic massage, is a broad term that means any kind of ayurvedic massage, of which there are a few different types including full-body massage, head massage (shiro abhyanga), or foot massage (pad abhyanga).
Abhyanga is considered such a significantly beneficial therapy, that it’s recommended daily - especially for the elderly, those with more air & ether in their constitution (vata dosha) and for those experiencing stress, anxiety & insomnia to name a few.
Excellent for pain relief and healing, abhyanga is usually characterised by a specific sequence of strokes including long, sweeping movements using copious amounts of warm, herbal oils suitable for the individual. Different types of abhyanga can use herbal powders, herbal pastes or ghee.
Benefits of Abhyanga
Do you experience anxiety and stress? (hello, don’t we all!)
Do you experience pain or stiffness in your joints or muscle fatigue after exercise?
Do you find you get dry skin, especially in the cooler months?
Do you suffer from insomnia or digestive complaints?
The act of massaging the body melts away tension and stress from the muscles, as well as reduces aches & pains and balances what we call vata dosha in ayurveda, which primarily is responsible for balancing out nervous system and governs all movement in the body including elimination. Massaging the body with medicated or herbal oils specific for your natural constitution (dosha) or current condition (vikriti, or imbalance), further enhances the benefits of the massage. Further benefits of Ayurvedic massage include;
Offers relief from stress, tension & low energy
Supports musculoskeletal and nervous system health
Tones the muscles & body’s tissues
Enhances circulation
Improves sleep patterns
Stimulates organ function
Helps your body detox
Promotes softer, stronger & more supple skin
Increases radiance and lustre of the skin, for graceful aging & growing
Prevents injury & muscle strain
Excellent for nervous system conditions, anxiety & overwork
Ideal to receive at the change of the seasons
Prepares the body for panchakarma, by mobilising the doshas and moving ama (toxins) towards the digestive tract in order to be eliminated
What to expect from an Abhyanga Treatment?
In ayurveda, abhyanga comes under the type of therapy treatment called snehna, which can be translated to mean that which oils and also love. It might sound a little obscure at first - until maybe you’ve received an abhyanga or given one to yourself!
There is an inherent connection between anointing the body with oil and enveloping it in love. The experience of receiving an abhyanga can offer a deep feeling of stability, warmth and comfort - love. Regular abhyanga is a way to keep yourself in optimal health and balance, via the skin, which ayurveda recognises as a major organ and vehicle to reach our internal organs. The skin is both a protective shield and a gateway to nourishing our bodies' more subtle channels through our pores.
The ancient ayurvedic texts do not give specific details of the procedures involved in abhyanga, but only mention certain techniques such as gentle rubbing, pressing and squeezing, and utilising pressure. If you’ve received abhyanga before at different locations, this can explain why there are slight variations of traditional abhyanga techniques.
The key feature is that abhyanga uses warm, herbal oils usually chosen by your therapist for your specific body-type or condition. The beauty of abhyanga being a relaxation type of massage, is that it works on a more subtle level that is working with our nervous system and helps to calm the mind.
Beginning with a head and neck massage, then coming to lay down, your therapist will use a combination of strokes including cupping, kneading, rubbing and then massage with oil, each section of the body at a time until the entire back and front body is treated.
Contraindications of Abhyanga
Abhyanga is contraindicated immediately after eating, when experiencing a strong headache or migraine, those with excessive mucus or congestion, suffering severe constipation or early stages of fever or directly after having surgery. Abhyanga is also contraindicated during the first three days or during heavy flow of menstruating women.
How to Practise Abhyanga at Home - Self-Abhyanga
Whilst we would all love to receive abhyanga massage from a practitioner or therapist all the time, the second-best thing is to give yourself an ayurvedic massage - often called ‘self-abhyanga’.
As a daily practice, abhyanga is fantastic for general fatigue, stiffness in the joints and muscles, as preparation for the activities for the day, or in the evening it can be practised as post-workout recovery for the muscles and joints.
Using an oil specifically catered to your dominant doshas or prakriti, can be a very good idea to bring you into balance — for general, all year, all seasons, all ages and dosha types, the best oil to use is organic, cold-pressed sesame oil.
For Vata, you can also use warming oils such as almond oil. For Pitta, go for more cooling oils such as coconut or sunflower oil and for Kapha, use sesame oil in smaller quantities, or mix with mustard oil. If you don’t know your dosha (Vata, Pitta or Kapha) or are unsure - use sesame oil.
Self-Abhyanga Instructions
The most important thing is to warm your oil in order to offset the cold and dry properties of Vata, as well as help to relax the body and make the oil better able to penetrate the skin.
Truly, there’s actually no right or wrong about how to practise self-massage, however there are a few key strokes that will help to stimulate circulation, digestion and to protect the joints.. The main thing is that the massage is done with presence and doesn’t become a superficial oil application - really feel each part of your body.
You will need between 1⁄4 - 1⁄2 a cup and you can heat it in a small oil-burner with a candle lit underneath, or on the stove in a small pot. For practicing abhyanga whilst travelling or on-the-move, it also works well to use a small glass pump bottle containing the oil, warmed by submerging in a mug of boiling water.
As a rule of thumb - massage the limbs with long strokes and the joints with gentler, round strokes. It’s ideal if you can relax in a warm place for 10 - 15 minutes after your massage before taking a warm shower, however it is not necessary and it is better to do the massage and hop straight in the shower or bath than to not do it! Once you are familiar with the sequence, your self-abhyanga can take anywhere from 5 - 15 minutes, depending on the time that you have. Start from your feet and work your way upwards, avoiding the neck and face (there are better oils for these areas).
Start with your legs outstretched on an old towel dedicated to your self-abhyanga (it’s going to get oily!).
Feet & Legs - start by massaging one foot including the soles and ankles, by crossing it over your other, extended. You can choose to now massage the other foot in the same way, so as to massage one whole foot and leg or alternate. Massage the lower leg and calf with long strokes, the knee with round and more gentle strokes and again long strokes on the thighs, including inner and outer thigh and hip.
Belly & Chest - Apply oil to the abdomen in a circular motion & clockwise direction, starting around the navel centre and slowly widening the circles and depth of pressure - to really feel Then, using one hand with a flat palm, massage from the lower hip / belly across the chest / heart and over the shoulder, in an alternating pattern with each hand For women, then massage around the breast.
Shoulders & Neck - massage using circular motions along the top of both shoulders and the back of the neck.
Arms & Hands - use long strokes on the arm, round strokes on the elbow and finish by thoroughly massaging the hands and fingers as what feels best for you.
Back and Hips - whilst still seated, massage around the hips and buttocks and any places missed earlier. Then stand up, with straight legs, place some oil on the hands and stroke up and down the backs of the legs quite fast to generate some heat.
Sacrum & Bum - whilst standing upright, massage up the sacrum (base of the spine) and buttock. Back - put some oil on the backs of the hands and apply / massage the back of the body as far as you can reach.
Repeat any areas of pain or that may benefit from more oil or attention, such as the belly for digestion, then either relax in your towel or dressing gown for a little while with socks or plastic slippers on. Please be very careful not to slip when stepping onto bathroom tiles or into the shower. Make sure to take a bath or shower after practising self-abhyanga (not before) & voila! Your skin will thank you, too! No need for moisturiser or other lotions.
If you’d like more detailed instructions with video guide support, please book in for an Initial Ayurveda Consultation.