Let’s talk Abhyanga
Abhyanga is a deeply nourishing and restorative practice, which I personally have found life changing for balancing anxiety and increasing energy. When we talk about rest, we’re not just talking about quality sleep and taking a bit more time out (though very important). We are also talking about small but consistent acts of self-care that support things such as quality sleep. The key here is consistency though abhyanga is also a great practice to have in your toolkit during times of overwhelm.
So for those of you who don’t know, abhyanga is an Ayurvedic oil based self-massage technique. There are so many reasons why this is good for you, my favourite reasons are:
Nervous system health
Proper circulation and lymph drainage
Improved sleep patterns
Softer, stronger skin
Graceful aging
Lustrous hair
This can be especially beneficial if you are in a dry climate or moving through a winter season, though unlike massages we have once in a while- abhyanga is intended as a daily practice.
This practice offers many different oil options based on your dosha, if this is an unfamiliar term to you and you want to know more hit up my girl Madeleine of Modern Ayurvedic’s free online resources, or take her free dosha tests.
As a vata dosha, I cannot recommend abhyanga enough to my fellow vatas! Though abhyanga is beneficial to all people.
How to Do Abhyanga
If you’re trying it for the first time, choose a leisurely day. Ayurveda recommends practicing abhyanga for a minimum of fifteen minutes in order for the effects of the oil work deeply in the body.
This wonderful self-massage routine is adapted from Dr. Claudia Welch guide on this practice and covers the key abhyanga massage steps. Try doing this routine in the morning for a vital day, or before bed for a more restful sleep.
Put about 1/4 cup oil in to a bowl or a squeeze bottle if you have one.
Place the bowl or bottle of oil in a pot of hot water until the oil is pleasantly warm.
Sit or stand comfortably in a warm room, on a towel that you don’t mind ruining with oil accumulation. Make sure you are protected from any wind.
Massage the oil into your body, beginning at the extremities and working toward the middle of your body. (I like to start at my feet and take a little extra time there- this is excellent option if you’re feeling anxious).
Use long strokes on the limbs and circular strokes on the joints. Massage the abdomen and chest in broad, clockwise, circular motions. On the abdomen, follow the path of the large intestine, moving up on the right side of the abdomen, then across, then down on the left side.
Massage the body for 5–20 minutes, with love and patience.
Give a little extra time and attention to massaging the oil into your scalp, ears, and feet, at least once a week. Apply oil to the crown of your head and work slowly outward in circular strokes. Oil applied to the head should be warm but not hot.
You can also put a couple drops of warm oil on the tip of your little finger or on a cotton ball and apply to the outer opening of the ear canal. (If there is any current or chronic discomfort in the ears don’t do this without the recommendation of your health care practitioner).
When you massage your feet, be sure to wash them first when you shower, so you don’t slip.
Enjoy a warm bath or shower. You can use a mild soap on areas that are feeling overly oily but otherwise avoid excessive soaping, simply rinsing the excess oil away.
When you get out of the bath, towel dry. Keep a special towel for drying off after your abhyanga because it will eventually accumulate oil.
You can put on a pair of cotton socks to protect your environment from any residual oil that might be on your feet.
Applying a high-quality essential oil to your wrists and neck can further support balance. If you are not familiar with which essential oils are balancing for each dosha, try rose or mitti for vata, rose or khus for pitta, and hina or myrrh for kapha.
Enjoy.
Dosha-Specific Abhyanga information
Vata. Practicing abhyanga daily can be highly beneficial, even life-changing, for balancing vata. This dosha benefits from a warm oil massage in a warm environment. Avoid getting chilled afterwards. Sesame oil is considered the “king of oils” in Ayurveda and is the best for vata dosha.
Pitta. Coolness is key. It is important to only gently heat the oil you choose for your abhyanga. Oil applied to the head should be cool in the summer and slightly warm in the winter. Coconut oil is considered one of the best oils for pitta dosha, as a traditionally, light, cooling oil.
Kapha. It’s usually best to use less oil for kapha abhyanga than for vata or pitta balancing self-massage practices. Light sesame or almond oil are options for Kapha dosha but consider a more vigorous massage technique to avoid excessive sluggishness.
Giving Abhyanga a go? have some thoughts? Let me know!
Annie xxx
This article was adapted from Banyan Botanicals article “benefits of self massage”.
