When you hear the word massage, doesn’t it make you think of a relaxing experience where your tensions and stresses melt away? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to get a massage – maybe even right now?
We often think of massage as a luxurious treat, an indulgence, and an extravagant experience. But in fact, massage is an important component of optimal health and wellness. It has been used for centuries throughout the world in a variety of traditional cultures to strengthen well being and vitality. Today massage therapy is increasing in popularity and research highlighting the many benefits of massage is growing just as dramatically.
In Ayurveda, massage plays an important role in the restoring health and wellness in the client. The massage utilized in Ayurveda is called Abhyanga. Abhyanga is a warm oil massage and is recommended for almost everybody of any age, from a newborn child to an elderly person. You can enjoy this warm oil massage from a therapist or you can give yourself this gift every day and the benefits are well worth the investment. In Ayurveda, there is an inherent connection between enveloping the body in oil and enveloping it in love. Both oil and love provide a sense of nurturing, grounding and nourishment. These qualities benefit the entire body; especially the nervous system and most importantly, they support the entire being – body, mind and spirit. Giving yourself a massage with warm oil gives you the opportunity to give love and nourishment to yourself.
Ancient Ayurvedic texts describe the benefits of massage for the whole body and specifically outline the benefits of applying oil to the scalp, the ears and the feet. Because Ayurveda considers the scalp, the ears and the feet to map representing the whole body, massaging these areas can positively impact other bodily parts and systems.
Ayurvedic teachings recommend a daily Abhyanga massage. The benefits include support of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems, proper circulation and lymph drainage and regular sleep patterns to name a few. Oil massage of the head and scalp stimulates the scalp and promotes lustrous hair. It can also be helpful in the process of ageing gracefully. Abhyanga is beneficial to all three doshas, Vata, Pitta and Kapha.
Once you have done the process a couple of times, you will see that it is possible to give yourself a rejuvenating treatment that will benefit you all day long. Your daily warm oil Abhyanga can be simple and straightforward. As you incorporate this wonderful gift into your life you will be amazed at the results that manifest. Take in the wisdom of the ancient traditions and cherish yourself with a message, you have nothing to lose and so much to gain.
