Abhyanga massage gives the best self care
When i first began studying Ayurveda, my teachers raved about the transformative power of abhyanga, warm oil self-massage. Simply stated, you sit in a quiet place and apply warm oil to your entire body, starting at the top with the hair if you have time. Otherwise, oiling from the face down to the toes in long smooth strokes. You let it soak in for a few minutes and then shower or bathe. I’ll confess that my first reaction was, “Yuk!” I’ve never enjoyed being oily or greasy and have always avoided situations where i had to be, like sunscreen and sand. LOL. Still, the teachers kept raving so i started applying a little coconut oil to my body in the shower. It was okay, but nothing special.
Abhyanga changes everything
Finally, i decided if i was serious about studying the science of Ayurveda, i couldn’t leave out one of it’s most important practices, so i gave a full abhyanga a try. The oil primarily recommended for those with lots of vata qualities like me is sesame oil. I purchased a bottle from Banyan Botanicals since theirs is organic and designed to be used on the skin. I filled my sink with water as hot as i could get it from the tap and stuck the bottle of oil in it while i scraped my tongue, brushed my teeth, and used my neti pot. I put a big towel down on my bathroom floor, turned on some soothing music, poured out some of the warm oil and started applying. I had to admit, the application of the oil was really enjoyable. When i was done with the oil application, I did a few yoga postures with my oily body to let it soak in and then got under the shower. Experiment a success. I liked the experience.
Finding the right abhyanga oil is important
A day or so later, I noticed first that my skin was smoother than usual, but there was a small rash on my shin. Hmm. A couple other spots on my back were a little itchy. By this time, i’d heard more about oil choices, so i tried sunflower oil for my next abhyanga experience. It was better, but i still felt like my skin didn’t adore it. Finally i tried coconut oil and voila! It worked perfectly. The more i studied, the more i realized that while many of my physical qualities are vata dosha, that my skin is sensitive and reactive like a pitta dominant person. Coconut oil is the preferred oil for pitta-type people. I’ve used coconut oil preferentially ever since. You can experiment, mixing oils together until you find a perfect match. I’ve discovered that while my body skin is ultra sensitive and loves relatively light coconut oil, i can use nearly pure castor oil or ghee (clarified butter), both very thick and viscous, on my face and my complexion is happy.
Tips for the best self-oil massage
As you’ve probably gathered, i am now an abhyanga fan. I seldom shower without at least a brief application of warm oil beforehand. One thing that makes this possible is hooking up a mini-Crockpot (this is a link to the one i bought, but there are lots of brands) in my bathroom. I put my abhyanga oil along with my castor oil, pulling oil and nasya oil into the Crockpot when i first get up and, by the time i’m ready to use them, they’re warm. I’ve also learned to have “abhy clothes”. In my case, this is an old cotton robe i keep on the bathroom door that i only use when my body is oily, so if i have to emerge from the bathroom after the oil application, i can do it.
Amazing results from warm oil massage
One of the first things i noticed was my greatly improved skin. Despite the sensitivity, my body skin is still a bit dry and tended to be rough on my upper arms. Not anymore. The texture of my skin has improved dramatically and even some of the small scaly patches that come with age have disappeared. The other wonderful result is the soothing of the nervous system. When combined with my other morning routine practices, abhyanga smooths out the whole day and gives me a dose of self care and love that just can’t be beat in a short time. Abhyanga can also be done at night combined with a warm bath. Heaven!
Do yourself a big favor and add a warm oil massage to your day. What oil works best? What do you notice are your results?