The Nourishing Benefits of Abhyanga For Body and Soul
Abhyanga is one of the most profound acts of self-love you can give yourself. Read on to learn more about this beautiful ancient technique and how to best use it for your specific doshic makeup.
What Is Abhyanga?
Abhyanga is a form of massage that uses warm oil to penetrate deep into your skin and bring nourishment to your tissues. While abhyanga is often carried out by a practitioner in an ayurvedic clinic, you can also enjoy this beautiful treatment at home with self-abhyanga.
The practice of abhyanga falls under the category of Snehana in ayurvedic medicine. Snehana is the process of oleation, which is the internal or external application of oil to your body. In the case of abhyanga, the application of oil is external; however, there are many forms of snehana that offer oil to your body internally as well.
If you’re unfamiliar with Ayurveda, or even if you are quite familiar, you may wonder why so many ayurvedic treatments call for the use of oil.
To put it simply, oil is incredibly nourishing to your tissues. In Sanskrit, the word oil is translated into Sneha. But Sneha has more than one meaning; it can also be translated into love. When you receive oil (internally or externally), you are applying your body with love. In fact, many people liken the experience of abhyanga to being enveloped in a blanket of love.
Beyond the calm, loving aspects of abhyanga, however, there are some very practical benefits to self-massage; these include:
Calms the nervous system
Increases circulation
Brings lubrication to bones and joints
Slows the effects of aging
Stimulates the internal organs
Increases stamina
Assists with restful sleep
Strengthens bodily tissues
Supports detoxification
Enhances vision
Improves tone, texture, and softens skin
Oils To Use By Dosha
If you see an Ayurvedic practitioner for abhyanga, they'll use an oil that's specifically chosen to balance your current doshic imbalances.
However, when doing self-massage, you still get a tremendous benefit from using everyday oils that you can find in your local store. Just remember that quality is key, so whenever possible, look for organic and non-GMO oils.
Choose an oil that is best suited for your doshic makeup; if you don't know what your dominant dosha(s) are, you can use this quiz to find out.
Vata
The qualities of Vata are dry, light, cool, rough, subtle, and mobile. This can lead to feelings of ungroundedness, along with a scattered mind. In addition, Vata's also tend to have drier skin and get cold more often. Of all three doshas, Vata's benefit the most from frequent abhyanga.
Sesame oil is an excellent match for Vata due to its warming qualities and grounding qualities. However, almond oil is also a good second runner up.
Pitta
The qualities of Pitta are oily, sharp, hot, light, mobile, and liquid. Pitta's benefit the most from an oil that is cooling and calming. Along with the heat in their bodies, Pitta's sometimes have a hot-head that needs to be cooled.
Oils such as coconut and sunflower oil are great choices for Pittas as they both cool the exterior and bring calmness to the mind.
Kapha
The qualities of Kapha are heavy, cold, moist, dull, static, smooth, soft, dense, and oily. Since oil has similar qualities to Kapha, people with a Kapha constitution are the least likely to need regular abhyanga. With that being said, there are still many benefits that Kapha people can reap from abhyanga when it's indicated.
The best oil to use for Kapha abhyanga will be one that is light and warm, like sunflower or sesame oil. Keep in mind that you also don't need to use as much oil when massaging a Kapha person.
Steps To Perform Self-Abhyanga
If you have a dry brush, begin by brushing your skin to remove dead skin cells from the surface. This will help prepare your pores for receiving oil.
Warm your oil in a pot of warm water. It can be beneficial to pour the amount of oil you intend to use into a smaller glass container before warming it in the pot for a quicker process, or to avoiding heating plastic.
Once the oil is warm, use the following guidelines to massage your body from head to toe:
Beginning at the crown of your head, massage your entire scalp gently yet firmly. Spend a couple of minutes here as there are several marma points (energy points) located on the head.
Move down to your face, massaging your forehead, cheeks, temples, jaws, and ears in a circular motion.
Move on to your arms and legs, using long strokes on your limbs, and shorter strokes on your joints. Keep the movement of energy directed toward your heart, and don't forget about the soles of your feet (another area that is rich in marma points).
Massage your chest and abdomen, using circular movements in a clockwise direction over the abdomen.
Now relax and let the oil soak in for five to fifteen minutes. This step is very important as it takes several minutes for the oil to penetrate into the deepest layers of your skin and then to move into the tissues of your internal body.
Finally, rinse the excess oil off in a warm shower or bath, and gently towel dry your body.
Give Love, Receive Love
Whether you are performing abhyanga on yourself, a friend, or a loved one, don't forget to bring the energy of love into your practice. Abhyanga is not a rote "rubbing of oil" onto the body; it's a nourishing treatment for your entire mind-body system. As such, you will notice a significant difference when you perform abhyanga with an open heart and steady mind.
Love, no matter how you're feeling it, is always generated within you. With this in mind, I like to remind people to use abhyanga as both a meditation and as an invitation to send and receive love to themselves and others.