Ayurvedic Body Oil Massage Therapies

There are a lot of wonderful things to say about Ayurvedic body oil massages, yet there is one saying that best describes their main benefit, 'heaven can wait, this is paradise.'

Ayurvedic Massage Therapy generally employs massage (abhyanga), nurturing the sense of touch, whereas aromatherapy also enriches the sense of smell in its healing method. Oils (herbs cooked in the oils) applied to the body are used for severe physical issues such as arthritis, gout, diabetes, frozen shoulder, low immunity, and neurological disorders like paralysis, MS, and Parkinson's. These therapies also provide the benefit of enhancing skin luster, slowing of the aging process including wrinkles, and premature graying and balding. Most of these oil-massage therapies come from the Ayurvedic traditions originating in the area of India known as Kerala. Many of these therapies require a person to visit a day spa or stay at an Ayurveda spa, resort, or hotel. To get the most authentic spa experience for the least amount of money, you’ll want to go to India. After the plane fare, the prices for local travel and spa are considerably less than in North America and Europe.

Since 2005, Ayurvedic spas have become prevalent throughout all major cities in India, often found in hotels, from the most luxurious, to the inexpensive, safe, and clean YMCAs. There are also special Ayurveda spas and resorts dedicated solely to the full Ayurveda experience, including serving meals that suit your Ayurveda diet, meditation, yoga, and philosophical discussions. In some Ayurveda resorts, even the lodgings are designed with Vedic healing properties (Vastu Shastra - Indian Feng Shui). You can stay in a straw or pyramid hut, overlooking breathtaking vistas – a healing experience in itself. There are additional cultural accouterments to experience, such as local folk music and dance, nature sanctuary trips, and houseboat trips along beautiful rivers.

Alternatively, you can find Ayurveda spas in the most sacred regions of India, such as in the Himalayas, overlooking the holy Ganga river. There you are also offered Ayurveda herb walks in the mountains where the ancient seers walked and meditated. The energy there is quite profound, and the views of nature are awe-inspiring, making any trip to an Ayurvedic spa resort in India a full sensory-healing, cultural, nature-laden, and mystical experience of a lifetime. You can choose a package deal through Indian tourism, check the sites on the internet yourself, or ask for word of mouth referrals, the latter is advised.

If you wish to stay at home, in the US or Europe, Ayurvedic spas are cropping up all over. There are low-, moderate-, and high-end day spas offering a smattering of Western and Ayurveda spa treatments. Depending on the training of the practitioners and the spa’s focus, you will find varying degrees of authentic Ayurveda spa oil therapies.

Here is a short list of the more profound and enjoyable Kerala Ayurveda Spa therapies and some of their benefits. There are dozens of Ayurveda oil therapies, but these three are body-mind-spirit transforming experiences.

Kaya Seka (Pizhichil)

Method: Four practitioners (two for the upper torso, two for the lower body) pour warm medicated Ayurvedic herbal oil blends onto the body parts and massage the oil into the skin, synchronized in stroke and pressure. A truly unique experience.

Benefits: Promotes luster of the complexion, boosts immunity, heals neurological, muscular, and degenerative disorders.

Pinda Sweda (Navarakizhi)

Method: Again, four practitioners work on one person at a time. Here special cloth sacks filled with medicated herbs and grains are dipped in medicated Ayurveda oils and rubbed on the body in a synchronized manner.

Benefits: This is considered the most important of the Kerala Ayurveda spa therapies. Pinda sweda promotes suppleness, removing join stiffness and swelling, addresses all Vayu (Vata) dosha disorders, improves blood circulation, sleep, addresses neuro-muscular conditions like facial paralysis, and MS. It also offers anti-aging or age reversal longevity benefits, helps with gout, high blood pressure, diabetes, skin disorders, and balding/gray hair issues.

Shiro Dhara

This is the most widely known and offered Ayurveda oil spa therapy in the west, because it is easiest of the three to offer; it requires only one practitioner. However, it is the most profound and heavenly experience; rising at the end of a one-hour session, clients look and report feeling 20 years younger. It is a 'one-hour vacation’ without the stress of booking travel and hotel accommodations.

Method: Clients lay on a massage or specially designed Ayurvedic table. Warm medicated oil flows from above onto the client's forehead for 45 minutes to an hour.

Benefits: Ayurveda says the area between the eyebrows (ajna chakra) is where all the nerves in the body meet, so the entire nervous system is massaged as the oil caresses this area. As the nervous system relaxes, so does the immune system, and deep-seated stresses, even those from childhood, are released. People report going into deep meditation, feeling inner alertness (while their body slept and snored), and profound rest. At the end of the session, client's eyes shine, their cheeks are radiant, and generally report they operate in a 'stress-free zone' for a week or more after the session.

Whether you choose these therapies for important health issues or if you wish to look and feel youthful and radiant, Ayurvedic oil massages will give you an experience of a lifetime.