The Beauty of Self Massage
Learn Aryuveda | Self CareIn Ayurveda,
there is a routine one practices everyday.
This practice is called Abhyanga, the art of self-massage. As we age, our youth is no longer youth. We do get older, the body shrinks, joints start to dry out and the mind starts to loose its sharpness. In AyurvedaAyurveda (also called Ayruvedic Medicine) is an ancient Indian system of medicine and healing that has been used for thousands of years to treat various ailments, including physical pain or discomfort. It involves using herbs, oils, dietary changes, yoga/meditation practices, massage therapy, acupuncture, and other holistic methods in order to promote overall health and wellness. More, abhyanga teaches us this can be dramatically slowed down with one practice, self massage. Best time of day is first thing in the morning if available or in my case at least once a week for proper maintenance and up keep of every day life.
Who doesn’t want to experience this!? When we learn to care for our own bodies, it becomes easier to care and understand the bodies of the loved ones around you. Self-massage cleanses and soothes the body allowing for the nervous system to down regulate (relax). When we self-massage it releases a cascade of feel-good hormones into our bloodstream and decreases cortisol which is a stress hormone we all are experiencing in todays day and age.
Getting a massage once a month by a licensed therapist is great as well! Personally, there is more benefit when YOU can spend the time to touch your own body.
Connect with your muscles, skin, and body has a bigger influence on the mind than one can imagine. There are oils in which one should consider using while self massaging.
As Caraka Samhita (Vol.1, V: 88-89) says: the body of one who uses oil massage regularly does not become affected much even if subjected to accidental injuries or strenuous work. By using oil massage daily, a person is endowed with pleasant touch, trimmed body parts and becomes strong, charming, and least affected by old age.
First, we want to make sure the oil we use is warm. Warm oil makes it easier for the skin to absorb and digest. If you are someone familiar with AyurvedaAyurveda (also called Ayruvedic Medicine) is an ancient Indian system of medicine and healing that has been used for thousands of years to treat various ailments, including physical pain or discomfort. It involves using herbs, oils, dietary changes, yoga/meditation practices, massage therapy, acupuncture, and other holistic methods in order to promote overall health and wellness. More terms, remember to treat the skin, not your specific doshaThe three dosha's (also known as tridoshic) represent different types of energy and imbalances within our body, mind & spirit. They can be described in terms of their qualities or characteristics such as hot/cold, light/dark etc., but they are also understood through the Ayurveda system which is based on balancing these energies to achieve optimal health and wellbeing for each individual person's unique constitution (prakriti). More for these self massages. Lets tune into your skin:
- VataVatas are people with a constitutional predisposition toward dryness, coldness or lightheadedness due to an excessive movement in their system which causes them to feel ungrounded or spacey when they experience these qualities. They tend towards being airy and spontaneous but not necessarily flighty; it is difficult for vatas to focus on one thing at a time because of the constant motion within themselves, so they may have trouble staying still in their bodies even if they are physically active or moving around. More Skin types typically tend towards early wrinkling and dryness, have a combination of dry and oily, thin bone structure, fine pores, dark, scanty, frizzy hair.
- PittaPittas are people with a constitutional predisposition toward anger and irritability due to an excess of heat in their system, which causes them to be easily agitated or angry when frustrated by circumstances. Pittis tend towards being hot-tempered but not necessarily violent; they have difficulty controlling their emotions because it is difficult for pittas to control the flow of energy through themselves and around others. More Skin types tend towards inflammation and sensitivity, medium frame and luscious skin with oily T-zone and dry cheeks, has soft, moderately thick hair with light or reddish tones.
- KaphaKaphas are people with a constitutional predisposition to gain weight and accumulate fat around the abdomen or waist area due to an excess of water in their system, which causes them to feel sluggish. They tend towards being overweight but not necessarily obese; they have difficulty losing weight because it is difficult for kaphas to burn calories efficiently. More Skin types are on the clammy and thick side, have a large frame and prone to gaining weight, has soft skin with large pores and thick, wavy, lustrous hair.
In the next few weeks, pick a day to really sit down with yourself, your warm oil and experience the self massage. As a massage therapist, this practice was challenging because it was for myself! I practice at least once a week now and my body is loving me for it. Try it out and if you want to reach me and find out what your imbalances are, fill out the contact form and we can schedule a 30 minute free consultation. Enjoy the journey of self massage!
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