A foundational practice in Ayurveda is Abhyanga, self-massage with oil, is pretty much just what it sounds like. You massage your self with oil. Seems simple enough, but one of the first reactions I often hear is “OMG i’m going to get oil all over the house” and especially people worry about slipping on an oily bathroom floor or shower. Trust, me there are simple ways to make abhyanga work for you.

Why practice abhyanga?

Massage has so many benefits! It melts away tension, settles the nerves, relaxes muscles, and supports healthy joints. Per ayurveda those are just the tip of the iceberg; massage also offers

• Proper circulation and lymph drainage
• Improved sleep patterns
• Softer, stronger skin
• Graceful aging
• Firm limbs
• Tone and vigor for the body’s tissues
• Increased longevity
• Nourishment for the whole body

Sound good? Great, then lets move along to the how to.

How to do Abhyanga

Abhyanga can be done daily or a few times a week. I think most of us practice before taking a shower. First things first, gather your materials. You’ll need an apporpriate oil, such as, sesame oil or sunflower oil, a towel which you don’t mind getting some oil on, and perhaps a bathrobe or pajamas that can get a little oil on them. Personally, I bought an inexpensive bathrobe for my morning practice and it’s worked out great.

If you’re doing this in the morning, maybe it will look like this:

• Go to your bathroom and turn on a heater if you have one (and need one)
• Strip down and stand on a towel or bath mat if you are worried about oil on the floor.
• Using small amounts of oil at a time, like less than a teaspoon, put oil in your hands and rub them together, then begin your massage:
  • Start at the feet and work upward along the legs.
  • Move from the hands up the arms toward the shoulders.
  • Always use long strokes along the limbs and circular motions on the joints, moving toward the heart and massage the oil well into your skin
  • Most of the time we stop at the neck but you can add scalp massage, then facial and neck massage if you like.

• Once you’ve completed your massage, put on your bathrobe or oil friendly pajamas, maybe even slip on some old socks, and try to wait 10-20 minutes before taking a shower.

Once I massage, I’ll brush my teeth, do my tongue scraping and oil pulling, then I’ll pop out to the kitchen for a big glass of hot water with lemon. By the time I finish all of this, its about time to start the shower. Go ahead and get nice a soapy to remove any residual surface oil (a good bit of the oil will absorb into your skin).

I have a dedicated bathrobe and small bath mat that I use for my abhyanga mornings that just get tossed in the watch frequently. Using small amounts of oil, my bathroom stays oil free, so no slip and fall!

Want more in depth information on abhyanga and a how to video? Check out Banyan Botanicals for a great guide.

Sesame oil is generally good for all dosha’s especially in the cooler months. If you want to get a little more into the subtleties of which oil to you, take a Dosha Quiz or set up an ayurvedic assesmentappointment with me to find your perfect abhyanga oil.