Ayurvedic How-To
How to do abhyanga (ayurvedic self-massage)
Materials: 2-3 oz massage oil suited to your needs for balance,
plastic squeeze bottle, pot of very warm water, old cotton towel
or mat, paper towels.
Step
1. Pour the oil into the squeeze bottle and shut bottle tightly.
Step
2. Place the bottle in the warm water for 5 minutes or until
the oil heats up to comfortably warm.
Step
3. Stand on your towel or mat in a comfortably warm, draft-free
room.
Step
4. Squeeze the oil a little at a time into your palm and apply
the oil to your body, working systematically down until your entire
body is anointed with oil.
Step
5. Next, massage the oil into your skin, giving each part
of your body adequate attention. Use up and down strokes over
limbs and circular strokes over joints, chest and abdomen. Apply
lighter pressure over chest and abdomen than over extremities.
This process should take about 10-12 minutes.
Step
6. If massaging your scalp, apply oil to the crown of the
head and then work the oil into your scalp with your fingers in
outward circles.
Step
7. Sit quietly with eyes closed for 5 minutes, breathing deeply.
Step
8. Pat excess oil, if any, off with paper towels.
Step
9. Take a warm bath or shower, being very careful not to slip.
Wipe excess oil off your feet before stepping off the towel or
mat. Use a very gentle, non-soap cleanser and a gentle shampoo.
Step
10. Pat your skin with a towel and apply moisturizing lotion
or a gentle natural dusting powder.
Note:
The towels and mats you stand on for abhyanga will get stained
and eventually oil-saturated, so use old ones and do not put them
in washing machines or dryers. They should be periodically thrown
away and replaced.
