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Ayurvedic massage

The art of healing touch - with instructions for self-massage

The origin of Ayurvedic massage

The beginning of Ayurvedic massage lies in the hidden mists of our prehistory. Only in the uniform chants of the priests reciting mantras of the Rigveda (probably the oldest book of mankind) do we learn something about the beginnings of one of the most ingenious medical systems of mankind. Thousands of years ago, the ancient Ayurvedic doctors - Siddas - used oil massages, herbs and the laying on of hands to alleviate and heal a wide variety of ailments.

In Ayurveda, massage is part of snehana karma, the oil treatments. These are divided into bahaya snehana (external oiling) and abhyantara snehana (internal oiling). Snehana means oil and also love or tenderness. It comes from the Indo-European root sniha, just like our German word Schnee.

Like the snow that falls on the stubble fields and barren trees in winter to cover them in a soft white mantle, so too are the properties of the oil used in Ayurvedic massage. Soft and delicate, it coats our body inside and out, runs down our back and anoints our skin. The medicated oil penetrates us, flushes out our waste products and nourishes each of our cells and organs. We bathe in a sea of fragrant plant oil and connect with the source of our own strength.

Instructions for self-massage

The self-massage begins with the head and ends at the feet. To prepare, heat approx. 40 ml of oil and pour it into a heat-retaining container. Now relax again briefly and breathe in and out deeply. Do you feel relaxed and calm inside? Then you can start the massage:

  1. Head

    Drizzle some oil onto the middle parting and massage it into the scalp with small circular movements towards the ears, as you would when shampooing. Now bend your head slightly forward and apply some oil to the hairline at the nape of your neck. Massage the oil along the back of the head towards the ears using light circular movements. To stimulate the circulation and the nervous system, you can now tap your head with your fingertips. tapping your fingertips on your head and gently pulling on the hair roots. Finally, gently stroke the head again and spread the applied oil evenly over the head.

  2. Face

    Dip your fingertips into the oil and massage your forehead from the center outwards in circular movements. Feel what pressure and speed is most comfortable for you. Then stroke the entire face from the center outwards - over the forehead, under and over the eyes, from the nose to the cheeks, lips and chin. Finish the facial massage with a gentle stroking movement from the left side of the lower jaw to the right side of the lower jaw and vice versa. If there is not enough oil left on your fingers, dip them into the warm oil again and again.

  3. Neck

    From the lower jaw, you should now run your hands up and down the back of the neck. Repeat this process 3-4 times and then stroke the back of the neck.

  4. Poor

    Now massage the upper extremities. Take some oil in your right hand and spread it in circular movements over your shoulders, elbows and wrists. The circles should be small and firm to penetrate the strong arm muscles. Now stroke the muscles of the upper and lower arm along its contours from top to bottom and gently run your fingers up the outer arm again. Repeat this process several times in a harmonious rhythm and end with a downward movement at the wrist. Perform the same massage sequence with the left hand on the right arm.

  5. Hands

    Stroke from the outer wrist down the back of the hand and treat each individual finger by running the thumb and index finger of the massaging hand upwards and then gently twisting and pulling the finger from the fingertip. Then stroke the palm of the other hand with the thumb of one hand. Start at the ball of the hand and work your way across the palm to the base of the fingers. Repeat the same massage on the other hand.

  6. Hull

    Now oil the torso over a large area. Start at the shoulder and massage in large circles over the chest to the end of the ribs. Always work from the inner midline of the sternum outwards and do not make any strong massaging movements on the sternum bones and ribs. Now take a little new oil and, starting from your navel, gently circle in a spiral over the entire abdominal area. To support intestinal peristalsis, you should always circle from right to left and apply no pressure in the lower abdomen. Then gently massage the spine and back from the coccyx upwards as far as your arms reach up the back. Please do not apply any pressure to the spine, just a gentle stroking movement. Massage the sides of the back over the ribcage to the shoulder blades.

  7. Legs

    Finally, massage the legs and feet with oil. To do this, start on the buttocks with large circular movements in a clockwise direction. Now move down the right leg and massage it with both hands, stroking the inside of the leg with one hand and the outside with the other. For water retention and cellulite, you can also stroke a little more vigorously and emphasize the upward movement. Now stroke the front of the lower leg and gently circle around the kneecap. Then move downwards to the ankles, also circling them gently. Now move from the ankle over the Achilles tendon to the calf and finish by massaging the leg upwards over the back of the knee to the thigh. Repeat the process with the other leg and finish with your feet. Gently stroke your feet from the instep to the toes and massage them with small circular movements between the foot bones. Massage with small circles and gentle strokes on each toe, just as you have already done with your fingers. Now apply the remaining oil to the soles of the feet and massage gently on the sides. If you wish, you can finish with a small foot reflexology massage to treat the internal organs. Finish your abhyanga by placing a drop of oil in each ear and nostril. Your body should now be covered in a layer of oil from head to toe. Once the oil has been completely absorbed in some areas, use a little more the next time so that some of it remains on the skin. Only then can the Abhyanga unfold its full effect. Through the oil massage, you were able to release deposited waste products in the tissues and stimulate circulation to flush out the dissolved toxins. Leave the oil on for 15 to 25 minutes and relax. Then shower off the oil with water that is as hot as possible. The classic method uses ground chickpea flour, water and milk as a paste to remove the oil, which is applied to the skin before showering. If this is too laborious for you, use a pH-neutral and particularly mild soap with oil substances so as not to destroy the effect of the Abhyanga. The hot shower expands the shrotas in your body. Now the deposits loosened by the massage can be processed and eliminated. Rub yourself down vigorously after the shower to stimulate the circulation again and rest a little while lying down. This completes the detoxification process.

If you would like to learn more about Ayurvedic massage, the European Academy for Ayurveda offers many seminars on "Massage and Wellness" and "Marma and Therapy" as well as complete training courses for massage practitioners and many more.

Holistic Ayurveda

Ayurveda, the ancient Indian science of long life, understands the human being as a unity of body, mind and soul. Inner harmony and the balance of all the body's inherent powers are the basis for a fulfilled and long life. Thus, from an Ayurvedic perspective, health is not just a statistical average or a general feeling of well-being, but a state full of joie de vivre, resilience and inner happiness.

This holistic understanding of human well-being with its treatments, massages, dietary rules and medical cleansing and restorative therapies also makes Ayurveda an effective and holistic medicine for today's world, which sets new accents in the conscious handling of self-responsibility on a physical and mental level.