Let’s say you are into sports or have an active lifestyle and you are prone to injuries. How would you like to have a natural non-invasive solution that helps you cushion the damage from these incessant injuries? What if we told you your answer to better metabolism, superior blood circulation, up and running lymphatic and nervous system, total detoxification of the body and relaxation of the mind, is on the massage table!
What is Abhyanga?
Abhyanga is one of the most popular and commonly recommended therapies in Ayurveda that incorporates warm, aromatic oils, rhythmically massaged into your body, which loosen toxins, relax the nervous system, and provide rest, nourishment, and rejuvenation. It improves blood circulation, tones and moisturizes skin, works up the lymph system, and calms the mind and nervous system. But more importantly, it is an effective in pain relief, reduction of stiffness in muscles and lubrication of joints.
Oils You Can Use For Abhyanga
Oils used for Abhyanga are specially formulated using herbs with specific healing qualities as prescribed in classical Ayurvedic texts, to suit every individual’s doshic constitution and the doshas that need to be brought back into balance.
Shankara’s Soothing Body Oil is one such offering. It is a soothing blend of essential oils that are known for their relaxing and de-stressing qualities. Made from essential oils of almond, grapeseed, sunflower, borage, evening primerose, lavender, sandalwood and chamomile, this nutrient rich body oil also helps address worries of the mind, over critical thinking, irritability and anger! An oil for hypertension and stress release is also an oil for a perfectly calm and relaxed mind!
For Vata Dosha, you can try Shankara’s Calming Body Oil
For Pitta Dosha, you can try Shankara’s Soothing Body Oil.
For Kapha Dosha, you can try Shankara’s Energizing Body Oil
For Tri-dosha, you can try Shankara’s Sundarya Body Oil.
Here’s Why Men Need Abhyanga As Part Of Their Daily Or Weekly Routine
1. Abhyanga calms down the nervous system
Abhyanga calms the mind and the nervous system that is under attack from the physical stress and psychological or emotional stress we carry into our systems from our work place, relationships or family interactions, all of which distracts you from being a true centered and ever joyful Yogi. Abhyanga helps you eliminate this emotional toxin which is stored in our body in the form of stress and tightness. It leaves you feeling peaceful, clear and light.
2. Recommended for runners
If you are into running and often meet with running injuries, abhaynga comes recommended for you. For runners and those who are into rigorous work out routines, muscles undergo wear and tear on a regular basis and knee and back pain are not uncommon. The oil application helps calm down the pain.
Ayurveda recommends daily oil massage to keep the bones lubricated, increase stamina and remove muscles fatigue. An oil massage regulates Vata, increases blood circulation and supports the detoxification in the body. But one of its most important applications is in healing the muscles when muscles undergo microscopic breakage due to a new workout regime or exertion of muscles beyond what they are sued to. The human body’s immune system takes over at such times and heals the breakage internally. At such times, oil massage with natural oils prepared for the specific purpose like Shankara’s Muscle Release Oil can go a long way in releasing the pain and soreness from the muscles. The oil, a unique blend of eastern herbal essences and actives from the west like sunflower, almond, sesame, aloe vera, castor, jojoba, sweet birch, lavender, cedarwood, frankincense, devils claw, boswellia among others, is widely being used by those who are into sports, Yoga or some form of workout that works up the muscle tissues of the body.
3. Removes fatigue accumulated over the week
Abhyanga is specifically recommended for those with vata prakruti who like to live from moment to moment and do not take to a watertight lifestyle bound by schedules instantly, abhyanga can be grounding and calming, and helps give you the motivation to keep coming back to the massage table each week.
4. Releases excessive heat from the body
Sometimes when the pitta dosha is aggravated due to irregular diet and sleep cycle, work pressure and project deadlines, you can check the excessive heat built up by setting yourself down for an Abhyanga session.
5. Abhyanga is restorative and works on a personal level
Abhyanga is a powerful therapy that plays a corrective role in your life by mitigating and reducing the damage we do to our bodies by moving out of a routine, accumulated stress, pollution and host of negative emotions.
6. Improves metabolism
The massaging action in Abhyanga also boosts your body’s metabolism, so you can eat more and digest faster, even as the metabolism tends to slow in the season. It also improves the body’s waste elimination process. So Aama (toxins) does not get produced in the body.
7. Abhyanga addresses life stage related dosha imbalances
As bodies change and transform with time, under the influence of physical aging as well as changes in the level of emotional and hormonal functions, stress, responsibilities, and social obligations, the bodies’ requirements in terms of oelation, nutrition and detoxification chance. Abhyanga responds to these changes more effectively.
Apart from a weekly session of Abhyanga, it is strongly recommended to go for a week long panchakarma therapy, which is a total bodily and mind cleanse, to help you keep your body machine whirring at top performance. You can check out state of the art panchakarma centers like this one, where you will be treated to the entire package-a quiet and heavenly place for the finest Ayurvedic spa and massage treatments, the center has all the ingredients-spa retreats, Panchakarma, finger licking delicious fare, Yoga and Ayurvedic Dosha balancing treatments with the idyllic views of the hills-that go into making a perfectly relaxed and rejuvenating vacation with quality soul-time.
