BECOME BEAUTIFUL WITH ABHYANGA! AN ANTI-AGING METHOD

I am a professionally trained Yoga Trainer. To learn something new and to deepen my practice I joined a new yoga course. While joining they had certain do’s and don’ts to practice. Abhyanga was one of the practices which one should undertake while joining this new Yoga course. This is how I was introduced to Abhyanga. I am practicing for months and I am enjoying it a lot. So I felt like sharing with everyone

WHAT IS ABHYANGA

Abhyanga is an Ayurvedic oil massage therapy or oleation lubrication therapy that involves massaging the entire body from head to toe. It is done with warm oil. It is a popular, traditional and very rejuvenating therapy in Ayurveda. It’s an ancient practice that predates the Vedic period. Abhyanga is derived from two words Abhi + Anga =Abhyanga Abhi means all over and Anga means body.

IMPORTANCE AND HISTORY OF ABHYANGA:

The Diwali oil bath [ganga snan] is a special ceremony for health and prosperity. This Diwali oil bath is highly auspicious as on this day, Goddess Mahalakshmi is represented in the oil and Mother Ganga in warm water. Therefore this special oil bath removes sins, bad luck and enhances our health and prosperity.

From ancient times, there was a complete system around oil bath rituals, which involved the selection of the ideal oil bath days for both Men and Women, the specific oils and herbs to be used, the shloka to be recited for longevity while applying oil .

Moreover even today newborn babies and postpartum mothers are given oil bath across India. Oil bath plays a very pivotal role in the healthy growth of the baby and recovery of the new mother.

Avvaiyar, the great 3rd century BC woman saint from Tamil Nadu, wrote a work of aphorisms called ‘Aathichoodi’. In this work, she has written 109 quotations to help us succeed in life and one of these is ‘Sani Neeradu’, which literally means ‘bathe on Saturday.’ The word ‘Sani’ refers to the planet Saturn as well as the day ‘Saturday’ and the ruling planet of the sesame oil seed also happens to be governed by the planet Saturn.

Periazhwar, the great Shrivaishnava saint, one of the twelve azhwars, composed divine works on Lord Mahavishnu in the early part of kali yuga. From this divine work called Periazhwar Thirumozhi verse 24.1 “Mother Yashoda says she has been waiting for a long time with the oil and cleaning nut” for Lord Krishna’s bath and that he should not delay it further. Even the Lord is given an oil bath by his mother, which sheds light on its importance in the Indian way of life.

The lord of Vanamalai Temple in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu is given a sesame oil bath everyday.

HOW TO PRACTISE:

1] The Abhyanga oil should be comfortable and pleasantly warm. It should not be too hot or cold. For this, place half a cup of Abhyanga oil in a pan of boiling water for 5 mins. do not heat directly.

2] Take a generous amount of oil and massage each area of the body for atleast 5 mins. Full body abhyanga should take minimum 20 mins.

3] Start with the extremities, with the head, ears, neck, shoulders, arms, toes, ankles, calves and feet. After completing extremities move to the center of your body — chest, stomach and back.

4] Thumb rule of an Abhyanga is to use long strokes on the limbs and circular strokes on the joints. A pulling stroke is used for fingers and toes. circular strokes are usually done clockwise.

5]Pay attention to the nabhi[navel] as it is capable of sending nourishment to the veins and arteries in the body which originate from here.

6] Apply a drop of oil on your ring or little finger and gently massage oil into the outer ear canal and behind the ears using clockwise circular strokes.

WHO CANNOT PRACTISE:

Abhyanga should be done by everyone, everyday, especially old age and tired people for good health, but still it should not be followed by a certain group of people:

1]Pregnant ladies should not practice

2] Women should not practice during periods

3]If you have a temperature or ill.

4] Immediately after a meal.

5]If the body is in pain or in any physical discomfort.

HOW IT WORKS:

Ayurveda tells us when the oil is applied warm with vigorous motion, the heat generated by the massage helps open up the strotas/ pores in the skin. There is a suction like effect as we continue to massage for 5 mins in each area with the herbal oil. The text tells us pitta[fire/heat] in the skin helps absorb the oil and vayu[air] transports herbal oil through the strotas into the seven layers of skin into the blood stream, balancing the doshas and removing excess pitta, vata and kapha dosha . It is a therapy to counter vata dryness and to open the subtle and gross channels of the body. Subtle energy channels or strotas lose their kinks and free up to circulate prana halting the progress of the physical manifestation of the disease. Ama [toxins] are loosened and made accessible to the organs to capture and eliminate through sweat, feces, urine, tears, saliva etc.

THE IDEAL OIL TO BE USED FOR ABHYANGA MASSAGE ACCORDING TO AYURVEDA REFER TO COLD PRESSED SESAME OIL [ALSO KNOWN AS TIL TEL /GINGELLY OIL]

BENEFITS:

Charak Samhita: Volume 1 Chapter 5 Shloka 88–89;

“The body of one who does a regular Abhyanga does not get affected by accidents or strenuous physical work. A daily Abhyanga endows one become strong, pleasant to look at, has good lustre and is not affected by old age”

1] it delays jara[aging]

2] relieves srama [tiredness]

3] relieves excess of Vata [aches and pains]. Acharya Vagbhatta in the 7th century AD predicted that he expects 50% or more of all diseases in the future to be caused by Vata aggravation.

4] drishti prasada [it improves vision]

5] pushti [nourishes body tissues]

6] ayu [prolongs lifespan]

7] swapna [ induces good sleep]

8] sutvakta [improves skin tone and complexion]

9]dardyakrit [ helps maintain a good physique]

THE IDEAL DAYS TO HAVE AN OIL BATH FOR MEN AND WOMEN

The recommendation of oil bath days for women on Tuesdays and Fridays. This schedule increases their health and brings prosperity and abundance to the home.

For Men on Wednesdays and Saturdays. This schedule increases their strength and longevity.

It has been passed orally in India.

Each day of the week is ruled by a different planetary influence which results in different benefits to men and women. In addition to planetary influence, each day of the week is assigned to a particular God or Goddess. The divine feminine energies are particularly accessible on Tuesday, when Goddess Durga is worshipped and Fridays, the day of Goddess Mahalaxmi.

Wednesday is dedicated to Lord krishna and Saturday is dedicated to alleviating the bad influence of Lord Shani.

Further pairing the days for both Men and Women , one tamasic and one rajasic is scheduled to reduce the ill-effects of the mental qualities and to increase the sattva, which is the desired outcome in Ayurveda.