Ayurveda recommends practicing self massage as a part of daily routine or dinacharya.
Massage your body with love and patience for 15 to 20 minutes daily.
Although receiving a massage from a professional massage therapist is sometimes advised massaging your body daily with warm oil is also beneficial to maintain health .
With self massage the fantastic benefits 22of abhyanga can be enjoyed in the comfort of your own home.
Self massage is something which you can look forward to every day.
Whether you are doing self massage or taking it in ayurvedic center it's very important to choose the right Abyanga oil .
Like increases like and opposite qualities balance each other .
So the first thing one should look into while choosing the right oil is your dosha or the body Constitution which is called the Prakriti.
Your prakriti is the dosha which is naturally dominant in your body.
So choose oil that has the qualities opposite to that of your dominant dosha.
Suppose let's take an example a person is healthy ,has pitta prakriti and the weather is hot and humid, the best oil suitable for such a person is Pitta pacifying oil.
Second thing which you should look for is the imbalanced dosha which is called the Vikriti.
If currently a particular dosha is high and you want to get that in balance it is beneficial to follow a dosha pacifying Abhyanga for that dosha.
For example say on a particular day you are feeling nervous, anxious, coldness and dryness in your body, Vata is imbalanced or aggravated. So in such a case using a vata pacifying oil would be most beneficial .
So you should look at the imbalanced dosha in the body or the state of dosha in your body before choosing the right oil for abhyanga.
The doshas are also related to the seasons, so in such case we should keep in mind the seasonal changes while selecting the right oil .
From Autumn till early winter is Vata season,
Late winter to spring is Kapha season,
And summer is pitta season.
So select a massage oil that will keep you in balance in each season.
How to do self massage
Select the best oil to do massage
Take around 1/2 cup of oil in a bowl,
In another big pan take water and boil it slowly keep the bowl of oil in the pan with hot water and switch off the flame after 2 to 3 minutes.
So in this way the oil should always be heated giving indirect heat. Oil should never be kept directly on the gas stove. Another easy way is to take the oil in a glass bowl and heat it in a microwave for 2 to 3 minutes.
Sit down or stand comfortably in a warm room. Start applying oil first to the crown of your head. Slowly massage your scalp in circular strokes for a minute or two.
Then massage your face in circular motion. Massage your forehead, temples, cheeks and Jaws. Apply oil to your ear loops.
Take some oil and massage the front and back of the neck. Neck is prone to stiffness, sprains, pains and cervical spondylitis, so do not miss your neck.
Massage your shoulders in circular motion.
We move our shoulders throughout the day so they need some lubrication.
Take some oil and massage on the limbs that is arms and the legs. Remember to use long strokes on the limbs and circular strokes on the joints (that is the elbows and knees).
You should massage in the direction of hair that is from upper part of your hands and legs to down then massage your chest and abdomen in circular motion.
Knee is a weight-bearing joint. Massage the knees as it helps in increasing the strength, thereby improving the walking and jogging speed
Finish the massage by spending at least couple of minutes massaging your feet.
When you massage your feet be sure to wash them first when you shower so you don't slip .
Sit with the oil for 5 to 15 minutes if possible so that the oil can be absorbed and it can penetrate into the deeper layers of the body.
Enjoy a Warm bath or shower. You can use any soap or bengal gram powder to remove excess oil from the skin. When you get out of bath towel dry gently.
Enjoy the feeling of having nourished your body, mind and Spirit and carry that with you throughout the day.
Daily massage with ayurvedic oils have lot of preventive and curative health benefits.
If you do it daily it will keep you away from arthritis, spondylosis and such other degenerative disorders of joint tissue. It strengthens the bones, release pains quickly and keeps muscles well toned.
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