As the weather begins to get cooler, I begin my daily practice of Abhyanga. My skin gets very dry in the winter when the humidity drops and we turn the heat on. I used to get painful cracks in my fingers until I learned this Ayurvedic technique: Abhyanga is a Sanskrit word that means "oil massage". It is a form of Ayurvedic medicine that involves massage of the body with warm oil. The oil can be pre-medicated with herbs for specific conditions.
I do this every morning before I take a shower.
First I take my bottle of oil* and I put it in a sink of hot water to warm it. While the oil is warming I begin a dry rubbing of my body to increase circulation and remove dead skin cells which helps the oil to soak in.
Using exfoliating gloves, I rub down my whole body. I use rather vigorous long back and forth strokes on the arms and legs and gentler circular movements on the face, chest, knees, shoulders, neck and belly. While I am doing this I pay attention to my body and send it lots of love. I appreciate all that my body does for me on a daily basis that I usually take for granted.** Don’t forget your feet!
Then I pour out a bit of oil on my hands and rub it into my body. If I am washing my hair, I will massage my scalp first, but I often skip this step on days that I don’t wash my hair. I put oil on all parts of my body using the same strokes that I used for the dry rubbing; long straight strokes on the limbs and circular motions on the other body parts. I do my face first and work my way down, doing my hands and feet last. (I am careful not to get oil on the bottoms of my feet. That would make it very slippery and dangerous as I step into the shower.) As I massage each part, I mentally thank each body part for doing its job and for moving me through my world. If I have any part of my body that is injured or just feels like it needs a little TLC, I send a little extra love to that particular spot.**
If I have time, I will sit for a few minutes and allow the oil to soak in. This is a good time to nourish my physical self with thoughts of gratitude for all the things mybody does for me. ** On most work days I practice feeling gratitude for my body while I am dry-rubbing and massaging the oil in. I usually let the oil soak in while I brush my teeth.
Then I turn on the shower and get in. I allow the water to run over my body, but I only use soap on the essential parts.
When finished I pat myself dry and get dressed. My body feels warm, well loved and lightly moisturized.
According to the Charaka Samhita Vol. 1, V:88-89 (One of the great texts of Ayurveda):
“The body of one who uses oil massage regularly does not become affected much even if subjected to accidental injuries, or strenuous work. By using oil massage daily, a person is endowed with pleasant touch, trimmed body parts and becomes strong, charming and least affected by old age”
*About the oil
In my early studies of anatomy I remember learning that the skin is the largest organ in the body. I was taught that it will absorb whatever you put on it. My teacher told us that if you rub a clove of garlic on your foot it will give you garlic breath! She suggested that you never put anything on your skin that you would not put into your mouth. The only moisturizer I use on my skin is oil from my pantry. I have used extra virgin olive oil, sesame oil and coconut oil. I like to use coconut oil in the summer time as it feels lighter on my skin. I often scent my body oil with a few drops of lavender essential oil.
There are different oils you should use depending on your dosha or constitution: If you are vata use sesame, almond or olive oil; for pitta coconut, almond or sunflower; for kapha use sesame, safflower or corn. (To find out your dosha you can take this quiz.)
Besides preventing dry, cracked skin in the winter, there are other benefits of abhyanga:
Nourishes the entire body—decreases the effects of aging
Imparts muscle tone and vigor to the dhatus (tissues) of the body
Imparts a firmness to the limbs
Lubricates the joints
Increases circulation
Stimulates the internal organs of the body
Assists in elimination of impurities from the body
Moves the lymph, aiding in detoxification
Increases stamina
Calms the nerves
Benefits sleep—better, deeper sleep, especially if you do abhyanga at night right before bed
Enhances vision
Makes hair (scalp) grow luxuriantly, thick, soft and glossy
Softens and smoothens skin; wrinkles are reduced and disappear
Pacifies Vata and Pitta and stimulates Kapha.
**The part about appreciating your body is an important step in your daily self-care. All too often we take our body for granted. If we get injured, rather than listening to our bodies, we often get impatient and aggravated. Our bodies have a miraculous ability to heal. Sometimes, all we need to do for this to happen is to allow it to happen and appreciate it.
Our bodies are always sending us messages. In her book Healing Consciousness, OB-Gyn and Breast Oncologist Dr. Beth Dupree talks about how our bodies are often communicating with us. We will often get subtle impressions and inklings or sudden urges or instincts to act on something, or not to act. If we listen to these urges, they tend to guide us. If we ignore these messages, they will become stronger and more insistent until one day they “hit us upside the head with a 2 x 4”. These events are usually major health crises. I recommend that you use abhyanga as a means to love your body and to get in touch with the subtle messages it is sending you.