Ayurveda. Kim Inglis
and spiritual enrichment.
abhyangam
Traditional Ayurvedic Massage
The Charaka Samhita, one of the foremost Ayurvedic texts, advises that every person should have an Ayurvedic massage or abhyangam on a daily basis, preferably in the morning. “It is nourishing, pacifies the doshas, relieves fatigue, provides stamina, pleasure and perfect sleep, enhances the complexion and the luster of the skin, promotes longevity and nourishes all parts of the body,” it says. A therapeutic massage, not a relaxation tool, abhyangam ’s primary aim is to encourage the movement of toxins from the deeper tissues into the gastrointestinal tract where they can be efficiently eliminated. It is also given to stimulate circulation of the blood and lymph.
Abhyangam is traditionally performed with lashings of medicated herbal oil chosen according to one’s dosha, and is meant to be performed by one, two, four, or more therapists simultaneously. It employs long strokes, mainly with full palm involved, and all the pressure movements are in the direction of blood circulation, from the trunk to the extremities and up to down. The reverse hand movements are passive (without pressure).
The classic texts outline five different positions that the client should adopt during abhyangam, with the first two postures being repeated at the end, thus making a total of seven. These are: 1) Seated with both legs extended. 2) Lying on the back. 3) Lying on the left side. 4) Lying on the stomach. 5) Lying on the right side. 6) Seated with both legs extended (a repeat of 1). 7) Lying on the back (a repeat of 2).
Dr Renja Raphel, the Keralan-trained Ayurvedic doctor at the spa at Rajvilas in Rajasthan, prepares an oil mix with medicated herbs for a client.
Therapists generally spend an equal amount of time on each posture, but if there are particular areas that need more attention, they will take precedence.
If you have abhyangam at one of the Oberoi Spas, the therapist soon gets a feel for your body, and concentrates on repeated strain injured areas (RSIs) to increase benefits. The idea is that the physical therapy has a direct connection to the mental and the spiritual: by the end, you should be physically and mentally relaxed — yet alert and rejuvenated also. Benefits of good abhyanga massage include increased circulation, improvement in muscle tone, calming of the nerves, increased mental alertness, soft, smooth skin and, of course, the elimination of impurities and toxins from the body.
The Ayurvedic center called Ayurmana at Kumarakom Lake Resort in Kerala was believed to have been bestowed with the grace of the both Kodungalloor goddesses and Narasimhamoorthy — so is as close to a sacred structure (barring a temple) as you are likely to get. Therapy rooms including this prayer room glow with polished wood and the sanctity that comes with total peace and seclusion.
Ayurveda tends to advocate the use of brass vessels for oils, although clay containers are also used. As metal was considered extremely pure as well as hard-wearing, it is a sensible choice.
Abhyanga massage is traditionally performed by two, four or more therapists simultaneously and follows strict guidelines from Ayurvedic texts. Massage is first mentioned in the 6,000-year-old Atharva Upaveda, although was almost certainly practiced before this. Later, in the two major Ayurvedic treatises, the Charaka Samhita and the Sushruta Samhita, believed to have been written at the turn of the first millennium BC in Sanskrit verse, it is discussed in depth with exhaustive listings of positions of the body and measurements of oils, pastes and powders. In the Charaka Samhita, discussion of massage as a purification means to alter the chemical processes in cells is detailed and comprehensive. This comes in the chapter on panchakarma (see pages 46–49), whereby methods for the evacuation of toxins and the restoration of prana or cosmic energy to the body via lymphatic drainage are outlined. The Sushruta Samhita, on the other hand, is a treatise on surgery; it is here that methods of acupressure on the Meridian points, magnetism on the chakras and the positive spiritual and mental effects of massage are covered.
chavitti thirumal
Pressure Point Massage with Feet
Ayurvedic texts indicate that exercise, be it cardiovascular, involving stretching and breathing, or therapy, must be practiced on a daily basis for total wellbeing. Exercise is necessary to raise the metabolism, increase oxygenation, improve the function of the heart and circulatory system, and expel toxins.
For martial art and dance pupils, exercise and body conditioning are particularly important. In the past, pupils were taught (often individually) by gurus in what is known as the guru -shishya tradition; their education didn’t just include the one particular activity, but involved a thorough grounding in the classical texts, as well as such disciplines as yoga and pranayama. Nowadays, this tradition continues, but there are both residential and non-residential dance, drama and martial arts’ schools as well.
Kalari payattu gurrukal (master or teacher) Tomy Joseph stresses the importance of conditioning the body to stay in shape. “Gurrukal need to master both preventative and curative techniques too,” he notes. He says that chavitti thirumal, a very particular massage technique done with bare feet with the masseuse hanging from ropes tied to the ceiling, are mandatory for a gurrukal. Teachers routinely massage their pupils in this way to prepare the body for the stresses of the martial art, to maintain suppleness and to treat pain and swelling caused by combat.
The treatment is also given to those with neuro-muscular and skeletal disorders as well as to help clients reach beyond their psychophysical limitations. Based on a precise knowledge of the body’s energetic channels (nadis) and vital spots (marmas), the therapist suspends his weight from ropes overhead and applies pressure with long strokes of the soles of his feet, after the client’s body has been prepared with specially medicated oil. There is usually some manipulation of the joints and limbs also.
What distinguishes chavitti thirumal from other massage treatments is the application. The foot of the masseur is able to give a deeper, more thorough pressure and is able to cover the whole length of the body from the tips of the fingers to the tips of the toes, with long continuous graceful strokes. Therapists need to undergo many years of training: learning the chavitti art requires a certain type of calling and certainly a deep dedication to the wellbeing of clients and their physical, emotional, mental and spiritual upkeep.
After placing a foot in some medicated oil, the chavitti therapist balances his or her weight via ropes hanging from the ceiling, and presses deep into marma points along the client’s back and legs.
hot stone abhyangam
This deeply penetrating, all-over body blast is an example of how Ayurveda may be integrated with other healing traditions from elsewhere in the world. Developed by therapists at the world-famous Soukya International Holistic Health Center near Bangalore, it employs the healing medicated herbal oils and massage movements of Ayurveda with the warmth and nurturing qualities of hot stones developed by both Native American Indians and Tibetans (separately of course!). It is one and a half hours of pure bliss.
Small stones placed between the toes are delightfully indulgent, while larger ones are used for the massage itself. Feelings of warmth and security emanate from them; all the while the medicated oil does its detoxifying work.
There is both a therapeutic element and a feel-good factor to this treatment, so you