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12 Issue 105 July 2013 InternatIonal therapIst www.fht.org.uk

Vishal Kohli and Harshita Sethi provide an overview of the traditional ayurvedic

full body massage, abhyanga

Holistic | Ayurveda

A new constitution

In ayurveda, there are seven dhatus, or layers of tissue in the body, with each layer

more concentrated and life-giving. Abhyanga is a traditional ayurvedic

full-body massage using herb-infused massage oil to impart tone and vigour to the dhatus, nurturing and fostering their growth.1 As one of the five therapeutic approaches of ayurveda, abhyanga helps to restore the balance and equilibrium needed to maintain physical and emotional health, encouraging a preventive approach to disease.2

Science of life Originating more than 5,000 years ago, ayurveda is an ancient Indian holistic medicinal system based upon achieving physical, mental and spiritual harmony. Derived from Sanskrit roots, ayurveda translates as ‘science of life’ (ayu refers to life and veda refers to science or knowledge).

Ayurveda sees everything in the universe, including human beings, as composed of five basic elements (or panchamahabhutas) – space, air, fire, water and earth, which in turn combine to give rise to three bio-physical forces, or doshas, within the human body. Each individual is thought to be born with a basic body constitution (prakriti), which is a unique combination and proportion of the three doshas: vata (a combination of air and space), pitta (fire and water) and kapha (water and earth).2

Balance and longevity Ayurveda is based on balance and longevity, as, although an individual’s prakriti never changes, the balance of the doshas constantly shifts in response to many factors, such as natural and seasonal rhythms, diet, fatigue, lifestyle and stress. This altered state of doshas reflects the current state of health and reveals any imbalances. It is known as the current body constitution (vikriti). When the three doshas – or tridosha – are in equilibrium, the body enjoys health, but a lack of equilibrium can lead to ill health. While most conventional medical treatments operate at the symptomatic level, ayurvedic treatments work at much deeper causative levels, restoring balance and tackling the root of the problem, for a preventative approach to healthcare.

Ayurveda identifies any existing imbalances before helping the body to return to a state of healthy balance through a combination of ayurvedic treatments, including specialist massage with herb-infused massage oils; diet and nutrition; herbs and herbal remedies; lifestyle advice; and yoga and breathing exercises.2

Traditional full-body massageThere are two types of abhyanga – one a form of self-massage that is supposed to be performed daily (usually for between five and 15 minutes), to prevent health disorders and maintain a healthy skin texture.

The other involves therapeutic massage performed by a therapist (typically between 45 and 60 minutes), with the frequency and focus of treatments depending on the existence and severity of any disorders. Abhyanga typically covers the whole body, but may be localised to bring warmth and strength to specific areas, such as the knee joint in a client with osteoarthritis, the shoulder in adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder), or the affected muscles in cases of poor posture or paralytic conditions, such as paraplegia and hemiplegia. The abhyanga described in this article is the traditional ayurvedic full-body massage.

Energy flowAccording to ayurveda, marma points – or vital energy points – make up a subtle energy network throughout the human body, with the therapist able to stimulate specific marma points during abhyanga to encourage energy flow, for health and well-being. The therapist can use knowledge of specific marma points and their anatomical or physiological importance, to help tailor a treatment for specific disorders. For example, if a client was suffering from anxiety and nervous tension, the therapist would work the tala hridaya marma point; tala means extremities, and hridaya means heart, therefore, our extremities, such as palms and soles, are closely linked with the heart.

In abhyanga, different schools of ayurveda follow different massage sequences – one style of abhyanga may start at the major vata marma point on the lower back, another may begin the massage near the head and neck region, while others may start at the soles of the feet or hands. Likewise, abhyanga can incorporate a number of different positions; some may start sitting, others may commence with the client lying in the supine or prone position. Some schools, such as the Kerala (southern India) style of abhyanga, incorporate seven positions in an hour-long treatment to cover the greatest surface area of the skin for maximum oil absorption.

One example of abhyanga could be the massage starting at the soles of the feet, continuing to the legs, progressing to the arms and back, then to the abdomen and chest* – bringing lymphatic fluid back to the heart for elimination via the blood, where toxins and wastes are cleared by the liver and kidneys.

Special care is usually taken for padabhyanga (foot massage), because stimulating certain marma points would bring about certain benefits, for example the kshipra, to help to improve circulation, bringing more nutrients to tissues and organs in the body; the kurcha, to enhance eyesight; and the tala hridaya, to help improve respiratory function. Head massage (shiroabhyanga) and face massage (mukabhyanga) can also be

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www.fht.org.uk InternatIonal therapIst Issue 105 July 2013 13

Ayurveda | Holistic

InternatIonal therapIst www.fht.org.uk

incorporated into the treatment. All the major joints are massaged in

a circular manner, clockwise and anti-clockwise. The navel is filled with oil, which is then spread over the stomach in a clockwise circular direction. Typically, the chest is massaged for both men and women and the entire back of the body is massaged with long, deep strokes, including the gluteal muscles, as both the chest* and the glutes have very important marma points, including the parshva sandhi, which improves the function of the adrenal glands, kidneys, large intestine and ovaries.

At the end of a treatment, abhyanga is typically followed by svedana (a steam bath), to promote elimination of toxins and enhance penetration of the oil into the skin. Alternatively, the application of damp towels or a hot shower could be used as a substitute. Advice on diet and nutrition, herbs and herbal remedies, lifestyle, yoga and breathing exercises, would also be discussed, as an ayurvedic treatment wouldn’t be considered complete without all five approaches.

Restoring balanceThe oils used in abhyanga are selected in accordance with a client’s dosha, which may change according to factors such as natural and seasonal rhythms, diet, fatigue, lifestyle and stress. The therapist uses the oils most suitable for the client’s current state of health and any existing imbalances, to help restore equilibrium, and promote health and well-being. There can be a combination of more than two different oils used for a desired effect.

Vata imbalancesVata-dominant people have an excess of air and space, and lack fire, water and earth, therefore are typically dry, cold and light.

Vata-dominant people are prone to health disorders such as:l muscular aches and pains;l arthritis;l sciatica; l sleep disorders, such as insomnia;l constipation;l headaches;l dry skin;l circulation imbalances; andl anxiety.The base oil used most commonly in

abhyanga is sesame oil. This heavy, warm, grounding oil is useful for people with vata-imbalances, to help calm the excess movement of air, warm the body and increase circulation.

Pitta imbalancesPitta-dominant people have an excess of fire, and lack earth, water and air, therefore tend to be restless, hot and humid.

Pitta-dominant people are prone to health disorders such as:l fever;l inflammation;l infections;l skin disorders;l stomach ulcers;l digestive problems, such as diarrhoea

or gastritis;l headaches; and l stress.A cooling, calming oil, such as coconut oil, would be useful for people with pitta-imbalances, cooling the fire element and reducing heat in the body, potentially alleviating fever and inflammation, while calming any restlessness.

Kapha imbalances Kapha-dominant people have an excess of water and earth, and lack air and fire, therefore are often cold, heavy and slow-moving.

Kapha-dominant people are prone to health disorders such as:l slower digestive and metabolic rates; l dull headaches;l sinusitis;l tonsillitis;l bronchitis;l respiratory infections;l congestion;l obesity;l diabetes; andl high cholesterol. Oils that are stimulating and cleansing would be useful for kapha-dominant people, such as mustard oil helping to remove congestion from the body.

Benefits of abhyangaRegular abhyanga can bring about a wide number of benefits, including:l promotes relaxation and offers a

calming effect;

l reduces stress;3 l relieves fatigue and lethargy;l improves circulation;l provides an uplifting effect on the mind

and body, offering clarity of mind and enhanced vision;

l restores balance and equilibrium between the mind and body;4

l increases motivation and focus;l relieves tight, tense muscles; l lubricates the joints and nourishes tissues; l pacifies the complete nervous system; l improves sleep; l gives healthy and glowing skin, softens

and smoothes the skin; andl provides strength and increases immunity,

thus building resistance to injuries and facilitating quicker healing.

*Today, and particularly when practised in the West, the breast area would be excluded from treatment – especially in female clients. The FHT would not cover treatment of the female breast area for ayurvedic treatments such as abhyanga. If this position changes, the FHT will update members.

References1 sushruta samhita [classical text].2 Deepa apte, ayurveda pura (www.ayurvedapura.

com).3 Basler aJ (2011). pilot study investigating the effects

of ayurvedic abhyanga massage on subjective stress experience, Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 17(5): 435-40. source: pubMed (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21568717).

4 sriranjini sJ et al (2009). Improvement of balance in progressive degenerative cerebellar ataxias after ayurvedic therapy: a preliminary report, Neurology India 57(2): 166-71. source: pubMed (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19439847).

and also the following classical texts:Charaka samhita;ashtanga hridaya; andashtanga sangraha.

About the authors

Vishal Kohli holds a bachelor’s degree in

ayurvedic medicine and surgery and a post-

graduate degree in ayurvedic panchakarma,

and has significant experience practising and

teaching ayurvedic therapy in the UK, India

and Maldives.

Harshita Sethi holds a bachelor’s degree in

ayurvedic medicine and surgery

and a post-graduate degree

in ayurvedic medicine, has 14

years’ experience practising and

lecturing in ayurveda, and is a

visiting consultant at ayurveda retreat and

owner of avedna ayurveda. www.ayurveda-

retreat.co.uk www.avedna.co.uk

A special thank you to Dr Deepa Apte of Ayurveda Pura (www.ayurvedapura.com), for all her help with this article.

Regular abhyanga relieves tight, tense muscles

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