Traditional Indian massage promotes relaxation, enhances circulation, and helps the body to eliminate toxins. When adopted as part of a daily practice, this custom formulated ayurvedic massage oil helps to stabilize aggravated or dominant Vata dosha.
Abhyanga- traditional ayurvedic massage- involves anointing the body with large amounts of warm, premedicated herbal oils, tailored for the specific individuals constitution (prakriti). It’s best incorporated as a daily routine, performed before bathing in the morning to facilitate the release of toxins and impurities accumulated from night before. This technique improves circulation, stimulates internal organs and nerve endings, lubricates skin and joints, tones muscles and tissues, increases stamina, benefits sleep patterns, and facilitates the transdermal absorption of healing qualities of infused herbal oil.
What Is a Dosha?
Ayurveda is based on the principles of three doshas- vata, pitta and kapha. These are the energetic forces that make up every individual and each has unique set of qualities which govern specific physical and mental functions of the body. Vata is cold, light and dry and governs movement- respiration, blood flow, and elimination. Pitta is hot and penetrating and governs metabolism and transformation- digestion, thermogenesis, and vision. Kapha is heavy, dense and stable and governs the mass and structure. Each person has all three doshas but usually one or two dominate, leading to unique mind/body types with constitutional strengths and weaknesses. The proportions of each are determined at conception but can change with age, seasons, lifestyle and diet. Ayurveda prescribes techniques to bring the three doshas into balance for optimal health and wellbeing.
The Vata Dosha:
The key to balancing this dosha is to introduce grounding, warming and nourishing energy (the earth element). Sesame oil is a fatty oil- heavy, warming and moisturizing- and it’s easily absorbed and digested into the skin This is complemented by the grounding and warming qualities of therapeutic grade vanilla, basil, frankincense and pine essential oils.