Abhyanga self-massage is a powerful way to nourish your whole being. Autumn is a perfect time to start this amazing loving practice.
I recommend doing this a few times a week or daily before you bathe. This is part of my self care practice and I notice it helps me stay grounded, feel warm and nurtured, and my skin feels so soft.
Benefits include:
- Balance the endocrine system
- Calm the nervous system
- Rejuvenate the skin
- Imparts tone and vigor to the tissues of the body
- Eliminate impurities
- Lubricate the joints
- Increase mental alertness
- Promote youthfulness
- Stimulate internal organs
Here’s how:
~Warm organic oil up in a bottle placed in a glass of hot water. Oil can be sesame, almond, or coconut. You can add an essential oil to it as well.
~Sit or stand comfortably in a warm room. Apply the warmed oil to your whole body. A big old towel on the floor will help keep you warm and tidy.
~Use your fingertips for smaller areas like your face, and whole hand for larger areas like arms and legs. This practice takes about 15 mins.
~ Start with massaging the face and ears
~ Using an open hand to create friction, massage both the front and back of the neck using up and down strokes
~Vigorously massage your arms, using a circular motion at the shoulders elbows, wrist and back-and-forth motions on the upper arms and forearms. Gently massage each finger.
~ Move to massaging your chest and stomach, using a gentle circular motion.
~ Then reach around to the back and gently massage the low back with a circular motion.
~ Vigorously massage your legs , using circular motions at the hips, knees and ankles, up and down motions on the long parts.
~ After massaging your legs, spend extra time on your feet. Using the open part of your hand, massage vigorously back and forth over the soles of the feet.
~ Enjoy a warm bath or shower to rise off.
~ Pat yourself dry with an old towel that you keep just for this purpose. Do not wash this towel as it will have some oil on it and will be a fire hazard in the dryer. Use it for a month or so and throw it out.
If you want to make this an even more loving practice, as you massage oil on each part of the body, acknowledge each part of your body as beautiful and express your love for each part. By the end of the practice you will feel positively glowingly gorgous!
Try this for a few weeks and you will love how radiant and vibrant you feel!