Abhyanga massage is one of the most popular Ayurvedic massages. It is a wonderfully relaxing massage that uses warm oil over the whole body. The oils are blended to match a person’s dominant dosha, to help bring the client back into balance and promotes calmness and wellbeing. This is the massage I perform and for me it’s like giving my client a huge, big hug. It allows my client to feel they are enough; they are safe, and they are valued. By taking the time out, you are saying thank you to yourself and your body for everything it does for you. Here is my self-massage routine, which you may find beneficial to do between treatments:
Have a look in your bathroom for any empty bottles.
Rinse out the bottle and fill it with an oil of your choice, I like organic sesame or sunflower oil.
Warm up the oil, you can do this by putting the bottle in a bowl of boiled water, always test if before you use it.
Then take the oil and apply it all over your body, starting with your head. Massage the oil into your scalp, using small circular motions. Move down to your neck, the back of your neck, ears, cheeks, and jawline. Try and make the movements slow and with as much pressure as you find comfortable.
Massage the oil into your shoulders, your chest, and your abdomen. Making clockwise movements around your belly button. When massaging into your side, you could take the movements across your ribs is a downwards motion. For your arms and legs, make the movements long and sweeping, again, apply as much pressure as you feel is comfortable.
Do not forget your hands and feet. You can spend some time with your hands and feet, you can often feel little bubbles of tension in them. Apply pressure to these with your thumbs, let you thumbs slide along the tension, and help it melt away. This is so relaxing and can help you to fall asleep at night.
When you have finished the routine, sit back with an old towel around you, to stop the oil getting anywhere you don’t want it to. I like to spend 10 minutes meditating; you could try a YouTube 10-minute meditation video.
After that, get into the shower or a bath if you prefer and use some soap to take off the access oil.
Enjoy this special experience between treatments, to honour yourself and say thank you to your body and all it does for you.
Have a wonderful Christmas, and I wish you love and happiness for 2023.
Namaste Mandy xx
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