Generality
Ayurvedic massage is a special type of massage carried out to promote and stimulate the psychophysical well-being of the individual.
According to the Ayurvedic philosophy, the manipulation technique used to perform the massage in question represents the means by which it is possible to achieve balance and perfect harmony between body and mind . According to Ayurveda, in fact, every part of the body is influenced by three main bioenergy, the so-called doshas (called Vata, Pitta and Kapha); an imbalance of these energies would lead to the appearance of disorders of different types, varying according to the dosha involved and the part of the body influenced by it (for more information, see the article: Ayurveda - Body and Dosha).
The Ayurvedic massage, therefore, is one of the many means used by the homonymous alternative medicine to restore balance within the body and mind, thus favoring the psychophysical well-being of the individual.
Please note
The practices described in this article are not accepted by medical science, have not been subjected to experimental tests conducted with scientific methods or have not passed them. Such practices, therefore, could be ineffective or even be dangerous to health .
The information given is for illustrative purposes only. If in doubt, contact your doctor.
What is that
What is Ayurvedic Massage?
Ayurvedic massage is a special type of massage that involves the execution of various manipulation techniques - variable according to the objective to be achieved - by specialized Ayurvedic masseurs .
It is a massage with roots sunk in the distant past, born in India 5, 000 years ago in order to restore the balance between body and mind. This purpose is achieved above all through the stimulation of the energy centers of which, according to the Ayurvedic philosophy, our body is endowed with: the so-called chakras.
Curiosity
According to Indian tradition, it is the divinity Brahma (male member of the supreme triad together with Visnu and Siva) who have given Ayurvedic medicine to other deities and men to be able to cure diseases and promote well-being.
Although a native of India, ayurvedic massage has also become widespread in the West, where, however, it is not only practiced by Ayurveda supporters to promote the individual's psychophysical well-being, but also as a purely aesthetic treatment.
What is it for
What is the Purpose of Ayurvedic Massage?
As already mentioned, the purpose of the ayurvedic massage is to restore the balance between mind and body in such a way as to give the individual a psychophysical well-being .
The ayurvedic massage involves the execution of manipulations in different areas of the body which - in addition to favoring blood circulation - should favor the circulation of vital fluids with consequent achievement of a new-found harmony between body and mind.
However, according to Ayurveda, the execution of the massage in question - in addition to rebalancing the mind and body - can also be useful to counteract different types of disorders, among which we recall:
- Muscle tension;
- Insomnia;
- Anxious states and stress;
- Articolar pains;
- Cervical pains;
- Headache;
- Swelling of the legs and feet;
- Localized cellulite and adiposity;
- Mild changes or disturbances in blood and lymphatic circulation.
Types
Types of Ayurvedic Massage and Massage Techniques
There are different types of ayurvedic massage that differ according to the handling techniques, the area of the body involved and the use of herbs or oils.
In fact, an ayurvedic massage can be complete, so it can affect the whole body, or it can be located in specific areas. Furthermore, the Ayurvedic massage can be performed with the aid of vegetable oils (generally, sesame oil, corn or sunflower oil ) or using essential oils, or even using medicinal herbs .
Examples of Types and Variants of Ayurvedic Massage
Below we will briefly list some of the different types of ayurvedic massage, specifying the main characteristics and disorders that, according to ayurvedic medicine, they are able to counteract or at least alleviate.
- Shiroabhyanga massage : it is an ayurvedic massage performed on the scalp. It is used to prevent hair loss and dandruff formation.
- Shirodhara massage: massage performed on the head and forehead, useful for eliminating mental fatigue and a feeling of heaviness in the head.
- Abhyanga massage: massage performed on the head and neck using the help of herbal oils.
- Mukhabhyanga massage : this is a special facial massage, useful to eliminate stress and to stimulate oxygenation of the skin of the face (anti-age action). This type of ayurvedic massage is also used to combat insomnia and promote rest.
- Abhyanga Griva massage : an ayurvedic massage that focuses on the cervical tract, it is particularly suited to counteract the pain that may appear in this body area.
- Tandabhyanga massage : it is an ayurvedic massage that is carried out on part of the back in order to lighten and counter tension and fatigue, particularly at the level of the back and shoulders.
- Antikapha and Gamathi massages : performed on the legs, these ayurvedic massages counteract swelling and localized fat deposits, while exercising a draining activity.
- Udvartana massage: particular ayurvedic massage practiced through the use of herbs with a draining action reduced to dust. It is mainly used for slimming purposes .
- Padabhyanga massage : Ayurvedic massage performed on the feet with the aid of vegetable oils in order to restore correct blood circulation and to eliminate any swelling.
- Kapha dosha Ayurvedic massage: draining massage performed to stimulate circulation and energy metabolism. Also considered useful in the presence of cellulite .
- Phenakam massage : it is an ayurvedic lymphatic drainage massage practiced to eliminate toxins from the body, in particular those deriving from the intake of food that is difficult to assimilate and medicinal.
- Sarvanga Abhyanga massage: this is a complete ayurvedic massage that involves the manipulation of the entire body, face and neck. It is carried out with the aid of a warm vegetable oil that must be poured gradually from head to toe. In this massage, the manipulation - which involves the execution of regular movements - must be emphasized in the most suffering areas of the body and must be practiced with intense energetic stimulation movements on the chakras.
Did you know that ...
According to some sources, Ayurvedic medicine also includes massages performed with urine.
children
Traditional Indian medicine includes the use of Ayurvedic massage also in children. In this category of patients, the massage - properly performed by an expert masseur - should promote relaxation in the event of colic and pain or discomfort caused by the growth of the first teeth.
Pregnant women
Just as there are specific Ayurvedic messages for children, there is also one for pregnant women. In detail, this is the Garbabhyangam massage, practiced in order to alleviate stress and muscular tension caused by gestation.
Potential Benefits
What are the benefits that an Ayurvedic massage should bring?
Those who practice Ayurvedic medicine claim that the homonymous massage, in addition to restoring harmony and balance between body and mind, is able to bring numerous other benefits, both physically and psychically.
Physical Benefits
As for the potential benefits exercised on a physical level, the ayurvedic massage should:
- Reduce muscle tension;
- Counteract muscle and joint pains;
- Eliminate muscle fatigue;
- Promote and stimulate lymphatic and blood circulation;
- Promote weight loss;
- Reduce cellulite;
- Promote the elimination of toxins.
Psychic Benefits
For what concerns the potential psychic benefits, instead, the ayurvedic massage would be capable of:
- Relieve stress;
- Counteract tensions, fatigue and mental fatigue;
- Promote relaxation;
- Reduce anxiety states (clearly, in the presence of non-pathological anxiety).
Please note
Most of the aforementioned benefits attributed to Ayurvedic massage are not confirmed or supported by adequate scientific studies conducted on the subject. On the other hand, there are many people who, undergoing this type of treatment, claim to benefit from it. In particular, since it is a massage, it is likely that it can promote relaxation - both physical and mental - and that it can at the same time dissolve any muscular tensions or alleviate minor pains in the joints and muscles.
How to practice
Before describing how and where an ayurvedic massage is performed, it is good to specify that the treatment in question should be practiced only and exclusively by masseurs specialized in this field, then by masseurs who know the principles of Ayurvedic medicine.
Initial interview
Once you have identified the Ayurvedic masseur to turn to, before moving on to manipulation, you must take a preliminary interview with the latter.
As part of the interview, the massage therapist will try to understand what issues are affecting the individual, what his needs are, what his psychophysical characteristics are and what are the energy imbalances that have been generated and which have led to the person's condition of malaise . Thanks to the information gathered, the masseur will be able to elaborate a personalized massage for each individual, carried out using specific manipulation techniques that can also vary, even for the same person, from session to session. All this because, as we have seen, there are many types and variants of ayurvedic massage, easily adaptable to the specific case of each individual. In fact, in Ayurvedic medicine the approach to the patient is made on the basis of the concept that each individual is unique and different from the others, therefore, there cannot be a universal remedy adaptable to all, but it is necessary to adopt specific treatments based on the peculiarities of each person.
The subjectivity of manipulation is one of the main features of Ayurvedic massage.
Where is Ayurvedic Massage?
Usually, the ayurvedic massage is performed in a calm, warm environment and illuminated by soft or dim lights .
In the room fragrant essences or incenses can also be diffused in order to further promote relaxation, possibly combined with relaxing and meditation music .
In order to perform the Ayurvedic massage, the patient is made to lie down on a special wooden table dug inside it; in other cases, instead, it is possible to receive the massage lying on the ground, as some traditions want. For the head and neck massage, however, the individual is seated in a sitting position .
How is an Ayurvedic massage performed?
Ayurvedic massage can be performed in different ways. Depending on the type of manipulation that must be put into practice and according to the individual's psychophysical characteristics, the message can be practiced:
- With the sole use of hands ;
- With hands, elbows and arms ;
- From two Ayurvedic masseurs working in sync ( four-handed massage );
- With the feet (it is a massage practiced mostly on corpulent people or on athletes and takes the name of Midhiabhyangam).
Contraindications
When the Ayurvedic Massage cannot be practiced
Despite being a natural approach, ayurvedic massage has some important contraindications. In detail, the Ayurvedic massage should NOT be practiced:
- In the presence of wounds;
- In the presence of inflammation;
- If the individual has a fever;
- In subjects suffering from capillary fragility;
- In individuals with phlebitis;
- In hypertensive patients or those suffering from cardiovascular diseases or disorders.
Furthermore, the ayurvedic massage performed using vegetable oils, essential oils or medicinal herbs should not be practiced in individuals with a known allergy to one or more of these products.
In any case, if you suffer from particular disorders or diseases, before undergoing Ayurvedic massage sessions, it is good to ask the advice of your doctor.
costs
How much does an Ayurvedic massage cost?
Ayurvedic massage is generally performed in holistic centers or spas and its cost can vary, even considerably, depending on the type and duration of the treatment.
However, indicatively, the prices of an ayurvedic massage can range between 80-90 euros for massages of 30-40 minutes, up to over 150 euros for massages lasting an hour or more and for massages that provide treatments aimed at solving specific problems.
