AYURVEDA says that the human body is unctuous by Nature. So when dryness sets in it leads to tissue damage and disturbance in physiology of our body. The reason is simply that dryness aggravates Vata Dosha, which in turn being the most powerful of all the doshas have a damaging effect on the functions of the body. The best substance to counter dryness and calm Vata is oil. So our body needs a regular dose of anointing to check the dryness and to keep it going and perform at optimum levels.
That’s why Ayurveda recommends Abhyanga, a daily Self-Massage.
Benefits of Massage:
– Helps relieve and prevent negative reactions to stress.
– It gives vitality and energy.
– It eliminates tiredness
– It makes the body supple and helps to tone the muscles.
– It delays signs of old age including wrinkles by moisturizing the skin.
– It makes the skin lustrous and improves its overall appearance.
– It calms the Vata dosha (and thus pacifies the nervous system and induces sleep).
– Mobilizes toxins and brings them to the gut for elimination.
The Self-Massage routine should focus on three Major Areas:
- The Head
- The body
- The feet
Ideally the Massage should start with head and end at the feet. The body should be massaged in sections and not the whole body at a stretch. This is to facilitate the proper flow of blood and lymph and induce relaxation of the body part by part, from head downwards.
Once you have added a Daily Oil Massage into your daily routine, the benefits will naturally inspire you to continue it on a permanent basis.
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