Abhyanga: The Ayurvedic Ritual of Self-Massage

November 17, 2020 Mia Tozer

The short answer: Abhyanga is the Ayurvedic ritual of self-massage with warm oil, practised for over 5,000 years. It boosts circulation, improves sleep quality, calms the nerves and deeply nourishes skin. Warm the oil, start at your feet and massage upwards towards the heart. Try our Ayurvedic body oils.

For those who missed it, our brand new sacred Ayurvedic Body Oils launched in line with the Ayurvedic ritual of Abhyanga earlier this week and so far, the response has been great! The sacred ritual of Abhyanga has been practiced as part of Ayurveda for over 5,000 years, but in Western terms, this is simply the ritual of Self Massage. Self-massage brings many physical and mental benefits so we encourage all to set aside some Me Time this lockdown and care for yourself consciously.

Benefits of Self Massage:

Boosts blood circulation
Encourages lymphatic drainage
Improves sleep quality
Calms the nerves
Deeply conditions and nourishes skin
Improves skin tone
Mental clarity
Mind-body-soul relaxation
Cultivates self-love
Counteracts the ageing process

As you can tell… there are so many benefits to Abhyanga that surpass just the physical.

Our tips on the many ways you can use your body oil...

Start at the feet Our feet represent our roots and our grounding, so caring for them is crucial to enjoy mental stability. Massage into the soles of your feet before bed and wrap them in a steam towel for the ultimate good night’s sleep. Full body massage Start by rolling the bottle in your hands to warm the oil and begin at your feet and firmly massage upwards towards the heart centre, taking long sweeping strokes along the limbs and circular motions across the joints. Massage the abdomen using clockwise motions following the direction of the large intestine and the colon. Take smell, circular upward motions on the chest, starting at the breastbone and working outwards. Don’t forget to massage the back as well, in a downward motion to help increase the flow of energy back down the body. Post Shower Hot water from a shower or bath dries our skin out, so massaging into damp skin post shower will lock in moisture and keep skin feeling healthy. Bath Oil Whilst your bath is running, dispense a few pumps and allow the powerful properties of aromatherapy to take over your bathroom. Enjoy the ultimate relaxation. Pair with our Body Brush Use our award-winning body brush first to prep the skin and open the skin’s capillaries. This makes the skin more receptive to absorbing the nourishing carrier oils. Nourish your cuticles The 100% natural formula contains the purest and highest concentration of ingredients meaning they are the ultimate source of nourishment for cracked cuticles. Natural perfume Enjoy the gentle aroma of mint, sandalwood, frankincense or rose as a natural perfume by dabbing some oil onto your neck and behind the ears.