Your abhyanga ritual can include massaging the entire body or just one area. Common variations to a full body abhyanga are Shiro-Abhyanga, a head massage and Pada-Abhyanga, a foot massage. Other parts of the body can be the focus of a massage, such as the abdomen and joints.  Here, I’m gifting you my full body ritual. 

Much like a well-oiled machine, regular Abhyanga rituals create a strong, vibrant and healthy body, mind and spirit. Here’s a short list of a few key benefits: 

• Anti-Aging
• Improves Prana Flow
• Pacify Vata Dosha
• Protects Eyesight
• Provides Longevity    
• Improves Sleep
• Strengthens the Body and Skin

Performing your own Abhyanga Ritual

1. Create a sacred space in your home, body and mind. 

Find a private place in your home to perform your ritual. Usually I choose the bathroom.  While you prepare the spaces, begin warming your massage oil it in a warming dish or placing the closed bottle in a sink of warm water.  You may also want to set down an old towel for the massage and have an old set of clothes to wear afterwards.  

As you wait for the oil to warm, bring your state of mind to a peaceful and restful place. Sit or stand in a comfortable position. Close your eyes and place your hands on the lower abdomen, at and just below the belly button. Begin taking long, deep and smooth inhales into the lower abdomen, causing the hands to move outward. Exhale with the same long and smooth breaths, relaxing the abdomen. After a few breaths in this state of awareness, tune in to the state of the body. Are there are parts that need more attention? Do you have pain or feel healthy? Make note of the areas on which to focus during the ritual, bringing them love and awareness with each breath.

Make your mind a sacred space. Repeating the same breath, bring focus from the crown of the head on the inhale to the space below the nostrils on the upper lip during the exhale. Notice your state of mind. Are thoughts other than the ritual coming in and out? Continue focusing on the breath, use a mantra if you have one, express gratitude or count the length of the breath until the mind calms. 

Once your home, body and mind are ready, slowly open your eyes. Bring your hands from the abdomen into prayer, placing your thumbs along your sternum. Slowly bow down towards your heart center, giving thanks and gratitude for the ritual that is about to start. 

2. How to Perform the Abhyanga Ritual

Order: The direction of the Abhyanga is to work from the feet to the head, which helps draw the flow of Prana down and out of the body, clearing you for new, rejuvenating Prana to enter through the crown of your head. Move methodically up your body; feet, legs, waist, abdomen, chest, arms, shoulders, neck and head.

Technique: The simplest way to remember this is take long strokes along long bones/areas and circles around joints.  Start with long strokes over your entire limb, for example to cover the entire arm or leg, Then, go back and repeat in smaller segments, (calves, thighs, etc) adding in the circular movements when you reach the joints. Each movement is generally repeated multiple times, deepening the effect. Repeat each movement in multiples of seven, e.g. seven, fourteen or twenty-one, based on personal preference and time available.

Pressure: The pressure should always be to your personal comfort, it should never hurt. As a starting point, start lighter and increase pressure when and where needed. Pressure is deeper on the downward direction and lighter on the upward direction, following the direction of Prana.  

Speed: Slower is better, as it is grounding and calming. However, the speed can be mixed-up during a massage for specific areas, such as joints or stiff, congested areas. 

Concluding: Conclude with a final series of gentle presses and holds across all the areas massaged, beginning at the top of the head to the feet. This transition signals to the body that the massage is complete.  

3. Close with a shower or bath 

After the oil is massaged into the skin, let it rest for 20 minutes. Stay warm by wearing old clothes until you shower or bath. During this time, the oils will continue to nourish your skin. At the same time, the oils help pull fat-soluble toxins out of the skin, binding with the oils. After 20 minutes, the skin will no longer take in more oil, leaving a film on the skin. This oil residue can become sticky, collect dirt and clog the pores. The bathing will act as a therapeutic steam treatment known as Swedana. Sweda means to sweat, which is one of the detoxification pathways. The steam from a shower or bath naturally opens the pores for additional detoxification and oil absorption.

Helpful Tidbits

Consider the Time of Day 

The time of day can matter. Depending on the season and the imbalance being addressed, the time of day may change. According to ancient texts, Vata and Pitta pacification or seasons should perform Abhyanga in the late afternoon or evening. For Kapha pacification or season, the timing is best for mid-day. If more than one dosha is involved, focus on mid-day. For detoxification purposes, the morning hours are preferred. For most, Abhyanga rituals are easiest to schedule in the morning, before showering and going to work. And if this works, keep it that way. It is better than skipping the ritual. Set aside about 10 minutes and upwards to 30 minutes to perform your abhyanga ritual, plus the rest time.  

Choosing Abhyanga Oils

There are literally 100’s of different Abhyanga oil formulas available to us to choose.  Choosing one that is appealing to you and can address the ayurveda imbalances you may be experiencing.  If you are experiencing dry, cold or feeling unsettled, look for VATA formulas.  If you are experiencing heat, such as inflammation, redness, or heated emotions, look for PITTA formulas.  If you are experiencing heaviness, lethargy, stiffness or immobility, look for KAPHA formulas. 

Abhyanga Oil blends – Have a variety of oil blends available, possibly one for each dosha. Here are some of my favorite suppliers:     

SVA/Chandika – An absolute favorite!  Rich in herbs and aromas. 

Banyan Botanicals – Everyday use Oils. 

Kottakkal – Traditional Oil Formulas from India.

When to Avoid Abhyanga 

It may seem that everyone can benefit from an Abhyanga ritual, but sometimes, there are important reasons to postpone. If you are experiencing obvious imbalances and do not yet understand the root, please consider a coaching session with me for guidance.

Ama, for example, is a category of toxins that are present in the body that can manifest from poor digestion. In this case, if ama is high, focus on rebuilding the digestive energy, stop taking in the toxins and rid the body of them through natural detoxification methods. Then, you can return to full rituals. 

The following are additional reasons why Abhyanga may not be appropriate.

• Acute diseases. Avoid rituals when serious health threatening diseases, such as heart disease or diabetes, are actively being managed.
  
• Feeling under the weather. Full Abhyanga massage rituals are not recommended when an active cold, flu or fever are present.
  
• Skin diseases. If your skin has open wounds, inflammations or diseases, avoid allowing oil into these areas.
  
• Active days of menstruation. Prana is flowing downward and outward during these days. Avoid the full massage rituals during the days of flow, as the downward direction is too strong.
  
• Immediately following eating, sexual intercourse or a purgative. Prana during and just after these activities is very focused on supporting these functions. By performing an Abhyanga ritual immediately following, the energy of these functions is suppressed. Give at least 1-2 hours following these activities to perform the ritual.
  
• Pregnancy and post-delivery. Under all circumstances, consult with a medical or Ayurvedic professional before performing any Abhyanga rituals during or after pregnancy. During pregnancy, a full body Abhyanga is not advised. However, for example, a focused Abhyanga to the abdomen and hips may be fine. Also, certain herbs and oils should be avoided. Again, consult your clinician. After a natural delivery, rest three to four days before resuming any Ayurvedic rituals.
  
• While intoxicated or under influence of drugs. Enough said.
  
• Extreme obesity. If you are more than 50-75 pounds over ideal bodyweight.

I hope you will join me in adding this ancient Ayurvedic Ritual of Abhyanga into your daily self care practices.  

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The beautiful spring came; and when Nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also. 

Spring is a time when new life sprouts after winter’s hibernation. Ayurveda defines spring season as Kapha season, when water and earth elements awaken, begin to expand, flow and accumulate. During the spring, these elements heightened, even aggravated at times. As you can imagine what happens when earth and water comes together, things can get a bit messy.

When we are aggravated by the increasing Kapha elements, we can experience a number of symptoms that are commonly associated with spring, such as 

• excess congestion 
  
• allergies 
  
• lethargy 
  
• morning grogginess 
  
• achy joints 
  
• coated tongues 
  
• slow digestion
  

For a healthy and vibrant spring, we can add 5 Ayurveda Practices for a Beautiful Spring to our day. 

1. Clear your head

Whether you suffer from spring allergies or not, keeping your sinus passages clear and clean protects you against potential allergens, cold and flu bugs and promotes healthy, energy filled breathing. 

Ways to clear your head 

• Use a neti pot with a saline water solution to clear the mucous buildup and allergens from the sinuses 
  
• Protect your nasal passages by then using a Nasya Oil, such as SVA Tri-dosha or SVA Gymnema blend
  
• Practice pranayama breathing techniques, such as alternate nostril breathing, kapalabati and bhastrika 
  
• Apply Maha Marma Oil to protect the crown of your head 

2. Get Moving

As the weather changes from the frozen, cold tundra to wet, muddy soil, we may also feel a bit like we are stuck in the mud.   We may wake feeling a bit groggy or stiff, the winter weight may still be with us.  What can we do about it?  Get up and GET MOVING!

The early morning hours of 6-10 am are Kapha time and it is important to rise from bed before the earthy energies begin to accumulate, making you want to stay in bed, snuggled under the covers. Instead get up before the sun and get moving! 

Stimulating exercise in the morning is great to harness this heavy energy of the day.  A good sweat for 15-20 minutes is best. 

3. Eat for the Season

Our diet is a critical part of a happy and healthy Ayurvedic lifestyle.  Ayurveda focuses our food choices based on the six tastes – sweet, sour, salty, bitter, astringent and pungent. One factor of how much of each taste to place on our plate is determined by the season. 

During Kapha season, this means Bitter, Astringents and Pungent tastes should have primary real estate on our plate.  These foods are create lightness and movement.  We want to enjoy the abundance of early greens, lighter proteins and warming spices.

Bitter Foods:  chards, dandelion leaves, arugala, spinach, bitter melon, kale, turmeric, cabbage

Astringent Foods: lentils, mung dahl beans, apples, pomegranate, sprouted greens, broccoli, cauliflower

Pungent Foods: chili peppers, ginger, black pepper, pippali, radishes, mustard

Garcinia Masala Kapha Blend

Spices for the Spring Season

Garcinia Cambogia, fenugreek, cumin, green cardamom, coriander, black cardamom, cinnamon and soma salt.

4. Lighten Up

As the flow of spring works through its course, you may wake up feeling heavy, groggy, lethargic and achy.  If this is you, it is time for opening up your energy channels and lightening up.  

Morning routines can really help get you feeling lighter and brighter.   Here is a great way to put a spring into your day.

• Clear your head – with practices above
  
• Dry brush your skin 
  
• Self oil massage
  

Dry brushing, known as garshana, is a daily technique for refreshing and lightening up your skin before an oil massage.  Daily garshana get the juices flowing and stimulates the lymphatic system, increases blood flow and releases toxins.  Dry brushing is done with silk gloves or natural bristled brushes. 

Following up with a self oil massage.  A kapha balancing massage oil is great for general daily use.  For specific conditions, whether it is dry itchy skin or sinus congestion, my favorite blends come from SVA/Chandika. Find your favorite blend today!

5. Spring Cleaning

On a day to day basis, our bodies are naturally cleansing and detoxifying. Albeit an uncomfortable topic, the discussion of daily bathroom habits are one key indicator of how well the body is naturally detoxifying. Constipation can be a struggle for many and from the Ayurvedic perspective, it is a real issue with allowing toxins to remain within us, further putrification and cause them to circulate throughout our body.  A classic Ayurvedic formula known for its detoxification and elimination qualities is Triphala.

However, sometimes we need to go a little deeper and rid ourselves of accumulated toxins. Ayurveda recommends performing a focused cleanse at the change of seasons, especially Spring . Our physical channels are expanding and unfreezing, which means any accumulated toxins are being released to begin flowing. We use cleansing practices such as home detox programs and panchakarma to ensure those free-flowing toxins are eliminated and unable to cause the symptoms that spring often brings.

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Ayurveda is often translated as the “Science of Life” or “Life Knowledge.” Ayu means “life” and Veda means “pure, timeless knowledge.” Originating in India over 5,000 years ago, Ayurveda is a system viewing wellness holistically, pinpointing the root cause of imbalances and giving us the discernment between what is helpful vs harmful to us.

Ayurveda is a pure and timeless practice. Historically, Ayurvedic care was reserved for the Raj, or royal families. Everyday families had daily practices and remedies rooted in Ayurveda to protect their family and heal minor health issues. Today, Ayurveda is still relevant and necessary to support our busy modern lives. We can integrate these ancient practices to create harmony within our mind, body.

Life According to Ayurveda

Ayurveda describes the physical world as a complex intertwining and interdependent flow of Prana, or life force energy. Prana is the source of the five elements (pancha mahabhutas), three energetic forces (doshas), and 20 paired qualities of matter (gunas). Together, they all ebb and flow in harmony with one another in a cosmic dance, delicately balanced throughout the universe, in nature and in every cell of our body.

It’s All About Prana

Life is wherever Prana is flowing. This is true for the human body, an animal body, even a body of water. How is this true? Can you live without air, water, or food? Yes, temporarily. What you can’t live without, for even a fraction of a second, is Prana. Prana is that important.

What is Prana?

Prana’s originates from the seed of creation itself, the Aditattva or the vibration of OM. From that vibration, the element of the akash, or space manifests. This space element then becomes the tritattva, the three elements of prana: soma, agni and marut.  Soma is the nurturing component, Agni is the transformational component and Marut is the intellectual component.

Prana is also the vibration that manifests into the five elements of space, air, fire, water and earth, Maha Pancha Bhutas, and the three doshas, Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Every object around us, including ourselves, is a collection of these five elements. Our mind and body are regulated by the energetic forces of the doshas.

Most disciplines of Ayurveda talk about the doshas and their state of balance as the cause of disease. However, the doshas are a reflection of Prana themselves. Therefore, the true root case of our imbalances is compromised Prana.

Manage your Prana, Manage your Bliss

When Prana is received, flowing freely and used within our body and mind properly, good health results. If Prana is compromised, our body functions less than optimally and disease can result. Our diet, lifestyle, environment, sleep, and experiences all impact Prana. Prana is the master rejuvenator, maha rasayana. By managing our Prana, with prana rich foods, good sleep, self care and lifestyle practices, we can naturally return to balance and bliss.

There’s many books on Ayurveda, including the most famous classical text, the Charak Samhita, used by practitioners and doctors. For everyday learning, you can explore these books.

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Book One: Lord Krishna’s Cuisine: The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking, by Yamuna Devi

This is my first favorite cookbook! It came into my possession via a trip to an Ashram, Arsha Vidya Gurukulum, in Saylorsburg PA. With a hefty 800+ pages and 500+ recipes, I’m surprised my luggage wasn’t overweight as I returned home. Thankfully it did, as I couldn’t wait to get it home and start trying all the amazing recipes and techniques.

This book has it all! Traditional Indian breads, dahl, chaat (snacks) and desserts. My one bit of advice is to read through the recipes thoroughly first, as some are quite involved and time consuming (but worth it).

It may take me a lifetime to get through this entire book, but I don’t mind!

If 500+ recipes is too much for you, there is a “Best of” Book offering 172 recipes from the full version.

Available on Amazon

Book Two: What to eat for how you feel: The New Ayurvedic Kitchen by Divya Alter

Available on Amazon

For more of a modern twist to Ayurvedic dishes, this book is a must have in my opinion! If all Indian cooking all the time isn’t your thing, this book has many wonderful options, including a family favorite vegetarian lasagna.

When following an Ayurvedic food plan, making changes for the seasons and digestive fluctuations are important to maintain balance. Divya’s book is broken down by season for you with digestive suggestions. For each season she gives you starters (soups, snacks), main dishes and sweets. Also, an added bonus is the first section educating you on Ayurveda and Ayurvedic eating.

Book Three: The Joy of Balance by Divya Alter

Divya’s second cookbook, the Joy of Balance, was published in September 2022, is highly recommended! While receiving my Ayurveda Nutritional and Culinary Training Certification with Divya in 2021, I was honored to test and taste a number of the recipes in this new book.

What really makes this Ayurveda Cookbook stand out over others is how Divya’s married Ayurvedic cooking principles focusing on ingredients with recipes inspired by classic dishes from all over the world.

Hopefully you can wait for shipping to try the minestrone and fennel soup, the adzuki bean burgers or the vegan bread recipes. There’s also recipes for braised cabbage, marinated paneer, red lentils with celery root and pear muffins to drool over! YUM!

Get your copy now

Why these cookbooks?

Divya and I studied in the Shaka Vansiya Ayurveda (SVA) lineage with our dear teacher, Vaidya RK Mishra. I’ll admit this biases my recommendations.. And Divya studied cooking with Yamunda Devi, what an honor! However, don’t let my bias stop you from adding these two cookbooks to your collection.

A dream of mine is to plan an Urban Ayurveda retreat to New York City and visit Divya’s Kitchen, having a personalized cooking class and special meal at her cafe. How fun would that be?

Add the best ingredient…..Love

Food is a gift of life and love. No matter the cookbook or recipes I choose I always add the ingredient of love. When you’re cooking with your own hands, treasure it as a gift to your loved ones and infuse love into each morsel. I encourage you to enjoy cooking a lovely dish with your loved ones, especially yourself!

The post My Favorite Cookbooks appeared first on Bodhi Ayurveda.

Our hair is such an important part of our physical identity. A healthy head of hair is associated with youth and beauty. Taking care of our hair is a significant part of our beautification rituals, which makes dealing with drastic hair loss terrifying and emotionally triggering. What happened at the US Academy Awards (aka the Oscars) last week with the slap heard around the world is an example.

In case you haven’t heard the news… Will Smith slapped Chris Rock in reaction to a bald joke directed at Will’s wife, Jada Pinckett-Smith, who is suffering from an autoimmune condition with drastic hair loss, known as Alopecia.

Jada is not alone in her autoimmune struggle.

Sadly, in the United States, over 100 documented forms of autoimmune diseases exist, mostly affecting women and 1 in 15 people overall are affected, including myself.

What is Alopecia? 

Alopecia is when your body’s immune system attacks the hair follicles, which is where the hair grows. Hair loss can happen anywhere, including the head, beard, armpits, ears, nose, eye brows and even eye lashes. The loss of hair may happen in patches vs an overall thinning. If you suffer from Alopecia, you may also have issues with your nails turning red or brittle. 

Alopecia is classified in three types:

• Alopecia Areata: patchy baldness anywhere on the body
• Alopecia Totalis: full baldness of the scalp
• Alopecia Universalis: complete hair loss across entire body

What causes Alopecia?

Alopecia is classified as an autoimmune disease, which means the body’s intelligence has been disrupted to the point where your immune system attacks a part of your body. In the condition of Alopecia, the immune system is attacking the hair follicles and the process of making new hairs.

Ayurveda and Hair Growth

Ayurveda defines the tissues of our body in two categories: Dhatus and Upadhatus. When we digest food and rebuild our tissues (Dhatus), there is a post-digestive secondary tissue that is formed (Upadhatus) and a byproduct tissue (malas).

Our hair and nails are a secondary tissue or byproduct of our bones and bone marrow. When the health of our hair and nails are not optimal, Ayurveda recognizes its direct relationship to the health of our bones and bone marrow.

Ayurveda and Why AutoImmunity Happens

Your immune system a gift of nature that protects you from diseases caused by viruses, bacterias or other microbes that are harmful to your body. We are born with an inherent or innate immune system and adaptive immune system develops with exposures.

In the SVA lineage of Ayurveda, we look at three systems of the body that support your immune system: The digestive system, liver, and bone marrow. This trifecta of systems are intimately intertwined and impact your immune system individually and collectively. A trouble in one, often leads to troubles in the others.

Here’s how these systems impact your immune system.

Digestive system – Lined with a protective mucosal layer and friendly microbes, your digestive system is the first defense against the ingestion of harmful pathogens through your nose and mouth. When this line of defense is compromised it can cause “leaky gut”. When this happens ingested pathogens and undigested food particles can invade other areas of your bodies, triggering an immune response. You may experience it as food allergies or sensitivities, chronic inflammation and hyperactive immune system response which can lead to auto-immune conditions.

Liver Functions– the liver is possibly the hardest working organ you have. Its role in your immune system is as a rich warehouse of innate immune system cells, called macrophages. These cells in the liver are the first to attack invaders in the digestives system. If the liver is overtaxed with invaders, it can’t keep up. This causes the liver to inflame, overheating the immune system, which can lead to hyperactivity or auto-immune response.

Bone Marrow Production – your bone marrow is the source of new blood cells and new bone, fat and cartilage cells. White blood cells and monocytes (premature macrophage cells) are related to the immune system. When toxins burrow into the bone marrow, this disturbs the formation of your blood and immune cells, and ultimately how they function throughout your digestive system and liver.

Specifically to Alopecia, since hair is a byproduct of bone tissue, which comes from the bone marrow, it is easy to understand that compromised bone marrow could be at the root of the auto-immune response affecting the hair follicle growth cycle. However, we would be remiss to ignore the health of our digestive system and liver functioning as contributors.

Ayurveda’s Healing Approach

Ayurveda is an ancient holistic healing system that dates back over 5,000 years. Respecting our inseparable connection with nature, Ayurveda’s healing approach works with your mind and body’s inherent intelligence to heal. I call this process the enlightened wellness from within.

You can enlighten your own inner healing power using Ayurvedic lifestyle choices regarding food, self-care and routines for the day and changes in season. In disease management, such as autoimmune conditions, you need to identify the root causes to choose the right Ayurvedic lifestyle choices for YOU.

How do you get to the root cause?

Look for the signs.

Ayurvedic signs go beyond identifying symptoms alone. It focuses on what’s causing them.

Here’s a highlight of what you can learn during coaching sessions.

• What energetic forces (doshas) are out of balance and where?
• How healthy is the digestive energy (Agni)?
• What is the health of the body and systems of the body?
• Are toxins (Ama) present and is it digestive, emotional, environmental or electromagnetic in source?
• What daily habits of self-care are practiced?
• What is the health history, including In Utero and generational?

The conclusion is helping you set Ayurvedic lifestyle goals to implement regarding food, herbs, self-care, detoxification and routines.

Whew! That’s a lot to unpack. You’re right, it is.

But, like Jada, you aren’t alone.

What you can do?

If there’s a bit of advice I can share to get you started it’s this – Take the time to tune in with yourself.

• Listen to how your body and mind are feeling.
• Observe how your body reacts after meals.
• How are you managing stress.
• Take inventory of potential toxins hiding in your food and self care products.
• How has your life’s story led you to today.
• Be kind and compassionate with yourself, knowing you are more than a diagnosis.

You also don’t have to try to figure it all out by yourself.

If you feel an Ayurvedic lifestyle can support you or curious to learn more about Ayurveda, let’s chat.

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