Abhyanga (ah-bee-yanga) is one of many massage routines established by Ayurveda, the four thousand year old health system from India. Ayuveda says that a daily full-body massage (self or from another) is an important part of maintaining good health.
Traditionally the abhyanga involves two massage persons, one on either side of the table. Using warm sesame oil enhanced with herbal and floral essences, they perform like a ballet team, rubbing, stroking and massaging each side of the body in unison.
On the long limbs and open areas, the strokes are long. Over joints and marma points (body locations identical to acupuncture points) the rubbing is circular to stimulate and align body energy. If the opportunity ever presents, you really should have this ultimate in massage experience.
We know now that the skin, in response to being rubbed, creates interferon and interluken II, peptides which enhance the body’s immune system. While being massaged by another is nice, the skin also responds appropriately even when we give ourselves an abhyanga.
The health benefits of the self-abhyanga can be yours for less than ten minutes each day.
- Using either FACE&BODY LSF or our pharmaceutical grade AYURVEDA SESAME OIL place the bottle of oil in a basin of hot water. Warm the oil to just above body temperature. Stand on a mat or towel which can be easily washed.
- One half ounce of oil will usually cover the body with a light coating. Less is better than more. What you might miss today, you’ll cover the next day. The health benefits of stimulating the skin are equally as important as the therapeutic qualities of sesame oil.
- Pour a small amount of oil into a cupped hand, rub hands together then transfer the oil to your body. Start with the head. A scalp treatment every day feels wonderful and a mild shampoo is all that is needed to remove excess oil from the hair.
- Use circular motions on face and over joints, long strokes over open areas and along limbs. Massaging the ears, palms of the hands and soles of the feet will stimulate nerve endings to help balance energy pathways which lead to internal organs. To control headaches, massage the web between thumb and forefinger daily.
- Before moving off the towel or mat, wipe excess oil from the soles of your feet. Stand on a non-skid mat in the shower.
- Sesame oil is unique in the small size of the molecules and the way it penetrates into the skin. You’ll find that both AYURVEDA SESAME OIL and FACE&BODY LSF will completely absorb in about ten minutes.
- If you prefer not to wait, simply start your bath or shower, using water as hot as is comfortable and continue to massage your body. The heat of the water will speed absorption. To remove dead skin cells and oil soluble toxins which the sesame oil brings to the skin surface, use a luffa and mild soap 2-3x a week. Inexpensive plastic luffas work just fine.
- Dry with a fresh, dry washcloth or towel to remove any excess oil and to add to the beneficial effects of the self-abhyanga. Oil will wash out of fabric with a good detergent plus a natural oil solvent such as PINESOL.
For those allergic to soap, sesame oil is a natural cleanser. Using only AYURVEDA SESAME OIL and water in the routine described, your skin will stay clean, fresh and sweet and you will feel toned and refreshed.
At any time during the day, especially after having hands in water, a drop or two, worked into the skin of hands, fingers and nails will restore softness and smoothness.
Sesame oil is a natural product, which varies in color from pale green to golden amber, depending on where grown and climatic conditions. Our Ayurveda sesame oil is always light and nearly odorless.
Neither color nor fragrance of the oil affects the purity or the quality of YOUTHING STRATEGIES™ products. All are antibacterial for common skin pathogens, antiviral, antifungal, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.
