Ayurvedic Massage

With roots as old as human civilization, Ayurvedic medicine conveys a simple healing wisdom with thousands of years of refinement and sophistication behind it. You cannot separate the medicine from the massage. The two practices have been developed together as a whole and are practiced in tandem. Authentic Ayurvedic massage employs specially formulated herbal oils that are warmed and applied liberally to the skin. Alternatively when the detox program known as panchakarma is underway, heated herbal boluses or dried herbal powders are used for massage as well.

An important component of Ayurvedic massage is the therapeutic and nutritive qualities of the oils that are absorbed through the skin and transported to the deeper tissues. The herbal oils are used to balance the nervous system, supply health to the bones and brain, and to assist in pushing deeply stored toxins out into the digestive tract for elimination.

The strokes used in Ayurvedic massage are broad, long, firm and smooth - following the contours of the bones and toning up specific nerve and blood vessel bundles called marmas or vital points. The marmas are found throughout the body and can be used for healing or for delivering deadly blows in India's traditional martial arts system called Kalari.

Ayurvedic massage is particularly beneficial for draining the lymphatic system, improving elimination of toxins and feeding and soothing the nervous system to reduce pain.