In the western world, the Abhyanga massage is also known as “great oiling”. It is preceded by an individual consultation with the massage therapist, who chooses the appropriate oils, techniques, and energy points to be massaged, depending on the patient’s needs. The therapist’s decision is based on the patient’s constitution, which is determined by the three Ayurvedic doshas, which are the energy patterns that flow through our bodies. Usually, the base oil is sesame oil, which penetrates deep into the tissues, nourishes the skin, and helps remove toxins. Depending on your constitution, health-promoting herbal extracts are added to the oil.
During the Abhyanga massage, deep relaxation is induced by long strokes over the skin and muscles, circular motions on the joints, and the massage of the individually selected energy points. The strokes are performed in two directions: “Anuloma”, which refers to strokes in the direction of hair growth with calming and balancing effect. And “partiloma”, which refers to strokes against the direction of hair growth with stimulating and invigorating effect. Both techniques can be used for "Samvahana", a gentle massage, and "Mardana", a strong pressure massage. In addition, there are various subtypes or partial massages of Abhyanga, for example the “Mukabhyanga” face massage and the “Prishtabhyanga” back massage.
