Abhyanga "The Love Massage"

Abhyanga is also known as Ayurvedic Massage. The word ‘abhyanga’ is composed of two Sanskrit words, Abhi and Anga. Abhi means ‘towards’ and anga, in one of its meanings, refers to ‘movement’.  It also means ‘oil massage’ or in sanskrit, ‘snehana’. Snehana means oil, but it also means love. So by receiving Abhyanga, we are oiling our bodies with love, comfort, and nourishment.The sensation of Abhyanga is deeply nourishing to your brain, nervous system, mind, soul, skin and joints. The abundant coating of warm oil arouses a feeling of being wrapped in loving arms. It emulates warmth and makes a powerful difference in your feelings about yourself along with your how you feel about everything and everyone around you. It lovingly replaces your anxieties with a sense of calmness and contentment because the oils are warm, stable, and grounding.Because of the abundant use of herbalized oil, Abhyanga can become a more clinical therapeutic procedure.  The purpose of this oil is to be massaged into the skin in such a way that it can penetrate the deep tissue layers and bind to the toxins for elimination, as well as providing joint lubrication, nourishment, and moisture. The medicated oil also acts as a fat burner and if you make receiving regular Abhyanga a part of your wellness and/or weight loss program, you will definitely begin to experience surprising results without any side effects. Abhyanga is a specific sequence of massaging the body in sections, part by part, to facilitate the proper flow of blood and lymph encouraging quick removal of metabolic wastes. Therefore massage is given with varying pressures. The Lymphatic system is the system the body uses to accumulate and expel toxins.  It is lacking its own pump and therefore requires manual, hands on application to increase lymph flow towards the major lymph nodes, and then eliminated from the body. It is also an option to have two therapists giving a choreographed 4 handed tandem massage, where both sides of your body are being massaged at the same time.  This is a highly recommended experience and very unique to Ayurvedic Massage.Another important  benefit of Abhyanga is its ability to stimulate and nourish internal organs. The massage helps in tuning up the functioning of the organs and optimizes the body’s ability to flush out toxins. It also revitalizes and energizes the self healing quality of cells in the body. Abhyanga stimulates the para-sympathetic nervous system and has physical, emotional and psychological effects towards well being.One can notice elevated resistance to dryness, cracking, and even bruising, all thanks to the hydration and lubrication that the skin receives from Abhyanga.  It also strengthens fragility and increases the skin’s natural vibrant beauty, helping the skin adapt to the aging process more gracefully.  Ayurvedic Massage ContraindicationsAyurvedic massage should not be done in the following conditions according to Ayurveda.

• Fever
• In any acute illness (unless permitted by your doctor)
• Blood clots (like deep vein thrombosis) or bleeding disorders
• Hangover
• Dehydration
• During chemotherapy
• During Menstruation