PDA

View Full Version : abhyaṅga snānaṁ



yajvan
26 November 2010, 05:19 PM
 
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté



In āyurved¹ there is a suggestion for the individual to practice abhyaṅga snānaṁ :

abhyaṅga - rubbing with unctuous substances
snānaṁ - washing off , removal by washing , cleansing ; bathing , washing , ablution , religious or ceremonial lustration ;
also bathing in sacred waters This is a daily oil massage done by one's own self. I find it very useful in the winter months. I do not perform this at home but use a local
sauna for the warmth and easy flow of th oil.

Depending on one's body type¹ different oils are prescribed i.e. sesame, coconut, almond, etc. This overall promotes health, good skin tone
and is a muscle relaxer.
And in the winter months vatta is more prevalent; this calms excessive vata when sesame oil is used.

The massage has to be thorough i.e. 'top to bottom' as they say, aways working the message to the center of the body.
So from the head down, including the face, the arms to the chest, then from the feet up, bringing the message to the heart area.
When done you wash the oil off and you are on your way. If this interests you try it 3 to 4 times and see if you notice a difference.

praṇām

words

body type - vatta, pitta, kapha
āyurved is āyus + veda : āyus = life , vital power , vigour , health , duration of life , long life + ved = knowledge
āyurved then = the knowledge of life and health

kahanam
27 November 2010, 01:51 AM
The massage has to be thorough i.e. 'top to bottom' as they say, aways working the message to the center of the body.
So from the head down, including the face, the arms to the chest, then from the feet up, bringing the message to the heart area.
When done you wash the oil off and you are on your way. If this interests you try it 3 to 4 times and see if you notice a difference.

Yajvanji, Thanks for this information. Kanchi Paramacharya Mahaswamigal has prescribed Sesame-oil bath as relief for arthritis, backpain etc. For men, Wenesdays and Saturdays and For women, Tuesdays and Fridays prescribed.:) :) :)

yajvan
27 November 2010, 03:08 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté kahanam


Yajvanji, Thanks for this information. Kanchi Paramacharya Mahaswamigal has prescribed Sesame-oil bath as relief for arthritis, backpain etc. For men, Wenesdays and Saturdays and For women, Tuesdays and Fridays prescribed.:) :) :)

Yes, I too have seen ~best days~ for abhyaṅga snānaṁ on occasion. From a jyotish POV I have seen certain days called out in a pañcāṅga¹ and specific tithi's¹ suggesting avoidance of an oil massage.
Frankly I have never known/felt the difference and I have never been advised by my teacher on any days to avoid.


On another note - saturn and sesame seeds go together nicely . So a seseme oil massage on a Saturday (śani-day) is most appropriate. It is said most illnesses begin with vatta. This is a quality of śani, hence the notion of sesame oil on a Saturday as an ~offering~ to śani ( the slow moving one).

Also I use grape-seed oil on occasion; coconut oil is best for those with excess pitta and Tuesday ( owned by Mars) is worth considering.
Sunday and the sun, we use almond oil.


...just some ideas.

praṇām

words


pañcāṅga - meaning 5-limbed or 5-membered; we look at it as a calendar or almanac treating of 5 items: solar days , lunar days , nakṣatras, yoga-s and karaṇas
A tithi has certain prada प्रद- the giving , yielding , offering , granting , bestowing , causing , effecting , uttering, influence

Eastern Mind
27 November 2010, 04:17 PM
Vannakkam Yajvan:

As you might know, up here in the cooler latitudes where cold air is drier, dry skin is a problem for many. I think I'll give it a shot a few times. (Unless you have some other ayurvedic recommendation) Its not the dry skin so much as the half-sleeping scratching of it, and you wake up looking like you had a fight with your cat.

Aum Namasivaya

yajvan
27 November 2010, 04:47 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté EM


Vannakkam Yajvan:

As you might know, up here in the cooler latitudes where cold air is drier, dry skin is a problem for many. I think I'll give it a shot a few times. (Unless you have some other ayurvedic recommendation) Its not the dry skin so much as the half-sleeping scratching of it, and you wake up looking like you had a fight with your cat.

Aum Namasivaya


Cold and dry = vatta. Let alone more heat you use to warm your house ( not the warmth) has a drying effect and hence vatta again.
So, seseme oil would be a good thing to pursue. If you can warm ( not hot) it up a little that too would be perferred. If you cannot then not to worry.

Now where people complain is doing abhyaṅga snānaṁ at home, as it seems to be a bit messy, especially if one is just getting use to this approach.
So think about a nice big towel to put on the floor so you can do it there and keep the oil from being a problem.

A nice warm shower afterwards will then do the trick...

praṇām

Ramakrishna
28 November 2010, 12:00 AM
Namaste Yajvanji,

Every year during the winter months, I rub mineral oil all over my body and find it to be very effective against dry skin as well quite soothing. However, I always do this after showering. What is the significance/purpose of applying the oil before showering? Also, should soap be used, or just water when showering?


Jai Sri Krishna

yajvan
28 November 2010, 10:20 AM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namasté ramakrishna,



Namaste Yajvanji,

Every year during the winter months, I rub mineral oil all over my body and find it to be very effective against dry skin as well quite soothing. However, I always do this after showering. What is the significance/purpose of applying the oil before showering? Also, should soap be used, or just water when showering?
Jai Sri Krishna

before and after... that is the question.

The difference is snānaṁ meaning bath vs. 'application' or light application. The abhyaṅga snānaṁ approach is using plenty of oil. If one did this after a shower and then put on one's daily clothes , the oil would seep through the clothing. That is the amount of abundent oil that is used. All the pores are abundently covered/nourished with the oil.

praṇām

Ramakrishna
28 November 2010, 11:44 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namasté ramakrishna,




before and after... that is the question.

The difference is snānaṁ meaning bath vs. 'application' or light application. The abhyaṅga snānaṁ approach is using plenty of oil. If one did this after a shower and then put on one's daily clothes , the oil would seep through the clothing. That is the amount of abundent oil that is used. All the pores are abundently covered/nourished with the oil.

praṇām


Namaste yajvanji,

Thanks, that makes sense. I just didn't know such an abundance of oil was needed. I'll definitely look into getting some sesame oil and trying this out.

Jai Sri Krishna

yajvan
09 December 2010, 12:48 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

I wrote,

Cold and dry = vatta. Let alone more heat you use to warm your house ( not the warmth) has a drying effect and hence vatta again.
So, seseme oil would be a good thing to pursue. If you can warm ( not hot) it up a little that too would be perferred.

What we're doing here is adding kapha and pitta to the system. Kapha is defined a watery froth ~fluid~. It is opposite of dry (vatta some even call vāyu ); So the oil is kapha rich.

From kappa we find its roots in kṛpā́ - beautiful appearance , beauty , splendor. Kappha brings out the beauty, the spledor in the individual.

Pitta is opposite vatta as it is heat. In pitta we find 'pi' - to move, go. Pitta is 'energy' based and moving, going is a quality of heat/energy.
What is interesting to me is pi is rooted in pī meaning to be exuberant , abound , increase , grow. And from pī brings us to pā defined as guarding , protecting , ruling. So this energy of pitta brings heat, exuberance and protects.

So one says oh , I wish to be beautiful then I will take excessive kapha foods. Well excess brings one to a blemish or doṣa as it is called in āyurved¹ . doṣa = detrimental effect. One's dhātu¹ is now out of balance... some look at the tridoṣa ( 3 doṣa ) balances and then which to balance them. This is where ultimate mental-and-physical health resides.

praṇām

words

dhātu constituent part ; used as one's constitution, your makeup, your ingredients made of tri-dhātu - vata, pitta and kapha.
āyurved is āyus + veda : āyus = life , vital power , vigour , health , duration of life , long life + ved = knowledge
āyurved then = the knowledge of life and health

Sahasranama
09 December 2010, 01:01 PM
Interesting thread. I have tried olive oil and sesame oil, but as you say, it can get messy. I have found that coconut milk is easier to use than oil, because you can wash it away easier.

Believer
22 December 2010, 06:02 PM
As you might know, up here in the cooler latitudes where cold air is drier, dry skin is a problem for many. I think I'll give it a shot a few times. (Unless you have some other ayurvedic recommendation) Its not the dry skin so much as the half-sleeping scratching of it, and you wake up looking like you had a fight with your cat.

EMji, Have you ever looked into a vaporizer, available from the pharmacy? It does wonders for the dry air. Sometimes, I even boil some water on the cooking range late in the evening to get some moisture into the dry air heating the house.