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By Karen Vasil-Busch
The Ayurvedic platform for health uses the tools of perception, inference, comparison and testimony. The classical texts tested this knowledge, found what worked and what did not.
For organizational purposes, what formed were four pillars of health — proper digestion, proper elimination, proper sleep and proper menses. Another way of looking at this is proper transformation, proper elimination, proper rest and proper purification.
Daily routines for cleansing took care of proper purification, much like regular cleaning of our homes. While a little dusting every day keeps your counter tops sparkling, seasonal cleaning keeps your home in good working order. When all systems are working smoothly, movement is unimpaired the doshas (elements that make up your body/mind complex) stay in their own location and natural channels circulate unimpeded. Think of it like a well organized home where there are places for everything and each room has a particular purpose. For example, when your kitchen is organized, cooking becomes a joy. You find that sorting and cleaning out closets adds a sense of freedom to your mind.
The science of Ayurveda works with the body much like yoga works with the mind. Body and mind are inseparable. We are born with elements of compassion, discernment and stability built into our system. The nature of the mind is peacefulness. Practices of yoga, meditation and pranayama (breath observances) help our minds remain in that zone of non-reactivity. The following oil practice helps our body remain subtle during the winter months. As with any practice if you are experiencing serious health issues check with your primary care practitioner to see if this is right for you. Ayurveda sees each individual as unique and seeks to understand the person through this lens. There is no “one size fits all” in Ayurveda.
According to Ayurveda, the science of life, our body is designed to be healthy throughout our lives. Health maintenance and preservation are paramount and aided by establishing simple daily routines that keep us in balance.
One routine — oil massage — revives the energy in our bodies, matching and resetting it to the season at hand. For example, in the autumn when the leaves are falling and air is becoming dry and cool, we add protection of a warm sweater or jacket to keep us warm. If we perform an oil massage to our body in the morning, before a shower we are adding warmth and subtleness to our skin, the largest organ of our body.
Ayurveda texts refer to the exhausted human body as being like a dry stick that easily breaks. Oil massage, called Abhyanga, produces suppleness, preserving and maintaining positive health while working on the lymph system, whose superficial branches lie a mere 5 mm beneath the skin. The lymph system is a transport system containing plasma, amino acids, glucose, fats, hormones, enzymes, salts and lymphocytes, which fight infection. When lymph flow is unimpeded, through Abhyanga, positive results occur.
Abhyanga is the traditional word for oil massage in India, and it means “love.” Taking loving care of our physical body has far reaching effects. It can be argued that there is little separation between your mind and your body. With Abhyanga we create a state of health. This gentle massage creates a sense of calmness you can carry with you.
Performed by a trained practitioner, or done daily by yourself, there are specific instructions that aid in loosening toxins, increasing circulation and calming the nerve endings. For more information, contact me.
One of the great texts of Ayurveda states:
“The body of one who uses oil massage regularly does not become affected much even if subjected to accidental injuries, or strenuous work. By using oil massage daily, a person is endowed with pleasant touch, trimmed body parts and becomes strong, charming and least affected by old age” Charka Samhita Vol. 1, V: 88-89
To learn more contact Karen Vasil-Busch, LMT, registered Ayurvedic practitioner, owner of Body Wise Therapy in Buckfield, 207-336-2065.
