Ayurvedic Herbal Oil Massage for Balancing Your Dosha

Let’s face it, we all could probably be doing more to tend to our health.

But sometimes self care can seem like another thing added to your already overflowing list of things you’ve got to take care of in your daily life.

When you add up all the things you’ve read up on that you should be doing every day to take care of your health, it can be completely overwhelming – especially with all the information, products, medications & supplements being pushed on folks everywhere you look.

Self care isn’t supposed to be stressful. It should be simple and enjoyable.

This is why I want to share with you one of my all time favorite self care practices: Abhyanga, or Ayurvedic body oiling.

The reason why I’ve been able to consistently keep up with doing this self care practice regularly for over 8 years – is because it’s so darn simple.

And yet it’s also incredibly luxurious and delightful, which means it’s one of those things you’re much more likely to do for yourself to maintain good health.

Even though this practice is simple, the health benefits are tremendous.

This was one of the therapies I did on a daily basis to heal the chronic anxiety I used to have for many years, so I can’t recommend it enough! Especially for those who deal with a lot of stress, muscular or nervous tension, anxiety or constitutional dryness.

“Oil massage should be used daily, to ward off old age,
exhaustion and diseases of vata. It bestows good vision,
nourishment of the body, long life, good sleep, and healthy skin.”
– Astaรฑga Hrdaya Sutrasthana 2:8-9a

In this video, I share more about the therapeutic benefits of Abhyanga / self oil massage and also about how to use specific herbal infused oils in this practice to enhance the therapeutic affects.

You’ll learn which herbs you can use in an infused oil to specifically address any constitutional imbalances for Vata, Pitta, or Kapha dosha.

These are herbs that you can easily grow at home and prepare into your own super affordable medicated Abhyanga oil tailored to balance your particular dosha or constitution.

Wild Rose (Rosa nutkana) flowers infusing in Extra Virgin Olive Oil
to make a Pitta balancing body oil

I hope this video inspires you to make some of your own herbal infused oils and to start doing Abhyanga. It’s a deeply nourishing practice that will rejuvenate you in such a delightful way, you won’t want to skip it any day!

So to encourage you even further – because I’m such a believer in the healing power of this self care practice, I’m going to challenge you with some homework:

Try doing this self oil massage practice each morning before showering for 7 days. Coat yourself in oil from the bottom of your feet all the way to the top of your head with an oil of your choice – plain sesame oil, an herbal infused oil, or whatever you have on hand or whichever would best suit your dosha if you want to take it to the next level.

After a week of trying this practice, come back here and tell me about your experience in the comments below. I’m looking forward to hearing how your week went!


Join us on The Plant Path

Get a basketful of fresh herbal content delivered to your inbox each week

Become a student for free by signing up for The Plant Path, where you'll get weekly-ish blog posts, access to special free workshops, and exclusive program enrollment announcements.

FROM THE HERBAL PROFILE ARCHIVE
OUR MOST RECENT POSTS
EXPLORE THE PLANT PATH ARCHIVES
Previous slide
Next slide