Heavenly Massage

I am drifting off far away. Thoughts of a to-do list enter my mind and then float away as if they are getting the message: “do not disturb”. Something heavenly is happening on my forehead – it feels like someone is very gently stroking my hair, soothing my forehead and inviting me into a state of pure bliss.

Before that my body had been rhythmically stroked with warm oil by two pairs of hands, working in perfect synchronisation. Then I had been covered with a towel and a mask placed over my eyes.  A steady stream of warm oil was slowly trickled over my forehead and allowed to run through my hair.

I was being treated to an Abhydara massage, a combination of Abhyanga and Shirodhara. The treatments are part of Ayurvedic treatment. Ayurveda is the 5 000 year-old Indian holistic healing system which literally means “the science of life”. Body, mind and soul are treated to bring about a state of health and wellbeing.

Ayurveda encompasses diet, yoga, meditation and breathing. And then there is the massage...Abhyanga and Shirodhara are just two of the techniques. Abhyanga is designed to release toxins and improve circulation and is done by two people working in together on your body, covering it from toe to head. Shirodhara involves the pouring of a continuous stream of oil on the forehead. It is useful for insomnia, anxiety. It induces a feeling of deep relaxation.

The treatment had started with a short prayer, my feet were bathed and then my head and neck massaged before I was laid down onto the bed for the full body massage. At the end of the treatment, I was invited to “take steam”. This was followed by a shower using a mixture made with chickpea flour to absorb some of the oil. As I patted my skin dry, I felt like I had been massaged inside and out.  

Afterwards, I was left alone to sip my ginger tea and bask in the afterglow of the treatment. I could get used to this...