Stay Grounded and Relaxed this Fall with Ayurvedic Bodywork

Ayurveda, the thousands year old form of medicine from India, recognizes this time of year can be most challenging. While fall can be exhilarating, it can also bring grief and increased anxiety. It is easy to get swept up in the busyness this time of year brings, especially through the holidays into early winter. In nature this is time to wind down from the summer and prep for the deeply restful days of winter. Modern society seems to do the opposite with the start of school and the early winter holiday season. If you are feeling ungrounded, depleted or anxious already, this time of year can exaggerate these feelings even further. Ayurvedic bodywork is an excellent form of self care to help bring balance to our lives.

Ayurvedic Bodywork differs from the more familiar European forms of bodywork in a few ways. Strokes on the body follow the direction of muscles and joints in a specific flow and pattern. The pattern is designed to encourage the movement of lymph in the lymphatic system. Lymph carries nutrients to cells for nourishment and debris away for natural detoxification. Ayurvedic treatments are done with lots of warm oil, the perfect antidote to the dry, cool air. At Jasmine, we use hot towel compresses on the body at the end of the oilier treatments to assist with the skin’s absorption of the oil. This warm oil is like a warm blanket for the nervous system, as the skin and the nervous system are closely linked. Calming and nourishing the nervous system relieves anxiety and pain and creates a sense of centeredness within. Lastly, Ayurvedic bodywork focuses on the movement of prana, or life force energy. It seeks to smooth out the flow of prana, releasing areas of stagnation for prana to flow freely and while balancing the flow of prana throughout the body. By supporting our own inherent healing intelligences, Ayurvedic bodywork is not just massage, it’s a holistic form of self-care.

 

We currently offer four Ayurvedic treatments at Jasmine Healing Arts; Abhyanga Garshana, Vishesh, Marma Energy Balancing and an Ayurvedic Facial. If you are not sure where to begin and are new to Ayurvedic Bodywork, we suggest starting with the Abhyanga Garshana.

Garshana is a brisk massage with silk gloves to gently exfoliate the skin and get the lymphatic fluid moving. Abhyanga is a classic Ayurvedic massage which continues the movement of lymph, nourishes the nervous system and awakens the prana. Garshana actually comes first, but we call it Abhyanga Garshana because it rolls off the tongue easier.

To read more about the Ayurvedic Treatments we offer you can click the link here.

Please contact us with any questions via phone 802-257-0333 or email info@jasminevt.com.

Happy Fall!