Ayurveda. Kim Inglis
Чтение книги онлайн.
Читать онлайн книгу Ayurveda - Kim Inglis страница 5
Kalari payattu gurrukal (master or teacher) Tomy Joseph stresses the importance of conditioning the body to stay in shape. “Gurrukal need to master both preventative and curative techniques too,” he notes. He says that chavitti thirumal, a very particular massage technique done with bare feet with the masseuse hanging from ropes tied to the ceiling, are mandatory for a gurrukal. Teachers routinely massage their pupils in this way to prepare the body for the stresses of the martial art, to maintain suppleness and to treat pain and swelling caused by combat.
The treatment is also given to those with neuro-muscular and skeletal disorders as well as to help clients reach beyond their psychophysical limitations. Based on a precise knowledge of the body’s energetic channels (nadis) and vital spots (marmas), the therapist suspends his weight from ropes overhead and applies pressure with long strokes of the soles of his feet, after the client’s body has been prepared with specially medicated oil. There is usually some manipulation of the joints and limbs also.
What distinguishes chavitti thirumal from other massage treatments is the application. The foot of the masseur is able to give a deeper, more thorough pressure and is able to cover the whole length of the body from the tips of the fingers to the tips of the toes, with long continuous graceful strokes. Therapists need to undergo many years of training: learning the chavitti art requires a certain type of calling and certainly a deep dedication to the wellbeing of clients and their physical, emotional, mental and spiritual upkeep.
After placing a foot in some medicated oil, the chavitti therapist balances his or her weight via ropes hanging from the ceiling, and presses deep into marma points along the client’s back and legs.
hot stone abhyangam
This deeply penetrating, all-over body blast is an example of how Ayurveda may be integrated with other healing traditions from elsewhere in the world. Developed by therapists at the world-famous Soukya International Holistic Health Center near Bangalore, it employs the healing medicated herbal oils and massage movements of Ayurveda with the warmth and nurturing qualities of hot stones developed by both Native American Indians and Tibetans (separately of course!). It is one and a half hours of pure bliss.
Small stones placed between the toes are delightfully indulgent, while larger ones are used for the massage itself. Feelings of warmth and security emanate from them; all the while the medicated oil does its detoxifying work.
There is both a therapeutic element and a feel-good factor to this treatment, so you can relax cocooned in the warmth emanating from the hot stones knowing that what is taking place is good for you. The long, firm strokes of the masseuse encourage the elimination of toxins from the deeper tissues and also stimulate peripheral circulation of both blood and lymph. This, along with the heat from the stones, enables the medicated oils to be absorbed to do their work. Naturally, as with all Ayurvedic treatments, oils are chosen according to the client’s constitution and/or ailment.
One therapist is in charge of heating and re-heating the stones, while the other alternates between oil massage, stone massage with oil, and placing stones at key points on the body. As the treatment progresses, a rhythm is established. One part of the body is being massaged, while a strategically placed stone sends heat deep into another part of the body; as the stone cools, it is replaced or taken away and another stone is placed elsewhere. After the back, legs and arms have been seen to, the client turns over, and is then invited to lie down on eight stones that run up either side of the spine. The heat is then twofold: coming up through the back, and down from stones on the front.
Stones are often basalt, a black volcanic rock with a high iron content, that absorbs and retains heat well. Such stones are believed to improve energy flows in the body.
With soothing music, firm massage strokes and the wonderfully nurturing warmth from the smooth stones, this is an experience to savor. The mind wanders and returns, the body sighs in acceptance, the spirit is soothed. Unfortunately, it seems all too soon when the treatment comes to an end. Nonetheless, the benefits linger and if this therapy is prescribed as a daily treat during a long-term stay, the effects are magnified considerably.
marma massage Pressure Point Massage
Indian pressure points are known as marmas and are similar to Chinese acupressure points. Translating from the Sanskrit as “secret” or “hidden”, they are found at junctures of the body where two or more tissues, muscles, veins, ligaments, bones or joints meet.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), there are thousands of such points, but only 107 exist in the Ayurvedic system. Consisting of major points that correspond to the seven chakras and minor points that radiate out along the torso and limbs, they are measured by finger units (anguli) to detect their correct locations. There are 22 points on the lower extremities, 22 on the arms, 12 on the chest and stomach, 14 on the back and 37 on the head and neck. The mind is considered the 108th marma point. In the Sushruta Samhita each point has a Sanskrit name.
Ayurveda states that every marma point is placed at a junction of different channels of prana movements in the body. Prana, similar to chi in TCM, is considered the subtle vital energy that pervades every part of the body, nurturing the cell systems. If marma points become blocked or ruptured, prana flow is interrupted and organs may become diseased. If they are clear, prana is free to travel the meridians or nidas unchecked — and the body is healthy.
The idea of massaging the marma points began in Kerala at around 1500 BC when masters of kalari payattu first used the marma points as points for injury. It was only a matter of time before Ayurvedic physicians realized that these points could also be used for healing — and began to experiment with massaging the points to trigger a healing flow of energy. Today, marma massage is practiced at clinics and spas for a number of different reasons, be it therapeutic, relaxing or revitalizing.
Marma massage generally combines soft, flowing movements (abhyangam) with pressure point therapy. For the latter, the therapist uses one or more fingers depending on the size of the marma point, and either presses directly or in circular motions on that particular point. It is believed that clockwise movements stimulate and energize a marma point, while counterclockwise motions break up blocked energy and toxins held within a point. The practice is quite similar to Chinese acupressure or Japanese shiatsu, the origins of which lie in Ayurvedic practice. Benefits of regular marma massage are a general balancing — emotional, spiritual and physical — resulting in clarity, calmness and confidence.
Showing both chakra points and meridians, this educational drawing (left below) shows how prana or the vital force needs to flow around the body. Specific points (left and below) are pressed to release blocked prana.
champi Indian Head Massage
In spite of its name, Indian head massage involves work not only on the head but on the upper back, shoulders, neck, scalp and face too. In much the same way that Traditional Chinese Medicine dictates СКАЧАТЬ