Abhyanga and the First Oil Massage from Grandma
The concept of Abhyanga is a long-standing tradition in the Indian culture. When a baby is born, she is given to the grandmother for ‘first bath’. The newborn lays on grandma’s outstretched legs and is massaged vigorously with oils, up and down the little body in firm, confident strokes. Soon the voice of the child bubbles up, and out from her throat comes her first sounds in the shape of protestations.
When the front and back have been oiled and massaged for about 20-30 minutes, grandma begins pouring water on the baby and continues with the heavy strokes. Baby continues to protest loud and long until her little, immature lungs are empty of any remaining amniotic fluid. She spontaneously voids her bladder and bowels with her intestines awake and functioning. With her life force awake and engaged with her new world and its stewardess (Grandma), the baby calms down and begins to enjoy the loving, life-giving massage. To watch it, we may see aggression. But consider how doctors used to hang the baby by the feet and smack their bottom to elicit first cries!
This newborn ritual exists in all corners of India. It continues throughout the baby’s evolution as ‘Abhyanga’, oil massage. Whether administered by a therapist or yourself, abhyanga is a way of beginning again. The body responds very well from your hands stroking its genetic code at birth, into the present. By remembering the grandmother’s massage or even her hug, our cells respond as they did in the beginning. In a similar way our sense of smell works by transporting us to the past with a whiff of something that happened to us long ago. Our five senses are connected to our brain in indelible ways. This comes in handy when we’re trying to find a ‘registry point’ (sorry to use a computer term) before we became imbalanced.
Abhyanga’s collective magic also stems from the skin’s deep connection to every region and organ in the body, stimulating them into action, the correct action. Wake up, feel loved, begin the work. The work of your body is, first and foremost, to release the toxins of the previous day.
No matter what’s happening in your life, you have the opportunity each day to be born again and start anew. Take this opportunity and be amazed. Schedule time tomorrow for this important ritual. Come to the clinic for one of our special abhyanga treatments, so you can once again be the infant on Grandma’s lap.
Visit the clinic for an opportunity to experience abhyanga for yourself.
