Abhyanga: Ayurveda Oil Massage for Yoga, Self Care, and Couples

• Format: YTT Short Course
• Chose four Short Courses to create an Eclectic Weekend Module
• Instruction Time: 3 hours

It comes as a surprise to most practitioners and teachers of yoga that oil massage (abhyanga) has always been an integral part of intensive yoga practices in India. Massaging the body with coconut oil or sesame oil helps to make the tissues supple for increased flexibility and to prevent injury. The tradition is common within hatha yoga, ayurveda, and the kallaripayattu (martial systems) in south India. This course will cover the principles and practice techniques of abhyanga for the yoga practitioner in mind, as well as a powerful resource for individual self healing and intimacy for couples. Abhyanga can be done to oneself alone or with a partner on a home massage table. Either way, the benefits are found within the healing oils and loving touch. People who have learned these simple techniques describe an almost fountain of youth list of benefits that rejuvenates the individual and offers an untaped resourse of healing intimacy for couples.

Yoga Alliance: This program satisfies Yoga Alliance requirements for anatomy and physiology, philosophy, lifestyle and ethics, and elective hours.

Course Outline (3 hrs)

• The Ayurvedic Lifecycle
• The Pancha Maha Bhutas: 5 Great Elements
• Jala: Sacred Water Element
• Water: Subtle (Ojas) and Gross (Kapha)
• Ojas: The Sacred Sap of Life
• Sapt Dhatu: The Alchemy of the 7 Tissues
• Rasa: The Fluid Body
• Aging and Depletion of the Sacred Sap
• Rasayana: Rejuvenation of Rasa and Anti-Aging
• Esential Fatty Acids and Youth / Youthing
• Plant Lipids, Pure Oils, and Rejuvenation
• Abhyanga: Warm Oil Massages for Yoga, Self Care and Intimacy
• Benefits of Applying Oil to the Whole Body (Abhyanga)
• Benefits of Applying Oil to the Scalp (Murdha Taila)
• Benefits of Applying Oil to the Ears (Karna Purna)
• Benefits of Applying Oil to the Feet (Padaghata)
• Vata pacifying Abhyanga
• The Right Oils for You
• Performing a Solo Abhyanga
• Performing an Abhyanga on Your Partner: Spplies, Techniques, Flows, Marmas, and Bhava
• Loving Touch and Healing Intimacy
• Oils and Lovemaking