A new day, a new treatment. Today we start with the Abhyangam massage
plus I have the Kizhi pouch treatment.
Again I stress, the Abhyangam is not as painful an experience for everyone
as it is for me. And Ramesh assures me
that no other people react the way I do to this massage with body pain all over
(not one of the occasions where I like to be “different”). Regardless, as he says, if he gave me a regular
massage, then my body would not benefit. NO GUTS NO GLORY.
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Felt
privileged to have been invited to my 12 year old daughter-in-law
Feby’s school Award ceremony and performance night. She received more awards than anyone
else. Most awards were a silver
multi-purpose tin – functional and cherished.
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So the Abhyangam is known as “the mother of all massages” and is the principal healing tool of Ayurveda treatment.
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| Feby and her proud parents Judit and Freddy |
The description is: “It is a whole body massage given with herbal
oils customised to your body type to detoxify, nourish and revitalise the body
tissues. It nourishes layers of the skin to relieve fatigue and stress and
release accumulated toxins in body tissue, it is given to help the body expel
toxins from the body as quickly as possible.
Abhyangam has much deeper and more far reaching effects than
ordinary massage by using mineral oils and lotions. Abhyangam achieves the
deepest healing effects by naturally harmonizing the Mind, Body and
Spirit. This massage is one of the most
rejuvenating treatments of Ayurveda which enhances the complexion and lustre of
the skin to provide nourishment and stamina to all part of the body.
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| Fascinating skit by boys on alcoholism and how it effects the family. Wow, it doesn't get any realer than that. |
Benefits : Increases tissue strength, improves blood circulation,
rejuvenates the whole body, removes cellulite, beautifies the skin, anti-aging,
helps sleep better, relieves stress and tension headaches, relaxes muscles,
improves flexibility, lubricates joints, improves posture, lowers blood
pressure, helps manage pain, helps with depression, improves breathing,
promotes vitality, strengthens immune system, reduces Vata imbalance.
And I can feel it doing all these things. The oil has a deep rich caramelised smell and
plenty is used. Though not as much as I
recall my previous therapist used 5 years ago – man he had me bathing in it
during massage, but this feels luxurious and not overly oily. The oil is getting in to your skin is part of
the key.
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| That's Feby in the middle in pink dress - also a great dancer |
The knot behind my right shoulder I think has become a
personal mission of Ramesh’s to remove.
He gets stuck into it “hammer and tongs”. He says
he gets them from working hard during treatments, but his goes very easily and
quickly with massage – mine has had some top professional have a stab at it for
28 years with no change. When we got to
the shoulder blade I asked if my “old friend” was still there, and yes it’s
hanging in there. But he is adamant it
will be gone soon. I believe him and trust.
That’s been a comment of many people I’ve seen how I
have the stamina to keep going, to keep searching, to keep trying new
treatments with the hope I would get help.
I felt that I always had no choice.
Being constantly spasaming and partially paralysed is no way to live.
The cycle of spasming and improving became a way of
life, but also leaves me on high alert always to be holding my body in case I
moved it in an unusual way and kick off a spasm. I would sit at a work desk with heat packs,
rubbing in lotions and popping pills.
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| Young boys front & centre loving it. So did mine he had a ball. |
A “kids” cartoon once cracked me up as the marsupial
tried to convince his buddy to come exercise, and he said “do muscle spasms count” –
oh it still cracks me up – an “inside” joke I think.
The big, big major difference for my body now though is
how it reacts post-Ramesh’s deep, persuasive massage – the reaction is all
positive.
This is a profound difference for me. I remember my muscles going into hard spasms
for days and becoming hot and inflamed from ANY treatment in the past. During my Hydro-Therapy days, the therapist
asked if I “should be having this treatment”.
I mostly look like nothing is
wrong with me and moved through the water easily. However, post-class my body would go into spasms
for days and no Doctor could work out why.
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| It was a packed hall - and so hot, who needs a Sweda sweat treatment. |
It became a mystery and my journey to find out why treatments
would always just make me inflamed for a few days – physiotherapy,
chiropractor, Feldenkris, massage of all kinds, acupuncture, Chinese treatment,
herbalists, and the list goes on.
But with Ayurveda it doesn’t happen. I guess it’s because they are treating me
both internally and externally. So even
though I scrunch up and wince and yelp in pain during the hard, muscle
penetrating massage, it’s when his hands move away that I feel instant relief
AND I don’t go into spasms soon after. (Well I did once in my shoulder the
other day but that lasted about 5 minutes – 5 whole minutes is all – wow and
wow).
Ramesh says "pain is good". I’m not sure about his philosophy or if it’s
lost in translation but I know body pain’s reason and its power. And the message behind it is to pay
attention. I have my body pain to thank
for leading me in this life direction.
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| They sang "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" in Malayalam |
Firstly, to have been able to experience the miracle of
motherhood – my thanks will never cover it.
And also now that it is a way of life. Well the beginnings anyway, I still have to
see an Ayurveda dietician to learn more about my Dosha type and the foods that
are good and what to avoid. I know it on
paper, but I want to commit to memory. I
want to make it a habit.
I’m asking around to find an Ayurveda physician who
specialises in diet and have some contacts to follow up which is exciting. Also my plan is to do some Ayurvedic
vegetarian cooking classes while I’m here to I can teach and pass on at home. This will work well with my studies in
Nutrition planned for this year. More on
Dosha types, food and diet to come.
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| Sweetest little dancers - you can see how hard they worked on learning their choreography was lovely. |
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| Young girls with beautiful matching sari's and gold jewellery |
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| This dance was to the fastest modern funky music Ive ever heard - the girls worked it |
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| Lovely voice from a courageous young girl |
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| These boys were as fascinated by us as we were by them. |