Making an Ayurvedic Herbal Massage Oil
While traveling in India and studying Ayurveda with several doctors, I encountered several ways to make an Ayurvedic herbal massage oil. Simply put, you need to use a way to get the herbs into the oil. This is the one I like the best, and I believe it does the best job of getting the herbal properties into the oil. The method breaks it down into two steps.
We cover herbal oils and teach traditional and modern Ayurvedic Shirodhara Courses here at Body Wisdom School.
Step 1:
1) Choose which herbs you want to use based on the primary dosha of the client. I will suggest herbal blends for the different doshas at the end.
2) Blend the herbs together in the ratio that you want to use, i.e., 3 parts Shatavari, 3 parts Ashwangandha, 1 part Calamus, for example. Use 1/2 ounce of herbs for every 1 cup of water.
3) Boil for one hour and let it stand for one hour
Step 2:
1) Strain the herbs and place the remaining water into a large pan
2) Pour in an equal amount of your carrier oil. Sesame oil is good for Vata and Kapha, and Coconut or Safflower oil is good for Pitta.3) Cook over a low heat for about 2 hours (approximately!!) DO NOT bring it to a boil. Just simmer it enough so that there are little bubbles coming slowly to the surface, which is the water evaporating.4) Cook like this until ALL the water has evaporated. You can check this by dropping a drop of water into the pan, and IF it crackles, then it is ready. OR stir it and see if there is any sign of water that floats on the top of the water.
5) After it cools, it should be stored in a colored container.
6) Alternatively, you can add 25 drops of essential oils to harmonize the scent and add to the therapeutic value. The total should not be more than 30 drops per 100ml of water.
Caution: Oil is, by its nature, flammable. Ensure not to spill or catch it on fire during the process. Personally, when I do this, I stay close by the entire time and check every so often.
You can add any of the following herbs to make the decoction:
For Vata Prakruiti Dosha: Ashwangandha, Gotu Kola (or Brahmi even better), Liquorice, Cloves, Comfrey, Ginger, Ginseng
For Pitta Prakruiti Dosha: Neem, Amalaki, Gotu Kola, Shatavari, Peppermint, Fennel, Liquorice
For Kapha Prakruiti Dosha: Gotu Kola, Neem, Wild Ginger, Rosemary, Sage, Horseradish
Note: These are just some suggestions for herbs according to the Prakruti dosha. You can look up many other herbal combinations online.
Go here for an online Dosha analysis if you don’t already know your Ayurvedic constitution.
Please let me know what you are thinking by commenting on this post.
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Rhett Hatfield: Director of Education Body Wisdom School
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