Yogic Massage

Ever since our births, the massage plays an important role in developing our body and in helping us to adjust to our physical environment . Consciously or unconsciously everyone uses it to beneficial effects. Soon after the infant's birth, his massage starts. The mother pats and cuddles the body, the physical touch that helps him to grow well fast. Wealthy massage also imparts strength to the bones and relaxes the muscles. Every living being, including bird or animal, adopts the basic principle of massage and keeps itself fit. No doctor teaches this. It's a natural instinct.

Just as regular of yogaasanas and good food habits are essential for good health, the massage also plays a vital role in this respect. It helps improve the functioning of veins and arteries and makes them healthy. The muscles gain elasticity. On the whole massage helps to improve the general health, prolonging the life.

It also plays a vital role transporting food stuff from one part of the body to the other, for thin people it works miracles. If a person doesn't eat for several days but gets himself massaged by an expert he can survive for several days. His body would use less energy, as massage will supply him with diet.

Main Advantages of Yogic massage.

1.The circulatory system gets activated and helps body organs function efficiently.

2. Proper circulation of blood helps to cleanse the body of the impurities collected at different points in the body through outlets like breath, sweat, stool and urine.

3. The excretory organs like skin, rectum, lungs, kidneys etc. get strengthened and they start working more efficiently.

4. The digestive organs like liver, small intestines get activated and functin more smoothly.

5. Massage helps to reduce fat.

6. Patient suffering from ailments like rheuatism, paralysis, polio, tuberculosis, headache and muscular problems get relief with massage.

7. The pores of skin improve

8.The veins and arteries gain elasticity and body becomes more efficient and oily.

9. In case of chronic diseases the skin loses its vitality . The massage helps the skin to regain the lost vigour.

20. Those who do not do exercise or patients who cannot exercise can find in massage an ideal sunstitute. Because like exercise the massage improves the blood circulation and cleanses the body of impurities.

Types of Massage.

Massage can be of many types:

1. Oil massage

2. Dry massage

3. Foot massage.

4. Cold massage.

5. Warm-cold massage.

6.Powder massage

7. Electric massage.

For every massage there is certain procedure which must be followed faithfully. Different ailments call for different massage, and they must be done keeping the patient's conditions in mind. Not all patients can be given the same type of massage.

The cold massage is ideal for patients suffering from insomnia, dry scratching, excessive heat, nervous weakness, burning sensatin and vibration in hands and leags. Even light massage with oil proves useful in these cases.

For weak and thin people oil massage is ideal.

Dry massage and cold massages are good for reducing fat.

Those suffering from paralysis, rheimatism, backache, pain in legs, polio, sciatica greatly benefit from oil massage, foot massage, hot-cold massage and electric massage. During fast one should have oil massage.

Dry massage, powder massage and oil massage help to relax the body.

A normally healthy person benefits from oil massage and cold massage.

Apart from these in many ailments massage of some particular parts of the body produces incredible results. For instance massage of the back and backbone in case of weakness of nerves; massage of neck, head and backbone in case of insomnia; the massage of front part of neck in case of tonsils; chest and back in case of asthma and bronchitis; head and neck in case of headache, leg and lower part of the back in sciatica; back and stomach in anemia and particularly massage of liver is very beneficial for the patients.

Oil massage : The oil massage should be done in the direction of heart. Although one can massage oneself, is better to get somebody else to do massage. leave your hand lose and massage toward the heart from the upper parts of the body downwards and from below upwards. The massage should begin from leg, knee, thighs, arms, stomach, chest, back neck and head. The massage activates the veins and hel-ps to cleanse the body of impurities. The massage should concentrate on the muscles and not on the bones. This will help the muscles to become elastic and flexible.

Other types of massage are: Tapping,rubbing,kneading,patting,wringing,rapping,Swapping,thumbing,pressing,punching and heating with hand.

Daily massage: Massage the body well for five to seven minutes before the bath.this can be an oil massage or simply dry one by rubbing the hand on the entire body.

Leg: Rub a little oil on the leg.Start from the ankle and using circular motion bring the hand up.use the palms of the both hands and rub in opposite directions.pat and strike gently the leg with hands.

Arm:Rub oil on the arm and massage upwards starting from the wrist.Use circular motion.Pat and strike gently with hand.

Stomach: Rub oil with both hands on stomach from right to left using clockwise motion.Then catch the flesh with fingers and rub downwards upwards.This helps to reduce fat.Now press with fingers and rub many times towards right and move upwards using clockwise motion.

Chest: Rub the chest all over with oil from left to right,and down to up.Move the hand outwards from the middle.This will broaden the chest.Cup both palms and gently tap the chest all over.This will benefit the heart and lungs.

Back: You can't massage your own back yourself,so as far as you can expand your hand,gently press and rub outwards.However,if you can get some one else to massage for you.It would be better.Rub oil at the back and massage well from left to right and down to up.Place both palms side by side with back bone in middle,press and rub downwards.Press with thumbs on both sides of the backbone and rub upwards.Rub every vertebra properly.Gently pull the flesh from different places and massage.Cup the palms and pat gently.

Neck and face: using circular motion massage oil over the face and gradually move the hand downwards from the chin and rub the neck.Massage the face downwards.Use fingers to massage around the eyes.Without pressing hard use palms to massage clockwise.

Head: Put oil on the head and massage right up to the roots of the hair.Use circular motion to massage forehead.Cup the palm and pat the head.Do this massage daily for ten minutes before the bath.Give massage more times on holidays.