practical ayurveda head massage

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sage and Bodywork Magazine

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Figure 1. Marma point locations on

the head and face.

Note:in part one of the Practical

Ayurveda series ("Core Concepts",

June/July 2007, page 66), we

discussed core concepts in ayurveda

and looked at the characteristics of

the tridoshas. Part two explores

Indian head massage and

shirodhara.

Prana

Prana is most often understood as

the life force of the body, as well

as the soul. Prana is the energy

that animates the being and also

the consciousness of the being.

Prana is life and living.6Ayurvedic

therapies are a form of

communication with prana, and so

the attitude of the therapist is

important. Sincerity, a sense of

wonder, honor for the client and

for the self, and respect for the

beauty of ayurveda lead to

positive outcomes in the session.

The breath is the main medium

that prana uses to enter the

body, entering the body on

inhalation and leaveing the body

on exhalation. As the therapist

applies pressure or begins a

stroke, she exhales through the

mouth (not the nose, as is done

in meditation) and becomes the

quality she wants to give the

client. For example, a client who

has aggravated pitta may need

Practical Ayurveda

Indian Head Massage and Shirodhara (PartTwo)

By Anne Williams

Indian head massage and shirodhara are ayurvedic treatments

that are deeply relaxing for recipients and introduce something

of the spiritual element of ayurveda to clients. The ultimate

goal of these services is to relax the face, scalp, neck, and

shoulders, soothe and comfort the mind, and bring the body

into harmony through the senses.1These services allow

massage therapists to focus in on an area that is oftentouched on only briefly in a full-body massage.

Indian Head Massage

Every day, the muscles of the scalp and face get a workout,

and tension in these muscles can play a significant role in

headache pain or pathologies such as temporomandibular joint

syndrome (TMJ). Indian head massage is indicated for neck

tension, tension headache, face tension, relaxation, stress

reduction, and revitalization.

In a typical session, the head, neck, and shoulders are

massaged, the scalp and hair are oiled and invigorated, and

marma points are stimulated. Marma points are energy centers

in the body traditionally used with Indian massage and

ayurvedic healing.2The word marmameans secret, hidden,

and vital. The points connect the physical body with subtle

energy bodies and often relate to specific organs or body

areas. In the ayurvedic healing tradition, marma point therapy

is believed to enliven pure consciousness in the body and

stimulate a spontaneous healing response. The points are

massaged in order to restore the body to normal function,

balance the bodys energies, and either energize or relax the

body as necessary for improved health. Although specific

marma points and gentle balancing methods are described in

this article, it should be understood that this is a briefintroduction to a complex system of healing. In fact, many

traditional ayurveda physicians warn against the practice of

marma therapy by anyone without specific training. Therefore,

practitioner sensitivity and respect are crucial when working

with these dynamic marma points.

Marma points are located on the body by taking finger

measurements from identifiable starting points. An individuals

marma points are specific to his or her body. For this reason,

the clients fingers are traditionally used to measure for the

first point and then the therapist palpates for the points that
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cooling. An image of a quiet pool

of water might be generated in

the therapists mind. She imagines

that water as self while she

exhales and begins a stroke. The

image of the water will affect the

quality of the stoke and this, in

turn, affects the therapists

communication with prana. It

sounds mysterious, but the

important point is that the

therapist has clear positive intent

for each stroke or technique.

Clients help measure where the first

marma point is located.

Stimulate the simanta marma by

twisting the hair.

follow.3On the head, these points are primarily massaged with

the fingertips and thumbs. Most often, the point is massaged

in clockwise circles to strengthen and tone the tissue, or direct

pressure is applied to the point for up to three minutes.4,5The

pressure should be firm but not hard. If the client experiences

any discomfort, the pressure on the point is too deep.

The Session

1. First, the client is dressed in a robe and seated in a

comfortable chair. A towel is placed around the clients

shoulders to protect the robe from oil. Ask the client to take

three slow deep breaths in and out through the nose and close

the eyes. (Warm, refined sesame oil or bhringaraj oil is used

for the session. Bhringaraj (Eclipta alba) is noted by many

ayurveda therapists for dry scalps and hair growth.)

2. Holding positions to open the head massage: place the

hands on the clients shoulders and wait for the client to take

a long slow breath. Move the right hand gently to the top of

the clients head, while the left hand remains on the clients

left shoulder. Wait for the client to take a long slow breath.

Change hands so that the left hand is on the top of the

clients head; the right hand is on the clients right shoulder.Wait for the client to take a long, slow breath. Move both

hands gently to the top of the clients head and wait for the

client to take a long slow breath. Move to stand at the clients

right shoulder and place the right hand on the clients

forehead and the left hand on the back of the clients head.

Wait for the client to take a long, slow breath.

3. Oiling the simanta and krikatika marmas: the simanta

(summit) marma falls along the lines of the sutures of the

skull, so it covers a large area (see point no. 2 in Figure 1).7

The first point to oil in this area is found by measuring eight

finger widths up the head using the point between the

eyebrows as a starting point. A generous amount of oil ispoured on this spot and then the hairs are lifted and twisted

to stimulate the point.8The second point to oil is found where

the clients hair forms a whorl. After the point is oiled, the

hairs over this point are lifted and twisted to stimulate the

marma. Between these two points is the adhipati (overlord),

which is located at the top point of the skull (point no. 1). This

marma has a ruling action over the simanta marma and

controls the seventh chakra, pineal gland, and nervous

system. Oil and stimulate this point with hair twisting. To oil

the krikatika (joint of the neck) marmas, the client is asked to

bring the head forward so that the chin sits on the chest. The

points are directly beneath the occipital protuberance on each

side of the neck. Oil and stimulate these points with hair

twisting. Using zigzag finger movements, work the oil evenly

through the hair and into the scalp. Go back to each of the

points that were oiled and use gentle circular finger friction in

clockwise circles to release the energy and tension in these

areas.

4. Pounding: place both hands together in a prayer position.

While keeping the wrists loose and flexible, the edge of the

joined hands is used in a tapotement-like action over the

entire head.


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Use zigzag finger movements towork the oil evenly into the hair

and scalp.

Use a tapotement-like movement topound the entire head.

5. Circular finger friction: reaching up under the clients hair,

the entire scalp is massaged with gentle circular finger friction.

The forehead, above and behind the ears, and the base of the

skull are also massaged in this manner.

Next, apply circular finger friction down along the sides of the

nose, under the eyes, and out across the cheekbones until the

entire facial area is relaxed.

6. Skull squeeze: interlace the fingers over the top of the skull

and press the hands together gently. Repeat this four to sixtimes, working over the anterior and posterior sections of the

skull. Place one hand on the forehead and the other at the

back of the head and repeat the skull squeeze.

7. Massaging specific marma points on the face: there are two

marma points called phana (a serpents hood) on the side of

each nostril (point no. 8). These points can be massaged with

strong circular strokes to decrease headache pain, decrease

sinus pressure, and decrease congestion. Usually, the whole

side of the nasal bone is treated. The apanga marma points

are located on the outer corner of the eye and are massaged

to relieve headaches caused by eye strain (point no. 7). These

points also help to clear the upper sinuses. Shankha (conch) isthe name of the point located on each temple. These points

aid sleep and are associated with directing energy to the brain

(point no. 6). The points named utkshepa (what is cast

upward) reside above the ear and are gently massaged to

calm vata and the mind (point no. 5). Just above the center of

each eyebrow is a point called avarta, which is massaged to

decrease vata and improve energy and adaptability (point no.

4). The sthapani marma (point no. 3) resides between the

eyebrows and is often called the third eye. This point is

discussed further in the shirodhara section below.

8. Ear massage: rub oil into the external regions of the ear,

pulling the ear backward as the oil is applied. Pull the earlobe

in a downward and backward direction and then pull the

earlobe across the opening of the ear to stretch it.

9. Massage the shoulders, neck, and upper arms of the client

by pulling the robe off the shoulders (but leaving it to cover

the rest of the body).

10. Finish the Indian head massage with the same series of

holding positions used to open the session.

Enhancing the Session

Adding a foot soak and brief foot massage at the beginning ofthe treatment can enhance the Indian head massage session.

The foot soak is the spiritual element of welcoming and

purifying the client. In the Rigveda(one of four ancient Hindu

religious texts), the feet are referred to as organs of action,

and children in villages still carry out the tradition of

massaging their parents legs and feet as a symbol of respect

and veneration.9Indians remove their shoes before going into

a temple. This symbolizes leaving behind earthly and worldly

activities before reflection and prayer.10Ayurveda teaches that

negative emotions accumulate in the soles of the feet and that

the feet can be soaked and massaged to alleviate


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Apply circular finger friction on the

scalp.

Use circular finger friction on the

face.

psychological imbalances. Dr. Vasat Lad, a well-known

ayurveda physician and teacher, recommends rubbing oil on

the soles of the feet at bedtime to calm vata dosha. Pitta

conditions like headache, or tired eyes, are calmed with

coconut oil rubbed on the soles, while kapha conditions, suchas colds or mucus, are treated with mustard oil rubbed on the

root of the toes.11

To prepare the foot soak, place one-half cup of dried mixed

herbs in a muslin bag and cover it with boiling water. Allow it

to steep for twenty minutes while it cools. Add warm or cool

water as appropriate until the desired temperature for the foot

soak is reached. A foot soak for vata might include ground

ginger (Zingiber officinale), sandalwood (Santalum album),

eucalyptus leaf (Eucalyptus spp.), calamus (Acorus calamus),

and basil (Ocimum basilicum). Pittas respond well to cooling

herbs like chamomile flowers (German: Matricaria recutita, orRoman: Chamaemelum nobile), lavender (Lavandula

angustifolia), peppermint (Mentha x piperita), and lemongrass

(Cymbopogon citrates). The kapha foot soak might include

ground ginger (Zingiber officinale), basil (Ocimum basilicum),

eucalyptus leaf (Eucalyptus spp.), common sage (Salvia

officinalis), and clove buds (Syzygium aromaticum).

Place the foot soak container on top of a hand towel under the

clients feet. At the conclusion of the head massage, remove

the foot soak container and dry the feet. Rub the feet with

warm oil and wrap them in a warm towel. Other nice touches

that enhance the session include ringing Indian chimes at the

start and conclusion of the session, playing traditional Indianmusic, and offering an ayurvedic beverage, such as a sweet

lassi (a drink made with yogurt, sugar, and water) or spice

tea.

Shirodhara

Shirodhara (shiromeans head, and dharameans threadlike

stream) is the application of a thin stream of sesame oil on

the forehead, or applied in a pendulum-like motion that pauses

for a moment each time it reaches the point between the

eyebrows, sometimes called the third eye. The marma point

between the eyebrows is known as sthapani, meaning what

gives support or holds firm. This point is associated with the

sixth chakra, prana, mind, senses, and the pituitary gland.12

The purpose of the treatment is to center the mind and body,

to increase relaxation and inner peace, and to settle vata

disorders such as anxiety and insomnia.

In the shirodhara treatment, refined sesame seed oil is

traditionally used in the shirodhara vessel, but warm milk

cooked with herbs (pitta), seawater (kapha), buttermilk

(pitta), coconut milk (pitta), medicated oils, and other

products can also be used. The treatment lasts between

twenty and thirty minutes and is often offered at the

conclusion of an abhyanga session (which will be discussed in


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Perform a skull squeeze four to

eight times.

Readjust hand position as shown

and repeat the skull squeeze.

part three of the Practical Ayurveda series).

To set up for the session, plastic body wrap is placed so that it

covers the top quarter of the treatment table, falls over the

top of the table, and has its ends tucked into a large bowl (to

prevent oil from running on the floor). Tissues are placed in

the bowl on top of the plastic to dampen the sound of the oil

hitting the plastic. A bath towel is placed over the plastic so

that the clients upper body is resting on a soft surface.

The Session

1. The client begins the treatment in the supine position with

the head at the very top of the treatment table. She is

bolstered and covered by a warm blanket. A warm pack can be

placed on the belly and under the feet if appropriate. The

therapist begins the treatment by gently massaging the neck

and face to relax the client.

2. To position the clients head for the treatment, a small

pillow or rolled towel is placed under the clients head in such

a way that the head tips back slightly. It is not necessary for

the clients head to be tipped at an extreme angle. An eye

pillow can be placed over the clients eyes, or the clients eyes

can be left uncovered, if desired by the therapist. Warm

refined sesame oil is taken from the hot water bath andtested, with the thermometer, for a desired temperature of

100F104F. It is then poured into the vessel that is

positioned over the clients head and adjusted to the

appropriate height. Some therapists use a small cup to recycle

oil that has run off the clients head into the bowl at the

bottom of the table. The oil is poured back into the vessel to

prolong the treatment.

3. A drop of warm oil is place on the therapists index finger.

The therapist circles this finger around the clients forehead in

a clockwise direction where the oil will be drizzled. By

performing these initial circles, the therapist prepares the

client for the stream of oil and awakens the clients nervoussystem. The therapist holds a small cup under the vessel and

opens the tap so that the oil begins to flow into the cup. The

stream is adjusted so that it is thin and even. After it is

adjusted, the therapist warns the client so that she is not

startled, then removes the cup so that the oil begins to flow

onto the clients head. The therapist must now check that the

vessel is positioned correctly and that the oil is hitting the

sthapani marma between the eyebrows. The practitioner will

also check that the oil flowing off the clients head runs into

the bowl on the floor and not onto the floor itself. The stream

of oil can either be left in the same position for the entire


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Massage specific marma points on

the face.

Massage the ears.

treatment or it can be moved backward and forward in a

pendular motion across the forehead. Any movement must be

steady and even, so this requires practice.

As the oil begins to run out at the end of the treatment, place

a cup under the stream of oil and turn off the tap on the

vessel. It is important that the oil is not allowed to sputter out

and drip unevenly on the clients head. A critical thing to

remember with shirodhara is that the less there is happening

in the treatment room, the better. The clients senses will be

heightened by the treatment. Any excess movement by the

therapist, any chatter in the hallway, and any crinkling of

plastic will be distracting to clients while they are focusing inon their own thoughts. The darker and quieter the room can

be, the better. For this reason, music is not recommended.

4. The therapist removes the rolled hand towel from

underneath the clients head and the eye pillow from her

eyelids. The neck, shoulders, and scalp are massaged with

very gentle strokes. The therapist can also mist over the client

with a light aromatherapy mist or simply allow the client to

relax for fifteen minutes undisturbed. It is important that

shirodhara is the last service the client receives during a day

at the spa or clinic. Clients often emerge from shirodhara

calm, open, sensitive, and awakened to all that is around

them. If they are taken to another treatment, it is likely tooverstimulate them and leave them feeling irritated and

restless. The exception is a soaking tub, because clients can

relax quietly in the warm water and remove the oil from their

hair at their leisure.

Offer clients a snack or cup of herbal tea at the end of the

treatment to help them return to present time and prevent

low blood sugar or shakiness. Some therapists give clients

their shirodhara oil to use at home for self-oiling. This is a

nice way to salvage the oil and encourage clients to bring

ayurveda more fully into their lives.

Note: in part three of the Practical Ayurveda series, we will

discuss abhyanga and medicated ayurveda oils, calledtaila.

A n n e W i l l ia m s is a licensed massage therapist, esthetician, aromatherapist,

certified reflexologist, registered counselor, educator, and author. The work

outlined in this article and the images are adapted from portions of the authors

textbook, Spa Bodywork: A Guide for Massage Therapists (Lippincott Williams &

Wilkins, 2007). Williams is also the education program director for Associated

Bodywork & Massage Professionals. She can be reached [email protected]

[email protected].

Notes

1. V. B. Dash, Massage Therapy in Ayurveda(New Delhi, India: Concept
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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A foot soak represents the spiritual

element of welcoming and purifying

the client.

Notice that in the setup for

shirodhara, the plastic body wrap is

anchored by a bath towel and runs

over the top of the table and into a

bowl on the floor.

Publishing Company, 1992).

2. L. Miller and B. Miller,Ayurveda and Aromatherapy: the Earth Essential Guide

to Ancient Wisdom and Modern Healing(Twin Lakes, WI: Lotus Press, 1995).

3. H. Johari,Ancient Indian Massage: Traditional Massage Techniques Based on

the Ayurveda(New Delhi, India: Munshiram Manoharla Publishers Pvt. Ltd.,

2003).

4. D. Frawley, S. Ranade, and A. Lele,Ayurveda and Marma Therapy(Twin

Lakes, WI: Lotus Press, 2003).

5. D. Frawley and S. Ranade,Ayurveda: Natures Medicine(Twin Lakes, WI:

Lotus Press, 2001).

6. Atreya, Secrets of Ayurvedic Massage (Twin Lakes, WI: Lotus Press, 2000).

7. J. Morrison, The Book of Ayurveda: A Holistic Approach to Health and

Longevity(New York: Fireside Books, 1995).

8. H. Johari,Ancient Indian Massage: Traditional Massage Techniques Based on

the Ayurveda(New Delhi, India: Munshiram Manoharla Publishers Pvt. Ltd.,2003).

9. S. Sexton, Footwork: Vibrant Health Through Ayurvedic Massage,

www.himalayaninstitute.org/articleread.aspx?code=926(accessed summer 2007).

10. N. Poojanand, Shoes Off: Barefooted Reflections,

www.hinduismtoday.com/archives/1989/01/1989-01-05.shtml . (accessed summer

2007).

11. S. Sexton, Footwork: Vibrant Health Through Ayurvedic Massage.

12. A. Selby, Ayurveda (Minnetonka, MN: Creative Publishing International, Inc.,

2001).

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The clients head position for

shirodhara is tipped back slightly so

that the oil runs over the head,

onto the plastic, and into the bowl

on the floor.

The oil stream hits the sthapani

marma between the eyebrows.


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Shirodhara can also be applied

using a pendulum motion.


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