Last week I posted about self-care and some great ways to calm your immune system while treating yourself. Massage is a great tool because it’s function is multi-layered. I’m not a massage therapist so I can’t speak to all of the details but I can say that the detox and relaxation that comes from massages make me a very happy girl! If you can afford to treat yourself to a massage by a qualified therapist, do it and do it as often as you can. I was taking to a friend the other day about New Year’s resolutions and how we often resolve to do something that ends up in failure and self-loathing. One of our friends resolved to treat herself to semi-monthly massages. Wow! Something that will make her feel good about herself AND increase her health. From that moment, I vowed to have a least one resolution that involves treating myself better. 
The economic climate has really hit a lot of us very hard. So how can we afford to do these nice things for ourselves when we are in budget crunch? Try self-massage. In Ayurvedic medicine it’s called abyanga and is often done with herb-infused oils. I learned this technique last year from my teacher, Christy and, although I’ve not been as consistent as I’d like to be, I have seen some amazing benefits. In the morning, I apply an oil that’s matched with my dosha over my whole body in sweeping motions over the long bones and circular motions over my joints. I start from the outer-most extremities and work my way in toward the heart. After that, I sit for a few minutes to let it all soak in then take a shower. My skin feels fantastic and always feel very calm and “healed” after doing abyanga. It’s perfect for someone who is in budget crunch but even if you aren’t, it’s a great practice to get in the habit of doing even a few times a week.
Resources:
One of my favorite massage therapists: Carolyn Jaques at Cote d’ Azur spa in Pasadena. She has a deep knowledge of energy work and an amazing gift of healing.
My favorite carrier oils come from Moutain Rose Herbs. I use a blend of coconut, sunflower and a little bit of neem infused with herbs to reduce my pitta dosha but you can use whatever organic, unrefined, preferably cold-pressed oils you have on hand if you aren’t familiar with your dosha.
I get my essential oils from Young Living. I often add a few drops to the carrier oils to match my mood or specific holistic requirement at the time and always use essential oils during my yoga classes. You’ll have to sign up to buy them but it’s worth the effort (and I do get credit which goes to Seva). My favorites are Lavender, Deep Relief Roll-on and Peace & Calming.
