We’ve tried Ayurvedic massage for the first time, and we’d like to share our experience with you.
South India is the cradle of well-being. Yoga is practiced here, as are Ayurvedic massages. Ayurveda or Ayurvedic medicine, is a form of traditional medicine that originated in India over 5,000 years ago and is also practiced in other parts of the world, such as Southeast Asia. Ayurveda means “science of life” and is said to be capable of curing all illnesses linked to our modern lifestyle (stress, hypertension, diabetes…). An Ayurvedic cure is a journey into the land of yoga, herbal medicine, therapeutic massage and meditation.
We weren’t sure what to expect when the Keralese offered us the massage Shirodhara for 1h a Hotel Resort Easten, Munnar. I understood that it would have nothing to do with a Thai or Swedish massage, so I let myself be guided for once, without really knowing where I was going.
I invite you to read all our other articles on Kerala to help you prepare for your trip:
- 15-day itinerary in South India
- The 9 spices of Indian cuisine
- Our tasty and spicy Indian recipes
- The practical guide to planning your trip
| DEFINITION OF AYURVEDA AND THE EFFECTS OF THIS MASSAGE
In Ayurveda, there is the word Ayur (or ayus la vie) and Veda (science or knowledge). Ayurveda is in fact a lifestyle, a philosophy associated with a healthy diet, which is generally done in the form of a 2 to 14-day cure, depending on your profile, with treatments tailored to your needs.
In many centers, we speak of preventive and curative medicine, of natural therapy that enables you to look after yourself and stay healthy so as to avoid the first symptoms of illness. We met an Indian who has adopted this healthy lifestyle and swears by it!
Various massages and a diet based mainly on garlic, ginger and no spices, are then prescribed by a doctor to suit each individual. The aim of Ayurveda is threefold: the maintenance of health, the healing of disease and self-realization!
The Shirodhara from Shiro = head anddhara = protectionis an original, deep-relaxation massage that helps combat insomnia, stress, anxiety, migraines, chronic sinusitis and aging. It also nourishes your skin and regenerates your cells (I have snakeskin, all dry and this massage did me a world of good!). It’s apparently one of the best procedures for toning the nervous system! Is the Ayurvedic cure the new thalasso?
Once again, I thought I was arriving at a Zen center with dim lights, scented candles and soft music, but nothing like that. There were just a few cold, undecorated rooms with large solid wood tables and a small terracotta pot hanging over them to drop the famous oil over your head!
A word of warning: Ayurvedic massage isn’t about relaxing, it’s about healing! Don’t expect to be pampered.
| THE 3 STAGES OF AYURVEDIC MASSAGE
- The first step consists of a 25-minute massage of your hair in a seated position, while applying scented oil. It’s not my favorite step, since I have long, tangled hair! I felt that she was pulling my long hair quite often, which wasn’t always good for me.
- For the second stage, you’re naked (just a small loincloth to hide your private parts) and lie down on your stomach first. The masseuse brushes your body with warm oil, then massages you for 35 minutes using strong, circular movements. The same goes for lying on your back! I looked like a “greasy pain au chocolat in its paper”. I don’t know if you can imagine, but I was glistening, lying on a piece of paper that was soaking up the oil, and sliding across my table.
- Finally, the third step is to drip oil on yourself using the earthen pot placed above your forehead. Continuously poured, the hot oil spreads over an impregnated long cloth. The oil is supposed to stimulate and treat the third eye and the entire forehead, then flow slowly through your hair. Gradually, the drops fall and caress your forehead thanks to the pendulum movement. The experience is relaxing and pleasant, but still greasy as your hair is bathed in oil. After 30 minutes, take a hot shower to rinse off. What a pleasure!
→ Count 1850R/p for this ayurvedic massage
Don’t hesitate to try this massage, especially at this center if you’re passing through Munnar. The team is smiling, welcoming and professional! If I were to return to India, I’d love to try a real Ayurvedic cure, followed by a doctor. Today, I’d say that an Ayurvedic cure has become a little luxury that’s hard to refuse. A total immersion in the world’s oldest medicine awaits you in India.
Indeed, our lives are punctuated by work, we’re constantly connected, our eating habits are sometimes poor and we’re overwhelmed by stress. A few days in Kerala would be a great way to disconnect and refocus, and could be perfectly combined with a 15-day trip to Kerala. We have several places to recommend.
Before you leave, don’t forget to read all our other articles on Kerala to help you prepare for your trip:
- 15-day itinerary in South India
- How to soothe your body with ayurveda
- Our tasty and spicy Indian recipes
- The practical guide to planning your trip
Please note that, as an accredited tailor-made travel designer, I can help you create your own personalized itinerary for your stay in India. Please send me an email at : contact@mademoiselle-voyage.fr
