Treatment with massage
Oil massage (Sanskrit: abhyanga) is an important treatment. While a person
may perform massage on his own as part of his daily routine, trained
masseurs are required to perform this therapy when it is used for disease
management. A massage that is part of the daily routine lasts for 5–15
minutes, but when it is performed for treating diseases it may take about
45 minutes.
Nauliis a method of massaging the internal organs, particularly the
colon, intestines, liver and spleen. It also helps to maintain abdominal ‘fire’
and keep the colon clean. A warm ayurvedic oil massage is prescribed for
anxiety. Vatasshould use sesame oil, pittassunflower or coconut oil and
kaphascorn oil.
Indian head massage is another specialised form of massage, sometimes
known as champissage from its Indian name champi, which is part of the
wider ayurvedic medical approach. The head, neck and facial areas are
massaged with the purpose of manipulating energy channels. The goal is to
clear blocks in these energy channels that cause a build-up of negative
energy which are purported to cause ailments. It claims to help stress,
insomnia, ridding the body of toxins and promoting hair growth.
Interest in ayurvedic massage has been growing in the west with the
general trend towards holistic medicines creating a big tourist attraction in
the south Indian state of Kerala.^10 It has been claimed that ayurveda offered
to tourists is often not genuine – and, as well as damaging ayurveda’s repu-
tation, could even harm the patients themselves. The devotees do not say
that all commercialism is bad, but they do want ayurveda practised seri-
ously, not turned into a side show for tourists. Boards advertising ayurvedic
centres are dotted between the tourist cafés and souvenir shops on the beach
at Kovalam. Most seem geared towards 1-hour massages, using oils, and
most of the tourists here seem to see it as a chance to relax rather than a real
medical treatment.
Mind–body interventions
Colour therapy
Ayurvedic treatments make use of colour in their healing procedures. As the
colours of the rainbow are perceived as correlating with the body tissues
(dhasus) and the doshas, the vibratory energy of the colours may be used to
establish psychological harmony and peace of mind. As colour is so impor-
tant, patients are told to illuminate themselves and their environment in the
appropriate coloured lighting. An appreciation of the colours of nature is also
considered to be important.
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