Ayurvedic Facial Massage with Jessa

The practice promoting longevity and radiance

I have been deep in Ayurvedic studies, and the more I dive in the more impressed I am by this ancient science that promotes longevity and radiance. One of the basic tenets of Ayurveda is massages and especially for keeping the face looking youthful and supple. For many in India massages are considered an essential part of staying healthy. It is a part of their lives and not considered a special treat like it is here in the West. Babies and toddlers are massaged daily and later they are taught to massage their family members. Women and newborns are massaged for 40 days after the birth. For many of us we don’t come from a massage rich culture, it may seem foreign or self indulgent to have consistent massages, but once we see the benefits we won’t be able to stop. In Ayurveda they believe a self massage or abhyanga is equally as beneficial as a treatment given by another. This is wonderful since it doesn’t cost us the price of a massage practitioner. It also can be a way of getting to know our bodies.

My friend Jessa Blades who has graced us with her wisdom in natural beauty in the past has moved West so we can have more of her! I am also thrilled since our last post she has become a practitioner of Ayurvedic Beauty. Having a session with her is truly a magical experience. I instantly felt my nervous system being soothed and calmed by her skill and energy. She will describe the merits of face massages, marma points, and how to practice this on ourselves.

Thrilled to be able to share my favorite way I like to turn my daily application of moisturizing face oil into a healing ritual, by introducing simple Ayurvedic principles.

I’ve worked with women for over 10 years helping them to heal their skin using natural and organic healing products, tonic foods and herbs. The most common root issue that my clients were coming to me with was some form of stress manifesting in the body like hives, insomnia, acne, or digestion issues. I really wanted to be able to help them on a deeper level and figure out a way to balance the stress. To help them bring their bodies back to a nurtured, stress free state of balance, because when they are in this state- their bodies are able to heal themselves.
The desire to bring the body back to balance brought me to The Kripalu center in Western Massachusetts. There I studied Ayurveda and learned the healing powers of this life science.
I am now able to offer to my clients a two hour Ayurvedic Beauty treatment and consultation, and this treatment uses warm, herbal infused oils to calm the most stressed out nervous system, cleanse and rejuvenate the face and also soothe the tension in the hands, head and feet. But- let’s be realistic- not everyone has time for this treatment!

Ayurvedic massage concentrates on the ‘marma points’ which are the bodies vital energy points. What is so fascinating to me that a marma massage can leave you feeling deeply relaxed or energized, it give the body what it needs, it meets you where you are and all you have to do is trust that your body is going to benefit from it and be open.

From ayurveda.com-
In ancient Vedic times, marma points were called bindu – a dot, secret dot or mystic point. Like a door or pathway, activating a marma point opens into the inner pharmacy of the body. The body is a silent, universal, biochemical laboratory—operating every moment to interpret and transform arising events. Touching a marma point changes the body’s biochemistry and can unfold radical, alchemical change in one’s makeup. Stimulation of these inner pharmacy pathways signals the body to produce exactly what it needs, including hormones and neurochemicals that heal the body, mind and consciousness. This deep dimension of marma therapy has the potential to unfold spiritual healing.

Marma points are an important element of Ayurveda’s healing power. Developed in India centuries ago, these energy points profoundly affect the body, mind and spirit and facilitate the deepest levels of healing. Prana is the current of energy that infuses every cell within the body. Stimulating marmani (energy points) directly taps into this reservoir of energy and promotes health.

I’ve come up with a simple way to work this rejuvenating practice into your daily life, first with a daily way to upgrade your face oil application (it’s like a natural and super calming face-lift for the face) + a healing and calming face mask.

Daily Ayurvedic natural face-lift ritual
Turn your phone on airplane mode
light some incense
make sure your face is clean
create the space- deep breaths? repeat a mantra? set an intention?
Rub your hands back and forth and bring some Prana (energy) to your hands
Add a couple of drops of face oil to your hands (start with less- you can always add more) and swirl it around and start the massage.
Using your 2-3 tips of your fingers go around your face circling these spots in a clockwise motion- very, very gently. Circle 12 times at each spot ( or you can do it for longer, if you have more time).
Start using only your right hand and circle at your 3rd eye
Then with the fingertips of both hands:
move to the temples, circle
fine lines wrinkles around the eyes, circle
corners of the mouth, circle
sides of the nose by the nostrils, circile
and then circle any other areas on the face that feel strained, wrinkled or that need a little attention.

Keep in mind the circles should be very slow and deliberate. If you feel extra energy in your hands and it doesn’t feel good- shake out your hands before moving to the next point.
When you are done with the circles, massage the rest of the oil into your neck and chest area with upward sweeping motions.
Take a deep breath and you are done!

Tags:ayurveda, beauty, being, bindu, healing, herbs, marma, massage, organic, tonic, wellness, Western medicine