Today’s lifestyle has a tendency to lead to poor health. Ayurveda has many natural therapies which can help to improve health, clear blocked channels and remove toxins from the body. Shirodhara is one of the great purification and rejuvenating therapy.
Shirodhara is an ancient Ayurvedic healing practice performed in India for over 5,000 years. The word shirodhara has two meanings: “shiro,” meaning head, and “dhara,” which means flow. Together they aim to bring physical and emotional balance by rejuvenating the spirit and preserving health. This is achieved through a relaxing technique in which warmed oil is poured over a client’s forehead for an extended period of time.
Shirodhara is traditionally used to calm the nerves, harmonise vata constitutions, release stored emotions, and purify the mind. In Ayurvedic Medicine, it is considered an important tool in the pursuit of higher states of consciousness. Shirodhara has been traditionally shown to help with fatigue, mental exhaustion, anxiety, insomnia, some mental disorders, headache, excessive thinking, nervousness, and many other conditions commonly affecting people living today.
The Benefits of Shirodhara are:
Regular shirodhara enhances blood circulation to the brain, improves memory, nourishes hair and scalp, assists in providing sound sleep and calms the body and mind. Shirodhara is one of the most effective treatments for reducing stress and nervous tension.
- It is a mental and emotional relaxation therapy
- Beneficial for many diseases connected with the head, neck, eyes, ears, nose and throat
- Beneficial for many diseases of the nervous system like nerve disorders, facial palsy, paralysis
- Beneficial for curing long standing insomnia
- Beneficial for epilepsy when used in conjunction with other medicines
- Relieves headache and burning sensation of the head
- Nourishes and rejuvenates the body
- Stimulates the nervous system giving sturdiness to the body
- Sharpens the sense organs
- Gives strength to the neck and head
- Improves the health of the skin
- Cools the body and relieves pain
- Invigorates the body and mind and stimulate cognitive memories
- Helps relieve fatigue, tension, anxiety, anger, chronic headaches, hypertension, hair problems and stress
- Reduces the effects from stress
- Rejuvenates the face and softens worry lines
- Activates the pituitary gland
- Regulates mood and depression disorders
- Increases intuition
- It improves concentration, intelligence, confidence and self-esteem
Contraindications for Shirodhara are:
- Severe Vata disorder
- People with severe anxiety
- Low Blood pressure
- Pregnancy
- Full stomach
- Recent neck injury
- Alcoholism
- Brain tumor
- Abrasions or cuts on head
- Rashes on forehead or scalp
- Aversion to oi
