Abhyanga is the full-body oil massage at the heart of Ayurveda. Warm, herb-infused oil, long slow strokes from head to toe, and ninety minutes in which nothing is asked of you. I have given it at my practice in the centre of Amsterdam since 2019.
What Abhyanga is
You lie on a warm table in your underwear, covered where I am not working. I pour warm oil, chosen for your constitution and for how you are right now, and work the whole body with long rhythmic strokes: scalp, face, neck, arms, belly, legs, feet, back. The pressure is softer than a Western massage and the pace slower. The aim is not to work a knot out but to warm the body, move the lymph, settle the nervous system and let you rest deeply. I use only natural, cold-pressed oils: sesame as a base, medicated herbal oils, and blends I prepare myself.
Where it comes from
Abhyanga comes from Ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India, where it is described in the classical texts as part of the daily routine (dinacharya) and as preparation for deeper cleansing therapies. The name simply means “oil massage”. In India it is something families do for each other; in a practice it becomes a longer, more thorough treatment with medicated oils. The daily oil massage is set out in the Charaka Samhita [1] and in Vagbhata’s Ashtanga Hridaya [2]; Sushruta lists abhyanga among the preventive treatments [3].
What it is for
What people come to me for:
- Stress, burnout and a nervous system that does not switch off
- Poor sleep
- Chronic tension in the back, neck and shoulders
- Low energy and feeling cold
- Dry or tired skin, stiff joints
- Simply wanting ninety minutes where nothing is required of you
The research is thin but not absent. A small pilot study found that a single Abhyanga lowered subjective stress, with the largest drop in people who were most stressed beforehand [4]. Reviews of massage therapy in general report reduced anxiety and better sleep across many small trials [5]. The US National Institutes of Health gives a fair summary of what is and is not known about Ayurveda [6].
How often to come
This depends on why you come. These are the rhythms I suggest most often; we settle on yours at the intake.
| If you come for | I suggest |
|---|
| Stress, burnout, poor sleep | Weekly for four to six weeks, then every two to four weeks |
| Chronic tension or stiffness | A course of three to five treatments, one to two weeks apart |
| Maintenance when you feel well | Once a month, or at the change of each season |
| A first visit | Start with a single session and the free intake call, then decide |
What to combine it with
Treatments that work well alongside it:
And at home, in the days around the treatment:
- Warm, cooked, lightly spiced meals on the day, and nothing heavy before or after
- Ginger or fennel tea afterwards; avoid cold drinks and ice
- Keep the evening quiet; an early night lets the treatment finish its work
Practical
90 minutes, €135. A package of five Abhyanga treatments is €620 instead of €675, valid for four months. Monday to Friday and some Saturdays at my practice in the centre of Amsterdam; home visits in Amsterdam with a travel fee.
- Eat lightly, and nothing heavy in the ninety minutes before.
- Tell me beforehand about pain, injuries, pregnancy or conditions you are being treated for.
- Keep the rest of the day easy if you can. The body is warm and open, so a hat helps on cold days.
When not to book
Better to wait, or to choose another treatment, with:
- A cold or fever
- Blocked sinuses
- Acute inflammation
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Active skin problems such as eczema or acne
- The first trimester of pregnancy
- Your period
If you are unsure, ask me before booking.
Afterwards
Rinse the oil off at home under a warm shower with water only, no soap. Drink plenty of warm water.
Booking
Before a first treatment I suggest an Ayurvedic consultation of forty minutes for €90, so I know which oil and which treatment fit you. If you already know what you want, write to me or book directly.
Before a first visit, read the preparation notes and contraindications and the cancellation and rescheduling policy.
References
Numbers in square brackets in the text point to the entries below. Journal references are given in the National Library of Medicine style; each was checked against the Crossref and PubMed registries.
- Sharma PV, translator. Caraka Samhita: text with English translation. Vol. 1. Varanasi: Chaukhambha Orientalia; 1981. Sutrasthana, chapter 5 (Matrashitiya): the daily routine, including abhyanga.
- Srikantha Murthy KR, translator. Vagbhata’s Astanga Hrdayam. Vol. 1. Varanasi: Chowkhamba Krishnadas Academy; 2004. Sutrasthana, chapter 2 (Dinacharya): daily oil massage of the body, head, ears and feet.
- Srikantha Murthy KR, translator. Susruta Samhita. Vol. 2. Varanasi: Chaukhambha Orientalia; 2004. Chikitsasthana, chapter 24 (Anagatabadha Pratishedha): abhyanga and udvartana as preventive care.
- Basler AJ. Pilot study investigating the effects of Ayurvedic Abhyanga massage on subjective stress experience. J Altern Complement Med. 2011;17(5):435-40. doi: 10.1089/acm.2010.0281. [DOI] [PubMed]
- Field T. Massage therapy research review. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2016;24:19-31. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2016.04.005. [DOI] [PubMed] [PMC free article]
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Ayurvedic medicine: in depth. Bethesda (MD): National Institutes of Health. [NCCIH]
The frequencies and combinations above are my general advice from practice, not medical treatment. If you are being treated for a condition, tell your doctor and tell me.