Ayurveda is a holistic science that provides invaluable guidance for maintaining perfect health. Within its rich tradition, there is a chapter dedicated to “Dincharya,” which outlines the principles of how to spend your day. One key aspect of this daily routine is “Abhyang,” or body massage. This practice is recommended for daily incorporation into your life. A morning massage can work wonders, from delaying the aging process to reducing fatigue, preventing Vata disorders, and improving overall well-being. Snehan, or oleation, through body massage is not just a luxury but a vital part of maintaining health and treating diseases.
Understanding Snehan: The Art of Oleation
Any substance having oily consistency is regarded as sneh. Use of proper sneh under proper guidance is regarded as snehan. Snehan stands for oleation. Technically this procedure is specific before undergoing procedures of Panch karma and is part of Purav karma i.e. procedure prior to main procedure. Ayurveda has two streams of treatment Shaman and Shodhan. Panch karma is the procedure for shodhan i.e. purification where all the toxins accumulated in body and responsible for disease are expelled out of body at cellular level. After finding the weak host area doshic accumulation takes place and they find their location to have a strong hold for sticky and heavy Ama , the greasy toxin . In snehan the medicated oils used internally or externally for softening of morbid doshas to make them easily extrictable. The basic aim of snehpan is to ensure that all cells in body get saturated with fat making it ready to expel toxins at first go.The materials for snehan like oil or ghee have specific properties of purification, nourishing and lubricatinig .
Indications and Contraindications
Ayurveda offers individualised treatment so any modality in this system cannot be generalised. Snehan even has indications and contraindications.
Snehan is specifically indicated in all those persons who are advised panch karma. Apart from this person havinig sternous physical work, persons having huge mental stress or think too much, in old age and for weak persons, where skin is dry and person having vitiated Vaat dosha, debilitated and anaemic persons, persons facing neurological, muscular or joint problems, diseases like Hemiplegia,Paralysis, Sciatica, Backache, Facial palsy ,Gout ,Brachial neuralgia Muscle fatigue ,Frontal headache and Sleeplessness etc. These are some main indications rest depends on doshic state judged by attending doctor.
Snehan is strongly contraindicated in Pregnancy. Person who has a very weak digestion or having diarrhea or having abdominal pain or feels like fainting or vomiting or is in alcoholic state or has tastelessness are advised not to opt for snehan . In conditions of excessive Kapha or in obese persons also, snehan is contraindicated.
Benefits of Snehan
The benefits of Snehan include detoxification of the body and its various vital organs. Snehan helps in softening the body tissues. By softening the tissues and lubricating the digestive tract, Snehan aids in the elimination of toxins from the body.
External Snehan through massage helps in relieving stress, promoting relaxation, and reducing muscle stiffness and pain. It is very relaxing experience and also nutritive as the snehan gets absorbed and nourishes the body. It adds to the skin lusture.
Ayurveda believes that imbalances in the doshas ,Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, lead to diseases. Snehan, tailored to an individual’s dosha constitution, helps in balancing the doshas.It eliminates the various Vata disorders effectively.
The oils and ghee used in Snehan are often infused with medicinal herbs, providing nourishment to the body and enhancing its healing capacities.Provides a wonderful lubrication of the various parts of the body. The type of oil or ghee used and the massage process employed are specific to an individual’s constitution and the health condition being addressed.
Modes of Snehan: External and Internal
External Snehan: This involves massaging the body with specific herbal oils or ghee. The massage techniques vary and can include gentle strokes, deep tissue massage, or specialized techniques depending on the individual’s body type (dosha) and the condition being treated. External Snehan helps in relaxing the muscles, improving blood circulation, and promoting the elimination of toxins through the skin. The duration of massage may be 30 to 90 minutes according to individual needs and health condition. After ayurvedic massage, herbal steam bath is also very important.
Internal Snehan: In internal oleation, drinking a specific amount of medicated ghee or oil for a specific periodm is advised. The amount of medicated ghee or oil is gradually increased on daily basis. The course of internal snehan may take 3 to 7 days. This internal snehan helps in lubricating the digestive tract and softening accumulated toxins (ama) in the body, facilitating their elimination. Internal Snehan is usually followed by therapeutic vomiting or purgation to expell the dislodged dosha.
Managing Complications
The wrong administration and unwise use of Snehana therapy can lead to complications, which can be divided into immediate and delayed complications. All these complications occur due to wrong dosage, wrong diagnosis, patient’s ignorance to instructions and errors in procedure and timing of administration of medicines.
Immediate Complications include Indigestion and loss of appetite, Excessive thirst, Sleepiness or drowsiness ,Abdominal distension,Fever, Stiffness or feeling of rigidity in the body, Changes in taste or distaste, Pain, AMA formation – caused by indigestion, Nausea.
Delayed Complications include, Feeling of cold, Itching , Skin diseases, Anaemia, Oedema or swelling, Acute abdomen, Ascites, Liver enlargement, Spleen enlargement, malabsorption syndrome, Piles.
The management of complications involves, Symptomatic treatment according to predominance of dosha and symptoms involved. First, treat acute complications. Analyze the dosha involvement and identify the underlying cause. Correct indigestion and eliminate AMA if involved. Therapeutic emesis with warm water is beneficial for reducing complications. Fasting, Sudation , Light foods or drinks, which are easier to digest are advised.
Choosing the Right Snehana
Sneha dravays are collected from either plant origins such as sesame oil, coconut oil,mustard oil, castor oil etc. or animal origins such as Ghee and animal fat. These can be infused with herbs as indicated in individual case.
Depending on the time taken for the digestion of sneha dravya in the body Internal snehana is again divided into three types
Sneha that digests in six hours——-.Hruswa Matra(Minimal dosage)
Which digests in twelve hours.——Madhyama Matra (Medium dosage)
Which takes twenty-four hours to digest.—Uttama Matra (Maximum dosage)
Before administering the snehapana patient has to be properly examined for his digestive capacity, quantity, disease, and strength.
After confirming that the food taken on the previous day has been fully digested, maximum dose can be given for shodhana. Sneha is given at the minimum quantity on the first day, then the dose is increased according to the digestive strength.
After three days of intake of sneha, signs of smoothness appearing on the body will be visible known as snigda lakshanas. Depending upon the constitution four to six days may be needed of sneha pana.
Samyak Snigdha Lakshanas can take three to seven days to appear depending on bowel condition. Samyak snidga lakshanas in the body appear in seven days in the people who are having Vata-related ailments, six days in case of people with pitta-related ailments, and five days in case of people with kapha related ailment. The procedure should not extend more than seven days .
After taking sneha, the patient must drink hot water to clear the mouth of the residual sneha. Then he should lie down while covering his body to avoid contact with cold breeze. Medicated hot water can be taken to quench thirst.
If belching has no smell of sneha, it indicates that the sneha has been completely digested. Then the patient is advised to take bath in hot water and have some light food that can be easily digested.
If the sneha administration is as per the requirement, the patient will pass stool containing the sneha, the skin will become smooth and the odour of sneha will be there,
If the patient does not follow the rules and regulations during the snehapana it may result in disease. So this procedure should be done under expert supervision.
Conclusion
Snehan, the art of oleation in Ayurveda, offers a myriad of benefits for the body and mind. When administered correctly and tailored to individual needs, it can play a pivotal role in maintaining optimal health and treating a range of conditions. Always consult with an expert to ensure a safe and effective Snehan experience.