Ayurveda Certificate – Yoga Alliance YACEP

Abhyanga Considerations & Precautions

There are several conditions under which Abhyanga should not be done.

Please make note of these times when Abhyanga is contraindicated; contraindicated means you should not do it if these conditions apply to you.

Check out Banyan Botanicals for a great article that offers more details and the "why" behind the contraindications:

• During menses

• When pregnant

• When exhausted; especially chronically and/or with debility

• After eating or in cases of severe indigestion or constipation

• When fever or signs of fever, such as chills, is present

• When ama or conditions with excess kapha are present

• After an emetic or basti - these are purgative and/or cleansing or nourishing practices involving emesis (emetic) and/or enema (basti)

Daily use of spices (mild to medium warmth, not hot/pungent/spicy) is considered highly beneficial, in Ayurveda. If you've ever eaten traditional Indian food, you've experienced, first hand, that generous use of spices is a part of Indian culture. However, in Ayurveda, spices are not used in quantities quite as large as you might experience in the dishes at an average Indian restaurant; moderation is key, in Ayurveda.

Each spice has medicinal properties which are most bioavailable when the spices are briefly sauteed in oil before adding food and consuming.

The following amounts per serving can be used as a general guideline for these common Ayurvedic spices. These are the amounts per person (i.e. if you are cooking food for two people, use twice as much):

Black Mustard Seed ~ 1/8 tsp.

Coriander ~ 1/2 tsp.

Cumin ~ 1/2 tsp.

Turmeric ~ 1/4 tsp.

Salt & Black pepper to taste (not too much for Pitta!)

You may add other spices, but these ones can form the base for almost any dish, so that you are getting the medicinal properties of each spice into your diet, regularly.

Remember: if you have allergies or digestive sensitivity, you may want to check with your health practitioner before using these spices, if any are new to you.

Ghee is also known as clarified butter, which is butter with the milk solids removed. Ghee can be a digestive aid and may help to improve the absorption of nutrients to the body, from the food it is used with.

Ghee is sweet, with oily and heavy qualities, which means it can be an excellent pacifier of aggravated Vata and sometimes for those with aggravated Pitta, as well - but that depends on other factors, so is not always the case.

Its oily nature can be helpful in supporting elimination for Vata dosha, as well as assisting in keeping the whole digestive tract well-lubricated.

Ghee may also strengthen agni, for those with Vata aggravation. One or two teaspoons of ghee in food may help to improve digestion and nourishment to the body.

To make Ghee:

In a pot on medium heat, completely melt 500g of good quality unsalted butter, watching carefully to ensure it does not burn.

Bring to a gentle boil and skim off any foam that forms on the surface, and then reduce the heat to low.

Stir occasionally for 15-20 minutes with a clean spoon.

When the whitish curds turn light brown it is ready.

Skim off any remaining foam from the surface, then pour through a sieve or cheesecloth into a glass container with a tight lid for storage.

Discard the curds.

Using Essential Oils

To support Mark's lecture on using Essential Oils, we invite you to explore blog.planttherapy.com to further your knowledge.

A note of caution:
Essential Oils can be powerful medicines. A reminder to educate yourself and use caution when working with them, especially for those who are pregnant and those with other conditions that may be affected by the volatile components of some essential oils.

While this practice can be done fairly gently, if desired, the traditional practice requires a forceful contraction of the abdominal muscles. As such, there are many conditions under which it is not appropriate to practice this pranayama at all.

• pregnancy

• menses

• hernia

• recent abdominal (or even eye) surgery

• on a full stomach

• emphysema

• hypertension (high blood pressure)

• cardiac disorders or unmedicated cardiac conditions

While not necessarily a contraindication, if you are congested, you will find that this pranayama is nearly impossible to practice.

Please listen carefully to the instructions and discontinue the practice if you feel dizzy, lightheaded, nauseous or feel any pain or uncomfortable pressure in the abdominal area or head.