Nourishing Baths: Reiki & Ayurveda

It is a fast paced world, generally speaking, and we want to slow down sometimes. All the running can leave most people feeling parched – and one beautiful remedy is a long, nourishing bath.

When scientists look for life outside planet Earth, they look for water, because that is a sign that there might be life. Water is life giving. It cleanses, heals, nourishes. What better way to recharge, than to turn to water?

Modern lifestyles lead to an increase in the air element in the body. This means over-excitement (including stress) and fatigue, inability to focus for a long duration and procrastination in adults, and hyperactivity, allergies, and lack of interest in food in children. All of these problems can be balanced and healed through a once a week nourishing bath.

The Oil

An oil massage effectively combats the increase of the air element (Vata dosha – dry, rough skin, tend to be underweight, restless and forgetful) in the body. Ayurveda suggests sesame or almond oil.

If you tend to have skin problems, anger issues, frustration, premature greying, sleep less, experience hot flashes, and prefer cold weather, use coconut or olive oil because you may be pitta dosha, with an excess of fire element.

If you tend to have excess water retention, are overweight, lethargic with oily skin and hair, you probably have an excess of earth and water element (kapha dosha) and you can use mustard or sunflower oil.

I also recommend Ayurvedic massage oils from Kottakal Arya Vaidyasala.

Oil Massage

• Hold the bottle of oil between your palms and give it Reiki healing, with a request to bring your body into balance. Draw all the symbols mentally if you’ve level 2 or above.
• Warm the oil and apply it with gentle, loving strokes to the head, face (yes, face too!), neck, ears, and so on until you reach the feet. It helps to dab little amounts over the whole area first. It is very important that the strokes be filled with love and are not hurried.
• Use straight, back and forth strokes over the bones, and circular strokes over the joints. Clockwise movement over the abdomen. Do the best you can for the back. If you are massaging a partner or child, use upward and outward movement starting at the base of the spine.
• After the massage, rest for 15 to 20 minutes to let the body absorb the oil. It is a good idea to meditate, practice some breathing exercises or listen to some soothing music or practice some Reiki self-healing during this time.

The Bath/ Shower

If you are running a bath, you can wave your hands around in the water, letting the energy flow through your hands and charging the water. You could draw the symbols this way too, if you have completed level 2.

If you prefer showering, Reiki the shower head and request that all water flowing out of it will be charged with Reiki and will bring balance to your system.

You can give Reiki to your soap or shower gel and shampoo too. If you want to go natural, grind some lentils (green moong dal) and make a paste to apply on the body to take off the oil. You can use baking soda mixed with water, for the hair.

There you go, it’s that simple!

Ashwita Goel

Author of ‘Healing Through Reiki’, Ashwita learned Reiki in 1997, and started teaching it in 2006. She now incorporates other forms of energy healing, as well as hypnotherapy and past life therapy in her work. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, crafts, reading and painting.

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