Ayurveda in my life {Discover}

CIRCUMSTANCES

Circumstances. A word I do not like to use that often. Today is a special day then. Not only am I pronouncing it out loud, I am welcoming it in by writing it down.

Circumstances in my life brought about new experiences, some good, some bad and among the positive journeys I am going to include Ayurveda and the wonderful person who introduced me to it, Magali. With her jet black eyes, slender frame and reassuringly firm hand shake, she's opened the crack of Ayurveda. Some of its light touch me thanks to Shirodhara.

HOW DOES SHIRODHARA WORK?

The ancient body and mind therapy is known to soothe the anxious, stressed, overactive souls affected by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) fighting with overflowing thoughts, recurring nightmares and tumbling down into the dark pit of doubts and fears.

Once I lie down on the wooden bed, face up, Magali bends my head so as not to hurt my neck. She opens the faucet, as it were. A warm stream of oil touches my forehead as I close my eyes and surrender. Shirodhara is a word that associates two meanings: head + flow/stream. The oil drips delicately, balances slightly from left to right at the beginning and then focuses its vibrations on the center of my forehead. This is our shrine: it encapsulates a dense network of nerves and symbolizes ideas, thoughts, dreams, rationale, logics.

Just picture yourself slapping your forehead when remembering something you thought you had forgotten. That's it. The forehead.

Now, I'll be honest here and tell you that the idea of having a stream of liquid poured over my head reminded me of some kind of torture... the fateful drop of water that hits the head on the same spot, over and over again. As I write this, I grasp the significance of hurting the cradle of our brain, a second heart of sorts.

EFFECTS OF SHIRODHARA

The good news is: Shirodhara has nothing to do with this memory of mine about turture, plucked from a book, no doubt. Shirodhara is a friendly therapy. It is meant to help clear my head, take away the tension, release positivity and serenity. The silky oil is so soft and calming, it acts like a soft blanket cradling me from left to right, holding me tight while letting me breathe again. Once the head is clear, tensions dissolve and the nervous system regains its balance, the rest of the body can start functioning properly again.

The feeling of relief is palpable following the healing session. I feel at peace when regaining consciousness after a state of deep, soulful meditation under the guidance of the oil action, the warmth of its touch, its vibrations and the silence filling the small room. I have traveled far and away. Now, I am back.

Credits: TheDaydreamer