Let’s talk about oil bath
Oil Bath, first time when I heard about it I imagined myself in luxurious spa soaking myself in bathtub filled with nice aroma essential oil mixed with all kinds of warmed oil that nourishes my hair and skin and relaxing me. I can’t really remember when was the first time I tried to do oil bath, I searched up online because at that time even I already started ashtanga practice but none of these practices (Vedic astrology - observing moon and ruling planets, oil bath, japa, diet.. etc) was taught in Singapore ashtanga community back then.
Information online was so confusing, different practitioner does it differently, oil type, how long, rub or soak.. all kind of inputs. I kept trying different ways and all ways have positive effects for my body and mind. But not until I made my first trip to Mysore to see Guruji, that I learned a proper way of doing it.
My first trip to mysore was memorable and full of happiness because everyone there are kind and beautiful dedicated students studied under Guruji. When they saw me a newbies they made me feel comfortable and welcome, many senior students were looking out for me and taught me many things about the practice and including where to eat.. “The Secret Breakfast” that after practice we had to ride our scooters all the way to Laksmipuram to chom that heavenly food. I was lucky that in that year, 3 months with Guruji, he mentioned about oil bath in one of the conferences.
The right way to do it is as this :
-Pick the day we don’t do asana practice and the day should be warmed and sunny -Pick the right oil type. For me sesame oil is best to warm my Vata body, cooling coconut oil is good for pitta, sweet almond oil is good for everyone in general, castor oil is the most common to cool-down heat and minor inflammation/muscle tiredness. (For me I always go for castor oil or Mahanarayana Tailam (Ayurvedic medicine in sesame oil base for body and joint tension) Coconut oil make me feel very cold it’s too cooling for Vata. -Soap nut powder -Shikakai powder (Acacia fruits) -Arapu Powder (Mimosa leaves).
Benefit of oil bath
-Cool down and balance our body constitution, neutralise Udana Prana, Vayana Prana and Apana. Ashtanga practice uses and also creates Tapas (heat) through our body and more at Solar Plexus -Lighten muscle and joint soreness -It makes hair and skin pretty 😉 -Increase prana circulation, blood flow and metabolism
How are we going to do it (oil can be warm up by outing oil with whole container into bowl and pour hot water into the bowl)
-Stripe off your cloth, stay in bathroom -Pour the oil (a lot) at the crown of the head until you feel oil started to drip down the scalp (first try to leave it like 5 mins… gradually increasing time. Now my oil bath I soak the oil on my head for 2 hour) -Start to rub the dripping oil to shoulder and neck, pay attention a lot on your throat as well -Now more oil is needed for elbows, wrists, hip, lower back, knees, and down to ankles - focus on the joints. -Once we massage joints.. now more oil is needed to connect joint to joint.. so start rubbing oil through your arms, torso, focus first on upper body. On stomach areas massage follow clockwise direction in circular motion. Go a little deeper up front lower rib cage to reach diaphragm (I spent longer time here to massage diaphragm it’s significantly strengthen my breath in asana practice. -Move to the right side, massage liver, go behind towards kidneys -now started with more oil to lower part of body, glutes, sacrum, down to legs and inner thigh, massage to release tension of adductor group muscles -I combine the technique of neuromuscular trigger points on the outer legs (TFL) by doing press-hole-release at the trigger points and cross fibre friction in along the area of outer legs and quads -Move down to lower legs and calves (also cross fibre friction massage) once oil is covered fully on our body, I leave it for at lease 15-45min. Prepare hot bathtub and I soak in, if you don’t have bathtub just simple hot shower to wash off first layer of oil.
How to wash off the oils
-3 combination 1:1:1 ratio : soap nut powder to get rid of oil, Shikikai powder to make sure sticky castor oil will be all removed, arapu powder is for hair and body conditioning it makes skin and hair soft. Make it into pasty consistency, and scrub off the oil with the paste. -if you don’t have these 3 combination. Simple first step is to put hair conditioner on your hair, soak it for a while, followed by using natural soap (like Dr. Bronner castike soap is good enough and affordable)
-Saturday is the best to do it if your rest day is on Saturday. Female practitioners are prescribed to do it on Tuesday or Friday. Me? I do Saturday as my rest day because I try to not do much thing on Saturn ruling planet day. -Never do oil bath on moondays -For female practitioner never do oil both while on Lady Holidays
Happy Oil Bath everyone. I will see you Tmr. ❤️