An ayurvedic approach to stress relief

Shirodhara comes from the two Sanskrit words “shiro” (head) and “dhara” (flow). It’s an Ayurvedic healing technique that involves having someone pour liquid — usually oil, milk, buttermilk, or water — onto your forehead. It’s often combined with a body, scalp, or head massage.

Ayurveda is a holistic health approach that originated in India thousands of years ago. It focuses on rebalancing the life forces, called doshas, within your body.

The massage brings down the elevated serotonin levels, a neurotransmitter that stabilizes our mood, feelings of well-being, and happiness. Shirodhara also reduces the level of stress hormones such as adrenaline and noradrenaline and thus relaxes the mind and thereby helps in relieving stress and tension. It also helps in alleviating different types of psychosomatic ailments like stress, tension, depression, anxiety..

Shirodhara is said to have relaxing, soothing, and calming effects on the body and mind.

Here are some of the benefits:

• Improved sleep quality
• Manages insomnia
• Lessen anxiety (when combined with yoga)
• Reduces stress

Why Is The Shirodhara Oil Poured Onto The Forehead?

The oils infused with various herbs or herbal ingredients are generally sprinkled onto the forehead and head since this is the only part of the body that has numerous sensitive nerve endings or vital points that are directly connected to the brain. According to several spiritual texts, the center of the forehead is said to be the ‘third eye’, which is connected to the pineal gland via several blood vessels and capillaries.

Yogic tradition refers to this third eye as the ‘Agnya Chakra’. Focussing on the Agnya chakra during meditation with closed eyes leads to psychosomatic harmony. As the oil drips on the agnya chakra, it begets a meditation-like effect, which is a consequence of stillness of mind leading to the adaptive response to the basal stress. The oil infiltrates into the nervous system after dousing the forehead and scalp. The entire procedure empowers the mind and body to experience a state of deep rest, similar to the state a person attains right after meditation.