Ancient Indian Massage (Traditional Massage Techniques Based on the Ayurveda)

Massage, done according to the natural laws of human anatomy and energy flow, offers the most pleasurable benefit of all daily practices. Regular massage vibrates and energizes the skin, muscles and nerves simultaneously and helps the body become light, active and full of vitality.

Body heat and vitality increase as the heart and circulatory system open up to provide fresh oxygen and energy to all parts of the system while simultaneously flushing out waste gases and chemicals.

Ancient Indian scriptures which deal with health and massage say:
"Diseases do not go near one who massages his feet before sleeping, just as snakes do not approach eagles."

There is new acceptance of massage nowadays. In the West people are especially interested in this art as a rejuvenator and vitalizer. There is much literature available on various kinds of massage from different parts of the world, but there is no book about the ancient Indian system of massage where the art is ever popular. In India you can find people massaging people on beaches, on the banks of rivers, and in market places apart from the privacy of homes and wrestling places (akharas). Massage of children is widespread in Indian practically every child and the mother of each new born infant gets regular massage, as one gets foods. Massage is part of inherent rituals in Indian life and in many states it becomes a significant ritual before marriage. The purpose of this publication is to portray simply and factually some of the principles, techniques, beauty and benefits of massage. Special formulae have been incorporated to enhance various therapeutic values.

Harish Johari (1934-1999) was an artist; a musicologist; a dramatist; a philosopher; and a translator. He was also a physiologist, a historian and an expert cinematographer. He was revered for his art of story telling and for his beautiful sculptures. He has published several books, which have been translated into several languages. Employing a unique medium, he executed extraordinary works on paper and silk, and eighteen of his paintings have been published by Verkerke, Holland.

Preface

As food is a necessity for the organism from birth to death, so is massage to the human organism. Food provides nourishment from external sources to the organism, whereas massage excites the internal resources and provides nourishment in the form of proteins, glucose, and other vitalizing chemicals, which are within the system. Massage, like a mother, preserves the body energy and saves the organism from decay. It also works as a cleanser and helps the organism in discharging toxins out of the body through sweat, urine and mucous; thus rejuvenating the body.

Message is the first friend, which serves the human organism from the time of birth. In India it is a tradition to massage the body from the first day, which continues to at least the third year everyday. After three years of age the routine changes and massage is done at least once or twice a week, up to about the sixth year. Afterwards the child is able to massage others and get massage in return. This continues until he starts playing and doing physical exercises.

Weekly massage is a family scene, everyone does it. With the advance of age when a child attains the state of youth, he/she gets interested in building the body. The next stage comes when one gets married and receives the massage from his/her partner (the wife gives her husband massage every day till the end of her life). In old age there are grandchildren to play with and give massage to the grandparents. Thus, for the majority, massage is a part of life.

There are also ceremonial massages. The one which is compulsory is massage before marriage, which provides the glaze and the look of a bride/bridegroom to the young couple. This massage is done with chemicals and oils. Massage before marriage relaxes the one being married, gives stamina, provides psychic strength and increases beauty. Another compulsory massage is to a lady after the delivery of a child. This massage is done daily for minimum 40 days.

In ancient days, life was simple and close to nature. Modern age is the age of greed and competition. Life has become strenuous. There is stress on the nerves every moment. In this modern age of stress and strain massage is a must. The speed of everything has increased and there are unnatural shocks shaking the nervous system every moment. The literature now available on massage shows an inner urge in people in the western world to find natural methods of relaxing and vitalizing the human organism. Massage is the most natural and powerful method of relaxing and at the same time rejuvenating the body.

It is now becoming known to many people that this modern way of living is not right, yet it is impossible to go back to Nature and start living once again in the way our ancestors lived five hundred years ago. We shall have to avoid the use of drugs and chemicals in order to keep our body chemistry in good shape. Some chemicals used, as preservatives have become part of our food industry. We cannot avoid these if we do not discard packaged food, milk and cheese which is almost impossible if we live in this era. So there remains only one alternative to learn and practice such devices which would help the system flush out these toxins as regularly as they are ingested. The skin also plays a very important role in excreting waste materials and toxins.

Massage is one of the few well-known remedies for helping all such problems. The use of natural, organic foods; water; earth; sunlight and air (along with massage) can prove a fantastic remedy.

Massage works on the body of both levels:

1. Physical
2. Psyche

1. Physical:

Rubbing of the body produces heat and increases blood circulation, it affects the lymphatic system and supplies more nourishment to the blood.

2. Psyche:

Through touch, massage works on the nervous system and effects the circulation of growth hormones. All feelings and fantasies of the massager are transmitted to the person getting the massage.

As a child massage was given to me everyday but I do not remember myself as a small baby. When I recall my childhood I find myself massaging the holy feet of my mother sometimes – and most of the time I see myself giving massage to my on the subject how to massage. This was just a play, so far as I remember I learnt how to massage properly in 1949 and later on it 1952-53 it became a part of my daily routine when I joined the wrestling ground (Akhara) at Jaunpur, which was situated right in front of my house. Massage was essential for all who came to the wrestling ground.

Srhi Jaswanta Singh Mukhtar (Advocate)- our landlord – was very interested in wrestling- and massage and he appointed Pabbar Pahalwan (Wrestler) to come and instruct me in wrestling and massage. Ustad Pabbar Pahalwan was a wrester of provincial fame specially very popular in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, because of his engagements he could not come popular in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, because of his engagements he could not come regularly to teach me and most of my training was done under Shri Jaswanta Singh himself besides Shri Bhrigu Nath and Bodhan- famous wrestlers of Janupur. To massage the teachers and to get massaged by them was very healthy; it increased my stamina, vigour, vitality and inner strength, gave me self control, strong well-power and endurance, which later helped me in my work as a sculptor.

In 1957-58 while I was living at Rampur I had the fortune of meeting the most handsome and wise wrestler Siddique Khan, son of the famous royal wrestler of Rampur Sohrab Khan, who was also a healer. Siddique Bhai agreed to instruct me in wrestling and in art of massage. Siddique Khan brough my attention to the MARMAS (vital points) and explained to me secrets of rubbing, kneading and squeezing.

My understanding about massage was further enriched by my Ayurvedic medicine man friend and teacher Shri Rameshwar Prasad Pande. He prescribed massage to his patients very frequently and was able to achieve quick recovery with a combined effect of medicine, diet and massage. It was here in his enlightened company I learnt about the three humours Wind, Bile and Mucous.

Oil massage and massage of pressure points made a deep impression on my mind and when I came to the Western Hemisphere I was astonished to see that very few persons here massaged with oil. Massage is very essential for people living in cold climate. Cold climate, lack of exercises and more intellectual work- all combined together create dryness and poor circulation of blood in the body and massage is the only remedy which could help a healthy and wholesome growth of body and mind.

I thank my teachers and students, who helped me in making the present book on massage, which can provide some practical help to people interested in physical and mental well being.

I thank my student Dan Conrod for making the primary drawings of massage book which later on I improved and made them suitable for the book.