Snehana; A Spacesuit of Love for your Nervous System
Nasya Oil at Baba Yaga Botanicals
Snehana, a Sanskrit word for oleation or oiling both internally and externally, literally means to "nurture, to love, to heal, to express kindness and compassion".
The skin is the extension of our nervous system, where we come into contact with the world around us, and we can protect our sensitive nervous systems (which are related to Vata dosha) by applying herb infused oils to create a 'spacesuit of love' which we can wear throughout the day. We can also use the oil as a transdermal anupan, or carrier, to help herbal intelligence penetrate deeply into our bodies without having to navigate the digestive system to gain entrance. In southern India, 90% of their herbal medicines are applied through oleation as opposed to taking pills, drinking teas, etc. Western medicine has only just discovered transdermal application in the last 50 years (like hormone patches, etc.), whereas Ayurveda has used this method for hundreds if not thousands of years.
During the late fall and early winter, it is the season of Vata, the Dosha of air and space, which is rough, dry, mobile, subtle, and cold in it's qualities. We can counteract or balance this with the application of warm oil, which has the opposite qualities of heavy, smooth, slow, unctuous, and warm. This is a basic premise of Ayurveda, like increases like and opposites balance.
According to Dr. Vasant Lad in his Textbook of Ayurveda, Acharya Charaka, the father of Ayurvedic medicine says, “If you really want to bring happiness and joy to a client, don’t try to discuss their problems intellectually, but instead give an oil massage and all their problems will simply dissolve.”
I have seen this to be true when administering Abhyanga to my clients. Almost everyone drops into an altered state of consciousness within about the first 5 minutes and continues to travel in and out of deeper realms throughout the session. I myself love to both give and receive Abhyanga.
In my sessions I use thailas, herb infused oil which I make in the traditional manner, beginning with a deep decoction of the herbs in water over about 5 hours, then adding sesame oil and slowly evaporating the water, leaving the herbal intelligence in the oil, which acts as a carrier for transdermal application, helping the herbs to profoundly penetrate, saturating the receiver in herbal wisdom.
It is a wonderful way to 'take your medicine'.
Oleation/snehana, can also happen through the application of nasya, an herbal oil made in the same traditional manner as thailas, but applied to the nasal membranes instead of to the outer dermal layer. What is applied to the skin is 'eaten', or absorbed by the skin at a 60-100% rate. 60% on the outer skin, and 100% on mucous membranes.
Nasya oil is infused with nervine and no-otrpoic herbs that have been traditionally used to revitalize the nervous system, improve memory, reduce anxiety, and increase focus and meditative capacity. Nasya also helps moisten dried mucous membranes during this dry season where we often use dry heat in our homes which compounds the dryness outdoors. Nasya leaves an antimicrobial and antibacterial layer of protection on the vulnerable mucous membranes of the nose while also clearing phlegm from the head. It is one of my favorite daily herbal allies in maintaining health and wellness.
If you are interested in experiencing the benefits of oleation, book an Abhyanga session with me at my office in beautiful downtown Carpinteria by replying to this email today, or visit my shop, Baba Yaga Botanicals for Nasya oil, luxurious Thailas, and beautiful copper oil warmers for your daily self massage practice at home.
All the best of health and happiness to you and yours,
~Anahata Healing Arts Ministry
Black Sage Thaila and Copper oil warmer. Find these and more at Baba Yaga Botanicals