Self-Love February
By Deva Shantay
February is a month that triggers the desire for love. This message of love comes at us through Valentine’s Day marketing—the red and pink hearts, flowers, wine and an endless array of chocolates. For the many that don’t have that Hallmark loving relationship, this holiday can also activate feelings of worthlessness, unease, sadness and grief.
What I’ve learned is that love isn’t something that comes and goes. It always exists within, as our natural state of being. However, when life brings discomfort, we may not recognize the state of love that is our essential nature. Our discomfort then leads us to search outward, to find what we are missing inward.
What if there is a simple daily practice that you can do, that instills this connection with love. In Ayurveda, this practice is called abhyanga. With abhyanga we nourish ourselves through anointing the body with warm oil. In Sanskrit, the word sneha means love and also oil. So in short, abhyanga is the practice of saturating oneself with love via an oil massage.
In December, I went to an Ayurvedic massage training to learn how to share abhyanga. During the training, I learned how to give this massage but also how to receive. Receiving abhyanga allowed me to travel deeper into myself, gaining comfort with being seen, touched and nurtured by others. I also learned how to transmit this “love” through the self-less act of sharing this ancient massage treatment.
Some of the benefits of abhyanga include:
feeling balanced, centered and grounded
improved circulation and lymph drainage
decreased stress levels
softer, smoother skin
improved sleep and
a better quality of life
So how do you begin? You can start the easy way during SELF-LOVE FEBRUARY by booking an abhyanga treatment in our spa at True Nature Healing Arts, or you can go and buy yourself a nice high-quality oil (sesame, almond or sunflower— depending on your dosha), warm the oil, sit down and begin lovingly massaging your body, lubricating your joints and warming up your limbs. This is a meditation, a purposeful practice that you give to yourself. Be aware, mindful and quiet—it doesn’t have to get any more complicated than that.
During SELF-LOVE FEBRUARY, try loving yourself by rubbing warm oil on your body and witness the magic that can occur with the simple act of self-love.
In gratitude,
Deva Shantay
Deva Shantay is a Co-Founder/Co-President of the True Nature Healing Arts Foundation, an Intuitive Guide, Professional Yoga Therapist and is currently enrolled at the California College of Ayurveda, becoming a certified Doctor of Ayurveda.