Warm Oil Meditation for Mental Health Care

Have you heard of Shirodhara? It is the most luxurious, nourishing, oil-rich treatment that I have ever given and received.

What is it?

A stream of warm herb-infused oil is poured in a strategic pattern by an Ayurvedic body therapist in a specific pattern to evoke calm, peace and nervous system release.

     The treatment Shirodhara, Sanskrit Shiro for head and Dhara for pour, is a classic southern India oil based Panchakarma therapy, a purification system, for relieving Vata, or excess air and ether, in the mind. When Vata is present in the mind one can become over stimulated and literally short circuit the neural pathways of the nervous system.  This will lead to swarming thoughts and an inability to handle stress, thus creating nervousness, anxiety, depression, insomnia, fatigue, psychological disorders and more. 

                 In a study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine on the Psychoneuroimmunologic effects of Shirodhara, results showed the subjects who received shirodhara exhibited lower levels of anxiety, or anxiolysis, and increased levels of altered states of consciousness, or ASC.  ASC is defined as: loss of space perception, loss of bodily sense, trance, loss of knowing difference between objectivity and subjectivity, loss of time perception, loss of speech sense, concentration, and cosmic consciousness.   ASC has commonly been misunderstood as the effects of psychotropic drugs when in turn these states have been the result of traditional healing techniques such as meditation and other ancient therapies including shamanism for thousands of years. 

            The neurological evaluations that were done proceeding the studies showed lower levels secreted of serotonin, adrenalin, noradrenalin and dopamine, all signs of autonomic nervous system balance.  (Liebert, 2008)

     Also published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine is another study done on shirodhara with the use of the essential oil Lavender Lavendula angustifolia. These results showed significantly increased temerpatures of the dorsum of the hands and feet, thus increased circulation to the extremities, and significantly lower levels of anxiolsysis, or anxiety than without the Lavender Lavendula angustifolia.  Thus, the Lavender Shirodhara showed potent anxiolytic and ASC-inducing or promoting effects, and induced the largest increase in foot skin temperature. It was speculated that the psycho-physiologic effects of lavender Shirodhara would be brought about by three mechanisms: (1) the well-known sedating and balancing action of essential oils from L. angustifolia mediated by olfactory nerves, (2) the pharmacologic action of substances absorbed through the skin or mucosa in the sesame oil and lavender essential oil, and (3) the physiologic effect of sesame oil dripped on the forehead induced by the somato-autonomic reflex through thermosensors or pressure sensors in the skin or hair follicles via the trigeminal cranial nerve. The complicated pharmaco-physio-psychologic action of Ayurvedic oil treatment may provide a useful model for future pharmaco-physio-psychotherapy. (Fenghao, Pharmaco-Physio-Psychologic Effect of Ayurvedic Oil Dripping Therapy using an Essential Oil from Lavendula angustifolia, 2008)

As the mind is stilled with consecutive treatments, protective layers are removed which gives us access to healing deeper layers of stress, accumulations, traumas and impressions.

     Stress can cause many forms of disease, and among them insomnia is quite common.  A study published in An International Quarterly Journal of Research in Ayurveda shows that shirodhara treatments in conjunction with an herbal formula targeting stress reduction and relaxation, drastically improved quality of life, increased sleep and decreased insomnia effects.  (Pokharel and Sharma 2010 )

      In the conditions of insomnia the functioning of the thalamus and frontal lobe of the brain are diminished along with quantitative decrease in serotonin and increase in the quantity of catecholamines. This results in insomnia.

In the procedure of Shirodhara, specific pressure and vibration is created over the forehead. This vibration is amplified by the hollow sinus cavity present in the frontal bone. The vibration is then transmitted inward through the fluid medium of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). This vibration along with the warm temperature of the shirodhara oil may activate the functions of thalamus, which stimulates serotonin and catecholamine to release at the normal level of functioning inducing deeper sleep.

     Physiology describes that pressure has an effect on impulse conduction through tactile and thermo receptors of the nervous system. If prolonged pressure is applied to a nerve, impulse conduction in interrupted and part of the body may go to rest. In Shirodhara therapy, prolonged and continuous pressure due to pouring of the medicated liquid may cause tranquility of mind and induce natural sleep. (Pokharel, Sharma 2010 )

Sounds like the perfect remedy for today’s hustle culture.

Click here to Schedule your shirodhara with Radha in North Boulder here.

Learn to give Shirodhara at our next Ayurvedic Body Therapy training course.

References

       Doulliard, John. (2004). Ayurveda- For Optimal Health and Wellbeing. APBN, Volume 8, No.23, http://www.asiabiotech.com/publication/apbn/08/english/preserved-docs/0823/1285_1289.pdf

 Fenghao Xu, Kazuo Uebaba, Hiroko Ogawa, Takeshi Tatsuse, Bing-Hong Wang, Tatsuya Hisajima, and Sonia Venkatraman. (2008) The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Volume 14, Number 8, pp 947-956. doi:10.1089/acm.2008.0240.

     Lad, Vasant. (2001). Textbook of Ayurveda, Volume 1: Fundemental Principles. New Mexico: Ayurvedic Press.

     Lad, Vasant, (1998). Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies. New Mexico: Ayurvedic Press.

      Kazuo Uebaba, M.D., Ph.D. Feng-Hao Xu, M.D., Hiroko Ogawa, M.S., Takashi Tatsuse, B.C., Bing-Hong Wang, Ph.D.,Tatsuya Hisajima, Ph.D., and Sonia Venkatraman. (2008). Psychoneuroimmunologic Effects of Ayurvedic

Oil-Dripping Treatment. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.  Volume 14, Number 10, pp 1189-1198. doi: 10.1089/acm.2008.0273

Pokharel, Sanjay, Sharma, Ajay. (2010). Evaluation of Insomrid Tablet and Shirodhara in the Management of Andidra (Insomnia). AYU: An International Quarterly Journal of Research in Ayurveda. Volume 31, Number 1, pp 40-47. http://www.ayujournal.org/article.asp?issn=0974-8520;year=2010;volume=31;issue=1;spage=40;epage=47;aulast=Pokharel