Shirodhara is one of the most unique and mystical techniques in Ayurvedic therapeutics.
A Sanskrit word pronounced Śhiro-dhārā (śhiro meaning head, and dhārā meaning flow), shirodhara involves the continuous pouring of a therapeutic substance, usually warm oil, over the forehead. This therapy is often involved with Ayurvedic cleansing protocols like panchakarma, but can be done as a stand alone treatment for the benefit of the mind and nervous system.
So what’s so special about shirodhara, and how can something so reminiscent of “water torture” (as my friend Barabra put it) be soothing? The answer lies in the way in which the therapy is facilitated and the energetic points that are activated and nourished by the warm oil.
Snehana
Snehana is a word for the therapeutic application of oil. One of the hallmarks of Ayurvedic therapeutics, snehana is also a synonym for “love.” Snehana, or oil therapies, nourish and lubricate the tissues of the body, promoting longevity and helping them to release toxins and accumulated wastes. Snehana also treats the nervous system and provides a protective layer (much like the lipid myelin sheath around individual nerve fibers) that helps buffer the body from environmental stress. Care is taken to make sure that the most balancing type of oil is used based on the individuals’ unique needs, and that the oil is warmed to a comfortable temperature before being applied to the body. In shirodhara therapy, the oil is usually warmed to 98-104 degrees fahrenheit, depending on the preference of the client.
Marma Therapy
Ayurveda identifies many points on the body called marma points, that have specific therapeutic purposes, much like the acupressure system in traditional Chinese medicine. The points located on the head and forehead specifically treat the mind and nervous system.
During shirodhara therapy, warm herbalized oil is poured from a copper vessel onto the forehead, in a continuous stream for a period of 20 minutes or longer. The oil flows continuously over the ajña marma point, also known as the “third eye” point, in between and slightly above the eyebrows. As the oil pours over the forehead it also coats the top of the head, saturating four other important marma points along the mindline of the scalp. These marma points are known in Ayurvedic therapeutics as keys to accessing and treating the nervous system and mind. By covering them in warm herbalized oil, a stressed out nervous system is soothed and nourished.
Additionally these marma points are known as the mukha or opening of mano vaha srotas, or the “mind carrying channel” of the body, and by receiving shirodhara the mind is brought back to a place of peace and stillness, much like what people experience in yoga nidra.
Who should receive shirodhara?
Best for people experiencing high vata, or excess ether and air elements, shirodhara can be extremely beneficial for nervous conditions such as anxiety, insomnia, and mental and physical stress of all kinds. By bringing the mind and nervous system back into balance, numerous health conditions can also be pacified.
I like to think of shirodhara as passive meditation. While certainly not a replacement for proper meditation and sadhana, shirodhara is deeply soothing and can help bring the mind back to stillness and provide lasting nervous system regulation.
Article written by Rosa Harper