Have you been feeling a little fried lately? Noticing dry skin, dry hair, dry nasal passages?
Are you feeling anxious and experiencing racing thoughts? Are you clenching your jaw and noticing increased jaw, tension, and neck tension? I know it might sound a little wild, but oil might be just what you need!
In Ayurveda, oil is truly revered; so much so that it shares a name with the word love. That’s right. In Sanskrit, the word for love is sneha. Also, in Sanskrit, the word for oil is sneha. I think that tells us a lot about the importance of oil. There are a variety of ways that oil is used for self-care in Ayurveda to support balancing dry issues such as dry skin, dry nasal congestion, muscle tension, anxiety, and more. How are all of these related? Well partially because they are due to an increase in dry guna (quality) which increases Vata Dosha (Air + Ether). Vata is responsible for movement, which is truly important and necessary, but when there is too much movement, we can get really anxious (think racing thoughts, constant to-do lists in your mind, etc.). In Ayurveda, we work with opposites to find balance. The opposite of dry isn’t wet, but rather oily, and so using oil can be quite balancing to Vata that has gotten a bit out of hand.
Below are some ways to incorporate oil that can be really beneficial:

Abhyanga: this is the practice of self-massage with oil.
It can be particularly helpful for reducing dry skin, muscle tension, joint discomfort, and even anxiety. To practice abhyanga, you will use a dosha-specific oil blend that could be sesame based, sunflower based, coconut oil based, etc. My preferred oil blends have herbs infused in them as well. To prepare for abhyanga, you’ll want to get a room nice and cozy, perhaps your bathroom with a little space heater. If you’d like, you can warm the oil up as well by placing the bottle in some warm water. To practice abhyanga you’ll take the oil into your hands and massage it into your body using strokes on your limbs and circles on your joints, moving toward your heart.
Do strokes up and down your back as best as you can reach, circles on your hips, a loving circle on your heart and another circle on your belly moving the same direction as digestion (clockwise). Let the oil soak in for 5-30 minutes before taking a warm shower or bath. You don’t have to use soap over the oil as it is naturally cleansing. You can just use your soap to wash your “naughty bits” as my MIL calls them and then pat dry with a towel when you get out so the oil can continue to absorb.
Now, y’all know I’m all about being practical so what I tell people is to make this fit with your schedule/routine. If you don’t have time to rest while the oil is absorbing, maybe you do something else during that time like brushing or flossing your teeth. Sure, it would be awesome if you could lie about for half an hour while it absorbs, but if you don’t have the space for that, just do what you can! Oil on for a few minutes is better than none at all! This is a practice that I do nearly every day. Sometimes I have more time to let it soak in, sometimes I’m doing a very abbreviated version, but I’ve found this to be so helpful and grounding that I very seldom miss a day.
Nasya: this is the practice of putting oil into the nasal passages.
It can be particularly helpful for reducing dryness in the nasal passages and congestion, and for improving breathing as well as mental clarity and focus. As we come into the time of year where we are inside more often with heaters blasting and the moisture being pulled out of the air we’re primarily breathing, we all have a tendency toward dry nasal passages.
Sometimes having some excess mucus dripping is a sign that our body is responding to dryness too! Using oil in your nostrils can be a great relief. You can use sesame oil or even ghee in your nostrils using your pinky finger to place it in there or you can practice nasya by tilting your head back and putting a couple of drops of an herbal blended oil in each nostril then gently sniffing. Just be sure that you aren’t putting oil in your nostrils directly after using a neti pot. We don’t want to trap water in there and lead to infection. I am a big fan of using ghee in my nostrils before going to bed this time of year. I find that it helps me breathe more easily through the night and wake the next morning without feeling like the sandman, not to mention the grounding energy of ghee which can be so helpful for sleep.
Karna Pratisaranam: this is the practice of putting oil into the ears.
It can be particularly helpful for reducing ringing in the ears, neck tension, jaw pain, and high anxiety. This practice is done with an herbal blend in a base of sesame and olive oil. To practice this, you will tilt your head to the side and put two little drops of oil in your ear. You can use your fingers to rub in around and give yourself a little ear massage (something that is stimulating to the vagus nerve and can reduce anxiety), let it soak in for a bit before trying it on the other side.
Much like abhyanga, this is a practice that I have found to be so supportive that I seldom skip a day. I have been amazed at how much this practice reduces my neck and jaw tension and reduces anxiety for me. I cannot recommend it enough!
Whether you decide to start by practicing with body oiling, nasal oiling, or ear oiling, incorporating oil into your daily routine can be a small but powerful way to bring balance, nourishment, and grounding into your life that supports both your body and your mind. You might be surprised at just how much it helps–a little sneha (love) can go a long way!

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