Abhyanga

An Ayurvedic full body massage,

this could technically be the name for the treatment I had in Tuscany, but at Jivita Ayurveda in Kensal Rise this is the actual name on the menu.

This treatment did seem a lot harder than the massage I had at Salon Sensoriale in the Terme di Chianciano Spa in Tuscany but that could also be because my body was so much tenser this time. As Megan, the therapist, worked on each area I would be close to asking her to stop, then the second she stopped I wanted her to do more!

I do love the use of warmed oil in massage and it’s very hard to go back once you've experienced this (and to go back to non-heated beds – yes this bed was heated!) I started, as with most massages on my front, with my back and shoulders being worked over. I could actually feel the tension and possibly air being released from my body as in a chiropractic session, before Megan moved onto my legs and then went for it on my feet. This was some of the best foot work I have ever had, and I would absolutely go back for an Ayurvedic foot massage aka Padabhyanga or Reflexology here.

See also Ayurvedic Massage, Padabhyanga, Prishtabhyanga and Shirodhara.

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