Ayurvedic Massage Therapy

While a number of authors have written on "ayurvedic massage", most of them have not truly integrated the massage techniques into the science of ayurveda with the background and depth of knowledge of the authors in this volume. Dr. Ranade, one of the foremost authorities in the field of ayurveda, along with his co-author Dr. Rawat, himself an ayurvedic educator have integrated the principles of ayurveda at a level that can make the use of massage a serious therapeutic tool for the ayurvedic doctor or health practitioner. Ayurvedic massage has many unique features and advantages compared to many other types of massage therapy. Dramatic results can be obtained when the practitioner has the ability to adapt the massage technique according to body type, age, stage of the disorder or disease, as well as the general health of the digestion and the imbalances present in the client or patient. Most ayurvedic massage texts content themselves with differentiating the technique based on constitutional type of the body alone; while Drs. Ranade and Rawat, with their long-training and experience as professors and educators in the field, are able to provide insight and integration to the diverse aspects of this field to make it truly effective at a deeper level. In addition, they explain the different types of oils or other substances that can be used, as well as the circumstances and manner of determining which one is appropriate in a particular case. They describe how modifications to the stroke and direction of the stroke used can be applied based on the underlying circumstances unique to each client. The readers of this text will gain a background in ayurvedic theory, as well as applied therapy. Ayurvedic massage can be seen as a therapeutic tool in its own right as well as a predecessor to panchakarma treatment. For the first time the important concept of "marma massage" has been explained and described. This technique is extremely valuable and is becoming quite popular among practitioners of ayurveda both in India and abroad. A chapter on "Massage for Specific Diseases" highlights some important disease conditions for which the massage techniques can be very useful.