According to Ayurveda, if the mind, body, or environment is out of balance, the body’s natural resistance is lowered. In Ayurvedic Bodywork, we learn how to combine Ayurvedic massage and assisted yoga asana to open, energize, and restore well-being to the body. Guided by seasoned bodyworker Vasant Rechtschaffen, we begin by warming the body with our hands using Ayurvedic oils and powders to stimulate the blood supply toward the heart and detoxify the organs. We then learn the art of using our feet to walk on the body and initiate its willingness to let go. Once the body is warmed and relaxed, we use assisted yoga asana to continue to open the body and bring about a feeling of deep ease. We learn to listen closely to the body in order to discover where limitations reside. We then take the body a few degrees more and release it. In this way, the body learns to trust and open, never contracting from overstimulation. Anyone wishing to learn the art of healing with touch is welcome. Bodyworkers, massage therapists, yoga teachers, and physical therapists learn techniques they can use in their practice. Vasant Rechtschaffen, a bodyworker for nearly 30 years, assists master teacher Kusum Modak in Ayurvedic bodywork training in India each year. She also teaches and maintains a private practice in Santa Barbara, California. |
