What Is Shirodhara: an Ayurvedic Approach for Stress and Anxiety

The lifestyle that we live in today stresses us a lot. We are unable to notice the prolonged stress that our round the clock routine is giving to us. Moreover, we are unaware of the health deterioration that this hectic routine leads to. Our normal day starts with rushing to brush, then quickly gulping an imbalanced breakfast, then rushing to office, sitting for long hours inside an office cabin, lack of exercise or movement, and in the name of break, the smoke breaks! which in itself is so dangerous for our health. More than this the lack of proper hydration and taking coffee and other caffeine shots instead of water also contributes to lack of oxygen within the body and leads to various emotional and mental health problems like stress, anxiety, and more. In this blog we will learn the benefits of Shirodhara for curing stress and anxiety in the long term.

Coming back to the cause of this kind of anxiety and stress, this vicious circle of imbalanced and poor routine causes stress that indirectly leads to major physical sickness as well. Taking over the counter modern medicines for stress and anxiety can be a compromising choice as it can be tough on your gut and other organs in the long term. In addition to this, such medications can become a habit leading to more anxiety on stopping the medicine. But do not worry, the ancient healing science, Ayurveda, has blessed the world with various ancient therapies and massages that cure our daily stress naturally! 

One of such Ayurvedic Therapies is Shirodhara! Shirodhara is one of the most beneficial and Rejuvenating Ayurvedic Therapies that works well on your nervous system and heals your mental health. Amazing benefits of this wonderful therapy will be uncovered in this blog, so read till the last to know some rare details of Shirodhara!

What is Shirodhara? 

Shirodhara is an Ayurvedic Therapy famous for its Rejuvenating benefits on the mind, body, and soul. This therapy relaxes the brain and leads to a soothing effect on your whole self. Now let's imagine step by step: You took a break from your hectic routine on a Sunday, you went to the Best Ayurvedic Centre, where you lie down on a comfortable bed, there is a pot hanging right over your forehead. The warm stream of especially prepared oil is falling gently on your forehead. Each drop is calmly touching the skin on your forehead and is slightly getting soaked within. The warmth is slowly seeping down to the nerves of your forehead, moving to the brain, the inside of your face, the whole head. You can slowly feel the stress fading away and you are reaching a state of relaxation. And at the same time it is doing a powerful healing within you, like silently curing your headaches, migraines, sinuses, and more. 

Now the pre-therapy and post Therapy rejuvenating massage is like the cherry on the top. The treatment mostly starts with an abhyanga session, where your body is massaged using an Ayurvedic Preparation like oils. This relaxes you and prepares the body for absorbing the benefits of Shirodhara in the best way possible. After Shirodhara, many times a good post massage is given! This whole process refreshes the whole of you. There is a mesmerising harmony among your soul, body, and mind after the treatment.

Many times Shirodhara is taken as an Ayurvedic cure to some disease, otherwise people also take Shirodhara as a part of their holistic living. Taking Ayurvedic Therapies regularly improves your immunity and strengthens you naturally to stay healthy always and keep diseases far away from you. It is also a kind of prevention. 

Benefits of Rejuvenating Shirodhara Ayurvedic Therapy

Some of the amazing benefits of Shirodhara that attract people from all over the world to experience it in India are as follows:

1- Relaxing Benefits

This Ayurvedic Therapy is known for its relaxing benefits on body, soul, and the brain. The whole process of this treatment is very soothing on the forehead and relaxes the mind so well. The medicated oil used in the process has the potential to calm your brain and take your body to an utmost state of relaxation.

2- Heals Nervous System

Shirodhara, the extraordinary ancient Ayurvedic Therapy is known for healing the nerves. Neurological problems are quite common in today’s lifestyle. Yes, it can also be genetic! However, no matter what is the reason behind, Shirodhara helps in calming the nerves and healing the nervous system naturally. It ensures better functioning of our systems thereby ensuring great health.

3- Curbs Stress

Another vital benefit of Shirodhara is that it calms our mind and removes stress naturally. If you are dealing with problems like anxiety, headaches, migraines, panic attacks, or stress, you must give Shirodhara a try! It will heal you naturally!

4- Better Sleep

Insomnia or lack of sleep is a very common problem people of all ages are facing today! You might work hard all day but still could not get a proper sleep at night. Shirodhara helps you by calming you physically, mentally and emotionally and improving your sleep quality without any modern sleeping pill. It works naturally and holistically. So you are always safe, even in the long term!

5- Better Circulation

Shirodhara improves blood circulation! The pre and post massage along with this Rejuvenating therapy helps in improving the blood circulation of the body. This cures various circulation related problems and ensures a good supply of blood to the brain.

6- Improved Concentration

This Ayurvedic Therapy helps in improving concentration by strengthening your mental health. Shirodhara directly works on immunising and improving your mental state helping you in gaining great focus and memory! 

7- Fights Jetlag

This beautiful Therapy helps people dealing with jetlag due to long flying. You will find good sleep, peaceful mind, and proper rest by taking this therapy! 

8- Overall Health Benefits

Stress can be the root cause for the diseases in other organs as well! Like poor stress leads to bad gut and bad gut leads to various acute to chronic health issues. So by healing stress, Shirodhara cuts down the root cause of other health problems and in turn frees you from sickness, giving you wholesomeness!

Types of Shirodhara

There are different types of Shirodhara:

1- Taildhara, where medicated herbal oils are used in the Shirodhara Therapy.

2- Kwathdhara, where a solution or kwath of blended herbs is used in this therapy.

3- Takradhara, here buttermilk is mixed with different medicated herbs and used in Shirodhara.

4- Jaladhara, here ‘jal’ (water) or coconut water is used in Shirodhara Therapy.

5- Ksheerdhara, here milk blended with the goodness of various vital herbs is poured during the Therapy. 

Conclusion

Shirodhara is one of the most used Ayurvedic Therapies trending today in the modern time due to its timeless benefits in healing mind and body holistically. The different specially prepared liquids like oils, milk, buttermilk etc. are used to calm the brain. This can either be taken as a prescribed cure of any health problem or as a prevention. But always take Ayurveda Therapies at reputed Ayurvedic centers like Haritha Ayurveda Rishikesh, India. Such centres promise best therapy, authentic experience, guidance of 15+ years experienced Ayurvedic practitioners, and quality oils from resources like Kottakal and Kerala Ayurveda, as what matters the most in Shirodhara is the quality of oils and the knowledge of the right ancient methodology. 

Frequently asked questions

Q1- Which are the most popular oils used in Shirodhara?

Ans- Oils like Chandani Tailam oil, Narayan Tailam, etc. are used in the therapy.

Q2- How many sessions of Shirodhara are required?

Ans- The answer to this question totally depends on your problem and the aim of taking Shirodhara, and will be answered by the Ayurvedic Practitioner after a proper diagnosis.

Q3- Can I bring my favourite oil for the therapy?

Ans- No, the oils used in a sacred Ayurvedic Therapy like Shirodhara are specially prepared using various rare Ayurvedic herbs! 

Q4- Can I choose the type of Shirodhara?

Ans- If you want to take an experience then yes after a consultation with the therapist you can choose. But if it is a part of any Ayurvedic Treatment then the practitioner will decide it! 

Q5- Does Shirodhara hurt?

Ans- No, Shirodhara doesn’t hurt, it is a calming and Rejuvenating approach to make your life disease-free!