Shirodhara

The client lies on a specially designed table. A wide mouthed vessel with a small hole at the bottom is hung above the head of the client, so that the wick hanging from the vessel is about two inches above the forehead. The special medicinal oil, milk, or buttermilk, etc, that is poured into the vessel is made to flow in a continuous stream through the wick on to the upper part of the forehead. The eyes are protected with cotton pads to prevent oil from dripping into them. The warm oil or other medium used, is collected, kept at a constant warm temperature, and re-circulated, and the process continues for 60 to 90 minutes depending on the Dosha. On completion of the flow of oil, the client is allowed to rest for a few minutes, before the residual oil is wiped from the hair. The client can then dress and go home and it is recommended to rest quietly for at least a few hours.

Shirodhara works primarily on the mental sheath or "manomaya kosha" as it is referred to in Ayurveda. Shirodhara is traditionally used to calm the nerves, harmonize vata constitutions, restore the nerves, release stored emotions, and purify the mind. In Ayurvedic Medicine, it is considered an important tool in the pursuit of higher states of consciousness. Shirodhara has been traditionally shown to help with fatigue, mental exhaustion, anxiety, insomnia, some mental disorders, headache, excessive thinking, nervousness, and many other conditions commonly affecting persons in today?s active lifestyle.