Marma Therapy for Pain-free living

 

Marma therapy is a technique used in the Sri Lankan Traditional Medicine for regulating body’s vital points. This is done by using specific Ayurvedic oils, performed by the physician using his hand and feet, applying appropriate pressure to specific vital points/parts of the body. Marma therapy relieves pain, stiffness and regulates the function of various body organs and systems.

Marma are specific vital areas of the body. The word Marma comes from Sanskrit origin mru or marr. The Sanskrit phrase, Marayate Iti Marmani, means there is likelihood of death or serious damage to health after infliction to these places and hence these areas are called Marma.

According to the Traditional knowledge, a Marma point is a juncture on the body where two or more types of tissue meet, such as muscles, nerves, ligaments, bones or joints.

Yet Marma points are much more than a casual connection of tissue and fluids; they are intersections of the vital life force or Prana.

Marma therapy is an important part of vitality as it involves the conditioning of these vital areas. Effective conditioning of these areas can improve and maintain a good health balance.

Prana is a form of vital energy. Prana pervades each and every cell of the body, and it nourishes, maintains and controls the functioning of the cells and body systems. When these Marmas are affected, the organs linked with Prana channels become starved with lack of Pranic energy and some organ becomes diseased, crippled or malfunctioning depending upon the quantum of Prana being lost, it may lead to long term illness.

The idea behind Marma therapy is to cleanse and redirect blocked Pranic energy, by either stimulating or calming the doshas. each Marma point has three receptors that align with the three doshas. During a Marma-point therapy, the points are stroked in a deliberate sequence using specific oils and other medicinal preparations.

According to the tradition there are 365 Marma points in the body. Major Marma points correspond to the seven chakras, or energy centers of the body, while minor points radiate out along the torso and limbs. The points cover both the front and back body.

They are classified for better understanding according to the physical components:

•Mansa Marma - muscle

•Sira Marma - vessels conveying body fluids and impulses

•Sanyu - tendons

•Asthi - bones

•Sandhi - articulate points specially bone joints

The Marma are also grouped on the basis of their similarities in the features particularly on the basis of vulnerability:

•Sadhya Pranhara Marma ~ Sadhya means sudden or immediate. These Marma are vulnerable for the loss of life immediately after injury or insult.

•Kalantara Pranhara ~ Kalantara means after the lapse of some time, Pranhara means loss of life. After infliction to these Marma, loss of life results gradually after some time.

•Vishalyaghana ~ Vishalya means being the foreign body removed. This category of Marma is named on its surgical importance. Vishalyaghana indicated death being the foreign body removed. When injured the person survives as long the foreign body remains in place.

•Vaikalyakara ~ Vilkala means deform or cripple.

Marma therapy involves a full body work out with specific oils and applying pressure and massage strokes to the Marma points on the body. According to psychosomatic constitution or disease, different oils are selected for Marma therapy. This therapy encompasses the techniques developed in keeping the knowledge of Pranic channels and nadi locations in priority. Marma therapy generates and redirects the energy resources and helps the flow of vital energy within the individual. It removes blockages form the vital points giving physical and psychological relaxation and strength.

Benefits of Marma therapy

Some of the benefits of the Marma therapy include:

•increase in protection from nerve disorders

•nourishes of the nerves, muscles, tendons, joints

• encourages good sleep

•improves physical stability.

Marma therapy today

In summary, simulating or massaging the Marma points gives benefits to the area of their locations and improves the function of the connecting organs.

The Marma therapy itself is approximately 30 to 60 minutes of duration

The above is only a brief overview of Marma therapy. Patients who are interested in receiving Marma theray should be first consulted with a qualified Ayurvedic physician who is experienced in performing Marma Therapy. Marma therapy is a really useful way to help improve or maintain an individual's health balance.

What are the conditions that can be helped with Marma Therapy?

v Chronic pain of musculo-skeletal origin

v Carpal tunnel syndrome

v Pain related to Osteoarthritis of the knee

v Cervical spondylosis

v Low back pain and sciatica

v Menstrual pain

v Tension headache and migraine headache

v Sleeplessness

v Menopausal discomfort

v Leg pain

v Frozen shoulder