Ayurveda Makes You Feel Better (Bettah?)

Or at least Ayurvedic massages do. To read details about all of Ayurveda, I would check this out because it’s a whole system of traditional Indian medicine. Zac and I had three Ayurvedic massages done in the Andaman Islands at Barefoot resorts. Up until then, Zac had been insisting that Ayurvedic massages bring nothing but problems because he had gotten sick each time he previously had one. However, after our first massage at Barefoot, we both felt like brand spankin’ new humans. We then decided once we got back to Calicut we were going to find a good place to go for semi-routine massages.

We decided to go to Kadavu Resort for our next experience in Ayurveda. This place by itself is totally relaxing; it’s right next to the Kallai river and the traditional Kerala style buildings just add to its charm.

We booked for body and face massages and also a steam bath. Here’s what my massage room looked like:

I had a gorgeous view of the river. I only had a few seconds to really take it in before my massage therapist told me to get naked. And here’s the thing – it’s not like in the US where they give you your privacy so you can slink under a nice soft blanket with your underwear still on. Nope, my therapists have watched me strip down completely. And, once you’re nude, they put on what I can only describe as a disposable sumo wrestler diaper. I’m sure that is not what it’s called, and it makes the whole thing sound bad, but it’s not. I’ll get to that. After you’ve come to terms with being naked in front of a total stranger, they make you sit on a stool and begin by massaging your head and neck. My massage therapist began by saying a prayer and blessing me by touching the top of my head, my palms, and my feet with coconut oil. She told me she prayed for good health.

Having my head rubbed or massaged is one of my favorite things in the world, so when my therapist began rubbing my head, it was amaaaazing. She put coconut oil all through my hair, and then rubbed my scalp in circular motions. As if that wasn’t good enough, Ayurvedic massage therapists do this technique where they tap your head with the sides of their hands, almost like a karate chop. If you have long hair, they also do a technique where they twist and pull the hair lightly. If it sounds painful, let me be the first to say that it is sooo not. I had to keep from drooling on myself as she was doing all of this.

After this was done, my therapist had to help me get on the massage table because I was already a little too relaxed. More warm coconut oil (and I’m talking lots) was put on me and she began a traditional Abhyangam massage. Abhyangam massages involve a lot of rubbing in repeated motions, especially if a sore muscle is discovered (or at least that’s what my therapist did). I won’t bore you with details of this, but my fave parts were when she ran her thumb directly up and down my spinal column, when she rubbed my feet and all of my toes (individually!), and when she beat up my calf muscles.

Normally, this is when the experience is finished and the therapist helps you to the shower and lets you rinse off the gallon of oil, but we had booked the steam also. So, my therapist had to help me off the table and to the sauna for two reasons: 1) I was slippery and 2) I was almost comatose from being so relaxed.

The sauna was exactly what was expected – hot and steamy. I was sweating so much that when my therapist opened the sauna, she actually laughed at me. Then, she had to wipe off my feet (sweaty, ewww) and assist me to the shower. At the last place I had an Ayurvedic massage done, my therapist helped me to the shower and then let me go on my own, but not at Kadavu. My therapist there first scrubbed me down with a green gram dal mixture and then shampooed my hair. What.

My experience of getting a massage at Kadavu was great, and it was an awesome way to celebrate our second first anniversary (we had two weddings for those who don’t know). We stayed and had dinner on the balcony at Oottupura restaurant, and that was delicious, especially the chocolate mousse that came inside an edible chocolate cup. I was like a kid on Christmas morning with that.

Relaxed and unbelievably happy.