Through out the world, a raising awareness about the benefits of natural health system is coming up.
Everyone is coming back to the lap of Mother Nature.

AYURVEDA
The traditional health science of ancient India

MARMA....The Vital Point

The Marmas (vital points) are a very important part of Ayurvedic anatomy and surgery. A Marma point is defined as an anatomical site where flesh, veins, arteries, tendons, bones and joints meet up. There are 107 Marma points throughout the body. Each point has it’s own intelligence and consciousness, which co-ordinate with the mind and body. This ancient form of treatment dating back to between 1500-1200 BC involves using the fingers to stimulate the Marma points thereby promoting physical and mental rehabilitation. As with Acupuncture, these points correspond to internal organs and systems of the body which react to manual stimulation.

Prana is a form of vital energy which pervades throughout the body and nourishes, guides and controls the functioning of the cell and systems. When the marma (junctions) are affected or ruptured, the organs linked with prana channels become starved with lack of prana and some organ becomes diseased, crippled or paralysed or depending upon the quantum of prana lost, it may lead to slow or sudden death.

Massaging the marma points cleanses blocked energy, also called chi, by either arousing or calming the doshas. During a marma-point massage, the points are stroked in a deliberate sequence using specific essential oils.

Marma points grouping

There are total 107 Marma in the body. The points cover both the front and back body. Marma points are grouped according to the region of the body, Arms-22 points; legs-22 points (11 per lib); abdomen-3 points, chest – 9 points, back – points, head and neck- 37 points.(The mind is considered the 108th marma). The marma points are also grouped according to muscles – 10 points; tenders/ligaments – 23 points, Arteries – 9 points, Veins, joints – 20 points bones – 8 points. Traditionally marma points are grouped in to 3 categories: those on the legs and feet, (sanakha marma : on the trunk (Madhayamanga marma ): neck and head (jatrurdhara marma ).

Each has its own Sanskrit name given by Sushruta, one of the founding fathers of Ayurvedic medicine

Knowledge of marma was not separate from Ayurveda. Vaidya Sushruta described the locations of the marma points, as well as how they influence prana. He stated that it was important for the surgeon to have knowledge of these points for the purposes of avoiding them, as to cut into them could result in a catastrophic outcome.

An important principle of marma therapy is quite simple. Where a strong blow can cause injury, a mild touch can cause healing. This is the most important principle of Marma massage. When the knowledge of marma is combined with an ability to both perceive and direct the flow of prana, marma chikitsa becomes a powerful tool for influencing the healing of every known condition.

Marma Abhyanga

The heart, forehead and throat are the most vulnerable areas of the body, head having the greatest concentration of marmas, whereas the areas on the arms and legs are less vulnerable to severe injury. When imbalances exist in the body, the Marma points become sore, but through Marma Abhyanga therapy, balance can be restored.

The major Marma points in our body correspond to various chakras, while the minor Marma points are found around the torso and the limbs. Thus, healing through Marma Abhyanga affects the chakras and the doshas and also stimulates the various organs and systems of the body.

Yet besides anatomically defined marmas, which are the same in everyone, other marmas unique to an individual’s special anatomical structure also exist. These can result from injury, from postural distortions and other changes in our physical structure brought on by various factors from our life-style to the aging process.

Besides these primary marmas there are many other marmas, up to 360 according to some healers. To some extent, any sensitive point on the body of a person is a kind of marma or vulnerable location. The skin itself can be regarded as a greater marma zone in which all the other marmas are contained.

Marmas are also locations in which the doshas of vata, pitta and kapha can be held, along with their subtle essences of prana, tejas and ojas. As sensitive zones, marmas can hold various emotions like fear (vata), anger (pitta) or attachment (kapha), as well as the gunas or primary qualities of sattva (calm), rajas (aggression) and tamas (inertia). In this regard the concept of marmas goes beyond modern medicine and its purely physical definitions to the main principles of mind-body medicine.

MARAMA THERAPY....Stimulate Soul & Body

Increase in protection from vata disorders
Nourishment of the body
Marma massage encourages good sleep
Improvement of physical stability.
Balances doshas
Increases digestive fire, improving digestion

Reduces ama (toxins)
Promotes energy
Rejuvenates
Particularly good for structure problems and arthritis
Relieves nerve pain
Promotes deep relaxation

Marma Massage Today

Simulating or massaging the marma points gives benefits to the area of their locations and improves the function of the connecting organs. The above is only a brief outline to marma massages. Ideally, marma massages should be first consulted with a qualified ayurvedic physician and performed by experienced therapists. The marma massage can be used as a part of a rejuvenation therapy or it could be used as preventative measure from unwanted conditions. Either way, marma massage is a really useful way to help improve or maintain an individual's health balance.

The work I do today with marma therapy has its roots in Kalari, was nurtured by Sushruta, was cultivated and ripened by my own awareness and experiences.