Garshana - Ayurvedic dry-brushing,

This dinacharya practice promotes lymphatic cleansing and is a powerful way to support the removal of ama, (the unwanted buildup up toxicity) from the body.

Using a natural bristle body brush, this technique is recommended everyone but especially for people who have signs of ama, which may include fatigue, stress, sluggishness, feeling physical or mental dullness, depression, constipation, or a taxed immune system.

Dry brushing helps to stimulate kapha (the sluggish and at times over abundant elements of earth and water) in the body and encourage movement and drainage of excess mucus.

Because garshana is stimulating, people who are predominantly kapha in their constitution will benefit from practicing garshana daily. Those who are predominantly pitta can do this practice 4–5 times per week. And those with more vata would best benefit from doing this practice 1-3 times per week.

If your skin is on the dryer side or you are prone to experience mental anxiety (indications of increased vata), it is important to do Abhyanga (Ayurvedic self-massage) with warm oil after dry brushing to help nourish and re-lubricate the skin. This helps to bring vata dosha back into balance by calming the nervous system.

How do I do it?

Skin brushing is best done in the morning before bathing, with dry skin that is free from lotion or oil

• Make sure the room where the massage will be done is a comfortable temperature

• Stand in the bathtub/shower or on a towel to avoid getting flaky skin on the floor

• massage vigorously to stimulate the skin and lymph

• Keep the direction of the stroke always toward the heart

• Use circular strokes on the stomach and joints (shoulders, elbows, knees, wrists, hips, and ankles), and long sweeping strokes on the arms and legs (toward the heart)

• Massage from the feet upward, continuing to the torso and on to the neck

• Massage from the hands to the shoulders

• Massage the stomach and buttocks in circular clockwise motions

• Apply light pressure where the skin is thin or sensitive and firm pressure on thicker areas like the bottoms of the feet

enjoy, this lovely practice is a game changer so have some fun with it!