In a culture that shames individuals with larger bodies, tries to sell us fat-free snacks and convinces us that we need oil-free cleansers and moisturizers, where can we find our squish? How can we remain juicy? Where do we go to get lubricated?
Though it is a word that has carried so much stigma and shame, fat is incredibly vital to our well-being.
Our ancient ancestors prized fats and oils above all- plants with a high lipid content are among the most nutritive wild foods, and lipids (fats) are necessary for the processes of our organs. Most of the vitamins that we depend on for survival are fat soluble, as are toxins, which our bodies need fats in order to process. Fat keeps our tissues healthy and high functioning, and moisturizes our bodies from the inside.
In addition to nourishment, the oils of certain plants and heartwoods have always been greatly valued for their fragrances and ceremonial importance. Across a multitude of cultures, oils and unguents are used to anoint the body in preparation of sacred ritual.
In ancient Sanskrit, the word sneha carries three meanings. It can be used to convey the concept of oiliness/glossiness, the feeling of love/deep affection, and also, the fluids and soft tissues of the body. Dr. Naina Marballi of Ayurveda’s World, once explained to me that ancient Sanskrit speakers believed the feeling of “love” to be akin to the feeling of the body being coated in warm oils.
In Ayurveda, self-Abhyanga, the art of self-massage with oil, is recommended as often as is possible for you. As we coat our bodies with oil, massaging ourselves from scalp to soles, we are lubricating and nourishing our skin, which is our largest organ, and also the one that separates us from the outside world. Taking care of the skin in this way strengthens the barrier of your body’s first defense against environmental toxins and pathogens.
Self massage with oil also gets our blood and lymph fluids flowing. It allows dead skin cells and dried up keratin to be loosened from the surface of our skin, it softens dried sebum (oil that our bodies produce) that is trapped in our pores (as blackheads), and most importantly, it feels good! Our bodies love to be touched. Our bodies love movement and attention, and nourishment in any form.
If you are reading this, it is your invitation to massage your entire body with oils as soon as you can. I recommend any food-grade oil that is liquid at room temperature, such as untoasted sesame, almond or sunflower oil. Coconut oil is also great and olive oil will do in a pinch!
As you coat your body with your oil and work it into the skin, tell each part of your body how much you love it, and how grateful you are to be alive and have a body.
Your body may not look exactly how you wish it looked, or how society tells you it “should” look. Cover your body with oil and love anyway. As you move your oily hands all over your own body, encountering parts of yourself you may not always pay attention to- notice your flesh and joints. How does every part of your body feel? As you encounter places where you may have tightness or pain, coat them with extra oil, give them extra attention with your hands, and send even more love.
As you encounter the parts of your body that you may have insecurities about, look right at them, and tell them that you love them. Cover that insecurity with oil. Lovingly put your hands all over it and massage away any feelings that your body is supposed to be any other way than what it is. Allow the oil to carry away your pain, your insecurity, and the environmental toxins that your skin has encountered.
After you have given yourself Abhyanga, it’s best to keep the oil on your skin for a few hours, to allow it time to penetrate into deeper layers of tissue. You can use this time for a really fun activity, such as- relaxing naked outside, enjoying a snack, taking a nap (on an old towel, to keep the oil off your sheets), stretching or doing yoga, even watching a movie. You can also leave the oil on overnight.
When you’re ready, dab off any excess oil with a rag, then take a warm bath or shower, cleansing as you normally would. Notice how supple your skin and hair feel! How much less inflamed!
You can repeat this practice daily, or as often as you are called to.
Your body is your vessel for experiencing the world around you- for experiencing pleasure!
When we create the space for small rituals that deeply nourish our tissues and keep our organs functioning well, it makes our bodies and our minds that much more resilient. Caring for ourselves can greatly expand our capacities for joy and for pleasure.
No matter what your body looks like- or how it functions- it is your wonderful, sacred container, and it is worthy of love EXACTLY as it is right now. Our bodies will always feel better when they have been lubed up and loved on.
Don’t be afraid to love your body, and bask in all its glory. Coat your sneha (your bodily tissues) in sneha (oil) and sneha (love!) today, and notice the difference in how you feel tomorrow.
About the Author:
Sarah Penello holds a B.S. in Anthropology from Florida State University, with specializations in Ethnobotany and Subsistence Practices. She completed Ayurvedic Yoga Teacher Training with Leslie Hanks in 2010, and completed the Ayurvedic Practitioner course at Ayurveda’s World in 2013.
She is a senior editor at Creatrix, where her work focuses on plant magic and medicine, the healing powers of storytelling, art & music, Sacred Ecology and ecofemism.
