Self Massage in Rajadhiraja Yoga

In a previous blog I have written about the benefits of self-massage in Rajadhiraja yoga. You can read that blog post here.

Here I write about the actual practice and provide the step-by-step instructions.

Directions

1. Start by rubbing your hands together – this will activate your circulation, produce heat and energy and generate prana (the vital energy) in your hands.
2. Place your palms over your eyes and take a few deep breaths
3. Use the tips of your fingers to sweep across the eyebrows from the inside to the outer corners.
4. Place your fingertips on your brows and massage up your forehead and then over the top of your head all the way down the back of your head (with full palms). Repeat this and the following strokes 3 times (unless otherwise noted). Three strokes are the minimum – you can do more of them, time permitting.
5. Press index, middle and ring fingers into the inner corner of your eye, below the brow bone, then sweep across the upper edge of your eyelids, just below the eyebrows, from the inside to the outside corners, across the temple, down to the earlobe and continue up and around the curve of the ear back to the face.
6. Press index fingers into the inner corner of eyes and sweep underneath the eyes towards the temples and above the ears and continue around the curve of the ears down towards the earlobes.
7. Stick index fingers into the ears and gently twist around in the inner surface of the entrance into the ear a few times.
8. Gently massage earlobes and outer edge of the ears.
9. Using the inner edge of your hands, massage each side of the nose, the nostrils and sinuses.
10. Place your fingertips above the upper lip, stiffen the muscles of your lips and slide your index fingers over the area underneath your nose to the sides of your mouth and then around the bottom of your mouth (below the lower lip).
11. Next place the tips of your thumbs next to each other and start massaging the area just behind the jawbone, moving from the chin all the way up towards the earlobes.
12. Then place your fingertips on each side of the esophagus and massage from the centre of the front of the neck to the back.
13. Gently squeeze your upper back around the neck area.
14. Massage the inside of your armpit and take your time as this are contains a large number of lymph nodes.
15. Repeat the same on the left side.
16. Massage your right shoulder and then press the left hand downwards along your right upper arm towards the elbow and continue beyond the elbow downwards along your lower arm and your hand (movement should be in the direction of hair growth).
17. Massage your right hand by gently squeezing your palm and then each finger.
18. Repeat point 16 and 17 on the left side.
19. Place your hands on your back – as in Gomukhasana (Cow Head’s pose) and massage your back by pulling the hands in opposite direction.
20. Switch arms and repeat on the other side.
21. Place both hands on your mid-back and massage in a downward movement towards your buttocks.
22. Place hands on your chest and massage your breasts in a circular movement.
23. Position your hands on each side of the navel and massage the abdomen from the centre towards the sides. Coordinate with your breathing: inhale and when you start exhaling press into your abdomen, finishing the stroke at the end of the exhalation.
24. Place your hands around the hip joint and using all your fingers massage the many lymph glands in your groins.
25. Using both hands stroking downwards, massage your entire thigh.
26. Next, place your right hand on top of your right knee and left hand under the knee. Push your kneecap forward, away from your body, while pulling towards the body with the left hand – make sure to apply sufficient pressure on the back of your knee as this is another area rich in lymph nodes.
27. Continue massaging down your calf in downward strokes using both hands.
28. Massage your ankle by placing both hands on the ankle and then pulling hands across the ankle in opposite direction.
29. Repeat steps 24 to 28 on the left hand side.
30. Massage your right foot by pressing the thumbs into the soles of the foot, starting with the toes and gradually working down towards the heels.
31. Repeat on the left side.
32. Finish by slapping the soles of your feet to enhance blood circulation.
33. After self-massage rest for 5 to 10 min in Shavasana – corpse pose.