Awesome Ayurvedic Massage!!!

(Tres smiling after his massage)


One morning Tres and I decided to treat ourselves to a massage. I don’t know how many of you have had this special type of massage, but it is a well known feature of Kerala, the area of southern India that we are now in. No offense to Mikkie, my favorite massage therapist, but this was a holistic, mind-blowing experience likei'v never had before!! (Mikkie I think your trip to India recently involved learning more about some of these techniques.)

I won’t go into all the details but let me just give you an idea. First of all, it is totally different than in the states where the therapist leaves and asks you to undress and get under the sheets, towels, etc. Definitely not like China where they massage you fully clothed. (TRES: “AWKWARD”) Instead you undress completely in front of them (women therapist with women clients, men with men) and they strap a little triangular paper loin cloth thing on you! They direct you to a little stool where you sit facing the water (the massage center is in a hut with windowless windows opened to the lake). Then they pour oil on your head and begin massaging your scalp for 5 minutes!!! Head massage, YES! YES! DON’T STOP! I love having my head massaged.


Next they put you on a table (no towels, no sheets), pour hot oil all over you and two people (cause you have two sides!) simultaneously massage you in a coordinated fashion that is so exhilarating you can’t quite believe it. They massage EVERYTHING (well, just about) back and front, slowly at first and then in this cool rapid fashion up and down and across-WQW! DON’T STOP! DON’T STOP!

But that’s not it. I was thinking okay this is great; i'm like a big piece of indian food, smell and all, but it felt good. To my surprise, they wiped off my feet (slippery) and one of the therapist led me to a shower room. Once there she began massaging this great oatmeal-like washing cream into my skin, as I jsut stood there butt naked. It’s like when your mom used to wash you up as a little kid. Remember? It is a very passive and enjoyable experience to have someone take care of you like that. And then she put me under the shower water; she poured a lovely shampoo on my head and massaged it- I rinsed myself off but then she dried me off! I was amazed the whole time. It clearly won the contest for highlight of the day!

I couldn’t help wondering how Tres did with the whole guy thing- but he too emerged with this blissful smile on his face and voted it the best experience ever! He said once he was naked in front of the dudes, he just decided to enjoy it; besides, he figured he could take them out if they did anything crazy. It helps to be a foot taller than everyone around you.