Radhika Iyer, Founder of Anahata Organic, an Entrepreneur, Yogini, Mountaineer & Philanthropist
Marma in Sanskrit means that which is hidden or secret. It is a junction in the body where two or more types of tissues, such as muscles, veins, ligaments, bones or joints join. Sushruta Samhita, the first consolidated text of the Indic science of Ayurveda describes 107 Marma points within the body while the 108th point is given to the mind.
Major Marma points are connected to the seven Chakras, or energy centers of the body and the minor points are spread along the trunk and limbs of the body. These points are said to cover 22 points on the lower part of the body, 22 on the arms, 12 on the chest and stomach, 14 on the back, and 37 on the head and neck.
Interestingly, there also exist 12 such Marma points in the human body that can cause instant death to anyone if subjected to a harsh blow in that area. Martial Art masters from the southern part of India over 5000 years ago have said to use this knowledge to not only save their wounded soldiers, but also to inflict pain and injury on their opponents by striking on their Marma points. There are records of many a wounded kalari fighters who were nursed back to health using Marma therapy.
Marma Yoga is also a science, the application of which has been used as a cure in everything from warfare, surgeries, common ailments, cardiovascular & neuromuscular diseases, mental depression, anxiety disorders, mensuration issues and respiratory diseases. Over centuries, practitioners have used specific Marma-point massages to induce healing in the injured areas.
Marma therapy is administered routinely in traditional Indian sciences such as the Ayurveda and Siddha practices, where trained Marma technicians engage relevant Marma points to increase blood flow to the weaker parts of the body. There is deep scientific evidence to prove that Marma points therapy internally impacts everything in the body and mind; from the functioning of organs to the production of hormones in the gut and brain.
Both Ayurveda and Siddha medicine propagate Marma as an effective method to improve the biochemistry of the human body. It is said to release unwanted stagnant energy and replace it with vital pranic energy into the intricate nervous system of the body.
Marma therapy is often practiced with the use of medicated oils that are infused with medicinal roots, flowers and herbs that bring relief to the body. This is how practicing Marma Yoga at least once a month can help you:
- It will declog your energy channels, making you feel healthy and peaceful at all times.
- It will help anyone suffering from ‘vata Dosha’ enormously improving bone density and nerve function.
- It will create equanimity between the physical, mental and emotional plains reducing cell degeneration, improving stiff joints and strengthening metabolism.
- A session of Marma Yoga can make you experience a positive and powerful mental transformation almost instantly.
- The physical body will experience relief from acute pain after a 10 minute Marma session under a trained therapist.
Indic sciences believe that while stimulation of the Marma points can improve your physical and mental health immensely,
injury to these points can also result in negative health effects in the body that cannot be treated easily. It is therefore important that one must experience this therapy only with technicians who have been trained in the field.
So the next time you feel like getting a massage, pause a moment to redirect that time to experiencing a fully curated Marma Therapy to completely uplift and detoxify you.
