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Encourage deep relaxation and reduce feelings of stress.
A warm-oil ritual for grounding, softness and deep relaxation
Ayurvedic massage in the City of London.
Ayurvedic massage is a traditional full-body oil treatment rooted in Ayurveda. We offer Abhyanga, a flowing treatment performed with warm oil and slow, rhythmic movements, designed to create a restorative whole-body experience.
What is Ayurvedic massage?
A holistic oil treatment designed to help you slow down, warm up and feel more restored.
Ayurvedic massage is a traditional full-body oil treatment rooted in Ayurveda, a holistic system that originated in India. We offer Abhyanga, a flowing treatment performed with warm oil and slow, rhythmic movements. Depending on your preferences, the massage may include the back, arms and legs, abdomen, face, feet and scalp, creating a deeply relaxing and restorative experience.
Abhyanga is not the same as deep tissue massage or clinical manual lymphatic drainage. Its gentle, repetitive strokes and abdominal work may encourage a feeling of warmth, circulation and lightness. However, it should not be presented as a treatment for lymphoedema or as a scientifically proven method of “detoxification.”
What are doshas?
Traditional patterns used to describe physical and emotional tendencies.
In traditional Ayurveda, a dosha is a functional pattern used to describe physical and emotional tendencies. Vata is associated with movement, lightness and change. Pitta is associated with warmth, focus and transformation. Kapha is associated with stability, structure and nourishment.
Most people are understood to express all three doshas in different proportions, often with one or two being more prominent. “Balancing the doshas” is a traditional Ayurvedic wellness concept rather than a conventional medical diagnosis.
Potential benefits
What people often appreciate after an Ayurvedic session.
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Ease general muscular tension and stiffness.
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Nourish and soften the skin through warm botanical oils.
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Create a sense of grounding and whole-body connection.
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Support restful recovery and body awareness.
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Provide temporary relief from some forms of muscular discomfort.
What does the research say?
Encouraging evidence — with sensible limits.
Research on Ayurvedic massage is still relatively small, but available studies suggest possible short-term benefits for stress and some pain-related outcomes.
Abhyanga and subjective stress
A small pilot study involving 20 healthy adults found that one hour of Abhyanga significantly reduced participants’ reported stress and lowered heart rate. Blood pressure decreased only among participants with pre-hypertension. As the study was small and did not include a control group, its findings are promising but preliminary (Basler, 2011).
Chronic low back pain
A randomised controlled trial involving 64 people with chronic nonspecific lower-back pain found that two weeks of Ayurvedic massage and external treatment produced greater short-term pain reduction than local thermal therapy. Psychological wellbeing also improved, although function and disability did not, and longer-term effects remain uncertain (Kumar et al., 2017).
Oils used during treatment
Warm, nourishing oils from Essential Ayurveda.
We use high-quality massage oils from Essential Ayurveda. The company describes its oils as traditionally prepared through a multi-step process in which herbal decoctions are incorporated into nourishing base oils.
Its cured organic sesame oil is prepared with turmeric, manjistha and cinnamon and is recommended by the brand for Abhyanga massage. This complements the ritual, warm and grounding quality of the treatment.
Overall
A nurturing full-body ritual, guided by skilled touch and time to slow down.
Overall, Ayurvedic massage offers a nurturing full-body ritual combining skilled touch, warm oils and time to slow down. It is best enjoyed as a complementary wellbeing treatment rather than a replacement for medical care.
If you are looking for a calm, restorative treatment with a gentler rhythm than deep tissue work, Abhyanga can be a beautiful way to reconnect with the body.
References
Sources used on this page.
- Basler, A.J. (2011) ‘Pilot study investigating the effects of Ayurvedic Abhyanga massage on subjective stress experience’, Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 17(5), pp. 435–440.
- Essential Ayurveda (2026) ‘Massage and body oils’ (Accessed: 21 July 2026).
- Kumar, S., Rampp, T., Kessler, C. et al. (2017) ‘Effectiveness of Ayurvedic massage (Sahacharadi Taila) in patients with chronic low back pain: A randomized controlled trial’, Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 23(2), pp. 109–115.