Ayurveda is a traditional Indian medicine. Even today in India, Ayurveda is widely practiced as a complementary and alternative medicine to Western medicine. However, in Japan, Ayurveda is mostly associated with beauty treatments offered at specialized salons, primarily for women, with very few places where men can receive it as a medical treatment.
I became interested in Ayurveda after reading a book about India, but no matter how much I searched, the situation was as described above. In July 2023, when I visited Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, I found an Ayurvedic clinic in Little India, near where I was staying. There, I was finally able to receive the long-desired Ayurvedic treatment, and I’d like to share my real experience.
My Visit to the Ayurvedic Clinic
The clinic was located on the outskirts of Little India. When I told the reception that I wanted to experience Ayurveda as medicine, I was ushered into a waiting room-like lobby for a consultation. An Indian female doctor conducted the medical interview in English, but my English was poor, so I struggled to communicate using a translation app.
To be honest, I wasn’t particularly ill, but I had heard that Ayurveda focused on root cause treatment and improving body constitution. So, hoping to receive Shirodhara, I mentioned symptoms of insomnia (which wasn’t a lie). The doctor then formulated a treatment plan, explaining that Ayurvedic treatment isn’t meant for short-term sessions but is ideally received over a certain period, like a month. Due to my schedule, I ended up receiving treatment for three consecutive days. The cost for three sessions was approximately 15,000 Japanese Yen. I couldn’t tell if that was expensive or not.
What was the Ayurvedic Therapy Like?
The three clinic visits consisted of the same treatments each time: first, a full-body oil massage, followed by Shirodhara. The therapy rooms and therapists were separated by gender. My therapist was a strong, older man.
Stripped Naked and Given a Paper Loincloth in Front of an Old Man!
The therapy room was nothing like a Japanese aesthetic salon treatment room; it was rather bare, like a hospital operating room, with a metal bed in the center. First, the male therapist instructed me to strip naked and put on a paper loincloth. I had to undress in front of him. Once naked, he helped me put on the paper loincloth.
Next, I lay on what was a treatment table, not an operating table, and received a massage. An immense amount of oil was used, and the kneading was so strong that I writhed and slipped all over the table. It was certainly not relaxing or soothing.
After the massage, we moved on to Shirodhara. Since many of you might not be familiar with Shirodhara, I’ll explain it here.
What is Shirodhara?
Shirodhara is one of the treatment methods in Ayurvedic medicine, a traditional Indian healing system. It involves continuously pouring a steady stream of warm oil onto the “third eye” point in the center of the forehead at a consistent rate, inducing a deep state of relaxation.
Effects of Shirodhara
Shirodhara is believed to have various effects, with the main ones being:
- Stress Relief and Relaxation: Shirodhara helps to release tension in the brain, leading to a deep state of relaxation.
- Insomnia Improvement: Shirodhara promotes the dominance of the parasympathetic nervous system, encouraging high-quality sleep.
- Headache Improvement: Shirodhara improves blood circulation in the head, effective in alleviating headaches.
- Eye Strain Improvement: Shirodhara relaxes the muscles around the eyes, effective in relieving eye strain.
- Increased Concentration: Shirodhara activates brain function, effective in improving concentration.
- Skin Beautification: Shirodhara improves blood circulation in the face, which can lead to healthier skin.
The treatment usually lasts approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour. During the treatment, you should close your eyes and relax in a quiet environment.
How Was Shirodhara?
After the agonizing massage, it was finally time for the long-awaited Shirodhara. I was already completely drenched in oil from the full-body oil massage. The old man set up the oil-dripping apparatus at the head of the treatment table. He adjusted it so the warm oil would drip onto my third eye, and then started pouring it. My prior information had suggested deep relaxation, but the oil was incredibly hot, making relaxation impossible. It was so hot I thought I might get burned, and it was all I could do to tolerate it.
Finally, the Shirodhara was over. Although the oil was designed to drain from the table, my entire body, from head to toe, was covered in oil. Getting off the table was also a struggle. My body was so slippery that I couldn’t even sit up. It was difficult just to get one foot on the floor. I tried to wash off the oil in the shower, but at first, no lather formed at all. I managed to wash somewhat, but I was still oily.
Finally, I was served ginger tea in the lobby, and the therapy concluded. This process was repeated for three days. Both the massage and Shirodhara were completely different from my expectations; they were anything but relaxing. Afterward, I’m still not sure if there were any effects. The clinic told me that my stay was too short this time and that I should come for a longer stay next time, and with that, my first Ayurvedic experience ended.
Conclusion
This is a true account of my first Ayurvedic treatment in Malaysia. I imagine it was quite different from what many of you might envision Ayurveda to be. If you’re interested, you might be able to find authentic Ayurvedic treatments in India or in Indian communities around the world. Perhaps consider it as an option.
