Calming the mind can sound like an uphill battle, but it doesn’t have to be! As I continue to seek out healing strategies that work for opening chakras, I’d like to tell you about an Ayurvedic experience called Shirodhara. There are a lot of unknowns about it that can make you feel nervous about having it done. From balancing the third eye chakra to clearing the eyes to releasing stuck emotions to reducing anxiety to calming the nervous system, there are also a lot of benefits that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Shirodhara can be used as a tool to enhance intuition or as an opportunity for some luxurious self-care.

In this post, you’ll learn what Shirodhara, the ancient technique of pouring oil on the forehead is, how it allows you to melt into a deep state of relaxation, the benefits, and how it can open the third eye chakra. I’ll also share a personal experience of what it was like to receive a Shirodhara treatment.

SHIRODHARA SIMPLIFIED

So, let’s leave behind all the ‘rules’ about opening the third eye chakra and instead lean into a way that’s EASY and leads to true mental relaxation while giving us access to our intuition.

You don’t need to know what Shirodhara is for it to have an impact. The word Shirodhara literally means shiro (head) and dhara (flow). It’s an ancient Ayurvedic technique based on centuries of knowledge for maintaining health and wellbeing that involves the gentle pouring of warm oil over the forehead in a steady stream.

As the oil flows, it releases tension and promotes a sense of deep relaxation.

The treatment is done while lying on your back on a massage bed with a stand (Dhara stand) by your head suspending a vessel (Dhara Pot) on a hook. The vessel is full of warm oil and has a clasp at the bottom which controls the flow of oil during the session. The process continues for 60-90 minutes while you just lay there, relax, and enjoy.

SHIRODHARA opens THE THIRD EYE CHAKRA

The Anja, brow, or third eye chakra is in the middle of the forehead between the eyebrows and is responsible for eyesight, pineal gland health as well as our ability to plan and use our intuition. When the steady rhythmic pouring of oil occurs over the forehead in a Shirodhara experience, it allows the release of all thoughts. You enter a state of deep relaxation where you can make space for new ideas to enter.

As your third eye opens, intuition is awakened, and life force energy starts to flow throughout the body.

BENEFITS OF SHIRODHARA

Unblocks the third eye chakra
Facilitates stress reduction
Pacifies Vata (Ayurvedic Dosha) which can help you feel more grounded, warm, and well-nourished
It brings right-left balance to the body
Improves the ability to concentrate
Decreases anxiety
Increases serotonin levels to uplift the emotions
Relieves headaches
Balances emotions
Reduces stress
Stabilizes the activity of the mind
Calms the nervous system

SHIRODHARA REALLY WORKS

The objective of this study was to evaluate the psychological and physiological effects of Shirodhara by monitoring the rate of mood and levels of stress.

It concluded that a standardized Shirodhara treatment can lead to a state of alert calmness like the relaxation response observed in meditation.

And it found that a Shirodhara experience was accompanied by a significant decrease in the rate of breathing and a reduction in blood pressure as well as heart rate.

MY SHIRODHARA experience

As the oil began to stream over my forehead my third eye chakra became activated. The left side of it had felt more stuck than the right but eventually, it opened all the way. The muscles in my face begin to relax as the energy continued to move down my body. My throat chakra opened, and the energy continued to swirl to my heart chakra, solar plexus chakra, sacral chakra, and finally to my root chakra.

I had thoughts of people that I hadn’t talked to in months drift through my mind as well as past experiences I thought I had released. I even had a glimpse into a past life which wasn’t unusual as recalling events buried deep in the past and being able to see them from a vantage point previously inaccessible is common according to the Chopra Center. The mental clarity gained enables people to move through unresolved traumas, pains, and emotional issues.

As my treatment continued, deep internal heat began to release in my body. The gurgling of my intestines could be heard along with the gentle flow of oil. I could feel the waves of release continue to move throughout my body as the session progressed and as it was hard to maintain cognitive awareness, I allowed myself to fully surrender to the process and drift off into a blissful sleep. After the treatment, I felt very content and ‘nourished’ from the inside out.

WRAPPING UP SHIRODHARA

There you have it, the Ayurvedic treatment that can be used to unblock the third eye chakra. I love searching for healing modalities that open chakras because I get to experience things that I may not otherwise have thought of.

A Shirodhara experience is reinvigorating, relaxing and enjoyable and I highly recommend it for anyone into luxurious self-care.

Our bodies are constantly giving us signals to stay balanced and keep us healthy. We know intuitively that when we heed these signals we thrive. Working in concert with your body’s signals can help you achieve lifelong wellness. There is so much you can do to clear chakras, and when you are ready, you can indulge in a Shirodhara treatment for yourself! Yes, luxurious self-care is where it’s at, and unique experiences for opening chakras are out there if you know where to look.

Not sure if your third eye chakra is blocked? I’d love to invite you to take my chakra quiz and find out.

WANT TO FIND OUT WHICH OF YOUR CHAKRAS ARE BLOCKED?

Take the chakra quiz so you can do something about it!