Ayurvedic Oils

Which oil goes where, and how. Written for my vata prakriti, mostly with the sinus in mind.¹ Pitta entries are from general references.

Basics

• Warm oil. Cold oil aggravates vata. Kapha takes it warm to hot, pitta lukewarm.
• Vata is dry, light, cold, rough, mobile. Heavy, warm, generous oil.
• Kapha is heavy, slow, cold, oily, dense. The least oil that works: light, hot, brisk.
• Pitta is hot, sharp, a little oily. Cooling oils, moderate amounts.
• Vata and kapha are both cold, so warming oils serve both. Vata takes it heavy and generous, kapha in the smallest amount that works.

Abhyanga (body massage)

• Vata
  • Sesame oil as the base.
  • Almond oil for face and head. Lighter than sesame.
  • Mahanarayana taila mixed into the sesame. Joints, stiffness.
  • Dhanwantharam taila. Rejuvenating, supports the nervous system, relieves fatigue.
  • Bala taila or Bala Ashwagandhadi taila for thinness and fatigue.
  • Ksheerabala taila for anxiety, insomnia, nerve pain.
  • Sahacharadi taila for legs and sciatica. Karpasasthyadi taila for neck and shoulders.
  • Castor oil is very heavy. One part in four of sesame.
  • Ghee for dryness that comes with heat or irritation.
• Kapha
  • Kottamchukkadi taila, Nirgundi taila, or plain mustard oil.
  • Udvartana, dry powder massage with Kolakulathadi, instead of oil when heaviness is the issue.
  • Prasarini taila for cold joints. Karpasasthyadi works here too.
  • Coconut oil and ghee don’t suit kapha.
• Pitta
  • Coconut oil as the base.
  • Sunflower oil as a light base. Chandanadi taila for burning, heat, restless sleep.
  • Ksheerabala and Dhanwantharam are tolerated. Sesame-based but gentle.
  • Lukewarm oil. Mustard doesn’t suit pitta.

Hair and scalp

• Vata
  • Sesame oil, almond oil.
  • Bhringraj taila. Roots the hair, prevents premature hair fall, calms vata-type sleep issues.
  • Bala Ashwagandhadi taila. Strengthens weak hair roots, relieves mental stress.
  • Neelibhringadi taila or Brahmi Bhringadi taila for hair fall.
• Kapha
  • Mustard oil.
  • A light base with neem, rosemary or tulsi. Scalp only.
• Pitta
  • Coconut oil base. Neelibhringadi for hair fall and early greying.
  • Brahmi taila on the head for sleep and stress.

Nasya (nose)

• Anu taila. The traditional medicated oil for daily or therapeutic nasya. Clears the senses, grounds the nervous system.
• Helps with sinus and nasal blockage.²
• Almond oil on the face and head also helps the sinus.
• Warm the oil, head tilted back, two drops per nostril, sniff gently. Forceful inhaling can pull oil into the airway (lipoid pneumonia).
• Vata: Anu taila daily. Shadbindu taila for headaches. Ksheerabala 101 for anxiety.
• Kapha: Shadbindu, Vacha taila. Not ghee.
• Pitta: ghee, or Anu taila at the two-drop dose. Skip during fever or inflammation.

Ear oiling

• Warm sesame or Ksheerabala, weekly, for vata.
• Skip with any congestion or fluid in the ear.

How to apply

	Vata	Kapha	Pitta
Amount	Generous, more than feels necessary	A thin film	Moderate
Pressure and speed	Slow, steady, long strokes	Brisk, vigorous	Even, unhurried
How often	Daily, or 3 to 4 times a week	1 to 2 times a week, dry massage more often	2 to 3 times a week
Leave it on	20 to 30 minutes	10 to 15 minutes	15 to 20 minutes
Afterwards	Warm shower, little soap, keep a film	Hot shower, wash it off	Lukewarm shower
Time of day	Morning, or before bed	Morning	Morning or evening, not midday
Where to focus	Feet and scalp	Chest, back, joints. Light on a congested chest	Head, feet, palms
Oil temperature	Warm	Warm to hot	Lukewarm

Oils by prakriti and use (interactive diagram)

Vata and kapha

The two-dosha version the diagram above grew out of.

Base oils and medicated oils

Cautions

• Skip abhyanga during fever, illness, indigestion and right after eating.
• Patch-test anything new. Several of these are potent and heating.
• Check with a practitioner before regular nasya if pregnant, on medication, or with a skin or sinus condition.
• Kottakkal, AVP and Vaidyaratnam are the reliable brands.

Footnotes