The Garshan massage is a traditional Ayurvedic dry massage. The Sanskrit word gharshana literally means "rub".

This massage is performed with wild silk, bourette silk, or linen gloves and balances Kapha while stimulating and increasing Vata and Pitta. In Maharishi Pancha Karma Therapy, the Garshan massage is performed synchronously by two therapists - a particularly invigorating, refreshing and energising experience. But also the self-massage with the gloves has a very stimulating, cleansing and vitalising effect.

Especially in spring, with Kapha constitution and Kapha imbalance (fatigue, overweight, metabolic disorders such as diabetes, oedema and lymph congestion), this type of massage is highly recommended as a self application. The dry rubbing of the body with the wild silk gloves creates a powerful exfoliating effect, rubbing away dead skin layers and impurities. The rough surface of the gloves stimulates circulation and microcirculation. The gentle pressure applied at the same time also gets the lymph flow going. All these factors together cleanse and strengthen the skin and connective tissue. This connective tissue stimulation has a preventive and healing effect on cellulite.

The Garshan massage can be used very well to support weight reduction.

The connective tissue - meda dhatu in Sanskrit - is an important storage medium of the body. Everything that the body cannot use at the moment is deposited here - valuable energy reserves in the form of storage fat as well as fat- and water-soluble environmental toxins that burden the body and limit performance. All these substances are mobilised during cleansing cures (herbal purification, Pancha Karma). The Garshan massage helps the dissolved waste products to re-enter the circulation and then be disposed of via the digestive system and the sweat glands.

Every cleansing regimen should include at least one Garshan massage.

How to do it:

• Head/neck: only very gentle circular strokes over the forehead, cheeks and chin, vigorous circular massage movements on the neck and shoulders, the front of the neck above the thyroid gland only very gently "caress" in a circular motion.

• Arms: vigorous circular strokes over the shoulder, elbow and wrist joints, while rubbing up and down the inside and outside of the upper and lower arms with strong strokes.

• Trunk: After the arms, very gentle circular movements in the upper chest area (leaving out the female breasts!), gently circular around the navel, then horizontally and diagonally vigorously over the abdomen with hand movements in opposite directions.

• Back: The back is massaged with strong strokes up and down, then with strong pressure and small circles over the lower lumbar vertebrae and the sacro-iliac joints.

• Buttocks and legs: Massage the hips and buttocks with very strong circular movements. Then, with both hands, first the left thigh with strong up and down movements, then the knee in a circular motion, the lower leg again with up and down movements, the ankle in a circular motion and the forefoot with short strong straight strokes. Repeat the same on the right leg.

Kapha types and overweight people with large-pored, oily skin should take a warm shower immediately after the Garshan massage. Vata and Pitta types, underweight people and people with very dry skin should have a very short oil massage immediately after the Garshan massage and then take a bath or shower.

When is it done?

Like any Ayurvedic massage, Garshan massage with gloves can be done at any time.

Garshan works best when this massage is done during the Kapha time of day and season, i.e. in the morning and spring. Sensitive people with Vata excess should not do the Garshan massage in the evening under any circumstances, in order not to stimulate Vata too much before sleeping.