WELCOME
ayurvedIC
MASSAGE
AYURVEDA IS A SANSKRIT WORD DERIVED FROM 2 WORDS: AYUR, MEANING “LIFE”, AND VEDA, MEANING “KNOWLEDGE.” “KNOWLEDGE ARRANGED SYSTEMATICALLY WITH LOGIC BECOMES SCIENCE”, AND SO AYURVEDA, WITH ITS MULTIPLE SYSTEMS OF ANCIENT MEDICINE, CAN BE TRANSLATED TO MEAN “THE SCIENCE OF LIFE.”
EMBRACE ANCIENT WELLNESS WITH HOLISTIC AYURVEDIC MASSAGE
“IN A SPIRITUAL SENSE, THE EARTH IS OUR HOME, AND WE ARE DESIGNED TO BE SURROUNDED BY THE BEAUTY THAT ABOUNDS. TO BASK IN THE WARMTH OF THE MORNING SUN, TO LOSE OURSELVES IN THE AROMA OF WILDFLOWERS, TO PAUSE AS WE LISTEN TO THE SOUNDS OF BIRDS SINGING, TO DIVE INTO THE REFRESHING ELIXIR OF A SPRING WATER CREEK, TO ELEVATE THE SENSES THROUGH A REFRESHING BOUNTY OF HAND-FORAGED BERRIES. THESE ARE THE MOMENTS THAT MAKE OUR SOUL SING. THESE ARE THE PRACTICES THAT BRING OUR BODY, MIND AND SPIRIT BACK INTO ALIGNMENT, THAT RECONNECT US WITH MOTHER NATURE, OUR TRUE HOME, AND CREATE A POETIC RESONANCE BETWEEN OUR SOUL AND OUR SENSES.”
- Chasca Summerville - Ayurvedic Rituals 
Soothing massage with warm, nourishing oils.
ABHYANGA
- AYURVEDIC MASSAGE
THERE ARE VARIOUS FORMS OF AYURVEDIC MASSAGE. INDIRA PREDOMINANTLY FOCUSES ON MANIPULATING MARMA POINTS, WHICH CAN BE COMPARED TO THE MORE WIDELY RECOGNISED CHINESE ACUPRESSURE POINTS.
THERE ARE SAID TO BE 107 MARMA POINTS THROUGHOUT THE BODY, AND AYURVEDA DESCRIBES THESE POINTS AS BEING ABLE TO BE MANIPULATED TO IMPROVE THE FLOW OF VITAL LIFE ENERGY, OR PRANA.
MEDICALLY, MARMA POINTS ARE REFERRED TO AS NEURO-LYMPHATIC POINTS, MEANING THAT MANIPULATION OF THESE POINTS CAN STIMULATE THE LYMPHATIC SYSTEM. HIGHLY INFLUENTIAL TO OVERALL WELLBEING, THE LYMPHATIC SYSTEM DRAINS FLUID FROM THE TISSUES INTO THE BLOODSTREAM, CONTAINS WHITE BLOOD CELLS WHICH FIGHT INFECTION AND GETS RID OF WASTE FROM CELLS.
AYURVEDIC MASSAGE UTILISES SPECIFIC TECHNIQUES, BUT IS TAILORED TO EACH CLIENT’S INDIVIDUAL NEEDS.
MICHELLE WORKS INTUITIVELY TO DESIGN HER UNIQUE TREATMENTS FOR INDIRA. COMBINING HER KNOWLEDGE OF AYURVEDA AND AROMATHERAPY WITH FOLK HERBALISM, AND INSPIRED BY ANCIENT RITUAL, MICHELLE PRESENTS 3 SIGNATURE TREATMENTS FOR HEAD, FACE AND FEET.
THE ORIGINAL INTENTION OF AYURVEDA IS TO PROLONG AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE, AND TO PROGRESS TOWARDS ENLIGHTENMENT. THERE ARE 8 BRANCHES OF THIS HOLISTIC APPROACH. ONE OF THE WAYS IN WHICH AYURVEDA IS PRACTICED IS THROUGH MASSAGE, OR ABHYANGA.
At the beginning of your treatment, delicate shells are placed gently over your ears. Through them, you hear the sea — the soft rhythm of waves, the whisper of tides, the gentle call of distant waters.
It is a quiet invitation to arrive fully in the moment, to leave the outside world behind, and to begin your journey of calm, grounding, and restoration.
ceremony space
Traditional Head, Hand & Foot Massage
A return to the ancient practice of ayurveda.
Our physical appearance can be seen as a portal to our internal health. The state of our complexion, the strength of our nails and hair, our posture, as well as the lustre of our eyes are all gateways for understanding the inner workings of our mind, body and spirit.
AT THE therapy bed
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AYURVEDIC FACIAL (MUKHA ABHYANGA ) W/ FLORAL FACE STEAM (SWEDANA) |
THE TREATMENT
STARTING WITH A FLORAL NADI SWEDANA - LOCALISED AYURVEDIC STEAM - THE PORES OF THE FACE ARE OPENED, TENSION MELTING AWAY FROM THE FACIAL MUSCLES. THE FACE IS THEN CLEANSED AND TONED USING EXQUISITE ORGANIC PRODUCTS, BEFORE A HOMEMADE FRESH FACE MASK IS PREPARED BESPOKE TO YOUR SKINCARE NEEDS. WHILST THE MASK DOES ITS MAGIC, THE MASSAGE BEGINS.
THE HANDS ARE MASSAGED IN AYURVEDIC STYLE, FOCUSING ON MARMA POINTS, AS THE MASK DRIES. ONCE THE MASK IS GENTLY WASHED AWAY, THE MUKHA ABHYANGA BEGINS. MICHELLE THEN USES HER JADE GUA SHA TOOL TO FURTHER RELEASE TENSION, ENCOURAGING BLOOD RETURN AND AIDING IN LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE.
THE TREATMENT IS FINISHED WITH EYE CREAM, SERUM AND MOISTURISER.
THE BENEFITS
MUKHA ABHYANGA IS OFTEN REFERRED TO AS A ‘NATURAL FACELIFT’ DUE TO THE PLUMPING AND HYDRATING QUALITIES OF THE TECHNIQUE. THE INDIRA TAKE ON THIS ANCIENT PRACTICE IS A FEAST FOR THE SENSES: PLAYFUL, OTHERWORLDLY AND BESPOKE TO YOU! EXPECT BOTH GLOWING SKIN AND SPIRITS.
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AYURVEDIC HEAD, NECK & SHOULDER MASSAGE (SHIRO ABHYANGA) W/ JASMINE OIL |
THE TREATMENT
COME INDULGE IN THIS TRULY, DEEPLY RELAXING TREATMENT. INDIRA’S TAKE ON SHIRO ABYHANGA IS JASMINE SOAKED AND LUXURIOUS, BEGINNING WITH A SETTLING FLORAL FOOT BATH TO ORIENT AND GROUND YOU.
YOU WILL BE ASKED TO BARE YOUR SHOULDERS, A SOFT TOWEL DRAPED ABOUT YOUR CHEST TO PROTECT YOUR CLOTHES AND MODESTY. IN CLASSIC AYURVEDIC STYLE, OIL OF JASMINE IS POURED OVER THE HEAD AND NECK AND THOROUGHLY MASSAGED INTO THE SCALP. MARMA POINTS ALL OVER THE HEAD, NECK AND SHOULDERS ARE MANIPULATED WITH ANCIENT MASSAGE TECHNIQUES.
THE BENEFITS
HEAD, NECK AND SHOULDER MASSAGE IS AN INTIMATE THERAPY WHICH STIMULATES COGNITIVE FUNCTION, CAN IMPROVE SLEEP, MEMORY AND MOTOR SKILLS. THIS PRACTICE ALSO HELPS REGULATE THE NERVOUS SYSTEM, IMPROVE EMOTIONAL REGULATION AND BALANCE HORMONES. SCALP MASSAGE ALSO AIDS HAIR GROWTH!
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AYURVEDIC FOOT MASSAGE (PADABHYANGAM) W/ FLORAL FOOT BATH |
THE TREATMENTTHIS TRADITIONAL INDIAN FOOT MASSAGE TREATMENT IS EXTREMELY SOOTHING AND HIGHLY TECHNICAL. BEGINNING WITH A GROUNDING FLORAL FOOT BATH, THE FEET ARE THEN WASHED, SCRUBBED AND CREAMED AS YOU LIE BACK ON THE TREATMENT BED.
FEET AND LOWER LEGS ARE SOAKED IN A BLEND OF THERAPEUTIC OILS AS MARMA POINTS ARE STIMULATED USING A COMBINATION OF A THAI FOOT STICK, AYURVEDIC KANSA CUP, AYURVEDIC FOOT BOWL AND WAND.
THE BENEFITS
AS THE FAR EXTREMITIES OF THE BODY AND THE CONNECTIVE POINTS BETWEEN OURSELVES AND THE EARTH - THE FEET HOLD A LOT OF TENSION. BY WORKING TO RELAX THEM, YOU ARE INVITING THE WHOLE BODY TO GROUND INTO EARTH AND RELEASE LONG HELD TENSION.
IN AYURVEDA, THE FEET ARE CONNECTED TO OUR EYES, MEANING STIMULATION OF THE FEET AIMS TO BRING CLARITY TO THE SENSE OF SIGHT.
THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST THERAPIES FOR TREATING INSOMNIA.
Client Reviews
“Had the most amazing treatment with Michelle. After following the Shepherd’s Purse for a while, I took the plunge and booked in for the Goddess Awakening Crystal Ritual. The treatment was so relaxing, the environment and Michelle’s persona was amazing. I totally relaxed into the treatment and felt myself drift off. I will definitely be booking when next visiting Whitby. Can highly recommend. If I lived locally I would become a regular visitor. See you soon Michelle.”
— — Chantil.“It was so much more than a facial. It was an energy healing, facial, head massage, crystal healing, sound healing. In parts, I was melding and merging into the bed. I didn't even feel solid anymore. I felt things unknot inside of me. I had such a beautiful time. If I am ever this way, I will so be doing that again. One of the most powerful treatments I'VE ever had, and I can't thank you enough. It's not something I would ever have booked for myself. I highly recommend a treatment here with anybody who lives in the local area.”
— — - Samantha “Having never had a treatment of this kind, I had no expectations. From the moment I walked into the treatment space, I felt relaxed. Michelle is very personable. My experience was AMAZING. it grounded me and cleared my negative energies accumulated over a bad few years and gave me the strength I required to move forward. I can’t recommend Michelle enough.”
— Jo“This is a review for the Ayurveda foot massage which I had in the gorgeous setting of shepherds purse. As soon as you walk through the secluded courtyard, you are surrounded by a wonderful atmosphere and gorgeous setting.
I met Michelle in a cosy, calm room for my treatment, and after a lovely chat where she instantly puts you at ease, she began the treatment. I’ve never had a foot massage before, but it was incredible! A floral footbath followed by a scrub and cream, and then I was moved onto the warm treatment bed where she used a variety of massage techniques and tools to massage my feet and lower legs. I thought it would be a lovely experience,
but I wasn’t prepared for how incredible it actually FELT. it was most definitely needed, and I left feeling completely relaxed like I ’ D had a full body massage! Truly amazing! I can’t recommend Michelle ENOUGH. every treatment is different and lovely, and she is such a wonderful person who puts you instantly at ease.
It’s now become a yearly must to choose a treatment every time I visit Whitby. I was hoping to work my way through them all, but I may just keep going back for this one as I loved it so much” - dawn
the ceremony space