Vata Massage Oil 100ml (USDA Certified Organic) | Ayurvedic Taila for Calming Self-Massage, Soft Skin and Vata Balance

It is a warming, grounding body oil for the dryness, coolness and restlessness that Ayurveda associates with raised Vata. Gopala processes thirteen Vata-soothing herbs into a base of Certified Organic sesame oil, giving it an earthy, settling character. The 100 ml size is the one people buy to try the practice, or to keep in a bag. It is traditionally used to:

• Soften dry, rough or tight skin
• Close the day with a calming self-massage
• Bring warmth and suppleness to tired, cold limbs

For external use only.

Vata is the Ayurvedic principle of air and movement, and its qualities are light, dry, cold, rough and mobile. When those qualities build up, often through cold weather, travel, irregular hours or a demanding stretch of work, the traditional signs are:

• Dry skin, lips and hair
• Restless, scattered thoughts and difficulty winding down
• Light, easily broken sleep
• Cold hands and feet
• An irregular daily rhythm

Warm, oily, heavy and steady are the opposite qualities, which is why a warm sesame taila is the classical answer. A qualified Ayurvedic practitioner can assess your Prakriti properly.

Thirteen, processed into each 100 ml of Certified Organic sesame oil: ten as a decoction at 1.2 g each, then three as a fine paste at 0.8 g each.

• Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) and Bala (Sida cordifolia), whose name simply means strength
• Nirgundi and Eranda (castor)
• Syonaka, Agnimantha, Gambhari, Patala, Kantakari and Goksura, six of the ten classical Dashamoola roots
• A finishing paste of Yastimadhu (licorice), Ela (cardamom) and Tvak (cinnamon)

All certified organic whole herb, with no synthetic fragrance, colour or additive.

Warm the oil and apply it before bathing, working from the feet upward with long, unhurried strokes.

1. Stand the bottle in a cup of hot water for a minute or two.
2. Start at the feet and legs and move upward toward the heart, long strokes on the limbs and circles at the joints.
3. Give an extra moment to the soles, the lower back and the shoulders, where Vata tends to gather.
4. Rest twenty to thirty minutes, then rinse in a warm shower.

Evening suits it best. A 100 ml bottle covers a week or so of full body work, or several weeks of shoulder, hand and foot massage.

Warm oil massage is the time-honoured Ayurvedic way of settling the light, mobile quality of Vata, and many people find a slow ten minutes on the shoulders, neck and feet a good close to a busy day. The heavy, warming sesame base with Ashwagandha and Bala is traditionally described as anchoring scattered energy. This is supportive self-care that sits alongside good sleep habits and a steady routine; it is not a substitute for care from a qualified professional.

Autumn and early winter, the stretch Ayurveda calls Vata Kala, when cold, dry, windy weather adds exactly the qualities Vata already carries. Balance is restored by supplying the opposite, so a warm, oily, grounding taila is most welcome as the air turns crisp and skin starts to feel tight. It is equally useful whenever life becomes unsettled: long journeys, irregular hours and demanding weeks all raise Vata regardless of the calendar.

Each carries the qualities opposite to the dosha it addresses, so the choice follows how you feel rather than a label.

• Vata oil (this one): warming, heavy and nourishing, for dryness, coolness and restlessness.
• Pitta oil: cooling and soothing, for heat and sensitive skin.
• Kapha oil: lighter and stimulating, for heaviness and a sluggish, stagnant feeling.

If you run dry, cold and wired, Vata oil is usually the match. If you are unsure, a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner can identify your Prakriti and guide the choice.

The formula is herbs and sesame oil only, with no animal ingredient, no synthetic fragrance and no chemical preservative, so it suits vegetarians and vegans. The organic sesame base is mild and generally well tolerated, including on drier skin. It is for external use only. Patch test on the inner forearm before wider use, keep it away from the eyes and broken skin, and stop if any irritation appears. It contains sesame oil, so avoid it if sesame does not suit you.

AyurvedaBay.com stocks the 100 ml bottle and ships authentic Gopala Ayurveda products worldwide, including North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Asia and the Middle East.

• Certified by ECOCERT SAS, France, in accordance with the USDA Organic Regulations (7 CFR Part 205)
• Made at WHO GMP certified units to strict quality standards
• Herbs ethically harvested at peak maturity from jungle farms in the Western Ghats of South India
• Free from pesticides, herbicides, GMOs, irradiation and synthetic additives

Buying from a specialist Ayurvedic store means a properly stored product made to the original formula rather than an unbranded substitute.