When dhara (medicinal liquid) is gently poured over the forehead (the ‘third eye’), it is called “Shirodhara”. The word is an amalgamation of the two Sanskrit words Shiras ‘head’ and Dhara ‘flow’. Shirodhara was developed by vaidyas, which are known as the practitioners of Ayurveda in Kerala, and it is used for sukhachikitsa the restorative therapy. This therapy is involved in Panchakarma.
Depending upon the treatment, different liquids including oil, milk, buttermilk, coconut water, or even plain water are used. This therapy is mainly recommended to treat a variety of conditions like allergic rhinitis, greying of hair, eye diseases, neurological disorders, memory loss and many others.
BENEFITS
Shirodhara is said to have relaxing, soothing, and calming effects on the body and mind.
Research also suggests that shirodhara may help:
- Improves sleep quality
- Manage insomnia
- Lessen anxiety (when combined with yoga)
- Reduce stress
- Keep in mind that most studies looking at the benefits of shirodhara have been small, using only a handful of participants. Still, none of them suggest that the treatment has any negative effects.