Also see: Healing Therapies and Essential Oil Angelic Elixirs, Energy Sprays, Creams,

Marmas are points located throughout the body, they serve as energy control points in the body where the life force - prana enters, can be treated, controlled, directed or manipulated in various ways, this is perhaps the key to their importance. Marma points are much more than connection points of tissue and fluids of the physical body, they are intersections of the vital life force that is coming into the physical body from the world of energy! Many physicists are now exploring the rational of considering consciousness as the creator of life, consciousness as the fundemental energy that manifests into life! The conventionally trained physicist, Amit Goswami has put forward that :

“... Consciouness is the ‘ground of all being’ – that everything in the universe is consciousness, and matter emerges from some inherently conscious ground substance. Many other scientists and scholars are reaching this conclusion.”

Seen as an energy of creation, marma points can be thought of as the access points in the physical body to the world of energy. A consciousness which, by manipulation, enables these points to adjust their vibration from lower, denser frequencies of dis-ease, illhealth, and tuning up to align (oscillate) in the unseen world of energy, of consciousness, to the frequencies of health and well being.

This is the very same principle of acupuncture, acupressure, in fact you can take this and apply it to any type of energy medicine. The changes in the physical and emotional health of those working with energy medicine in their healing process are a result of 'tuning' into frequencies of greater and greater clarity, harmony and balance which shine through the physical as better health and the mental/emotional as changes in thinking, choices and behaviours.

This ancient form of local massage dates back to between 1500 — 1200 BC and held the idea that massaging marma points would cleanse blocked energy/ Prana, Chi/Qi, Life force, ( lets add the word consciouness here) by using finger tips to either stimulate or calm the marma point & thereby promoting physical, emotional and spiritual stasis (balance). There are many similarities with marma point massage & with Acupuncture and Aromatic Acupressure, these points also correspond to internal organs and systems of the body. The depth of study and information required to fully understand and work with Marma point massage cannot be covered here, but there is a wealth of information available to those with more than a passing interest.

The word marma can also be associated with terms such as tenderness (pain), secretion or vital places. The head has the greatest concentration of marmas, with special marmas governing the eyes, ears, nostrils, mouth and brain. For this brief article we will be looking at the points worked with in Indian Head Massage that also link with the seven chakras, or energy centres of the body that run from the base (muladhara) of the spine to the crown (sahasrara). I work with many points on the face and head whilst connecting with and influencing the Heart (Anahata) the 3rd eye (Vishudda) Crown ( Sahasara) plus the Soma & the Soul chakra.

Head and facial Marma points treated in a Indian Head Massage session:

The use of essential oils/Aroma-therapy is another important tool for treating marmas, either with massage oils or by themselves. Aromatic oils have a strong ability to influence Prana and alter our energy. Marmas can be massaged or anointed with different aromatic oils, depending on location and conditions. As marmas are sensitive points, they are regions that essential oils can penetrate easily and influence the entire physical body whilst impacting our energy bodies. Stimulating oils like black pepper, camphor, eucalyptus or cinnamon are used for opening up energy at marma points, while cooling and sedating oils like sandalwood, lavender & cedarwood serve to calm or consolidate the energy.

Applying camphor, menthol or eucalyptus to the marmas at the side of the nostrils acts as a decongestant through the stimulation & expansion properties of these particular oils. While applying more cooling, calming or sedating oils such as sandalwood, lavender or frankincense oils to points on the scalp and forehead, will alleviated tension and stress headaches, whilst the esoteric value of Yarrow essential oil on the third eye and Soma point, will assist in the opening and development of the visionary abilities inherent in our Soul that are accessed through this chakra point.

Aromatic Indian head massage incorporates marma point therapy inconjuction with appropriate essential oils depending on the constitution and intention of the client.

References - Samanta-Laughton M. Punk Science O Books 2006