THE PREPARATORY PROCEDURES OF PANCHAKARMA

The set of procedures which Ayurveda prescribes to facilitate the removal of ama and toxins from the tissues is collectively called purvakarma. Purva means "before" and karma means "actions." The treatment helps to loosen ama and move it out of the deep structures into the gastrointestinal tract, which panchakarma's main therapies.

The two important processes used to  prepare the system for cleansing are snehana and swedana.

Snehana:
Oleation
This is the first step of panchakarma, in which the body is saturated with herbal and medicated oils. Oleation has two different forms:

Bahya snehana:
External oleation
This employs a specific form of massage to apply the herbalized oil to the skin, but it should not be confused with the typical massage techniques used in the West. The process uses a traditional style of Ayurvedic massage whereby two trained Ayurvedic massage technicians work on both sides of the patient simultaneously, employing a series of perfectly synchro nized, directional strokes on both the front and the back of the body.

Abhyantar snehana:
Internal oleation:

Internal oleation consists of taking prescribed amounts of warm, herbal ghee, called tikta ghrita, first thing in the morning and in the late afternoon on an empty stomach. Certain classical signs indicate oleation's completion. When oil has saturated all seven dhatus, the body is well-lubricated internally and externally. The skin displays a soft and shiny appearance and smells slightly unctuous.

What Does Snehana Do?

1. It loosens dhatus so that they give up their accumulated toxins.

2. It enhances the secretions through which the doshas transport ama and malas to the gastrointestinal tract for elimination.

3. It lubricates and protects the dhatus from damage while ama is being removed.

4. It pacifies and nourishes vata through its unctuous qualities.

5. It removes the obstruction in the srotas or channels.