Roots of Marma Therapy are in ancient Ayurveda and future in modern Marma Therapy. According to Sushruta Samhita, the Classic Text of Ayurvedic Medicine: “Marma is the Seat of Life”. This ancient healing secret of Ayurveda, as an independent form of Therapy, has potential to detoxify and revitalise the human body by removing the energy-blockings and stimulating the functions of internal organs of the body. It is effective in smooth functioning of our brain, mind, heart, digestion system, eye-sight, spinal problems and much more. Marma means subtle, sensitive, secret or gentle. There are 108 vital energy Marma points in human body where Prana energy resides in concentrated form which help for healthy, happy and long life.
Marma Therapy is simple, safe and effective in Self-Healing which anyone can learn and benefit. It needs essential massage oils and herbs, gentle touch and purity of intention for healing. Here consciousness links with body to coordinate its functions. Marma points are located where the flesh or muscles, veins, arteries, tendons, bones and joints meet. They are also the junction points of Vata, Pitta and Kapha or where Satva, Rajsa and Tamsa Gunas meet. There are many Marma points of various sizes in our body and brain wherein much information is stored and all Marmas mutually share their information. Marmas are high frequency broadcasting and receiving stations sharing information about our inner nature and outer environment. They also provide mental and physical sensitivity by indications of blessings and touches of love. These points connect us to both our internal and external worlds, weather and environment, this earth and cosmos of planets, sensing and integrating, warning and advising in advance as intuition or third eye.
Basically, Marma points minutely and internally affects various organs of our body, brain and conscious as these are subtle points in the physiology where consciousness and matter are intimately connected. All centres of energy and consciousness are interconnected and originate from and run into three main Marmas – Basti, Hridaya and Sthapani. Marma points are junction points, switch-boards or cosmic control panels for our mind, body and consciousness. These are live communicated through 72000 Nadis (according to Upanishads) as sound channels, emanating from heart with flow of life-force Prana.
Marmas operate as sensors within, as antennae sensing outside world and aura for foresight and subtle perceptions. Marma Therapy includes influence of nature or environment, social life, time of day and seasons covering many areas of subtle treatments like Meditation, Yoga, Breathing Techniques or Pranayama, Yagya, Mudras, Color Preksha or Leshya-dhayana, Stars, Gemstones, Herbs, Touch Healing, Aroma or Massage.
There are Easy Yoga Postures devised for activating Marma points in a natural and smooth manner. Sound and melody are the divine music of nature and subtle basis for human physiology. Its heart vibrations in Marma points create enjoyment and peace. Marma treatment is through 5 senses and its response to sound and music (sound and vibrations for creation).
Three main Marmas – Basti, Hridaya and Sthapani have their principal seat in the same region as three Ayurveda Doshas or bioregulators.
Marma Therapy is a Natural Self-Healing Therapy harmonizing body and brain without any side effect. According to Sushruta Samhita (Classic Text of Ayurvedic Medicine) “Marma is the Seat of Life” and there are 108 Marmas in human body including Soul (Atma). It is based on traditional Vedic knowledge and classical Ayurvedic Texts. “Yat pinde tat brahmande and yat brahmande tat pinde” – humans, nature, planets, deities, cosmos and everything are made of same 5 universal constituents – fire (heat), earth, air, water and sky (environment) in different forms or shapes; equally influenced by environment and planetary bodies. A great ancient healing secret of Ayurveda, Marma has potential to detoxify and revitalise the human body by removing the energy-blockings and stimulating the functions of internal organs of the body. It is effective in smooth functioning of our heart, redress headache and tensions, digestion system, eye-sight, spinal problems and much more. It covers self-healing and detailed clinical therapy by trained experts. It mainly uses dormant healing-power of our hands as subtle energy flows from our palm and fingers.
All three Ayurvedic Doshas or imbalances are interlinked together and physical or emotional imbalance of any one affects the other. These Doshas hava properties of five elements of life – space, air, fire, water and earth. Vata Dosha has space and air, Pitta Dosha has fire and water, and Kapha Dosha has earth and water as their predominant contents and properties.
Vata (Air and Space) is primarily associated with nervous system, is light or airy in nature and denotes animation and movements. It is stimulated by Blue colour. It is cooled by Green colour.
Pitta (Fire and Water) is primarily associated with metabolism and emotions or from heart, is hot or fiery in nature like heat of hand or Talahridaya and denotes dynamism or energetic. It is stimulated by Red colour. It is cooled by Blue colour.
Kapha (Earth and Water) is primarily associated with solid parts and structure of body, is heavy or earthy in nature and denotes calmness and stability of mind. It is stimulated by Green colour.
Predominantly muscles have Kapha & Pitta, vessels have Pitta whereas bones, joints and tendons have Kapha and Vata. Since doshas reside in the Marma itself, they also decide the nature and functions of Marmas which eventually reflects upon the health and harmony of every individual.
The three main Marma and related to three Ayurvedic Doshas or diseases are:
1. Basti (Vata Dosha at lower abdomen or bladder): In this Marma, Apana Vayu (Pelvis) is predominant – downward & outward exit of waste from abdomen. It is assisted by Guda and Nabhi. In Basti Marma, there is instinctive consciousness connecting us with earthly substances, desires and pleasures.This bladder Marma controlsurination, menstruation, reproduction and letting-go casual approach. The lower abdominal has Basti or Centre of Energy where sense of basic trust, pre-determined automatic functions and behaviour patterns manifest. It indicates Satvik mental character.
2. Hridaya (Pitta Dosha at chest, heart and solar plexus ): In this Marma, Prana and Samana Vayu are predominant (upward & inward, vital force, life force – breath or oxygen we inhale) where with main role of Prana Vayu some role of Samana Vayu is there. It is assisted by Nabhi and ‘Nila & Manya’. It also controls emotions, worries and heart-feelings. Heart (Hridaya) Marma is the main seat of Soul, which we address by directly saying “me” as our sentimental awareness and emotional intelligence is located here like a Deity or Devata. It indicates Rajsik mental character
3. Sthapani (Kapha Dosha at forehead, 3rd eye or Centre of Intuition, head and brain): In this Marma, Udana and Vyana Vayu are predominant. The whole head is a Marma, the Shiromarma Marma having its own system of perception carrying perception of Self individual consciousness. It is assisted by ‘Nila & Manya’ and Adhipati. All senses and mind are located and controlled from head, as a seat of analytical intelligence. Its Centre is the Marma of Third Eye – Sthapani. With closed eyes, we find ourselves behind the eyes, seeing a kind of awareness or Self. It indicates Tamsik mental character
Various expressions of Self or consciousness (a primary Marma itself) manifest through main Marmas – Basti (abdomen), Hridaya (heart) and Sthapani (head) located in the middle of the body. It is like Sangam or imaginary confluence of sacred rivers Ganga and Yamuna with imaginary Saraswati river at Prayag in Allahabad, India. They further control many secondary Marmas and are direct assisted by four other root Marmas – Guda at anus, Nabhi at navel, ‘Nila & Manya’ at neck and supreme controller Adhipati at the top-crown of the head. All Marmas are integrated and inter-related.
Basti is assisted by Guda and Nabhi, Hridaya is assisted by Nabhi and ‘Nila & Manya’, and Sthapani is assisted by ‘Nila & Manya’ and Adhipati. All other Marmas work under these seven Marmas which also sequentially correspond to seven Yoga Plexus or Chakras, seven layers of the Aura and seven main Astrological Planets. Each Marma with help of related secondary Marmas influence local, peripheral and central energy-centres covering seven divisions of entire body – root, pelvis, abdomen, chest, neck, forehead and head.
Everything is connected to everything. Treating any of Central or Maha Marmas amounts to treating peripheral Marmas and vice versa i.e. treating any Marma is a simultaneous treatment of all other Marmas.
Prana, the Life-Force and Healing Energy: Healing power of hands or Prana exists as a vital breath and flows out of our palms and fingers as a subtle and natural energy so essential to life. This Life-Force flows through our Nadis and resides at many Marma energy-points in our hands, expressed by way of touching and showing our love in routine daily life.
Hands and Feet: Marmas in hands and feet represent the Marmas of entire body. Centre of palm and sole of the foot represent heart Marma or Talahrdiya (tala means hand and hridaya means heart) and solar plexus. Wrist Marma Manibandha coordinates activities of many sub-Marmas or acupuncture points as basis for acupuncture. Small Marma points along energy lines – lung (thumb), pericardium (middle finger) and heart (little finger) meridians are controlled by wrist Marma.
Remarkable correlation of 108 Marma points and Moon as a satellite of earth is significant. Prana an essential energy of Marmas and Meridians, is remarkably influenced by Moon. Marma as a lake of energy whose tides are influenced by Moon like the sea-tides and the maximum influence is on the deepest points in Centre of Marma. With moon’s waxing, there is increase in energy as the lake expands (at Full Moon/ Purnima). With moon’s waning, energy recedes as the lake again shrinks (till the next New Moon/ Amavasya). During lunar month of 28 days, each Marma is sequentially charged starting from right feet (left feet for women) rising through the waist to the head at full moon (Purnima). This cosmic circle always goes on.
As an astrological fact, Moon passes through Constellations in 27 days dividing Ecliptic into 27 Lunar Mansions or Segments known as Nakshatras. It corresponds to 27 Cell Groups in the Brain Stem which are clusters of neurons having a wide range of functions linked to the entire nervous system. Each of the 27 Nakshatras or Lunar Mansions is divided in 4 time periods or Padas making a total of 108 (27×4) Padas. These 108 padas are equivalent to 108 Marmas (107 + 1 Atma or Soul as a Basic Ancient Marma) also described in Sushruta and other Classics.
Ojas: This substance unifies brain and body like light shining from consciousness to body and vice-versa. It is a natural anti-depression and basis of happiness.
Ama: It is opposite of Ojas. It refers to toxins and undigested material physically or mentally. It causes blockage in the system which hinders flow of energy.
Marma Therapies includes Message, application of heat-cold-light, Baths, Herbal supplements, Aroma, Colour, Gems, Stones, Jewellery, Vedic Music like Gandharva Veda Musci, Yagya Ceremony, Mantras, Mudras, Yoga Postures, Breathing Techniques and Meditation.
General procedure includes settling down, closing eyes and deep inhale-exhale (3-4 times).