Massage therapist Loretta Heywood gives

Your constitution, according to the principles of Ayurveda, is divided into three primary types called doshas: Vata, Pitta and Kapha. These doshas have implications for everything from your physical appearance to how you deal with stress. An imbalance of the doshas can cause a variety of health problems or just leave you feeling under par. An Ayurvedic massage is one of the ways in which you can bring your body back into a state of equilibrium.

When I arrive Loretta asks me to fill in a questionnaire designed to find out which dosha predominates in me and which one or two may be out of balance. It’s certainly bizarre to be answering questions on the appearance of your stools before a massage but the rather personal questions all give the practitioner the ability to identify your constitution. Loretta, who trained at the Ayurvedic College in Kannur, the European Institute of Vedic Studies, and at Ayurveda UK, explains that the questionnaire is just a pointer as sometimes the way we see ourselves is quite different to the truth: for example, I think I have quite small eyes but Loretta assures me that they’re not particularly small. A highly trained practitioner can see past the answers and see from the appearance of the client in front of them which of the statements ring true and which might be either undue self-criticism or wishful thinking.

She identifies me as predominantly a combination of Pitta and Kapha and believes that the doshas that are high at the time of my massage are Vata and Kapha. An imbalance of Vata can cause hyperactivity, restlessness, anxiety, fear and insomnia; physical symptoms can include bloating and dehydration – both of which I had suffered from in recent weeks. Disturbed Kapha can manifest in depression and trouble letting go; it can also cause weight gain, water retention and shortness of breath – again symptoms I could identify as being a problem prior to the massage.

Loretta chooses aromatic herbal oils for the massage, these are chosen on the basis of what each individual needs on that given day. The client is completely naked for this massage (with towels to preserve your modesty) as there are long, flowing movements that go down the body. In fact the movements are so seamless that at times it felt like there was more than one person doing the massage or that Loretta had impossibly long arms.

The massage is quite vigorous in places and I feel a lot of knots being released. It is particularly deep around the clavicle for me and it feels heavenly around the shoulders where I often hold a lot of tension. I end up falling asleep in places and I’m sure I must have been snoring a couple of times but Loretta is too discreet to mention it. Her hands are very warm in places and there are acupressure points she manipulates to great effect as I can definitely feel my body easing out of the stiff way I’ve been holding myself.

I leave feeling completely spaced out and sleep very well that night. For about two weeks afterwards my appetite changes and I find myself making healthier choices, my skin is not as dry as it usually is and I can cope with everyday stress much better. A harmonious treatment that definitely worked well for me.

Prakruti – what’s yours?

Prakruti is an individual’s unique constitution determined at the moment of conception. One’s prakruti is the specific combination of three basic types of energy or functional principles that are present in everybody and everything: vata, pitta and kapha. The proportion in which these energies express themselves in one’s physiology and personality is one’s prakrut.

VATA – a predominantly vata person is blessed with a quick clear mind, mental flexibility, intuition, creativity and enthusiasm. They have excellent imaginations and excel at coming up with new ideas. Physically vatas are slender, have prominent features and cool, dry skin.

PITTA – this type of personality is articulate, passionate, insightful, alert and intelligent. They love knowledge and have a great capacity for organization and leadership, leaning towards noble professions. They tend to have a medium athletic build, with warm oily skin.

KAPHA – kapha individuals are characterised by a strong, healthy, well-developed body with soft, cool, moist skin. They tend to be loving, compassionate, affectionate, tolerant and forgiving in nature. They are stable and faithful and move slowly and gracefully.

More information

A 110 mins Abyhanga plus Vishesh massage at Beautyworkswest costs £150. Call 0207 221 2248 or email reception@beautyworkswest.com to book it.

This article was printed in issue 1051 of Kindred Spirit magazine.