Marma

Marma points are the junction of consciousness and physiology.

In Ayurveda consciousness is considered primary, and all health, healing and well-being
are the result of universal consciousness flowing freely. ecause marma points are a
direct connection to universal consciousness, when these points are cleared, vital energy
flows more fully through the body, enlivening it and restoring perfect health.
Marma chikitsa
!hat is marma chi"itsa# It is a powerful instrument of Ayurveda that originated $,%%%
years ago. It is a process and a therapy that wor"s with &%' subtle and sensitive energy
points to open energy channels in the body called strotras.
(Marmas effects are profound and can create dramatic shifts in the body. And what are
the side effects# )ou have to live a long life with energy, enthusiasm and tran*uility+, -r.
.asant /ad
01/2 13 MA0MA
4here are four basic purposes of marma5
1) It removes blocks in energy channels called strotras.
2) It pacifies vata dosha, (air and space elements ), bringing it to its normal path
especially vyana vata, (a sub-dosha hich controls the autonomic nervous system.)
!) It creates physical, mental and emotional fle"ibility. #ecause of ama (to"ins) and
because of vata, human beings after !$ or %& years of age become rigid and this
happens to animals and plants too. 's vata increases in our body, e e"perience
degeneration. (his rigidity can mean becoming fi"ed in ideas, emotions and physical
movements.
%) (his gentle treatment creates an opportunity to e"perience poerful and dynamic
transformation at the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels by building a
positive link ith the unconscious mind.
Many times people are not able to go outside their comfort 6ones. 4hey thin" they have
absolute limitations. After marma is done, they can start ta"ing positive ris"s.
Marma is beneficial for many conditions, including the following5
)uscular and *oint pain
+ro,en *oints
)uscular strain
-espiratory conditions
.igestion and elimination problems
/ervous system disorders
0eadaches and migraines
1eneral aging problems
1landular issues
'n"iety and depression
2tress response, fears and phobias
3onfusion, memory loss and mental focus
4o energy and fatigue
#reaking through limited belief systems
4here are various systems of massage in practice in addition to the Ayurvedic treatment.
1ne of such most advanced and sophisticated systems in 7erala is Marma 4herapy.
Marma 4herapy, among the most popular health care systems in 7erala, has been
developed and perfected over the many years of practice and e8perience. 2arly reference
of the word Marma is seen in Atharvaveda. -uring .edic period "nowledge of Marma
was "nown to "ings and warriors. It was applied in battle fields to hit and achieve
ma8imum fatal effect against their enemies. 4herefore it can be assumed that this science
was used both in warfare and surgery.
As a practical science, the Marma therapy has been widely acclaimed as an effective
treatment method and has been in vogue from time immemorial in many parts of 9outh
India, especially in 7erala and 4amil :adu. 4his art had, for many years, been "ept a
closely guarded secret and was "nown only to a few close relatives and insiders in family.
4hese families rendered treatment more as a duty than as their profession. ;ence the
actual treatment remained as a secret in the family. 4his led to the downfall of this
science.
Marma is certain vital points spread all over the surface of human body. 4hese are the
places where the <rana =life force> is said to be sited. ;ence any injury to these centers or
in the vicinity of these areas are highly painful and might lead to irreparable damages or
even death. ;ence these areas are highly guarded from injury. <robably, that is the reason
why this "nowledge was the part and parcel of the curriculum in Martial art practices.
4he warrior learns how to induce ma8imum possible injury to his opponents and even
silent death. ut the very same points could be triggered to revive him from the harmful
effects of ones trauma. In 4amil literature a very e8haustive descriptions of Marma points
are found. ;ere we could find very clearly the treatment of every injury to Marma.y
application of various treatment modalities li"e massage, internal medicines, as well as
<ancha"arma we see" to alleviate various diseases due to trauma and it is to our credit
that we achieve commendable success in this filed.
4he ;ealing <ower of Marma 4herapy
!hat do these symptoms have in common5 headaches, muscular pain, fatigue, recurring
bac" and nec" pains, aches in the joints and impaired immune response# !hile there is
more than one possible answer, it could primarily be due to the stress-filled life, which
disrupts the flow of .ital 2nergy or ?hetna.
According to 9usruta in 9usruta 9amhita =ayurvedic te8t> the body has &%' vital spots or
Marma centers. 4he energy flows and accumulate in these spots. Any imbalance in these
centers causes body ailments, which can be rectified using certain revival techni*ues
practiced in Marma 4herapy. 4he first science of massage described in the classical
Ayurvedic te8t, 9ushruta 9amhita points to vital spots, similar to ?hinese acupuncture.
ut, unli"e acupuncture it does not involve any invasive use of needles.
0evitali6ing through Marma
3rom common ailments to serious neuromuscular diseases, all can be treated by Marma
therapy.
?ommon ailments li"e headaches, body aches, faulty spinal alignment, pain in the joints
can be revitali6ed through Marma ?hi"itsa, which involves 9nehana, Abhayanga,
<i6hichil, and 7i6hi treatment.
7i6hi treatment is a therapy wherein heated herbs and medicinal oils are tied in cloth
bags and placed on the area to be treated. 4his is followed by specific massages, done
using the fingers, heel of the hand or palm.
4he pressure application varies according to the nature of ailment and the spot.
:euromuscular diseases need prolonged treatment. In 7erala there are number of Marma
e8perts who can totally heal various "inds of neuromuscular diseases.
Marma 4herapy
Marma therapy focuses on energi6ing the body to relieve occupational illness and stress
related diseases. 1ften, it helps the couples to re-establish harmony in marital life. Marma
?hi"itsa =therapeutic treatment in vital spots> is an offshoot of the 7alarippayattu,
7eralas martial art. In 7erala, Marma therapy joins the streams of 9idha and 7alari.
<enetration of any of the &%'-marma points causes injury and "nowledge of these points
are used to align the upset e*uilibrium between the 4ridosha .ata =wind>, <itta =bile>, @
7apha =phlegm>.
4hese A elements form the essence of life. Marma ?hi"itsa is basically a neuromuscular
and orthopedic science. In southern 7erala, the Agasthya system is practiced, the chi"itsa
=therapy> is an amalgamation of the 7alari 9idha .eda and Ayurveda forms. 1il therapy
or 9nehana is an important part of Marma ?hi"itsa, warm, medicated oils are applied in
large amounts all over the body. 4he medicated oils are used in specific body sites, such
as on the char"as and Marma points or at specific trouble spots. 4he body is then
massaged using these oilsB this specific techni*ue of massage is "nown as Abhayanga.
Marma Abhayanga is different from Ayurveda Abhyanga.
Marma Abhayanga
Abhayanga involves the use of major and minor marma points. 4he success of the
chi"itsa depends on two factors one is the patients faith in the system, god and the master.
4he second factor is the master or CDuru""alC himself and his e8perience that play a
pivotal role in the treatment process.
Although the marmas are the junctions of all $ principles =flesh, veins, arteries, tendons,
bones and joints> at each point pre-dominance of one principle e8ists. It is at these points
where Abhayanga can most effectively restructure or rebalance the system to function
most healthily. 3urther, Abhayanga helps develop the bodys immune system and
longevity of both the body and mind, by ensuring the proper balance and flow of
hormones, fluids, immune factors etc.
!hat are the Marma <oints#
Marma points are positions on the body where flesh, veins, arteries, tendon, bones and
joints meet.
4hey may also be described as the junctions where .ayu, <itta and 7apha meetB where
9attwa, 0ajas and 4amas meet, or where eternity and relativity meet. !hile a healer uses
these points to heal, for a warrior the very same spots could be used to harm.
4he Marma points are the points where the three aspects of reali6ation meet, i.e. the inner
self, outer world, and intersection of the above two. 4hus these are junctions between the
physical, astral and causal bodies.
4he Marma points are of great importance to a persons body, mind and spirit, as these are
the points where the spirit hinges the body.
Marma Drouping
Marma points are grouped according to the region of the body.
arms 22 points,
legs 22 points (11 per limb),
abdomen ! points,
chest 5 points,
back 1% points,
head and neck !6 points.
4he Marma points are also grouped according to other aspects such as
muscles 1& points,
tenders7ligaments 2! points,
'rteries 5 points,
8eins !6 points,
*oints 2& points
bones 9 points.
4raditionally Marma points are grouped into A categories, those on the legs and feet
=9an"ha Marma>, on the trun" =Madhayamanga Marma>, @ nec" and head =Eatrurdhara
Marma>.
If these points are pierced or hit forcefully, it could result in disease, trauma or even
death. 4he heart, forehead and throat are the most vulnerable areas, whereas the areas on
the arms and legs are less vulnerable to severe injury. !hen imbalances e8ist in the body,
these spots become sore, through Marma Abhayanga health is restored. !hen a person is
hit at a Marma point, the pain constantly fluctuates, if the injury is made by a weapon or
the point is hit forcefully it can prove fatal, often causing death.
Marma in terms of Ayurveda
Ayurvedadetails the &%' Marma points major, and minor, which e8ist on the body.
4he major points correspond to the major char"as on the body, while the minor points are
found around the torso and limbs. 4hus healing through Marma Abhayanga affects the
char"as, physical health and the doshas.
4he purpose of a Marma Abhayanga is to stimulate the various body organs and systems.
4hese points are measured by finger units to detect their correct location. 3or eg -
CAnimarmaC is a Marma point e8isting just above the "nee, four fingers above the middle
of the "nee.
4his point relates to the small intestine, and is situated at on the bac" of the leg, directly
behind this spot. If we move the hands from the front Animarma, in a straight line to the
bac" =i.e. by wor"ing the sides of the leg that are in line with Animarma>, this Marma
would be stimulated. 9o wor"ing on a Marma point affects the front, sides and bac" of a
Marma, encircling the area around the arm or leg.
7alari and Marma ;ealing
7alarippayattu also teaches the Marma =meaning vital points of the body> system. 7alari-
Marma system is a combination of traditional, ayurvedic and siddha systems of Marma.
4he southern system of 7alarippayattu developed a concept of Amritnila =nectar
placement>, which e8plains that the effectiveness of attac" on Marma depends on the
lunar movement.
4he most effective point changes with the moon and such effective points of each day are
"nown as the Amritnila. 4hey also spea" of Attangal Marma =particular points>, which
can be used as a first aid to bring the patient to a state of consciousness. 4he Marma
.ijnana ="nowledge of Marma> has twin aspects, martial and therapeutic.
4he available published manuscripts on 7alari - Marma therapy are 0angabhyasam,
Ayudhabhyasam, 7alarividya, Marma ?hi"itsa,Marma 9asthra <eedhi"a, Marma
9amacharam and Marma ?haari.
Marma Massage
4he word Marma comes from 9ans"rit origin CmruC or CmarrC .FMarayate Iti MarmaniF, the
9ans"rit phrase means there is li"elihood of death after infliction to these places hence
are are called Marma .4he word Marma used with meanings as tender, secrete or vital
places.
4here are certain anatomical locations in the body which are vital, and serve as small
poc"ets of <rana, thus any injury to these parts can be painful and cripple the local
functions or even lead to sudden death of the individual. 4hey are junctions of different
channels of <rana movements in the body.
<rana is a vital energy ,<rana pervades each and every corner of the body, it nourishes
,guides and controls the functioning of the cell and systems. when these MA0MA
=junctions> are affected or ruptured ,the organs lin"ed with <rana channels become
starved with lac" of <rana and some organ becomes diseased ,crippled or paraly6ed or
depending upon the *uantum is of <rana being lost ,it may lead to slow or sudden death.
.agbthata =In the te8t Ashtanga hridaya sharira Gth chapter slo"a > defines Marma is the
meeting point of mamsa ,asthi,sira ,snayu,dhamani, and sandhi, and Cwhere the <rana is
presentC. 4his is similar with ?hinese meridian concept in which the points appear either
on signal meridian line or at meeting points of different meridian.
4he "nowledge of MA0MA has got wide implication in the many fields of medical
practice, but as today its traditional practices are limited and scattered in India
4he "nowledge of mama can be classified in following fields -In Martial art and welfare,
in surgical importance, medical importance -in the management of disease and in the
diagnosis of illness
4here are total &%H Marma in the body. In 4amilian traditions they are &%' Marma points.
and in "alari tradition hey are AI$ Marma points.
4hey are classified for better understanding according to the physical components li"e -
1))ansa )arma (muscle),
2)sira )arma- ( vessels conveying body fluids and impulses),
!)sanyu (tendons),
%)asthi (bones) and
$)sandhi (articulate points specially bone *oints).
4he Marma are also grouped on the basis of there similarities in the features particularly
on the basis of vulnerabilityJ
a> 9adhya <ranhara Marma - 9adhya means sudden or immediate. there are the Marma
which are vulnerable for the loss of life immediately after injury or insult.
b> 7alantara <ranhara - 7alantara means after the lapse of some time, <ranhara means
loss of life. After an insults to these Marma loss of life results gradually after some time.
c> .ishalyaghana - 4his category of Marma is named on its surgical importance. .ishalya
means being the foreign body removed. .ishalyaghana indicated death being the foreign
body removed. when injured the person survives as long the foreign body remains in
place.
d> .ai"alya"ara - .il"ala means deform or cripple. vai"alya"ara means one which
deforms or cripples.
4reatment or the care of Marma- 4o defy from the dangers to Marma , to follow the
hygienic measures everyday and to treat the affliction are the means to care Marma-
?hara"a 9amhita
<reventative aspect- Marma are very sensitive places a small injury or insult is always a
possibility. -esirous of health one must avoid physical and mental over e8ertions. the in
depletion of tissue metabolic substances ,with holding of natural impulses ,e8cessive
consuming dry articles, e8cessive physical e8ertion and fasting ,these factors can disturb
pranvaha srotas = channels through <rana is flowing> and ma"es more vulnerability to
disease.
4owards positive health -
3ollowing are the guidelines to improve upon the health of the Marma
;ealthy daily regimen,
1il massage and stimulating the Marma points, head massage, treatments in affected
Marma li"e :asya, asti, 9heha pana internal oliation, soft .irechana, 9hirodhara, 9hiro
asti, e8ternal application with herbs.
-ifferent oils and substitutes li"e needle therapy , magnet , mo"sha therapy and lepa
herbal pac" are used in treating or maintaining the health of Marma points
4rainings and 9essions
0aso .ai Ayurveda offers training in Marma massage and individual treatment with
Marma massage.
Marma massgae involves full body massage with warm medicated oil and stimulating or
massaging the Marma points on the body.
According to psychosomatic constitution or disease, different oils are selected for Marma
massage.
Marma massage is soft flowing massage can be done by two people massaging in
synchroni6e rhythm or with single Individual.
Marma massage the techni*ues and the guidelines are developed "eeping the "nowledge
of channels and nadi location in priority.
4he massage is I% to K% minutes of duration followed by steam bath or warm shower.
Marma massage stimulates generates the own energy resources and gives person more
vital energy .It removes bloc"ages form the Marma points giving physical and
psychological rela8ation and strength.
0egular Marma massage protects from vata disorders nourishes body, e8tends life span,
provides good sleep, improves physical stability. simulating or massaging the Marma
points gives benefits to the area of there location and improves the function of the
connecting organs.