Hands On Shirodhara Treatment - Promolife

Hands on Shirodhara
Treatment
Materials Needed:
Massage table
2 sheets
Blanket
1 Large towel
2 rolled hand towels
1 rolled bath mat
1 wet wash cloth
1 vinyl strip
2 Copper Pitchers
Electric Burner
Shirodhara stand
Copper shirodhara pot
Knee bolster
Stool or chair
Products Needed:
6‐7 cups Shirodhara Oil
Dosha balancing essential oil
Rosewater spray
Preparation:
Before the client arrives set the table with two sheets and a blanket on top. Turn
down the top sheet and blanket so the table looks inviting. Cover the head of the table
with the large bath towel for the hair. Lay the rolled bath mat at the head of the
table on top of the large towel. Place the vinyl strip on the rolled bath mat. Make
sure the shirodhara stand and shirodhara pot are set up. Position the electric burner
under the head of the table on the shelf of the shiro stand. Fill one of the pitchers
with 7 cups of shirodhara oil. Set it on the electric burner and turn the dial on high
for 1‐2 minutes, then turn it off (this is usually done 20 minutes before the start of the
treatment). Keep the other pitcher off to the side. Have left over oil near by.

Procedure:
1. When your client arrives take them into the treatment room. Tell them you will
step out to let them undress. Have them get onto the table and under the sheet and
blanket. Instruct them to lie facing upward with their head on the vinyl strip and
their neck over the towel roll.
2. After the client is on the table enter the room. Before doing anything else, make
sure they are comfortable. Ask them if they are warm enough.
3. Position the client with their head at the edge of the table. Let their hair hang
over the end. Place the towel roll under their neck and tuck the vinyl strip under
their head, but OVER the towel roll. Adjust the vinyl strip so that the edge of it is in
the pitcher below the table. Make sure that the towel roll is set comfortably under
their neck. Place the two rolled hand towels on either side of their head underneath
the vinyl strip. Bring the bottom ends of the vinyl in toward each other to make the
strip form a cone. Make sure the sides of the vinyl do not touch the head, as this
will make the oil run on the outside of the strip.
4. Place a bolster under the client’s knees. Double‐check their comfort.
5. Let the client know that you will spray some rose water over their face and will
then place a cool wet washcloth over their eyes.
6. Test the oil temperature to make sure it is just right. If the oil is too warm, add
some fresh oil from the bottle. If it is too cold, quickly warm it up. A temperature
between 102‐108 degrees is desirable. Now pour half of ht e oil into the empty
pitcher. Replace the other pitcher onto the burner
7. Position the shirodhara pot over the center of the client’s forehead near the hairline.
Make sure the tap on the copper pot is off. Pour the contents of the pitcher
that is not on the electric burner into the shirodhara pot. Adjust the setting on the
burner so it is between the 0 and the 1 on the dial.
8. Before starting the oil, let the client know that you will let the oil run in a few
moments. Tell them that when the treatment is finished you will quietly leave the
room to let them rest and then you will come back to help get them off the table.
Make sure the client understands that they may tell you if the temperature is uncomfortable.
Encourage them to start to focus on their breathing. Turn on the tap
and let the oil run onto their forehead. Ask if the temperature is ok. Take the oil
very slowly around their hairline in order to coat the entire scalp. End with the oil
on the third eye. Make sure the oil is not touching the washcloth or it will start to
run into their eyes. You may ask if the oil temperature is comfortable once again,
but otherwise do not do any talking after this time.

9. Pour the contents of the second pitcher into the shirodhara pot. To do this move the vinyl
strip into the empty pitcher. Take the half‐full pitcher off the electric burner and set it down
on a table next to you. Now, quietly set the empty pitcher on the electric burner. Refill the
copper pot with the warm oil from the pitcher that just came off the burner. Do this as quietly
as possible so as not to disturb the client’s meditation.
10. Keep checking the oil temperature during the treatment. As the pitcher on the burner
fills to the halfway point repeat this process. You will likely need to do this every 3 to 4 minutes
until your treatment is over. Generally a shirodhara treatment will run 20 to 30 minutes.
When finished, let the oil run completely out of the copper pot and cover the hole with your
hand to make sure it does not start to drip. Taking the shirodhara pot and the empty pitcher
with you, quietly leave the room.
11. Wash the shirodhara pot and extra pitcher in a different room. Place a quarter size dollop
of dish soap on a damp sponge. Without wetting any of the equipment, rub everything
down with the soap. Rinse and dry.
12. Re‐enter the room. The client may be asleep. Let them know you are there by removing
the towel rolls from the sides of their head. Straighten out the vinyl strip and remove the
washcloth from their eyes. Now you can talk to them and ask them how they are feeling.
Gently squeeze the oil out of their hair. Have them lift their head so you may remove the
towel roll and vinyl strip. Let the vinyl strip rest in the pitcher until ready for cleanup. Use
the large towel under their head to help absorb the rest of the oil out of their hair
13. Take 5 drops of essential oil into your palm. Spray some rosewater into the oil and close
your palms together. Hold your hands just above the clients’ face and encourage them to inhale
deeply. As they exhale, apply the mixture avoiding eye area.
14. Begin Marma Therapy on the face neck and scalp (see Ayurvedic Facial Massage Sequence)
15. Remove the blanket. Tell the client you will be holding up the sheet over your eyes and
they can sit up facing away from you. Wrap the sheet under their arms and around their
body. Come around the table to help them stand up. They may be a little disoriented. Escort
them into the bathroom for their shower. Advise them that it is preferable to leave the oil in
the hair for some time, but if they must remove it to put the shampoo into their hair before
wetting in order to assist removal of all the oil. Thank them and leave them to their shower.
16. Begin the rest of your clean up. Dispose of shirodhara medium (see options for oil disposal
in Appendix.) Wipe the vinyl strip down with a paper towel. Take the second pitcher
and the vinyl strip to the sink. Wash as before, rinse, and dry. Wipe down the stand and massage
table with a dry towel, and then a moist towel with a cleaner like Citra Solve or Simple
Green.

Electrical Shirodhara
Treatment
Materials Needed:
Massage table
2 sheets
Blanket
1 Large towel
2 rolled hand towels
1 rolled bath mat
1 wet wash cloth
1 vinyl strip
1 Copper Pitcher
Pump with tubing
Electric Burner
Shirodhara stand
Copper shirodhara pot
Knee bolster
Stool or chair
Optional: an on/off switch to plug the pump into
Products Needed:
6‐8 cups Shirodhara Oil
Dosha balancing essential oil
Rosewater spray
Preparation:
Before the client arrives set the table with two sheets and a blanket on top. Turn
down the top sheet and blanket so the table looks inviting. Cover the head of the
table with the large bath towel for the hair. Lay the rolled bath mat at the head of
the table on top of the large towel. Place the vinyl strip on the rolled bath mat.
Make sure the shirodhara stand and shirodhara pot are set up. Position the electric
burner under the head of the table on the shelf of the shiro stand. Fill the pitcher
with 7 cups of shirodhara oil. Set it on the electric burner and turn the dial on high
for 1‐2 minutes, then turn it off (this is usually done 20 minutes before the start of
the treatment). Have any extra oil you have left over near by. Just before your client
arrives, place the pump in the pitcher and situate the vinyl tubing to empty into
your shirodhara vessel. (see tips in appendix)

Procedure:
1. When your client arrives, take them into the treatment room and tell them you will step
out to let them undress. Have them get onto the table and under the sheet and blanket. Instruct
them to lie facing upward with their head on the vinyl strip and their neck over the
towel roll.
2. After the client is on the table enter the room. Before doing anything else, make sure
they are comfortable. Ask them if they are warm enough.
3. Position the client with their head at the edge of the table. Let their hair hang over the
end. Place the towel roll under their neck and tuck the vinyl strip under their head, but
OVER the towel roll. Adjust the vinyl strip so that the edge of it is in the pitcher below the
table. Make sure that the towel roll is set comfortably under their neck. Place the two
rolled hand towels on either side of their head underneath the vinyl strip. Bring the ends of
the vinyl in toward each other to make the strip form a cone. Make sure the sides of the vinyl
do not touch the head, as this will make the oil run on the outside of the strip.
4. Place a bolster under the client’s knees. Double‐check their comfort.
5. Let the client know that you will spray some rose water over their face and will then
place a cool wet washcloth over their eyes.
6. Test the oil temperature to make sure it is just right. If the oil is too warm, add some
fresh oil from the bottle. If it is too cold, quickly warm it up. A temperature between 102‐
108 degrees is desirable.
7. Before starting the oil, let the client know that you will let the oil run in a few moments.
Tell them that when the treatment is finished you will quietly leave the room to let them
rest and then you will come back to help get them off the table. Encourage them to start to
focus on their breathing.
8. Position the shirodhara pot over the center of the client’s forehead near the hairline.
Make sure the tap on the pot is off. Turn on the electric pump. Adjust the setting on the
burner so it is between the 0 and the 1 on the dial.
9. Now let the oil run onto their forehead. Take the oil very slowly around their hairline in
order to coat the entire scalp. End with the oil on the third eye. Make sure the oil is not
touching the washcloth or it will start to run into their eyes. You may ask if the oil temperature
is comfortable only at the beginning, but otherwise do not do any talking.

10.Keep checking the oil temperature during the treatment. Be as quiet as possible so as not
to disturb the client’s meditation.
11.Throughout the treatment, keep an eye on the oil level in the copper pitcher. If the oil
level drops to just above the top of the pump, unplug (or switch off) the pump. This will
make a slight gurgling noise. Restart the pump only after the pitcher has refilled for a moment,
or until the shirodhara vessel has about one cup of oil left in it.
12.At the end of the treatment turn off the tap on the shirodhara vessel and cover the hole
with your hand to make sure it does not start to drip. Turn off the pump. Quietly leave the
room for about five minutes to let the client rest.
13. Re‐enter the room. The client may be asleep. Let them know you are there by removing
the towel rolls from the sides of their head. Straighten out the vinyl strip and remove the
washcloth from their eyes. Now you can talk to them and ask them how they are feeling.
Gently squeeze the oil out of their hair. Have them lift their head so you may remove the
towel roll and vinyl strip. Set the vinyl strip in the pitcher until you are ready for clean up.
Use the large towel under their head to help absorb the rest of the oil out of their hair
14. Take 5 drops of essential oil into your palm. Spray some rosewater into the oil and close
your palms together. Hold your hands just above the clients’ face and encourage them to
inhale deeply. As they exhale, apply the mixture avoiding eye area.
15. Begin Marma Therapy for the head (see Ayurvedic Facial Massage Sequence)
16. Remove the blanket. Tell the client you will be holding up the sheet over your eyes and
they can sit up facing away from you. Wrap the sheet under their arms and around their
body. Come around the table to help them stand up. They may be a little disoriented. Escort
them into the bathroom for their shower. Advise them that it is preferable to leave the
oil in the hair for some time, but if they must remove it, to put the shampoo into their hair
before wetting in order to all of the oil. Thank them and leave them to their shower.
17. Begin clean up. Dispose of shirodhara medium (see options for oil disposal in Appendix.)
Wipe the vinyl strip down with a paper towel. Take the copper pitcher, vinyl strip,
pump and shirodhara vessel to the sink. Allow the pump to drain for a few minutes. Place a
dollop of dish soap on a damp sponge. Without wetting any of the equipment, rub everything
down with the soap. Next, place more soap and a disinfectant in the copper pitcher.
Fill it with water and drop in the pump. Turn the pump on, letting the water run through
the tubing. Keep water running from the faucet into the pitcher as you do this. Empty the
pitcher and refill it with denatured alcohol. Run the pump for one minute, then remove the
tubing from the pump and hang to dry. Set the pump aside to dry. Rinse and dry the vinyl
strip, shirodhara pot, and pitcher. Wipe down the stand and massage table with a towel,
then a moist towel with a cleaner like Citra solve or Simple Green.

Ayurvedic Facial
Massage Sequence
1. Place a teaspoon of oil in hand; apply oil from shoulders to forehead.
2. Start with fingers on upper trapezius and circle 7x both sides at the same time.
3. Bring hands around shoulders and up the back of the neck. Cradle occipital bone
with good pressure. Hand over hand up the back of the neck 7x.
4. Thumbs on front of the neck at both sides glide upward and gently squeeze the sternocleidomastoid
muscle (SCM) alternating sides on each stroke, 7x.
5. Thumb on chin, and index finger under the edge of the mandible glide from chin to
lateral jaw alternating sides on each stroke, 7x.
6. Index finger on chin and thumb above upper lip, glide around lips to the ear alternating
sides on each stroke, 7x.
7. Using index finger, start at either side of the nose, glide under the maxillary arch and
to the ear both sides at the same time 7x.
8. Using both thumbs glide over the top of the maxillary arch to the ear, both sides at
the same time, 7x.
9. Using ring finger, circle the eyes going medial to lateral on eyebrows and continuing
around the orbital ridge gently 7x.
10. Glide up the sides of the nose with your middle finger. You can either alternate fingers
or do both sides at the same time; whichever is more comfortable for you.
11. Bilaterally, press on avarta marma at the very point where the eyebrow meets the
nose. This will probably be sensitive on most people.
12. Squeeze along the eyebrow in 3-4 points moving medial to lateral. Use extra caution
not to poke the eye. Do this with the ring or index finger and thumb, with thumb on
top edge of the brow.
13. Using index, middle, and ring finger on both hands circle 7x at the temporomandibular
joint (TMJ) with firm pressure.
14. Same hand position, glide up sides of face, both hands at the same time and circle at
the temples 7x.
15. Glide back down toward TMJ and back up toward temple (figure 8 style) 7x. Use
light pressure on the down stroke and firmer on the upstroke.

16. Circles on the temples, 7x with firm pressure.
17. Alternating hands, stroke up the forehead using the whole palm, 7x.
18. Hand over hand, stroke medial to lateral on forehead 7x.
19. Circles on temples with index an ring finger, 7x.
20. Run hands down the sides of the face and neck return to the starting position on
trapezius.
21. Repeat the circles on upper traps 7x.
22. Place thumb on the amsa marma point on the joint where the clavicle meets the scapula.
Press and hold for 7 seconds.
23. Glide hands up the back of the neck to the occipital bone; Hold pressure with your
fingertips.
24. Massage the ears, both at the same time. Gently tug down at the lobe, sideways on the
edge, and upward at the top of the ear 3x each point.
25. Squeeze marma point in the center of chin. Hold for 7 seconds. Glide to the point half
way between the chin and TMJ, press and hold 7 seconds. Glide to TMJ, press and hold
7 seconds.
26. Press thumbs above upper lip and hold for 7 seconds. Glide under maxillary arch, press
and hold 7 seconds. Glide next to ear, press and hold 7 seconds.
27. Press on both sides of the nose and hold for 7 seconds, glide to top of maxillary arch,
press and hold for 7 seconds. Glide to temples, press and hold 7 seconds.
28. Using ring finger, press inside corners of the eyes 7 seconds, glide to inferior orbital
ridge, press and hold 7 seconds, glide to outside corner of eyes, press and hold on outer
orbital ridge 7 seconds.
29. Press avarta marmas. Hold 7 seconds.
30. Squeeze along superior orbital ridge in 3-4 points as in step #12. Hold each point 3 seconds.
31. Using thumb massage third eye. Press thumbs up the midline of the forehead to the
crown chakra. Massage the scalp. Gently and slowly remove your hands.

Tips for Setting up and Maintaining Ajara
Shirodhara Equipment
• Attach the shelving to the stand before assembling the rest of the unit.
• Tighten the union joints with wrenches as you put each piece together.
• If the arm of the stand is sticking in the joint, wipe it with Vaseline.
• Place the slider and chain on the arm of the shirodhara stand last.
• Be sure the hole in your pot is free from debris by running a pipe cleaner
in the valve before the first use and between each use. Hair can get
caught in the valve during the treatment as well. It is a good idea to have
something rigid nearby to run through the hole in this case.
• If using the shirodhara pump, insert the tubing into the hose clamp provided,
then attach the tubing to the pump. Tighten the hose clamp down
with a screw driver so that the tubing adheres to the pump.
• Place the electric burner on the shelving, and your oil into the pitcher.
Place the oil on the heater approximately 10 minutes before the shirodhara
will begin. If using a pump DO NOT PLACE THE PUMP IN THE
OIL YET. Turn the burner to the highest setting for about 1 minute. The
turn the burner completely off. Wait 10 minutes. Your oil should be to the
proper temperature for a warm shirodhara treatment. You may now place
the pump in the oil.
•If using the pump, wrap the tubing around the stand and insert as shown, avoiding kinks. If your
tubing has kinks in it, pinch the kink and bend it the opposite direction. This will round the hose.
•Make sure the valve on the shirodhara pot is off. The lever should be turned upward. To open
the valve, simply place the lever pointing downward.
•When you start the oil, turn the dial on the burner to between the 0 and 1. Because the burner
has a self regulating thermostat the light may not stay on during the entire treatment.
•When finished, close the valve on the shirodhara pot, unplug the pump, and turn the burner off.
•To keep your burner, pan and shirodhara pot clean, simply place a quarter sized dollop of liquid
dish soap on a lightly damp sponge. Wipe down completely before rinsing with any water. Drain
the pump, then set it in a bath of alcohol for 1-2 minutes to kill germs and remove oil residues.
•To bring your stand back to a shine, scrub with a dry Heavy Duty Green Scotch Brite pad.

Instructions for Assembly of the Ajara Shirodhara Stand
Slider
Place the two copper straps together. Put one screw into one adjoining side and attach a nut. Now put the
chain on the bottom of the two straps. Place the two straps onto the arm and insert the second screw. Tighten
both nuts down with a pliers and screw driver.
Top Slider (side view)
Top Slider (front view)
Shelf
Center the shelf on the stand, so that there are holes running along each side of the center pole. Place a screw
into a washer and insert from the top of the shelf into the fourth hole from the front of the shelf, along each side
of the pole. Place the tube strap over the screws, and tighten each one down with a single nut. See picture #1
Do the same thing on the back end of the shelf. This time, insert the screws in the second hole from the back.
See picture #2.
Front underneath
Back underneath with strap and nuts
Complete shelf

How to use the Shirodhara Oil Pump
1
Wrap the vinyl hose around the shaft of the shirodhara
stand. Once the tubing reaches the level of the top of
the copper pot, run the tubing through one of the rings
on the chain going from the outside toward the inside.
Next, bring the tubing to the other side of the shirodhara
pot, near the opposite ring. Insert the tubing
into the opposite ring from the OUTSIDE toward
the inside. The end of the tubing should now
be pointing into the shirodhara pot, and the pot
should be hanging mostly level.
2
3
Slide the tubing through both rings until it curls up in
the bottom of the shirodhara pot. Make sure that the
tubing around the stand is not hanging anywhere near
the client’s head or in the way of the shirodhara stream.
Flatten the tubing so the oil will run smoothly. Avoid
kinking the tube anywhere along the way.
Open the intake vent on the pump all the way, so that the lever runs horizontally.
Submerge the pump in the warm oil and adhere the suction cup feet to
the bottom of the pot. Make sure the pump is completely covered with oil, or it
will make noise, and then stop running properly. Turn the pump on by plugging
it into the wall. The pump will make a slight whirring noise at first while
it is getting started, and then will be quiet. Once the oil has been running for a
minute or two, you may choose to close the intake vent slightly so the oil runs
slower. Monitor the oil level throughout the treatment. For someone with very
long or porous hair, more oil may need to be added during the treatment.