Nourish Yourself With Sneha
Dec 07, 2025
Happy December!
It is often in this time, after Thanksgiving, that the dry and rough air of late Fall and early Winter will create noticeably drier skin. Your skin sensations will demand your attention, especially if you are post menopausal. The best thing for our skin is oil. I recommend giving yourself a nice, full body oil massage, or Abyhanga, most days during this time of the year.
In Ayurveda, Abhyanga is more than a self-care ritual — it’s an act of deep love for your body. During this cold and dry time of the year, this daily or weekly practice of warm oil massage soothes the nervous system, nourishes the skin, and restores steadiness to both body and mind.
In Sanskrit the word for oil is Sneha.
Interestingly enough, Sneha is also a word for LOVE! So love yourself up with oil!
Each stroke invites your energy inward — grounding, calming, and reconnecting you with your own essence. During Winter, when Vata’s airy qualities can leave us feeling scattered, anxious, or depleted, Abhyanga becomes a beautiful way to return to warmth, stillness, and presence. This practice is truly one of the best ways to calm your nervous system.
Oil is also the best food for the skin’s microbiome, which keeps us healthy and supports immunity. Sesame oil is recommended for Vata season and Vata predominant people in general. More Pitta predominant folks may find it nice to mix sesame and coconut oil together. Kapha predominant people may enjoy sesame and mustard seed oil mixed together. Mix your own Abhyanga oil and add a few drops of your favorite essential oils. You will feel so nourished!
There are so many simple and lovely daily Ayurvedic practices that can support us in this season of less daylight and increased pressure to be social.
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