Shiva Rea calls the ayurvedic practice of self-massage, or abhyanga, “befriending yourself.” She is the founder of Prana Vinyasa, an ambassador for Banyan Botanicals, and a globally renowned instructor. “The self-love aspect is so unique in ayurveda, because more than in any ancient system of health, ayurveda emphasizes the importance of love. And I can riff on that forever.” Abhyanga is also an important way of gaining body knowledge, she points out. “It helps you receive information from your body, understanding where you tune out and where you may have some disconnection, where you may have anything less than positive support circulating through your body. As a tool for self-healing and balance, it brings the power of touch to your nadi flow.” In ayurveda, nadi refers to energy channels. “Even though you are massaging your muscles and around your joints, you’re affecting your whole-body flow,” explains Rea. “We are flowing. Our spine is like the central river, and our arms and legs are the tributaries of that river.” Rea says, “I’ve been teaching for over 25 years, and I can tell you that when …