“I have had several treatments from Juan Mosquera at Moksha. Abhyanga, Kati Basti and Karna Purna . I loved them all. Juan has an amazing, caring touch and the ambiance of his room is very soothing. “
- Andy Nunberg
" I took Kati Basti from Juan. It is really wonderful. His depth of knowledge for physical, mental and emotional issues is really great. I will go again"
-Hari Babu
Definition: Kati Basti is a procedure of applying heat to the sacral or lumbar region by retaining warm medicated oils (similar to janu basti)
Sanskrit: Kati= lower back, Basti= to retain
Description: Kati Basti is deep tissue therapy using heat to heal and oils to repair the tissue. Heat increases blood flow, the increase in blood flow can reduce swelling, assist with pain relief and soften ligaments, tendons and muscles. This in turn allows joints, tendons and ligaments to be stretched further where there is little movement.
Benefits
Because of the nadis and nerve endings linking the digestive tract to the spine it can support balance to the digestive system
It can release deep-seated emotions
Relieves chronic lower backaches and painful muscle spasms, and muscle stiffness
Reduces muscle spasms and lowers spine rigidity
Strengthens bone tissue of the lower back
Gives deep relaxation to the back muscles and nervous system (by warming the whole spinal column and the spinal cord)
Strengthens the extremities of the body; Improves Movements
Indications
Backache, degenerative spine changes
Especially good for Vata (sacrum triangle is one of the seats of Vata)
Hip pain, shoulder pain, and spinal cord compression
Compressed discs
Osteoporosis, Sciatica
Contraindication
Acute fever
acute stage of Rheumatoid arthritis
Inflammatory or infective conditions
Tepid cow’s ghee can be used for inflammatory conditions
Do not use hot oil for inflammatory conditions
Procedure
Prone posture - Lying down on the abdomen. Black gram or whole wheat flour dough is kept over the sacral or lumbar region or point of pain with a paste made of special flour and water. Warm oil should be poured inside the circle and kept there till it is warm. As it cools you can suck out the oil with the help of a spoon, cotton or small Turkish cloth and re-add warmed oil back into the circled area. Duration is 30 minutes. In the end, remove the dough carefully. Next massage the area mildly followed by local steam over the lumbosacral region. This helps the oil penetrates deep into the muscle tissues, ligaments, tendons and bones of the back region. Two precautions should be taken while taking Kati Basti treatment. During the procedure, you must continue to breathe the natural way. Two, it is important to select oil as per an individual’s constitution and keep the oil temperature constant.
Duration: 30-60 minutes
Post-treatment care
Try to avoid heavy lifting and excessive exercise for 24 hours
Follow therapist home recommendations
Leave the oil on for at least 1 hour
Rest, gentle movement and/or asana is recommended for a few days following treatment. Avoid stress on the lumbar region while undergoing Kati Basti treatment.
FAQ
How to prepare for a treatment?
Like most Ayurvedic therapies, it is advisable to not eat anything 90 minutes prior to your treatment.
Please plan to arrive 10 minutes before your appointment time
Refrain from any heavy meals for 90 minutes before appointment.
Stay well hydrated
Do not schedule any strenuous tasks for the rest of the day. It's best to have at least a few hours after the appointment that are easily relaxed.
Wear clothes you are ok getting a bit of oil on, post- treatment.
What to wear?
This treatment involves the use of oil, we recommend wearing clothes you don’t mind getting oil on until you can shower, however it is unnecessary to fully undress for this treatment.