Marma means ‘hidden or secret”. The science of marma or Marma Vidya is a extraordinary and dynamic Ayurvedic therapy that has tremendous value in health, disease, everyday living and in spiritual practice.

To understand what is marma sthan or marma point

lets understand different perspectives,

• A marma point is a juncture on the body where two or more types of tissue meet, such as muscles, veins, ligaments, bones or joints.
• The marma points are where consciousness meets matter; where life force/ praan shakti / chi expresses prominently on the body, they are intersections of the vital life force and prana, or breath.
• Marma point is the junction between physiology and consciousness, they are vital points on the body where vata, pitta, and kapha are present in their subtlest forms.
• Marma points are invisible but can be traced where body, mind and psychic energies concentrate together. As such, they are places where the vital energy in the body can become blocked.

Number of marma on human body

In all, 108 marma points cover the human body. They range in size from one to six inches in diameter. The points were mapped out in detail centuries ago in the Sushruta Samhita, a classic Ayurvedic text. Major marma points correspond to the seven chakras, or energy centers of the body, while minor points radiate out along the torso and limbs. The points cover both the front and back body,

• 22 on the lower extremities,
• 22 on the arms,
• 12 on the chest and stomach,
• 14 on the back, and 37 on the head and neck.
• The mind is considered the 108th marma.

Size of marma sthan

Marma points are located and measured by the finger widths, called anguli. Unlike the tiny, pin-pricked-sized points in comparable therapies, like acupuncture, marma points are relatively large and easy to find.

Difference between marma and other therapies like acupuncture

Many historians believe that other point therapies, including acupuncture, acupressure and reflexology, grew out of the science of marma. The key difference is that most other point practices work through the body’s network of energetic currents, or meridians. Marma points, on the other hand, bridge the gap between the physical and energetic bodies by carrying energetic information between the mind and the body’s organs and tissues.

History of marmachikitsa

Marma chikitsa dates back to southern India era of 1500 BC. Masters of kalari, an ancient martial art, first discovered the power of marma points. In battle, kalari fighters targeted an opponent’s marma points as a way to inflict pain and injury. Along with their ability to kill, however, comes an ability to heal. Wounded Kalari fighters were nursed back to health with marma therapy.

Eventually, Ayurvedic physicians around India learned of the technique’s powers and brought Kalari Masters into hospitals to teach the art. Soon, marma chikitsa training became mandatory for surgeons, who would take great pains to work around specific points lest they risk a patient’s life. Today marma chikitsa is very art form  is still largely respected component of Ayurvedic healing.

How marma chikitsa affects human system

When manipulated, marmas can alter both the organic function and structural condition of the body. Through the right use of marmas our entire physical and mental energy can be consciously increased, decreased or redirected in a transformative manner.

Marma and prana / prana shakti

Marmas are centers for the vital-force or Prana, the master power behind both physical and psychological processes. Marmas serve like pranic switches that can be used to turn Prana up or down, on or off at various places on the body. Through manipulation of marmas, Prana can be directed to remove blockages, improve energy flow or tap hidden energy reserves and make connections with the greater powers of life and nature. This makes marma therapy an important tool of ‘energetic’ or ‘pranic healing.

Marma sthan creates diseases, disability,disturbances in lfe force when injured. can be due either to external injuries or internal factors like fear or anger. Such blockages can be perceived as a kind of psychic energy. Therefore, marmas can be controlled by meditation, mantra, Pranayama and other yogic methods. Marmas can also be used for enhancing mental and spiritual powers. The ancient Indian  system refers to marmas relative to the effects of the Moon and the planets on the human body, bringing in an astrological link as well

Marma  and chakra- nadi system of yoga

It is important to understand that chakras are the main marmas or pranic (energy) centers of the subtle body, which energize all the marmas or pranic centers of the physical body. The secret here is that through treating their respective marmas, we can treat the nadis, elements, sense and motor organs, and  other factors associated with the chakras.

Marma as diagnostic tool 

The condition of marmas is an important diagnostic tool in Ayurveda. At marma sites toxins, stress and negative emotions get lodged and are held, sometimes for years. Disease is reflected in pain, blockage or swelling in these areas even before it may manifest outwardly in the full range of disease symptoms.

Treatment modalities of marma

Ayurveda treats marmas with pressure, heat, needles, massage oils, sounds, energy, mantra , herbs or aromatic oils, providing many tools for working with our internal energies through them.