Massaging the body with oil creates a physical protective layer by supporting the integrity of your skin. Massaging with oil can also soothe the nervous system and create a touch point to help you ground into your body.
It can be a simple, ritual, celebration of the body. Or a way to soothe and moisturize the skin and ease muscles. It can support the immune system through stimulation of the lymphatic system, or help you relax into your body while navigating emotional upheaval. The practice can also feel devotional, softening sticky feelings about our bodies that tend to linger on.
And when you use an herbal oil, you absorb the unique benefits of whatever herbs are in the oil through your skin in addition to the immune and nervous system benefits. This is similar to how birth control patches or nicotine patches release chemicals through skin into the bloodstream. The chemical components that were extracted from herbs into the oil do the same.