What I Learned About Sesame Oil at a Saturday Morning Meditation Class in Galway

The first Saturday of every month, Lisa Berry holds a meditation class in Galway. This morning I found myself at Coffeewerk and Press on Quay Street for her Textures of Yoga session — a quiet, grounding hour of yoga philosophy, breathwork and meditation that has become something of a ritual for me.

I first encountered Lisa's work two years ago on a retreat in Portugal that she co-facilitated with Fiona Brown. That week at Quinta Carvalhas changed something in me. I came home with a deeper connection to natural rituals, to slowness, to the oils I'd been using and loving for years. It was that retreat — that week of intention and presence — that planted the seed for Tichka. My love of oils had always been there, but it took that experience in Portugal to make me want to share them with others.

So when Lisa started talking about sesame oil in this morning's class, it felt like a full-circle moment.

Sesame Oil in Ayurveda: Three Rituals Worth Knowing

Ayurveda is one of the world's oldest systems of natural medicine, originating in India thousands of years ago. It views health as a balance between mind, body and environment — and it has long considered sesame oil one of its most powerful allies. Lisa mentioned three specific uses that she incorporates into her own routine.

1. Massaging Your Feet Before Bed

In Ayurveda, the feet are considered one of the most important areas of the body — home to nerve endings that connect to organs, the nervous system, and the mind. Massaging warm sesame oil into the soles of your feet before sleep is a practice called Padabhyanga, and it's been used for centuries to calm the nervous system, improve circulation and support deeper, more restful sleep.

Sesame oil is considered warming and grounding in Ayurvedic medicine, which makes it particularly well suited to this ritual. Warm a small amount between your palms, massage it into the soles and tops of your feet in slow circular motions, put on a pair of socks, and go to bed. Simple, and surprisingly effective.

2. Oil Pulling

Oil pulling — known in Ayurveda as Kavala or Gandusha — involves swishing a tablespoon of oil around your mouth for 10–20 minutes first thing in the morning, then spitting it out. Lisa uses sesame oil for this, which is the traditional choice in Ayurvedic practice. Its natural antibacterial properties make it well suited to the practice. Important note: always spit into a bin rather than the sink, as oil can clog pipes.

3. Cooking

Sesame oil has been a staple in kitchens across Asia, the Middle East and North Africa for thousands of years — and in Ayurveda it's considered one of the most beneficial cooking oils. It has a high smoke point, a rich nutty flavour, and is packed with antioxidants, healthy fats and vitamin E. At Tichka we source our sesame oil from Morocco, where it's been used in traditional cooking for generations.

One Oil, Many Uses

Something worth knowing about our Tichka Sesame Oil: because it is cold-pressed and unrefined, it is suitable for both cosmetic and culinary use. This is the key distinction. Roasted sesame oil — the dark, intensely flavoured variety used in Asian cooking — is purely a kitchen ingredient. Cold-pressed sesame oil, like ours, retains all of its naturally occurring nutrients, fatty acids and antioxidants in their whole form, which is precisely why Ayurvedic practice has used it for skin, scalp and body care for centuries alongside its use in cooking.

One bottle, used well, goes a long way.

If You're Thinking About a Retreat

If this post has you thinking about carving out some real time for yourself, I'd wholeheartedly recommend looking at what Lisa and Fiona have coming up. They are running their Portugal Retreat at Quinta Carvalhas from July 31st to August 5th 2026 — the same place that changed everything for me two years ago. Based on what I experienced, it's worth every moment.

And if Portugal isn't on the cards right now, Lisa's monthly meditation class here in Galway — the first Saturday of every month at Coffeewerk and Press — is a beautiful way to start. It's also available via livestream if you're not local. Find out more at lisaberryyoga.com and fionabrownyoga.com.

This morning's class was a reminder that the best wellness practices are rarely new. Sometimes they just need the right person to bring them back into the room.