Ancient. Proven. Effective.
Ayurveda is the 5000-year-old Ancient Science of Life, a holistic approach to the art of living and wellbeing, a grounding philosophy that drives its healing powers from the laps of nature.
In the bustle of this man-constructed concrete jungle of buildings, machines, pollution, and synthetic toxicity, we often forget to get in touch with our primitive or natural selves and often forget that we are also a part of nature and nature in its form itself.
Ayurveda is that grounding energy that takes us back to nature and its healing powers!
Not just a form of treatment, it is also a way of life. It is trusting mother nature and the herbal medicines that she herself made for you.
It is where nature and nurture co-exist!
According to Ayurveda, health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between the mind, body, and spirit. And that balance is achieved by maintaining that equilibrium by pacifying certain imbalances in your body.
But how can that be done?
For starters, understand your Dosha type.
Doshas or Body Types
There are five basic bio-elements found in the universe: space, air, fire, water, and earth
These elements combine in the human body to form 3 life forces or body types called doshas: Vata Dosha, Pitta Dosha, and Kapha Dosha.
Everyone inherits a unique mix of the doshas (Normally connected to 2 or 3 doshas), but one of the doshas is usually stronger than the others. Your wellness and health are determined by the balance or imbalance in your doshas. If there is an imbalance in your dosha then the chances are that one of or both of your doshas are agitated.
Consult an Ayurvedic practitioner who can determine your Dosha. An even better option is to take this Dosha quiz and find out your body type right from your home.
1. Vata Dosha
Vata Dosha is related to the elements of air and ether. It is generally described as cold, light, dry, rough, flowing, and spacious. Think of Fall season... think of cool, crisp days.
- Body: Naturally Thin with light bones
- Vibrations: Energetic & creative
- Hair type: Rough & curly hair
- Skin type: Dry, flaky, and rough
- Usually prone to depression and digestive problems
Avoid: Cold foods, caffeine, alcohol & smoking
Recommendations: Meditate and maintain a warm body temperature by avoiding cold weather. Eat hearty soups & cooked root vegetables.
2. Pitta Dosha
Pitta Dosha is related to the elements of fire and water. Commonly described as hot, light, sharp, oily, liquid-y, and mobile. Think of summer season.... think of hot, sunny days.
- Body: Muscular, strong, athletic
- Vibrations: Motivated, goal-oriented, & competitive
- Hair type: Slightly wavy, medium thickness, medium strength and medium length
- Skin type: Sensitive & soft
- Prone to anger and heart diseases
Avoid: Acidic foods, pungent vegetables, garlic, hot spices, caffeine, alcohol & smoking
Recommendations: Sweet fruits & bitter vegetables
3. Kapha Dosha
Kapha Dosha is related to the elements of water and earth. Commonly described as steady, stable, heavy, slow, cold, and soft. Think of Spring season...
- Body: Big body frame & stocky body
- Vibrations: Calm, loving, loyal, & tolerant
- Hair type: Thick, dark & wavy
- Skin type: Lustrous and oily skin
- Prone to apathy and diabetes
- May have problems with weight gain
Avoid: Oily, sweet foods along with salt. Caffeine, alcohol & smoking.
Recommendations: Light, raw, or steamed vegetables. Ripe fruits. Strong spices
The primary goal of Ayurveda is not to fight diseases but to promote good health!
It goes beyond symptoms and addresses the root cause of your complaints.
There are Ayurvedic therapies and recommendations that are specifically based on your own unique constitution or dosha. Herbs, Ayurvedic therapies, and guided cleanses may also vary according to the specific dosha and the imbalances according to individuals.
Here are 7 rejuvenating Ayurvedic practices that will relax your mind, body, and soul
1. Shirodhara
The word Shirodhara comes from the two Sanskrit words “Shiro” (head) and “Dhara” (flow).
Shirodhara is a classical and well-established Ayurvedic procedure of slowly and steadily dripping medicated oil on the forehead. It induces a relaxed state of awareness that results in a dynamic psycho-somatic balance.1
This Ayurvedic healing technique is one of the best-known techniques and is performed with a special mixture of oils with herbs, recipes of which could date back to over 2000 years!
The oil flow and head massage calm down the nervous system, reduce stress, and relieve headaches.
2. Abhyanga
The Ayurvedic technique of anointing oneself from head to toe with warm oil is Abhyanga. A daily abhyanga practice helps restore the balance in an agitation or imbalance in your dosha.
Various kinds of herb-infused oils, that are in tune with your particular dosha, are used in this practice.
The benefits of Abhyanga:
- Nourishes the entire body
- Lubricates the joints and gives better flexibility
- Increases blood circulation and assists in cell regeneration
- Helps Relax your body and helps you sleep better
- Reduces stress and increases longevity
- Helps tone the muscles and strengthen the tissues
- Softens and smoothens skin
- Decreases the effects of aging on the skin
3. Pinda Sveda
Massage therapy with the use of hot cotton bags filled with herb-infused oil is called Pinda Sveda.
In this treatment, Various parts of the body are uniformly massaged with a kizhi (a linin bundle) dipped in a special herb-infused oil (kuzambu).
Sometimes it is a four-hand full body massage. The benefits of therapeutic herbs are delivered to the body through the skin and the toxins are removed through sweating.
This ayurvedic treatment helps:
- Delay age-related degeneration of joints
- Increases flexibility in joints
- Improves blood circulation in the body
- Soothes the nerves and offers relief from neuralgic pain caused by nerve disorders
4. Netra Basti
This Ayurvedic treatment involves bathing the eye with medicated or non-medicated ghee.
Dough prepared with special grains, shaped into a small ring is placed over the eyes. This is then filled with warm ghee, either a plain or medicated variety. The ghee is retained within the ring at a specific temperature for a specific time. After this relaxing session, specific Marma points around the eye area are massaged.
This treatment is beneficial in enhancing the eyesight, countering fatigue and heaviness.
5. Pichu
Pichu is an Ayurvedic procedure done mainly to treat local aggravations in Vata dosha. It is considered good practice for dealing with Vata aggravation in the head, joints, and spine.
It is traditionally used:
- In conditions where heat and nourishment are required
- For stiffness of the lower back and calf muscles
- On the head to give deep nourishment in various conditions marked by Vata aggravation
Pichu is essentially an external treatment that is performed using a cotton cloth. It is an Ayurvedic palliative treatment targeted to treat your body ailments. Oils that can be used for Pichu are sesame oil, prasaranyadi oil, tungdrumadi oil (on the head), and mahanarayan oil.
6. Avagaham
Avagahm is an extremely relaxing Ayurvedic treatment where you take a calming, soothing herb-infused bath. The main aim of this treatment is to make the body sweat, opening the pores and making it receptive to absorbing active elements in the subsequent practices.
This treatment involves a bathtub filled with potent Ayurvedic herbs, exclusively concocted to heal the body from head to toe.
Specifically for:
- lower back, upper back, and hips
- Urino-genital system
7. Nasyam
The human body is seen by Ayurveda as an inverted tree, the head representing the roots!
Roots are an essential component for a tree to receive nourishment and it is needless to state the importance of nourishing our roots to stay clear and balanced.
And Nasyam is exactly what you need!
It is an Ayurvedic process that helps clear out any blockages or disturbances in the neck, head, nose, scalp, and hair. In this process, medicated oil droplets are gently poured into the nose, which are then absorbed by the circulatory system, thus, deeply nourishing the head.
This process is highly beneficial for:
- Nose disorders
- Head and neck disorders
- Hair and scalp disorders
Please consult a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner before undergoing any Ayurvedic practice mentioned in this article.
Feel in line with nature and fulfil your decompressing needs with the mind-balancing, soul-enriching, and rejuvenating experience of Ayurvedic Practices.
What do you do when you don’t feel in line with your natural self? What is one grounding practice that you swear by? We would love to hear about it in the comments!!!
References
1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3667433/