Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Ayurvedic Principals



I would like to tell you about some Ayurvedic principals that all three Doshas or everyone can benefit from and they are a sure shot way of getting Peace, prosperity and balance in your life even without having a through knowledge of Doshas.
Ayurveda believes that true beauty is composed of three vital elements: a well-nourished body, a balanced mind, and a peaceful spirit.

+Pranayama- Breathing
Prana means Life and Yama means 'the art of':
Ayurveda recommends breathing deep and slow. Inhale so that you can feel the air right reach into your abdomen. Take care not to breathe too fast-because if your air circulating channels are not clear, the oxygen will be distributed unequally in your body; and that can do more harm than good. Therefore, keep the pace easy and the rhythm steady. The use of a therapeutic essential oil or blend at this time (I am in the process of making these right now and will be available very soon)- will support your deep breathing activity. Do this at least twice a day for 10 minutes each, and your skin will radiate bliss. Deep breathing also brings instant calm, and serenity is one of the essential elements of beauty.

+Yoga- Stretching
Yoga comes from the Sanskrit word "yuj" which means to unite or to join:
Every day, give yourself some time out for exercise. Yoga not only nourishes the body but strengthens the mind and nurtures the spirit.
This gives your circulation a boost, while also loosening ama or accumulated toxins, urging it toward exit points.

+Abhyanga- self massage to remove toxins
Abhyanga literary means to run or stroke one´s hand all over, all around the body in a gentle manner:
The Sanskrit word sneha means both “oil” and “love,” and the effects of abhyanga are similar to the effect of saturation with love.Abhyanga nourishes the skin, and gradually the tissues beneath.Abhyanga is recommended in Ayurveda as part of the daily ritual for wellness. It is recommended to do it in the morning 10-15 minutes before your shower. Massaging just your feet and scalp will benefit your whole body if you cannot do your whole body. The oils can be warmed by placing the amount you need in a little container,essential oils can be added according to body type.
Benefits of Abhyanga
Improves the complexion,
Makes the skin glow and prevents dry and rough skin,
Promotes better skin texture,
Improves blood circulation,
Pacifies the skin affections,
Improves physical strength and stamina,
Improves muscle strength and bulk,
Improves the nervous system. thereby preventing nervous disorders,
Improves digestion,
Relieves constipation,
Prevents aging.

+Rasayana- using mantras (repeated words or phrases) during meditation combined with certain herbs to rejuvenate a person.
Rasa means Nectar and yana means preserve which translates to "the art of preserving the nectar of life".
There are two different ways of Rasayana, the first requires total dedication and retirement from daily day to day activities which is impossible for a lot of us but the second way is through food and meditation and is possible to incorporate it in our daily lives.
Ayurveda urges you to spend time and attention on the preparation of your food. This not only ensures you choose the best ingredients and cook in the best way possible, but also that you make your food a visual feast. Keep the flavors simple, the portions austere. The very act of eating should be an exercise in grace. Let the mouthfuls be small and dainty. Savor each morsel. Put your fork down between mouthfuls. While eating, keep your posture perfect: straight spine, and a relaxed stillness to the body. All these habits promote automatic portion-control: eating precisely what your physiology needs. Soon, eating right will become a habit.
Ancient Ayurvedic text say that "Chywanprash" contains an amalgam of herbs with which a person can regain the vitality of their youth back, even in the later stages of life, you can find different types of Chywanprash in health food stores today.

+Pancha Karma-cleansing the body to purify it and reduce cholesterol
It means five-actions or the five therapeutic means of eliminating toxins from the body:
Panchakarma is the ultimate mind-body healing experience for detoxifying the body, strengthening the immune system, and restoring balance and well-being. Developed thousands of years ago in India, it is a specialized procedure and should be supervised by a competent ayurvedic physician.
One way of keeping toxics out of the body (not getting rid of them) is to have a glass of water first thing in the morning

+Roopam- Outer beauty and image:
Ayurveda urges you to remember a universal but often-forgotten truth: each one of us is beautiful in his or her own way. Even if your physical features are less than perfect, you can be the picture of grace and beauty, say Ayurvedic beauty experts. How? Simply by changing the viewing angle: starting to cultivate gunam or inner, non-physical beauty attributes like elegance, grace, kindness, softness, creative energy. Supplement these natural elements with consciously cultivated roopam or physical assets like graceful movement, good posture, relaxed manner and calm voice; and you'll start feeling truly beautiful.
Here is where you need to know your body and skin types in order to gain knowledge of specific products and essential oils for you Skin and your beauty routine. I have explained these next. You have to keep in mind that we are simply one Dosha or a combination of two Dosha's.
Note-It is very rare to be tri-doshic, you would be if you find equal quantities of all in yourself for eg: you have 5 of kapha, 5 of pitta and 5 of vata in you, you are not tri-doshic if you are 7 of Vata, 5 of pitta and 3 of Kapha then you are Vata-Pitta type.

No comments:

Post a Comment