Margaret is trained as an Ayurvedic Yoga Specialist. She offers Wellness consults that will teach you the basics of Ayurveda and offer you lifestyle suggestions for your specific constitution. We also sell many Ayurvedic products that can be used for daily Dinacharya ( daily practices ) including neti pots, Marma sticks, tongue scrapers, nasya oils and body oils.
Daily practices (Dinacharya ) are a very important part of an Ayurvedic Lifestyle. There are many daily practices but I will highlight a few here. Daily practices should be done almost every day ( except for some ) in order to develop a good routine and to develop optimum health.
Tongue scraping is a great morning practice. This should be done very first thing. During sleep, amma (toxins/bacteria) develop on the tongue and are seen in the form of a white, brown or yellowish paste. Upon waking it is an excellent practice to scrape the tongue of its toxins even before brushing or flossing. The best sort of tongue scraper to use is a copper or aluminum scraper. Some of the other benefits of tongue scraping are that it improves digestion, enhances taste and stimulates internal organs. If left uncleared, these toxins cause unwanted toxicity and bad breath.
Another excellent daily practice is practicing Abhyanga. Abhyanga seems as though it would be a cumbersome practice, but really can be quite simple. Abhyanga is daily oiling of the skin prior to showering. In this practice, one traditionally uses sesame oil ( a warming oil ) but this can vary to coconut or almond or other oils depending upon the season and your individual dosha. In this practice, oil is applied to the body, rubbing it in long on the long bones and circular on the joints. It is applied preferrably in the morning or during a time when the body can set about for a bit prior to taking a shower. I generally apply the oil in the morning, after which I hang about in my bathrobe for a while with the oil on my skin. It can be applied to hair as well, when time allows. After 10-30 minutes, one can take a shower, with it only being necessary to wash the private parts and the hair if necessary. Generally speaking, sesame oil is indicated for this practice. Sesame oil is a warming oil, most beneficial in the winter, colder and dryer months. During the summer months and warmer seasons, other oils such as coconut and almond can be used. If you would like to see a video on Dinacharya, click here.
The third practice I would like to speak to is Neti and Nasya. Neti can be done occasionally or more often, depending on the amount of nasal congestion or mucous. Nasya is applying oils onto the mucous membranes in the nose. Applying oils to other surfaces of orifices, such as the ears and belly button, also are very nourishing for the body and provide lubrication internally while pacifying the doshas.
The nose is the direct route to the brain and also the doorway to consciousness. Administration of herbally infused oil, or nasya, helps facilitate this cleansing process. Nasya Oil soothes and protects the nasal passages and helps relieve sinus congestion. Daily nasal lubrication helps to release tension in the head. Balancing for vata, pitta, and kapha, Nasya Oil is also traditionally said to improve quality of voice, strengthen vision and promote mental clarity.
Here is a simple procedure to follow for self-administration of nasya:
Place a drop of nasya oil on the little finger and carefully insert it into the nostril.
Gently massage the inner walls of the nasal passage.
Alternate left and right nostrils until each nostril has received a total of three applications of oil.
The lubrication and gentle massage helps to alleviate stress and release any tension in the tissues.
There are many other pieces of a Dinacharya practice, but these are a few simple ones and ones that we sell products to help you with. Our products come from Banyan Botanicals and also from Dr Indu Arora’s business Yog Sadhna. I feel delighted to offer these products at our Studio and hope that you can infuse some of these practices into your life.
