AYURVEDIC PRACTICES
Today I thought I would share some of the ayurvedic practices which I'm using in my everyday life, and you might find some inspiration for some more loving and selfcaring practices.
If you don't know what ayurveda is, then I've already written a blog post about it which you can read about right here. I find ayurveda very fascinating and, as mentioned, I've already taken several of the ayurvedic practices to me and use them in my everyday life to take better care of myself, health and happiness.
Dry brushing
Dry brushing is a very used practice within ayurveda. Dry brushing is where you brush your dry skin, to get rid of dead skin cells, but more importantly to get your blood circulation flowing in your body. Dry brushing before a bath is such a lovely selfcare practice.
Oil massage
Just like dry brushing, then giving yourself an oil massage, is also a very practiced ritual within the ayurvedic belief system. Again this is a way to get your blood circulation going, but also just a lovely way to moisturise your skin and get in tune with your own body.
Tongue scraping
Tongue scraping is a new ayurvedic practice which I've just started to do. Basically you just scrape your tongue to remove dirt from your tongue. You can do this after you brush your teeth and just incorporate it as a daily practice, like brushing teeth. Tongue scraping is a way to not only remove a bad breath, but also a way to, according to ayurvedic beliefs, improve taste and digestion*.
Warm food, drinks and clothes
If you have identified which ayurvedic dosha is your primary (vata, kapha, pita), then you can follow some of the practices which are suggested for your type. My primary dosha is vata, and one of my characteristics is that I very easily get cold and freeze. This is so simple and seems very logic, but the ayurvedic practice recommends, especially for vata doshas, to eat warm food, drink warm drinks (herbal teas, golden milk) and dress in warm clothes in order to keep balanced. So I sip on tea almost all day long, wear lots of warm knits and a blanket if I'm at home, and I truly enjoy eating a delicious warm and nourishing vegetable soup or a good dhal.