Bath Time
Question
I
have heard that by harnessing all the senses, bath time can
be used to heal body, mind and spirit. Can you offer some
suggestions for doing this?
Answer
Ayurveda
considers bathing more than just a simple cleansing ritual.
The therapeutic ayurvedic bath offers a wide range of benefits-it
enhances circulation, elevates energy levels, rehydrates
the skin, relaxes tense muscles, promotes better sleep and
balances the emotions, the mind and the nervous system.
All the five senses and sense organs can be used to enhance
the healing benefits from your daily bath. Choose from the
following suggestions or devise your own ways to create
a blissful bath:
- Place
pads of cotton soaked in pure Organic Rose Water over closed eyes while you relax in your bath.
Organic Rose Water is cooling and will help soothe away stress.
- Keep
your bathroom sparkling clean, free of clutter and visually
pleasing, so that a sense of private peace steals over
you as you enter for your morning massage and bath. Live
green plants offer both beauty and a purified environment.
- Practice deep breathing while you are waiting for your
massage oil to soak in and while you bathe. Deep breathing
opens up the channels of the body and infuses the lungs
and the body with oxygen. This helps dispel fatigue and
enhances mental clarity. Get fresh air into your bathroom
by opening a window when you can.
- Gentle aromatherapy can enhance the therapeutic value
of the bath. You can diffuse your favorite aroma
in the bathroom while you do your massage and bathe. You
can also add 3-4 drops of aroma oil to your bath water
or use one of our Aromatherapy
Bath Salts. Through the sense of smell, the aroma
quickly transmits a healing message to the brain, nervous
system and mind.
- Play Gandharva
Veda music softly. Close your eyes and let the healing
strains of the music wash over you, filling your body,
mind and spirit with harmony. Pick a melody appropriate
for the time of day or one like the Rain Raga that helps
dispel stress and disharmony any time of day or night.
- Sip a cup of soothing herbal tea. Choose Vata, Pitta or Kapha for personal balance or Worry
Free to help balance the mind and emotions.
- Don't skip the daily abhyanga-the ayurvedic warm oil self-massage
is the ultimate pampering treatment for both mind and
body. The Sanskrit word for oil, sneham, also means love.
Abhyanga helps recharge your mind and body, enhances circulation,
dislodges toxins so they can be easily eliminated from
the body and leaves your skin feeling silky-soft.
Please
note: This ayurvedic information is education. It does not replace
medical advice or treatments.
