Riding the Tide: Ayurvedic Self Care

Despite the mayhem, abhyanga was one Ayurvedic technique that I was consistent with through the two weeks of experimentation.  I experimented with two different techniques.  The Ayurvedic way is to apply oil on the body prior to showering, opposed to applying after one showers.  I found the Ayurvedic way to be much more soothing and moisturizing to the skin.  My skin, which is very dry at an altitude of 5280ft, is so much more radiant, glowing and supple.  I also tried two types of oil, sesame and coconut.  Sesame is the oil of choice for vata beings and coconut for kapha.  My favorite was coconut.  I found it softer and more soothing to my skin. Internal oleation with the ingestion of ghee was one part of the experiment I’m unsure of.  Although I used it daily, I can’t tell a true difference in my bowel movements, but I’ve also never had issues in this area of health.  Vata constitutions are said to have dry and firm bowel movements, however I fall more in the kapha dosha in this particular area.  But, I will continue to use it with the hope of coming to a conclusion.

Tongue Scrapping… Wow! What yucky ama one can have if you are not following a healthy regimen or fall weak under times of stress.  Interesting enough, I’ve found a correlation in my sinusitis flair ups and the production of ama, and it all has to do with the consumption of water.  If I don’t drink enough fluids, my sinuses seem to bother me and my ama is thick, white and copious in the mornings. If I drink enough water, the ama upon my tongue in the morning is clear and thin.  I also found a correlation due to stress.  In the beginning of the experiment I was stress free, well rested, eating healthy/following my diet and following a daily morning ritual of sadhana and asana.  Then after the fire, all of my practices fell through the cracks.  I could feel the stress and anxiety in every cell of my body, even my bowel became distressed for three days following the fire.