In Ayurveda, the primacy of the interconnection between mind, body, spirit, and the environment reminds us that we need to maintain balance among these areas in order to experience true health. This might seem like a daunting task: How can we balance all of these areas at once? Do we need to carry out different practices for each area, and if so, how will we ever find the time to do that?
These are a few of the questions that might arise for those new to Ayurveda and those who are looking to increase the overall balance in their lives. While juggling all these different elements might initially appear overwhelming, it’s actually because of their deep interconnectedness that many Ayurvedic practices target several areas at once. Practicing yoga, for example, soothes both the body and mind, and promotes feelings of tranquility with one’s environment. The practice of dry brushing brings about both physical and mental rejuvenation. Even applying products like our Absolute Anti Aging Face Oil or our Deeply Clarifying Aloe Alum Toner not only brings the skin greater radiance and beauty, but it also serves as a grounding ritual that helps you feel more connected to your body as your prepare to go about your day.
As we can see through practices like these, how we care for our bodies deeply impacts our overall mental and spiritual wellbeing. For this reason, self-care routine is of supreme importance: when we neglect to care for our bodies, our mental health also deteriorates, but when we care for our bodies with love and attention, we find ourselves mentally and spiritually renewed as well. Maintaining consistent body care rituals can thus have long-lasting effects on our overall wellbeing, ultimately bringing us greater stability and tranquility. Fortunately, in Ayurvedic practice, small changes can make a big impact. We don’t have to worry about finding the perfect solution to every single ailment or imbalance we might face—instead, by taking a bit of time to care in small but powerful ways for our bodies, we can improve our overall health and wellness naturally and seamlessly.
In the coming weeks, we’ll further unpack various body care rituals and practices that can transform your relationship to health and wellness. In the meantime, here are a few practices we’ve written about before that you can practice for that ultimate mind-body synergy.
Kansa Wand
With the Ayurvedic Kansa wand, skincare doesn’t only benefit the skin—it also detoxifies the body, promoting lymphatic drainage and circulation. Kansa—the Sanskrit word for “bronze”—is a metal alloy composed primarily of copper. In Ayurveda, copper serves a wide variety of beneficial purposes thanks to its antimicrobial and detoxifying properties. The ability of the Kansa wand to cleanse impurities, improve lymphatic function, and boost complexion is part of the reason why we decided to make our own! Here, we unpack the basics of this powerful tool, including how to use it and its major benefits.
Panchakarma
Whether you’re longing for a much-needed break from work or looking for a new way to practice self-care, Panchakarma is a powerful detoxification program that can provide physical, mental, and spiritual rejuvenation—leaving you revitalized and grounded as you re-enter your daily routine. An ancient Ayurvedic cleansing process that restores balance to the body through practices like oil massages, kitchari cleanses, and herbal therapy, Panchakarma can last between several days and three weeks. And when you emerge, you’re not only left feeling mentally revitalized and grounded as you re-enter your daily life, but your body is also better-equipped to fight off conditions like inflammation and digestion issues.
Here’s a break down the basics of this ancient Ayurvedic trdition—including its traditional roots, modern-day applications, and benefits—to help answer all your holistic detoxification questions.
Self-Massage
Most of us picture self-care as a trip to the spa and getting a relaxing massage or a deep tissue cleanse. What if we told you that you can get the same treatment at home every day?
With self-massage, you can do just that. Self-care doesn’t have to be expensive or occasional—through the age-old art of self-massage, you can de-stress and rejuvenate at any time. Not only will self-massage help you feel refreshed, but it also comes with a variety of health benefits. Its techniques are so easy and economical that you can (and should) practice self-massage daily. Here are a few of the ways self-massage can improve your health—both mental and physical—and the natural oils for skin that can help you achieve those improvements.
