Self-care in Ayurveda is an elaborate concept that engulfs not only our physical body but also the wellbeing of our mind and soul as well. In today’s busy lifestyle, we seldom get the time and patience to invest in the most important thing - ourselves. Ayurveda offers many ancient secrets and advice for living in harmony with all our Doshas. In fact, Ayurveda treatments in Kerala targets the healing and restoration of the balance in our Doshas. Unlike western medicine which is symptom-specific treatments, Ayurveda adopts a more holistic approach to find out the underlying cause and uproot them altogether. So if you are looking for self-care, the Ayurveda way, then read along to get a deeper understanding.
Although it may be tough to accept for many people, we always have room for improvement in our lives. Do not wait for a life-changing event to take place before waking up to the need of transforming our actions into something more than just surviving. Here are some tips that can help you start your journey to self-care, the Ayurveda way.
Self-care is an essential component of the Ayurvedic daily practice or Dinacharya, aiding in the balance of doshas, stress relief, and sleep support. It is most effective when we show up for ourselves lovingly and enjoy the process.
Self-care should be easy, accessible, and enjoyable. The actual key is to plan time for it on a regular basis. This might be as little as 10 minutes of your morning ritual or as much as an hour. Set a reminder on your phone for another chunk of time in the afternoon. And one day a week to delve further, such as Sundays. When self-care becomes a habit, there is no need for decision making or determination to make it happen - there are no excuses.
Ayurvedic medicine places a high value on self-care. In reality, Ayurveda provides us with a comprehensive self-care approach for reaching balance, known as Dinacharya (the daily routine). Ayurvedic self-care techniques include nutrition, lifestyle, and therapies to balance, prevent, and cure from head to toe. One of the most beneficial activities is daily self-oil massage, known as Abhyanga.
Self-massage on a daily basis is one of the nicest presents you can offer your body! It's a quick and good approach to activate the body's intrinsic healing potential, refresh the mind, and empower you to keep your body in peak condition.
The primary goal of Abhyanga is to improve the flow of vital energy (prana) throughout the body. Self-oil massage not only promotes circulation, activates the lymphatic system, improves skin health and integrity, increases energy, and reduces stress, but it also fosters good sentiments of self-love, self-acceptance, and self-esteem. It's the pinnacle of self-care.
1. Ayurvedic Self-Evaluation
Checking in with oneself on a regular basis is one of the keys to keeping motivated enough to stick to a steady plan. The practice of self-assessment urges us to come and examine our feelings, to experience them, and to be present at the moment. When assessing your current situation, it is critical to be truthful.
Allow yourself ten minutes to disconnect from technology and the outer world. Set the phone to airplane mode. Turn off the computer. Take a nap on your porch or in your bedroom. You can always amend your to-do list later! Allow at least 10 minutes for the senses to just relax.
2. Understand Your Values and Priorities
Clearly setting out your principles is one method to stay dedicated to your self-care. It will be simpler to stay committed when you have identified your top priorities and values since you will know and understand why you are doing what you are doing, making it easier to keep on track. Answer the questions below in writing and store them somewhere you can read them often, especially when you're feeling down.
What emotions do I wish to experience?
Why is this sensation so significant to me?
What present resources do I have to help me feel the way I want to?
Creating a routine in your everyday life is a simple and efficient technique to achieve Dosha equilibrium while also solidifying the start of your self-care journey. Finding and sticking to the proper routine for your individual constitution might be the first step toward living a tranquil, healthy life.
3. Overcome Any Obstacles
Obstacles certainly arise, but they are also surmountable! To begin, in order to overcome any hurdles, you must first be able to recognise the difficulties that are preventing you from taking care of yourself. These might be symptoms of deep self-hatred or disorganisation. Write down all of your restrictions in a notepad so you may set objectives to modify the way you live. Consider the following two fundamental questions:
What am I doing that is effective?
What is it that I'm doing that isn't working?
Begin implementing new techniques and tools that will help your health and well-being. Reduce, and eventually eliminate, negative coping techniques. If you find yourself employing negative tactics, start by identifying one behaviour that you believe is the most destructive and devising a good approach to replace it. Keep the tools that are useful and get rid of the ones that aren't.
In conclusion, Self-care is a continuous process and needs to be done with passion and willingness to become an effective habit. If you need help adopting a healthy way of life, consider taking online courses from the best Ayurveda college in Kerala, the School of Ayurveda & Panchakarma.