As we move deeper into Autumn and the ‘yin’ phase of the year, it’s often necessary to adapt the way we live to suit our needs. Nature always knows best, and to understand how to live seasonally and in tune with our natural needs, all that’s requires of us is to step outside and listen to what nature is asking us to do. Whilst the Summer – with its warmer, longer days and high ‘yang’ energy – is more about expansion, activity and expending energy – Autumn and Winter are all about resting, recovering, rejuvenating practicing the skill of relaxation. Yes, relaxation is indeed a skill we benefit from practicing on a regular basis, especially if your ability to relax has been compromised by stress, anxiety, by being overly ‘busy’, listening to the inner voice of criticism and guilt, or by living a life ruled by the constant pursuit of ‘more’.
To rest and relax is not a weakness. It’s a sign that you’re able to listen to your body. It’s a sign that you know when you take the time to stop, you’ll be even more effective when you start again. It’s a sign you’re empowered and live life on your terms, rather than chasing other people’s expectations of you. Relaxing is the ultimate way to show yourself that you are the boss of your health and your life, and you get to choose how to live it. Read on for four methods Ayurveda uses to cultivate rest and relaxation, and perhaps try practicing those which resonate with you most!
Restorative Yoga
Traditional Ayurvedic prescriptions could include anything form herbal remedies to mantras, meditation techniques and massage, but often yoga practices are given special importance too. Depending upon each person’s dosha (mind-body type), the season, any imbalances the person may have, as well as the time of day they’re practicing, specific yoga postures, movements and mudras may be advised. For relaxing, restoring and rejuvenating, restorative asanas with plenty of props and blankets, as well as an eye pillow can work wonders. Try supported reclined twists, supported childs pose, supta baddha konasana, and viparita karani (legs up the wall pose). To make your savasana even more relaxing and supportive of calming the nervous system, try covering the head with a blanket, using an eye pillow, and placing a couple of stones or crystals on the forehead, as there are two neurolymphatic points located here which can help activate the parasympathetic nervous system when stimulated. Use soft, natural fabrics like cotton or hemp to provide greater comfort, allowing the body and mind to truly let go.
Massage & Self Massage
Massage has been a key tool in holistic health practices for thousands of years, dating back to before 3000BC in India, where it was used as a sacred system of natural healing. As well as physically releasing knots and adhesions, increasing circulation and unwinding emotional tension, massage can help the body return to its natural state of balance, encouraging a natural and spontaneous healing response. Ayurvediuc massage treatments are deeply therapeutic, and there are many to choose from, and many of them focus on oil-based massages of the head, since this is where much of our energy and worry is stored:
Shiro abhyanga
The Sanskrit word ‘Shiro’ means ‘head’, whilst ‘abhyanga’ refers to massage, loosely translated as ‘oiling the limbs’. Essentially, shiro abhyanga is a complete massage of the head, neck and shoulders, using specific oils according to the person’s needs. This is a relaxing and nourishing treatment, perfect for those with busy minds.
Shirodhaya
This type of treatment involves warm oil being poured over the third eye and head continually (the word ‘dhara’ means ‘flow’), often combined with a head massage. The primary purpose of this therapy is to relieve insomnia and improve sleep quality, to calm the mind, reduce anxiety and stress, and stimulate the ajna chakra, linked to intuition and meditative states of awareness.
Shiro Pichu
In a shiro pichu treatment, warm cotton pads or cloths dipped in medicated oil are placed on the top of the head for a prolonged amount of time. This method is traditionally used for treating or preventing anxiety and stress, and calming the vata dosha (which when out-of-balance can manifest as feeling scattered, with lots of whirling thoughts and a sensation of being ungrounded).
Pizhichil
This therapy is all about warming the body and causing perspiration, in order to promote calmness and remove toxins (known as ama) via sweating. Warm oil containing special herbs is poured all over the body, whilst the practitioner massages – this is thought to be the best form of massage for those suffering from cold, pain or stiffness in the joints.
Udvartana
Using dry ingredients like herbal powders instead of oil, udvartana focuses on boosting circulation and removing toxins from the body. Especially suited to those of a kapha nature (prone to accumulation of toxins, with more earth and water elements within them, usually bigger-boned and with a tendency towards lethargy or sluggishness), the massage is performed with vigorous upward (against the direction of hair growth) movements to provide stimulation and exfoliation.
Abhyanga
The general word used for ‘massage’, abhyanga can refer to a massage given to you by a practitioner, or could refer to massage practiced on oneself. Abhyanga in the form of self -massage is a wonderful self-care practice that physically moisturises the skin, nourishes the joints, warms the body and balances the doshas, but also promotes relaxation and improves body image and the relationship each of us has with our bodies. See below the oils most recommended for each dosha:
Oils to use:
- Vata (dry skin, bony joints, slender figure, tendency towards anxiety): Warm sesame oil with warming, calming essential oils like bergamot, patchouli, rose and black pepper
- Pitta (fair or sensitive skin, red or blonde hair, inflammation, fiery temperament, tendency towards frustration or anger): Warm or cool (depending upon the season) coconut oil with soothing essential oils like lavender, sandalwood and jasmine. For an overly busy mind, diluted sandalwood oil can be massaged into the third eye to promote mental calmness.
- Kapha (cool, soft skin, thick hair, fuller body frame, tendency towards lethargy, low moods or attachment to people and possessions): Warm safflower or mustard oil with stimulating essential oils like camphor, basil, peppermint and eucalyptus.
Herbal Remedies
Your spice cupboard really is as powerful as your medicine cabinet, especially when you know how to combine and administer herbs according to your needs on a daily basis. Whilst some herbs can be stimulating and uplifting, others have the ability to calm the mind and nervous system, especially when mixed into warm milk or oil. Herbs with natural sedative and calming properties include nutmeg (of which you only need a tiny amount!), tulsi, and the special Ayurvedic herbs brahmi, jatamansi and ashwagandha. Western herbs like chamomile and lavender are also effective for relaxation, and if you live near a patch of nettles, you can forage their leaves and seeds to make teas and tinctures which help support healthy adrenals. I regularly make my own ‘rest and digest’ blend by combining a pinch of the following herbs and spices in hot milk at night:
- Cinnamon
- Ginger
- Nutmeg
- Ashwagandha
- Reishi mushroom
- Cloves
- Cardamom
- Saffron
Silence
According to Ayurveda, sound has a powerful impact upon us, and the words we both speak and hear can change how we feel instantly. If you’re surrounded by chatter, traffic, loud machinery, unnatural sounds like beeping phones or dishwashers, or negative words for a prolonged period of time, it’s likely to have a negative impact upon how you feel. Everything you can see, touch and hear is made up of a vibrational frequency. Sounds – being vibrations themselves, can impact our bodies and minds dramatically. Try to notice the sounds you’re around most often; are they health-promoting or harming? How do they make you feel? Then, see if you can incorporate healthier sounds into your day like birdsong, the sound of leaves moving in the wind, frequencies like 520hz, or your favourite music. Notice the words you speak and perhaps set an intention to use words you know will have a positive impact on the world around you. Can you engage in uplifting conversation rather than gossip? Can you pay someone a compliment or help them constructively rather than criticising them? Other than sound, silence is a wonderful healer. Especially in today’s world, when noise is everywhere and even considered a pollutant (in fact, constant disturbing noise even at low levels can seriously increase stress levels and lead to increased risk of heart conditions, high blood pressure, chronic stress, and depression), it’s more important than ever to find some time for silence. Try spending a day out in nature, taking a vow of silence for a day, experiencing a silent retreat, or investing in some noise-cancelling headphones you can slip on whilst lying in savasana, for silence truly is a golden elixir for relaxation.