Self-care: Having a healthy mind in a healthy body
In our current world of pandemics and political uproars, people are looking for connection with their reality again and are on a journey to seek it. The connection between mind, body and spirit is key for survival.
Have you heard about the 5000-year-old science? Ayurveda, the sister science to Yoga, connects the mind; body and soul, focusing on incorporating self-care into our everyday routine. Yoga, which is thousands of years old, is even more relevant today than ever. These ancient teachings and their peace-filled benefits reach into family life, relationships, health, and career.
Self-care from an Ayurvedic lens means to nourish both internally and externally – removing build up of toxins and helping our whole system come into balance. To achieve balance we need to know ourselves and this is where the light of Ayurveda shines bright. It recognises that everyone has their own requirement of self-care that suits them, it is not universal but particular to an individual’s body type. By recognising yourself you’ll be able to hone into what works for you to give yourself the best results. It’s about knowing how to care for your self and using the right products and practises to reach that outcome.
A daily self care routine can help us remove toxins, regulate our body clock and digestion. It is one of the best things you can do to stay in balance. Your thoughts, your space, your diet, your lifestyle, your daily dose of exercise are all part of the care you need to give yourself in order to really achieve ‘self care’. A daily self care routine involves waking up with the sun, drinking warm water, emptying bowel and bladder, rejuvenation of the senses, care of teeth mouth, gums, oil massage, exercise, meditation and bathing. A famous Ayurveda quote is ‘ whatever you do every day is stronger medicine than whatever medicine you take occasionally’
Rather than a rigid schedule, a daily rhythm allows for the ebb + flow of life while anchoring in on sleep and mealtimes. To ensure you are the best version yourself, try prioritising some or all these self-care practises:
- Wake up early and watch the sunrise – even 5 mins of breathwork/mediation practise can set the tone for the rest of the day.
- Daily self-massage with Ibu Ayurveda massage oils followed by light yoga.
- Drink hot water approximately 20-30 mins before breakfast to kickstart your digestion.
- Have my biggest meal between 12-2pm when digestive fire is at its peak.
- Get outdoors for some earthing, bare feet are a must for grounding before sunset.
- Warm cup of Ayurvedic milk before bed – a must have for overall rejuvenation.