Ayurveda And The Importance Of Meditation

Ayurveda, the mother of all healing sciences is a combination of holistic principles that stays intact with nature. One unique principle of Ayurveda that makes it matchless is its impressive healing methodology that is a perfect blend of natural Ayurvedic medications & mind healing skills of mental disciplines like Yoga and Meditation. This ancient natural curator that deliberates on the mind, body, spirit rapport, recognizes meditation as a balancing aid for the mind, which acts as a super natural spirit governing the human soul.

Meditation – The Master of Mind: ‘Inhale!!!…………Exhale!!!………’ are the key words of a popular mind soothing process known as Meditation, which aims at mental wellness by making the human mind inhale its authentic purpose of life & exhale the toxin that torments the psyche. It is a spiritual practice that demands the internal effort of the individual to self-regulate the mind and train it in a fruitful way. Meditation encompasses a wide range of techniques with infinite number of goals, the prime one being self-realization. A serene place free from disturbances and a standard time that suits you best is always opted for meditation, which should be performed on a daily basis for excellent results. A rhythmic breathing pattern is then followed which relaxes your mind & body thus helping you to develop your deep mental insight.

Ayurveda and Meditation: The prime philosophy of Ayurveda lies in maintaining a healthy relationship between the mind, body & spirit without reaching extremes in any cases thus connecting with the spiritual part of oneself. A healthy mind leads to a healthy body. That is why medical practitioners always recommend their patients to develop a positive attitude towards any type of treatment before commencing it. One who is mentally fit is certainly physically fit! One who develops a positive state of mind in the course of suffering from an ailment is half cured!!! Having this as the basis of all healing procedures, Ayurveda suggests Meditation for its immeasurable positive effects on human wellness which are listed below.

  • Meditation and Longevity: Ayurveda portrays longevity as increase in life expectancy with a sturdy ‘mind, body and spirit’ balance so that one enjoys permanent peace & happiness till the end of life. According to the study of NCCAM (National center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine), Meditation is practiced by people for various health issues ranging from anxiety, depression, stress, insomnia, high blood pressure & even to deal with the physical or emotional symptoms associated with deadly diseases like Cancer, HIV/AIDS etc. Meditation serves its intention of mentoring the mind, thus freeing it from all worldly worries and to attain the sole purpose of a long life.
  • Meditation and Mental Wellness: ‘Face is the index of mind’ is a well known adage. According to Ayurveda ‘Body is the index of mind’. Even a physically fit person can soon fall prey for diseases if his mind is deemed with worries!!! Meditation plays a main role in strengthening one’s mind by greatly reducing mental stress, anxiety, fear, depression and by inducing positive thoughts, self esteem, self control and empathy. It deeply relaxes the mind & the body by developing positive energy due to the changes in the brain wave patterns.
  • Meditation and Self-Realization: Meditation helps an individual to lead a disciplined life focusing on Self-realization, which is one of the greatest treasures to be acquired by every human being and is often difficult to pursue. Once an individual starts to realize who he/she really is and become conscious of one’s own purpose of life, self correction comes into effect and one can certainly feel heaven on earth!!! In addition to focusing on curing the ailments and preventing them, the individualized healing approach of Ayurveda helps an individual to lead a systematic, well-disciplined and self-realized life on par with nature with the help of a powerful tool called Meditation.
  • Meditation and You! : In this mechanical world it becomes very difficult for you to spend time for yourself! Strange but true!!! The time that you spend on meditation gives you the self-satisfaction of spending some quality time for YOU that helps you to lead an energetic life full of spirit, to meet the upcoming world of challenges. Meditation grants you power from within to lead a meaningful life full of values.

Meditation is a self trainer that trains your mind to lead a serene life. Meditation can be made more effective with the usage of few drops of aromatic Ayurvedic essential oils to your room freshener or diffuser, which will spread the aroma to your mind, soul, spirit and the environment. The medicinal properties of these essential oils not only spread the divine fragrance but also penetrate deep into your mind, making you divine and diligent. It aids in soothing your senses and providing you with peace and tranquility.

Ayurveda offers mankind with some of the most precious Ayurvedic practices like Meditation, which when followed makes life skillful, meaningful, successful and peaceful!!!

Thought for the day:

I mean the whole thing about meditation and yoga is about connecting to the higher part of yourself, and then seeing that every living thing is connected in some way.                 -Gillian Anderson

Suggested Reading:

  1. Healing Depression the Mind-Body Way: Creating Happiness with Meditation, Yoga, and Ayurveda By Nancy Liebler, Sandra Moss
  2. Self-Recovery: Treating Addictions Using Transcendental Meditation and Maharishi Ayur-Veda By David F O’Connell, Charles N Alexander
  3. Ayurveda: The Divine Science of Life, 1e By Todd Caldecott CIH AHG

Reference Links:

  1. Meditation by Wikipedia
  2. Overview of Meditation by National center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
  3. How Does Meditation Work by Ayushveda

Ayurvedic Essential Oils for Adding Strength to Toddler’s Health

Babies who learn to walk are called Toddlers. What an awesome sight it is to see your little one take up his/her initial steps with interest and adventure!! We being adults have a lot to learn from toddlers who never give up even though they fail hundreds of times, while they are trying to walk. Every single day during this stage, generally when they are 1 or 2 years old, i.e. the time connecting infancy and childhood is incredibly imperative in a child’s life, as it gets to grow in a plenty of ways. What toddlers actually need at this stage is the love, strength and support from their parents along with certain healthy practices that make them grow with a sturdy foundation for their lifetime. Nutritious food, hygienic habits and an energizing massage with Ayurvedic essential oils can give them the real power in strengthening their muscles and nourish their skin.

Ayurveda and toddlers:  Ayurveda states that this is the phase for complete physical, emotional, social and intellectual development for children. A baby is considered as an individual in Ayurveda from its birth itself. Ayurveda treats every newborn as a unique creation with distinctive state of body and mind, known as doshas namely vata, pitta and kapha. Every one of us will have one or two doshas as predominant in our character with the remaining one as less important.

Vata babies are generally lean and find it difficult to gain weight, prone to colic and constipation with dry skin. These fearful babies do not sleep well and can be easily disturbed during sleep. They are extremely brilliant in learning new things.

Pitta predominant toddlers have a good appetite and they may tend to suffer from digestive disorders like diarrhea and heartburn, skin problems like eczema and rashes, due to the imbalance in pitta dosha. With a strong body, these babies have an average weight. Pitta toddlers have a tendency to get angry very easily and are really active during the day with a moderate sleep at night.

Attractive, chubby and mesmerizing babies, often under limelight are all the ones with high proportion of kapha in their constitution. These toddlers are really close and attached to their moms than anyone else. They share things with other babies and are the well-behaved ones unlike the toddlers with vata or pitta predominance. Kapha toddlers are often hungry and have a deep sleep with less response to noise and other disturbances. Kapha imbalance might end up in cold, cough, obesity, sinusitis, sluggishness, lethargic behavior etc.

Identifying the doshas in your children with their behavior will help you greatly for being the best parents in attending to your toddler’s health concerns wisely.

Ayurvedic essential oils for Toddlers: Essential oils are just the purest element of a plant just like a baby who is a purest form of innocence and love. These oils when used with care and precaution will help your toddlers in many aspects while they are still learning to grow in a multitude number of ways. The most appealing and the safest Ayurvedic essential oils for toddlers are:

1. Lavender essential oil: How can someone forget lavender oil, the therapeutic properties and its gentle healing remedies when it comes to babies especially? Diluting 2 drops of Lavender essential oil in 2 tablespoons of Almond oil or Jojoba oil can act as the best massage oil for toddlers. This blend helps in nourishing their skin and augments the strength of their muscles. It induces good sleep and it is a perfect choice for fuzzy toddlers with vata predominance, often having difficulties in sleeping. Few drops of lavender essential oil can also be added to the diffuser mainly before bedtime. Diaper rashes, skin problems, fever and sleep disorders especially during illness can be assisted with the help of lavender oil and its calming aroma.

2. Roman Chamomile essential oil: Most of the mommies might have come across this situation, where you might not know why your baby is actually crying and if it is going to be the nighttime then it’s gone, as it would spoil the peaceful sleep of the entire family. The best Ayurvedic essential oil that can help you in such worst case scenarios is Roman Chamomile essential oil. Add a drop of this oil to your baby’s pillow or to a cotton ball and place it inside your shirt, near your shoulders. When you try pacifying your toddler, the warmth of your body along with the gentle aroma of Chamomile oil will help them sleep peacefully.

3. Tea Tree essential oil: Tea tree oil is extremely good for toddlers, especially at times of treating cold, earache, tonsillitis and other pain related to babies of this stage. You can bank upon this miraculous oil for treating skin problems like itches due to insect bites, diaper rashes, healing bruises and cuts that are common among toddlers who are deeply vested with their journey excavating new things every day. With its effective anti-bacterial properties, one drop of tea tree oil added to baby wipe solutions can protect your baby from harmful germs, bacteria and other infectious bodies.

When your toddler steps ahead his/her life with 1 2 3…… you support them with these oils, 1 for Lavender, 2 for Roman Chamomile and 3 for Tea tree oil. Sounds great to me and it will be spectacular indeed to you also, when you start using these greatest gifts of nature to your loved little ones. Give my love and Muahhhhhhhhhhh…………To the little Princes and Princesses of your families.

Disclaimer: Consult with your Ayurvedic Practitioner before using Ayurvedic essential oils for your toddlers as pure essential oils are highly concentrated and may harm your babies if used without proper consultation.

Thought for the day:

What good mothers and fathers instinctively feel like doing for their babies is usually best after all.                            -By Benjamin Spock

Suggested Reading:

  1. Seven Secrets to Raising a Happy and Healthy Child: The Ayurvedic Approach to Parenting By Joyce Seyburn
  2. Perfect Health for Kids: Ten Ayurvedic Health Secrets Every Parent Must Know By John Douillard
  3. Aromatherapy For Babies And Children By Shirley Price

Reference Links:

  1. Ages & Stages – Toddlers by Urbanext, University of Illinois Extension
  2. Healthy Mother and Baby Through Ayurveda by Green Kiddie
  3. Essential Oil Care for Children and Babies by Abundant Health

Ayurvedic Oils for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Inflamed joints are often painful and give you a repulsive appearance. Wake up!  It is rheumatoid arthritis, when left unnoticed can dramatically affect the functioning of other organs of your body. Experts term it as a long term ailment that ends up in swelling, irritation and redness of the joints and tissues surrounding it. The ancient wonder science gifted by our ancestors has mind-blowing and natural remedies for rheumatoid arthritis.  This illness is known as Ama vata in Ayurvedic terms and most often it is said that the pain in the affected joint areas is as painful as a Scorpion’s sting. The prescribed use of Ayurvedic essential oils according to the Ayurvedic body types has proven positive effects in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Causes and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis:  The exact cause for rheumatoid arthritis is not known. Few may inherit this disease from their family and Ayurveda strongly denotes that the basic reason behind this illness is due to the toxins known as ‘Ama’ due to unevenness of body fire. This sultry toxin has the dangerous effect of jamming the function of the vital parts of the body that helps in nourishing the system.  Imbalanced vata carries this toxin and it finally reaches kapha subjugated parts of the body like stomach, joints, brain, chest and few others. Since this is an autoimmune disease, it erroneously affects the healthy tissues of the body and gradually lowers the regular functioning of the body and slows down the system.

The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are swelling, inflammation of the joints, loss of appetite, indigestion, pain, morning stiffness, pleurisy, burning and itchy eyes, insomnia, burning sensation in the feet and hands, loss of energy, fatigue, nodules under the skin, weakness, aversion to food and few more. This disease is common among women than men, especially in the middle ages. According to Ayurveda, there are three types of rheumatoid arthritis. They are Vataj, Pittanubandi and Kaphanubandi and each of them have the predominance of the Ayurvedic doshas, vata, pitta and kapha.

Ayurvedic remedies for rheumatoid arthritis: The greatest value to treasure about Ayurveda is that it treats a disease from the beginning by analyzing its root cause and not by looking at it just at the surface level. This is because it aims at permanent remedy as well as focused prevention of the illness in the future. By this time, you must have clearly understood that rheumatoid arthritis occurs mainly due to the uneven deposition of toxins in the body especially, the joints. So Ayurveda focuses on the process of eliminating, purifying and discharging the toxins settlement using simple yet startling essential oils and certain other natural remedies.

  • Turmeric essential oil for rheumatoid arthritis: Popularly known as the ‘Golden Goddess’ this oil has innumerable curative properties and the most highlighting among them are anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anti-bacterial properties. Turmeric essential oil eliminates the toxins that are stored in the body and cleanses the system and is perfectly called as an ‘All-purpose cleanser’ in the Ayurvedic world. It treats the kapha imbalance and is prevalently used in weight-loss treatments with its therapeutic and warming properties. A renowned research has proved that Turmeric and its extracts like Turmeric essential oil with the presence of curcuminoids are in charge for the antiarthritic effect and have been effectual in treating and preventing inflammatory disorders like rheumatoid arthritis.
  • Peppermint essential oil: Another celebrated remedy for rheumatoid arthritis is the use of peppermint essential oil that has anti-inflammatory, anesthetic and analgesic properties that help in lessening the inflammation, reducing pain and soothe the inflamed areas from within. It is also used as an excellent cleanser for mouth, which is considered as the storehouse of ‘Ama’ or the toxic substances of the body. You can dilute this oil in carrier oils like jojoba oil or olive oil and gently massage the affected areas for guaranteed relief from pain, swelling and irritation.
  • Oil Pulling: Oil pulling is a natural treatment for removing toxins from the mouth and from all over the body. The benefits of which are mentioned in Charaka Samhita, the Ayurvedic text. Regular oil pulling with sesame oil, coconut oil or sunflower oil preferably in the morning in empty stomach for about 20 minutes will help in oral hygiene, whiter teeth, stronger gums and natural alleviation of toxins from the body that cause rheumatoid arthritis and other major health disorders.
  • Other natural remedies: Apart from the use of Ayurvedic oils for treating rheumatoid arthritis, Ayurveda has few more suggested remedies like the use of Ashwagandha herb (Withania Somnifera) and Asparagus racemosus, which have been proved beneficial in the healing of rheumatoid arthritis. Ayurveda also insists on regular physical exercises that involve the movement of joints, yoga and meditation for quick remedy of rheumatoid arthritis. The Arthritis Foundation has also listed a research update by the scientists from the Baltimore John Hopkins University, stating that yoga has absolutely been helpful for treating people with rheumatoid arthritis.

Whatever illness you may have, Ayurveda has the right protective shield for you and it is rightly called as the ‘Science of Life’.

Thought for the day:

Health is the soul that animates all the enjoyments of life, which fade and are tasteless without it.                       – By Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Suggested reading:

  1. Oil Pulling Therapy: Detoxifying and Healing the Body Through Oral Cleansing by Bruce Fife.
  2. Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy by Mukunda Stiles
  3. Yoga & Ayurveda: Self-Healing and Self-Realization by Dr. David Frawley

Reference Links:

  1. Rheumatoid Arthritis by PubMed Health
  2. Ama Vata by Podar Ayurved Medical College
  3. Yoga helpful for Rheumatoid Arthritis by Arthritis Foundation
  4. Turmeric extracts containing curcuminoids prevent experimental rheumatoid arthritis by The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI)
  5. The benefit of Ayurvedic diagnostics in treatment strategies for rheumatoid arthritis by European Journal of Integrative Medicine.