The Power of Nasya

Nasya oil can be used in a couple of different ways. There is a day-to-day self-care method for using nasya oil and a deeper, therapeutic application. Before we discuss these two methods, let’s first consider why nasya oil at all!

Ayurveda teaches that the nasal passage is the “door to the brain and consciousness” (1). Furthermore, prana, or life force, is carried on the breath. So when you inhale you are also taking in prana. Therefore, keeping the nasal passages clear is one way in which you can keep the gates of prana open.

Nasya Oil for Daily Care

If you experience dry nasal passages, sinus congestion, headaches, or hoarseness, a bit of daily nasal passage oiling can be a great help! You can purchase special nasya oils from Ayurvedic product suppliers. Many of these oils are are infused with supportive and aromatic herbs.

Or, you can use a bit of pure ghee or ghruta for your daily nasya practice. Remember that our bodies digest ghee quite easily and that ghee builds ojas and nourishes the brain. Therefore, daily nasal massage with a bit of ghee is a great way to support clear breathing, healthy nasal passages, and optimal intake of breath and prana.

A Practice For Better Breathing and Emotional Flow

For nasal massage with ghee, put just a dab of ghee on a clean finger (be sure your fingernails are trimmed!) and massage gently for several seconds using a circular motion (1). Dr. Lad writes that this practice supports clear breathing and may help one’s emotions to flow better (1).

Furthermore, if you don’t love the idea of massaging your nasal passages, you can simply dap a bit of ghee inside your nostrils. Or, use a dropper bottle to apply a drop or two to each nostril. For this method, you will need to slightly warm the bottle of ghee and lie back for a couple of minutes until the ghee is absorbed.

Nasya Oil in Clinical Use

Many Ayurvedic practitioners practice nasya as a body therapy. This is a more involved process compared with a drop or two of oil in the nose. In this case, one typically uses herbal-infused oils and a more generous amount of oil. Facial massage and steaming may also be part of a more involved nasya therapy.

When Nasya Oil Is Not Appropriate

Nasya oil, whether applied in a daily self-care way or as part of a deeper therapy, is useful for many conditions. Indications include headaches, neck and jaw stiffness, dental issues, speech disorders, and depleted sexual energy (2). At the same time, there are contraindications for nasya. Contraindications include pregnancy, menstruation, hunger, and dehydration (2). Also, one should not do nasya after consuming alcohol, or immediately after bathing or eating. In addition, nasya is not for children under 7 or those over 80 years old (2).

There are many benefits to using nasya oil. You can try just a dab of ghee in the nose daily. Or, seek out a practitioner for the full nasya treatment! As with any Ayurvedic practices, if you are unsure as to whether nasya is a good fit for you, consult with a trained Ayurvedic practitioner for guidance.

REFERENCES

Lad, V. (1984). Ayurveda: The science of self-healing. Lotus Press.

(2) Lad, V. (n.d.). Nasya. The Ayurvedic Institute. Retrieved from https://www.ayurveda.com/nasya/

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Know Thyself

Ayurveda is not one-size-fits-all. In fact, one of my Ayurveda teachers once made the radical statement that “Nothing is right for everyone; everything is right for someone.” For those who run warm—Pitta types—it is best to focus on cooling foods and cooling herbs. The examples are many, but include cilantro, fennel, rice, coconut, and leafy greens.

On the other hand, those with a Vata constitution will generally want to focus on foods and herbs that are warming, grounding, and nourishing. A few examples include ginger, cinnamon, ashwagandha, oats, ghruta, and sweet potatoes.

To provide further contrast, those with a Kapha constitution are best suited to foods and herbs that are bitter, pungent, and somewhat dry. Examples include black pepper, tulsi, cayenne, dandelion greens, and clear, spicy soups.

Medicinal Herbal Tea for Your Dosha

If you are unsure of your constitution, you may want to spend some time exploring the literature on Ayurvedic doshas and reflecting upon how you relate to the doshas. PIOR Living has a number of journal posts on this topic. As you become more familiar with your dosha, you can choose herbal teas that are better tailored to your constitution. Here are just a few ideas on medicinal herbal teas for each dosha.

Herbal Tea for Vata Dosha

As I mentioned earlier, warming and grounding herbs and spices are best for Vata dosha. These counterbalance the light, cool, dry qualities of Vata. Simple spiced teas are nice, such as combinations of ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, and fennel (fennel is cooling but its sweet nature balances Vata).

Also, consider nourishing rasayanas for Vata dosha, such as ashwagandha. Ashwagandha is a rejuvenating root that can be bought as a starchy powder. You can add the powder to hot cocoa, chai, or herbal tea blends. Also, the Ayurvedic herbal jam, Chyawanprash, contains ashwagandha, as well as many other nourishing herbs.

Herbal Tea for Pitta Dosha

Full of fire, Pitta types generally benefit from cool medicinal herbal teas and cooling spices. Think coriander, fennel, cardamom, and mint. Also, Chyawanprash is composed of a base of amla berry. Amla berry, or amalaki, is a deeply rejuvenating herb that specifically balances Pitta dosha.

Herbal Tea for Kapha Dosha

Kapha dosha’s heavy, slow, smooth, moist nature calls for pungent, light, purifying herbs and spices. Therefore, black pepper, cayenne, dry ginger, and fenugreek help balance Kapha dosha. Also, when it comes to herbs that soothe the nervous system, tulsi is a nice choice for Kapha dosha. Tulsi is clarifying and it has a warming energy and an overall purifying effect. You can also find tulsi in Chyawanprash.

Medicinal Herbal Tea: The Options Are Many

Depending upon one’s aim and constitution, there is no shortage of options for medicinal herbal tea. You can try out some of the suggestions here as a launching point. Also, if you are looking for nourishing, rasayana herbs, the jam Chyawanprash is a wonderful place to start, as it contains many supportive herbs. Simply stir a teaspoon or two of the jam into hot water and you have a lovely nourishing herbal tea!

Greta Kent-Stoll is a Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner (NAMA), as well as a writer, editor, and Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher. Her practice, Asheville Ayurveda, is based in Asheville, North Carolina and she is the co-owner of Iyengar Yoga Asheville.

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As this timeless medicinal system is becoming popularized in the West, more and more people are looking to purchase ayurvedic products. Below you’ll find the most popular ayurvedic products and explanations for how to add them into your routine to live a more balanced, ayurvedic life. 

The 9 Most Popular Ayurvedic Products

Ayurveda has many products that are used in daily life. However, the items below are a great place to start if you’re looking to add a few ayurveda practices into your life without feeling overwhelmed. Perhaps you start with one or two of these products to slowly incorporate ayurveda into your daily routine. 

Copper water bottle

Copper is a well-known and renowned material in ayurveda for many reasons. For one, ayurveda believes that copper can balance all three doshas by positively charging the water. Storing water in a copper bottle also works as a purification process and helps balance pH in the body, aiding digestion, increasing longevity, and improving your immune system.

Tongue cleaner

If you’ve started your journey into ayurveda then you undoubtedly have come across the practice of tongue cleaning. Daily tongue cleaning is a traditional ayurvedic remedy that helps remove toxins from the tongue and mouth. This practice stimulates your taste buds and improves your digestive health.

Ghee (or Ghruta)

Ghee! Possibly one of the most popular ayurvedic products of all time, ghee is considered one of the most essential and versatile substances in all of ayurveda. It boosts the absorption of nutrients deep into the tissues, builds ojas (vitality), and is considered tridoshic.

Chyawanprash

The elixir of life! Chyawanprash is famous in ayurveda as one of the most recommended and widely used ayurvedic medicines, making it one of the most popular ayurvedic products to date. Chyawanprash is primarily used as a general health and wellness supplement that builds ojas and strengthens the immune system. It also works to clear the mind and increase optimal pranic flow through one’s system.

The magic behind chyawanprash lies in its unique combination of herbs and anupans, which help medicinal substances deeply penetrate the tissues of the body to aid in rejuvenation. Learn more about the chyawanprash recipe or try for yourself while saving 15% with code: yogisbreakfast

Triphala

Another popular and commonly used herbal supplement in ayurveda is triphala. Triphala is a combination of three ayurvedic superfruits – haritaki, bibhitaki, amalaki – that combine to create the perfect balance for all three doshas. This popular ayurvedic product has a prabhav or affinity towards detoxifying and nourishing the body at the same time. It is a natural laxative and can help cleanse the digestive tract.  

Dry brush

Dry brush, or Garshana (pronounced gar-shun-uh), is an ancient Sanskrit word that translates to ‘friction by rubbing. It is a popular ayurvedic product that stimulates the lymphatic system, draining the body’s stagnant lymph. Dry brushing helps refresh your skin, revitalize the mind, and cleanse and clear toxic buildup. It is the perfect companion during kapha season.

Silk gloves

Another one of the most famous ayurvedic products is silk gloves. This item is used from dry brushing as well; however, the silk gloves are more of a traditional method as it is gentler on the skin compared to brush bristles. Silk gloves are worn on your hands and create gentle friction on the skin to cleanse further, exfoliate the skin, and improve energy circulation. 

Oils

Oils like sesame oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil and almond oil, are revered in ayurveda because they provide nourishment internally and externally. If you’re looking to embrace more ayurvedic practices, getting a bottle of oil that is balancing to your dosha is a great place to start. Oils are recommended in ayurvedic daily routines for the practice of Abhyanga, oil pulling and nasya.

• Abhyanga is a traditional practice of self-massage with oil that nourishes the skin, balances the doshas and increases one’s vitality. Abhyanga oils may sometimes be infused with dosha-balancing herbs, which help amplify the power to the oil user.
• Oil pulling is a classic remedy to cleanse the mouth, which strengthens the overall health of one’s system. Similar to the abhyanga oil, herbs added to oil-pulling oil further boost the potency and power of the practice.
• Nasya is the practice of administering oil inside the nasal passageway, helping to clear prana, improve brain functioning, and calm anxiety. Nasya oil works further to target the nasal passageway for optimal health and care. 

Kitchari Spice Mix

If you’re familiar with ayurveda then you may have heard of kitchari at some point or another. The traditional recipe of kitchari is an easy-to-digest meal, making it ideal for ayurvedic cleanses. You may learn and try a simple kitchari recipe. However, many prefer to utilize a kitchari spice mix to cut down on the complexity of multiple herbs. When searching, be sure to look out for an organic product that is free of additives. 

In Conclusion

With the widespread practice of many ayurvedic healing and lifestyle techniques, the global market of ayurvedic products increases. While the list above is not exclusive, it does offer many of the most popular ayurvedic products on the market today. When considering what ayurvedic product may be best for you, consider your doshic constitution, imbalance, or the time of year. For example, a kapha imbalance would do best with a lymphatic massage through dry brushing. However, a vata imbalance would do better with an abhyanga oil for an abhyanga massage. 

Above all, be conscious of the brands you choose and the values and ethics they standby. Herbal supplements are not widely regulated, so aligning with a brand such as PIOR Living, you can trust the entire process from harvest to spoon is rooted in love.

Clare Michalik, Ayurvedic Practitioner

@clareminded

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