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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Ayurveda Times of Day: The Daily Dosha Cycle

In order to understand the Ayurveda times of day, it is important to have a sense of which doshas predominate during various phases of the day. Here is a summary of what that pattern looks like:

Vata: 2-6 am

Kapha: 6 am-10 am

Pitta: 10 am-2 pm

Vata: 2 pm-6 pm

Kapha: 6 pm-10 pm

Pitta: 10 pm-2 am

You can see from this summary that the doshas rise and fall with the turn of the earth on its axis. Each dosha has the opportunity to take a central role during two periods over the course of 24 hours.

Let the Doshas Guide Your Routine

So what do the Ayurveda times of day mean for our daily habits and practices? In much the same way that one should eat considering the season, during each time of day, there are ideal activities that are in balance with the doshas and their subsequent qualities.

Vata Time

Vata dosha, being characterized as subtle rather than gross, relates to the breath and spiritual practices. The vata time of the morning, 2 am- 6 am, is the ideal time for pranayama, meditation, and yogic practices. Ayurveda recommends awakening with the sun, and setting aside time in the wee hours of the morning for such practices.

The practice that best suits the interests and mindset of one individual to the next will vary. However, whether it is a walk in the fresh morning air, a yoga practice, chanting, or pranayama, the vata hours are an ideal time for such practices.

Vata also rules our creativity and capacity for expansive thinking. Remember that vata is composed of the air and ether elements and ether relates to possibility. Therefore, the vata time of the afternoon (2-6 pm) is an excellent time for creative thinking. Highly analytical tasks and number crunching are best left to the pitta time of day. The afternoon hours are good for a cup of vata-soothing digestive tea (such as cinnamon, ginger, or herbal masala chai) and for letting one’s imagination run a bit.

Kapha Time

As the influence of vata fades with the passing of dawn, kapha dosha steps into its starring role from 6 am-10 am. Excessive kapha dosha can make a person sleepy, groggy, and lethargic, so that is why it is best to awaken a bit before the kapha time of day. You can experiment with waking up at different times and you may discover that awakening later in the morning actually leaves you feeling more tired than waking up with the sun. Of course, be sure to get enough hours of sleep—Ayurveda recommends getting to bed by 10 pm and getting a minimum of 7 hours of sleep.

Kapha dosha brings strength to the body, so if you are looking to establish a vigorous exercise routine, the kapha period of the morning is ideal. Also, kapha likes routine, so if you are determined to establish a good habit, the kapha time of day is a great place to start. This period of the day is also great for a spoonful of nourishing Chyawanprash followed by a light meal.

Also, kapha dosha thrives on a sense of family and social connections, so this is a great time of day to check in with your family and colleagues before diving into the hard work of the day. Furthermore, kapha dosha also rules the hours from 6 pm -10 pm, so this is a good time to connect with family and friends. A shared meal at around 6 pm is the perfect way to begin the evening.

Pitta Time

The fire element predominates in pitta dosha, so choosing a smart daily routine according to ayurveda is all about managing that fire. The influence of pitta dosha peaks as the sun comes to its zenith in the sky. Midday (10 am- 2 pm) is also the pitta time of day. This is period in which our agni (digestive fire) is the strongest. Therefore, Ayurveda recommends eating the largest meal of the day at midday.

Furthermore, pitta relates to logical and analytical tasks, so if have some accounting to do or some serious planning, take advantage of pitta’s discerning nature! 10 am – 2 pm is the perfect time for such tasks. Just be careful that you don’t get so caught up in work that you work through lunch!  The flames of pitta need fuel, so skipping lunch will likely leave you feeling irritable, snappy, and cranky—especially if you have a lot of pitta dosha in your constitution.

Live in Harmony According to Ayurveda Times of Day

In addition to respecting the flow of the doshas, there are a number of ayurvedic daily routines, known as dinacharya, that can become daily supportive habits. You can read more about these daily routines according to Ayurveda here and we will explain more about the best morning routines for each dosha in upcoming posts. However, taking the big picture view, it is helpful to understand the ebb and flow of the doshas throughout each day so that we can all learn to live in greater health and harmony.

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

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To live an Ayurvedic lifestyle, you need to take into account all aspects of life. Routine, sensory input, and sleep are just a few of the lifestyle aspects you should also pay attention to.

Here are some of the best ways that you can implement an Ayurvedic lifestyle.

Follow a Daily Routine

The dinacharya tradition (meaning ‘daily routine’) is of huge importance to people practicing Ayurveda. Ayurveda recognizes that a consistent daily routine can be instrumental for helping people develop clarity of mind, accountability, vitality, and overall health.

Daily routines will differ for people with different doshas – for example, a routine that helps to bring balance to a Vata may disrupt a Pitta. The important thing is to develop a routine that helps your specific constitution.

Watch What You’re Watching (and Sensing)

One of the lesser-known aspects of Ayurveda is the insistence on controlling your sensory input.

The things that you hear, see, and touch have an influence on your physical and mental health. For this reason, it’s important to avoid sensory input that could generate unhealthy emotions (like watching the news or violent movies) and include things that produce positive emotions and responses (such as a gentle massage or a nature walk).

Sleep Constructively

Ayurveda stresses the importance of a healthy and consistent sleep schedule. Both oversleeping and undersleeping can promote the development of tamas, an undesirable energy that can produce lethargy and ignorance.

If you have difficulty sleeping, make sure that you try to go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time every day. Don’t eat heavy foods before bed, and avoid screens and artificial light for at least an hour before bed.

Meditation

Ayurveda believes that good health is the result of properly integrating body, mind, and spirit. When all three are harmonized, an individual will possess much vitality and will be generally free from disease.

One of the simplest ways to unite the body, mind, and spirit is to practice meditation daily.

One of the best times to do this is early in the morning – before 6 AM. Between 2 AM and 6 AM, we are in Vata time – a light and etheric time of day, and an ideal time for creative expression and thought to surface.

After 6 AM (until 10 AM), we are in Kapha time, during which the energies of earth and water are at their peak. This time can be difficult to awaken and many people find that they are slow and sluggish when rising during Kapha time.

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An Ayurvedic lifestyle is much more than a simple diet plan. Ayurveda touches on every imaginable aspect of our health and wellness, and if you learn how to apply these lifestyle techniques you will find yourself on the path to wellness.

Written by Nigel Ford

Reviewed by Dr. Jayant Lokhande, MD (Botanical Drugs), MBA (Biotechnology)

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Before we start to talk about the art of cultivating a routine, we first need to establish the difference between a routine and a habit, as the two can often be confused.

A habit is an action we do often in a regular and repeated way, without much thought behind it.

A routine is a regular way of doing things in a particular order with intention and effort.

When we start to connect the definition of routine to the teachings of Ayurveda, we see a few commonalities: Self-awareness, presence, and discipline.

These three commonalities are key components to integrating Ayurveda into our daily lives and cultivating a routine.

Why is routine so important?

According to Ayurveda, a daily routine balances our doshas (especially vata!), it relieves feelings of stress, it helps us stay positive, healthy, and happy, and helps aid in digestion.

When our digestion is functioning efficiently, our body is able to properly put nutrients in their place and remove what is not needed through our stool and urine. This then ensures that there is no build up Ama (toxins) in our fat cells. This means, it can actually help us lose weight.

In addition, everything in nature is cyclical and has a rhythm: the seasons, the phases of the moon, birds flying south for the winter, etc. We are no different, as we are made up of the same five elements; space, air, fire, water, and earth, as the rest of the universe. Our body functions better when things are rhythmic.

Types of Routine

Two ways in which Ayurveda promotes this rhythm and the cultivation of routine in our daily lives is through Dinacharya (our daily routine) and Ritucharya (our seasonal routine).

Dinacharya includes:

The time we wake up each morning and go to bed each night.

The times of day we take our meals.

When we use the toilet – this will become rhythmic when our eating does.

When and where we incorporate self-care and hygiene rituals.

The days and times in which we exercise.

Ideally, we want to make the times and places that we do these daily activities consistent.

Ritucharya includes:

Adjusting the way in which we eat so that it balances the qualities of the season, as well as includes foods that are in season. Example: During the fall months, it is beneficial to eat foods like root vegetables and soups because they are warm and grounding, which is the opposite of the cool and windy days we often experience during this time of year.

Adjusting the self-care and hygiene rituals we practice so that they balance the qualities of the season. Example: During the summer months, it is beneficial to take cool showers to balance the excess heat of the season.

Adjusting when and how we exercise so that our movement balances the qualities of the season. Example: During the winter months, it is beneficial to engage in activities that help us cultivate heat and energy to balance the cold and heavy qualities associated with the winter months.

Angela Glaz
Ayurvedic Specialist & 500 Hour E-RYT

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