Guest Writer: Hannah Leatherbury
It’s the end of autumn – my good friend in college
always said “Fall makes me CRAZY.”
Until my friend said that, I had never
considered the effect the seasons had on my mood and my choices, but flash
forward 10 years and it’s something I constantly consider. I study and practice
many teachings from the traditional medicinal system of India – Ayurveda. One
of the things I love about this system is that it clearly states that I am a
reflection of nature and that if I can find harmony with nature’s rhythms, my
health and well-being improve.
Ayurveda teaches that the season of
Autumn/Fall is the season that favors the qualities of air and space – it’s colder,
windier, unpredictable, erratic, exciting, creative and a little CRAZY. That means that in order to find harmony, I
need to look for warming, predictable, cozy, stable influences to help ground
me in the strong winds.
One of my favorite practices in the
fall is to massage my face with warmed oil. This practice is designed to help
re-hydrate chapped/dry/irritated skin and soothe tension in the muscles around
your face. Self-massage with oil is an ancient practice from India -- in the
Sanskrit language, the word for "love" and "oil" are the
same. Oil not only hydrates your tissues fully (meaning that it absorbs deeper
into the pores and tissues beneath the top layer of skin than lotions and moisturizers
will), it also draws out toxins within the tissues. You really have to try it
to believe it.
First, choose an organic oil that you
have on hand. I now use Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula with Vitamin E Skin
Therapy Oil for Faces because it is such a nice blend, but, you can use plain
ole’ sesame oil (if you have dry skin) or coconut oil (if you have
inflamed/acne-irritated skin).
Next, find two containers, one smaller
than the other. This could be a small glass and a large glass, or a squeeze
bottle and a large glass (shown here). The smaller container will hold about
two tablespoons of the organic oil you have chosen. The larger container will
hold the smaller container plus enough hot water to warm the oil from the
outside.
After the oil has warmed for a few
minutes, pour a little of it into the palm of your hand.
Massage oil into the skin using
circular motions around the temples, cheeks and chin. Use long strokes on the
nose and forehead. Let the face feel completely saturated, just short of
dripping with the oil. Wear this around your house for about 5-10 minutes (or
longer if you wish).
Take a washcloth that has been run
under hot water and feels warm to the touch. Squeeze out excess water.
This is my favorite part, can you
tell?!
Unfold the steaming washcloth onto your
face and gently pat away any excess oil. Notice the subtle glow left behind and
enjoy! Your face is ready to dance with the wind and the cold of Autumn.
If you want to learn more Ayurvedic
practices and tips, we start our next 30-Hour Ayurveda Immersion in January of
2017! Check out details here! http://www.skyhouseyoga.com/30-hour-ayurveda-immersion-program.html
More About Hannah:
Hannah Leatherbury
(E-RYT-200/RYT-500, YACEP) has been a student of yoga and Ayurveda for over a
decade. She co-leads Sky House Yoga's 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training Program
and directs the 30-Hour Ayurveda Immersion. You can read about her journey from
being a disenchanted goody-goody to a slightly more enchanted and mischievous
yogi here: www.HannahLeatherbury.com
1 comment:
During the winter season the body looses the normal humidity and thus skin gets dry.Extra cares are required for preventing the problems.The elite assigment help australia is creating the tips on how to take care of your skin in the winter time.
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