There are many cleansing rituals and mine are, as always, the result of what felt right for me after trying it out a bit – a mix of Ayurvedic and Yogic practice. Tongue scraping, nose cleaning, breathing exercises, oil pulling, drinking a warm glass of water, meditation. I use a tongue scraper in the morning before brushing my teeth to get rid of the many microorganisms. It’s not just about the bacteria and germs that are responsible for inflammation, dental diseases, bad breath and the like. The waste, also called mala, can serve as a self-diagnosis for you.
Depending on whether redness, cracks, thick topping – it indicates an imbalance in your eating behavior and in your doshas. It is totally easy and quick and is also great when traveling. Nose cleaning is a little more challenging. In my training and also in India in the Ashrams, I discovered Jala Neti, nasal irrigation with a salt water solution. For this you need a jug, warm water and good, pure salt, which you dissolve in the water. One leans forward, head turned to the side. The jug is held to your one nostril and the water runs out of the other nostril. It is important to be relaxed, even in the mouth area. So open your mouth, also to breathe 😉 Personally, this gives me a feeling of clarity in the mind and more space when breathing. Of course, it has many other effects, so it is said to help against hay fever and other allergies, as well as colds or problems with the nasal sinuses. It takes some practice, in the beginning my eyes watered a lot and I hadn’t taken enough salt, so that I felt that I could hardly stand it. In India, this practice is usually done right before breathing exercises, which then cleanse the lungs. I don’t do the breathing exercises every day, usually three times a week. What I’m still doing is pulling the oil. There are many different types of oil. The moment I’m at a source, I’m doing it with coconut oil. The oil has an antibacterial effect and kills germs and bacteria. Poisons also accumulate when pulling oil, so that you can do something for oral hygiene again. Oil pulling up to 20min can be done in parallel with other things, blow drying, etc. What I do is drink a glass of warm water, preferably 45 minutes before eating. This method also has many effects. So it should stimulate the metabolism, too high blood pressure should be lowered. It can help with constipation, racing heart, headache and body aches. Afterwards I meditate and clean my thoughts a little in the morning. With each method, test what is good for you and take your time! If necessary, start on the weekend and then see what you can incorporate into your everyday life. What is your morning routine? How does a day start in your everyday life?
