Sacred knowledge from the Ancient Future

The eastern medical approach often defines health as the harmony of body, mind and spirit.

According to the Ayurvedic philosophy, we have the ability to activate our own healing potential by incorporating tiny tweaks into our daily routines. The beautiful thing about long-term preventative medicine is that it emphasizes the small things that we do on a daily basis that sustain our health. 

Right now, we are collectively experiencing heightened states of stimulation and many of us are feeling overwhelmed, anxious and unable to truly rest. A great way to think about your health routine is to ask yourself what you can do to simply make it 1% better each day, thus leading to an exponential personal transformation. 

Show yourself some love with these easy to incorporate, yet potent self-care rituals:

Scrape your tongue 

Did you know that we release several toxins on our tongue every night during our sleep cycles?

When you wake up in the morning, those toxins reside on the tongue – and get sent right back into our system when we ingest our daily food and drink. Adding a tongue scraper to your morning routine is one of the most powerful tools derived from eastern medicine practices. 

Here are some of its many benefits:

• removes ama (toxins) and dead cells 
• gently stimulates all of your organs 
• Enhances your sense of taste 
• Reduces bad breath 
• Can be used as a strong indicator of your overall health 

It is best to use a purified metal such as copper, however even stainless steel will do the trick! 

Once you have received your tongue scraper, use these steps to create your less than two minute tongue ritual: 

1. Before you brush your teeth or drink any water in the morning, grab your tongue scraper
2. Roll out your tongue in front of a mirror as much as you can  and gently glide the scraper across your tongue from the back to front  2-3 times.You may experience a light gag reflex that will reduce over time. Do not push hard or apply too much pressure as this can cause bleeding 
3. Let the white frothy ama release from the scraper into the sink and continue with your morning dental hygiene. 
4. Thoroughly sanitize your tongue scraper with hot water and non-toxic soap for the next day 

Ayurvedic practitioners study the tongue in order to understand a person’s current state of health from all the levels of mind, body and spirit. If you would like a personal tongue analysis, click here to schedule a free consultation with me. 

Stimulate your Vagus Nerve

Our ancestors used the power of sound and vibration to heal themselves. Music and voice healing is a connective thread across all cultures. There are sacred tones and melodies, even complex systems of musical scales that can evoke emotion, reduce stress, and create balance. 

The vibration of our voice sends energy throughout our entire body. Working with the voice stimulates the Vagus Nerve, the third largest cranial nerve – that travels from the top of our head all the way down to our diaphragm. 

The Vagal Tone Index is directly linked to the health of the Vagus Nerve. Having strong vagal tone is critical for the body to function optimally, and is associated with the parasympathetic nervous system, the branch of the autonomic nervous system responsible for rest and relaxation.

Simply humming and making long form tones with your voice will activate this important nerve. 

You will also feel more calm and centered by incorporating this as daily practice.

You don’t have to be a singer or know anything about music to start using your voice – here’s the how-to for this ritual: 

1. Sit in a comfortable position, keeping your spine nice and tall
2. Set a timer on your phone for 5 minutes or more (the longer the better)
3. Take a few deep breaths to center yourself 
4. Find a place inside your body that you can make a “hum” sound with easily and begin
5. Breathe as you need to, keeping the hum as long as possible. Continue this for the duration of the timer. 
6. Focus intently on the sensations you feel, keeping the “hummmm.”
7. After your timer ends, thank yourself for taking a few moments to use your own vibration to center for the day

Play with the Power of your Nose 

Did you know that we pick the people we like and build community based on how they smell?

Out of all the five senses, our sense of smell is activated first. Use this knowledge to immediately create a shift with your body, and your mood should follow. 

• If you are feeling anxious: Lavender, Rose, Sandalwood, or vetiver 

• If you are feeling a high amount of intensity or anger: Eucalyptus, Peppermint or Lavender

• If you are feeling lethargy or melancholy: Tulsi, Cedar, or Rose 

You can stimulate your sense of smell through a variety of ways: 

• Simply add a couple drops to your temples, wrists and middle of the forehead and gently under the nose 
• Add your favorite essential oil to a diffuser (just a few drops) and allow the smell to permeate the room 
• Light a natural incense stick with one of these scents 

After selecting your method, take a few minutes to center yourself by actively paying attention to the new smell you have introduced to the room. Take a few deep breaths and keep note of the mental and physical shift you experience. Enhance your experience by listening to my recommended playlist on Spotify. 

Hope you found these ancient techniques to be of personal value. Sending good thoughts of health, love, and prosperity as we head into Fall.

I love to teach people these amazing health rituals. If you’re interested in taking a deeper dive, check out some of my offerings below: