Cleaning the Senses

Here's a nice tip from Dr. Chauhan that I picked up from the Radio Jiva interview I did with him last week. It's called "Cleaning the Senses".

In the morning, after waking up, part of our routine for getting ready includes an amount of cleaning. The two key aspects of this process include brushing our teeth and bathing. However, Ayurveda has a different perspective on morning hygiene: it instead suggests that we "clean our senses". This includes cleaning:

1. The Eyes - after waking splash water into the eyes. You can do this by leaning over the sink, cupping the hands, filling them with water, and making gentle upward tosses.
   
2. The Nose - you can do so simply by blowing out gently from the nostrils. (The night before you can put a drop or two of almond oil in each nostril and inhale it deeply. This lubricates the nasal passage and pacifies olfactory nerves.)
   
3. The Tongue - after brushing your teeth, you can clean the tongue by using a tongue scraper. This removes toxins (ama) from the tongue.
   
4. The Ears - Clean the ears gently with an ear bud. (The night before, you can take a cottonball soaked in seasame or mustard oil and put it in the ear overnight).
   
5. The Skin - Bathe in water that is neither too hot or too cold. Be sure to natural, herbal cleansers. Avoid chemical based products. (You can do an oil massage with natural oils 1-3 times a week to nourish the skin).
   

What I like about this approach is it's not just about waking up and mindlessly brushing and showering. Here, the morning routine is transformed into a deeper life practice. I'm recognizing myself as a sentient being, who interacts with the world through these 5 channels. And if I'm going to do so effectively, then I should take care to see that they are all operating at peak performance.

Ayurveda (and Dr. Chauhan) assure us that when we clean our senses, they will automatically be drawn to sattvic things--i.e., those things that are good, clean, healthy, and beneficial for keeping our minds and bodies balanced.

Give it a try, and let me know how it works!