First, a piece of awesome news! Mystic Yogini now has a You Tube Channel! How cool is that!?
I’m just on my way to work but I wanted to get this post up and will be working on adding the final touches to the channel (like channel art since my photo doesn’t seem to want to load) in the next couple of days. Ooooo the things we can do with You Tube!
My first video is on Ishnaan! There is a long and short version, the long version talks about everything I wrote below; the short version is just the results and is included in this post. 🙂
For all you blog readers here is the quick down low on Ishnaan:
Ishnaan, the science of hydrotherapy, is an ancient yogic technique that involves the use of cold water to reset the body and heal the body. I like to think of the yogis in the Himalayas that would jump into mountain water every morning, because that’s what they did (so I’ve read!). Some of the benefits include:
- Keeping your skin radiant
- Opens up the capillaries
- Flushes the organs
- Keeps the blood chemistry young and healthy
- Stimulates the healthy secretion of the glandular system
- Gets rid of the chill of life
- Rebuilds your organs and cells*
It sounds pretty good right?
I’ve been avoiding it since I’ve learned about it even though I know it could help me. My body type Ayurvedically is that of Vata which means I’m very sensitive to cold and/or heat. I get cold so easily that I must eat a mostly cooked diet in cold places or my body is just freezing! I also feel temperature changes room to room in a house.
Ishnaan helps the body temperature to be more regulated and to create more heat in the body so one does not experience as much cold. In our text book there is a section called “Conquering the Chilliness of Life” that talks about Hydrotherapy creating a fatherly shield to protect you from the adversities of life and death. Yogi B says:
“If I with my body can conquer the chilliness of the water, I can take away the chilliness of my life.”
How to Do Ishnaan
Ishnaan is an incredibly simple practice. Make sure you have some time and an oil to moisturize your skin. Yogi B suggests Almond Oil, but herbalists have suggested Castor Oil and someone else I know uses Coconut oil. Just make sure you can massage it into your skin.
1) Massage your whole body with your chosen oil.
2) Take a shower.
3) Turn on the cold water (if your not already taking a cold shower). Ideally you will massage yourself beneath the cold water for around ten minutes. Start with your extremities: hands, arms, legs, feet, etc.
4) Get out of the shower! You are done!
For people who get super cold like me Yogi B suggested having a hot shower, going under cold water for a few minutes, then going under hot water again. You can also build up your Ishnaan time, which is what I’m doing.
I did all of my extremities today for a few minutes. Tomorrow I’ll try to get my whole body under the water. 🙂
Here’s Day One Results:Â
What do you think? Have you tried Ishnaan before? Will you do a 40 day challenge with me? 🙂
