You’d agree, long sedentary days coupled with consecutive stressful nights throw our bodies into what’s called a ‘rebel mode’. For most of us, those trying days and tiring nights are often followed by a blaring early morning alarm - promptly snoozed with a promise to start afresh, the next day of course. And that’s usually how, day after day, our wellness goals fizzle out. And we find ourselves swiftly settling into that survival-kind-of-a-mode.
Feels somewhat familiar?
Why not delve deeper and decipher these aspects closely to work out a befitting solution then?!
Well, when we’re sedentary, stressed, overexerted, and lack any form of physical activity, our bodies begin rebelling against the prospect of change. Often, despite mustering up all the courage to embark on an active lifestyle, working out may not necessarily work out for us.
The reason? Our body’s resistance, stiffness, inflexibility and that major rebellion brewing against all signs of activity.
The solution? Accepting the resistance and taking a different course.
Navigating through this resistance is fairly simple if you reset your priorities and shift gears from mountain-top goals to foundational ones.
And what do we mean by that?
Focussing more on simpler everyday practices than pursuing impractical goals. Doing so can swiftly shift the attention from stressing over complex fitness schedules and change the way we perceive, interact, and engage with our bodies. Setting up realistic wellness goals of consistency and mindfulness can be our very first steps, then.
Clearly, when inactive, we tend to operate from a survival seat, where all the ‘functional’ chores are rushed past unmindfully with the intention of ‘ just getting them over with’.
What if we could tweak this habit a bit?
What if we turn daily mundane activities into mindful morning rituals of self-love?
What if doing this every day lets all the stress, chaos, inflexibility, and dullness melt away?
A sustainable step to reverse engineer sedentary habits is to develop consistent rituals around daily activities and infuse them with deep intent and calm contemplation. Pausing, pacing ourselves and prepping up the body on waking up can effectively ‘get you into the zone’.
Obviously, physical activity is a great way to keep fit and facilitate the healthy functioning of the body. But before throwing our bodies into any kind of action every morning, it’s crucial to pause and consciously engage with the body to show it some love and care. A reassuring touch of affection, for instance, can set the tone of productivity and weave a web of sustainable wellness.
And here’s why that’s needed.
Pushing the body into activity, the first thing in the morning can be very strenuous. Often upon rising, we may experience feeling unsettled, groggy, and almost disoriented. If you drive the body straight to work at this hour, it may be very dosha (Vata) aggravating. Therefore, it is necessary to physically and energetically prepare the body and the mind for the activity it is required to perform. You can do that through a simple and structured morning ritual, prescribed by Ayurveda!
Following the Ayurvedic lifestyle, or what’s called a ‘Dainik Dinacharya’, can practically help you get into the groove for fitness and prepare you for brighter days ahead. An Ayurvedic dinacharya basically outlines healthy practices that must be observed right from the moment of waking up. Ayurveda suggests that incorporating these practices into your life can facilitate the optimum functioning of the body. The order of each of these practices is designed such that it leaves our bodies well-cleansed in and out and infuses it with an energetic balance.
If you happen to go through the ideal Ayurvedic Dinacharya, you’d notice that there are at least 5-6 basic morning rituals that must be followed before plunging the body into exercise. And one of the most significant and easily ignored steps include Abhyanga or self-massage. That’s right, oiling the whole body is the perfect way to gently warm it up, swiftly shake off stiffness, effectively enhance circulation and pump it up right before starting any kind of yoga or exercise.
Of course, you don’t want to be all slippery or oily while exercising. But here’s the interesting bit.
When you dedicate some time to oiling yourself, you experience something surreal, something supremely satiating. Oiling oneself in the quiet hours of the morning helps spend quality time in calm contemplation. As you start with the massage, you gently begin conversing with the body. With every massage stroke, as the oil melts into your body, you show it love and gratitude for holding it all up. Every circular motion along your marmas help send signals of positivity and warmth that help your special points open up and bloom. Oil due to its sara or ‘easily spreading’ nature, lovingly penetrates deep into the body and helps you enjoy the pleasures of some me-time. It reaffirms you how every inch of your body deserves to be loved and taken care of.
Oiling the body from head to toe when you feel dull and dry, can easily add a pleasant glow to the skin and give you a quick warm-up, and a relaxing headstart to a brand-new day. When exhausted from a hard day, it can act as the perfect solution to boost energy. According to the Ayurvedic lifestyle, massaging the body for a good 5-10 minutes with an appropriate oil followed by placing a hot towel and wiping the oil off, makes for a ritual worth exercising. This way, oiling becomes that for the skin, what yoga is for the mind. It’s what any great workout would be for the body, it’d be like several spa sessions and meditation classes put together, no kidding!
We cannot stress enough on the significance of Ayurvedic body massages before starting any form of physical workout. Well, all the revered Ayurvedic texts recommend it.
In fact, oiling the body before starting the day is especially suggested for those who are not actively into a fitness regime. This ritual of mindfully oiling yourself helps you escape into a meditative space, promotes a calm state of being and eventually increases your body and mind’s potential to do more. Oiling the body mindfully not only wipes away all signs of lethargy but also helps overcome the unsettled feeling one experiences immediately on waking up. The most palpable result of such a ritual is reaching that grounding point that seems to restore that optimal energetic balance for thriving in life.
Oil, due to its
sara
or ‘easily spreading’ nature, lovingly penetrates deep into the body and helps you enjoy the pleasures of some me-time. It reaffirms you how every inch of your body deserves to be loved and taken care of. Oiling the body from head to toe when you feel dull and dry, can easily add a pleasant glow to the skin and give you a quick warm-up, and a relaxing headstart to a brand new day. When exhausted from a hard day, it can act as the perfect solution to boost energy.
For its many benefits, oiling is truly an unmissable first step for an active life booming with vitality. However, we're sure you'd agree that choosing an appropriate oil is key. Having already made an intelligent choice of opting for Kesaradi™, we know you do understand the significance of what goes into your oil. And unlike several others, you're already aware of the fact that abhyanga or body massage is most effective when done with an oil that has the ability to open up those ‘marmas’ and all energy channels for cleansing. Plus, you also do know that a good massage oil must be warming, stimulating, and balancing enough to keep the aggravated ‘doshas’ in check. But did you know of this unique pre-yoga oil that has fermented rice gruel as one of its exotic ingredients? It’s the first of its kind, it’s for facilitating activity, and it’s now exclusively also available in the USA.
Check this out,
now!
Vyam Yoga Oil®
Rujahari® Oil
Himaruti® Oil
