The ancient yogis covered it all, folks - they tidied up inside and out.
I have to say here, though, that these cleansing techniques are cool and useful, but I am a Middle Way girl - I don't recommend extremes of any kind - so try not to get carried away with over-cleansing. We live in a very toxic world, and there's no question it is a good idea to back away from it every once in a while and let things rest. But in my experience, a strong, vibrant, resilient immune system is weakened by the over-sterilization of our environments. Just being alive proves that a certain amount of junk coming at us makes us stronger and more adept, so cleansing should be considered a vacation, not a lifestyle.
Here are some fun, easy things you can try.
Eyes:
Place a candle flame, or a single flower in a vase, at eye level a few feet away from you, and try to keep your eyes on it without blinking for 1 - 2 minutes. It's going to burn for a short time, and then your whole eyes will flush with water. In last night's detox class, we used a feather, and practiced 3 sets of that. It cleans your eyes and trains your concentration. Watching your fave sad movie also cleans your eyes, though, and opens your heart. Try both this weekend and see if things look brighter next week.
Nose:
I don't like nasal cleansing with a neti pot, I have to admit. I don't do it often, because I don't suffer from sinus problems or allergies, and a nice hot shower, followed by a piece of kleenex, seems to serve me most of the time. But lately in my hot yoga classes I've been noticing more mucus in the throat and nose - it's just so incredibly dry this summer - inside and out. So, a 1/4 teaspoon of pure salt in a neti pot in the shower is a great idea now, and always when you are cleansing. If you've never tried it before, you can find them in most natural food markets. You fill the pot, tilt your head to one side and put the spout to that nostril, and pour. Tilt your head so the water goes out the other nostril, not into the throat. I do half the neti pot for each side, and then blow out the water, etc. really well.
Ears:
A few years ago, I had an episode of really really really not listening to myself, and even my body, which I'm usually pretty attuned to, could not make me pay attention. My ears filled up with wax until I literally could not hear out of one ear, and hardly at all from the other. Eventually I went to a clinic and the nurse practitioner pulled out a crochet hook, stuck it in my ear and yanked an inch and a half long Shrek candle out. SO technically, I do not think ear waxing really works, but obviously the drug store ear drops don't either - I had been using both of them for weeks trying to clean the ears out. Internet research is deeply divided on the issue of putting a cone dipped in wax in your ear and lighting it up to pull the wax out. Some people say it's the best thing in the universe, and other say it is down right dangerous. I say, any time you are working with fire and wax, there is a possibility of getting burned, so use at your own risk, and no way did it clean my ears out completely, but I think it worked a little bit. I always felt better after, a little more clean. So, if you are living with a fairly normal amount of discharge in your ears, and you like living on the wild side, go to the local health food store and buy a couple. Working with a friend is best, but I've done it on my own, lying down with a mirror in front of me to watch the candle burn down to a safe height. I cut a hole in a paper plate and put the candle through it, to catch the ash. I think I'll probably do that later today.
I have to say here, though, that these cleansing techniques are cool and useful, but I am a Middle Way girl - I don't recommend extremes of any kind - so try not to get carried away with over-cleansing. We live in a very toxic world, and there's no question it is a good idea to back away from it every once in a while and let things rest. But in my experience, a strong, vibrant, resilient immune system is weakened by the over-sterilization of our environments. Just being alive proves that a certain amount of junk coming at us makes us stronger and more adept, so cleansing should be considered a vacation, not a lifestyle.
Here are some fun, easy things you can try.
Eyes:
Place a candle flame, or a single flower in a vase, at eye level a few feet away from you, and try to keep your eyes on it without blinking for 1 - 2 minutes. It's going to burn for a short time, and then your whole eyes will flush with water. In last night's detox class, we used a feather, and practiced 3 sets of that. It cleans your eyes and trains your concentration. Watching your fave sad movie also cleans your eyes, though, and opens your heart. Try both this weekend and see if things look brighter next week.
Nose:
I don't like nasal cleansing with a neti pot, I have to admit. I don't do it often, because I don't suffer from sinus problems or allergies, and a nice hot shower, followed by a piece of kleenex, seems to serve me most of the time. But lately in my hot yoga classes I've been noticing more mucus in the throat and nose - it's just so incredibly dry this summer - inside and out. So, a 1/4 teaspoon of pure salt in a neti pot in the shower is a great idea now, and always when you are cleansing. If you've never tried it before, you can find them in most natural food markets. You fill the pot, tilt your head to one side and put the spout to that nostril, and pour. Tilt your head so the water goes out the other nostril, not into the throat. I do half the neti pot for each side, and then blow out the water, etc. really well.
Ears:
A few years ago, I had an episode of really really really not listening to myself, and even my body, which I'm usually pretty attuned to, could not make me pay attention. My ears filled up with wax until I literally could not hear out of one ear, and hardly at all from the other. Eventually I went to a clinic and the nurse practitioner pulled out a crochet hook, stuck it in my ear and yanked an inch and a half long Shrek candle out. SO technically, I do not think ear waxing really works, but obviously the drug store ear drops don't either - I had been using both of them for weeks trying to clean the ears out. Internet research is deeply divided on the issue of putting a cone dipped in wax in your ear and lighting it up to pull the wax out. Some people say it's the best thing in the universe, and other say it is down right dangerous. I say, any time you are working with fire and wax, there is a possibility of getting burned, so use at your own risk, and no way did it clean my ears out completely, but I think it worked a little bit. I always felt better after, a little more clean. So, if you are living with a fairly normal amount of discharge in your ears, and you like living on the wild side, go to the local health food store and buy a couple. Working with a friend is best, but I've done it on my own, lying down with a mirror in front of me to watch the candle burn down to a safe height. I cut a hole in a paper plate and put the candle through it, to catch the ash. I think I'll probably do that later today.
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