The longest day of the year is behind us, but if you’ve lived in Canberra for a while, you know we still have a few more months of cold temperatures to navigate.
For some, winter is the best time of the year, with its crisp, frosty mornings and snow in the mountains. Yet for others winter is a hard slog and more something to be endured. If you tend to suffer through winter, then you might like to try this technique from Ayurveda (the esteemed traditional medicine system from India) that really helps buffer you against the cold.
We know Canberra winters are generally dry and cold (despite the fact that it’s currently pouring with rain as I write!). In Ayurveda, the combination of dry and cold is especially taxing on a certain type of constitution or body type known as a ‘vata’ constitution. There are countless books and websites devoted to exploring the different constitutions or ‘doshas’. However, to keep things simple, if you feel the cold, you’re likely to be a ‘vata’ type.
In Ayurveda, they have come up with an ingenious solution for helping those who are sensitive to the cold: oil self-massage. Traditionally, untoasted sesame oil is favoured as it has warming properties, however you can substitute any good quality oil.
The technique is very simple:
- Choose a warm room away from drafts such as the bathroom
- Lay out an old towel to stand on that you don’t mind getting oil on
- Warm your oil slightly by placing a squeeze bottle or bowl of oil into hot water until it is pleasantly warm
- Strip off your clothes, tie back your hair, and then, standing on your towel, rub the oil over your whole body (including your scalp if you don’t mind your hair getting oily)
- Use long strokes on your limbs and a circular motion around your joints, chest and abdomen
- Take your time, you can spend anywhere from five to 20 minutes
- Once you’ve finished, enjoy a warm shower or bath which takes off the excess oil but will leave a fine coating in place (take care to wipe off the oil on the soles of your feet so you don’t slip in the shower)
- Dress warmly and enjoy the feeling of having an extra layer of protection from the cold
As well as protection from the cold, this technique is also said to soothe the nervous system, so it’s a delightful way to wind down at the end of the day before going to sleep.
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