Diwali, India’s Festival Of Light , is the largest and most important holiday for the global Indian community. Considered to be the Indian new year, it is a time when the entire family gets together to participate in wellness traditions and festivities that hark back to the days of ancient India.
Diwali, India’s Festival Of Light , is the largest and most important holiday for the global Indian community. Considered to be the Indian new year, it is a time when the entire family gets together to participate in wellness traditions and festivities that hark back to the days of ancient India.
A Holiday That Celebrates Health & Purity of the Soul
Dhanteras, the first day of Diwali, celebrates Dhanwantari, the Ayurvedic Physician of the Gods. On this day, Indians indulge in Ayurvedic treatments to detoxify their mind and body. After waking up early in the morning to have a fragrant oil bath traditional Indians will rub their bodies with ubtan, a cleansing paste. of sandalwood turmeric and other herbs. They also spring clean the entire household for the impending visit of Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth and Prosperity who will visit on the third (the main) day of the Diwali.
Indians take the concept of health and wealth very seriously making it an essential precursor to success. The idea behind the Dhanteras tradition is that each of us must first cleanse our inner beings of last year’s impurities, if we are to invite prosperity into our lives over the course of the coming year.
Cleansing Your Inner Being This Diwali With A Home Spa Ritual
If you would like to indulge in DIY Ayurvedic self care this Diwali, then here is a simple spa routine that you can try at home.
Oil Your Entire Body With Sesame Oil
Sesame Oil is the most commonly used Ayurvedic oil. Wonderful for drawing out impurities through the skin, it is used for most Ayurvedic oil application. Rub about half a cup of sesame oil all over your body. Use circular movements on the joints and long, sweeping movements on the extremities. Don’t be afraid to use plenty of oil, Ayurveda believes that a well oiled body is essential for an ultimately happy soul. Sit in a bath tub or shower stall, with a magazine for about 10- 15 minutes letting the oil soak in. If you can run a hot shower for a few minutes to create some steam, it will help to open up your pores and allow the skin to absorb the oil.
Rub Your Body With An ‘Ubtan’ Cleansing Paste
Prepare a herbal cleansing paste of 1/2 cup gram flour, 3 teaspoons of turmeric and a few drops of sandalwood essential oil. Rub the paste all over your body in vigorous circular movements allowing it to ‘dry’ into your skin as far as possible. Then wash off. The ubtan will remove excess oil without drying your skin.
While most Indians follow this routine during Diwali, you might find that it feels so good that you will want to do it every day of the year!
You might also enjoy reading:
Diwali, India’s Holiday Celebrating Wealth And Prosperity
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Diwali, India’s Festival of Light
Celebrating Diwali: Dhanteras, An Excuse to go Shopping
Contributed by Reenita Malhotra Hora. Exerpted from her post at FeelGoodStyle. Check out more of her writing about Indian culture and Ayurveda at www.reenita.com.
Diwali Is An Excuse For Spa Rituals From India - SustainLane
