Wondering why your skin dries out but you’re bursting with creativity during a flight? It’s the air element! Traveling (especially through the sky) increases vata, the Ayurvedic constitution with the most air & space.
To prevent arriving on your holiday destination all dried out & restless and instead enjoy that airborne creativity, follow my top 3 Ayurvedic travel tips & yoga poses and you’ll be glowing all summer.
# 1 massage your body with oil
- find a good quality ‘base oil’ that you like: try sesame oil, almond or even simple olive oil from your kitchen as long as it’s extra virgin and high quality
- if you have lavender essential oil, add 1-3 drops to 100ml of your base oil. this is completely optional! another option is clary sage but lavender is easier to get
- hop in the shower for 2-3 minutes and wash your body
- switch off the shower and massage your whole body with your vata balancing oil
- rinse your body with water and pat dry
- et voilà! your body is ready for a grounded flight
#2 drink like a crazy person (but no cocktails)
So this air element, it makes your body dry, your skin rough and your digestion kind of stuck. The best (and easiest) remedy is to stay hydrated all flight long. Water and herbal tea are best. Avoid ice cold or caffeinated drinks and alcohol as it will make your body even drier.
Don’t forget to do the same on the way back! Or you’ll loose your tan from the dryness and will take home a cold as a souvenir.
#3 get grounded on your mat
The evening before your trip (after your vata balancing shower massage), practice these super grounding restorative poses. They are also excellent when you arrive on your holiday destination.
Bonus: they will make you sleep like a baby!
pose #1 child’s pose
- come to hands & knees with your big toes together
- rest your sitbones on your heels and your forehead on your hands
- relax your body towards the ground as much as you can
- take 5-10 deep calm breaths
pose #2 janu sirsasana with props
- stretch one leg out in front of you, the other leg is bend (with an optional block underneath the knee for support)
- put a big pillow or pile of pillows in front of you and rest your chest & head on it
- relax into the shape of the pose for 5-10 breaths
- repeat on the other side
pose #3 alternate nostril breathing
- sit in a crossed legged position with an optional pillow underneath your buttock
- rest your left hand on your left knee with the thumb & index finger touching
- bring the peace fingers of your right hand between your eye brows
- close your right nostril with your thumb and inhale through the left nostril
- close your left nostril and exhale right
- inhale right
- exhale left
- inhale left
- exhale right
- inhale right
- repeat 5 more breaths like this in your own pace
- then rest your right hand down on your knee and breathe naturally through both nostrils
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