Finding Balance Through Cleansing
I want to talk about cleansing, but I think it’s important to understand why there is a need to cleanse in the first place. You’ve probably heard the saying, “it’s all a balance”, and Ayurveda says the same thing. If it’s hot outside, we drink something cold, if it’s cold outside, we put on sweaters, if we’re feeling overworked, we take a break, and so on. We have been doing this forever and Ayurveda only affirms what our body, mind and spirit already instinctively know. Ayurveda is the art of identifying qualities in ourselves and the world around us and knowing how to use the tools we have to balance the ever changing scale, and cleansing is one of those tools.
So what is cleansing? Cleansing is a process of detoxing. Just like in yoga class when they say, “take a deep breath in, and exhale, letting go of what no longer serves you”, cleanses are the same. We build up toxins and excess dosha, or in other words, too much of one quality, and when we have too much of a quality, it begins to bring us out of balance. Cleansing is a effective process to help remove, or let go, of the excess “junk” in the body, mind and spirit that sickness and illness can get hung up on so easily...hence why cleansing makes our immune systems stronger. Cleansing allows our system a break from the regular intake of things; food, sugar, technology, work, etc. so that it can work on the deeper tissues/issues and reset and recalibrate to our best and highest health. We ALL need cleansing!
In Ayurveda, Spring and Fall are the best times to do cleanses, as they qualitatively are a time of transition and change before entering the more stationary months of Summer and Winter. That “Spring Cleaning” feeling is actually very natural! And Fall is a great time to bring the heat from the outside to our insides in preparation for the cold season. Think soups and tea.
There are all sorts of cleanses ranging from physical cleanses to mental or emotional cleanses, and each being completely based off where someone is in their own life. It looks different for everyone and the experiences can be vast, so do some research before starting yours, and better yet, seek out someone trained in creating a perfect cleanse for you (me! me! me!). Some things that help me move through a possible challenging experience of a cleanse is simply knowing it is temporary, knowing the long term benefits, having a accountability/support buddy, and focusing on all that I am grateful for.