The Yoga Sutras lists 9 hindrances or obstacles to yoga. These are hindrances to the deep, internal stillness that sets the stage for awakening. The top one on the list is illness. I saw on the news this morning, that hundreds of people are lining up for their flu shots - lining up at one in the morning to stand in the cold drizzly rain hoping to not get the flu! How crazy is that? One of the simplest, most inexpensive and practical practices I know of for preventing illness, and this one goes right along with washing your hands, is salt water.
Use it in your neti pot and gargle with it, morning and evening. If you don't have a neti pot yet, go out today and get one. I know here in Point, you can get them at the SPA Coop, and I believe they are available at Walgreens and Walmart. Since Oprah featured them on one of her shows, they've become mainstream. Neti is pouring salt water through the sinuses - in one nostril, out the other. Think of it. Illnesses like colds, flu, even bronchitis and sinusitis, begin in your nose and throat and it takes a day or two for them to incubate. Your sinuses are designed to get rid of foreign invaders. Slime (salty boogers) forms to remove the evil particle before it is absorbed into the system. In your throat, it'll be phlegm (same basic stuff). When your immune system is working overtime to beat off the assault entering your body through your face, you will feel tired. Don't you want to help it along?
In my experience, salt water is more effective than any supplements I've taken to boost my immune system. Why boost it? Why not just help it out? Give it a break. Salt water breaks up your slime balls and gets them out. Then your immune system can work on other issues - the things you can't reach. If you have a cold or sinus infection you just can't seem to get rid of, you very well may be reinfecting yourself. Salt water helps your immune system by preventing that. My neighbor lady was stuck in a sinus infection that wouldn't leave her body. I had this conversation with her and lent her one of our extra neti pots. The next day when she saw her doctor, he told her to get a neti pot! Once you get over those first two or three tries, it gets easier and you'll be adding it to your daily repertoire, right along with brushing your teeth and washing your hands. With illness being a top obstacle to yoga, its no wonder that purity is the first of the niyamas - part of a basic foundation for a rock solid yoga practice. Salt purifies.
No comments:
Post a Comment