Stress Busters. Chapter 1.

Chapter 1. Going to Bed.

Let us begin from the end of the day - Going to bed.

Ø Leave a gap of at least one hour between dinner and bedtime. Ideal is two hours.

Ø If on a particular day, you have a burning sensation after dinner, drink about 100 ml of cold milk.

Ø Floss your teeth and use a mixture of mustard oil, rock salt, camphor, clove and turmeric to clean the teeth and massage the gums. Clean and massage the hard and soft palate (तालु) gently with the right hand thumb facing up.

Ø Fill up your mouth with water and splash cold water few times on closed eyes before spitting out.

Ø To avoid joint pain apply mustard oil or sesame oil or coconut oil on the feet and knees before going to bed.

Ø After lying on the bed on back, say following prayers or any prayer of your choice with closed eyes.

OM Poorna Madah Poorna Midam ! Poornaat Poorna Mudachyate!

           Poornasya Poornamaday ! Poornameva Vasishyate!

                               OM Shanti Shanti Shantihi !

ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदम | पूर्णात पूर्णमुदच्यते |

पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय | पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ||

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः |

OM Brahmmaparnam Brahmma Havira ! Brahmmagnau Brahmmanahutam!

Brahmmaiwa ten Gantavyam ! Brahmma Karma Samadhina !

OM Shanti Shanti Shantihi !

ॐ ब्रह्मार्पणम ब्रह्महविर | ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणाहुतं |

ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यं | ब्रह्मकर्म समाधिना ||

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः |

Ø You can either repeat the prayers a few times or say different prayers of your choice. The idea is to pray for 5 minutes and drive away all disturbing thoughts before sleeping.

Ø Do Ujjayi Pranayam (उज्जयी प्राणायाम) 10 times if you have learnt. This will reduce the snoring problem.

Ø Just before sleeping chant Vachik (वाचिक) OM (ॐ ओम)  means OM with sound ten times in following manner while lying down on your back in the bed.

Exhale completely. (रेचक).  Chant Manasik (मानसिक) OM means OM without making any sound while breathing out.

 Take a slow, deep and full breath. (पूरक). Chant  Manasik (मानसिक) OM while breathing in.

Start exhaling slowly. While exhaling say Vachik (वाचिक) “O”(ओ) with mouth open followed by Vachik (वाचिक)  “MA” (म) with mouth closed and tongue touching the junction of hard and soft palate.

 The “O” (ओ) should be about 25 % of your breath and “MA” (म) should be 75 % of your breath. If this is too complicated just remember that “MA” (म) should be much longer than “O” (ओ). The vibrations by chanting “O” (ओ) generate Alpha waves and the vibrations by chanting “MA” (म) generate Theta waves in the brain which subside the turbulence in the brain leading to a good sleep.

Hereafter Vachik will be used for Chanting with sound and Manasik will be used for chanting without sound.

Ø Now pray the almighty for a good sleep and go to sleep while chanting manasik OM or the name of your favorite deity.

Sleeping in an air conditioned room every night is not good for the body. Use air conditioner only if the heat is unbearable.

If you are using ceiling fan in the bedroom; try to change it to a pedestal fan. The air from a ceiling fan hits your body with a force. The air from a pedestal fan flows gently over the body like a natural breeze. Try it and enjoy the difference.    

Ø Doing all this is loving yourself and it is a stress buster.

Remember the following

The 32 teeth are your 32 servants and as an owner you must maintain them in good condition and keep them together. Just try to visualize, how roughly and carelessly you or anyone around is brushing teeth with chemical toothpastes every morning and night, wasting so much water with an open tap. There is no concern, caring or love for your teeth or gums. Any tooth brush may damage the gums and may increase the gap between the teeth. All tooth pastes have some amount of detergent and chalk powder with some chemicals which may not be totally harmless. Instead of that use the oil mixture and enjoy cleaning your teeth and massaging the gums gently with love, care and concern with your middle finger (which represents the Sky, the Ether element) for good 5 minutes. Do not spit the oil every now and then. Once you are done with cleaning and massaging, fill up your mouth with water and then spit. This will not make your sink oily and will not choke it.  Do not forget to massage the top hard and soft palate also with the right hand thumb (which represents Fire element) every time you clean your teeth.

Nasya Kriya. (नस्य क्रिया)

   Once or twice a week put 3 to 4 drops of Anu Tel or homemade ghee in both the nostrils before sleeping while lying flat on your back. Rub both nostrils gently from outside to ensure that the oil or ghee goes well inside. If it suits you, practice it regularly. If it does not suit you then do it once in 2 weeks till you get used to it.