Haven Yoga Meditation explains how you can practice cleansing the body, mind and spirit both during and outside your yoga sessions.
The Sanskrit word Saucha refers to the cleansing of the body, mind and spirit, and according to yogic philosophy, it allows us to be freed from our impurities and reach a higher level of self-awareness and a calmer state of being.
Keep reading to learn how practising different forms of yoga, such as Kundalini Yoga, can cleanse the body mind and spirit.
Cleansing of the Mind
Cleansing of the mind can be achieved by limiting your distractions while working on tasks that require focus or while practising types of cleansing yoga, such as Kundalini yoga. One of the easiest ways to limit distractions is to limit your phone use, and to turn off the notifications when they are not needed. Additionally, the practice of meditation can allow you to practice Saucha of the mind and reject any unhelpful or negative thoughts.
Having a clean environment can also improve the cleanliness of the mind and provide an excellent opportunity to practice mindful cleaning or engage in cleaning as a form of meditation.
For more information on how to integrate meditation into your day, read our previous blog – How long should I meditate for each day?
Cleansing of the Spirit
The goal of cleansing your spirit is to clear and protect your energy. There are many ways in which you can cleanse your spirit, a few of which include: sageing your home, repeating positive mantras such as Sanskrit mantras, practicing gratitude and limiting your social media consumption.
Cleansing of the Body
Practising cleansing or Saucha for the body is commonly done through a detox. A popular detox is the Ayurvedic detox* which involves eating a special Ayurvedic diet. This diet sets guidelines for when, how and what you should eat based on your dosha, following the practice of the cleansing techniques, Purvakarma and Panchakarma**. Learn more about the Ayurvedic diet in our upcoming Half Day Retreat.
Cleansing of the body can also be practised during yoga sessions in a variety of different ways. While practising yoga, such as Kundalini yoga, saucha can be achieved through cleansing breathwork. This breathwork increases blood flow to the brain, clears mental fog and negative thoughts, and purifies the body by cleaning the nasal passages, improving blood circulation, increasing lung strength, regulating prana flow and improving your metabolism and digestion.
Making sure that your phone is turned off and put away during the yoga session, as well as taking the time to clean down your mat at the end of the session can also be a way of practising saucha that cultivates respect for yourself and others, and creates a harmonious yoga community.
*My Holistic Health Clinic – Ayurvedic Detox
**Purvakarma – Balancing the Doshas Before Panchakarma Treatment
