Tamil heritage is a treasure trove of timeless ancient wisdom necessary for healthy living.
In order to understand traditional Tamil self care practises, we first need to understand how our Tamil ancestors viewed health.
In the Tamil way of life, healthy living means paying attention to our mind, body and soul, or in other words our emotional, physical and energetic well-being.
As self care is defined as the practise of taking an active role in protecting, improving, or preserving one's own well-being and happiness, let's briefly cover some practises used by Tamils.
Let's start with the topic of Food.
There is a popular saying in Tamil: உணவே மருந்து மருந்தே உணவு, which translates to food is medicine and medicine is food. In fact, this saying is quite popular among many cultures with ancient roots.
There is no doubt that what we put into our bodies has a great effect on our health. But, how do Tamils traditionally use food to keep our bodies physically, energetically and emotionally balanced?
By incorporating the ஆறு சுவைகள் or 6 tastes. Tamil Siddhars have written about the importance of consuming these 6 different tastes:
இனிப்பு: sweetness
புளிப்பு: sour
கார்ப்பு: spicy
உவர்ப்பு: salty
துவர்ப்பு: astringent (dry puckering sensation)
கசப்பு: bitter (sharp)
Often times the famous banana leaf meals will have items that contain all 6 of these tastes ensuring a balanced meal is consumed.
If one lacks a certain taste in their diet this can not only cause physical but emotional and energetic imbalances within our bodies. Based on our bodies everyone may require or be lacking in certain taste. This could further be explored by speaking to a Siddha Doctor, as understanding 'the lack of taste' can be found in the Traditional Siddha System of Medicine.
The Siddha System of Medicine, originally known as Arivan Medicine, is the ancient Tamil medical system backed up science.
The Siddha system is based on getting to the root cause of pains or ailments to eliminate the disease for good. The core principles of Siddha focus less on medicines, and speaks to leading a mentally and physically healthy life to prevent diseases through the use of our environment.
Many of the Tamil medicinal and self care home remedies we use today derive from this system. Other popular self care methods include:
Oiling Hair and Body before showering or bathing.
Oiling hair has become trendy around the world. For generations Tamils have understood the benefits of the various types of oil and how they can affect our bodies. One aspect however not known by most is the benefits of self oil massage prior to taking a bath or shower. Many think our bodies should only be oiled by someone at the spa. However self oil massage is a wonderful opportunity to check in with our bodies as we nourish our skins while aiding in circulation, and lymph drainage.
Herbal Baths
This practise has become less common in daily life; however, prior to big celebrations like coming of age ceremonies or weddings, many still practise taking herbal baths with fresh and dried natural products as a form of relaxation and immunity building while nourishing their skin.
Wearing the Pottu
The pottu or bindi is traditionally worn using natural products such as lime, turmeric, and saffron for the traditional red pottu. This is applied on a varma point or pressure point on our foreheads that is connected to our third eye chakra. As this chakra encompasses the head, eyes, brain, pineal and pituitary gland, the functions of these organs are stimulated and absorb the nutrients from the pottu. This can result in increasing concentration, blood flow and relief from headaches. Learn more about why Tamils wear the pottu here.
Face and Body Masks, Exfoliants and Toners
The use of face masks is perhaps the most common form of self care practise still used by Tamils worldwide. Various mixtures of flours, oils and seeds target specific skin issues. Often, these products can be found in any Tamil kitchen. Many of the top skin care products on the market today use extracts from these very recipes used by the Tamil ancestors. Try a Face Mask for Glowing Skin here.
Meditation
In today's fast-paced world, we often overlook the importance of checking in with ourselves and clearing our mind. Mass media has portrayed meditation as practise commonly used by older individuals who live in remote areas away from society. In reality, meditation is essential for emotional, physical, and energetic well-being. From aiding in stress-management to building self-awareness, meditation helps bring us back to a state of stillness. This can be explored further through yogasanam.
Fasting
For generations, the Tamil community has incorporated fasting as an essential roles eliminating toxins, and building a strong immune system. It was not seen as depriving oneself of food but rather a necessary self-care practise to improve mental and physical well-being. Today, the practise of fasting has been adopted into various religions and is still actively practised by many.
Movement of Body, Emotions & Energy: Yogasanam, Dance, Singing
It has become common knowledge that negative energy, or unprocessed feelings, can be stored in our bodies and carried with us. This is why the importance of moving our energy or emotions was held in great importance among Tamil ancestors. This can include many activities such as yoga, dance, or singing. Traditionally, these practices were not solitary; communities would regularly gather to participate in song and dance for all aspects of life, from funerals to celebrating changes in nature.
There are countless centuries-old wellness practices like this. Perhaps now we will start to uncover the wealth of wisdom hidden within Tamil heritage.
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