Ayurveda particularly shines as a form of preventative or protective health care. The concept of dinacharya, or the daily healing routine, offers us specific practices to support each of our sense organs, the magical portals by which we encounter and experience the world around us.

This month I will be sharing some of these daily practices with you here, focusing on the ones that are particularly helpful during the summer season. (Our Aussie friends and others experiencing winter now will still benefit from them too!) 

The eyes are particularly potent doorways to our inner world, as they are the only exposed part of our nervous system. They are also one of the organs where pitta dosha tends to coalesce, which can lead to redness, irritation or burning eyes. By mid-summer, when Pitta dosha can naturally elevate in our system, the eyes may feel extra sensitive.

A triphala eye wash is a gentle treatment that can help address red, itchy, irritated or inflamed eyes by clearing blockage in the channels that nourish the eyes. It can be helpful after extended computer usage or time spent with excessive eye focus or strain.

Triphala eye wash is also helpful preventative medicine to keep the eyes functioning properly. You can do it daily in the morning or evening, or a couple times a week. You can also wash as needed when the eyes feel irritated. (Of course, please speak to your healthcare provider before use if you have any known eye condition.)

To prepare your tiphala eye wash, soak 1/4 teaspoon triphala powder in 1/2 cup pure water overnight to use the next morning. Then strain through a coffee filter or muslin cloth to remove all powder particles. Be sure to remove contact lenses and any eye makeup before washing the eyes. (By the way, a cotton ball dipped in coconut oil is an excellent makeup remover.)

Fill your eye cup to the brim with the triphala solution, then look down into the cup and bring it into position touching the orbit of the eye socket so the eyeball is submerged. Open and close the eye several times in the solution, moving the eyes in all directions. Stay submerged for about 60 seconds, blinking continuously. It may sting slightly, which is normal, but for many it simply feels soothing and clarifying. If any stinging bothers you, simply stop and it often feels different the next time. 

May our eyes see clearly, so that we may know our path forward in life!