Dear Julian, believe it or not, there was a time when our concerns were minimal. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Netflix were a dream on someone’s chromosome’s inner light festival (decades before you were born). During those days, whenever spiritual seekers needed to find a wise person to talk about the fundamental questions of life, the first place to look was near the river banks. It was usual to find these sages practicing prayers and specific hygienic routines near the water.
In many cultures, using a fresh body of water to clean the remnants of the day before is still an essential habit
Most literature that describes this routine recognizes human bodies as vessels that require some form of daily purification. It certainly feels like that when I do it.
Since I can only talk from my experience, my purpose, with these words, is not to discuss the beliefs behind such an incredible routine. My only concern is with the cleaning process and how it affects the rest of the day.
This is not an article about spirituality, just know that practicing mouth rinsing and early morning cold showers bring:
- alertness
- respect and recognition to our physical bodies
- empowering commitment
- better digestion
- known weight loss
- better blood circulation
- increase stamina
- more concentration
- plus many other definite add ons…
Implementing tongue scrapping, morning cold showers, and studying spiritual leaders, meditators, Jedi Masters (sorry, I had to put that here), athletes, even men of science, scholars, and yogis who do the same daily has been a gratifying journey.
Anyone inclined to develop a better relationship with his life sees incredible results from adhering to these practices.
Practicing early morning routines solidify other commitments
Try rinsing brushing or scrapping your mouth tomorrow morning, Julian. First, use a brush or a tongue scraper, then rinse your mouth with warm water for a couple of minutes to remove all the film built from the night before. This is a simple way of ensuring you are taking care of your oral hygiene, plus the added bonus of an attitude shift towards the coming day, all at once. The brain will start sending you positive reinforcing images, especially after adding the next part of this double habit:
Early morning cold showers
I do not know how you are doing it now that you are a sophomore in college, to stay concentrated and full of energy. Still, I clearly remember using coffee, and a couple of other “wake me up” drinks during my school years. They helped me stay up late, finish up projects, or rise very early to make sure I was ready for classes and exams. I became a master of expresso preparation, and over the counter energy drinks during those days. Of course, I had to deal with the all of the sugar’s repercussions, and the weird extraterrestrial ingredients in those beverages, designed to increase my energy.
That is until I read plenty of books on this subject. Books like Autobiography of a Yogi, and after I researched, practiced and implemented alternative ways to raise my level of alertness.
Throughout the years, I kept increasing early morning swims, bathing or using cold water as a common and natural way to wake the body, which has:
- Helped me be more aware of emotions
- Increased the size and frequency of morning eliminations
- Strengthened my commitments
It is a good thing that we now have plenty of voices who advocate similar approaches.
Personal Trainers, like Win Hoff, are changing the narrative of such engaging practices.
Win Hoff created a method that hundreds of people are following. Have you seen pictures or videos of people walking barefooted on a massive snowy day towards a frozen river? If you have, this is what I am talking about.
Win Hoff devoted his life to research the benefits of such extreme practices. Everyone who has dedicated their time to follow his advice has nothing but positive remarks.
There you have it, Julian, the next time you want to get ready for some exams or have a project you need to finish or want to “feel the force,” implement these two things.
- Rinse, scrape, or brush your mouth right after waking up.
- Take a cold shower for a minimum of 30 seconds and let me know how it goes.
Further reading:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0002817716304536
When it comes to natural health, it seems our ancestors knew what they were doing better that we now know. They tapped into ways of living life a little better.
Join the early riser’s club. Scrape your tongue from all the sediments of the day before and immerse your body in cold water.
miradadrive 