Soothing the Body, Mind and Breath with Salt Lamps...

Yoga is a great form of self care. Yoga practice is about healing the self through self discovery and self acceptance. It's a transformational practice that strengthens the life force within. It teaches us to overcome internal and external obstacles that come with everyday life. 

Pranayama, the regulation of the breath, can be one of the most soothing and calming techniques in yoga. Salt therapy is one of the oldest and most potent forms of improving your lung capacity to help healing. Salt thins the mucus lining our inner lungs allowing us to exhale toxins and decongest our airways. 

In the foothills of the Himalayas,​ local mountain dwelling tribes knew about the effect of salt to increase the lungs breathing capacity. The Himalayan mountain caves are lined with pink salt- the same pink salt you use in your cooking, Himalayan salt. Whenever someone had an illness they would sit in the caves and often would come out feeling better.

The way in which pink salt improves your breathing is by cleaning the air through a process of drying. The salt draws in micro droplets of water, and these droplets trap dust, allergens, and other pollutants on the way. The warm salt lamp is able mimic a cave lined with pink salt, to trap dust, allergens, and pollutants. More importantly, replacing bright lights with the soft orange hue of the salt lamp calms the mind. 

A salt lamp in your bedroom or in the quiet space where you practice yoga, can definitely help soothe and relax your body, mind and spirit. I've been using a salt lamp to unwind before bed - it truly works for me. ! 

​July is self-care month for the Yogarama community and we'd love to thank The Salt Lamp Shop for inspiring this self-care blog.