Music, street noises, conversations, the whooshing of the wind—these are just a few of the many sounds our ears process throughout the day. Life can get noisy, especially in today's busy, stimulated world, and we have our ears to thank for taking it all in and helping us navigate all that comes our way.
But how often do we really stop to think about all our ears do, much less provide any sort of care for them? And how do we care for them properly—apart from just keeping them clean?
Ayurvedic wisdom has a lot to say about the ears and the important role they play in our overall health, beyond their sensory role in taking in the outer world and providing physiological balance and equilibrium.
Ayurveda provides an easy practice for ear care that literally takes a few seconds to complete and is well worth every second—ear oiling.
If you've read about or practiced Ayurveda, this won't come as a surprise to you—Ayurveda loves oil for practically everything, and our ears are no different! That's why we created our Ear Oil, which is specially formulated with Ayurvedic ingredients to support vibrant ear health and is the perfect companion for a healthy daily routine for kids and adults alike.
The Ayurvedic Approach to the Ears
From an Ayurvedic perspective, our ears and sense of hearing are not isolated environments—they're directly connected to and influenced by tissue layers of the body and by our doshas, especially vata dosha.
For example, the ears are highly tuned into prana vata, or prana vayu, a sub-dosha of vata that helps us maintain tranquility and presence. Providing nourishment to the ears with warm oil can balance the flow of prana vayu, enabling us to stay balanced at a deeper level. 1 Plus, warm oil is one of the best ways to balance vata overall.
Ears are also connected to certain tissue layers in the body, including asthi dhatu (the bone tissue layer) and majja dhatu (the nervous tissue layer). 2 One of the most convenient ways to support these aspects of our physiology is by oiling the ears daily. Our Ear Oil offers a simple and direct way to bring supportive Ayurvedic herbs deep into these tissue layers, where they can promote comfort and tranquility that resonates throughout the body.
A Closer Look at the Formula
Ear Oil cleanses and moisturizes the tissues of the ear thanks to a carefully selected, dynamic blend of herbs and oils. While it is especially grounding for vata, it is tridoshic, meaning that all doshas can benefit from this gentle practice.
- The base oils of sesame and olive are warming and nourishing. Olive oil also has a long history as a resource for breaking up excessive earwax. These oils are then infused with powerful Ayurvedic herbs.
- Bilva is gently cleansing and has been traditionally used in Ayurveda for centuries to support a healthy ear environment.
- Ashwagandha brings its tonifying, nourishing actions, as well as its healthy immune system support.
- Calamus works in the nervous system, while ajamoda—another friend to the nervous system—helps with the proper flow of vata.
- The formula is rounded out with a small but mighty pinch of garlic. Garlic is a traditional favorite in both the East and West for supporting healthy ears.
How and When to Use Ear Oil
Known in Sanskrit as karna pratisaranam, this ear oiling practice is simple, gentle, and offers a slew of benefits. When practiced regularly, it promotes comfort in the neck and jaw muscles, helps the body produce and maintain a healthy amount of earwax, and supports the healthy balance of all three doshas. It is particularly recommended during the vata and kapha seasons of fall and winter.
Simply warm the Ear Oil to your body temperature, and with your pinky finger or a piece of cotton, gently lubricate the ear passages. Alternatively, you can tilt your head and, using the dropper, place 1–2 drops in each ear, gently massaging it in. This practice can be done at any time of day, and it can be especially grounding before bedtime, making a wonderful addition to a relaxing evening ritual.
Because it is such a gentle, supportive formula, this Ear Oil makes a great go-to for parents. Kids are constantly learning and taking in new information, so providing sensory support can be especially beneficial. Caring for your children's ears with a warm oil can be a calming, grounding experience for everyone involved.
Ear Oil can also be used in the deeper practice of karna purana, which is generally recommended monthly or as directed by an Ayurvedic practitioner. Karna purana is a more involved practice, in which the ears are filled with warm oil for a limited amount of time. Overall, this provides a deeply grounding effect.
We don't recommend using ear oil in a perforated ear drum, with an infection, or in conditions when your ears would be wet or filled with water. If you have an unusually high amount of earwax that causes discomfort, we recommend you first consult a practitioner.
Gentle, nourishing, and supportive, it's worth every one of the few seconds it takes to use this Ear Oil!
