Karna Knowledge
By HELENA ZERA
In the beginning was the word...
KARNA KNOWLEDGE
“I'm all EARS!”
The word Karna is derived from the ancient Sanskrit language and translates to “ear.” Our ears are one of 5 senses and relate to vata in Ayurveda. Vata is the constitution of the air and ether elements, along with the 6 gunas, or qualities, These gunas of vata are mobile, dry, light, cool, rough, and subtle. The vital sensory ear and its tissues, is known as an organ of vata dosha.
Our ears are acknowledged for their keen sense of hearing, translating vibration into energy and sound. From their unique shape for gathering waves of vibration and transmuting these waves, so to speak, into mechanical, electrical and then perceptual understanding is totally miraculous. Here is a simplified explanation.Sound waves are funneled into the outer ear and then enter the labyrinth of the inner ear, traveling through the membranous tympanic membrane known as the eardrum (think of a leather drum or gong) that continues vibrating to the middle ear with its 3 tiny bones of the ossicles (malleu, incus, stapes). This movement allows the fluid in the spiral cochlea to travel like the waves of the ocean to produce sound via the transduction of different sound vibrations into neural signals in the brain. Perceptual understanding is now in the ears (I mean the eyes) of perception.
Pandemic Pandemonia
Amidst the news and mulit-media information passing through whooshing lines of the ethernet and communication systems, we humans have been left in a tizzy. Auditory overstimulation is creating a disproportionate amount of vata, giving rise to fear, anxiety and restlessness. At this unprecedented time we find ourselves listening compulsively to the everchanging news as information is revised and translated globally.
Most of us are in communication with each other, sharing any and every news while we attempt to update and fact check. Since many of us are now in a form of self-containment and social distancing we have modified how we stay in touch with others by lending an ear to those we love and keeping our ear to the ground for groundbreaking news.
Quite honestly, my ears and brain require a rest. The best thing for them is some old-fashioned silence. I know my aural limitations, and a little peace and quiet is a positive antidote to overstimulation. A silentious walk in the woods or a stroll on our own is a great getaway; as long as you remove your earpods and leave your podcasts at home. Of course meditation is medicine and a turn key to quiet the mind. Sound Journeys work wonders,yet sometimes we do not have access to Alchemy bowls or gongs. Any solo activity that brings you joy is a wonderful way to relieve some of the stressors from daily life and these perilous times. I’d like to share a couple effective ayurvedic techniques that will also work wonders to quiet things down... and make you grin ear to ear.
Our ears process sound all day, whether it's white noise, music, news or recreation. We are always tuned in to the frequency that brings sound into our processing brain. In order to protect our inner realm, we need to create a barrier of sorts from an overly stimulated outer world. Most of us don’t think about our ears or how we can give them a little lovin’, yet this can be accomplished quite easily at home. Ayurveda’s unique wisdom addresses the importance of tuning in to the body’s auditory-vibrational sensory organ (the ears) and the dynamic role they play in our lives.
As you recall from the lens of Ayurveda, our ears are highly tuned into prana vata (a vayu and one of 5 sub~doshas of vata), which assists in maintaining tranquility and presence. Providing nourishment to the ears with warm oil can balance the flow of prana vayu, enabling us to feel calmer and stay balanced at a deeper level. According to one of the laws of Ayurveda “opposites heal,” and warm herbalized oil is one of the best ways to balance vata overall.
When we oil our ears daily we are supporting certain tissues in the body that correspond to Asthi Dhatu (bony tissue layer) and Majja Dhatu (the nervous tissue layer).
Ayurveda provides a simple daily routine or a monthly more involved ritual. Both of these ear oiling techniques render an easy practice for ear care that literally takes a few moments and is well worth the time and effort. In Ayurveda we use loads of oil for practically everything, from cooking to self-massage, and taken internally as a carrier substance (anupan) to facilitate and moderate the delivery of medicinal herbs. My favorite ear oil is Banyan Botanicals preparation which is specially formulated with Ayurvedic herbs, olive oil and sesame oil. Sesame and olive are warming and nourishing to help support and pacify vata. Olive oil has an affinity to help break up excessive ear wax. The herbs are supportive of the ears’ tissue layers to encourage vibrant ear health and wellbeing.
The first dinacharya (daily routine) is Karna Pratisaranam and the second is Karna Purana. Both of these techniques promote a deep sense of comfort and peaceful tranquility that reverberate throughout the body.
Karna Pratisaranam is a basic, efficient, and simple technique that is gentle on the ears as well as providing many benefits. When used regularly, it is known to bring some comfort in the neck and jaw muscles, help to maintain a normal production of earwax, and it's also been quite beneficial for me at loud concerts (I do this the night before a loud show)! When practiced regularly, it provides some relief and 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 (tridoshic). This daily ritual is often recommended during vata (fall) and kapha (winter) seasons. I highly recommend this brief routine during overstimulation and major anxiety as well.
Directions
Warm ear oil to your body temp. Simply insert the bottle in a glass of very warm water. Using the dropper, place 1–2 drops in each ear, with your pinky, or a cotton ball. Gently lubricate and massage the inner ear opening and outer ear canal. This is a great time to include some self massage in the form of natural reflexology. Just rub the ears with your pointer finger (on the front of the ear) and thumb (on the back of the ear) starting from the center moving outward to include the entire outer ear (auricle), squeezing and pulling the entire rim of the ear and tugging on the ear lobe. A daily auricular massage feels great and is a nice way to wake up or go to sleep.
*This practice can be done during the day, although I highly recommend it as an evening bedtime ritual to relax and wind down for sleep and deep rest. A drop or 2 of oil in the ear is also beneficial for children. Please consult a physician for children younger than 10.
Karna Purana is a deeply nourishing and supportive practice that can be done once per month or as directed by an Ayurvedic practitioner. The ears are filled with the warmed oil for 5-10 minutes, and the process is repeated on the opposite side. This bedtime ritual is a favorite of mine since it's uniquely nurturing with a calming and grounding effect. When the ears are filled with the oil it creates a comforting barrier to sound, thus quieting the mind and letting the ears rest. Silence is Golden. This is a great opportunity to dial the day down and calm the mind, foster intuition, and promote deep sleep. Our vata ear (vibrational sensory organ) is laid to rest as it tunes out the outer world and brings one back to their ownness and essence.
Directions
Warm ear oil to your body temp by inserting the dispenser bottle in a mug of very warm water for 5 minutes. Test a drop of the oil temp on your outer ear lobe before using.
Bring 1 small hand towel and 2 old washcloths to bed (my favorite place for Karna Purana).
Set a hand towel on the pillow. Tilt your head to expose the upper ear. Place a washcloth behind the upper ear to catch any drops.
Lay on your side with the opposite and lower ear on the covered pillow. Hold the warm bottle in the lower hand. Use the other hand to place 5-7 drops of warm oil in the external ear canal so the ear is full but not overflowing.
Gently massage the outer ear area to provide a soothing and nourishing rest.
Set a timer if you like for 5-10 minutes.
Enjoy the lush sound of a deep, unctuous silence.
Use the washcloth on the upper ear to catch any extra oil as you sit up. Tilt the head in the opposite direction allowing the oil to drain out of your ear onto the washcloth.
*Repeat on the other ear.
These rituals are truly amazing. I like to think of them as time well spent and totally worth the few seconds it takes to do daily and the 20 minutes to accomplish monthly. As the saying goes:
This brings music to my ears…
*Contraindications:
Infection, perforated ear drum, newborns, water in the ear, after swimming or when the ear has been wet.
