Netra Basti

'Netra" meaning eye, "basti' meaning dam or container.

Netra Basti is the process of soaking the eyes in a bath of warm ghee. Ghee or clarified butter has the same viscosity as the whites of your eyes making it the perfect consitency to nourish the eyes. Ghee is a sacred substance thought of as a the elixor of life in indian coulture. Ghee has antimicrobial and antifungal proerties. It is highly nourishing and mousturizing. It penetrates deep into the tissues to nourish and help elieveted aliments of the eyes while soothing the mind and healing the skin.

Who should get this?

Anyone suffering from the following will benefit from receiving Netra Basti

Darkness in front of the eyes
Stiffness of the eyes
Dryness of the eyes
Tired or fatigued eyes from overuse
Injury to the eyes
Diseases of the eye due to vitiation of vata and pitta Squint
Falling of the eyelashes
Blurring of the vision
Difficulty in opening and closing eyes
Conjunctivitis
Glaucoma
Fifth cranial nerve atrophy
Fifth cranial nerve disorder
Opacity of the cornea
Watering of the eyes
Painful eyes
Swollen eyes

How often

For acute issues such as an eye injury, conjunctivitis, or seasonally dry eyes, it is recommended to receive Netra Basti two consecutive times roughly one week apart.

For chronic conditions such as glaucoma or issues due to diabetes or other diseases, you may benefit from receiving Netra Basti on a more regular schedule until the condition improves.

For chronic discomfort caused by over use of eyes, you can benefit from receiving Netra Basti on a monthly or bi-monthly schedule.

What to expect?

Once you and your practitioner have met to establish your treatment protocol you are ready to receive your treatment.

In the privacy of the treatment room, you will dress down and lay face up on the treatment table under the sheets.

As you mentally settle into the space you will receive a gentle neck and shoulder massage to help release excess tension in the body.

A warm towel will be placed across your face, making sure to cover your eyes and the area around it. Any makeup, oil, or debris will be wiped away.

(It is best not to wear makeup or excess production on your face before receiving this treatment)

I will use a dough made from chickpea or lentil flour to create a dam around your eyes. This process is always fun but takes time and precision.

Once the dough dam is secure I will pour a small amount of ghee into each side of the dam to check for leaks. When I feel that the dam is secure I will pour enough warm ghee into the dam to cover your eyes.

After a few minutes, I will ask you to blink your eyes a few times allowing the ghee to saturate your eyes. I will direct you to do a few eye exercises. I may perform a gentle massage around the socket of the eye if it would be beneficial for the condition being treated.

The warm ghee bath will last from 5 to 20 minutes depending on your needs and comfort.

Once we've reached the desired amount of time the ghee is drained from the damn by allowing it to flow from the side of the dam in a container. Once most f the ghee has drained the dough is removed and a warm towel is applied.

A rose water cotton pad will be provided to help remove excess oil from your skin and eyes.

its recommended but not necessary to combine Netra Basti with other treatments to allow your eyes time to adjust. If you decided to receive Netra Basti on its own you may wish to wait for 10 to 15 minutes before driving.

Just like with eye drops, you will find that your vision is a little blurry, but this only lasts for a few minutes.

Post Treatment

The first thing clients comment on after their treatment is how nourished and hydrated their eyes feel.

you should find that this lasts for several days.

It's best to avoid overuse of your eyes after your treatment. Limit the amount of time you spend staring at a digital screen, driving, or squinting.

Make sure to bring glasses with you to protect your eyes from the sun!

Avoid naping after your treatment! Though it may be tempting, excess heat and toxins are released from the eyes. After receiving Netra Basti your body will naturally do this and if you close your eyes for an extended period of time you may prevent your body from doing this.

Why Ghee?

The Ancient Vedic saw ghee as the elixir of life and with all we know about the luscious substance today, it's no wonder they thought this.

Ghee is a calorie-dense food, 100 ml of ghee gives as much as 883 calories of energy. which means that a small amount has the ability to pack a powerful punch.

Ghee is purely fat and has no significant amount of proteins, carbohydrates, sugar, or fiber. 100 ml of ghee contains almost 99.8 grams of fat. But the fat present in ghee is saturated fat and It also contains cholesterol making it a healthy and needed source of fat. With our brains being made of up fat and cholesterol this means that ghee has a high impact on our brain function.

Ghee is also rich in vitamin A, vitamin E, and vitamin K if the ghee is made from milk from grass-fed cows. And contains Butyric Acid, which helps the body in producing T cells that fight diseases. as well as, an anti-cancer constituent. The antioxidants present in it make it anti-inflammatory. This also makes it great for maintaining healthy skin by locking in moisture, improving skin repair, treating cracks, and softening the skin. As well as improve hair thickness, which applies to the eyelashes as well.

Ghee is one of the safest dermatological cosmetics. It is skin-friendly and can even help treat burns.

Internally ghee has a whole additional host of benefits! But when it comes to applying it to the eyes we use ghee because no other oil impacts the body in such a profound way.