It is a very common scene nowadays to see people buying imported shampoos which are nothing but a heap of chemicals in a paste-like form, attracting the customer with its fragrance. There are hardly any markets which sell Ayurvedic shampoo, because no one wants to use them. How many of us actually know that the money we spend on buying such shampoos is akin to digging our own graves? After reading this article, we shall be able to distinguish for ourselves between a chemical based commercial shampoo and a natural shampoo with their benefits and buy the right one.
1. Substances used for washing the hair
A. Chemical substances
Today, many chemical-based soaps & shampoos are available for washing hair. Many shampoos available address specific hair problems too. When washed with these shampoos, the hair outwardly appear silky, soft and lustrous; but the chemicals in the soaps and shampoos lead to many hair related problems.
B. Natural substances
For hundreds of years, women have been using shikakai and ritha for washing hair. Mixture of powders of shikakai pods, amla and dried peels of oranges/lemon should be soaked in water overnight. Next day, this water should be rubbed into the hair. After half an hour, the hair should be washed with ritha water. For dry hair, apply oil to the hair every night and wash with shikakai and ritha the next day. If this is not possible, then wash the hair using Ayurvedic shampoo.
To maintain cleanliness of hair, ingredients with natural properties should be used. As a result, harm to the hair is prevented and it ensures good care of hair.
1. Washing the hair with chemical-based shampoo and Ayurvedic shampoo
| Chemical-based shampoo | Ayurvedic shampoo | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Effect on the hair
A. Stiff / Soft Becoming soft B. Proportion of hair-fall |
Becoming stiff High |
Becoming soft Less |
| 2. Effect on individuals | ||
| A. Distressing / Positive sensation | Due to increase in the distressing covering, feeling of heaviness and heat around the head | Perceiving positive sensation and coolness in the head |
| B. Whose existence is felt on the face ? | Negative energies | Self |
| C. Manifestation | Perceiving an increase in manifestation | Reduction in manifestation and feeling of existence of one’s own self |
| 3. Subtle-effects | ||
| A. Fragrance and its effect | Due to artificiality, creation of illusion creating fragrance and the distressing waves in the environment getting attracted to the individual | Due to use of God-created natural components, Divine fragrance and the Sattva waves in the environment are attracted towards it |
| B. Distressing covering / Sheath | ||
| 1. | Existence of Tama component in the chemicals increases the distressing covering around the self | Composition of natural ingredients enriches it with Sattva component, due to which spiritual healing takes place |
| 2. | Formation of distressing covering around the head | Penetration of distressing covering & existence of white aura around the head |
| 3. | Continuous imbibing of distressing energy strengthens the distressing covering around the head | The white aura around the head repels the external attack of distressing energy |
2. Applying chemical-based shampoo and herbal paste to the hair
Comparative study of washing the hair with chemical-based shampoo and after applying herbal paste prepared from leaves of mehandi (Henna), hibiscus flower and tulsi.
| Washing hair with chemical-based shampoo | Washing hair after applying herbal paste | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Components | Chemicals | Leaves of herbs, which have medicinal value and are enriched with Divine Principles |
| 2. Predominant component | Tama | Sattva |
| 3. Effect of the component | ||
| A. | Note 1 | Attraction of Divine Principle in the plants and that in the environment, leading to creation of a protective sheath around the individual |
| B. | Constant striking of Tama waves on the head results in the generation of thoughts transmitted by negative energies, and the head is always covered with distressing energy | Imbibing of Divine Principle leads to reduction of the covering on the mind and the intellect, thus leading to imbibing of Divine thoughts, and the individual’s mind and intellect becomes functional |
| 4. Effect on the hair | ||
| A. Lustreless / Lively |
The hair becoming lustreless and collapsing in an unconscious state, and perceiving a flow of distressing energy over them | Hair from the roots moving backward and forward happily and perceiving liveliness in them |
| B. Subtle-effects on the hair | Note 2 | Note 3 |
| C. Vibrations emanating from hair after washing them |
Distressing | Positive |
| 5. Physical effects | ||
| A. Effect on the face |
Note 4 | Destruction of illusion creating state due to a reduction in distressing energy, distress to negative energies results in reduction in his energy, which further leads to reduction in manifestation, and the individual getting back its own existence |
| B. Skin texture | Skin looking lustreless due to a distressing energy covering | Contact of Divine Principle in the plants, in the form of liquid removes the distressing energy covering on the body, and the skin looks lustrous |
| C. Subtle-effects | ||
| 1. | Due to a compact covering of distressing energy around the head, perceiving existence of heat around the self | Application of the paste results in exchange of Chaitanya, and perceiving coolness due to existence of Chaitanya around the self |
| 2. | Heaviness in the ears and head | No physical distress |
| 3. | There being a type of heaviness around the body, experiencing fatigue | Due to a reduction in distressing covering around the body, experiencing lightness and the vital energy remaining constant |
| 6. Mind
A. Attitude B. Feeling gloomy / happy |
Becoming extrovert Feeling gloomy, sorrowful and restless |
Becoming introvert Feeling light and pleasant, and experiencing happiness |
| 7. Chanting God’s Name | Stops | Commences |
| 8. Spiritual effect | ||
| A. | Formation of a transparent distressing energy covering on the head | Destruction of distressing energy in the hair and breaking of the compact distressing covering on the head |
| B. | Increase in manifestation due to formation of a transparent distressing energy covering |
Destruction of the covering on the entire body starting from the head, generation of positive waves around the head, leading to formation of a type of protective sheath |
| C. | Spreading of distressing waves into the environment through the hair | Due to existence of the Divine Principle in the plants, luminous rays spread into the environment |
| 9. Effect on the individual | The individual is in the control of negative energies and hence, its actions are as per the thoughts of the negative energies | The individual is joined with God, and hence, imbibing correct thoughts and behaving accordingly |
| 10. Effect on the negative energies | Note 5 | Due to the effect of smeared paste, seeing white light around the individual’s body, its emission resulting in reduction in the distressing energy, and as the negative energies is unable to do anything, he hides inside |
Note 1 – Chemical-based shampoo is Tama-predominant hence, is complementary for the negative energies in the individual to acquire distressing energy. Similarly, since the distressing waves in the environment are attracted towards the hair, the individual is constantly struck by them. As a result, the distressing covering around the individual increases.
Note 2 – A sheath of distressing energy is generated around and at the root of each hair. Therefore, there is absolutely no contact of Vayutattva with the roots of the hair. This leads to termination of the process of growth of hair. Hair then become as good as lifeless and fall off.
Note 3 – The foul air around the hair gets destroyed. Therefore, the distressing energy there is destroyed and an environment conducive to their growth is generated. As a result, they grow with ease.
Note 4 – The face assumes deceptive beauty. As a result of the negative energies assuming a mohini form, the face appears beautiful and this appearance lasts a short time. Later, due to the effect of Chaitanya in the Ashram, a battle ensues leading to increased manifestation. This in turn results in the face showing the existence of the negative energies & it appears distressed.
Note 5 – The constituents in the chemical-based shampoo are complementary to the negative energies and therefore, they receive distressing energy from these constituents; and due to the enticing fragrance, black distressing rings resembling springs develop. A web of these rings is then weaved around the individual, due to which the negative energies experiences the happiness of keeping the individual imprisoned.
3. Washing the hair with ‘Shikakai’ (A complete Ayurvedic powder for hair)
A. Characteristic feature of ‘Shikakai’
It has absolutely no chemical constituents and contains herbal ingredients instead, such as ‘shikakai’, ritha, hibiscus flower, amla and aloe-vera. Herbs contain greater amount of Divine Principle. This Ayurvedic powder nourishes the hair too.
B. Utility of ‘Shikakai’
1. Its regular use helps make the hair clean, soft and lustrous
2. Useful as a remedy on hair-fall
3. Effective on dandruff
4. Prevents premature greying of hair
4. Subtle-characteristics of a chemical-based shampoo available in the market and ‘Shikakai’
All the figures in the table ahead denote percentages.
| Chemical-based shampoo available in the market | ‘Shikakai’ (Powder) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Tarak-shakti | 0.5 | 1.25 |
| 2. Chaitanya | – | 1 |
| 3. Negative energy
A. Distressing energy B. Mayavi-shakti (Illusory) |
2 3 |
– – |
| 4. Reason for vibrations | Existence of distressing energy and Tarak-shakti due to synthetic and chemical ingredients | Existence of Tarak-shakti and Chaitanya due to natural ingredients such as shikakai, amla, mehandi, ritha and skin of lemon and orange |
| 5. Effects on a person | ||
| A. Physical | ||
| 1. Effect on hair roots | Due to chemical ingredients in them, the hair roots do not get the required nutrients, hence, the hair become weak, start greying, start falling, develop dandruff etc. |
Since it contains natural ingredients, the hair get the required nutrients, which makes the hair roots strong |
| 2. Growth of hair | Hair growth is adversely affected | Hairs grow at a faster rate |
| B. Psychological | Due to the Mayavi fragrance, we experience illusory happiness | Due to the natural fragrance, the mind remains blissful and enthusiastic |
| C. Spiritual | Due to the Mayavi fragrance, Energy of attraction is created, which attracts distressing energy from the environment and causes heaviness in the head | The natural ingredients ward-off the attacks of negative energies, and waves of Shakti (Divine Energy) are created in the hair, which form a protective sheath around the hair |
5. Spiritual experience after washing the hair with Shikakai (Powder)
‘Since childhood I have had a lot of dandruff in my hair. Despite Allopathic treatment, I could not get rid of it; however, on regularly using Shikakai (Powder) for 2 months, it disappeared completely.’ – Ms Sandhya Mali, Chalisgaon, District Jalgaon, Maharashtra
Reference : Sanatan Sanstha’s Holy text ‘Hair Care’.
