Ancient Wellness Practices That Have Stood The Test Of Time

We can admit that sometimes holistic wellness tips and tricks can appear a bit gimmicky. Sometimes, as consumers, we don’t know if the products and practices we are using do anything. So, it’s often great to look back in history and notice the tricks that have existed for hundreds and thousands of years. Because, if it’s lasted all this time, chances are, it’s pretty legit.

The first go-to trick is mediation. Meditation is believed to have originated in India, with historians believing it to have begun anywhere between 3000 BCE to 1500 BCE, which eventually spread throughout Southeast Asia and the rest of the world, creating a variety of cultural and religious versions (Meditation History). The ancients believed that meditation, according to Dr. Susan Chow, was an essential step towards finding salvation. Nowadays, you can pretty much say the same– it can provide salvation from our anxieties and daily troubles.

Yoga, as well, originated in Ancient India, more than 5,000 years ago, with its first documentation being noted in the ancient sacred texts, the Rig Veda (circa 1500-1000 BCE) (Explore The Ancient Roots of Yoga). Both then and now, it’s a practice of breathing, flexibility, and strength. It grew as a major component of Hinduism and Buddhism. Essentially, not much has changed since, with a lot of the same foundational postures.

Herbal remedies, which we now often find as tea bags, creams, supplements, and oils, had their first written record in the civilization we all often learn as the first civilization, Mesopotamia (The First Written Records of Herbalism. Herbal medicines were soon after dated in Ancient Egypt, Ancient India, and Ancient China, ranging from 2700 BCE to 500 CE. Some of the plants and herbs recorded that are still the same as today include garlic, willow, coriander, cumin, cedar, aloe, ashwagandha, turmeric, ginger, and licorice. It makes me wonder how their effectiveness would differ then versus now, considering all the new factors including pesticides and GMOs. Oh, to have the opportunity to experience an ancient ginger herbal remedy!

Massage therapy is believed to have originated in Ancient India around 3000 BCE as a type of holistic healing, as well as in Ancient China around 2700 BCE (The Rich History of Massage Therapy). Massages were believed to open up bodily passageways to push off diseases and illnesses, which also led to acupuncture and acupressure. It then spread to other areas of the world. Next time you head to a massage session at your favorite spa, remember that you have the early Indians and Chinese to thank.

If you have TikTok (I know, jarring when talking about deep history), I’m sure you’ve seen Gua Sha or jade roller videos. The Gua Sha originated in Ancient China, dating back to the Stone Age, according to China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism (What Is Gua Sha?.). It was meant to “scrape away illness” and was transcribed into medical texts of the Ming Dynasty, dating from 1368 to 1644. The jade roller, as well, originated in Ancient China, with jade being referred to as “the stone of heaven” (Jade Roller Origins.) They were believed to balance the body’s energy, “chi”, and help against inflammation (Gua Sha vs. Jade Roller.) I love using my Gua Sha. Although I may not use it for the same reasons as the Ming Dynasty, I believe it helps make my face less puffy through lymphatic drainage, helps define my facial bone structure, and is ultimately a relaxing little face massage before going to bed (remember to use an face oil or balm, so the tool can easily slide on your skin). 

Most people of this age have some type of skincare routine. Turns out people of ancient periods did as well. The first record of skincare was in Egypt, around 3000 BCE (History of Skincare 101.) Of course, these regiments looked a little different than ours today. Their skincare “products” consisted of naturally available items including olive oil, dough, ostrich eggs, sand, honey, milk, clay, and herbal essential oils, which isn’t too drastic from our own. 

Aromatherapy, as well, originated in Ancient Egypt, as well as India and China. The Egyptians used essential oils, (ultimately aromatic plants) in incense, massages, medicines, and skincare (as well as embalming the dead) (History of Aromatherapy.) It’s believed the ancients got the oils by soaking plant materials in oil and wringing it all through a cloth, or heating the plant material in oil. So, next time you turn on your diffuser to emit essential oils, a little reminder that the Ancient Egyptians did the same thing. Hopefully, though, you won’t be getting mummified.

Unless you’ve been too busy meditating or are an ancient yourself, you must know the song “As It Was” by Harry Styles. ”You know it’s not the same as it was”, except in this case, Harry, it IS the same as it was! Learning how similar the practices were in ancient times versus now makes the world and time feel a whole lot smaller. If you want to learn more about these histories, check out the sources linked within and below this article! Wellness consists of many many things, yet an important one that often isn’t considered enough is… learning! So here at Berry, we’re always here to help and learn. Hey, maybe we should check out the origin of berries as well!

-Lila

Sources:

Bedosky, Lauren. “What Is Gua Sha? A Complete Guide to This TCM Practice.” Edited by Justin Laube, EverydayHealth.Com, 22 Aug. 2022, www.everydayhealth.com/wellness/what-is-gua-sha/guide/#:~:text=Gua%20sha%20originated%20in%20ancient,Ministry%20of%20Culture%20and%20Tourism.  

Gretrix. “History of Skincare 101.” BeautyBio, 14 Apr. 2020, beautybio.com/blogs/skincare-blog/history-of-skincare-101#:~:text=While%20the%20science%20of%20skincare,concepts%20have%20come%20full%20circle.&text=The%20first%20recorded%20proof%20of,in%20Egypt%20in%203000%20BCE. 

“Gua Sha vs. Jade Roller: What’s the Difference?” StyleSeat Pro Beauty Blog, 20 Dec. 2022, www.styleseat.com/blog/gua-sha-vs-jade-roller/#:~:text=Like%20Gua%20Sha%20stones%2C%20jade,Qing%20dynasty%2C%20beginning%20in%201644. 

“History of Aromatherapy.” International Federation of Aromatherapists, ifaroma.org/ko_KR/home/explore_aromatherapy/what-is-aromatherapy/history-aromatherapy#:~:text=It%20is%20the%20ancient%20Egyptians,process%20of%20embalming%20the%20dead. 

Levine, Jenna. “Jade Roller Origins.” LINNÉ, 22 Mar. 2021, linnebotanicals.com/blogs/blog/jade-roller-origins#:~:text=The%20origin%20of%20the%20jade,used%20within%20Chinese%20beauty%20rituals.