As yogis, our practice does not end after Savasana and “Namaste.”
Yoga means “union”. Yoga is not something we do, it’s not a place that we go.
Yoga is a state of being. It is to embody the very essence of unity.
May we dedicate our practice first and foremost to filling ourselves – with compassion, presence, healing, clarity and love– but NOT stop there.
May we devote our practice to something bigger – to a cause greater than just ourselves. May the benefits of our practices expand beyond just the wellbeing of our bodies, our minds and our hearts.
May our yoga practice inform and inspire us to live our yoga. To speak up, act, and respond to the injustices of the world from a place of love, compassion, courage and righteousness.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
May we meditate– not to close our eyes to the pain in the world but to open our hearts.
To see clearly the suffering and oppression of others and how we can best respond in the name of dharma, love and unity.
May we reflect on who we truly are, the greater purpose of our life and the ways in which we can truly serve the world.
May we act from the place of courage that yoga inspires within us to look within and see the ways in which we unconsciously participate in the oppression, pain and suffering of others.
“If one has courage, nothing can dim the light which shines from within.” – Maya Angelou
May we truly look within and heal the wounded parts of ourselves and dissolve the thoughts and behaviours within us that not only perpetuate but benefit from the broken systems that oppress, discriminate against and abuse our black world family.
May we not just practice yoga, but truly embody it.
Today we are remembering this important truth…
We cannot truly be free until we are all free.
Your liberation is our liberation.
“We are here on the planet Earth to live, grow up and do what we can to make this world a better place for all people to enjoy freedom.” – Rosa Parks
Beyond our own self-reflection, educating ourselves and the transformation of our own consciousness, we all have a unique language of compassion and specific skills, talents and ways of actively serving and participating in this time of urgent global change.
For some us that may mean donating funds, for others it means to join in peaceful protest, for another it could mean signing petitions, having important conversations with family or friends or voting with your dollars.
If you need some inspiration for where to get started with in your antiracism movement, these are a couple of the resources we’re currently diving into:
Like diet, yoga should not have a “one size fits all” approach.
Yoga and Ayurveda are sister sciences. They come from the same ancient source and share a common history, language and cultural background.
Ayurveda prescribes yoga as a form of therapy to balance your unique constitution of inner elements or unique mind-body type (known as your Dosha-type.)
Ayurveda offers a therapeutic approach to yoga. It gives specific recommendations of yoga poses (asanas), guidelines on how to practice and seasonal adjustments based on your mind-body type to bring about a greater sense of balance, harmony, self-awareness and vitality!
Here we’ll explore the ideal type of yoga, tips on how to practice and best postures for you!
WHAT IS YOGA THERAPY?
The Ayurvedic approach to yoga is called Yoga Therapy.
Yoga Therapy offers a whole, complete and holistic approach to health and longevity for all physiological systems with health benefits for the whole body.
Yoga Therapy, also known as Yoga Chikitsa. Blends the wisdom of ayurveda and yoga in an intentional, healing and therapeutic way to balance the inner elements, or doshas to prevent and manage ailments and experience greater physical and mental vitality. It improves the health and function of all body systems – from improved energy levels, cardiovascular health, to improved digestion, balanced hormones, better sleep, maintenance of a healthy body weight, healthy breathing, a thriving immunity, to psychological wellbeing.
Below outlines the best type of yoga for the individual Doshas. If you do not know your unique mind-body type, send us an email and we’ll get you sorted!
YOGA FOR VATA (AIR) TYPES
A yoga practice for Vata should encourage warmth, grounding and nourishment. It should invoke a sense of serenity, focus, inner strength and stability.
Begin with MEDITATION to ground and center.
Practice balancing BREATHWORK like Nadi Shodhana or UjjayiPranayama.
Practice in a WARM space or wear warm clothes. (Consider a blanket for Savasana!)
Focus on GROUNDING. Root down through your foundation. Yield into the EARTH.
Don’t overexert yourself. Your practice should be STRENGTHENING, not draining.
Prioritize SLOW, GENTLE and FLUID movements— imagine like your moving through warm water.
Focus on short holds, but multiple REPETITIONS of the poses.
Connect to your CORE and move from your SOLAR PLEXUS(Manipura Chakra,) between the rib cage and navel.
Continually return your attention to your BREATHING. Focus on the INHALATION.
Steady and still your GAZE to the floor, horizon or challenge yourself to close the eyes.
Move MINDFULLY. Stay aware of your body and breath— MEDITATE in every pose.
Balance strengthening with RESTORATIVE yoga for grounding and calming.
Close your practice with relaxing and LONG SAVASANA.
STAY PRESENT!
A Vata-balancing yoga practice should include poses that gently warm-up, strengthen and restore the body, mind and energy reserves. It should include fluid joint rotations, spinal undulations, grounding and strengthening standing poses, focus-enhancing balancing poses, warming backends, expansive hip openers and restorative poses.
A yoga practice for Pitta should encourage compassion, acceptance and surrender.
It should balance a sense of ease with self-effort, finding calm amidst challenge, bring softness into strength and focus on being more instead of always doing more.
Begin with MEDITATION to calm and soothe your mind.
Practice a few minutes of balancing and cooling BREATHWORK like Nadi Shodhana, Sheetali or SheetkariPranayama.
Prioritize having FUN overdoing it all perfectly. Don’t take yourself too seriously.
Practice in a moderately COOL space. You don’t want to be cold, but avoid overheating or doing hot yoga.
Be mindful to not be JUDGEMENT or CRITICISM of yourself (or the practice, the teacher, or others in the room!) Embrace a curious, positive and grateful outlook.
Don’t push yourself to your maximum, PRACTICE AT 80% effort.
Remember— yoga is not a COMPETITION! (Not even against yourself…)
Keep coming back to your BREATHING. Focus on your EXHALATION.
Prioritize loving and ACCEPTING yourself more than trying to perfect the pose.
If you want to challenge yourself, go deeper into your BREATHING and sense of PRESENCE.
Incorporate RESTORATIVE yoga to calm and soothe the body and mind.
Remember with Pitta, LESS IS MORE!
A Pitta-balancing yoga practice should include poses that challenge and warm up the body to release heat without overexerting or overheating the body and mind. It should include strengthening poses such as backbends, side bends and twists which warm the body to release heat, with intermittent cooling and restorative poses aimed to cool down and re-center.
BEST POSES TO BALANCE PITTA
Moon Salutations
Cobra, Locust and Bow Pose
Warrior II and Exalted Warrior
Extended Side Angle and Triangle Pose
Lunge Twist
Eagle Pose
Standing Wide-Legged Forward Bend
Childs Pose
Bridge Pose
Shoulderstand and Plough
Reclined Bound Angle and Reclined Hero Pose
Supine Spinal Twist
Savasana
YOGA FOR KAPHA (EARTH) TYPES
A yoga practice for Kapha should create spaciousness, stimulation, warmth and lightness. It should feel inspiring, invigorating and uplifting through energizing breathwork, expansive postures and dynamic movement.
Begin with MEDITATION to inspire and uplift your mind.
Practice a few minutes of invigorating BREATHWORK like Khapalabhati or Ujjayi Pranayama.
Practice at a VIGOROUS pace and intensity to energize the body and mind.
Practice in a moderately WARM space. You don’t want to be hot, but avoid feeling cold and drafts.
When you are ready to release the pose, TAKE ONE MORE BREATH!
Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself and HOLD THE POSE a little longer.
Keep your chest and shoulders OPEN AND LIFTED as you practice. Embrace a curious and positive attitude.
Be PRECISE in your poses. Pay attention to your posture and ALIGNMENT.
Cultivate a sense of LIGHTNESS in your poses.
Keep coming back to your BREATHING. Focus on the space between the breaths.
KEEP MOVING and have short resting periods between poses.
Remember with Kapha, keep on goingandDON’T GIVE UP!
A Kapha-balancing yoga practice should warm and energize the body and mind, to release lethargy and heaviness. This kind of practice should include a good flow of movement between poses and dynamic practices like sun salutations or additional vinyasas in between poses, heart openers, backbends and twists.
Discover your mind-body type and receive therapeutic insights on diet, yoga, daily routine and more to support your health and wellbeing with our online Ayurvedic Consultations.
Yoga promises the great gift of better health and vitality in all bodily systems. When practiced therapeutically for your unique mind-body type, the benefits are endless!
At certain moments in our lives, we will all experience emotional pain.
Especially in a powerful time in the world like right now, you may be experiencing waves of grief, sorrow, uncertainty, anger, loss, guilt, shame, loneliness or any of the countless other possible hues on the rainbow spectrum of human emotion.
Difficult emotions are a natural part of human life. However, like Buddha once said, “Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.”
Here we’ll explore how to navigate the inevitable, how to understand our emotions, what our emotions are telling us and how to move through difficulty with self-compassion, self-awareness and self-understanding.
WHAT IS EMOTION?
The Latin derivative for the word emotion, ’emotere’, literally means energy in motion.
E-motion is simply that— energy in motion.
Emotions are subtle, energetic forces. They can be mental phenomena passing through the attention of the mind feelings that live as sensations in the body.
Emotions are neither good nor bad, they are simply feelings to be felt.
There’s nothing personal about our feelings— they are simply energies, or phenomena passing through your awareness at any given moment.
They are universal. They are impermanent. They are changeable and temporary and just like they come, they also go.
Some emotions may feel very bright and sunny like happiness, love, awe, peace, joy, contentment, optimism or gratitude.
Other feelings are more shadow-like aspects of the emotional spectrum. These shadows of the mind are the parts of ourselves, our minds and our emotions that may not feel pleasant and that we often don’t want to feel.
We may tend to avoid, ignore or resist these emotions or even fear them.
For many of us, we hold as our shadow, the feelings of fear, anxiety, anger, pain, guilt, shame, rage, grief, sadness, unworthiness or loss.
To truly experience the wholeness of ourselves and the fullness of life, we must learn to respect the entire spectrum of human emotion, aim to live in harmony with both the bright and shadow aspects of the mind and ultimately learn how to harness the inherent power in emotion to awaken from deep within.
NAVIGATING PAIN
We transcend difficult emotions not by dismissing them, avoiding them, manipulating them, attaching to them or trying to “think” our way out of them.
As tempting as it may be, especially for spiritual seekers, it is not advisable when face-to-face with emotional turmoil to simply focus on the positive, go straight to the love and light of the situation or spiritually bypass the difficulty.
Navigating emotional turbulence means courageously and compassionately shining the light of awareness into the shadows of the mind to see things as they really are.
We must be willing to look deeply into and acknowledge the parts of ourselves and our minds that we don’t always want see or feel.
By giving space for the pain to exist, we not only have the opportunity to move through the pain, but to alchemize our pain into a potent experience that we learn, grow and become stronger from.
Through practicing self-observation, self-compassion and self-acceptance of ourselves and respecting all colors of our emotional rainbow, the ability to transform and balance our emotions is not only possible, but inevitable.
Below are 6 steps to help you navigate through a difficult emotion next time it may arise.
1. OBSERVE
The first step to dealing with a difficult emotion is to simply recognize its existence.
Simple observation of what we feel is a powerful practice of self-awareness and mindfulness.
You may wish to start by taking a few deep breaths and becoming still, perhaps closing your eyes if that feels safe for you.
Take a sacred pause to acknowledge your emotion. Become aware of your thoughts. Try to observe what your feeling without judging or resisting it. Simply recognize what you feel for what it is, and you can even try to give what you’re feeling a name.
“Do not allow yourself to suppress your thoughts. Instead, let the thoughts come before you and become a sort of observer. Start observing your own mind. Do not try to escape; do not be afraid of your thinking.” — Swami Rama
Not knowing what or how we’re actually feeling can add an additional level of uncertainty and overwhelm to what we’re already feeling.
The waves of emotion are less scary when you can learn to recognize the emotion for what it really is and perhaps even give it a label and a form.
What does it feel like? Can you give what you’re feeling a name or a form? Notice where you feel that in your body. Observe its size, sensations, perhaps its texture or feeling.
With non-judgment and self-compassion, ask yourself:
“What am I feeling right now?”
“Is there a deeper feeling underneath that feeling?”
“I observe/notice that I’m feeling _________.”
“I feel it in my _______”
“It feels like _______.”
2. ACCEPTANCE
When a difficult emotion pays a visit, it’s very natural to think “Go away emotion, I don’t like you. I don’t want to feel you. You’re not welcome here.”
But calming your feelings begins by accepting and beingpresent with them.
Be mindful to not invalidate, dismiss or make small of your feelings simply because they may not make sense or they may feel uncomfortable or unpleasant.
Be aware of the mind’s tendency to resist the feeling by saying: “Why don’t you just think positively?” “Other people have it so much worse.” “Quit overreacting” “Getting upset isn’t going to solve the problem.” “Stop making a big deal out of nothing.” “What’s wrong with you?”
Lovingly accept that this is your current reality. Bring self-compassion, self-awareness and self-respect to what you feel.
Cultivate mindfulness— can you simply see the emotion for what it is without judging it, avoiding it, overanalyzing it or trying to get rid of it?
All emotions are welcome in the practice of self-acceptance.
Anger is welcome. Joy is welcome. Sadness is welcome. Love is welcome. Fear is welcome. Pleasure is welcome. Grief is welcome.
Try saying to yourself:
“I welcome the full spectrum of my emotions.”
“It’s okay to feel ______.”
“I understand and accept that I am right now I’m feeling ______.”
“Even though I’m feeling _______, I love and accept myself.”
3. FEEL
When we suppress these emotions— by either ignoring them, avoiding them, diminishing them, distracting ourselves from them, replacing them with “easier to feel” emotions (like trading in our grief for anger because anger may feel easier to accept,) comparing our pain to another’s pain, only focusing on the positive, or trying to intellectually “think” your way out of feeling something— we miss an incredible opportunity.
If you notice yourself ignoring, avoiding, rationalizing or “thinking” your way out of the emotion, pause.
Embrace a sense of self-curiosity regarding your emotions, cultivate self-compassion, practice non-judgment and let yourself be unapologetic for what you feel. Because what we resist, persists, and what we feel, we heal.
If we allow ourselves to process these emotions, to let this energy in motion, to move through us, only then does that energy have the opportunity to be transmuted and to have the space to move out of us.
“You calm your feeling just by being with it, like a mother tenderly holding her crying baby. Feeling his mother’s tenderness, the baby will calm down and stop crying. The mother is your mindfulness, born from the depth of your consciousness, and it will tend the feeling of pain. A mother holding her baby is one with her baby.” —Thich Nhat Hanh
Ultimately, there’s no right or wrong way to feel your feelings.
Sometimes a deep, therapeutic cry can be very helpful to move the energy. Or taking 30 seconds devoted to simply placing your hands where it hurts and focusing deeply on and allowing yourself to truly feel that pain without resistance.
Allow whatever emotions arise to come— know that emotions are temporary and that the experience will come and go.
You may try to say to yourself:
“I allow myself to feel this ______.”
“I give myself full permission to feel this ________.”
“It is safe to feel this _______”
“By feeling this ______, I am taking care of it.”
4. RELEASE
Now that you know what you’re feeling, you’ve accepted what you’re feeling and you’ve felt what you’re feeling, it’s time to let it go.
But how exactly can you do that? What exactly does it mean to “let it go?” To release our emotions doesn’t mean battling our hearts into not feeling.
In reality, there’s no right or wrong way to release our emotions. Each person will have a unique and intuitive way to release their emotions healthily.
For some it may be through meditation, for others moving their body may help them to release it. For others, journaling may be positive or talking with a friend.
Perhaps deep breathing or using essential oils can be helpful for some people.
But like a loving mother tenderly embracing her crying baby, the energy of mindfulness, self-compassion and self-understanding always help take care of a difficult emotion.
Just as you felt the presence of the emotion arrive within you, observe this emotion as it naturally dissolves and leaves your body and mind.
“I release this ________.”
“I let this _________ move through me and out of me.”
“It’s safe to let go of this _____.”
5. CELEBRATE & REFLECT
Celebrate yourself for being open and willing to take care of yourself and your emotions.
Acknowledge that painful experiences are a valuable lesson that help you move to a higher level of self-awareness and compassion.
If we can cultivate the right attitude, we may find that the greatest difficulties in our life can become our greatest spiritual teachers— and the emotions we feel along the way become profound spiritual teachings.
There is something positive in all seeming difficulties— we cannot always see that in the midst of it. But with an open mind, time reveals it always.
Reflect upon the experience. What was the buried treasure of that difficulty? What did it teach you about patience, self-acceptance, courage, strength, boundaries, self-love, humility or a new perspective?
Ask yourself:
“What has/is this emotion teaching me?”
“What can I learn about myself from the experience?”
“What kind of wisdom or intelligence can this experience bring to my life?”
“How can I grow from this experience?”
“How do I want to respond to a similar situation in the future?”
“I am grateful for _______.”
6. RETURN
Now, return to yourself. Return to who you really are. Remember the peace, the love, the joy that is your divine nature.
The mind and its thoughts, emotions and memories are temporary and fleeting. They are simply phenomena passing through attention. They are powerful teachings, but they come and go.
However, you— you are the awareness, the consciousness, the One that sees these emotions come and go.
You are the witness, the observer of these mental waves and the experiencer of life.
You are not your mind, you have a mind. You are not your thoughts, you have thoughts. You are not your emotions, you have emotions. You are not your memories, you have memories. You are not what you think and feel, you are the one that thinks and feels.
As you lovingly return to yourself, you might gently remind yourself:
“I am not the _______ that I feel. I am the one who feels.”
“I am not my mind. I am not my feelings. I am the awareness that experiences those things.”
“Even though I feel ______, I see the goodness within me.”
“Even though I feel ______, I recognize the love that I am.”
“My feelings may come and go, but I, the observer, always remain.”
“I am love. I am compassion. I am peace.”
The next time a difficult experience of emotion arises within you, remember to observe it, accept it, feel it, release it, reflect and celebrate its lessons and return to who you really are— Pure Being, Consciousness, Bliss.
If you’d like to take your emotional wellness, empowerment and fulfillment to the next level…
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Check out our private Mindset & Empowerment Coaching to navigate your way from what’s holding you back to a life of fulfillment, freedom, purpose and joy…
With countless names such as Kitchadi, Khichdi, or Kitcharee—Kitchari is an ancient and traditional Ayurvedic recipe and a delicious staple of any yogis diet.
Kitchari means “mixture,” usually of two grains— basmati rice and yellow split mung beans with many flavorful, nutritious and healing spices, herbs, vegetables and oils making it not only a delicious whole food, but a diverse medicine known to heal the body of many ailments.
This easy, quick to make, and delicious one-pot food is a great meal on its own, or as an essential part of an Ayurvedic cleansing regimen to heal the gut, eliminate natural toxins and balance all three doshas.
Used by spiritual seekers to provide the essential nourishment to the body while keeping the mind calm and still which is needed for yogis in deep spiritual practice (sadhana), kitchari is known as the “yogis superfood” and will take the health of both your body and mind to the next level of health and Shanti.
THE GREATNESS OF KITCHARI
Easy to digest:
Yellow split mung beans are considered an ayurvedic superfood and one of the easiest legumes for the body to digest and do not produce gas. Digestion takes a lot of physical energy! Food that is quick to digest and easier to assimilate helps the body to focus its energy reserves on other tasks such as immunity, repairing tissues, balancing hormones and more.
A great rejuvenator:
Kitchari gives strength and vitality to the body by nourishing and rejuvenating all seven tissues of the body (Sapta Dhatus). An excellent meal choice during times of stress on the body such as during an illness, periods of stress, overwork, after traveling or a change of seasons.
A balanced and whole food (especially great for vegetarians!):
Nutrient-dense and a complete protein, kitchari provides all essential amino acids that keep you feeling light and clear yet grounded and full of energy.
Excellent for all 3 doshas:
Kitchari is considered tridoshic, meaning it can be deliciously prepared and suitable for all Ayurvedic mind-body types.
An excellent “digestive reset”:
To give your body a break after periods of stress, transition, overeating or overindulgence eating kitchari for 1-2 meals in a row can easily give the system a break and reset digestion.
A staple in an Ayurvedic cleansing regimen:
With cleansing, anti-inflammatory and rejuvenating herbs, a few consecutive days of a kitchari mono-diet (as advised by your Ayurvedic practitioner,) is a great method of Ayurvedic cleansing to enkindle the digestive fire (agni), eliminated toxins (ama) and build energy and vitality (ojas).
Mind medicine—a highly Sattvic meal:
Sattvic foods like basmati rice and yellow split mung beans make the mind calm, peaceful and content.
KITCHARI INGREDIENTS
1 cup basmati rice
1 cup yellow split mung beans (mung dal)
6 cups (approx.) water
2 tsp. ghee or coconut oil
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. whole cumin seeds
1/2 – 1inch ginger root or ½ tsp dried ginger powder
1/2 tsp. fresh turmeric root or powder
1/2 tsp. coriander powder
1/2 tsp. cumin powder
1/2 tsp. himalayan or sea salt
1/4 tsp. freshly crushed black pepper
1 pinch asafoetida (hing) (optional)
10-15 curry leaves (optional)
1 ½ cups assorted vegetables (see below)
Garnish & season with fresh cilantro leaves or fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice (optional)
KITCHARI PREPARATION
Soak the basmati rice and yellow split mung beans together overnight for maximum digestibility, or a minimum 30 min before cooking. Rinse well until water runs clear then drain excess water.
Prepare and finely chop all vegetables (keep separate for now) and place aside.
Add ghee (or coconut oil) into a pre-heated large pot. On low heat, add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds start to pop, add whole cumin seeds to release the flavors. After 1-2 minutes, add ginger, curry leaves, turmeric, cumin and coriander powders, salt and optionally, asafoetida.
Add the rinsed and drained yellow split mung beans and basmati rice into the mixture stir well to coat with the spices.
Add water and chopped vegetables. Bring to a boil for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to low, put the lid on the pot and cook for 20-30 minutes until rice and dhal become soft.
Tip: To cook the vegetables evenly, add the most-dense (longest cooking time) vegetables such as carrot, sweet potato or green beans first. After 5 minutes add any medium density vegetables (such as broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini etc.) and after 5-10 minutes more, add the lightest, softest vegetables such as chopped kale, spinach, mustard greens etc.
Remove from heat, garnish with balancing herbs, flavors or spices for your dosha (see below) such as fresh cilantro, shredded coconut, lemon or lime juice, salt and pepper to taste, etc. and serve warm.
Enjoy your healthy, nutritious and delicious kitchari!
MODIFY KITCHARI FOR YOUR MIND BODY-TYPE (DOSHA)
While the main ingredients of kitchari are considered balancing for all doshas, some small modifications of the spices, vegetables and flavorings can be used to make your recipe even more beneficial and medicinal for your unique dosha type.
For Vata: Favor the sweet, sour and salty tastes and include grounding, warming, and nourishing vegetables such as carrot, sweet potato, squash, pumpkin, green beans, asparagus and mustard greens.
Use a generous amount of ghee to add more nourishment and add a big squeeze of lemon and salt to taste to boost digestion and reduce gas.
For Pitta: Favor the sweet, bitter and astringent tastes and add cooling, soothing and nourishing vegetables such as zucchini, green beans, asparagus, spinach, kale, squash, sweet potato, cauliflower, broccoli, celery, pumpkin etc.
Use fresh ginger instead of dried, omit the hing and swap the heating mustard seeds and black pepper for cooling fennel seed and add some shredded coconut, cilantro or fresh mint leaves as a garnish for a more soothing effect on the body. Use salt and black pepper sparingly and if a sour taste is desired, use a small squeeze of lime juice instead of lemon.
For Kapha: Favor the pungent (spicy), astringent and bitter tastes. Use a higher vegetable to grain/dhal ratio to reduce heaviness after eating. Cook with lighter, more purifying vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, celery, chilies, corn, mustard greens, watercress, zucchini.
Use ghee and salt sparingly for a lighter kitchari and add a pinch of cinnamon, clove and use black pepper generously for an added digestive and metabolic boost!
KITCHARI TIPS & TRICKS
Choose organic ingredients if possible and whole herbs (vs pre-crushed or powdered) for maximum freshness, flavor and medicinal value.
Be sure to use yellow split mung beans versus the whole mung beans (which are green) or yellow split peas (which are different) and much more difficult for digestion and have a much longer cooking time.
While Ayurveda recommends cooking and eating food fresh, to meet the needs of a busy modern-day life, a big one pot batch of kitchari can be made in the morning, refrigerated and reheated to last for the three meals throughout the day as part of a cleansing regimen.
A kitchari mono-diet while healthy and nutritious, may be low in fiber if taken long term. If while taking kitchari exclusively as part of a cleansing regimen constipation occurs, add oat bran or prune with your meals to ensure proper elimination.
READY FOR AN AT HOME AYURVEDIC CLEANSE?
Ayurveda is a very holistic and individualized approach to health and healing. Regular cleansing routines are essential for support your digestion, eliminating natural toxins that build up through less than ideal diet, lifestyle factors, environmental pollutants and stressors.
To learn more about how to use kitchari as part of an Ayurvedic cleansing regimen, or for support and personalized guidance to help you improve your health and happiness, check out our Ayurvedic Lifestyle Consultation where we’ll set you up with a personalized cleansing program.
May you enjoy this nourishing, balancing and delicious kitchari recipe. May it bring you balance, health and delight!
Ancient yet timeless, Ayurveda is a vast holistic science of health and healing that aims to bring balance and harmony to the body, mind and spirit so we may truly thrive in all aspects of life.
One important aspect that determines our current state of health and well-being is the condition of our immune system— our first defense against foreign, disease-causing invaders such as viruses and bacteria.
Here you’ll discover an Ayurvedic approach to boosting immunity plus 5 Ayurvedic immune-boosting super plants to supercharge your immune system.
IMMUNITY IN AYURVEDA
The concept of immunity in Ayurveda is explained by a theory known as “beej-bhumi” where “beej” means seed, and “bhumi” means land.
The human body is symbolized by land and infection or bugs are like seeds of weeds that pollute, weaken and harm the land.
If the landscape of the body is weak, deficient, polluted or the natural elements are out of balance, it becomes fertile ground for the seed of infections to grow and spread.
However, if the body is thriving with health, vitality and the inner elements are in balance, it has the strength to withstand infections and not allow the seeds of disease to take root.
3 GOALS OF AYURVEDA FOR A THRIVING IMMUNITY
Ayurveda teaches three main goals for a thriving immune system: 1. Boost Essential “Energy of Vitality” (Ojas)
Ojas is a Sanskrit word that means “vigor,” “vitality,” “strength,” and “luster.”
It is the essential energy of the body that gives strength to all bodily systems— including our immunity.
You can boost your Ojas by getting enough sleep, minimizing physical and mental stress, developing a supportive daily routine (Dinacharya), practicing appropriate Yoga (Asana) for your body-type, breathwork (Pranayama) and meditation (Dhyana.)
Also, you can enjoy more Ojas-enhancing tonic foods like dates, figs, almonds, sweet potatoes, whole grains, mung beans, coconut, bananas, avocado, leafy greens and sweet fruits. Or if you eat dairy, you can enjoy a small amount of organic cow milk, yogurt, ghee and honey.
2. Reduce Waste Materials (Ama)
Ama refers to the unmetabolized wastes of the body that overtime collects and in excess, causes pollution and imbalance. Due to improper diet, poor eating habits, excess physical and mental stress, environmental pollutants, lack of exercise, inadequate sleep, etc. Ama builds and clogs the natural channels of elimination, disrupts cellular communication and therefore weakens the immune response.
To strengthen the body and boost our bodies natural defenses, we must “burn up” and clear away these waste materials through various Ayurvedic practices such Yoga Asana and Pranayama, proper diet (Pathya Ahara,) Ayurvedic massage (Abhyanga), sweat therapy (Swedana) and seasonal cleansing programs (Panchakarma.)
Alternatively, ama can be reduced by cooking and supplementing with simple digestive and immune-boosting spices and herbs that kindle our bodies digestive fire (agni) to essentially “burn up” accumulated wastes that make the body and immunity weak, sluggish and imbalanced giving our immunity a nice boost! 3. Support Immunity (Vyadhikshamatva)
The immune power of the body that prevents the development of bacteria, viruses or disease is called vyadhikshamatva.
Healthy immunity is a natural result of a healthy diet and lifestyle.
To supercharge your immunity, Ayurveda recommends eating the right diet for our unique body-mind type (Prakriti,) developing an appropriate daily health and cleansing routine, cultivating a positive and peaceful mind and taking herbal medicines (Aushada) that support immunity (many are simple remedies that you already have in your at-home pharmacy— your kitchen!)
5 AYURVEDIC IMMUNE-BOOSTING SUPER PLANTS
Meet some of your new immune-boosting Ayurvedic besties.
Health starts in the kitchen, so we’ve shared 5 of the most powerful plants in the Ayurvedic pharmacopeia— many that you may already have at home!
1. TURMERIC (Kanchani)
One of the names for Turmeric in Sanskrit is Kanchani which means the “Golden Goddess,” and this incredible root really lives up to her name!
The golden hue of turmeric comes from one of the naturally-occurring chemical compounds called curcumin, which gives a vibrant yellowish-orange color that has been accenting the curries of the world with color, flavor and health benefits for centuries!
Used extensively for culinary, medicinal and even spiritual purposes in ancient India, it was believed that turmeric gives the energy of the Divine Mother and grants prosperity.
For the yogis, it was also said to be effective for cleansing the chakras, by purifying the channels of the subtle body. (What a bonus!)
Even in western science, the benefits of turmeric have been a hot topic as one of the most well-known and widely researched plant medicines around the world.
Modern research is now highlighting turmeric’s potent anti-oxidant, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and its ability to support healthy immunity. Benefits of Turmeric:
Powerful natural antibiotic
Highly-effective anti-inflammatory qualities
Reduce the pain of a sore throat
Supports healthy functioning of the respiratory system
Effective in cancer prevention
Boosts agni (digestive fire) and reduces ama (waste materials)
Ayurvedic Energetics:
Taste (Rasa): bitter, astringent
Action (Virya): heating
Constitutions (Doshas): Balancing for all doshas, in excess may aggravate vata and pitta
Suggested Use:
Cook with it: Cooking with either fresh organic turmeric or turmeric powder is a great addition to your daily meals. Add a pinch to your recipes to add incredible immune-boosting benefits to your recipes.
Brew a tea: Boil either 1 tsp fresh turmeric root slices or ¼ to ½ tsp organic turmeric powder in water for 5 minutes. Drink warm 1-2 times a day (or as directed by your Ayurvedic practitioner).
Alternatively, a delicious and cozy Golden Milk can be made by mixing ½ tsp turmeric powder in 1 cup of warm organic cow’s milk or coconut milk. Remove from heat then add your favorite natural sweetener.
Make a cough syrup/throat coat: In a sealable container, combine ½ cup raw honey, 2 tsp organic turmeric powder, 2 tsp fresh lemon juice and a pinch of ground black pepper.
You’ve got yourself a vitamin-c packed, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory immune-boosting super syrup!
Stir well and take ½ tsp of this mixture 1-3 times per day as needed (or as recommended by your Ayurvedic Practitioner.)
Tips: Recent studies suggest that the active ingredient in black pepper, piperine, when paired with turmeric helps increase the absorption of curcumin into the bloodstream up to 2000%! Adding a tiny pinch of black pepper when you consume with turmeric can add to the benefits!
People with excess heat (pitta dosha) can balance the hot quality of turmeric by consuming it in organic cows milk or coconut milk instead of water.
2. GARLIC (Laśuna)
While the Yogic diet typically minimizes (or even eliminates) garlic and onions from the diet to promote the deep and peaceful Sattvic quality for the mind that is required for deep spiritual practices (since by the way, garlic is an aphrodisiac and enhances desires,) the Ayurvedic diet actually encourages small amounts of garlic for its therapeutic and immune-boosting properties for the body.
In addition to garlic being loaded with important minerals and vitamins like manganese, selenium, vitamin C and traces of copper, iron, phosphorus and calcium, scientists have discovered another secret to this ancient remedy’s benefits!
A unique sulfur compound produced by garlic when crushed or chopped called allicin, garlic’s natural defense mechanism against pests, is known to have great immune-boosting benefits for humans!
Benefits of Garlic:
Natural antibacterial and anti-viral properties
Reduce the length and frequency of the common cold
Constitutions (Doshas): Balancing for vata and kapha, aggravates pitta in excess
Suggested Use:
Cook with it: Cooking with fresh garlic can add some incredible immune-boosting benefits (and flavor) to your plate!
Make a broth: A delicious immune-boosting garlic broth can be made by peeling and crushing 2-3 garlic cloves, ½ tsp organic turmeric powder, ½ tsp ginger powder and a pinch of salt and black pepper. Boil in 4 cups of water for 10 minutes. Drink 1 cup warm 1-2 times daily for 2-3 few days.
Tips: For the medicinal benefits of garlic, it should always be prepared and cut fresh to maintain some of the health-boosting antioxidants (versus that canned, jarred or powdered stuff— that just ain’t good…)
Caution: People with an excess of pitta dosha (heat) eat moderately in small quantities only. Due to the blood-thinning properties of garlic, avoid an excess of garlic if bleeding disorders are present or 7-10 days before a surgery.
Also beware, while delicious and nutritious, too much garlic can, well— make you stink!
3. GINGER (Sunthi)
Known as “the universal medicine,” ginger is revered as a versatile super root in Ayurveda and countless other medical systems to remedy countless health concerns— from nausea to digestive complaints, to menstrual cramps and especially for colds and flu!
The main bioactive compound in ginger known as gingerol is responsible for much of its medicinal benefits— including the ability to inhibit the growth of many bacteria and viruses.
In addition to its incredible benefits for the immune system, Ginger is known to promote Sattva— a very positive energy that promotes health, clarity, and calmness.
Benefits of Ginger:
Antibacterial properties
Supports proper function of the lungs
Supports healthy and comfortable breathing
Promotes healthy expectoration of the lungs
Encourages healthy circulation
Removes excess phlegm or dryness from the lungs
Boosts agni (digestive fire) and reduces ama (waste materials)
Boosts ojas (energy of vitality) for stronger immunity, vigor and strength
Ayurvedic Energetics:
Taste (Rasa): pungent, sweet
Action (Virya): heating
Constitutions (Doshas): Balancing for vata and kapha, in excess may increase pitta
Suggested Use:
Cook with it: Fresh or dried ginger is a great addition to your daily cooking and adds a delicious kick of spicey sweetness to your meals.
Make a tea: It can also be taken as a tea by boiling a few fresh ginger slices or ¼ to ½ tsp ginger powder in water for 5 minutes (or as directed by your Ayurvedic practitioner). Drink warm.
Gargle with it: Add ½ tsp ginger powder to hot water to one teaspoon of ginger powder. Add honey and one tablespoon of lemon juice. Honey is highly antibacterial and will coat your throat to give relief from a sore throat.
Tips: Fresh ginger is less heating than dried ginger, so if there is already excess heat (pitta) in the body, swap for fresh ginger and consume in moderation.
4. LICORICE (Yashtimadhu)
Licorice’s Sanskrit name Yashtimadhu translates to “honey-stick”.
Numerous studies have revealed powerful antiviral, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory qualities of licorice from its active ingredient glycyrrhizic acid.
This sweet, soothing and Sattvic root has incredible benefits not only for the throat, lungs and immune system, but is also known to improve the voice and make the mind harmonious, calm and content by making our speech and thoughts sweet like honey.
Benefits of Licorice:
Natural and effective expectorant
Soothes a sore or inflamed throat
Promotes clear, comfortable breathing
Liquifies cold, damp, phlegm from the lungs
Relieves cough by natural lubrication of the mucosal membranes
Supports proper function of the lungs
Improves overall strength and immunity
Boosts ojas (energy of vitality) for stronger immunity, vigor and strength
Ayurvedic Energetics:
Taste (Rasa): sweet, bitter
Action (Virya): cooling
Constitutions (Doshas): Balancing for vata and pitta, may increase kapha if used long term or in excess
Suggested Use:
Make a tea: A decoction can be made by boiling ¼ to ½ tsp whole licorice root in 500mL water for 5 min. Alternatively, add ¼ to ½ teaspoon of licorice root powder in warm water. Drink warm 1-2 times daily (or as directed by your Ayurvedic practitioner).
Chew it: Small chunks of whole licorice root (1-2g) can be washed and directly sucked on and chewed for a few minutes. Swallow the juice slowly to relieve hoarseness in the voice or a sore throat, then discard out the solids.
Gargle with it: As an anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and anti-viral agent, gargling with licorice may provide pain relief and fights infections which cause sore throats.
Add ¼ tsp licorice powder to 300mL warm water and gargle 10-15 seconds then spit out this mixture. Repeat until the mixture is used up. This can be done twice a day for prevention or relief from a sore throat.
5. HOLY BASIL (Tulsi)
Revered as the ‘queen of herbs’ and ‘rejuvenator of life’ by Ayurvedic texts and known as the most sacred plant on earth by the Vedic Puranas (sacred Indian texts,) Tulsi (Holy Basil,) is said to be infused with both medicinal and spiritual powers.
A highly sattvic herb, Indian tales revere Tulsi as the plant embodiment of Lakshmi, the Goddess of Light, which anoints one with lightness, clarity and abundance of health.
Not only do the spiritual traditions revere Tulsi as an invaluable plant, but many modern-day researchers have vouched for its therapeutic benefits for immunity, lungs and healthy breathing and stress-relief.
Benefits of Holy Basil:
Clear the lungs to promote healthy breathing
Soothe fevers
Reduces cough
Natural decongestant
Abundant in antioxidants for healing and recovery
Adaptogen— develop a healthy response to physical, mental and environmental stress
Boosts ojas (energy of vitality) and prana (energy of life) for stronger immunity
Ayurvedic Energetics:
Taste (Rasa): pungent
Action (Virya): heating
Constitution (Doshas): Balancing for vata and kapha, in excess may increase pitta
Suggested Use:
Make a tea: Add a handful of fresh Tulsi leaves or ¼ to ½ tsp Tulsi powder to hot water. Steep for 5 min and drink warm.
Chew the fresh leaves: If you are blessed to have access to a fresh Tulsi plant, you can harvest, wash and eat a few leaves directly or add to a salad to add a delicious flavor and health-properties.
Take capsules: If the fresh leaves or dried powder is not available, encapsulated Tulsi can be taken as an immune-boosting herbal supplement as directed by your Ayurvedic Practitioner.
STAYING WELL
Ayurveda is a very holistic and individualized approach to health, healing and immunity. For more personalized support and guidance in what you can do to have your immune system and health humming along nicely, book an Ayurvedic Lifestyle Consultation with us.
Remember that healthy immunity is a natural result of a healthy diet and lifestyle.
With these tips, and Ayurvedic super plants on your side, may you be empowered in your path toward vibrant health, unshakeable strength and a thriving immune system.
May we all make the most of this time, embrace love and take good care of yourselves and each other.
Since time immemorial, spiritual seekers from around the world have been drawn to various forms of solar practices for their profound health, mental and spiritual effects.
If you’ve ever been to a yoga class, it’s likely you’ve encountered a yogic practice called Sun Salutations, also known as Surya Namaskara in the Sanskrit language.
You may know Sun Salutation as the series of poses linked with the flow of the breath practiced at the beginning of a yoga class— and perhaps you’ve even heard of the tremendous health benefits to invigorate, heal and energize the body.
However, there is so much more to Sun Salutations than a mere warm up or practice for the physical body alone.
In this article you’ll learn the ancient secrets of Surya Namaskara— how this practice can revitalize your life plus the real meaning behind your Sun Salutations to take your practice to the next level.
Sun Salutations are an ancient yogic practice rich in symbolism, vast in wisdom and deep in esoteric and spiritual meaning.
ANCIENT ROOTS OF SURYA NAMASKARA
Since the dawn of humanity, the sun has commanded a profound sense of awe and wonder. No human soul can deny the sheer beauty and magnificence the rising sun.
Since ancient times, most wisdom traditions from around the world had various forms of sun adoration to pay homage to the source of light and life, and to invoke this solar energy within for both healing and spiritual purposes. Stories of sun worship extend back to the legends of Atlantis, ancient Egyptian wisdom, Aztecs, Incan and Mayan civilizations, indigenous cultures and far beyond.
The practice of Surya Namaskara is one of the earliest expressions of sun adoration known to humanity which dates back thousands of years from the ancient Vedic traditions.
Surya = Sun, Sun God Namaskara = salutation, adoration, offering of reverence or respect
THE COSMIC CONNECTION
Modern science teaches us that the sun is one of the most important influences of life on earth— responsible for most of our planets essential functioning. There would be no life without the presence of the sun illuminating the earth from the cosmos.
In ancient traditions, the sun is considered the “Face of God”. It is the supreme source of light and life. It is a symbol of creation, the light of knowledge, and spiritual illumination. The sun is considered the original source of life force energy called Prana from which all living beings exist.
Cosmically, the sun is a symbol of life, creation and light— the Supreme Cosmic Spirit (Brahman). On an inner level, it symbolizes our “inner sun” the light of consciousness or the soul (Jiva-Atman) depicting our divine, luminous, enlightened nature.
Ancient texts expressed that the human being is a miniature replication of the whole world and entirety of the cosmos— a microcosm of the vast macrocosm. And within this body lives all the “rivers, seas, mountains, fields… all the stars and planets… the sun and moon… ether, air, fire, water and earth…” (Shiva Samhita II 1-3.)
The yogic view is that we as humans are not separate from nature, but we are one with nature. We are nature.
The sun we see in the sky is the same light of consciousness that shines within the hearts of all beings. We are a spark of this light from the infinite— the luminosity of our true self is a mere reflection, of this divine outer light.
HISTORY OF THE SUN SALUTATION
From lineage to lineage, we find countless forms and expressions of Surya Namaskara— some more devotional than physical in nature.
In this modern age, many new variations of Sun Salutations have arisen perhaps to meet the needs and demands of such a diverse and growing population of yoga practitioners worldwide, with such diversity of bodies, abilities and intentions for practicing.
More modern forms of Surya Namaskara such as Sun Salutation A and Sun Salutation B (primarily from the influence of Krishnamacharya and Pattabi Jois’ Ashtanga yoga,) arose perhaps as a response to the changing yoga community as a more gentle, alignment-based or athletic version of the traditional Surya Namaskara.
The most traditional Surya Namaskara has been practiced for thousands of years, but was more recently popularized by a great saint named Swami Sivananda Saraswati. Since attaining liberation and leaving his body, his disciples lovingly taught this practice under his name as the Sivananda Sun Salutation as a tribute to their teacher and to preserve the tradition.
The 12 positions of Surya Namaskara
SYMBOLOGY OF SURYA NAMASKARA
The deeper significance and spiritual meaning of Surya Namaskara:
Sun Salutation is devotional act of bowing to the Light within us
Sun Salutation is an offering of love & gratitude to the Light of life
Sun Salutation is a tribute to the Sun – the Source of Creation
Sun Salutation is adialogue with the universe, enacting the dance of cosmos
Sun Salutations are essentially prayer in motion— each pose infused with deep inner spiritual meaning, a reflection of nature’s rhythms and rooted in vast cosmic symbology.
Slight variations of this traditional Surya Namaskara exist lineage, by lineage, however, some common key features include:
12 physical postures = the journey of the sun through the 12 houses of the zodiac per year & the 12 Sanskrit names for the Sun
Rhythmic & cyclical nature represents the cycles of life, nature & the cosmos
Begins & ends with the hands in a prayer-like position in front of the heart as a gesture of gratitude or reverence
The bowing down action represents the bowing to the Light within
A full body prostration-like gesture symbolizing sweet surrender to the Light
The rising up action symbolizes the rising sun (within & without)
TIPS FOR PRACTICE
Here are some general guidelines to make the most of your Surya Namaskara practice:
Practice at sunrise to absorb the suns healing & energizing solar rays
Face east to pay homage the sun
Commonly practiced by transitioning only the right foot forward and back throughout (the right side of the body is connected with our positive and solar energy channel called Pingala Nadi— however, as more rounds are practiced there is no harm in alternating the right and left feet to maintain balance in the body)
Practice daily
Beginners: Start with 3 Sun Salutations per day
Intermediate: Try 9 or 12 rounds per day
Advanced: 12 or even 27 times per day
Practice with awareness, love & devotion towards the supreme light that dwells within & around us
May we honor the sun each day as it rises, giving life to the world, but also its presence within us— as it reflects the boundless light and life of our own true self.
Surya Namaskara takes on a whole new dimension when we realize the vast and spiritual nature of this ancient practice. Not only can we invigorate our bodies with healing solar energy, but through Sun Salutations, we can attune to natures rhythms, connect with the vast cosmic forces of our universe and remember the intricate connectivity of these forces to revitalize our entire life.
In our first few yoga classes, it may seem a little
strange or awkward to loudly chant a funny “home” like sound before we begin
our yoga practice— but with a bit of understanding and practice, you may just
fall in love with the beauty and benefits of the sweet sound of Om.
WHAT IS OM?
Om
is a sacred and powerful sound vibration known as the Pranava Mantra— it is traditionally chanted before and after
spiritual practices in the yogic tradition.
Mantras are like scientific formulas of sound vibration— each mantra known to have unique qualities, energies and effects on the body and mind. Repetition of mantras, including the sound of Om, are proven to have incredible benefits for the body, mind, and spirit. The most simple and ancient of mantras, Om is known as the sacred primordial sound. It is said in the yogic tradition that all sound is born from Om.
Om is known as the original vibration, the underlying sound current of the universe.
This sacred sound is composed of three
fundamental syllables – A U M, which represents the various states of
awareness, and the trinity of universal energies of life known as Creation,
Preservation and Dissolution.
Within AUM, the first sound is “Ah,” then the sound “Ooh,” then “Mm,” followed by a pause of silence.
WHY SHOULD WE CHANT OM?
Quantum physics confirms that everything is energy. Matter is space filled with pockets of subatomic particles. All matter, all that we see, touch, feel, hear, taste and smell is simply energy, or vibration, resonating at various frequencies.
Similarly, chanting the sound vibration of Om is vibrationally consistent with the frequency found throughout everything in nature and the universe.Om is known as the “sound of the universe,” the sacred primordial sound and original vibration. The sound of nature.
Through chanting the sound Om, we attune the vibration of our body and mind back to it’s Natural State. Our original resonance— the sweet sound of the universe.
By chanting Om, we are symbolically and physically tuning in to that sound
frequency and remembering our connection to all living beings, nature and the
universe.
BENEFITS OF CHANTING OM
Chanting Om is like turning on the switch to cosmic energy— it is the transmission of pure Divine Love, and therefore it is necessary to first chant Om before and after spiritual practices to both initiate and seal the energy, as well as before chanting other mantras to have the full effect.
Mantras, including Om, are considered indestructible positive energies— meaning they
remain in the cosmos indefinitely for the greater good of all and help reduce
negative karmas.
Additionally, the repetition of Om is scientifically proven to help calm
the mind, balance the nervous system, evoke knowledge, assist in healing the
body and mind, increase physiological alertness and synchronicity of certain
biorhythms, increase health and well-being and create a single-pointed, concentrated
awareness in the mind.
HOW TO OM
Om
acts as bookends to the practice. It establishes the beginning and end of yogic
or spiritual practices such as meditation, pranayama, yoga asana, or chanting
other mantra. It helps to
differentiate the practice from other parts of the day, and contain the energy
within the practice.
To open your yoga and spiritual practices with Om, try this:
1. Find a comfortable position with an upright spine and eyes closed.
2. Take a moment to ground, center, focus with love and gratitude in your heart.
3. Take a deep breath in, and on the exhale make the sound AUM (AHH, ooh, mm.)
4. Repeat 3 times at the beginning & end of any yogic practice.
TIPS FOR CHANTING OM
Begin the “AHH” sound of AUM at a lower
resonance, and then raise the sound to a higher note as you sound “ooh” and
“mmm.”
Create equal length of all three sounds A,U,M. And finish the whole sound with a pause of silence as you take your next big inhalation to create the next sound.
Visualize moving the vibration from the lower chakras, up and out through the crown of the head as you feel the sound raising up through your lower belly, chest and head.
On the “mm” sound of AUM, you may try pressing the tip of your tongue to the roof of the mouth to help rise the energy into the higher chakras.
When chanted with devotion, love and
sincerity, the positive effects of the vibrations are catalyzed and made more
powerful.
With a greater understanding of the meaning of Om, may you receive more from your chanting, deepen your yoga practice, remember your True Nature, and return to Oneness.
Ayurveda is an
ancient, holistic science of health, well-being and inner balance of body, mind
and spirit.
Also known as the “sister science of yoga,” Ayurveda is a vast and remarkable
knowledge base that offers us incredible wisdom to not only be free from
disease, but to experience optimal health, vitality and longevity.
One of the primary
principles that Ayurveda teaches is that diet is considered one of the most
important medicines to bring an individual into optimal health and balance.
Ayurveda suggests that
not only is what we eat important, but where, when, why and how we eat essential
for greater health, balance, and vitality— body, mind and spirit!
1. WHAT TO EAT?
Ayurveda teaches us that every individual is composed of a unique combination of the 5 elements: fire, water, earth, air and space, in varying proportions. This individual elemental constitution is also called one’s Prakruti— and is as unique as your fingerprints or DNA.
This is why— “One (wo)man’s food is another (wo)man’s poison.”
Ideally, one would eat certain foods that encourage bringing the inner elements into balance, and avoid certain foods that will aggravate one’s constitution and take their inner elements further out of balance.
Not only is what you eat important, but also where, when, why and how you eat critical for bringing the body, mind and spirit into happiness, harmony and health.
2. WHERE TO EAT?
The
most ideal environments to eat in are those that are quiet, peaceful, clean
atmospheres where you feel relaxed and at ease.
Here’s
why: The process of digestion is regulated by a portion of the nervous
system called the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS,) which governs the involuntary
functions of the body, such as heart beat, secretions/hormone production, and
digestion.
The ANS
is divided into two parts: the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS,) and the
Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS.) The SNS is related to our stress states—
directing the bodies energy reserves to “flight or fight” responses in the
body. While the role of the PNS is “rest and digest,” bringing our body back
into a state of balance, or homeostasis after period of stress.
Now, have you ever experienced indigestion,
bloating, gas or a feeling of heaviness after eating a meal on the go, while
working or in stressful, busy environments? It’s because your body’s energy
reserves were being directed elsewhere in the body— not to the digestive system
and process!
So, eat in environments where you feel relaxed, calm, and peaceful to increase your ability to digest, assimilate and absorb the nutrients from what you eat.
3. WHEN TO EAT?
Ayurveda
teaches us to follow both the body’s and nature’s rhythmic cycles, which are
accustomed to our digestive secretion patterns, to determine the most ideal
times to eat.
As
a foundational rule, eat when you are hungry— when hungry, the body’s digestive
fire, or Agni, is very active, and digestive power is high.
Additionally,
try to eat your largest and most dense meal midday, at around 12 o’clock. We
are very attuned to the cycles of nature, and both the sun and the moon— like
the sun, our digestive fire is biologically programmed to be strongest midday.
We can also benefit from eating our lighter meals for breakfast and dinner when
Agni isn’t as strong, and avoid eating after sundown or a few hours before bed.
Secret Ayurveda Tip: Eat when your right nostril is predominantly open, and drink when
your left nostril is primarily open. This is a special teaching of Swara Yoga—a
vast science that deals primarily with how the breathing rhythms are capable of
affecting all other biological rhythms.
In our subtle energy body, when the left nostril is primarily open, the Ida
Nadi (the current of the moon,) is most dominant. This has a cooling effect in
the body, and has its counterpart in the SNS— “flight or fight” stress
responses.
And when the right nostril is more dominate, the Pingala Nadi, (the solar channel,) is most active. This has a heating effect in the body and has its counterpart in the PNS – “rest and digest” homeostatic states. Ideally, solid foods are taken when Pingala is more active, when the right nostril is open; this aids in digestion. Ps. It’s usually most dominant in midday— the best time to take the major meal of the day. And ideally, liquids are taken when Ida is more predominant, when the left nostril is open.
4. WHY EAT?
Why do you eat? To nourish and fuel our precious bodies, to sustain our physical health, to facilitate the healing and repair of our bodily tissues to remain free of pain and disease, to satisfy our hunger and to power our continued existence.
Enjoy your food, but avoid emotional eating, snacking out of boredom, or obligatory social consumption of food to be “polite.”
5. HOW TO EAT?
Here’s
10 simple tips to make the most of your meals and optimize digestion and
overall health!
1. Express gratitude, pray or chant mantra before eating. Infuse your food with positive energy!
2. Include all 6 tastes in your meal— sweet, salty, astringent, sour, pungent, and bitter to feel truly satisfied.
3. Sit down when you eat, and sit with a straight spine. If you can face east/north when you eat, even better.
4. Eat with love & awareness.
5. Chew with your mouth closed to preserve your digestive potential, called Agni.
6. Eat at a moderate pace— not too slow or too fast.
7. Eat until satisfied, not full.
8. Be present when you eat. Minimize distractions. If possible, eat in silence. Make eating a mindful meditation while engaging all the senses— sight, smell, taste, sound and touch.
9. Avoid drinking too much with meals, especially cold drinks which dilute and distinguish the digestion fire (Agni)
10. Enjoy a gentle walk after meals to help stimulate digestion.
With knowing what, where, when, why and how to best eat, you’re well on your way to experiencing optimal health, vitality, balance and longevity— body, mind and spirit!
Mala beads have been worn by yogis, meditation
masters, enlightened saints, and sages, and spiritual seekers from all walks of
life for thousands of years.
Mala means ‘garland’ in the ancient Sanskrit language.While these Malas are very
beautiful, wearing a Mala isn’t as
much of a fashion statement as it is a sacred symbol of our connection with
Divine.
Traditionally, Mala beads are worn and used
by seekers to enhance their meditation, contemplative, devotional and spiritual
practices. Mala beads are often used to help meditators count the
sacred mantras that they chant or they can also be worn
around the neck as a sacred necklace for vitality and protection.
The essence of a Mala is to support one’s inner journey and blossom one’s spiritual life— to flourish the divine virtues within, to connect our consciousness back to its source, and to enhance the practices that guide us into peace, love and truth so that we may achieve the ultimate goal of life— Self-Realization.
There are two main ways to use your Mala: 1. Medicine: Used for physical health & vitality and mental & emotional balance 2. Spiritual: Used solely for spiritual purposes
Your Medicine Mala
Your Spiritual Mala
For physical health & vitality
For spiritual evolution
Balance mind & emotions
Supercharges energy field with Prana
Used for protection
Used for Mantra Japa (Mantra chanting)
Worn all day, everyday
Worn exclusively for spiritual practices
Can be worn in public
Kept private
WHY WEAR A MALA?
For thousands of years yogis have worn or used Rudraksha Malas for their many protective qualities and physical, emotional and spiritual benefits.
By using a Mala, one’s health and well-being improves, spiritual qualities flower beautifully, meditation deepens, and awareness of the Divine effortlessly expands.
The more one wears, meditates with and cares for this powerful Mala, especially if made from the sacred Rudraksha tree seeds, the more divine energy may be attracted into one’s life for peace, truth and loving compassion.
“The world would be at peace if everyone was wearing Rudraksha beads.”
Papaji
Rudraksha Malas naturally awaken a sense of peace, tranquility,
compassion in our hearts— directly contributing to the peace that we all wish
to see in the world.
BENEFITS OF WEARING A RUDRAKSHA MALA
Physical
Energize the body, mind & spirit
Promote healthy & healing
Establish energy, longevity & vitality
Balance electromagnetic field of the heart
Improve blood circulation and purification
Balance blood pressure
Relieves physical pain
Regulates the flow of bio-electric current in the body
Balances the respiratory, digestive, hormonal &
nervous system
Balances the 5 elements & 3 Doshas in body
Mental & Emotional
Instil a peaceful & calm mind
Improve concentration & memory
Create mental & emotional balance
Experience greater states of clarity
Feel higher states of understanding, compassion &
empathy
Release mental negativity
Spiritual & Energetic
Be filled with divine energy vibrations
Protection from negativity & harm
Attract positive & auspicious energies
Promote mindfulness & self-knowledge
Balance the subtle body – Chakras, Nadis, Koshas
Stimulate & awaken the Kundalini energy
Reduces the effects of negative Karmas
THE MYSTERY & POWER OF RUDRAKSHA
It is said that
Lord Shiva was in deep meditation for thousands of years for the
benefit of all beings, and upon opening His eyes, tears of compassion rolled
down and landed upon the earth taking birth as the sacred Rudraksha tree.
‘RUDRA’ = another name for ‘Lord Shiva’ ‘AKSHA’ = means ‘eyes’ ‘MALA’ = means ‘garland’
In this way, Rudraksha denotes those sacred seeds that came directly from the eyes of the great Lord Shiva – the Supreme Consciousness.
The Rudraksha tree is revered as being remarkably holy and sacred and its seeds are regarded as timeless jewels of the gods, with each seed containing the secrets of the entire evolution of the cosmos within it. These seeds are a powerful gift from Mother Nature, as they constantly radiate tremendous life force energy offering the blessed wearer protective, vitality and tranquility.
Rudrakshas have mystical and divine properties and are considered one of the most powerful aids in both medicine and in the path of Self-Realization.
You’ve tried to meditate… but you just couldn’t stop thinking, couldn’t quite sit still, you got bored, your back started to hurt and you started to doubt this whole meditation thing as being helpful. You came to the conclusion that your mind is just too darn busy and meditation just isn’t for you…
But congratulations! Believe it or not, you actually can and did have a very successful meditation (keep reading to learn how…) But you’re certainly not alone in feeling this way.
Along the journey of all meditators many obstacles can arise that appear to block us from finding that state of profound bliss and inner peace that meditation promises.
In this article, we’ll demystify meditation— what meditation really is (and isn’t,) you’ll discover the 6 most common obstacles to meditation and uncover the specific solutions to overcoming them to take your practice to the next level.
WHAT MEDITATION IS & ISN’T
The goal of meditation is to go beyond the mind and experience our essential nature— which is described as peace, happiness and bliss. 1
Meditation isn’t about battling the mind into making it quiet— it’s about witnessing the 70,000 thoughts the average person thinks in a day, and entering into the peaceful quietude and stillness that lies behind the thoughts.
Meditation isn’t about stopping the thoughts inside your head. It’s about observing the thoughts, disidentifying with the thoughts, and ultimately recognizing that you are not the thoughts.
6 COMMON OBSTACLES IN MEDITATION
Meditation is very simple… but simple
doesn’t always mean easy! Here are 6 common difficulties you may encounter
while meditation and solutions on how to overcome them.
1. BUSY MIND
If during a meditation you’ve ever been bombarded with thought, ideas, memories, desires, fears, joys, questions, worries and more… you’re not alone!
The average person things 70,000 thoughts per day— in 1 hour of meditation, you could think up to 3000 thoughts!
The good news is, thoughts actually aren’t a problem— they aren’t bad or wrong to have in meditation. They are an essential part of the process. Thoughts are only a problem when you identify with the mind and react to the thoughts that it creates.
Thoughts are only a problem, if you identify with them.
SOLUTION FOR BUSY MIND = WITNESS CONSCIOUSNESS
Remember, meditation is NOT about battling the mind into silence. It is about remaining as a witness to all thoughts,
feelings, memories— unattached, unidentified and uninvolved. Simply allow and witness the thoughts as they arise— let them come and go.
2. PAIN
If you’ve sat still in meditation for more than about 5 minutes, you’ve likely encountered a prominent force called pain. Mental pain, knee pain, back pain, head pain, heart pain… so many pains arise in meditation!
Though counterintuitive, pain can actually be a sign of progress.
Through meditation, we undergo a process of deep purification— physical, psychological and spiritual.
When a pain arises in meditation, meditation is not the cause, but rather, a mirror…
Ultimately, that pain you notice during meditation is always there, lying dormant in the body or mind. But due to our busy minds and distractions of the external world, we don’t always notice the pain until we become quiet, still and present enough with ourselves to truly feel the subtilties of our inner world.
Meditation shines the light of our awareness onto precisely what we need to “work through” most to truly heal on all levels and come into greater contact with who we really are.
SOLUTION TO PAIN = AWARENESS
Feel it to Heal it
Rather than judging, analyzing or needing to change your experience, allow yourself to simply sit with the experience— breathe into it, remain as a witness, let it come and go.
Reacting vs Responding: The “3 Time Rule”
Let’s be honest… most of what we experience in meditation isn’t actually pain— but rather discomfort heightened by awareness.
Next time you feel overwhelmed by sensation, try this:
During your meditation the first time you notice pain, just notice it. Let your awareness of the sensation come and go. The second time you notice the pain, again, just notice it— the perception comes and goes. Now the third time you feel the pain, now respond to the bodies needs by mindfully adjusting your position.
Meditation isn’t a game of no pain, no gain… it’s not about suppressing, reacting, or even overcoming the pain, but a delicate balance of witnessing and responding to the pain, and ultimately dissolving it.
3. DISTRACTION
If you’ve tried meditating before, surely you’ve encountered distractions. You know… You’re doing just fine in your meditation, sitting there peacefully, watching your breath… and suddenly the neighbor decides fires up their chainsaw… or an ambulance whirls by your house, or your phone rings…
There are plenty of external disturbances that can easily pull you out of your meditation, this is why the great masters have taught us sensory withdrawal techniques called Pratyahara— to help us draw our sensory awareness from the external world, to the internal world.
Ultimately, it’s not the outer sounds or even the inner thoughts that disturb you, it is your reaction to them that causes the greatest disturbance.
SOLUTION TO DISTRACTION = INWARDNESS & NON-REACTION
Set
yourself up for success— limit
external distractions as much possible before meditating. Silence your phone, turn
off the TV, close the door, do whatever it takes to minimize distractions.
Sensory
withdrawal— meditation is difficult enough! Use all the
help you can get by practicing with your eyes closed, wear earplugs or play
some appropriate background softly in the background to limit external sensory
distractions.
Accept
each moment— when
unavoidable distractions arise, remain as a witness. No need to analyze or
judge the moment, simply notice it, accept it and allow it to be as it is.
4. RESTLESSNESS
Restlessness arises from anxiety,
impatience, fear, agitation or boredom— anything that disables us from being
present in the moment.
Restlessness is a condition born from a mind living in the past, dwelling in the future or any other dream-like fantasy that is not here or now.
SOLUTION TO RESTLESSNESS = PRESENCE
Power of presence— transform restlessness into stillness through the power of simply being here, now… and somewhere else, later.
Meditate first thing in the morning— while the mind is still fresh. Before checking emails, examining your to do list or fulfilling your responsibilities for the day.
Trust the moment— trust that you are exactly where you need to be at that moment. There’s nowhere else you need to go, nothing else you need to do… except be in this moment and allow what is, to be.
5. FATIGUE
Have you ever nodded off in meditation? Happens to the best of us…
This can happen for a few reasons:
1. You’re lacking sleep (so your body is trying to prioritize sleep, over enlightenment… makes sense!)
2. You aren’t getting enough oxygen or prana to the brain
3. You relaxed a little too much
At the junction between concentration and relaxation, meditation happens spontaneously.
SOLUTION TO FATIGUE = CONCENTRATION
Change your posture— change your body language to change your mind. Sit tall, with a long and straight spine.
Tighten your hand mudra— one of the secrets behind the various hand gestures (mudra) of meditation, is its ability to act as a gauge of concentration and relaxation. If you are too concentrated, naturally your hand will be stiff and cramp up. If you’re too relaxed, your fingers will open up and the position is lost. Use a bit more strength in your hand mudra to activate the brain and concentration powers.
Do Pranayama— do a few rounds of breathwork like Alternate Nostril Breath (Nadi Shodhana) to wake up the mind and bring fresh oxygen and prana into the body and brain.
6. DOUBT
“Nothing’s happening…”“Is this working?” “Ugh, I can’t do this. Maybe meditation just isn’t for me…”“Omg, I can’t stop thinking!” If you’ve ever thought any of the above, you’ve experienced one of the most common obstacles to meditation— doubt. SOLUTION TO DOUBT = TRUST
Have faith— in yourself, in the process, in God, science or whatever force you believe in, that meditation can, will and is helping you.
Meditation isn’t a one time— poof! and your enlightened… It’s a gradual process— slow, subtle and ongoing. And the greatest benefits of meditation happen on the inside— invisible to the eye and often unperceivable the mind.
Give your practice a higher purpose— having a higher intention, and connecting with that inner meaning each time you sit to meditate, as to why you practice can help give you clarity, purpose and trust the process.
(Bonus: if your meditation practice isn’t just about you, your health, your well-being, your peace… but for the benefit of all living beings you come into contact with!)
These beautiful, inspiring and short guided meditations will help you sink quickly and effortlessly into a state of deep relaxation while helping you deepen your self-love, inner peace and joy at the same time.
