RESOURCES

Some reference materials to use in your personal process of self-study and self-discovery.

DAILY RITUALS FOR HEALING

Ayurveda encourages daily practices to support our journey. I have found that this has been more powerful than anything else at getting me on my mat every morning for my yoga practice. The daily rituals are designed to clean the senses every morning upon rising. They include daily self massage with oil for the skin; netti wash and nasya for the nose; spraying rose water in the eyes; warm sesame oil in the ears; tongue scraping and oil pulling for the mouth.

SELF-MASSAGE WITH WARM OIL--ABHYANGA

Regular oil massage will remove excess fat from the skin, make the skin glossy and soft and strengthen the skin while protecting the skin from disease. It improves immunity and stimulates the lymph system to aid in the removal of wastes. Oil massage can begin to release repressed emotions especially when massaged in the opposite direction of the lay of the hair. Crystals of unresolved emotions become de-crystalized and dissolve with regular self-massage.

RECIPES FOR HEALING

Ayurveda does not offer one cookie cutter diet for everyone nor does it offer a diet of deprivation. It encourages us all to find the foods that best serve our bodies, depending on our individual constitutions (or doshas), the season, the time of day and any current imbalances that we may be experiencing. An important fact is that the most important factor for digestion and nourishment isn’t what we eat, or when we eat, but how we eat. Always try to eat in a relaxed environment, enjoying every single bite. Eat only if you are hungry.

SLEEP ROUTINE

Sleep is one of the pillars of Ayurveda which promotes good overall health. Good sleep can make a huge difference in the stability of emotions and the health and strength of the nervous system. If you experience difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep or light, interrupted sleep, try these Ayurvedic sleep routine suggestions.

EXPLANATION OF DOSHAS

Vata, Pitta and Kapha are the three doshas that make up each of our individual constitutions making us unique, control the function of these amazing bodies and often go out of balance, sometimes creating problems for us.

FINDING BALANCE WITH THE 20 QUALITIES

Āyurveda utilizes a concept of the 20 Qualities (10 pairs of opposites) in order to find daily balance in one's life. One simple example is if one is feeling cold, apply warmth through foods, spices, environment and activities.

KITCHARI CLEANSE

Doing a simple 3-Day Kitchari Cleanse can help to clear toxins from the system.

BREATHWORK

Utilizing the Breath is a powerful way to shift both the body and the mind