We’ve all heard the saying, “You are what you eat.” What does this really mean? Basically, everything that we take in impacts us – both physically and mentally. Food can be used as medicine and it can also that which requires us to seek out the correct medicine. Food supplies essential nutrients to our body […]
Being Mindfully Present
There’s the saying, “Today is tomorrow that you worried about yesterday.” While it’s humorous, it rings true for the majority of us. We’re so busy worrying about, thinking about, contemplating, planning, getting anxious over what has happened and what has yet to happen. There’s no time to just be. The “to do” list grows. […]
Meditate on This
All too often people say that they can’t meditate, or they don’t know how. Meditation is what happens when one sits down with the intention of meditating. It does not mean that one has to sit crossed leg in lotus pose or padmasana (pud-ma-sun-ah), that they have to say “Om” all the time, or that […]
Be Irregularly Regular
In the system of Ayurveda, there are three doshas or body types: Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Vata, the principle of movement, is aggravated by an erratic lifestyle. The more that Vata is out of balance, the more that an individual engages in irregular regimens. So, the cycle perpetuates itself. We must learn strategies for balancing […]
Add some spice to your life!
While Indians do have lower life expectancies than people living in the West, and they suffer from diseases like malnourishment and malaria, it’s a well-documented fact that they don’t suffer from some of the same dis-eases as Americans. They have lower rates of heart disease, cholesterol, and diabetes. One reason that Indians do maintain their […]
Something to smile about!
One oft-neglected regimen in our lives is our mouth and dental hygiene. We take our teeth, lips, saliva, etc. for granted until we have a problem. Then we run to the dentist. When was the last time you saw the dentist? Make an appointment today if it’s been a while since you got checked for […]
New Regimens for a New Year
Today marks the first day of the Indian new year. Yesterday was the festival of Diwali (dee-vaah-lee) or Deepavali (deep-uh-vaah-lee) – the festival of lights. Deepa means dharma (sacred duty) and avali means a continuous line. Diwali celebrates the return of Lord Rama back home after a 14 year period of exile. The residents of […]
Winter is upon us
It is November and while we’ve been having atypical weather everywhere, the true taste of winter is just around the corner. Speaking in Ayurvedic terms, winter can easily imbalance both Vata and Kapha doshas (body types). Vata is cold, dry, rough, and mobile. Kapha is heavy, static, cool, and dense. While we can consider the doshas […]
The Holidays Commence…Navratri 2007
Today marks the first night of Navratri 2007 (pronounced Nuh-vuh-rah-trii (as in bee)) in the Indian calendar. Nav = nine and ratri = night. Thus, it is the night nights that are dedicated to the celebration of the goddess. The first three days/ nights are dedicated to the goddess Durga (pronounced Dour (rhymes with tour) gah […]
The Act of Leaving
There are some leaves that are nestled in the space in my car near the windshield wipers. They’re dry and curled up now, but at some point they were bright green and more vibrant. As I was driving today, I realized that they’ve been there for a while now. I haven’t done anything about them or paid […]