Sadguru

Simple Lifestyle Rituals for the "Dog Days of Summer"

With summer's heat and Pitta's energy still pouring over us, these simple routines can help calm a "hot and bothered" body and mind:

-Stay cool--both physically and emotionally. Avoid going out in the heat of the day, especially on an empty stomach or after you have eaten tangy or spicy foods. Favor exercise in early morning or late evening.

-Do not skip meals, especially your noon meal. Start your day with breakfast (such as a smoothie with seasonal fruit). Eat a sustaining meal at lunch (such as grilled salmon with steamed broccoli and basmati rice), and a lighter meal for dinner (such as a mixed green salad). Choose sweet juicy fruits for snacks which help to pacify Pitta. Delaying meals can cause excess acidity and uneven blood sugar levels, so eat on time every day.

-Practice mindful eating. Do not work or speak on the telephone when you eat. Do not read or watch television. Offer thanks or sit in silence a minute before you begin eating. Do not gulp down your food; savor each mouthful and chew well before you swallow. A few sips of warm water during the meal will help digestion, but do not drink too much of any beverage. At any meal, do not eat until you are very full. The ideal ayurvedic portion is what you could hold in your two cupped hands joined together. Leaving some room in the stomach when you are done enhances digestion. After you are done eating, sit quietly for a few minutes; do not immediately rush off to do the next chore of the day.

 

Find Freedom from the Heat! Summer Meditation & Ayurveda Opp's

Saturdays:

-Stapleton CPY: 9:05-9:35: New Series! Calling Myth into Meditation: Learn about archetypes such as Kali, Tara and Durga and how to use their healing mantras and energies to strengthen your practice.

-Cherry Hills CPY: 11:15-11:45: Journey through the Koshas: Learn how the 5 energy layers can lead you to a state of ananda—bliss.

 Tooooooo Hot this Summer?  Come and learn the tricks to “Be Cool” with Ayurveda! 

Wednesdays, July 13 & 20, 6:30-8:00pm, Lotus Room Yoga (50 W Louisiana, Denver).  Learn how to balance your body with seasonal eating, fantastic recipes, healing routines, meditation and yoga.  Receive a summer balancing kit as part of the workshop that includes a customized spice blend to season your food with balancing tastes for summer!

 

Can you think of a better way to spend this Sunday afternoon?

Come and learn how to mirror the energy of the spring season by using practical tools and tips from Ayurveda.  We will discuss the best foods, movements and routines for spring in order to bring you into a space of balance and vitality.  Join us at the South Denver Corepower Yoga from 2-3:30 this Sunday, 4/3.  $20 for members, $25 for all others.  See you there!

Ayurveda: Winter Balancing Tip of the Day:

TODAY’S WINTER BALANCING TIP: Your digestive fire (agni) can dim in the face of processed foods.  According to Ayurveda, the shelflife of these foods robs the food of its prana—its energy.  Why not make a date with your kitchen and make yourself some delicious bars to keep your Ojas—your endurance and vigor-- robust and the winter winds of  Vata in check?  

RECIPE FOR BARS:

½ c dried figs, ½ c dates, ½ dried apricots, ½ c pumpkin seeds (lightly toasted in a dry skillet), ½ c suflower seeds, ½ c white sesame seeds, 1 t ground cardamom, pinch mineral salt, 5 drops sweet orange essential oil (or 1 t orange rind), 1/8-1/4c extra virgin olive oil, cold pressed olive oil or coconut oil, 1/3 c whole white sesame seeds, ground flax seeds or unsweetened, shredded dried coconut to coat the finished bars or balls (optional)

Pit the dates and chop them finely.  Do the same with the apricots and figs.  Soak all the dried fruits in a bowl of warm water while you prepare the other ingredients.  Lightly toast the pumpkin seeds in skillet without oil.  Remove from skillet and transfer to bowl.  Allow to cool.  Meanwhile, separately grind the sunflower seeds and the sesame seeds into a coarse powder, reserving each of the ground seeds in a medium-sized mixing bowl.  Grind pumpkin seeds once they have cooled.  Add cardamom and salt to the seeds and combine well. 

Drain the dried fruits.  Add soaked dried fruit and essential oil (or rind) to ground seed mixture.  Incorporate ingredients using the back of a fork to obtain a very coarse mixture.  Add enough oil to obtain a thick, paste-like dough.

Using a teaspoon, scoop up a spoonful of the mixture and roll into a walnut-sized ball in the palms of your hands.  If too wet, grind more sesame or sunflower seeds to thicken the mixture.  For a nutritive touch, roll the balls into the whole sesame seeds, ground flax seeds or shredded coconut.  *If you don’t have time to roll the balls, opt to make bars by pressing the mixture into lightly oiled, glass 9x9” baking dish,  Cut and enjoy as needed.  Store in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator.  (Ayurveda Today, Volume XXIII, Number 1)

 

Ayurveda: Winter Balancing Tip of the Day:

TODAY’S WINTER BALANCING TIP: Keep your digestive fire (agni) burning brightly! Drink hot herbal tea and eat warm soups. Avoid cold or iced beverages.

Ayurveda: Winter Balancing Tip of the Day:

TODAY’S WINTER BALANCING TIP: Incorporate regular physical activity into your daily routine.  Consider an energizing sun salutation practice upon rising, a detoxifying hot yoga class, a ride on a stationary bike or a walk outside if the weather permits (be sure to be kind to Vata and cover your ears and face!)

Ayurveda: Winter Balancing Tip of the Day:

TODAY’S WINTER BALANCING TIP: Curl up on your meditation cushion, sit quietly on a chair or lay down in savasana; take some deep cleansing breaths, close your eyes and be still.  Allow yourself 15-20 minutes of silence (set a timer and wear and eye mask to help calm your mind).  Sitting in silence will help relax the nervous system and pacify Vata and help “burn off” some of the residue of the holidays that may still be lingering.  For a jump start, join in these group meditation opportunities this weekend: 

-Stapleton: Saturday & Sunday: 9:05-9:35: Root Chakra: Finding Your Path

-Cherry Hills: Saturday: 11:15-11:45: Breathe in the New Year: Using the Breath to Find Calm

-Stapleton: Sunday: 6:45-7:45pm: Om Healing Circle/Yoga Nidra (FREE!)

 

Ayurveda: Winter Balancing Tip of the Day...

TODAY’S WINTER BALANCING TIP: Commit to a regular bedtime routine; rise and retire at approximately the same times each day to give Vata some well-needed rest and a predictable routine. While we are thankfully gaining daylight, winter continues to call on us to restore and rest during the shorter days. Sync with nature and get some zzzzz’s.

To Cleanse or Not to Cleanse in January…that’s a Good Question…

Many people have asked me lately about cleansing options for January.  I don’t know about you, but I kind of miss those Toys-R-Us and SuperSaturdaySavingsWe’reOpen UntilMidnight commercials (am I really saying that?).  Somehow, those seem a little less stressful than the various versions of “You’re a Fat Cow” messages that fill the post-holiday consumer void.

OK, so we may feel a bit toxic after our holiday gatherings and buffet tables items—like those plates of frosted gingerbread people and the thick, creamy bites of I don’t know what was in that dip--we thought were such a good idea at the time.   Along with feeling a bit toxic, the sluggish waves of fatigue may be causing us to feel a little heavy.  Whew, and look outside—it is any wonder most of us don’t feel like a ball of energy?  Taking that all into consideration, is it necessary to go on a crash diet, eat boxes of home delivered “food” or start sipping on some type of liquid detox potion to decrease our toxic load, feel light and energized?  

While we may arrive at the door of detox with good intentions, Ayurveda proposes a different path for the winter season.  Ayurveda’s wisdom aligns with nature—and in this case, the winter season—which is actually calling on the body to hold on.  So we’re bound to feel a little heavier in the winter.  We’re naturally eating foods that are heavier energetically (higher in protein and fat).  Nature is asking us to build insulation for winter to keep us warm and to help soothe our nervous system from the disrupting winds of Vata.   A full cleanse or detox in the winter disrupts what nature has intended.  And when we tempt the balance of Mother Nature, well…we know who usually wins.

Instead of engaging in a cleanse or full detox now, consider January as a time to realign with the winter season and re-establish some nourishing routines.  The Vata dosha—the governing energy of winter-- is the quickest to go out of alignment BUT is the easiest to bring back into balance. 

TODAY’S TIP: One effective way to bring the body back into balance is to follow a food list specific to the winter season (this includes root vegetables, warm soups, proteins).   I’ll be happy to send you the winter grocery list…just contact me (sadgurumail@gmail.com).

 Stay tuned for more winter balancing tips throughout the month!

 

Spice it Up for Spring!

Denver business owner, Janet Johnston, has a new show on the Food Network called "Spice and Easy."  It's a great show on how to use spices besides salt and pepper to flavor a meal.  http://www.foodnetwork.com/spice-easy/index.html

Johnston owns the Savory Spice shop (various locations in the Denver area).  If you've never visited one of her stores, why not?  It's an amazing sensory experience--the jars of freshly ground spices give off an aroma that you just don't find on aisle 8 in the grocery store.  They also offer tasty blends of spices for marinades and dips (which are named after places in Colorado!).  www.savoryspiceshop.com

From an Ayurvedic perspective, all spices are beneficial during Kapha/spring season, so spice it up and enjoy!