Ayurveda

Unfortunately, the attacks on the city of Paris bring to bear an opportunity to reflect upon the emotion of the fall season, Grief. Although often uncomfortable, and in this case, completely unimaginable, Grief is another part of the cycle of the seasons of life. It represents Loss; big or small, loss of things, property, people, even death, are an inevitable part of life. In the Fall Season, we are asked to put down all of our projects and to-do lists and focus on closing out the year. We give thanks for what we did well and let go of the things that did not go well or that we hope to do better in the new year. Fall is the season to Let Go and surrender.

Our ancestors lived in harmony with nature's changing seasons. In lieu of fancy spas and healing retreats, they relied on plants, prayer, and rituals to heal themselves. Today, we've lost our connection to that wisdom. The frenzied pace of the modern world, our increased exposure to environmental toxins, and a growing alienation from nature have caused most of us to fall out of alignment with an optimal state of health and happiness. But each new year brings another opportunity to perform the time-honored ritual of internal cleansing. Spring, which celebrates rebirth lasts approximately from March 15 to May 15 in the Ayurvedic calendar, is the perfect time for detoxification.

My formal Sanskrit education recently passed the one year mark, so I suppose it's time to share a bit of What I've Learned So Far. First let me say that before starting this weekly class last Fall, I spent 20 frustrating years trying on and (mostly) off to teach myself Sanskrit. I went through maybe three or four "teach-yourself-Sanskrit" primers, which for the most part were about as readable as Finnegans Wake. So if you have an irresistible urge to humble yourself with Sanskrit, take my advice and find a good tutor.

When we arrived at our first stop in India, the doctor who oversees the Ayurvedic clinic and spa for the Chennai Taj Hotel was most excited to meet us. He was thrilled that I was a Western teacher who knew about things like Ayurvedic assessments, Marma Adi and more. He gave us a lecture on the importance of daily Abhyanga, including a mini-variation of the technique that's easier and more accessible for many of us. I was so taken with it I'm now incorporating it into the grounding practice after daily meditation.

It's not too late to start over! Did you rise on January 1, 2012! with the best of intentions and then life just started to take over and you lost some steam? This is just a reminder that you can start your new year over anytime you want! In fact, it may feel more authentic to you to take this time now between the full moon and the upcoming new moon to reset your intentions. This is when the Chinese New Year is celebrated on the first new moon of the year.

According to Chinese Medicine, the early fall is the time to watch for and prevent imbalances in the Lungs and Large Intestine. One of my favorite ways to soothe the lungs, especially as it begins to get cooler, is to drink lots of hot tea. Here is a great recipe from Rosemary Gladstar that includes many herbs you can find out in the wild or even in your own back yard.

Typically when eliminating or cutting down on foods from your diet, cleansing will help get you to your ideal weight. Whether this is your intention or not, this is generally what occurs. After almost two weeks of cleansing, I noticed ( and so have others ) that I have become lighter. This can be attributed to being more careful about the amount of food as well as the type of food in the diet. In my cleanse, I have eliminated wheat, soy and dairy. These foods are "damp" in the Chinese Medical Philosophy. They are Kapha as described in the Indian Ayurvedic Philosophy, meaning they are heavy, cold and wet.

We have had a heat wave here in Central Virginia and it is peak growing season, so there is little time for rest during the daylight hours. All of a sudden, everything is growing with gusto ( including the weeds ) so you have to stay on top of your garden or July is overwhelming. We took some advice from a local herb farmer, who suggests harvesting your first herb crop now.