Heightened stress, demanding schedules, processed food, and greater sensitivities in today’s modern world have started to take their toll in even greater numbers. This shift can be witnessed by the increase of obesity and disease in our society. The National Health Institute of Diabetes and Kidney Diseases reported 60-70 million individuals a year in the United States are affected by some type of digestive illness.
In a previous article, When you need Rajas: The Ayurvedic Element of Change, the three main elemental principles (or Gunas) of yogic and Ayurvedic philosophy (Sattva, Rajas and Tamas) were introduced and spoken to. In this article I want to explore the tamasic nature of stagnation, decay and death and how honoring this element in our lives can serve us wildly.
In yogic and Ayurvedic philosophy there are three basic natures or “gunas” said to rule existence. They are: Sattva (life/sentience), Rajas (change) and Tamas (decay/death). This article explores the basics of these elements and when as humans, we crave, demand or need Rajas – the Ayurvedic element of change.
Using the Neti Pot for Allergies and Beyond
Ghee - an Ayurvedic secret that's out, just not entirely. If you have never reaped the delicious, deeply nutritious benefits of ghee (also known as clarified butter), you haven't fully lived – and you haven't fully yogified. For once you taste, feel, know the incredible service ghee can do for you and your body, mind and spirit, you will fall in ever-lasting love. It's everything you ever wanted to know about ghee, just for the health of it.
Khichadi is a traditional Indian dish that is both nutritious and easy for the body to digest. It is loaded with spices that cater to the balancing of all three doshas in Ayurveda, and is perhaps the most common staple in the practice due to its ability to improve overall health and detoxify the body. This is also a naturally gluten-free meal for those that are avoiding gluten in their diet. The combination of rice and lentils with ghee, spices and vegetables make this a balanced, beneficial and wholesome meal.
What You Will Need
Maybe you’ve heard yoga is great for your body, mind, and spirit, but you can’t get into it. Maybe you’ve been doing yoga for years, but you don’t feel as connected to your practice as you used to.
Some of us commit to a particular yoga style and never look back, but if you’re still looking for that perfect asana practice, or you want to mix things up in your current practice, you might find the remedy through the discovery of your dosha.
Sleep is one of the basic necessities of the body. Happiness, nourishment, strength, knowledge, life – all of these depend upon sleep. If sleep is disrupted long enough, it can lead to a lack of balance in the body, manifesting itself in several areas of one’s life, such as unhappiness, dietary misalignment, mental fog, and manifestation or aggravation of various physical ailments. Ayurveda emphasizes the importance of sleep for total balance, but has different recommendations based on the dominant dosha.
Turmeric is making its way under the superfood spotlight, and for good reason: it is anti-inflammatory, an anti-depressant, kills cancer cells, and gives skin a healthy glow, to name a few things it can do. Using it as a food rather than a supplement yields the most benefits, as turmeric requires fat to metabolize. Turmeric is in the same family as ginger, so it packs a punch of flavor which can make it difficult to consume without overpowering your food, unless you're fine eating curry every day.
