In the Kitchen with Rasakeli - Ayurvedic Cooking

This new year I made a promise to myself to explore 1 new recipe a week. I admit I’m a little behind and was lacking inspiration. Rasakeli came to the rescue with an ayurvedic cooking class series with recipes and foods appropriate for the season.

Her class began at Atma Bhakti Center just as my yoga for wellness class finished up – making it a true yoga + ayurveda day! She shared the ingredient list and began telling the story of how and why she came to ayurveda as a result of digestive imbalance, governed by a modern lifestyle. While her Western physician was unable to deliver a remedy, her ayurvedic physician had her turned around within weeks. From that healing experience, a practitioner was born again!

In her class I learned some general kitchen tips on how to keep chopped veggies fresh (keep them in water to reduce oxidization), and I watched how she was able to transform simple beans, rice, and veggies into so many varieties and forms. The 2-hour workshop ended in a delightful lunch that included freshly made herbal digestive tea, lentil soup, coconut chutney, and a veggie stuffed pancake made from lentil and rice flour.

She presented her selection of spices with helpful explanations and an herb & spice guide to illustrate the healing benefits of everyday ingredients found in the store, including cumin, coriander, ginger, turmeric, fenugreek, star anise, nutmeg, fennel, and more. I felt like I was learning magic when she showed us how to tame a tamarind, and outlined when and how to use it

I’m excited to attend the next session and am reminded of what my friend Shana said who also attended: ‘never come to a cooking class hungry’. I’m not sure if it was because I was so hungry, or because it was so amazing, but I went back for seconds. I was so inspired I came home and transcribed the recipes and methods into my ‘recipe goals’ journal and will practice the techniques this week for healthier work lunches and fresh, easy, healing meals!

Spice Guide:

• Black Pepper - this king of spices boosts metabolism, promotes weight loss, helps relieve symptoms associated with cough and cold, and can help treat certain skin problems.

• Cumin - aids in digestions and immunity.

• Coriander (you may know it as cilantro seed) - improves digestion, supports live and kidney function, is an antioxidant.

• Cardamom - rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, calcium, iron, zinc. This sweet spice aids in digestion, heart health, helps to fight depression, asthma, and diabetes.

• Cinnamon - helps to lower blood pressure and offers antioxidant and acts as an ant-inflammatory aid.

• Fennel - great dietary fiber this spice is a little sweet and helps alleviate constipation and bloating. Rich in antioxidants, it helps fight aging and reduce neurological dieseases.

• Fenugreek - smells sweet and offers a bitter taste to improve digestion, libido in men, breast milk in lactating women, is known to reduce inflammation. Best in winter since it can be heating.

• Ginger - another king of healers in traditional Indian medicine, this root helps reduce nausea, fights common cold and flu symptoms, improves digestion, and adds a vitalizing experience to your health.

• Mustard Seed - this spice must be heated in oil to release its fragrant spicy flavor. Known to reduce pain, symptoms of arthritis, and stimulate digestion, it’s also good for heart health and helps to lower bad cholesterol. Best used in winter months.

• Nutmeg - a global sensation, this sweet spice helps detox the liver and is known to improve the texture of your skin. Mixed in warm milk for a nighttime sleep aid.

For more info about Cooking with Rasakeli, visit Atma Bhakti Center

Yoga & Ayurveda: Prana, Tejas, and Ojas for your Home Practice

Yoga and Ayurveda are complimentary sciences to inform and direct a therapeutic practice.

Ayurveda translates as ‘the science of life’, and provides a focus for physical, mental and spiritual fitness through diet and lifestyle. Yoga is a technology to help your body detox, it provides a technique to stabilize energy and mind, and it offers a glimpse into the subtle and spiritual realm of experience. Any type of yoga you practice will help you feel better, but in order to develop a self-guided personal practice, you must first understand the basic principles of yoga practice and healthy lifestyle.

This blog will focus on three subtle essences that influence our wellbeing called Prana, Tejas, and Ojas.

Prana – the vitality as represented by breath, movement and energy, the guiding force of life. Higher Awareness at the universal and cellular level. Prana provides the ability to fully and completely express yourself in the world. Balanced Prana provides enthusiasm, and adaptability. It is the vital Higher Intelligence.

Tejas – the courage, strength, and willpower to stand strong in the face of change. Balanced Tejas is evident in the bright glow of healthy skin, personal magnetism, a strong metabolism, good memory, inspiration, and ability to assimilate information and see clearly. Tejas is the ability to deal with paradoxes and move positively to digest the mind’s limitations. It is the vital Fire.

Ojas – the support of a healthy immune system and well nourished tissues. Ojas is the foundation for patience, stability, and the essence of nurturance. It is the nourishment from good foods, ability to give and receive love, positive bonding, kindness, devotion, and prayer. It is the vital reserve.

Each of these can subtle essences can be diminished, or imbalanced, due to the stressors of life.

Prana is depleted by poor food choices, over-stimulation of the 5 senses, lack of breath training / pranayama, multi-tasking, time spent on the computer, being too talkative, expending too much energy.

Tejas is depleted by poor food choices, improper living habits, overuse of drugs. When Tejas is too high, it can burn ojas, reducing immunity, and overstimulate prana, causing tissue disorders in the brain and body.

Ojas is a result of proper diet, self care, relaxation, rest, sleep, love, and can be impacted if these practices are not followed. Too little ojas leads to lack of concentration, fear, general weakness, loss of sensation in one of more of the five senses, and eventually death. Ojas can be depleted or disturbed by a stagnant lifestyle, lack of spiritual practice, poor foods, too much sex or masturbation, negative thinking and acting.

In order to bring Prana to a clear, stable, sufficient level to power your life and activity, you can practice:

• Pranayama – consider alternate nostril breathing daily

• Ripe, fresh, local fruits and vegetables cooked well, avoid leftovers

• Yoga Asana, particularly backbends and laterals

• Certain herbs and teas such as Tulsi / Holy Basil, or the herbal jam Chywanprash

• Chanting mantra 

In order to build Tejas that burns bright, clear, stable, and strong, you can practice:

• Tending to your digestion with foods that support digestion such as ginger, cinnamon, clove, black pepper.

• Avoiding grazing throughout the day, consider routine meal and snack times

• Meditation on Light or Fire

• Chanting mantra

• Yoga Asana, particularly Twists and Belly-Down Backbends 

In order to maintain healthy Ojas that is clear, smooth, flowing, and sufficient to fight infection and toxins, you can practice:

• Improved eating habits that include fresh, seasonal, foods, whole grains, healthy oils, and food cooked with ghee

• Yoga Nidra, Restorative Yoga, Guided Relaxation to promote deeper sleep and rest that allows your deep tissues and organs to heal

• Self-oil massage, and other forms of self-care; this is the message of self-love, which is necessary for a happy and long life

• Positive thinking, prayer, meditation

• Laughter, love, and kindness; spending time with loved ones

Considering all three of these influences in our daily choices can help us refine our choices and our practice to live a more adaptable, powerful, and peaceful life.

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti - Peace Peace Peace

For Lydia - thanks for asking

Photo by Yayan Sopian on Unsplash

Sticking to a healthy routine in times of change

When life gets turbulent, our minds and bodies can be well served by developing or maintaining a healthy routine. Just as the sun rises and falls, a wise and predictable self care routine can support you as the seasons of the year and the seasons of our life experience change.

Below are a few suggestions to help you gain a new habit - try this for 30 days and make note of your progress in your journal or practice diary.

Waking Routine - wake at the same time each day prior to sunrise  to enjoy the peaceful calm of life. Take a deep breath, look at your hands, and gently brush your energy from head to chest. Say a prayer of gratitude. Consider a gentle ear or facial massage. Notice your breath and take 5 gentle and complete inhales and exhales. Set an intention that not only benefits you, but also all of the world. Step out of bed and enjoy your day.

Cleansing Routine - Rinse your face and mouth with cool water. Evacuate bowels and bladder. Scrape your tongue to remove oil based toxins and stimulate digestion. Swish 1 T. sesame oil for 5-15 minutes for healthier teeth, gums and fresher breath. Floss. Brush your teeth - consider Neem toothpaste. The Neti Pot works to cleanse sinus passages and reduce allergies. Drink warm water to cleanse kidney, stomach and colon before taking any other food or coffee to help complete your evacuation process.

Nourishing / Restoring Routine - Consider using Nose Drops (Nasya Oil), Ear Drops, and enjoy a Self-oil Massage (abhyangha). Try a bath or shower with sandalwood soap. Enjoy healthy organic seasonal foods that are simple to digest. Practice mindful eating by turning off TVs, phones and other distractors from your meal. Routine meal times daily support your digestion. Don't skip breakfast! Restore daily with Legs up the Wall, Yoga Nidra / Guided Relaxation, Pranayama (breath training), Yin / Deep Stretch, or Restorative postures.

Fitness Routine - Physical stretches and movement is good for everyone. Go for a walk, use the stairs - get your heart rate up each day. For the yogis in the crowd: Slow Sun Salutes for Vata / Butterfly People. Moon Salutes for Pitta / Tiger People, Fast Sun Salutes for Kapha / Teddy Bear People.

Mental Fitness - Mindfulness is being in the present moment - not remembering or ruminating, not imagining or creating anxious scenarios, but actually being aware of your 5 senses and your surroundings, including your thoughts, desires, and how you’re showing up. Mindfulness helps you focus on one thing at a time - a one pointed mo=ind leads to a mind that enjoys meditation. Meditation is a state beyond the external senses, ancient texts and teachers reveal an illumined intelligence beyond learned behavior and memories. Begin a practice at the same time, every day - even if it’s 3 minutes - this is how we start! For the yogis, try 3 mins. Alternate Nostril for Vata, 7 rounds cooling or Bumblebee breath for Pitta, 10 rapid Bellow Breath for Kapha. Meditation for all! Vata consider meditation on the breath, building roots, or fire at navel. Pitta meditation on breath, compassion and surrender, Kapha meditation on breath, heart, fire at navel.

Bedtime Routine - cleanse mouth, face and hands. Go to bed at the same time each night. Enjoy a technology cleanse - all devices off and away 30 minutes prior to bedtime. Bed should be clean, clear of clutter, with clean air. Yoga Nidra / Guided Relaxation, Legs up the Wall can help ease you into a more peaceful rest. Recall the highlights of your day. Give thanks. Meditation on the breath and intention to sleep well in health and peace can help you develop a better sleep pattern.

Build your personal playlist of self love and care! When you have extra time on your hands, give extra attention to your pieces, parts and heart!

Example of a simple daily ritual:

1. Routine Wake Time

2. Massage Face and jaw

3. Scrape Tongue

4. Pranayama / Breath Training

5. Meditation

6. 10 Moon Salutes / other exercise

7. Bedtime Yoga Nidra or Guided Meditation

Build a new Morning Ritual:

1. Routine Wake up

2. Prayer and Gratitude

3. Scrape the Tongue

4. Oil Pulling

5. Oil Massage the body - or at least the joints!

6. Neti Pot for clean sinus passages

7. Pranayama / Breath Training

Develop your afternoon health break:

1. Stretches to loosen shoulders and hips

2. Pranayama / Alternate Nostril Breathing

3. Short Yoga Nidra or Meditation to re-boot for the afternoon

Bedtime can be better:

1. Routine bedtime

2. Technology fast

3. Gratitude journal

4. Oil Massage - at least the scalp and soles of the feet

5. Lunar Pranayama (inhale in left, exhale out right. Repeat 7-10 times)

6. Yoga Nidra or bedtime meditation

There’s no better time than now to practice routine health practices! You deserve it!

Photo by Zoltan Tasi on Unsplash

Balancing Vata During Seasonal Change

This morning I watched Vata blow in, signaling the continuing change of seasons, and I was reminded by my dear friend Christina from SimpleVeda, that when we grab the fall hoodie it’s also time to check the summer routine at the door.

*Here are some helpful hints to keep Vata from sneaking out of the house!

Just as the Moon revolves around Earth and Earth around Sun, Mother Nature depends on a simple and reliable routine to stay on track. Guess what Dear Vata Yogi? So do you…
~Routine Routine Routine – go to bed at the same time each night, wake at the same time each morning and eat your quiet and healthy meals at the same time each day. Vata rests in the dependability of schedule – your daily routine is called dinacharya.

After scraping the morning toxins off your tongue, include a glass or 2 of pure warm water with a squeeze of lemon. This is a 'good morning I love you' to clean your GI tract, refresh your kidneys and awaken peristalsis (that which makes you poop!).

“too much” of anything is imbalancing to Vata so SLOW DOWN.  Selectively reduce the ‘outside’ commitments, hustle and bustle and be mindful to reduce driving time.

Daily Abhyanga (oil-massage) – As part of your dinacharya, take 5-10 minutes for a warm sesame oil massage before your shower or bath. Your dry skin will soak up the warming, soothing and calming nectar to reduce muscle tension and improve circulation. Light a scented candle, put on that playlist of love songs and sing them to yourself. Your mood will be elevated and your dry, popping joints will feel better. Now you can glide through your day with a get-calm-stay-calm attitude. *DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF THE OIL....*

Pranayama (breath techniques) is a powerful process to balance hormones, strengthen your nervous system, improves mental capacity and purify your nadis (energy channels). Try Alternate Nostril Breathing in your dinacharya – start with 5-10 rounds and work your way up to 40. Your mind and your family will thank you.

Be Still. This is a big one friends and fairly difficult for active, creative and on-the-go- Vata:
~Between each project, activity and task, take a mindful pause to bring closure before beginning the next task. This reduces the loose ends your mind subconsciously has to keep track of.
~Find time in daily meditation (begin with 3-5 minutes at the same time each day) to systematically relax the body from head to toe, then observe the feeling of your breath in your nostrils.
~Try to reduce time spent driving here there and everywhere, reduce the amount of time in spin class and on the bicycle. Lean towards slow yoga and other consistent, low impact activities such as walking, swimming, tai chi or chi gong. We should only exercise to about 50% of our capacity, or until a mild sweat appears on the forehead, under the arms and along the spine, or until your mouth begins to get dry.
~Most of all - be gentle with yourself! Just like re-booting your laptop, your nervous system craves the re-set.

*As always in Ayurveda, food is super important!

~3 meals at regular times each day is key – Vata is Space and Air and when we’re empty, we increase our spaciness and airiness!
~Prefer warm, slightly oily, heavier meals – it’s OK! Sesame, ghee, and olive oil – this is what you need inside and out!
~Include cooked food with warming spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg. It’s the season for 1 pot meals such as savory kitchari (mung beans + rice and veggies), stews and casseroles.
~Things to avoid: ice and bubbly drinks (drinking Air increases your Air), light, dry, cold, crunchy foods, green juices, leftovers, white sugar, caffeine, dried fruits and dry nuts (try adding the dried fruits & nuts to your morning-spiced oatmeal made with ghee is lovely and plumps them up nicely!).
~Remember that raw fruit is a snack and should not be eaten as part of your meal – digestion begins with the sweet taste. Fruit + Meal = fermentation in the belly, which leads to bloating and passing gas (pardon me!).

*Agni – this is your digestive fire and keeps the motor running – this is important Yogis!!

~15 minutes before meals, stoke the fire by chewing a tsp. of fresh ginger with a touch of salt,or if you’re feeling fancy, add a drop of lime and a bit of honey – this is your appetizer to awaken the furnace in your belly.
~Spice up your life with cumin, coriander, fennel, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, dried ginger, a little pinch of hing (asafetida) black pepper, mustard seed, and just get spicy!
~Drink more ginger tea and take sips of warm water throughout your meal to avoid dousing the fire all together! Avoid dandelion tea (drying) and Yerba Mate.
~Eat when you are hungry and avoid snacking all day – try to take your meals 3 times a day and if you must snack, wait at least 2 hours between meals.
~For each meal, consider that eating more than what fits into 2 of your palms overtaxes digestion, your liver and creates ama (toxins) that lead to disease. Avoid over-eating those holiday goodies!

*And finally – how you eat is as important as what you eat:

~Meals should be taken according to your regular routine, when you are hungry.
~The atmosphere should be pleasant but not over-stimulating.
~Before taking the first bite, take 3 slow breaths and smell the amazing meal you’re about to enjoy. Give thanks and realize that the food you eat is nourished by the Sun, whose energy is now being passed on to you.
~Conversation should be light, non-emotional and friendly.
~No TV, no loud music and no reading –your belly can’t digest efficiently when your senses are being asked to ‘digest’ other experiences.
~For the love of the deity of your choice, please don’t eat on the run, standing or in the car.
~After taking the last bite, wait 3-5 minutes before standing, allowing sufficient time for your food to make its way to your belly. This is a nice time to journal, be still and observe your surroundings or chat with friends.
~10 minutes after a meal is a nice time for a nature walk, to help your belly churn and digest.

Wow – that’s a lot. If you want to learn more, or chat about any of the above, just reach out. Feel free to ask!!

Live, Love, Learn and Grow

In Love and Light,
Kirsten Joy
Prani Lifestyle Consulting
Yoga~Ayurveda~Tantra~Wellbeing

*This blog is dedicated to Natalie - may you love, respect and nourish yourself - you are a Divine flowering of Mother Nature! Never forget it! -KjB