Reset and Nourish Yourself for Spring

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Ayurveda with Sunny Rose Healey

My good friend, Sunny Rose Healey, at Mamayurveda, is a superb Ayurvedic practitioner. This means she practices Ayurveda which is the sister-science to yoga and is designed to balance your humors, qualities, or doshas. I have the deepest respect for Ayurveda because it acknowledges the fact that every person’s pathway to wellness is unique and by observing our own daily changes in things like appetite, sleep, and elimination, we can self-direct ourselves toward balance. Other times, we are out of balance and need some guidance to help us get back into balance. This is where people like Sunny come in. She knows how to prescribe the right kinds and dosage of certain Ayurvedic herbs and practices to help get you back on track.

Yoga Nidra and Ayurveda

One of the things Sunny offers as a way of getting back on track is a seasonal reset to help you jump into the next season with your best foot forward. I’m privileged to be able to participate in Sunny’s next seasonal reset by offering a very restful Yoga Nidra session, specifically designed to support people on the reset program with sunny.

Sunny is a genius and I wanted to post her latest newsletter here to give you an idea of what she’s up to. I hope you’ll visit her site and take a look at the incredible things she’s offering. Perhaps you’ll even join me for a Yoga Nidra session to reset your doshas.

Here’s what Sunny says …

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Are we coming out of a yearlong winter into the light of spring? ​

Oh so many views on this time–but there's no doubt it's been one of the toughest years in a long while. We could all use some love and nourishment right now.

Energy is rising as the days grow longer - Ayurveda teaches us how to harness these natural energies and direct them for optimal benefit - toward resetting habits, mental patterns and better self care. One way to work with the energies of the moment, is to cleanse at some level.

I've spent the last couple weeks contemplating a community offering (read on for that!) turning soil, moving plants, and sorting out broody hens. Plus wading through juniper pollen - New Mexicans know how intense this is.

I look forward to reconnecting with you through my newest offerings (now and down the line). If you have any requests or questions please hit reply, I'd love to hear from you.

​​News for you​

- I am offering a Nourish & Reset Spring session (yes! we're doing this) - see details below, register here if you've been waiting for this announcement.

​If you're exhausted, disheartened, or if the last year has taken on toll on you, I urge you to consider this program. We will gently cleanse, yes, but we will also nourish and tend to our bodies, hearts and minds. Consider that perhaps in a more vulnerable state, this may be just the thing, and more appropriate than an intense cleanse.

- In the shop - I have some seriously decadent goodies in the works!

A skincare line is coming ... handcrafted by me, and the epitome of slow beauty. Even now I'm beginning the month long process it takes to make one of the new toners. The line will have highly active and beneficial, luxe and all natural, organic ingredients such as immortelle, squalane, raspberry seed oil...

New soaps are on their way too - we'll have Golden Rose and Evergreen Charcoal kicking off the soap line made by my dear friend Rebeka Rose, Vital Soapworks.

​Stay tuned for the release of these beauties from Mamayurveda Medicinals

In the meantime, use code SPRING15 at mamayurvedamedicinals.com through April 15 to receive 15% off your entire order!

Nourish & Reset Spring Session registration is OPEN!

April 30 - May 9

10 days of exquisite self care, nourishment (and optional cleansing)...

this is an online program that offers you springtime specific recipes, cleansing practices, movement, and rituals for body, mind & soul

A few of the Details (see there rest here)

Tune in each day:​

• Morning and evening sadhana including ritual cleansings, Breathwork and other essental Ayurvedic dinacharya elements

• Suggested menu w/ delicious springtime recipes

• Guidance for adding cleansing elements to your 10 days (optional)

​Receive & Practice - Satsanga via:​

• 2 live webinars with Sunny, where we’ll do a group practice and take space for questions and discussion

• 2 live movement sessions with Maré

• 1 live yoga nidra session with Scott

Register:​

a) Program without supplies is $99 (discounted for 2021 from $149!), find your own supplies (detailed list w/ links provided) - with this option you can order your own basic supplies for $50-$150, depending on what you already have and what you need.​

OR

b) Program plus Luxe Kit for $299 (there are only 10 kits so sign up now if you want this option!) - this is a complete, done-for-you system and all you need for practices and food aside from your perishable ingredients.

*Want a Luxe Kit with your Nourish & Reset? Don't wait! Only 10 kits available

3 Special Yogic Techniques for a HOT Valentine’s

Ayurveda is the sister-science of yoga, a discipline that promotes wholeness through self-observation and therapeutics such as diet, daily practices like meditation, herbal medicines, and Ayurvedic treatments.

The following is a fun recipe for a holistic Ayurveda Valentine’s experience which combines partner Abhyanga massage (an oil massage), The Heart Meditation, and a relaxing I Love You bath. Not only will this mélange of therapies wildly benefit your individual and collective body, mind, and spirit, but it’s also an inexpensive Valentine’s idea that will powerfully ignite your passion and prove to be downright sexy.

Plan on spending at least an hour for this event

Step 1: Get the Stuff You’ll Need

• 4-5 towels and a washcloth you don’t mind getting oily

• A space heater or method to warm up the bathroom to a comfortable temperature

• Abhyanga oil. Try getting 12-16 oz. of organic sesame oil, the purer the better. Pure olive oil or safflower oil are good too but sesame is the best. Avoid coconut oil—according to Ayurvedic prescriptions, it’s not the right oil for the winter time for most body types

• 40 pieces (minimum) of small paper notes, preferably cut into hearts

• 2 pillows or meditation cushions

• A timer—a kitchen timer or your phone works great but if you’re using your phone, make sure the ringer is off

• Optional: tea lights if you like the candle-lit vibe

• Optional: essential oils like lavender (calming), rosewood (passionate), ylang ylang (energizing), or sandalwood (grounding heart), to lightly sent your Abhyanga oil and perhaps bathwater

Surprise your Valentine with a luxury yoga retreat to the Tuscany!

Step 2: Make the Preparations

• Start by warming the bathroom, especially if this will take a several minutes

• While the bathroom is warming, write your I Love Yous on the small pieces of paper. To do this, keep half of the small papers and give half to your partner. Each of you will spend a few minutes and write on each paper one phrase starting with, “I love_______” and fill in the blank. Several examples might be, “I love the way you smell,” “I love to wake up next to you,” “I love how nurturing you are to our children,” “I love to feel your kisses on my neck” “I love it when you (fill in intimate details here) me,” etc. Remember to make them personal and specific. They can be fun, silly, emotional, intimate, or sexy. One phrase per paper. Once you’ve both filled out your papers, don’t show them to your partner yet. Place them in individual envelopes and put them near the tub where they won’t get oily or wet

• If you’d like to use essential oils in your I Love You Bath, keep your oil near the bathtub for later

• Place one or two towels in the empty bathtub and one or two towels on the floor over the meditation cushions or pillows

• Prepare your Abhyanga oil (the sesame oil) by gently warming it on the stove. Use the entire jar. Don’t let it get too hot, you don’t want to cook it. You may wish to add a few drops of essential oils to scent it. Once warm, put the Abhyanga oil into a bowl and put it in the bathroom

Step 3: The Abhyanga Massage

Abhyanga is a full-body oil massage that can be done by yourself or by a therapist or in this case, your Valentine’s Day partner. This luxurious treatment has extensive benefits ranging from calming the nervous system, lubricating the soft tissues of the body, and creating an auric protection for you and your partner’s energy both individually and collectively. Couple’s Abhyanga will also create an emotional and energetic bond and serve to heal emotional wounds or to further strengthen the heart connection and passion between you.

To perform couple’s Abhyanga, you and your partner will remove your clothing and step into the empty bathtub onto one or two towels in the bottom of the empty bathtub to prevent slipping and to absorb the oil from going down the drain and potentially clogging it.

Bring your warmed (but not hot) oil with you. Now begin to dip your hands into the oil and each of you will simultaneously massage the oil slowly onto your partner’s body. It’s important to cover every surface of your partner’s body completely but be careful not to get the oil into your partner’s eyes, especially if you have used essential oils. Without too much oil on your hands, massage your partner’s scalp. Oiling the hair is itself an excellent treatment, but if you don’t want to get your hair too oily, don’t rub too much oil through the hair. The Abhyanga process should take several minutes. This will get . . . hot.

When you feel finished with the massage, either wrap a towel around you or remain naked, but exit the tub and sit on the towels you’ve placed on the bathroom floor over the meditation cushions or pillows. It’s important to allow additional time for the oil from the Abhyanga to continue to absorb into your skin, so you’re going to be an oily mess for a few minutes. Just enjoy it. Make sure the temperature in the bathroom is warm—nothing puts you out of balance and kills the mood like the cold.

Step 4: Prepare for the Heart Meditation and I Love You Bath

Remove the towel(s) from the bottom of the bathtub and begin to fill it with warm water. Remember to remove or unplug the space heater if it’s still on. Space heaters and water don’t mix. Even the magic of Ayurveda can’t heal electrocution! You want your bath water temperature to be very warm but not quite piping-hot. While the tub is filling, (apply essential oils to the water if desired), you may continue massaging each other. Since you’ve got a few minutes, try telling each other one of your favorite memories you have with your parter, or tell them how you fell in love with them. Once the bath is full, turn off the water and, sit (you’re still oily) on the towels covering meditation cushions or pillows and begin the Heart Meditation.

Step 5: The Heart Meditation

The Heart Meditation is a breathing, meditation, and energy practice designed to use tantric techniques to bring you and your partner closer together and strengthen and celebrate your heart-connection. Set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes. Then, begin gazing directly into each other’s eyes and maintain this gaze throughout the entire Heart Meditation. Attempt to keep unbroken eye contact during the entire meditation.

Begin the timer and establish eye contact with your partner and attempt to keep this gaze for the entire duration of the Heart Meditation. It’s incredible how quickly this will build intimacy. While gazing, begin to breathe slowly and deeply and match the breath pattern of your partner. Use ujjayi breath if possible. This tandem breath will cultivate your individual and shared heart energy.

As you inhale, relax and visualize your breath moving in through your nostrils, past your heart, and down into your open pelvis. As you exhale, contract mula bandha (the muscular floor of the pelvis) and visualize your breath moving back up, past your heart, and out the top of your head. This process will start your personal energy to flow through your chakras and illuminate Anahata, your heart chakra. Both on the inhale and the exhale, visualize your breath passing by your heart and picture your heart swelling and becoming more sensitive, able to give and receive feelings and love with each pass of the breath.

After a minute or so, begin to pay keen attention to your partner’s breath. Maintain eye contact. After several breath cycles, reach your heart energy outward toward the heart energy of your partner by visualizing a column of light or color connecting your two hearts. Picture this column strengthening and increasing intensity with each breath (again, this will really turn on the heart). Try to feel into the heart of your partner until you feel as if your hearts are one heart, breathing and beating together. Don’t be surprised if while you do this a range of emotions emerges, anything from laughter and silliness to caring and compassion and perhaps deep desire and passion. When the timer has rung, kiss your partner and bow to each other with “Namaste,” meaning I honor the divine light which we both share.

Tip: During the Heart Meditation, keep the tip of your tongue touching the roof of your mouth with your jaw soft. It sounds weird but this technique is one of the secret tantric techniques of yoga to establish a profound energy flow all the way through your energy channels, first for yourself then to connect deeper to the shared energy of you and your partner. Also, to maintain this heart-connection during love making or while making out, keeping your steady ujjayi breath moving, visualize directing vital energy into your pelvis and heart. Then touch the tip of your tongue to your partners and feel the shared energy moving through you. This process creates the oneness of truly blissful, transformational love making.

Step 6: The I Love You Bath

http://www.eligiblemagazine.com/2016/04/24/taking-sacred-couples-bath-can-improve-appreciation-relationship/

After the Heart Meditation, remove your towels if you’re wearing them and slip into the filled bathtub. This will allow the excess oil from your Abhyanga massage to dissipate and warm you up again if you got cold during The Heart Meditation.

While you’re soaking, grab your envelopes with your little papers of I Love Yous. Take turns reading all the things that you love about your partner. Read them out loud to your partner so you’re telling them what you love about them. Soak for as long as you like. Avoid using soap to wash away the oil. Instead, use a washcloth to wipe away excess oil. The point of Abhyanga is to absorb as much oil as much as possible through your skin. Much of the oil will dissipate into the bath and will eventually wash down the drain. After the bath, pat yourself dry using a towel you don’t mind getting oily and trying to keep a thin layer of oil on you.

Step 7: Finish

Finally, hop into bed for a cozy, romantic remainder of your evening.

Do you have any good ideas for a yoga Valentine's Day? Write them in the comment section below. 

Ayurveda: The Science of Life

Ayurveda is the fascinating and practical science that studies the world and how we can best come into harmony with it. It is the sister-science of yoga and is an observational practice that puts you into the driver seat of your own wellness. What I love about Ayurveda is that while it can heal imbalances and maladies, it is most often used as a method of maintaining balance and well-being rather than only treating illness. One of my teachers told me that to truly understand yoga, you must also have a working relationship with Ayurveda.

Ayurveda studies three basic qualities called doshas. In their combination these doshas describe everything in the universe. To simplify, these qualities are: vata, wind quality; pitta, fire quality; and kapha, earth quality. Just like everything in the universe, each person has a unique expression of these qualities called a prakruti. Understanding your prakruti empowers you to negotiate the elements in your life in order to guide yourself toward radiant wellness for body, mind, and spirit.

Have you ever wondered why you don't feel fantastic even though it seems like you are doing all the right things that should make you healthy and feeling great? Have you ever followed a popular diet or exercise regimen only to feel worse? Sometimes even the kind of yoga we practice makes us leave feeling off. Understanding your prakruti helps you to guide yourself (sometimes with the help of an Ayurvedic practitioner) toward specific types of life-practices that optimize your unique chemistry. Remember, Ayurveda suggests that each person has a unique pathway to optimal wellness.

 Excessive amounts of any dosha causes us imbalance. Understanding this and correcting imbalances, often by simple and practical means, puts us back on the path to balance. Ayurveda acknowledges that what may be health promoting for one person may be diminishing for another. Regarding anything that affects our health, be that medicine or food or yoga, Ayurveda always asks, "For whom, how much, when, and why."

 Sometimes it takes an Ayurvedic practitioner, a trained guide, to help you figure out your prakruti and place yourself on a regimen that will guide you toward optimal wellness. With even a little understanding of Ayurveda and your prakruti, you'll be amazed at how easy it is to keep yourself feeling wonderful. With this understanding you will find the best food choices, sleeping, yoga and exercising patterns, and even scheduling, that will keep you feeling amazing.

 For fun, take this online dosha quiz and find out which dosha seems to match you.

This week, perhaps you can choose which yoga classes you attend based on what you feel like would give you the greatest balance. Feeling Kapha, (earth): sluggish, slow, or weighed down, or unclear? Get your bones outta bed and try coming to Monday morning’s 6 am (you heard me!) Rise and Shine class and give yourself a powerful start to your day and your week. Feeling Vata (wind): ungrounded, flighty, agitated, or nervous? Try coming to Restore Yoga on Saturday and settle your nervous system. Feeling Pitta (fire): overheated by a project or feeling of expectation or perfection? Try channeling some of that energy into a Power Class on Monday or Friday night at 5:45 pm. Use Auyrveda to direct your yoga choices.  

 This week we have the unique opportunity to have Arun Deva in town. Arun is an Ayurvedic practitioner whom I trust and have worked with personally. Getting a little insight about your particular balance will help empower you to find the wellness and balance you’re searching for. Details below.