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How to create a personal Winter Solstice ritual
The Winter Solstice marks the shortest day of sunlight and longest night in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s also the official beginning of winter! This day and the surrounding days are marked by celebrations around the world, reflected in the traditions of many cultures. Christmas is, of course, just one of the many celebrations that center around honoring light, nourishing ourselves, and being with loved ones. The strings of lights and candles that fill our homes are beautiful reminders that even in the darkest times, we each carry a light within ourselves. From an Ayurvedic perspective, the Winter Solstice is the height of Vata season. Vata energy, which is cold, dry…
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Sleep deeper: 8 Ayurvedic tips for a blissful bedtime routine
There is a heavy emphasis on morning routine in Ayurveda, but having an evening routine is also important. How we spend the last few hours of the day can have a big impact on our sleep, which is our body’s chance to clear toxins, restore and renew. Creating an evening routine shouldn’t be complicated. In fact, you probably have some kind of evening routine already. For example, making dinner, bathing, brushing your teeth or washing your face. If you do these things at a similar time every day, you may notice that your body starts to get sleepy as you go through these evening tasks. A good evening routine is…
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Five simple tips to calm Vata this fall
Vata is the force that governs movement within our bodies. Vata is at play when we take in food, and when we eliminate. It is present in the constant movement of our breath, bringing air in and out of our lungs, and in the synapses of our nervous system moving thoughts, emotions and sensations through our awareness. When Vata is in balance, creativity is flowing and enthusiasm for life is strong. Those with a healthy balance of Vata in their constitution tend to be spiritually-minded, free-spirited, and artistic. When out of balance, excess Vata can cause anxiety, fearfulness and depression. Because Vata is movement, those with excess Vata often have…