|
Fall is a perfect time to cleanse, reboot and revitalize body, mind and spirit. In fact, when done at the fall equinox folklore says it will keep you from getting sick the following season. Prepare for fall by releasing the heat of the summer.
The Fall Equinox this year falls on September 22nd. This easy -to-follow Fall Equinox Juice Fast is a full body tune-up in just 24 hours (see below.) Equinoxes are moments in time when day and night are equal. They measure fullness and balance in nature. Honor this moment as a time to balance. We are beings conjoined with nature, not separate from it. Now is the time to acknowledge in ourselves what is plentiful and ready to harvest just like in our gardens. 6:30 am - 8:00 am - warm water and lemon; gentle stretching; meditation 9:00 am – 10:00 am - High C Drink Ingredients 1 Oranges 2 Tangerines 2 Large Carrots 1 Turmeric Root 10:00 – 11:00 - Drink Herbal Tea and Water, Apply Sesame or Almond Oil to Skin, Warm Water and Salt Netti Pot (add a drop of oil), Begin Decluttering Home and Car. 11:00 – 12:00 - High Sun Detox Juice Ingredients 1 Medium Red Beet 1 Large Green Apple 3 Radishes 1 Cup Kale Leaves 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm - Green Juice Ingredients 2 Cups spinach 3 Leaves Yellow Beet Greens 2 Large Celery Sticks ½ Cucumber Peeled 1 Cup Green Grapes 1 Inch Fresh Ginger 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm - More Green Juice Ingredients 2 Celery sticks 1 Cucumber 3 Leaves Kale 1 Cup Parsley 1 Green Apple 1 Inch Fresh Ginger 1 Peeled Lemon 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm - Drink Herbal Tea and Water 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm - Happy Hour Seasonal Shift Juice Ingredients 2 Cups Butternut Squash 2 Apples or Pears Dash of Cinnamon and Nutmeg This juice is wonderful served warm 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm - Vegetable Stock Use trimmings from veggies and boil in 3 cups of water for mineral broth to sip on 8:00 pm – 9:00 pm - Herbal Tea, Warm Almond Milk with Cardamom, or Water 9:00 pm – 10:00 pm - Gentle Stretching, 20 Squats, Focused Breathing. Brush Teeth, Floss and Oil Pull for 10 to 15 minutes, Shut Down ALL Electronic Devices, Journal or Read. 10:00 – 11:00 - Bedtime GIVE THANKS FOR EVERYTHING THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED.
0 Comments
Ojas is a Sanskrit word in Ayurveda which means the state of one’s immune system. Your physical health is a product of ojas.
Ojas permeates the whole body and is infused with life force and radiance. It creates stability in the heart and the brain which allows for calm and poise in an individual. A person with strong ojas is resistant to disease. Ojas gives lustre and strength to the body. It is shiny, sweet, and slightly yellow in color. Now more than ever we need to be responsible for maintaining our own healthy immune systems. In this article I will offer techniques to build Ojas by using its beautiful essence of yellow color in your life. Below is a list of several foods with deep yellow colors that contain phytonutrients. These are essential to keeping the plant alive by protecting from insects, fungi, and the sun. Ghee (Clarified butter), revered as one of the most precious oils in Ayurveda, a tonic slightly golden yellow in color it is known to help build ojas with healthy fats in the form of omega-3’s or 6’s, it is lactose free and helps keep our joints lubricated, skin and hair lustrous, insulate our bodies, provide protection for our internal organs, power our brains, lower cholesterol and prevent acute and chronic disease. Yellow Squash Loaded with vitamin A, B6, C, folate, magnesium, riboflavin, potassium it has ample amounts of calcium, iron, and beta-carotene. Yellow Peppers During summer when the body loses water and vital electrolytes through sweating these are an excellent way to hydrate. This sweet pepper is drenched in vitamin C. Yellow Bananas Botanically considered a berry. Bananas are a rich source of carbs, high in fiber and starchy pectin which makes it great for cultivating gut health. Be careful not to eat too much as banana’s are high in fructose and therefore high in calories. Lemons Give flavor to baked goods, sauces, salad dressings, marinades, drinks, and desserts with lemons. They are also a good source of Vitamin C which is essential for health. The early explorers knew this and took lemons on their long voyages to help prevent or treat scurvy, a life-threatening condition that was common among sailors. Yellow Dandelion These flowers are more than a stubborn weed that grows in your yard. This blood purifier is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. The flower itself opens with the morning sun and closes in the afternoon. The dandelion flower is full of polyphenols which are micronutrients that improve or help treat digestion issues, weight management difficulties, diabetes, neurodegenerative disease, and cardiovascular diseases. Put a few flowers in hot water with golden honey for a healthy blood tonic. Golden Milk This blend of turmeric, honey, ghee, cinnamon, and warm milk (vegans can use almond milk) strengthens the immune system by reducing inflammation, preventing cell damage, improving mood, supporting brain function, and preventing heart disease. It also reduces the risk of cancer and lowers blood sugar levels. Another way to boost Ojas is to strengthen your 3rd chakra. Chakra means wheel in Sanskrit. This wheel can spin at a rate that is harmonious with the health (ojas) of a person or it can spin out of control wreaking havoc on the body. Strengthening can be done with yellow sapphire, gold jewelry and pastel yellow clothing or gaze upon a yellow flame for meditation. The 3rd chakra is where we draw our will-force from and is considered our power center. It also harbors the health and strength of our pancreas, liver, gallbladder, and small intestine. Our power center dictates our mood, our self-esteem our self-discipline and our instinct. It also is what gives warmth to our personality. Lastly, I want to impress the importance of yellow Sunshine. When natural sunlight hits the skin, it triggers the body's production of vitamin D aka the “Sunshine Vitamin”. It is a crucial ingredient for overall health; protects against inflammation, lowers high blood pressure, helps muscles, improves brain function. Sunshine reduces depression by increasing serotonin and bathing in the sun in the morning hours is best. There is so much more to share about yellow, gold, and ojas. For now, my hope is to strike your curiosity about what it means to have a strong immune system and that every time you reach for yellow or gold your intention is strength, stability and Ojas. The point is we must seek to be aware of the strength of our immune system. You can bet that if your angry, tired, malnourished, dehydrated, feel anxious and unloved your immune system is low. On the flip side if you feel joyous and grateful, shiny, and bright with stamina, calm, radiance, and light you are blessed with health and a strong immune system. Blessings on your yellow journey!
Late fall to early winter is considered Vata Season according to Ayurveda and is dominated by subtle environmental qualities; dry, wind, varying temperatures, daylight savings, both subtle and sharp. Vata dosha represents the elements of air and ether and is most associated with cold and light attributes.
Ayurveda practices the art of balancing pairs of opposites. If you can get with the concept that cold needs warm, light needs heavy, sweet needs bitter, rough needs smooth etc. you can begin to understand the mindset of the practitioner. These opposites require a delicate balancing act between the mind/body and spirit not to mention seasonal shifts, cultural expectations, and, in the USA it is the season of voting! The primary focus of Ayurvedic living is to promote good health by virtue of living with the innate wisdom of nature. Modern life makes it more and more difficult to honor the changes of the seasons. It is up to us to create daily practices for connection, harmony and balance during Vata season. Here are some easy tools to stay on track. Ayur = Life Veda = Science Ayurveda is one of the world's oldest holistic healing systems that was developed thousands of years ago in India.
It is based on the belief that health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between the mind, body, and spirit. Nothing is excluded as we are intricately woven by our ancestors, our environment, our senses and our actions. Our unique body/mind type is an expression of the spirit that lives within. The primary focus of Ayurvedic living is to promote good health, rather than fight disease. If dis-ease is present there are many treatments and recommendations that can assist the body’s innate wisdom for healing naturally. The emphasis is on the effects of the micro/macro cosmos. The whole person is in relationship with everything around and in it. In Ayurveda everything is universally connected. Good health is achieved when your mind, body, and spirit are in harmony with all that is around you and in you. A disturbance in this harmony can lead to poor health and sickness. Ayurvedic principles explain what affects the physical, spiritual, or emotional well-being of a person. Some things that can cause imbalance are: * injuries and loss * climate and seasonal changes * age * emotions * genetic or birth defects * eating habits |
AuthorKaren Barbarick-Collins is a Certified Ayurvedic Technician and Wellness Coach as well as a Registered Yoga Alliance Teacher. She is the founder of Bending Blade Healing Arts. Archives
October 2020
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed
|
Sign Up for Health Tips
For Email Newsletters you can trust. |
LocationFairfield CA
|
Telephone530-305-7337
|
|
Copyright 2017-2020 by Bending Blade Healing Arts. No part of this website may be reproduced without explicit written consent by owner Karen Barbarick-Collins. Blog posts are original articles by the authors mentioned.