PAST EVENTS

Sneha is a Sanskrit word for oil, but it also means love.

As an ancient medical system, Ayurveda celebrates oil as love and enthusiastically recommends oiling our bodacious bodies as a commitment to our self-care and a valid expression of self-love.

Anytime oil is applied to the body or taken internally, the body feels the physical manifestation of love, which is the essence of genuinely caring for one's vessel.

The qualities of oil are grounding, healing, and nourishing. In addition, oil provides a sense of safety and protection, like a mother's love.

Oil also imbues the body with a sense of groundedness by pacifying Vata dosha and supporting our bodies' earth and water elements. Vata, comprised of space and ether, can cause a feeling of restlessness, anxiety, ungroundedness, poor memory, and fear when out of balance. Sound familiar?

Oil massage, known as Abhyanga, is an excellent way to relieve exhaustion, stress, increase flexibility, and restore balance. Coupled with its unparalleled ability to calm the nervous system is the benefit of strengthened ojas - the nectar of our immunity and vital power.

The great Ayurveda teacher Charaka makes a case for daily abhyanga: "The body of one who uses oil massage regularly does not become affected much, even if subjected to accidental injuries or strenuous work. By using oil massage daily, a person is endowed with pleasant touch, trimmed body parts, and becomes strong, charming and least affected by old age."

If there is no time for a daily oil massage, the classic texts say that one should at least apply oil to the soles of the feet and the scalp. This is a faster way to show the body you care and seal in some of the love that oil has to offer. With the changing of seasons and natural increase of Vata at this transitional time, remember that oil is here to support you lovingly.

May you stay strong, charming, and least affected by old age.

Come and learn how to perform abhyanga oil massage, the benefits, contraindications, and which oils to use when.

Join us for a beautiful bedtime story - The Healing Power of Deep Sleep, according to the ancient science of Ayurveda.

"Our quota of happiness and unhappiness, nourishment and emaciation, strength and debility, sexual power and impotence, knowledge and ignorance, and in fact, life and death, are all dependent on sleep itself."
-Charaka Samhita, Sutrasthanam - 21, 36.

According to Ayurveda, the Three Pillars of Life are food, sleep, and sex. Proper eating, sleeping, and use of our sexual energy are considered essential building blocks for vitality and vibrancy in our life. By working to find balance in these areas, the body and mind can experience a superior state of health and well-being.

The early morning is light, new, sharp, and vivid—an opportunity to focus our attention on our love for divine nature and actively create each new day before us. And in contrast, the night is dark and deep, a time of healing and transformation.

The body utilizes sleep as an opportunity to use its energy for healing and repair. A good night's sleep will simplify your life, help you to harmonize your circadian rhythms, and provide energy and enthusiasm on levels that affect your innermost essence.

Just as it is essential to have a consistent and healthy routine for the daytime, dinacharya, it is equally as vital for you to have a soothing nighttime routine to wind down and de-stress each evening before bed.

Ayurveda provides us with the tools to prepare ourselves for better-quality rest, deep energy, and a more easeful state of mind. Building up a reservoir of rest, energy, and ease is a formula for a nourishing, vivacious, and inspired life.

Let’s dive into the fire 🔥 of Pitta Dosha. In Sanskrit the term Pitta पित्त comes from the word tapa, meaning heat or concentration. Ultimately it is the responsibility of Pitta to transform our food into pure consciousness. Pitta also gives us the drive and desire for personal growth. In human beings, Pitta’s primary responsibility is to coordinate digestion and healthy body temperature.

When the weather is hot and humid, Pitta is dominant in the environment. During the particularly hot seasons of summer, Pitta is high, as it is in our adult years when we are responsible for making our mark on the world.

With our cultures emphasis on success and accomplishment, Pitta elevation can easily occur and then signs of heat emerge: anger, irritation, annoyance, rage, and a shorter fuse than usual, diarrhea, fever, inflammation, irritation, hot flashes, and rashes.

What causes Pitta dosha to get elevated?
According to the law of “like increases like,” exposure to Pitta’s qualities will cause Pitta to go up. Watch out for hot weather, spicy meals and competition!

Come learn how to best work with your unique fire in this fascinating free class.

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The word dosha refers to an organizing principle or pattern in nature. The ancient teachers of Ayurveda noticed that certain constellations of qualities show up in nature together and move in predictable ways with predictable outcomes. They observed three primary forces in the world, and they correspond to the major elements.

A foundational concept of Ayurveda with no parallel in Western science is the theory of the tridosha. Since there is no parallel in English, we still use the Sanskrit terms for these 3 organizing principles: Vāta, Pitta and Kapha.

The 6 tastes are: Sweet, Sour, Salty, Pungent (spicy), Bitter, Astringent.

The word for taste in Sanskrit is rasa and it means our lifeblood, our essence. Ra means ‘to relish, praise or taste;’ sa means ‘juice, sap or secretion.” Rasa is the taste associated with secretions in the mouth.

The moment the food reaches our mouth, the first thing that we experience is taste. But did you know that taste also has a vital connection to the digestion process of whatever we eat? Each taste possesses a different property and renders additional benefits to the body. A balance or a mix of the 6 tastes is necessary for a well-adjusted life.

• The sweet taste consists of the Earth + Water elements and acts on the Thyroid + Lungs. The psychology of the sweet taste is connected to satisfaction and complacency.
• The salty taste consists of the Water + Fire elements and acts on the Kidneys. The psychology of the salty taste is connected to our appetite for life and overindulgence in life’s pleasures. 
• The sour taste consists of the Earth + Fire elements and acts on the Lungs. The psychology of the sour taste is connected to discernment and envy.
• The pungent taste consists of the Air + Fire elements and acts on the Stomach + Heart. The psychology of the pungent taste is connected to excitement, activity, impatience, and anger. 
• The bitter taste consists of the Air + Ether elements and acts of the Pancreas + Liver + Spleen. The psychology of the bitter taste is connected to desire for change, dissatisfaction, resentment, and grief.
• The astringent taste consists of the Air + Earth elements and acts on the Colon. The psychology of the astringent taste is connected to introspection and insecurity.

Come and join us for a class on the 6 tastes of ayurveda and learn how to incorporate different foods into your daily meal so you can heal from the inside out!

With spring on the horizon, we need to get to know Kapha dosha - because according to Ayurveda, springtime is Kapha.

Kapha refers to the elemental qualities of water and earth. The heaviest dosha, Kapha is present in stability and structure – the form of a boulder, or the stillness of sleep. Kapha also governs lubrication, both the moisture in the atmosphere and the moisture in the body.

As we transition into a new season, the sun is shining, and the cold is beginning to melt away, we must remember that our daily practices should also reflect nature’s transformation.  With the blossoming of spring and the natural increase of kapha dosha, we must incorporate more movement and lightness into our daily habits.

Spring is also the time of year for congestion, allergies, and detoxification.  Not surprisingly, all of these factors carry a strong Kapha component.  Therefore, by practicing Kapha-reducing practices, we will simultaneously be clearing away congestion, alleviating allergies and detoxifying our system.

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The word dosha refers to an organizing principle or pattern in nature. The ancient teachers of Ayurveda noticed that certain constellations of qualities show up in nature together and move in predictable ways with predictable outcomes. They observed three primary forces in the world, and they correspond to the major elements.

A foundational concept of Ayurveda with no parallel in Western science is the theory of the tridosha. Since there is no parallel in English, we still use the Sanskrit terms for these 3 organizing principles: Vāta, Pitta and Kapha.

This class will give an overview of daily Ayurveda ritual from the Vedic perspective. Come learn to greet the day with sacred awareness of the five elements, deepen your gratitude for life, and connect to the fundamental expression of your health and well-being.

By developing practices that align our daily behaviors to seasonal rhythms and the cycles of Vata- Pitta - Kapha, we can come into greater alignment with nature to improve our health.

For example, it is good to know that the early morning hours, governed by Vata dosha (space & air), are especially fruitful for grounding our energy and setting our intentions for the entire day.

Ayurveda lifestyle wisdom embodies an entire life journey of healthy and delightful living. This ancient science holds a fundamental understanding that the macrocosm - the cosmic universe is reflected in our inner world - the microcosm. In other words, “as above, so below” with no separation between us and nature.

This union is made possible through the five great elements of space, air, fire, water, and earth - considered the building blocks of body, mind and the phenomenal world surrounding us.

"Without proper nutrition, medicine is of little use… With proper nutrition, medicine is of little need."

-CHARAKA SAMHITA, ancient classical Ayurveda text.

Ayurveda lifestyle wisdom understands food as medicine and considers perfect health svastha, to include the balance of the mind, body, and consciousness. A lifestyle journey to be taken up mindfully, daily. A path to healing.

And we must ask the question: Is “healthy food” healthy for YOU?

So many people are trying to eat healthily, but what does that mean?

The culinary art of Ayurveda is more than just what you whip up in the kitchen – it is a whole way of life—preparing fresh food for yourself and your family, eating in seasonal rhythm, and enjoying consistent mealtimes.

Ayurveda emphasizes the importance of food because of this inseparable relationship humans have with nature and the innate transformative capacity of our bodies to utilize food as medicine. Whether a simple bowl of oatmeal or a gourmet meal - food is connected to the vital energy of nature's intelligence, the creation that makes up all of life.

Food shapes and shifts the mind, influencing our ability to think and to conceptualize. Food affects our deepest emotions. When we ingest food that is truly nourishing our entire organism benefits: the digestive system is healthy, the mind is calm, the organs well maintained, the tissues nourished, and the heart and spirit are happy.

So, let's start with the basics. Come and learn 9 simple Ayurveda guidelines for eating - applicable to everybody of all ages and all levels of health.

Ayurveda is here to remind us that spirit has our back, so let's learn to eat outside the box!

According to Ayurveda, the practice of GRATITUDE is the key to discovering GRACE. 

Gratitude can warm our hearts and link us to the experience of oneness, love and expansion. We can see the world through the lens of what is right with the world, which brings joy, inspiration and lightness to our hearts.

The vibration of love and wishing well that comes with gratitude can benefit others around us. When we are more peaceful we can bring this feeling to others, radiating goodness into our world.

Research has shown that people who feel grateful are more optimistic and joyful, and experience life with deeper satisfaction. Let’s explore your relationship with gratitude, what gets in the way, and bring more of this quality of spirit into your life.

Mahalo Chant
 
Thank you Divine Spirit.
Thank you for all things.
Thank you for the Elders.
Thank you for the Teachers.
Thank you for the Students.
Thank you for this Work.
Thank you Indeed.

* Mahalo - Hawaiian for "Thank you"

Take a moment and consider just how BRILLIANT and hardworking your body is. Not to mention the daily stressors of environmental toxins, processed foods, unresolved emotions, and psychological stress that the body is asked to “digest.”

You can imagine how grateful your body will feel after giving yourself a short break to minimize the variety and complexity of life and allow the system to repair and recuperate.

Join me in this free offering and come learn the benefits and what to expect from the 4 phases of a traditional Ayurveda cleanse.

Living in harmony with nature is the essential teaching of Ayurveda. By living in connection with the ebb and flow of nature’s cycles, you can live a balanced and healthy life.

The fall season symbolizes transition in our environment and is considered one of the best times to do a cleanse. So let’s use the opportunity to do what we can to increase our energy, improve our strength, and boost our immunity.
Ayurveda is the leader in detoxification. This ancient wisdom understands seasonal cleansing to be the key ingredient on the path of health and vibrancy.

This science has a well-developed, time-tested, safe, and effective process for cleansing the body and strengthening the digestive pathways—the process is done to optimize your natural ability to detoxify the body in your day-to-day life. Because hey, let’s face it, we live in a toxic world. And we need all the extra support we can get to remain physically healthy and mentally focused.

Want to know more? Consider joining me for the Fall Digestive Reset - a wonderful two-week home program designed to reset the body’s natural detox and digestive functions by supporting gentle detoxification buoyed by a group of like-minded friends and me - Emily, your personal Ayurveda Practitioner. 

And for those who are already a yes, in this free class we will also discuss some essential pre-cleanse steps you can take to set yourself up for a easeful Fall Digestive Reset.

Take a moment and consider just how BRILLIANT and hardworking your body is. Not to mention the daily stressors of environmental toxins, processed foods, unresolved emotions, and psychological stress that the body is asked to “digest.”

You can imagine how grateful your body will feel after giving yourself a short break to minimize the variety and complexity of life and allow the system to repair and recuperate.

Join me in this free offering and come learn the benefits and what to expect from the 4 phases of a traditional Ayurveda cleanse.

Living in harmony with nature is the essential teaching of Ayurveda. By living in connection with the ebb and flow of nature’s cycles, you can live a balanced and healthy life.

The spring season symbolizes transition in our environment and is considered one of the best times to do a cleanse. So let’s use the opportunity to do what we can to increase our energy, improve our strength, and boost our immunity.

Ayurveda is the leader in detoxification. This ancient wisdom understands seasonal cleansing to be the key ingredient on the path of health and vibrancy.

This science has a well-developed, time-tested, safe, and effective process for cleansing the body and strengthening the digestive pathways—the process is done to optimize your natural ability to detoxify the body in your day-to-day life. Because hey, let’s face it, we live in a toxic world. And we need all the extra support we can get to remain physically healthy and mentally focused.

Want to know more? Consider joining me for the Spring Digestive Reset - a wonderful two-week home program designed to reset the body’s natural detox and digestive functions by supporting gentle detoxification buoyed by a group of like-minded friends and me - Emily, your personal Ayurveda Practitioner.

And for those who are already a yes, in this free class we will also discuss some essential pre-cleanse steps you can take to set yourself up for a easeful Spring Digestive Reset.