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26 Minutes to Greater Well Being

Are you finding yourself spread thin this time of year? Working all day then off to the office holiday party at night? A Saturday full of errands and shopping then headed to a cocktail party with your friends? PAUSE! In the late afternoon take a 26 minute nap. If you can’t fall asleep it’s fine, treat it like Savasana. Studies show that a 26 minutes nap each day is the perfect amount of time recharge, rejuvenate, and revitalize your body. More than that can make you sluggish, less might not give your body the time to restore enough to get the boost you need. Make this a daily habit to reduce fatigue and stress and watch your productivity, alertness, mood, and even your health improve.

Clear the Clutter!

As human beings we tend to accumulate stuff! If you have things around you don’t use they represent stagnant energy, even the stuff you have forgotten about in the garage or storage. Energy likes to move. When you clear out your space not only does it feel good and make things lighter but when you give what you are not using to someone who will use it you are in the flow of abundance. Go through your things and clear the clutter. Decide what truly has meaning and value to you, keep what you use and need and get rid of the rest. Offer items you don’t use to local non-profits and charities. Many make it easy for you by offering curbside pick up. Warm Coats Warm Hearts sponsored by Burlington Coat Factory Drop off your old coats at: 899 Howard Street San Francisco, CA 94103 or click here to […]

Food For Your Soul

Kitchari is a one pot Indian stew. It is often used in Ayurveda for cleansing and bringing the body back into balance. It is warm, grounding and good for digestion. There are numerous recipes for Kitchari, you can add or delete ingredients as you prefer. Enjoy! 3/4 cup basmati rice, washed 3/4 cup split mung beans or red lentils or yellow mung dal – washed 8 cups water or vegetable broth or a combination 1 Tbsp ghee* 1 tsp cumin seeds ____________ 2 Tbsp ghee* 1 tsp each – ground turmeric, cumin, coriander, mustard seeds, and sea salt 1/2 tsp each hing (asafoetida), cayenne pepper, (cardamom, cinnamon, pepper and cloves can all be added too!) 2 Tbsp fresh grated ginger 1/2 onion, chopped small 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups fresh chopped vegetables (carrots, zucchini, celery, green beans, tomatoes …) 2 cups fresh chopped greens (spinach, kale, chard…) Optional garnishes – […]

Swish

Oil Pulling is an Ayurvedic process that pulls toxins from the body and has numerous health benefits. • First thing in the morning before eating or drinking anything, including water, put about a teaspoon of oil in your mouth. Coconut, sesame, sunflower or olive oil are all great options. • Swish the oil around in your mouth and through your teeth for 5 minutes. You do not have to swish vigorously, relax your jaw and let the movement be natural. Do not swallow the oil! • It might take some time to get used to doing this for so long. You can also start with less oil in the beginning and/or less time – work your way up. It’s normal to want to gag, you have a mouth full of toxins! Remember to breathe through your nose it helps. • Brush your teeth immediately. Some Ayurvedic practitioners suggest rinsing with […]

12 Minutes to Calm, Ground and Energize!

Maintaining balance means to do the things you need for your own self care. That means your yoga practice! This month in my classes you can count on working in ways that foster balance. If you don’t have time to make it to class, here is a short sequence to help you de-stress and recharge. 1. Adho Mukha Svanasana – Downward Facing Dog – 1 minute – photo 2. Uttanasana – Standing Forward Bend – 1 minute – photo 3. Prasarita Padottanasna – Wide Legged Forward Bend – 1 minute – photo 4. Iguana Lunge – 1 minute each side – low lunge with forearms on the floor inside the front leg 5. Handstand at the wall – 1 minute 6. Balasana – Child’s Pose – 1 minute 7. Savasana – 5 minutes You can make this sequence slightly longer by repeating the first 3 postures after number 4. If […]