Amalaki (Amla) or Indian Gooseberry is a great natural source of vitamin C and one of the 3 fruits used to produce the highly revered ‘triphala’ formulation. Amla helps to manage excess pitta in the body, supporting the natural functions of the liver and the immune system
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Amla oil or churna made into a hair pack is especially good at alleviating hair loss and early greyness. It is a renowned rejuvenative and adaptogen for slowing age (vayahsthapana), increasing virility, promoting immunity and inducing balanced health (satmikarana).
'When ojas is low the person is fearful, weak, worried, has deranged senses, poor complexion, weak mind, is rough and thin’ (Caraka Samhita Sutrasthana 17.73). However, a person with healthy ojas is calm, content & peaceful within, has strong immunity, digestion, potent fertility and endurance. There is a sparkle in the eye and a special ‘glow’ around them.
Read MoreWhen discussing wellness habits and routines, you might often have heard of this suggestion to wake up peacefully, without checking phones, socials, emails, calendars. Quite often a part of the 'programming' in modern life will be to reach for a device, sometimes with eyes still half closed. Without giving our psyche, energy, minds, selves a chance to recalibrate to the waking state from the dream state.
We might carry on then, overtly or subtly impacted by what we see - the ticking over our to-do lists of having to be somewhere, do the next thing; the inward groan or twinge of being reminded of something you'd rather forget... the list is endless!
Read MoreBehind the scenes at our Ghee and Paneer workshop in Melbourne city last evening, against a backdrop of the iconic Flinders Street Station Building 🌟
Read MoreSnapshots of our Spring Wellness Day 2019!
This day was designed to coincide with the Spring Equinox (today!) and provided a space to experience the cleansing and pausing between seasons preceding a Spring routine
We started with stimulating the thymus for immunity and then practiced invigorating and flowing asana (including lots of khatu pranam from the Yoga in Daily Life System) and pranayama, followed by a yummy, nourishing Spring friendly lunch and bliss balls for snacks, magnesium foot soaks and cleansing golden turmeric teas, healing massages, time for reflection and an uplifting yoga nidra
At various points in our lives we are all faced with moments of uncertainty. Here, we often fret, fight, resist, panic, lose our power in the battle for control and guarantees. Most of us can relate to one or all of these sentiments… I want this new possession / status / growth. I need this idea to work faster. I wish he / she / they would (…your intent goes here). I want this cycle to end.
The truth is that trying to deny or fight the reality of a situation is like fighting a rip tide. The harder you push the more it resists, and the more agitated you get. There are the rare few that seem to have life come easy, seem to be ok with anything, and are rewarded with the sweetness of their desires coming true. What are they doing differently?
Learning to read and align with the reality of your circumstance, understanding yourself and the web of universal timing using pausing and reflection can help you find not just the sweet spot but also help you ride life in a way that opens up a universe of possibilities so that the world really does become your oyster with or without your need/wish/desire going the way you initially expected.
Here are a few guidelines that may help…
Read MoreWe had a lovely little session exploring the link between kindness, mindfulness and well-being in the CBD last evening for this group of busy wellness seekers
Lots of practical breathing and meditation techniques and exploring anecdotes of how we can bring about a more healthy inner dialog through practice of ahimsa and mindful release of tension. Everyone left feeling light, clear and calm. Bliss!
Read MoreThe way we breathe is strongly linked to the way we feel. When relaxed, we breathe slowly, and when anxious we breathe more quickly.
When we inhale we take in oxygen (O2), creating a waste product carbon dioxide (CO2) when we breathe out. With relaxed breathing, the levels of O2 and CO2 we produce are balanced, allowing us to function efficiently. Exercise too leads to an increase in breathing rate to take in more O2 to fuel the muscles, thereby producing more CO2 being expelled, and the O2/CO2 levels are balanced. However, when we are anxious our breathing rate increases and this same process applies but our bodies are not working any harder ie we are not necessarily exercising and not using up any extra O2 and thus the CO2 level in blood concentration drops, creating a state of alkalosis. This is why we feel light-headed, tingly, clammy and sweaty.
We've had a number of chats about back, neck & shoulder aches and pains with clients in the last few weeks. Aside from being due to a specific injury, this may be due to an accumulation of tension in the area over time, stemming from poor posture. This includes how we sit, stand, sleep and carry our frames in general.
During colder months in particular, posture is impacted by us tightening up and contracting muscles to protect it from cold. The next time you are walking outside, pay attention to your shoulders and back. Many of us move the shoulders up towards the ears, ‘balling up’ and pulling inwards. This moves our upper body and neck area out of alignment leading to back and neck pains over time.