The Impact of Sleep on Health

We still probably don’t fully understand all the reasons why we sleep, as well as the benefits of good sleep. However, if you have ever suffered from insomnia or various forms of disturbed or disrupted sleep, you may be aware of how detrimental the effects of a lack of good sleep can be.

The effects of adequate, good-quality sleep are profound. Sleep scientists suggest 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Also, those who get 6 or fewer hours per night may be at increased risk for stroke, cognitive decline, diabetes, and heart disease (1). Also, here are some of the perks of good sleep (2):

• Sleep has a positive impact on appetite regulation and weight
• Improved cognitive function—those who get adequate, good sleep tend to do better on cognitive tasks and tests.
• Sleep helps with memory, and helps us prune out information that we don’t need.
• Sleep allows our bodies to repair from wear, tear, and damage.
• Sleep disturbances can contribute to emotional imbalances and a higher likelihood of mishaps and accidents.

Practical Steps: Ayurvedic Tips for Good Sleep

Now that you are convinced of the value of good sleep, let’s look at some practical Ayurvedic tips for good sleep. Here are a handful to get you started.

1. Dim the lights. Bright lights, particularly the blue light emitted from phones, computers, and televisions, inhibit melatonin production. Dim the lights before bedtime and avoid the use of electronics close to bedtime.
2. Avoid eating before bedtime. This is an important Ayurvedic tip for good sleep. This tip for good sleep impacts sleep quality and liver function. You want your body to be able to focus on rejuvenation and waste cleanup at night, not digestion. Try to eat your last meal of the day 3-4 hours before you go to bed.
3. Incorporate grounding, and soothing routines. It may take time for your nervous system to wind down so that you can sink into sleep. Practices such as taking a warm bath, practicing some calming yoga postures, or reading a book (an actual book, not on a screen!) may help you slowly ease into dreamland. Also, try this Ayurvedic tip for good sleep: massage your feet with gently warmed oil, such as ghee or sesame oil. You can even add a drop of a calming essential oil such as lavender.
4. Lastly, we tend to sleep better in slightly cooler temperatures. Many experts suggest a room temperature of 60-67 F for ideal sleep (3). So, you may want to adjust your climate controls accordingly.

Sleep is Foundational

In conclusion, good sleep is foundational. It is one of the three pillars of life. We hope that these Ayurvedic tips for good sleep help you get a better night’s rest for a better day!

References

Harvard Health. (2020). In search of sleep. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/womens-health/in-search-of-sleep

(2) Rao, R. Good living practices. KaivalyaWellness.com

(3) Sleep Foundation. The best temperature for sleep: Advice & Tips. Retrieved from https://www.sleepfoundation.org/bedroom-environment/best-temperature-for-sleep

Greta Kent-Stoll is a Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner (NAMA), as well as a writer, editor, and Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher. Her Ayurveda practice is based in Asheville, North Carolina and she is the co-owner of Iyengar Yoga Asheville.

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Agni: Digestive Fire, and How to Tend It

To understand the foods, fluids, and practices that support healthy digestive fire, it is helpful to return to the principles of agni. Agni is your digestive fire. Like a well-tended campfire, you want to keep your agni burning steady and bright, but not too hot. If you think about food as fuel and your agni as your digestive fire, you want your agni to cleanly burn the fuel that you provide it.

In general, substances that are warming and light assist agni. Also, you need just the right about of liquid and oils for strong agni. Drinking large amounts of water, especially cold or ice water, dampens agni. It’s like putting out the fire. On the other hand, sipping on small amounts of warm or hot water helps stimulate agni. So, what about additions to your warm water, like ghee with your warm water in the morning?

Ghee: Agni Booster

A teaspoon of ghee added to your warm water or tea is a nice way to boost digestive fire and also add some lubrication to your entire system. Just the right amount of good quality oils boost agni, and ghee or Ghruta in particular is known for its ability to bolster digestion.

Also, perhaps unknowingly, many of us experience dryness and dehydration on some level. If you experience dry skin, eyes, hair, or brittle nails, it may be that your fluids are a little low. Increasing water intake helps. However, your cells like fat! Sometimes the ticket may be increasing the intake of good quality oils, such as ghee and ghruta.

Lastly, Ayurveda teaches that when ghee is taken in warm water on an empty stomach, it helps pull toxins from the deeper tissues back into the digestive tract. When the ama, or toxins, return to the digestive tract, they can then be effectively eliminated.

Ghee in Your Morning Warm Water

So, how to do it? Simply boil a cup (8-12 ounces) of water first thing in the morning, stir in a teaspoon of ghee or ghruta, and sip while warm. You can also add a pinch of ginger for a little flavor and an extra agni boost.

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Vata Dosha and the Ears

In Ayurveda, the ears are closely linked to ether and Vata dosha (1). All cavities are ruled by Vata dosha as Vata consists of ether and air. Hypersensitivity to sound, earaches, jaw tension, and hearing loss are typically caused by aggravated Vata dosha.

Also, remember that Vata dosha is characterized by coolness, lightness, roughness, and dryness. Therefore, oil in general is very beneficial for Vata dosha. It makes sense then to apply special oils, such as ghee in ears, to help pacify Vata dosha and Vata issues. This is especially important as we age and enter the Vata time of life.

Applying ghee in ears is also beneficial during the windier, colder months to protect us against the outdoor elements.

Ghee in Ears: How It’s Done

You may be wondering how to apply ghee in ears. If you have ever used oil in your nasal passages, the principle is quite similar. Like applying nasya oil, just a couple of drops of ear oil or ghee in ears is all that is needed for daily self-care.

Karna pratisaranam is the simple daily practice of oiling the ears (2). To do this, all you need to do is gently warm the ghee or oil so that it is slightly warm yet comfortable to the touch. Then, using a clean finger or a cotton swab, gently massage a drop or two of ghee or oil into the outer ear passages. This practice should feel pleasant. You can then massage your outer ears and jawline. The use of ear oil and ghee in ears can soothe jaw issues and jaw tension as well as ear issues.

Ghee For Daily Self-Care: Practical Tips

Ghee is ghee and the same ghee that you cook with is that which you use to oil your ears. However, since you will want to keep your ear oil clean, you may want to set some aside in a sterilized glass dropper bottle. This will make it easier to warm the oil you want to apply to your ears. Also, it will make the application process easier.

Ear Oiling: Daily Care and Therapeutic Usages

In this post we have described a simple practice of daily application of ghee in ears or ear oiling. In addition, there are deeper therapeutic practices of applying larger amounts of ghee or oil to the ears for specific reasons. However, it is a good idea to seek out the guidance of an Ayurvedic practitioner for this purpose. Here’s to your ears and the many usages of ghee!

References

(1) Frawley, D. (2000). Ayurvedic healing: A comprehensive guide. Lotus Press.

(2) Banyan Botanicals. (2021). Why you want to put oil in your ears every day. Retrieved from https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/info/blog-the-banyan-insight/details/ear-oil-feature/

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Benefits Of Ghee Massage

The benefits of applying cow ghee on feet you say? Yes, this may sound curious, especially to those who are new to Ayurveda. You may have tried sesame oil for massage, so why not ghee? Ghee is a high-quality, easily digested oil and it is tridoshic. As Ayurvedic practitioner, Selina Van Orden explains, “The benefits of ghee massage include nourishment of skin, cells, joints, muscles, nervous system and mind.”  When you rub and massage beneficial oils like ghee on your body, your skin, joints, and even nervous system receive the benefits.

Oil Massage For Vata Balance

All doshas can benefit from massage of some type. However, ghee oil massage is especially balancing for Vata dosha. Remember, Vata dosha is light, dry, and cool by nature. Therefore, oil (both internally and externally) is particularly helpful because oil adds moisture and heaviness. Some types of oil, such as sesame, are warming. Ghee, on the other hand, has a slightly cool nature, so it may be used for cooking and massage even during warmer months. However, don’t be mistaken, this wonderful oil is only mildly cool and good to use all year round.

Benefits Of Ghee Foot Massage

You may be convinced of the benefits of ghee and ghruta but still wonder about putting it on your feet. Self-massage is a wonderful way to show self-love, calm your nervous system, and ground Vata dosha in particular. You can also receive special abhyanga, or massage, treatments at Ayurvedic spas and clinics. However, self-massage with oil is something that you can treat yourself to daily.

Consider all that your feet do for you and how sensitive they are! Sciences such as reflexology exist for good reason—and footwear matters. I was once told by a physiology of dance teacher that everything that happens in the feet translates from a horizontal plane to a vertical plane in our bodies. Feet are significant! Your feet are remarkably dense when it comes to nerve endings, so massaging your feet, especially rubbing ghee on your feet, is a great way to soothe your nervous system.

In Ayurveda, there’s even a name for foot massage and it’s padabhyanga!

When To Massage Your Feet

In my humble opinion, there is no bad time of day to massage your feet! Classically, whole body abhyanga (self-massage with oil) is done in the morning. You can include your feet in your morning oil massage. Or, consider treating your hard-working feet to an oil massage in the evening for better sleep. Wash them well with a gentle soap, pat dry, and experience for yourself the benefits of applying cow ghee to your feet!

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Before we get into the specifics of cleaning and caring for the nasal passages, let’s step back for a moment and think about the big picture of seasonal allergies. When you have allergies, be they respiratory or digestive, essentially your body is saying “I can’t digest this!” There are many ways in which one can develop allergies—the etiology is beyond the scope of this article. However, as is with pretty much any imbalance, Ayurveda always looks at the state of digestion. So, if you experience respiratory discomfort and allergies, assessing what’s going on with your gut is always a great place to start.

Also, spring is Kapha season. So, your allergies particularly act up in spring, consider overall Kapha balancing diet and lifestyle practices. Similarly, if your allergies are worse in the fall, consider Vata-reducing foods and practices.

Rinsing with Water – Jal Neti

After taking into account the big picture of diet, lifestyle, and supportive herbs, you may be ready to try out some practices that target the nasal passages. Many people are familiar with nasal rinsing with a neti pot. This is called jal neti in Ayurveda, jal being water. This practice involves rinsing your nasal passages with warmed, purified saltwater. Just a touch of non-iodized salt is added to the water to match the salinity of your body.

Jal neti, or nasal rinsing, is a lovely practice that is beneficial for many. It helps rinse away allergens and excess mucous and can lead to feelings of greater ease and clarity—in your head as well as in your nose.

Ghee for the Nose: Sinus Support

However, sometimes our nasal passages also ask for lubrication and tonification. This is where applying special oils and ghee in the nose can have benefits.

It is important to distinguish between the pancha karma treatment nasya and the simple act of applying a drop or two of oil inside the nostrils. Naysa is a strong purification practice and should only be practiced or administered under the guidance of an Ayurvedic practitioner. On the other hand, one can reap benefits from simply applying a couple of drops of sesame oil, special herbal nasya oil, or ghee inside the nostrils.

Why ghee in the nose you may ask?! Apply a touch of nourishing, ojas-building ghee inside the nostrils provides lubrication and helps prevent allergens, dust, and pollens from sticking to the nasal passages and then going further into the respiratory tract. Also, cleansing and lubricating the nasal passages has a direct effect on prana vayu. Some Ayurvedic companies make special herbally-infused oils and ghee meant for application to the nostrils. If you are curious about ghee in nose for sinus support, you can start with plain ghee or ghruta or check out a specially-made nasal oil with a ghee base.

How to Apply Ghee to Your Nose for Sinus

To apply ghee to your nose, gently warm the ghee so that it melts slightly and is neutral or slightly warm to the touch. Be sure the ghee is warmed in a clean vessel so as to avoid contamination. Then simply dab a bit on your finger and apply to each nasal passage. You can do this simple practice on its own or after jal neti. For more information on experiencing the practice of nasya, seek out your local Ayurvedic practitioner or Ayurvedic clinic.

Greta Kent-Stoll is a Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner (NAMA), as well as a writer, editor, and Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher. Her Ayurveda practice is based in Asheville, North Carolina and she is the co-owner of Iyengar Yoga Asheville.

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Ayurveda, on the other hand, offers a different perspective on self-care. This ancient medicinal system recommends self-care in the form of daily practices that provide deep rejuvenation for your body, mind, and soul. Rejuvenation treatment in Ayurveda can start simply as improving your oral hygiene, eating a more nourishing diet, and focusing on tonifying herbal supplements, grounding yoga, and breathing. 

Types of Rejuvenation Treatments in Ayurveda

Below is a list of various rejuvenation treatments in Ayurveda. After reading, consider incorporating one or two practices that resonate with you and build from there. 

Self-Care Hygiene 

Rejuvenation treatment in Ayurveda is all about restoring the body’s vitality to its most total capacity. Intentional care and action to personal hygiene are necessary to build this vitality. We all know about brushing our teeth twice a day and flossing, but Ayurveda encourages you to take it further with a full dinacharya practice. A rejuvenating dinacharya typically consists of tongue cleaning, oil pulling, nasya, abhyanga, and dry brushing—these treatments aid in removing toxins from the body and provide nourishment to your system. 

• Tongue cleaning is one of Ayurveda’s most well-known practices. By practicing tongue cleaning in the morning before eating or drinking anything, you’re removing toxic buildup from your tongue and cleansing your digestive tract.
• Oil pulling removes toxins from your mouth and digestive tract. Oil pulling is highly rejuvenating and hydrating to the rasa dhatu or bodily fluids. 
• Nasya is the practice of applying medicated oil inside the nasal passageway. Nasya creates a protective barrier from outside pollutants, toxins, and irritants as well as calms the nervous system and moisturizes the sinuses. Practicing nasya rejuvenation treatment in Ayurveda will assist in deep sleep and clear mental fog.
• Abhyanga and all oil therapies are highly rejuvenating because oil is heavy, dense, and moist. These nourishing qualities help restore the body’s vitality, and that’s why abhyanga (self-oil massage) is soothing and a massive act of self-love.
• Dry brushing clears stagnant lymph and toxins from your body. It helps exfoliate dead skin cells, accelerate the release of toxins, and encourages cell renewal. Practice dry brush before abhyanga to feel its powerful effects. 

Rasayana Herbs

Rasayana herbs are an important part of rejuvenation treatment. Rasayana herbs are a specific class of herbs that provide impressive improvements in the areas of enhancing vitality, improving longevity, and warding off disease. Below are two of the most popular rasayana herbal blends:

• Chyawanprash is a powerful nutritive tonic in Ayurveda with a base of the superfruit amalaki. Providing 30+ herbs, Chyawanprash is full of antioxidants known to promote vitality and provide youthfulness and longevity. This nourishing jam consists of many rejuvenating herbs such as ashwagandha, shatavari, licorice, and long pepper fruit, which help boost and rejuvenate your immune system. Discover more about chyawanprash health benefits.
• Triphala is the combination of three ayurvedic superfruits, haritaki, amalaki, and bibhitaki, which provide the perfect balance to cleanse and nourish. Furthermore, this herbal medicine is influential in regulating bowel movements and removing waste and toxins, which is crucial in rejuvenation.

Morning & Evening Routines

Routines are vital in creating structure and stability in order to allow for rejuvenation. Thus, you can view routines as essential transitional periods for your day. A morning routine sets you up for success by connecting you inward and providing you with a healthy dose of self-care and self-love. An evening routine promotes quality rest and allows you to disconnect from the noise of the day and move into the ultimate time of rejuvenation: sleep. 

It’s essential to stay consistent with your routines. Consistency throughout your day and especially with your routines keeps you connected with nature’s cycles. 

Yoga & Pranayama

You can find daily rejuvenation treatment in Ayurveda in the practices of yoga and pranayama. While there are many different styles and techniques, rejuvenation will come from grounding, slow yoga, and balancing, soothing pranayama. To build ojas and reduce stress, add this yoga flow and pranayama breath to your morning routine for ultimate rejuvenation.

• Child’s pose
• Cat and cow pose
• Thread the needle
• Sleeping pigeon pose
• Supported bridge pose
• Supine bound angle pose (one hand on your heart and one hand on your belly)
• Supported seated forward fold
• Supine twist pose
• Legs up the wall

Take each of these postures slowly and hold for one minute. Focus on your breath, inhaling deeply, and exhaling deeply.

Follow your yoga practice with deep diaphragmatic breathing. Diaphragmatic breathing helps you use your diaphragm correctly to relax and restore the tissues of the body. Furthermore, shallow breathing limits the diaphragm’s range of motion and limits your lungs from getting full oxygen. That can make you feel shortened of breath, stressed, and anxious. 

To practice:

1. Sit comfortably with your spine tall and shoulder relaxed.
2. Place one hand on your chest and one hand on your lower belly, and then take a few regular rounds of breath
3. Intentionally deepening your breath, breathe slowly through your nose into your lower abdomen. Your stomach will move out against your hand. The hand on your chest should remain as still as possible.
4. Exhale through pursed lips letting your hand and stomach fall back to the centerline of your body. Tighten your stomach muscles, continuing to exhale out all of your air.
5. Repeat slowly and intentionally. Allow the worries of your mind to melt away with every exhale out.

Discover more pranayama exercises to add to your yoga practices.

Rejuvenating Diet

Diet is an important factor when considering rejuvenation treatment and can be a valuable tool to utilize daily. First, it is crucial to understand and learn the ayurvedic 6-tastes. Once familiarizing yourself with the 6-tastes in Ayurveda, you can focus on incorporating more nourishing foods. Ayurveda suggests consuming more dates, sweet potato, rice, almonds, ghee, whole grains, root vegetables, bananas, and figs for daily rejuvenation treatment. Furthermore, consider adding chyawanprash to your diet for ultimate rejuvenation. 

Lastly, for deep rejuvenation treatment in ayurveda, consider panchakarma or a 7-day ayurvedic cleanse.

Clare Michalik, Ayurvedic Practitioner

@clareminded

The post Rejuvenation Treatment In Ayurveda for Optimal Health appeared first on PIOR Living.

As this timeless medicinal system is becoming popularized in the West, more and more people are looking to purchase ayurvedic products. Below you’ll find the most popular ayurvedic products and explanations for how to add them into your routine to live a more balanced, ayurvedic life. 

The 9 Most Popular Ayurvedic Products

Ayurveda has many products that are used in daily life. However, the items below are a great place to start if you’re looking to add a few ayurveda practices into your life without feeling overwhelmed. Perhaps you start with one or two of these products to slowly incorporate ayurveda into your daily routine. 

Copper water bottle

Copper is a well-known and renowned material in ayurveda for many reasons. For one, ayurveda believes that copper can balance all three doshas by positively charging the water. Storing water in a copper bottle also works as a purification process and helps balance pH in the body, aiding digestion, increasing longevity, and improving your immune system.

Tongue cleaner

If you’ve started your journey into ayurveda then you undoubtedly have come across the practice of tongue cleaning. Daily tongue cleaning is a traditional ayurvedic remedy that helps remove toxins from the tongue and mouth. This practice stimulates your taste buds and improves your digestive health.

Ghee (or Ghruta)

Ghee! Possibly one of the most popular ayurvedic products of all time, ghee is considered one of the most essential and versatile substances in all of ayurveda. It boosts the absorption of nutrients deep into the tissues, builds ojas (vitality), and is considered tridoshic.

Chyawanprash

The elixir of life! Chyawanprash is famous in ayurveda as one of the most recommended and widely used ayurvedic medicines, making it one of the most popular ayurvedic products to date. Chyawanprash is primarily used as a general health and wellness supplement that builds ojas and strengthens the immune system. It also works to clear the mind and increase optimal pranic flow through one’s system.

The magic behind chyawanprash lies in its unique combination of herbs and anupans, which help medicinal substances deeply penetrate the tissues of the body to aid in rejuvenation. Learn more about the chyawanprash recipe or try for yourself while saving 15% with code: yogisbreakfast

Triphala

Another popular and commonly used herbal supplement in ayurveda is triphala. Triphala is a combination of three ayurvedic superfruits – haritaki, bibhitaki, amalaki – that combine to create the perfect balance for all three doshas. This popular ayurvedic product has a prabhav or affinity towards detoxifying and nourishing the body at the same time. It is a natural laxative and can help cleanse the digestive tract.  

Dry brush

Dry brush, or Garshana (pronounced gar-shun-uh), is an ancient Sanskrit word that translates to ‘friction by rubbing. It is a popular ayurvedic product that stimulates the lymphatic system, draining the body’s stagnant lymph. Dry brushing helps refresh your skin, revitalize the mind, and cleanse and clear toxic buildup. It is the perfect companion during kapha season.

Silk gloves

Another one of the most famous ayurvedic products is silk gloves. This item is used from dry brushing as well; however, the silk gloves are more of a traditional method as it is gentler on the skin compared to brush bristles. Silk gloves are worn on your hands and create gentle friction on the skin to cleanse further, exfoliate the skin, and improve energy circulation. 

Oils

Oils like sesame oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil and almond oil, are revered in ayurveda because they provide nourishment internally and externally. If you’re looking to embrace more ayurvedic practices, getting a bottle of oil that is balancing to your dosha is a great place to start. Oils are recommended in ayurvedic daily routines for the practice of Abhyanga, oil pulling and nasya.

• Abhyanga is a traditional practice of self-massage with oil that nourishes the skin, balances the doshas and increases one’s vitality. Abhyanga oils may sometimes be infused with dosha-balancing herbs, which help amplify the power to the oil user.
• Oil pulling is a classic remedy to cleanse the mouth, which strengthens the overall health of one’s system. Similar to the abhyanga oil, herbs added to oil-pulling oil further boost the potency and power of the practice.
• Nasya is the practice of administering oil inside the nasal passageway, helping to clear prana, improve brain functioning, and calm anxiety. Nasya oil works further to target the nasal passageway for optimal health and care. 

Kitchari Spice Mix

If you’re familiar with ayurveda then you may have heard of kitchari at some point or another. The traditional recipe of kitchari is an easy-to-digest meal, making it ideal for ayurvedic cleanses. You may learn and try a simple kitchari recipe. However, many prefer to utilize a kitchari spice mix to cut down on the complexity of multiple herbs. When searching, be sure to look out for an organic product that is free of additives. 

In Conclusion

With the widespread practice of many ayurvedic healing and lifestyle techniques, the global market of ayurvedic products increases. While the list above is not exclusive, it does offer many of the most popular ayurvedic products on the market today. When considering what ayurvedic product may be best for you, consider your doshic constitution, imbalance, or the time of year. For example, a kapha imbalance would do best with a lymphatic massage through dry brushing. However, a vata imbalance would do better with an abhyanga oil for an abhyanga massage. 

Above all, be conscious of the brands you choose and the values and ethics they standby. Herbal supplements are not widely regulated, so aligning with a brand such as PIOR Living, you can trust the entire process from harvest to spoon is rooted in love.

Clare Michalik, Ayurvedic Practitioner

@clareminded

The post The 9 Most Popular Ayurvedic Products for Beginners appeared first on PIOR Living.

But meditation is not simply a means for enlightenment; more and more research studies attest to the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of this practice. One Harvard University study discovered that meditation can rebuild the gray matter of the brain. The brain’s gray matter is responsible for muscle control and sensory perception, such as seeing, hearing, memory, decision making, and self-control. It’s what helps us process information.

Meditation has also been linked to stress and anxiety reduction, better blood circulation, lower blood pressure, and more.

If you’re interested in learning more about meditation and its benefits, it’s important to understand the various meditation exercises and techniques associated with this ancient practice.

Meditation Exercises and Techniques

Breathing Meditation

There are many different types of breathing meditation exercises. A great one to start with is the relaxing breathing exercises (4-7-8-breathing). This technique will help bring deep relaxation. 

To practice:

1. Sit up tall with an elongated spine.
2. Begin to breathe in and out through your nose, matching the length of your inhales and exhales.
3. When you’re ready, begin to inhale for 4-seconds, hold your breath for 7-seconds, and then exhale for 8-seconds. 

Start with 3-rounds of these breathing technique before increasing to a longer time. This breath should help improve your focus and leave you feeling alert. 

Mantra

Mantras are a powerful tool to help concentrate the mind by repeating a particular word or phase of words. This word or phrase may be something that resonates with you. Perhaps it is something as simple as I am Love, or maybe a Sanskrit term from a yoga teacher like om namo guru dev namo, meaning I bow to all that is. Repeat your mantra with your eyes closed for however long you would like. 

To learn more, listen to Selina Van Orden discuss mantras.

Trataka – Candle Gazing

Candle gazing is a simple Ayurvedic practice known as Trataka. The traditional meditation practice of trataka uses a ghee candle, as the rich gold color offers supportive nourishment to the eyes; however, any candle may do. By gazing at a candle’s flame, you bring your attention to a specific focus, thus helping to quiet and clear the mind. 

To practice:

1. Find a quiet place to sit. Light a candle and turn the lights low or off. 
2. Sit up nice and tall with your shoulders relaxed.
3. Begin by closing your eyes and breathing in and out through your nose for 1 minute.
4. Then, gently open your eyes, and take your gaze to the lit candle flame, continue to breathe deeply.
5. Soften your gaze on the flame, allow a little flickering as the flame will move, but work to stay focused on the flame.
6. Try this for 3-5 minutes. 
7. After, close your eyes for 1 minute to close out before blowing out the flame and turning the lights back on.

Mala Beads

Counting mala beads is a lovely practice to bring clarity and focus. Counting mala beads slowly invites concentration to the quickened mind by giving a focused action to practice. You may move as slow as you wish to count the malas until the completion of the circle. Traditional malas have 108 beads, representing spiritual completion in the yogic tradition. You may recite your mantra while counting your mala beads or breathing deeply into your lower abdomen.   

Mindful Meditation

In mindfulness meditations, the intention is to pay attention to your thoughts as they move through your mind. Like watching clouds passing through the sky, mindful meditation help you become aware of your thoughts as they pass through. Without judgment or criticism, you become the observer of your thinking. 

To practice:

1. Sit with your spine tall. Take a few deep breaths in and out.
2. Close your eyes and tune inward. You may focus on your breath or your mantra. 
3. When you notice thoughts coming into your mind, pause, acknowledge the thought, let it go like a passing cloud, and then return to your breath or mantra. 
4. Repeat as often as thoughts come in.

This is one of the meditation exercises that will take continued practice, so do not be discouraged if thoughts continue to come in. Thoughts will always come, but with practice, we can become conditioned to acknowledge their presence and bring our attention back to our breath or mantra.

Visualization Meditation

Visualization meditations help bring us to a child-like state. It is a technique of forming pictures in your mind, intended to enhance feelings of relaxation, peace, and comfort. To practice, try this forest meditation.

Close your eyes and imagine yourself walking on a trail in the forest. Smell the fresh air around you from the environment. Feel the sun peeking through the tree branches, kissing your cheeks. Lean into the sticks and leaves beneath your bare feet as you walk along the trail. Perhaps you hear a bird singing off in the distance. As you continue to walk, notice how good you feel. Take a breath in and smell the plants around you. Maybe you stop and sit on a log nearby to take in your surroundings. 

Walking Meditation

A meditation exercise that is gentle and known to alleviate depression, increase blood flow, and improve sleep and overall well-being. Walking meditation is designed to bring the body and mind back into harmony. This type of meditation is practiced outside in nature, with an intense focus on each step taken. You can do this exercise to increase mindfulness. Start slowing, and perhaps barefoot, and intentionally walk in nature. Allow your mind to settle as you slowly move forward in peace.

Tai Chi and Qi Gong

These are two powerful moving meditations practiced for heightened focus and mental clarity. Tai Chi is a system of exercises and movement, while Qi Gong is a form of specific isolated movement and mind using intention and mindfulness to guide qi through and out of the body. Qi (pronounced chi), meaning “life force,” the energy that powers our body and spirit. Both Tai Chi and Qi Gong work to move this qi and are powerful exercises to heal and balance the body.

Strengthen Your Meditation Practice with Chyawanprash 

Complement your meditation practice with a nourishing and rejuvenating herbal jam such as Chyawanprash. Chyawanprash is a dietary supplement that has been specifically crafted to help you boost your cognitive function and increase your body, mind and spirit connection. Take PIOR Living Chyawanprash for 40 days for the botanicals to take effect. 

For additional ways to clear your mind, discover these Ayurvedic remedies for anxiety.

Clare Michalik, Ayurvedic Practitioner

@Clareminded

The post Different Meditation Exercises and Techniques appeared first on PIOR Living.

Ayurvedic Seasons

The seasons play an integral role in living a healthy lifestyle. There are three seasons according to Ayurveda:

• Kapha season = February – May
• Pitta season = June – September
• Vata season = October – January

Each season carries the elements and qualities of that specific dosha. For example, the Kapha season brings more earth and water elements. Thus, one may feel more sluggish, have slower digestion, or experience respiratory issues and excess mucus. It is suggested that we alter our habits throughout the year to live according to nature and the corresponding elements of that time of year for optimal health. Thus, to balance excess Kapha during Kapha season, we seek balance from the opposing elements, fire, air, and ether, through our diet, lifestyle practices, and yoga routines. 

The intention is to bring optimal health to our being through balancing practices of the current season. Below is the best morning yoga routine based on the Ayurvedic seasons that each take about 30-minutes. 

Best Morning Yoga Routine for Kapha Season

Kapha season is innately heavy, slow, static, dull, and cold. So the best morning yoga routine will bring balance to this energy by adding warmth, mobility, and lightness. 

Late Winter/Spring Pranayama 

Pranayama is the perfect way to start your day as it brings prana to energize you. During Kapha season, pranayama should be hot and powerful! One of the most energizing breaths for Kapha is Kapalabhati pranayama, also known as breath of fire. Kapalabhati consists of alternating short; explosive exhales with longer, passive inhales. It is a great breathing exercise to purify the blood, increase the supply of oxygen, charge the nervous system, and improve digestion. Learn more about the benefits of pranayama.

Practice:

1. Sit up tall and lengthen your spine. Create space between your navel and your heart.
2. Start with gentle belly breathing. Close your eyes, place your hands on your belly, and check-in with the nature of your breath.
3. Breathe in and out through your nose. Imagine your belly filling up with air like a balloon on the inhale, and softly use your abdominal muscles to push the air out during the exhale. 
4. Start to shorten your breath. Pumping your navel up and in on each exhale. 
5. Try to equalize the inhale and exhale in strength and length.

Take a full deep, and long breath after each round. Try this for 3-5 rounds, starting with a 50 count. 

Late Winter/Spring Asana

Follow up your pranayama practice with asana. The most balancing poses during Kapha season are the ones that open the chest and bring warmth into your body and mind. Vinyasa yoga is a balancing practice for Kapha as it flows breath to movement, increasing heat. 

• Sun Salutation A
• Standing backbend
• Forward fold + chest expansion
• Chair
• Warrior 1 
• Reverse Warrior
• Cobra
• Bow
• Plank + side plank
• Cow face

Practice these yoga poses individually or as a sequence as the best morning yoga routine during Kapha season. 

Late Winter/Spring Mantra

Chants and mantras are powerful ways to ignite energy through specific vibrations. Balancing sounds for Kapha season should be uplifting, warming, inspiring, and invigorating. Below are basic seed mantras that balance Kapha.

• Ram (Rum)
• Yam (Yum)
• Ham (Hum)

Chant these sounds before or after asana to bring in more fire, air, and ether. 

Late Winter/Spring Affirmations 

Consider adding these affirmations during this season:

• I am worthy of love and time.
• I am good enough.
• I am my true self.
• I am free.
• I am deserving of my dreams.

Best Morning Yoga Routine for Pitta Season

Balance yourself during the summer with this best morning yoga routine for Pitta, including cooling breathing exercises, restorative yoga asana, grounding mantras, and accepting affirmations. 

Summer Pranayama

Pitta season brings intensity and heat because of the fire element dominating. It is best to practice a cooling breath, Sitali pranayama, to balance your energy. This cooling breath is also excellent to treat pitta-type symptoms such as inflammation, acne, jealousy, anger, and frustration. 

Practice:

1. Sit comfortably and take a few cleansing breaths.
2. Curl your tongue like a taco and extend it out of your mouth a little. Inhale through the tunnel of your tongue (focus on the cooling properties in your mouth, throat, and torso)
3. Release the tongue, close your mouth and exhale out your nose

Repeat the above inhaling and exhaling for a few minutes, allowing the cooling effects to relax the mind and body

Summer Asana

The best morning yoga routine during Pitta season should encourage acceptance, compassion and should be cooling in nature. By focusing on twists and moving slowly, you can relax the intensity of Pitta.  

• Child’s pose
• Cat/cow
• Moon Salutation
• Chair twist
• Side angle 
• Revolved side angle
• Locust
• Boat
• Bridge
• Supine easy twist

Practice this yoga individually or as a sequence to bring you to balance during Pitta season.

Summer Mantra

Vibrational sounds that are cooling and grounding will support you during Pitta season. By focusing on vibrations that soothe the mind and calm the body, you will begin to ease the intensity brought on during Pitta season.

• Lam (Lum)
• Vam (Vum)
• Yam (Yum)

Chant these sounds before or after asana to bring in more earth, water, and air.  

Summer Affirmations 

• I forgive myself.
• I accept myself exactly as I am.
• I give and receive love effortlessly.
• I am at peace.
• I am pure love.

Best Morning Yoga Routine for Vata Season

Vata season is the end of the cycle and is the time of year when the air and ether elements are most prominent. These excess elements are experienced through stress, anxiety, lack of focus, indecision, emotional instability, worry, and fear. It is crucial to have a grounding morning yoga practice during this time of year for optimal balance and health. 

Fall/Early Winter Pranayama

Start your day with a 10-minute pranayama practice to center inward. It is crucial to connect to oneself at the start of the day, but even more critical during the Vata season. This will allow you to create stability in your energy before engaging with the energy of others. The most balancing pranayama exercise during vata season is Nadi Shodhana. To learn how to practice Nadi Shodhana and other pranayama practices, check out five pranayama exercises to add to your yoga practice. 

Fall/Early Winter Asana

Balance Vata through slow and intentional movement. Seek out poses where your feet are connected to the earth, further grounding your energy. Postures that focus on balance, spine lengthening, and forward folds will be most balancing for Vata. 

• Mountain pose
• Sun Salutation A + B
• Warrior 1
• Warrior 2
• Extended side angle
• Wide leg forward fold
• Tree pose
• Crocodile
• Seated forward fold
• Legs up the wall

Practice this yoga individually or as a sequence to ground your mind.

Fall/Early Winter Mantra

Center your mind through grounding vibrational sounds. The bija mantras associated with the earth and water elements are the perfect sounds to balance you during vata season. Adding stability and moisture is most optimal during vata season.

• Lam (Lum)
• Vam (Vum)

Chant these sounds for 5 minutes with your eyes closed before or after asana to bring in more earth, water, and air.  

Fall/Early Winter Affirmations 

• I trust myself.
• I have faith in my higher power.
• I am safe.
• I am grounded and secure.
• I live free from worry and fear.

Boost your practice with Chyawanprash

To amplify your practice even further, take 1 tsp of PIOR Living Chyawanprash 15 minutes before your morning yoga routine. Chyawanprash helps to boost overall vitality while sharpening focus and clarity and increasing the body, mind, and spirit connection. Chyawanprash is unique in that it balances all doshas, making it the perfect herbal jam year round.

Clare Michalik, Ayurvedic Practitioner and Yoga Instructor.

@Clareminded

The post How to Align Your Morning Yoga Routine with the Seasons appeared first on PIOR Living.

We outline some of the major types of meditation below and tell you how to begin incorporating them into your daily life.

Loving-Kindness Meditation

Loving-Kindness meditation helps us cultivate feelings of love, empathy and acceptance. In this meditation, we begin by feeling love towards ourselves, then people in our lives, and eventually nurture love for everyone and everything. This meditation can be particularly helpful if you are experiencing any feelings of anger, resentment, or judgment.

Guided vs. Unguided Meditation

You can enjoy most types of meditation unguided or guided, but it is worth mentioning that at different times in our life, one of these styles might suit our needs better. For those that feel nervous or unsure of how to begin a meditation practice, guided meditations are a great way to get started. Guided meditations help maintain focus as you begin your meditation journey. They can also be inspirational to more experienced meditators.

Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness meditation has roots from Buddhist teachings and is currently very popular throughout the West. This type of meditation is focused on the observation of thoughts as they pass through your mind without judgment or unnecessary lingering. It requires a blend of focus as well as awareness, and can be practiced on your own or as a guided meditation. Many forms of mindfulness meditation begin with a concentration on the breath while you notice thoughts and patterns.

Mantra Meditation

Mantra meditation uses a word or short phrase in repetition to clear the mind of thoughts. Mantras that can be used include Sanskrit words or phrases or any positive, calming affirmations. This type of meditation can be beneficial for those who have trouble in silence or feel anxious when bringing awareness to the breath. You can silently repeat your mantra in your head and speak it out loud softly for the same clearing effect.

Focused Meditation

Focused meditation is a type of meditation where you bring awareness to one of the five senses; for example, focusing your sight on a candle flame or the sound of a gong. Your focus can be on something internal as well, such as your breath. This meditation will help build awareness in all aspects of your life. Start with a short amount of time with this style of meditation and continue to increase your time.

Meditation can become a treasured part of your morning and evening rituals. If you are new to meditation, try setting up the same time and space for your daily meditation to help build the habit. It’s also a good idea to start with realistic goals such as allocating only five to ten minutes of practice per day before increasing your timeframe.

Whether you are looking to cultivate more gratitude in your life, become more present or reduce stress, there is a meditation practice for you. Stay open to all the possibilities and continue to try out multiple types until you find your meditation match. Remember, it is more important to meditate for a short time each day than once a week for a lengthier time!

If you’re an experienced meditator, learn how Chyawanprash can elevate your experience with enhanced body, mind and spirit connection.

Alexa Bull is an Ayurvedic Health Coach, Yoga Teacher and Aromatherapist based in Brooklyn.

The post What are Different Types of Meditation? appeared first on PIOR Living.