Energy shifts.. a new thought

Now that we are officially into the next season of the year, there are shifts naturally taking place around us and inside of us. With the latest catastrophe in Japan, there have been literal shifts in the landscape, a shift in the planets axis, and a shift of reality in those who have experienced this natural evolving of our Earth. This has also caused a shift worldwide, even if we aren't always conscious of it. If it's not already obvious, our consciousness is the largest shift of all. With everything happening so quickly, we must remember our interconnectedness with beautiful and powerful Mother Earth, each other, and all other beings in this world. Let us be thankful for every event, whether it be joyful, tearful, or one which seems tragic. This is how we learn to shift and grow in our lifetimes, just as the Earth has done for billions of years.

Om. Shanti.

Cooking for the Spring Season (Kapha)

This upcoming class is closing soon.. be sure to call to register!!!!  It's being held at Haute Cakes Caffe in Newport, with full use of the kitchen as it is a hands on class. Hope to see you there. 

Thoughts

There is more success in changing diet using the mentality of abundance than the mentality of deprivation.

Congested.. but I don't eat cheese!!!

A friend of mine recently shared her frustration with head congestion, even though she does the neti and doesn't eat cheese on even a semi regular basis. I explained to her that at the change of seasons, when things are shifting, that is exactly what happens.. shifting which means that due to seasonal changes, our body will also make adjustments depending on what dosha is ruling out of balance at that time. So, being vata/pitta by nature, but now vata/kapha imblanced, there is a bit of a challenge. This is where each person needs to be looked at differently. Her vices are daily two glasses of red wine and occasionally with that a cigarette. Well, the wine and cigarettes are causing much heat, which is also dehydrating and depleting to vata, and the sulfites in the wine cause many to become "stuffy" in the nose and head as kapha is becoming a part of the mix to rescue the body from dryness. Also, an allergic reaction to the sulfites is talking place.
My simple suggestion is, of course, to cut back drastically on the wine and do away with the cigarettes! Not an easy task for the wine lovers or the smoker, but to embrace an Ayurvedic change in lifestyle, at first we must gradually move out of destructive routine and replace those with healthful and supportive options. No one said it would be easy..we adopt these vices for a slew of reasons, but to know how it feels to be in balance awakens the awareness of our amazing and beautiful bodies and minds! Once you discover how you feel once in balance, it is easier to bring yourself back if you partake in those old patterns once in a while. I can almost guarantee that those old ideas of "needing" that cigarette, or "having to have" those couple glasses of wine daily will no longer resonate with your daily routine. 

Spring.. Kapha season already?

The kapha season is once again upon us, even though the seasons here in California have been unpredictable for the most part in the past year. Since we have a much less noticeable "change" in season, and ever changing weather patterns during our winter/spring time it can be easy to forget to "remember" how to approach each season with our constitutions in mind.you may have noticed some changes in the way you feel during the past few weeks. Many people have complained of headaches, sinus congestion, and a few still coming down with flu like symptoms. Remember, as we pass into a new season, this is transition so just as nature goes through a flux and change we also do. The coming season is the Kapha season which is comprised of earth and water. This is heaviness,and mucous and it has been accumulating in the last parts of the winter season around January and now is showing up as all of the conditions that you may have been experiencing. The cold of the drier winter season is melting.. warming up and flowing out!

This is a great time to have a consultation to cleanse and set yourself for a new beginning..

The implementation of certain routines in this season will keep the stagnation of mucousy kapha dosha to a minimum. If you tend to lean more toward this dosha in constitution then you will want to pay particular attention to the following suggestions!

• Each morning, make a "tea" of warm water with fresh lemon juice and about a tsp. of grated ginger root or a 1" slice of ginger. Allow to steep for 5 min. This will stimulate digestive fire and cleanse the lymph. Ginger root is warming, and dry ginger is hot, so if you have much heaviness in the body (weight, or copious amounts of mucous), use a pinch of dry ginger instead for the first week and then notice how you feel!
• Movement is important now! A morning walk or run, and other forms of exercise such as yoga (asana), hiking, and strength training are highly recommended. If you are familiar with your constitution (prakruti) then you will have a better idea of which type of exercise balances you and serves you best without working harder than necessary to achieve positive results.
• Although the physical aspect is important to relieve heaviness in the body (and for many other reasons) we must also look at the more subtle, mental side of balance.  Taking time for a meditation, which could be sitting in silence, visualization, walking meditation, or whatever resonates with you and focuses your breathing and brings peace to you.

Give The Gift of Cooking for the Holidays!

Do you know anyone in your family, or even a friend, that may enjoy receiving a gift certificate for a healthy, holistic vegetarian cooking class? Gift  certificates are also available for Ayurvedic consultations and 3 month packages! What a great way to start the New Year for someone in your life or even for yourself!!  Contact me by phone or email!

Cooking Class: $60
In Home Group Class: $65 (Remember, if you are the host, your class is complimentary!)
In Home One on One Class: $100
Initial Ayurvedic Consultation: $95
3 Month Package (see above services for details): $575


*Note: When purchasing a gift cerificate, you will receive $15 off of any service or class/workshop scheduled within 3 months of purchase.

HEALTHY FOR THE HOLIDAYS! COOKING CLASS 11/14

THE NEXT CLASS IS QUICKLY APPROACHING.. SO DON'T FORGET TO CALL OR EMAIL. IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND THIS ONE, THINK ABOUT SCHEDULING ONE IN YOUR HOME WITH SOME FRIENDS! IT REALLY IS A FUN AND INFORMATIVE EVENING( OR AFTERNOON).