I began studying again in a University setting this last January. I have always had a passion for learning, but only when healthy and happy. A couple years back, before delving into yoga and Ayurveda, I was studying at a University for the first time – and very quickly burned myself out. Being a pitta and perfectionist in nature, I attempted to read every word of every page assigned to me, staying up until 4am if need be. Then, because missing a workout was unthinkable, I’d wake at 6am and go on a run.  Missing a lecture was never an option. Every moment between classes was spent at the library, forcing every ounce of information into my brain, without time for rest nor play, disregarding my emotional state and overall health altogether. Inevitably, by the weekend I craved connection with other human beings so much that I had to party hard and stay up late socializing, even further burning out all of my energetic reserves.

Looking back now, the quickly downward descending spiral seems so obvious. And, in comparison to those around me, I was trying to take as good of care of myself. But the culture was so strong, the collective trajectory so overpowering that I was swept into that wave of dishonoring my biological rhythms and basic needs.

Does this sound familiar at all? Are you or anyone you know struggling to stay balanced as a student? I know I’m not the only one that grew up in a culture that values work over play and demands perfectionism, while addicted to not-so-healthy solutions in order to cope (like coffee and alcohol).

Fast forward three years and add some Ayurvedic and Yoga Healer wisdom in my toolkit. I am still surrounded by an academic culture that is out of alignment, but what has changed is that I know my boundaries, I know my non-negotiables, and  I know my keystone habits.  I also know some tricks that allow me to do more while doing less. Here are a few of them:

1) Shoot for B- or 81%

Is anyone else out there an A-student, a perfectionist? Does anyone have a subconscious notion that anything less than perfect is worth nothing at all? Not only is the perfectionist mindset frustratingly impossible for the individual, but its out of alignment with the flow of nature, and therefore pathological.

So what if you tried to shoot for less than perfect? What if you aimed for 81% – in quantity and quality? What might that look like? What might that feel like?

What I have experienced with shooting for a B- in my academics is greater health, less stress and deeper learning. Of course less pressure to perform perfectly creates less stress and more time to take care of myself, both resulting in greater health.  But deeper learning too!? Yes, deeper learning. With less pressure, more space is created within me, in my brain, and it frees me up to be completely present with the material in front of me and that space allows me to actually absorb what I do take in fully. Like digestion, the stomach needs at least 1/3 of it empty with space to best absorb the nutrients put in. Same with space in the brain.

Ultimately this leads to being able to do more with less. So the paradox arises: the next time you feel like you have too much to do and you need to use force to try harder – try doing less. Just experiment with it and see what happens. Allow easefulness to enter.

2) Determine your non-negotiables

What are your keystone habits? What are those things that, if neglected will disrupt your entire flow? Is it a good nourishing plant-based meal on the regular? Is it 7 hours of sleep every night? Is it connecting with your loved ones consistently throughout the day? Determine what they are for you and then set boundaries around them.

Boundaries. Boundaries can seem somewhat complex or incomprehensible at times, but are truly quite easy. Boundaries are simply a line between what is okay and what is not okay. For example, “It is okay to skip going out for a drink to stay home and study but it is not okay to skip my dinner prep on Sunday evenings, even if I have work due the next day.” This is okay, that is not okay.

It is important to note that your boundaries are your very own. No one else can or will set them for you. This is your connection with your will power, your power over your life and your power to create your own well-being. And if your own well-being is not enough, know that it is an absolute necessity for being able to do your work in the world, to take care of the ones you love, and to continue learning new things. What are you not willing to negotiate no-matter-what? Take pride and power in those things and stay strong. The practice is reinforcing in itself. Prepare to feel strongly rooted into your own inner power.

3) Intermittent movement. Intermittent meditation. Intermittent monkeying.

A pattern of mine is when I get into a good study groove, to stay in it and go as deep as I can. For instance, once I start writing a paper, and I actually don’t have writer’s block, I try to crank it all out at once. What usually happens is I get stuck and stagnant after a while and eventually burn up and dry out, resulting in me not being able to produce anything else for a good day or two, if not more. I think it stems from a lack of trust, a lack of trusting that if I were to take a break that I would actually be able to continue. What I now know to be true is that if I take a break right when my energy and motivation start to dwindle, I will come back rejuved, more focused and more inspired probably with better ideas than before.

What I have learned is that inserting just five minutes of movement – walking, yoga poses, or dancing will shake things up a little bit; reset your breath and body alignment again and energize your brain. Intermittent meditation will help you to keep coming back to yourself and moving from your center, moving from your soul. “Intermittent monkeying” is simply play of any kind. My experience with these experiments is that – after I satisfy my body and breath, reconnect with my center, and allow myself to live more in my bliss body (aka 5 minutes of movement, meditation or monkeying) I can come back to what I am doing with more authenticity, do better work and absorb information from heart’s greatest intention.

So if you ever feel like your studies are detrimental to your health, know that that is not necessary. Health can and should support your studies and your studies should help you increase your health and better your life. If this is not the case, these are a few ideas to experiment with, and keep experimenting with different things in all areas of your life. Eventually you will find that sweet spot of perfectly pairing challenge with skill, of growth, of flow.

Let’s face it: one critical aspect that defines the female body is the menstrual cycle.  And I don’t know about you, but I have not been able to talk about mine publically, well, pretty much, ever.  Not only that, but I grew up feeling like I had to hide this blatantly obvious naturally-occurring process.  I felt ashamed of it.  It was a common theme for the women to dread their period, so when mine was late I naively rejoiced.  When it finally came, I did not think much of it and embarrassingly acted like it was no big deal, thinking my life was no different.  But it was and I unnecessarily suffered because I did not know how to listen to what my body was trying to tell me. That time in my life was filled with excessive running, fragile bones, chronic fatigue, injuries, eating disorders, and digestive disturbances.  And it has been a long-winding journey, but I have finally started to recover bits and pieces of ancient earth wisdom, particularly that which pertains to the female menstrual cycle.  And I can never again underestimate its importance and potency in health, not only of the body, but of culture and the world as a whole.  

First off, a balanced menses is crucial for a female’s physical, mental and emotional health. As any yogi knows, with alignment comes increased power and ease. Aligning with one’s cycle to better take care of the body not only allows for ease in the system but also increased power as a woman. This happens because as we align with our own system, we can align better with the Earth and her rhythms, which is where our unlimited energy is stored.  With every moon cycle, I feel clearer alignment of my body to natural forces of the world, and with it, increased power and ease.  When we as women are more easeful and powerful in our person, we can more easefully regain our natural and equal power of influence in our community. Since women are natural bridges between the natural world and her people, with more women taking action and affecting change in their communities and politics, I see more effective implementation of environmental policies coming into those arenas as well. Because of course everyone cares about the earth but as women, we feel her. Could a universal unveiling of the menstrual cycle help us to better access the feminine power and, in so doing, become a key stone in creating healthier and stronger communities in our rapidly transforming global society?

History or Herstory

For much of human history, many groups of people all around the world have organized themselves around the moon. Women who live mainly in the natural world – exposed to moonlight and away from artificial light – naturally sync up with the moon and, in so doing, with each other.  This, as you could imagine, has a major effect on the rhythms of the community as a whole. 

Throughout history, women’s moon centered rituals have woven themselves through countless cultures around the globe.  During the new moon, women would separate themselves from the rest of their tribe and go off to bleed together.  It was a sacred time.  A time to deeply detoxify and rest.  A time to go into the deep dark depths of their bodies and psyches and decide what to create from their nothingness next – whether it be an idea, project, or child.  This was a time to reconnect with the Earth and nourish the soul.

Inevitably, when women menstruate during the new moon, they tend to ovulate on the full moon.  Ever wonder how the term “lunatic” is connected with the moon? Or why some people – men and women – have very intense emotions during the full moon? This is because, if you have ever been around an ovulating woman, she has a certain energy that is undeniably powerful.  She can make others go crazy with her subtle influential powers.  And she, as well, feels this indistinguishable power coursing through her veins.  Traditionally, the full moon was always the time to be social and merry and celebrate life.

Menstruating with the Moon

When women are not in alignment with their menstrual cycles, they suffer from a major loss of power.  Being in alignment means bleeding with the new moon and ovulating on the full moon.  Being in alignment means knowing where your body is in its cycle, and honoring and aligning with the energy level inherent there.  From this position of alignment, a woman’s power and ease are enhanced. But what happens when one is not aligned with their system or the Earth’s?  PMS, painful periods, and extreme fatigue.  Amenorrhea, fibroids, and endometriosis.  Decreased libido, lack of creativity, and general depression.  Shall I go on?  You have most likely experienced one of these examples at one point in your life.  And, though an imbalanced menstrual cycle is not the only physiological thing to point a finger at, it is a key stone, and therefore by influencing it, you can directly influence all other hormonal processes in the body for the entire month.  I have personally found that, though not the answer, working with your menstrual cycle can be a powerful all-around balancer and reaps significant rewards.

How to Align your Cycle with the Moon

There isn’t an agreed-upon method to align your physiology with the moon and her cycles because science can’t explain how the female menses is triggered by the moon.  It remains a beautiful mystery.  One promising theory is that the pineal gland, the storehouse of melatonin and a major player in controlling your circadian rhythm (aka triggered by light), is triggered somewhat similarly by moonlight.  According to this theory – and many other non-scientists agree – basking in the moonlight regularly can help synchronize your body with the moon.

As much as attuning yourself with natural light of the moon is helpful, exposing yourself to artificial light can be harmful. Though artificial light is almost impossible to avoid in this day and age, it is beneficial to limit your exposure to the working hours of the day, while the sun is still up. The most harmful time to spend long hours on your phone or computer is in the night and early mornings, when it may confuse the pineal gland and throw your hormonal rhythms out of wack.

Attuning your Mind to your Menses

When your physiology is synced with the moon, the potency of your menstrual cycle is enhanced.  But, as it takes time to sync your body up with the moon, there’s another practice that will help to enhance the power and ease of your cycle that you can begin momentarily.  This is aligning your mentality to your menstrual cycle.

One way to approach your cycle differently is to divide your entire cycle into four parts, each quarter representing a different female archetype.  These different archetypes help you become aware of the energy present in your body and consciously attune your actions appropriately.  Personally, I have experienced great relief through this process.  Relief through realizing that my low energy or tough love attitude is not a fault in my person but a natural rhythm of my body; that I am not meant to have the same level of energy or the same ability to connect with others every single day of the month as I have subconsciously been taught to do as a woman; that everything is a cycle, that you can let go of things because they always come back around; that what my body and mind naturally want is usually exactly what I need and therefore not only permissible but honorable.

There are countless ways and infinite tools to use tools to help align your mindset around your moon cycle.  This particular sample comes from, Kassandra Reinhardt, a woman who was on the Yogahealer podcast back in June. In this approach, there are four different female archetypes, one for each quarter of the moon and they include: the maiden, mother, wild woman, and crone.  

The first quarter, the week following the last day of your period, can be conceptualized as the “Maiden Phase.” This is a time of newness and beginnings.  Have you ever felt naturally light and energized and excited in the days following your period?  You have fresh blood in your body.  You have just come out of your deep internally oriented time and are setting back out into the world, expanding again, possibly inspired by your new ideas and projects. This is a good time to begin new projects.

The next phase is the “mother phase” and this about the second week of your cycle and when you naturally feel most expansive and productive in the external world. This is a time leading up to and during your ovulation, and the climax occurs during the full moon. This is a time when you might naturally feel most expansive and loving, like a mother. You might want to give that business pitch or interview for a new job. This would be the best time to give a talk or host a party since you are naturally expansive and persuasive and social.

The third phase is sometimes termed the period of the “wild woman.” This is when you may begin to turn inward. It is also said to be a time of refinement, while, following the climax of expansion, as you begin to contract again you begin to decide what you want to take with you through the next cycle, what matters, and what must be let go of. This can manifest as a “tough love” persona or even what some might term “bitchiness.”  Since most women get a bad rap for this type of energy, this might be a tough one to embrace. But when I learned to embrace this, I, reaped huge rewards, like feeling deeply into my own independence and unique connection with the world, learning healthy boundaries, giving up the people pleasing and tapping back into your integrity.  

The final phase, the time of your actual period, is called the “crone phase.” This is the time of deep self-reflection, deep rest, a deep letting go of all that that is no longer serving you.  This is a time of getting in touch with your own personal wisdom, your deep knowing or intuition. A time of destruction of sorts, but as women, we know that destruction is a necessary ingredient for new life.  And so follows the next maiden phase…

Once we as women remember the wisdom of our menstrual cycles and actively align with them, we will be able to better harness the deep power inherent in the female body. And all it takes is a little relationship-building with the moon and a small psychological shift to attune to where your body is energetically – that is all. It also can be extremely supportive and empowering to create a women’s group that gathers during the new moon.  Whether for morning tea, a potluck or a drum circle, women’s circles are what ties us all together. And as women, we are bridges between the natural cycles of the planet and the human race.  We get to give the world’s gift of life to the rest of our species. The more in sync with our primal powers, the more supported and free we can feel and, in so doing, the better supporters and creators and leaders and people we can be in our world.

Cinnamon

Did you know that cinnamon was once one of the most valuable commodities in the eastern hemisphere – even more valuable than gold?  Native to the Middle East and Asia, interactions between humans and the plant date back to at least 2,000BC where we find records of its use in Egyptian culture.  In the 1500’s the Portuguese conquered Ceylon (modern day Sri Lanka) to gain control of the cinnamon trade.  It was popular because of its taste, medicinal qualities and its special ability as a preservative for meat in the wintertime.

Many restaurants and coffee shops continue this age-old tradition of using cinnamon to flavor food and drinks in the fall and wintertime.  Its most basic attribute is that it is a warming spice, therefore excellent for balancing excess vata and kapha (and it is vata/kapha season people!).  Another important factor of cinnamon is that it is a circulatory stimulant, meaning it strengthens the heart and circulatory system, pumping blood (aka energy) into areas that are weak.

Ever get cold hands and feet in the winter? Cinnamon tea can help with that! Boil a cup of water on the stove.  Place a stick of cinnamon in a mug.  Pour the boiling water into the mug.  Let steep a few minutes.  Wa-lah!

Ginger

One of the most well-known rhizomes available – ginger – has a long and rich history.  Probably native to south-eastern Asia, ginger is now cultivated almost everywhere.  Its’ use in Chinese and Indian cultures is ancient, and it is thought to have been spread to the Mediterranean region around the 1st century AD. With its powerful warming properties, ginger is a wintertime favorite, and rightly so!  It can be used as a digestive stimulant, carminative (decreases gas) and antiemetic (decreases nausea).

Since our digestive fires wax and wane in association with the sun (i.e. agni is strongest in the middle of the day), likewise, in the darkest, coldest months of the year, our digestive fire experiences an overall decrease.  Therefore it is even more important to bring in warming digestive stimulants, like ginger, into your diet this time of year.  Not only will this increase your metabolism to ward off those extra few pounds usually accumulated during the holidays, but it will increase your energy, clarity of mind, and immunity.

Ginger is one of my personal favorites due to its versatility.  It can go in almost anything and provide that extra interesting kick of goodness.  In the morning, try adding some minced fresh or dry ginger powder to oatmeal, a smoothie, or on toast.  In the evening, it goes great as an addition to just about any stir-fry, curry, salad, or soup.  I like to keep some fresh ginger in my fridge and nibble it as I cook to prime my digestive fire for the upcoming meal.

Nutmeg

This spice comes from the seed of an evergreen tree that is native to Indonesia.  Like cinnamon, it was a major commodity in the Eastern spice trade and inspired the Dutch to gain control of the nutmeg-producing regions of Indonesia to monopolize this trade.  Once used as a perfume, incense, and even hallucinogenic, nutmeg also has widely acclaimed medicinal properties.

As most winter season spices, nutmeg is a warming spice that also contains special analgesic (anti-pain), astringent and sedative properties.  In other words, in addition to its unique taste profile and beneficial digestive properties, this spice can help bind loose stool, relax your nerves, and build the supportive tissues of the body.

Since wintertime is hibernation time, it is the ideal time to catch up on lack of sleep.  Sometimes though, whether from excess stimulation, increased anxiety, or simple overwhelm, it can be difficult to release your body into its natural rhythms of getting a deeply nourishing winter night’s sleep.  Nutmeg can be a useful addition to lifestyle habits to accomplish this.  A simple spin off of seasonal eggnog is to add a little bit of powdered nutmeg to warm milk in the evening.  It can also be a lovely addition to herbal chai and, as you probably know, just about any seasonal baked good!

Spices not only make life and food more interesting but they have many beneficial properties.  The classic holiday seasonal spices are such because they can aid your body in the specific actions necessary for the cold season, like warming you up, increasing your circulation, boosting your immunity, and relaxing your nerves.  Therefore, allow yourself to lean into traditional seasonal flavors and get creative with using these spices on a regular basis to help increase your thrive this holiday season.

We all experience it. Some sense their dream. Others visualize it. However it manifests for you, we all get hints of that highly desirous next level being that we are becoming. Maybe she feels happier and lighter every morning upon waking. Maybe she is more outspoken in her community.  Maybe she helps more people on a deeper level.  

Sensing into who you want to be, what you want to be doing next and aligning with these desires is what we call Identity Evolution. Some choose to delve into these deep desires and go about satisfying them, others stuff them deep down inside and allow their limits to keep them where they are, safe yet stagnant. Some push their dreams way out into the future, always thinking “someday I will become that woman but first I have to…” Fill in the blank.

Does this sound familiar?

I’ve done it most of my life — continually pushing my dreams out into the future. This has led to slower evolution. But that’s been changing. Recently I have been living my dream life – literally. This is in large part due to some helpful tools I picked up on identity evolution from the Yoga Healer Retreat that went down in Rapid City, SD. Here are just a few:

1. Identify where you are.

You know where you want to go, now how do you get there? The answer lies exactly where you are! To know what kind of territory you will need to traverse to become that future self, you need to know your starting point. This is a tiny tweak to the identity evolution process that has major implications and is often overlooked. An example:

Say you are driving to your grandparent’s house for Thanksgiving dinner. They live in Ohio, and you, Georgia. You started driving North but you didn’t track your route. Now at a rest stop looking at a map, you pinpoint Ohio and you see where you want to go but you have no idea where you are. Where you are determines what direction you need to head. It determines what roads to take, what you will encounter along the way, and the amount of time it will take you to get there.

Likewise, if you know where you want to go, the first step is determining your current location. The gap between the two points is the practice; the gap over which you can build your bridge of new skills, habits, relationships, etc. But to do that, you must start where you are.

2. Bring your future self into the now…yes, I mean NOW.

So now that you know where you are and where you are going, you are able to see the great expanse that lies between. Sometimes this feels agonizing, to see your potential but realize where you are, often far away.  It can be discouraging and feel debilitating if we don’t have the right tools and mindset.

What if these emotions were arising because this isn’t the reality? What if they were arising because you were meant to be that person at the very moment that you are inspired to be it?  Well, in some ways, you can and this concept will speed up the process – like big time!

During the Yoga Healer retreat we worked with bringing our future self into the now in real time. I had just finished writing about this beautiful vision that I wanted to bring into being: a strong, rooted, deeply attuned and passionate woman who travels to different Universities around the nation rebalancing and re-empowering students through Ayurveda and the 10 habits.

I was psyched…and thinking that I was at least 5 years away from it. Then Cate (Stillman) told us to put down our pens, stand up, and be that person, momentarily.  We were to be in the room as that future person that we had just envisioned – walking, talking, and interacting with the world the way that that future person would.   

I fumbled, flailed and walked around awkwardly as my mind tried to accomplish this absurd task. Frustrated, I just wanted to revert back to my pre-programmed self. But through the practice, I kept coming back to the vision I had written minutes prior. And I knew what was happening; my brain was rewiring! Though uncomfortable, it was such a profound experience, I kept practicing. Driving my car, listening to music, walking down the street, or eating a meal, I kept asking myself, “how would the future me act in a situation like this?”  And then I could bring that reality into being and my future self was suddenly me.  

3. Score it!

How do you motivate yourself to keep on track towards your goals?  Do you reward yourself with a glass of wine or a vacation?  And how do you digest your short comings?  Do you have a glass of wine or go on vacation then too?  Rewards like this can be confusing for your brain and body.  Imagine, your body is simply trying to determine whether you are heading in the right direction and you react the same way to two completely opposite actions.  How do you know if you are on track?  

Scorecards  

Scorecards might be a great way to work with that built-in need for incentive when cultivating challenging changes.

When we started talking about scorecards, admittedly, I felt as if I were a sugar-addicted child whose parents were attempting to incentivize with vegetables. “How could a simple scorecard give me any sense of reward?”  I wondered internally.  But, I decided to try out the practice because, what the hell, Cate thought it was a good idea…

Now I have a scorecard in an excel sheet filled with habits that will get me from where I am now to my goal in a set amount of time.  I have a reminder in my phone to score my scorecard every night and I actually get pretty excited about doing it. Apps such as Momentum Habit Tracker or Loop can be a helpful tool with this.  Utilizing a scorecard turned out to be such a simple and energizing practice.  I literally get to watch my progress everyday! That, my friends, is a reward in and of itself — no unnecessary money or calories involved. 🙂

Try It Out

There were so many gems of wisdom dished out at the Yoga Healer Retreat last month I wish I could share them all, but these were some of the top ones!  Identity Evolution is a hot topic in this crowd, so join the group and try it out! Not only can it be super enjoyable because you finally feel like the person who you’ve always wanted to be but you are contributing to the health of the your community and planet because that best version of you is who the world needs you to be. Get after it!

These are just a few of the many identities I carry.  Others include: sister, student, yoga teacher, outdoor enthusiast, etc…

But those first three really stick out to me now, due to their correlation with something I was recently diagnosed with:

IBS

Irritable Bowel Syndrome.  You have probably heard of it, since 1 in 5 Americans have it.  Females are twice as prone to this, young females even more so, and young females with either anxiety or depression are the most likely to experience IBS.  In a nutshell, IBS is a disorder of the large intestine that causes variable symptoms of cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, and diarrhea and/or constipation and often associated with psychological challenges like mild anxiety and depression.

I wasn’t surprised.  Though I’ve struggled with my digestion for years I hadn’t really ever looked at it as a disease.  Naturally I would personally track, “well I ate this last night, and I woke up with a crampy stomach this morning so this must have caused that.”

This led to high school years filled with bouts of cutting out all cheese from my diet, then grapes, chocolate, milk, and so on… I think one time I even cut out fruit altogether.

Then I would slowly work these foods back into my diet and feel fine, until the next round of symptoms – uncomfortable bloating or a lot of gas after eating – would circle back and I would eliminate another random food once again.

It was frustrating.  My experimentation was never a sure shot.  Symptoms were very intense and uncomfortable as I experienced them, but  vague, variable, and maybe not even such a big deal when I later tried to explain them.

When I turned to Ayurveda to treat my digestive issues, I found the ease and effectiveness I was looking for.  My recent diagnosis of IBS led me to investigate how current Western medicine differs from Ayurveda’s understanding and treatment of IBS symptoms.  Here’s what I pieced together:

Western Medicine and IBS

From a Western medical approach, there is no clear cause for IBS.  Different doctors have different theories, Mayo clinic offers a couple:

• A muscle imbalance of the large intestine (colon).  It may be too strong or too weak in its contractions to massage food downwards.  If the contractions are too strong or long, gas, bloating and diarrhea can occur.  If they are too weak, dry, hard stools and constipation may manifest.
• A disconnect in the nervous system. The brain-gut signals are weak or uncoordinated which cause the intestinal tract to overreact.  This can result in pain, diarrhea or constipation.
• Stress.  John Hopkins Medicine describes:

“There is a strong connection between the nervous system and colonic function. Stress plays an important role in the frequency and severity of symptoms in patients with IBS. A history of stressful life events or a current stressful situation can often precede IBS.”

Whether the gut disorder changes affects the mind or the mind makes your gut prone to the symptoms of IBS is not clear, but current western science believes they are connected.

An Ayurvedic Perspective on “IBS”

Just having studied the progression of disease in my Ayurvedic Medicine class, the parralel  between the symptoms of IBS and the first step in the disease progression of Ayurveda is astounding.

According to Ayurvedic theory, the root of most diseases is an imbalance of energies that manifests first in the digestive tract.  If the imbalance does not get alleviated at the digestive tract, it then overflows into the lymph and circulatory systems, eventually settling into the weakest area of the body and manifesting as a particular problem – the last step being the point in which most modern medicine methods begin to reckognize problems.

Since Ayurveda places so much emphasis on digestion, it has a very streamlined, simple, and systematic approach to making sense and treating these complex, vague, transitory symptoms of the digestive tract.  Whether you might be dealing with a kapha, pitta, or vata imbalance, determines whether symptoms arise mainly in the stomach, small intestine, or large intestine respectively.

The earliest onset of symptoms arising in the large intestine in traditional Ayurvedic medicine is possible, past and mild constipation and gas. Other associated symptoms are bloating and painful cramps. To Ayurvedic practitioners, these are the body’s subtle yet clear ways of letting you know that vata is in excess in your body (what is “vata”?).  Additionally, variable and transient symptoms are a clear sign of vata – so alternating constipation and diarrhea is also an onset of a vata condition.

Ayurveda’s holistic approach to health means that physical disease can show mental or emotional symptoms. Anxiety is the classic symptom of a vata condition arising in the mind.

In essence, every symptom of the vague and confusing IBS that I was experiencing fits into the clearly understood first sign of a vata vitiation in an Ayurvedic model.  Not only was this exciting, but relieving. Ayurveda has a very clear system to go about treating this kind of thing.

IBS and Vata Vitiation

So you could say I have IBS or a vata vitiation – same thing, different languages.  But when looking into to how to deal with this problem, that’s where the brilliance of Ayurveda shines.  Where Western medicine struggles with the vague, subtle, and confusing symptoms of IBS, this kind of thing is Ayurveda’s “bread and butter.”

One of the best offerings that Ayurveda brings to modern medicine is its theory on the progression of disease and ultimately that 90% of health problems begin in the digestive tract.  Therefore, with the Ayurvedic model it is amazing how early one can catch problems when they arise and relieve them before they turn into something much more severe.

 Treating IBS with Ayurveda

If you or someone you know is struggling with IBS and is interested in treating it with an Ayurvedic approach, find a Yoga Health Coach or Ayurvedic Practitioner to help you with your unique experience.  Here are a few things you can incorporate to help you get started:

1. Routines and regularity.

Vata is associated with the wind, the idea of motion, and the elements air and ether. These energies in excess leads to variable digestion. Therefore, any kind of regularity and routine is essential to balance vata. A few easy ways to work this into your everyday:

• Wake up and go to sleep at the same time everyday – early on both ends is generally best.  Most important thing is to go to bed early to start the cycle off right.  Shoot for 10pm.
• Eat meals at the same time everyday.  Eat an earlier lighter dinner, meaning before 6pm.
• Try to eliminate at the same time everyday.  Wake up, drink a warm glass of water, and go and sit on the toilet.  Even if you don’t go, this will eventually train your body to get used to this rhythm. Call it yogi potty training. 🙂

2. Oil up!  

Vata conditions are usually very dry which leads to constipation. Simply adding oil to the external and internal body can loosen things up and make the body feel much more supported, flexible, and in flow. Different ways to get oil in:

•      Abhyanga, or self-massage with oil. Here’s how.
•      Nasal oiling.
•      Ear oiling.
•      Oil internally: utilize your diet to oleate your colon. Check it out.
•      Ghee – liquid gold.
  

3. Diet

Since we’re talking digestive issues here, obviously food is important.  But with vata imbalances, though they affect much more of the body than just the digestive system (such as an anxious mind) food is the fastest, most effective way to provide relief to the entire system and begin to heal your gut.  You can utilize a combination of food, oil, and herbs.

• Eat warm, moist and heavy. These qualities are balancing to the cold, dry, and mobile qualities present in the energetics of a vata imbalance.  Try it out.
•  Create structure surrounding mealtime. Eat at the same time, same place, create your ritual of connecting with the food that will become you before you eat it.  Afterwards, take a little time to rest and digest.
•  Make sure you are relaxed.  Take a few deep breaths before eating to make sure your body is switched into parasympathetic mode.
•  Herbs.  Incorporating potent plants such as cumin, fennel, and cinnamon might be beneficial.  Learn more.

IBS can put a larger-than-expected damper on your quality of daily life. You are not crazy to be hyper-aware of these subtle signals from your gut. Listen to them. They are your body’s first warning signals. Simple lifestyle and dietary habits from Ayurveda can help you alleviate them and get you back into a relaxed, fluid and easeful state. Ayurvedic practitioners, recipe books, and websites are all great resources. Take advantage of them. Your best balanced self is right around the corner!

The amazing powers of Abhyanga

I sat on the edge of my bed, massaged my feet with sesame oil, and slid on those socks. Then I laid down, and sleep found me quickly. The next morning, my experience of the world was completely different than it had been in months. All of the dreaded fear and anxiety had disappeared and, in their place, were those yummy feelings of creativity, comfort, and support.

You see, this whole summer was a whirlwind for me, as it is for many. Tis’ the season. I’m a pitta, meaning my body/mind are mainly composed of the fire element, and that extra summer sun stimulates and supports my natural drive to act and accomplish in the world. Internal or external heat constantly fuels me to do more, be better, and push my limits until all of a sudden I burn out physically, mentally, and spiritually.

And this is exactly what happened to me the other day. At noon in full sun, the first fall gust brushed past my skin and whispered to my biological rhythms that fall was on its way. First came the relief — we will soon be released from the intensely hot bondage of high summer. I thanked the Gods of the coming Vata season. But my gratitude didn’t last long before the fear set in: that deep seated anxiety arising from exhaustion that I had been pushing down inside for months, refusing to face, so that I could finish up this project, start that next endeavor, or socialize with a new group of people.

Finally it all burst free, like a broken damn contained within the limits of my body, and just as quickly my muscles tensed in stress while my mind began to race frantically, and everything around me suddenly felt threatening to my system.

I had experienced this before – the whirling of autumn that stirs up anxiety from somewhere deep inside.  But this was the first time I had experienced it with the knowledge of Ayurveda embedded in me. I found a comforting sensibility to it all. Even more, I knew what to do. I knew to get out those socks, smother my feet with oil, and rest deep…real deep. Even though I had practiced abhyanga on and off for the past year, this time felt different.

This time my body responded, like a dry limp plant finally receiving a good gulp of water, to the nourishment of oil that it had been missing for months. The ease, the comfort, fluidity and protection that I felt the next morning inspired me to write this post, to share the amazing powers of abhyanga and, more specifically, how to use it to cool down your body and mind from that summer fire (and possible burnout), while preparing and protecting against the physical and psychological pitfalls that can sweep in on the autumn gusts. A good abhyanga practice, started now, will allow you to support yourself to make sure that you have a healthy, wholesome, cozy, and creative fall season.

The Elements and the Seasons

First off, it is useful to view the current season from an elemental perspective to best know how to harmonize your internal environment with your external environment. According to Ayurveda, the elements – ether, air, fire, water, and earth – exist in everything in nature. Within every season, particular elements dominate. The sun (fire element) brings the summer, and with the sun, comes the heat. The heat builds the thunderheads that cycle the water ‘round the Earth. This can be referred to as high pitta season – major fire with a little water. High heat and moisture. By the end of the summer, the long durations of heat eventually dries everything out. End result: crispy brown grass, shriveled flowers, and dried up streambeds. At this time the Westward winds begin to bring in the cool crispness of fall, adding to the dryness of late summer. This season is saturated with the elements of air and ether. Currently we are in that in-between state —  dried out from summer with further drying on the way. And though we still sit with the heat of the summer, we know deep in our bones that the cold is on its way.

Our bodies undergo the same process. With more sunlight around us, we feel more energized, which possibly leads us to working harder and playing harder and going on picnics and gardening and doing yard work and hiking and having dinner parties. If you feel exhausted from summer, you’re not alone. It feels so lovely to expend all of that excess energy that it’s easy to overextend oneself. And if you have, you’ll be feeling it right about now…

As we leave pitta season in late summer, we are easing right into vata season. From high fire present in the atmosphere to more air and eventually more ether. In healthy proportions, the elements of vata – air and ether – can create the light clean spaciousness needed for creativity, inspiration and even spiritual insight. But if you begin to take on too many of these qualities, symptoms like dry skin, cold emotions, fear, worry, and anxiety can arise. Therefore, no matter your constitution, if your body is burnt up and dried out from summer, you will be at a greater risk of developing vata imbalances on top of your pitta imbalances, leading to unnecessary dis-ease.

Cooling the fires of pitta

Does this resonate? If so, now is definitely the time to get to the root of your imbalance so as to protect against more extreme imbalances this coming fall. Since the root of the issue is too much heat leading to a lack of moisture you will want to bring in cooling substances with a moistening nature. Even if you’re not experiencing any imbalances now, the cool and moist qualities, in moderate amounts, will be beneficial from a seasonal standpoint.

There are many practices that you can cultivate to bring more moisture and coolness into your life. One of the most potent and simple practices is called abhyanga or self-massage. Abhyanga is usually done by applying oil to the body with different techniques as to what oil to use and how to apply it.

Regular practice keeps the muscles and joints of the body fluid, stimulates circulation and improves the functioning of the immune system. Self massage also increases energy, creates lustrous skin, regulates the digestive system, removes toxins from the body, calms the nervous system, and stabilizes the mind. Its side effects include becoming more intimate with your own skin and becoming deeply aware of how your body’s doing. Therefore, it’s important to cultivate a space of self-compassion for yourself, especially if you’re new to all of this. It may be a little (or a lot) uncomfortable at first. Perhaps it may feel like a greedy indulgence that you don’t deserve. Or you may experience resistance to feeling into your body and becoming more deeply aware of possible imbalances. I’ve been there…but I can attest that it’s worth it. Just overnight the effects on psychological well-being can be incredible. And within just a few days abhyanga affects physical well-being in subtle yet powerful ways.

Fall in Love with Abhyanga

In an ideal world, you awaken slowly and take your well-deserved, sweet time to love up your body, applying the perfect oil infused with the exact herbs your body needs. Next, you practice asana in a candle-filled room filled, connecting your mind to your body through your breath. Finally, you sit in a steam room to allow the oils to absorb even deeper into your skin while washing off any excess oils. In reality, your daily life may be more hectic. You awake after pressing snooze a couple of times, with 20 minutes to put on oil, do a couple of yoga postures, and take a quick shower before heading off to work. Honestly, it’s all good.  What’s important is to try out a few of these practices, plant seeds for some good healthy habits, and see what grows.  Here are some quick tips to start a short and sweet yet extremely powerful personal abhyanga practice just in time for high vata season.

Time Tips

• Synchronize abhyanga with your shower, whether in the morning or evening.
• If that’s morning for you, you can to wake up and drink warm to room temperature water while applying oil to your body.  Afterwards, the 20-30 minutes that it takes for the oil to absorb into your body is a great time for an energizing movement practice – whether it’s yoga, tai chi, or a sunrise walk. This time of year, something not so intense is perfect.  Afterwards, a shower will wash away any excess oil.
• If you bathe in the evenings, I like to make a cup of tea, turn on the bath, and play calming music while I oil up. Then I go straight to the bathtub to let my mind unwind from the day, while the warm water enhances the body’s ability to absorb the oil. If you feel extra heated physically or mentally from the day, make the bath room temperature.
• Not much time at all? No problem! Take 30 seconds to rub oil on your feet and slip some socks on right before your head hits the pillow.

Different Doshas, Different Techniques

For Vatas

• Use sesame or almond oil as a base
• Add a couple drops of sandalwood or cinnamon essential oil to the base oil
• Use large amounts of oil
• Start at the head and work down towards the feet
• Rub vigorously to create extra heat

For Pittas

• Use coconut or sunflower oil as a base
• Add a couple drops of rose or sandalwood essential oil to the base oil
• Use medium amounts of oil
• Start at the head and work down towards the feet
• Use longer strokes which are cooling and calming in nature

For Kaphas

• Use safflower or mustard oil
• Add a couple drops of cinnamon or patchouli essential oil to the base oil
• Use small amounts of oil
• Start at feet the and work up towards the head
• Rub vigorously to create extra heat

Note: If you’re dealing with a combination of doshas, feel free to mix oils. For example, if you had a pitta/vata imbalance or wanted an oil best suited for the current late summer season, mixing ½ coconut oil with ½ sesame oil with a couple drops of cinnamon and rose would be a great choice.

Applying oil to the body is a potent practice that can take as little or as much time as you need. The more mindful you are in your abhyanga, the greater the benefit. That said, even after long days when your time is really limited, a quick abhyanga practice could create an entirely different experience this fall for you. Happy oiling!