A few Yoga and Ayurveda guidelines on how to bring balance in the winter season to stay aligned and supported by the cycles of nature.
Are you embracing the winter season?
As promised here are a few of my favourite ways to make it through these winter days in harmony and balance. "Balance involves self-awareness. Balance is a personal, ever-evolving and holistic concept.'" Alignment is necessary!
1. Yoga Nidra Practice
This is a season of rest! Finding a few moments of pause throughout the day and rest is a priority to support your well-being. Here is a network with some free recorded Yoga Nidra practices. All you have to do is to lay down, get comfortable and give yourself permission to rest.
2. Abhyanga
This is a beautiful self-massage of warm oil (ideally untoasted organic sesame oil in this season). Apply it onto your entire body from head to toe, and leave it for 5-20 minutes (the longer the better). Make sure you stay warm and enjoy the time just being YOU. Connect to your senses, take deep nourishing breaths and simply pause. Take a warm bath or shower afterwards and see how you feel.
You can do Abhyanga anytime except straight after your meals. Enjoy the act of calming your nervous system, deep nourishment, self-love and so much more!
3. Daily walks after the main meals to support your digestion
A simple and effective way to support not just your digestion after your meals but also get the daylight and vitamin sun as much as you can. Even on cloudy and rainy days!
Your digestion will thank you for that.
4. Warm, cooked foods and a warm drink
In Ayurveda, we are guided by the principle of:
"Like attracts like and opposites bring balance"
Winter is a cold and dry time. The way to bring balance we invite qualities of warming, moistening and grounding foods. This is a topic I can talk about for hours, but for now leave the cold, raw and uncooked food away from your diet as it is hard to digest and taxing your digestive fire.
5. CCF tea
Straight to the point: leave out stimulants such as caffeine or alcohol and enjoy this blend instead.
Recipe:
Cumin, coriander and fennel tea
*Cardamon or chamomile - optional
Makes 2 cups
1⁄8 tsp. cumin seeds, 1⁄8 tsp. coriander seeds and 1⁄8 tsp. fennel seeds in 2 cups (480 ml) of boiling water. Let it cool down a little, strain it and add 1 tsp. honey per cup if desired and enjoy with an open heart.
Alternatively, you can soak the seeds overnight for enhanced taste.
Adding chamomile and cardamon to it makes it into a calming blend in the PM.
Let me know what you think, and how you get on. Enjoy the new re-alignment.
If you would like to know more about Ayurvedic lifestyle, diet or help with your current state of health please refer to my 'Ayurveda' page to see what I have to offer.
Thank you for reading.
Ivana Tara x