Daily Dinacharya

Ayurveda encourages us to live in harmony with ourselves and our environment, providing a framework of guidelines for achieving lasting peace and joy. Through the natural rhythms found all around us – day/night cycles, moon phases or seasonal shifts – it’s important that we adopt similar habits into our own lives; especially when considering that living life ‘at pace’ can easily cause imbalances within the body which result in mental and physical distress. Fortunately there are simple steps we can take daily such as following an individualized dietary plan, practicing truthfulness & incorporating appropriate rituals throughout each season to bring back balance.

Let’s start cultivating these beneficial routines today!

More in depth PDF coming soon!

Blessings!

Michelle

Pancha Koshas

Creation begins with a divine spark of spirit, which then moves into more manifest levels until it reaches us as embodied souls. The yogic and vedantic paths provide us with an understanding of how creation manifests from its purest state into something that exists in physical form – like each one of us! By embarking inwardly through these levels, it is believed that we can uncover the essence within ourselves which lies beyond birth and death; connecting to Great Nature at its very heart.

The journey of life is a cycle, as we move from our Source and back again through death and rebirth. While there are many wonderful gifts that living brings us, break the wheel — or swim upstream to find something more powerful: Self-Realization. Seekers know it’s not an easy course; delusion accompanies attachment with suffering at its heels… but those seeking True freedom understand this is the only way out of samsara in order to gain eternal liberation.

Kundalini Shakti is a powerful primordial force that resides in the subtle depths of our inner planes. It’s said to be responsible for creation – from emanating all forms and shapes, both tangible or beyond reach. Yet within each individual it remains hidden beneath five sheaths known as pancha koshas. Unveiling this wisdom can lead us closer on a path of realization towards discovering ultimate truth.

Our body is comprised of the five gross elements found in food, which make up our Annamaya Kosha – our physical food body – forming an outermost protective layer around us that enables us to engage with and explore this world. To maintain a healthy and balanced kosha we should pay attention to how we nourish ourselves through diet, rest & sleep as well as incorporate movement into our lifestyle such as yoga asana or other forms of exercise for better body awareness.

The Pranamaya Kosha is an incredible source of life energy that animates our physical body. This wondrous force forms a network of subtle currents (Nadis) and powerful spinning wheels (Chakras), each having its own unique values which provide the vital strength to sustain organ function. The aura surrounding humans amplifies this Life Force, enabling it to extend beyond one’s being with a greater reach than ever before through something called Pranavayus. It has been said to be the secret power that binds even heaven and earth together!

Our mental sheath, or manomaya kosha, is a complex blend of thoughts and emotions that pieced together create our identity. It consists of Chitta (subconscious), Manas (conscious mind) and Ahamkara (ego). Our samskaras- such as habits, thought patterns & automatic routines – all exist here in this plane along with the guna influences – rajas , tamas & sattva. Together they form an intricate web which gives us insight into our individual make up.

Our inner wisdom is found in the fourth layer of our being, Vijnanamaya kosha. When cleansed from psychological traits such as attachment, aversion and delusion – it can become a conduit for Atman’s divine light to flow through us. This higher function of the mind, Buddhi, yields wondrous qualities like awareness, intuition, discernment, will power and insight. This gives rise to a Wisdom Body that allows for witnessing life with greater clarity through increased presence & self-awareness!

The Anandamaya kosha, often referred to as the Bliss Sheath, is a divine gateway that opens our eyes to Pure Consciousness and awakens us to an ever-present celestial peace. This sacred vessel holds within it Kundalini Shakti ––the spiritual power of dualistic samadhi–– deepened knowing, heightened integration and unbridled love for all things. Seated at its heart lies the Causal Body where truth resides in perfect harmony with wholeness offering you true inner freedom from earthly suffering.

Our spiritual journey is ultimately a quest to rediscover the One true Source, and Kundalini Shakti acts as our faithful guide along this path of enlightenment. As we traverse through each layer or sheath that veils Atman – from Vijnanamaya kosha to Anandamaya Kosha – our lower mind will eventually bow in recognition of its own relativity when confronted with Self-Illumination beyond all layers. Ultimately, it is only by surrendering ourselves fully into divine guidance can we finally return home.

Many Blessings,

Michelle

Miriam’s Soup

This soup was originally made by my friend Miriam and my daughter loves it! We have recreated a similar version to the original and call it Miriam’s soup. I hope you love it as much as we do!

Serves 4

  • 1/2 leek or onion, chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, sliced
  • 2 carrots, sliced
  • 1 sweet potato, diced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped 1 teaspoon dried
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 3 Tablespoons tamari
  • 1 cup lentils (sorted and rinsed)
  • 7 cups water
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 cups of greens, spinach, kale, cabbage, collard greens, Swiss chard (sliced thin)
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  1. Sauté leeks or onion with celery, carrots, sweet potato and ginger in olive oil
  2. Add rosemary, cumin, allspice, pepper, tamari
  3. Next add, lentils and 6 cups of water and by leaves. Bring soup to a boil then reduce and simmer till lentils are tender. About 40 minutes
  4. If needed, add a little more water and salt to desired taste
  5. Add greens of your choice and simmer until wilted. Remove bay leaves and serve
  6. Top with a little parsley

Enjoy this grounding soup in the evening on a cold night, so good for the body, mind and soul!

Love, Michelle

What’s the difference between a regular massage and an Ayurvedic massage?

India is known around the world for its ancient culture and wisdom. One such form of medical treatment found in India, Ayurveda medicine has been used to heal people from all over this vast country for thousands upon millennia! The system uses food spices herbs remedies body work lifestyle changes which boost your health balance spirit throughout life’s journey.

Abhyanga is an oiling of the body that is based on the principles of Ayurvedic medicine. Which means it’s designed to relieve stress and release emotional blocks. This technique can be very beneficial for people suffering from anxiety or depression because they focus heavily upon relaxation during these massages as well!

HOLISTIC HEALTH

The pursuit of overall wellness can be achieved through gaining proper balance in life. The idea has been around since ancient times and was made popular by doctors like Hippocrates, who believed that all parts must work together for good physical shape- mind, body & spirit too!

Holistic healers take an holistic approach when they look at your environment, stress in life and medications you’ve taken before. Some people want only natural treatments while others may utilize both Western medicine AND alternative practices such as yoga, Ayurveda or meditation for their healing path.

A good Ayurvedic Professional will treat the whole person – not just what’s wrong with them so that their bodies can be functioning properly but also how it affects other aspects of our lives like mental health, diet and lifestyle to exercise and relaxation techniques.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN AYURVEDIC MASSAGE AND A REGULAR MASSAGE?

The focus of an Ayurvedic massage is holistic- relieving emotional stress as well physical. The practitioners hands are used along with medicated herbal oils to help relieve tension from the body’s energy points instead joints and muscles which can be released through activating the body’s Marma points. These are vital points on the body are the junctions of the body and mind much like acupuncture in Chinese medicine but much larger and are not related to the meridians.

A typical Western Massage focuses on pinpointing problem areas such as tight shoulders while also working over time into strengthening those weak spots so they become less noticeable when someone applies pressure elsewhere.

The body is made up of three energies in Ayurveda, which can be balanced through diet and lifestyle. These are the Kapha (earth/water), Pitta(fire/little bit of water) & Vata (air/space) combinations that each person has one dominant dosha based on their individual makeup with an ability to keep it within normal ranges by following specific practices like eating wisely according to what type you are primarily represented at any given time as well taking care not only about your physical needs but emotional.

An Ayurvedic massage may include: mantras, oils, sound therapy, light therapy and more. Ayurvedic Massage is known as Abhyanga. The word ‘abhyanga’ is composed of two Sanskrit words, Abhi and Anga. Abhi means ‘towards’ and anga, in one of its meanings, refers to ‘movement’.  It also means ‘oil massage’ or in sanskrit, ‘snehana’. Snehana means oil, but it also means love. So by receiving Abhyanga, we are oiling our bodies with love, comfort, and nourishment.

The experience of Abhyanga is deeply relaxing to your brain, nervous system and joints. It eases pain while feeling comforting warmth throughout the body – a super yummy way to nourish the body. It lovingly replaces your anxieties with a sense of calmness and contentment because the oils are warm, stable, and grounding.

The Abhyanga treatment can range from spa like a more clinical therapeutic procedure that uses herbalized oil to penetrate the skin and bind with toxins. It also provides joint lubrication, nourishment for your skin as well moisturizing it once bound together by this powerful natural substance! The medicated oil also helps your body achieve balance through mind and body.

Abhyanga is a sequence of massage that helps clear out toxins by encouraging quick removal from the body. The Lymphatic system has various pressure points which are targeted with varying degrees for each section being massaged, ensuring optimal circulation in order to remove metabolic wastes via this route as well! 

The lymphatic system is a very important part of our bodies because it helps to remove fluids from your organs and transport them around so that they can be excreted by other body systems. The manual massage therapists use their hands as pumps, which increases circulation in the area being treated; this leads us towards getting more nutrients through better blood flow- all while feeling totally blissful! It is an amazing experience when there is the option for treatment includes having two people work together using tandem massages where both sides are being touched at once. Either way, this is a highly recommended experience and very unique to Ayurvedic Massage.

The massage helps in tuning up the functioning of our internal organs and optimizes how well they work. It also revitalizes cell self-healing abilities, which can have physical effects on you mentally or emotionally while stimulating parasympathetic nerves with psychological benefits as well! The body, mind and skin is transformed by regular Abhyanga simply by infusing it with the loving herbal oils making it more resilient, hydrated and vibrant that can better withstand the aging process ~ so you can have that vibrant glow!

Generally, Ayurvedic massage should not be done in the following conditions according to Ayurveda.

  • Fever
  • In any acute illness (unless permitted by your doctor)
  • Blood clots (like deep vein thrombosis) or bleeding disorders
  • Hangover
  • Dehydration
  • During Chemotherapy
  • During Menstruation

Schedule a consultation or a treatment today!

Love & OM,

Michelle