The Vedic Secret to Truly Having a Good Morning!

"Babe.... wake up.... isn't it Vata time right now?  Come on, get up!"  I squeezed my eyes shut, instantly regretting ever telling my husband about the Vedic times of day.

"Nooooo.  I don't wanna!"  Although I knew he was right, but my bed felt sooo good.  

"Come on, get up!"  

"Sshhhhh!  You're gonna wake up the kids!"  Too late.  In ran one, followed by the other.  

"Hiiiii mommy!"  Exuberantly happy to be awake and greeting me and the new day, my babies dragged me out of bed.  

"Okay, okay!  I'm up!"  

I got up, got dressed, put on my running shoes and my ipod, and I was out the door.  As I set my foot out into the glorious morning, it greeted me back, with a cool breeze, and beautiful skies, thanking me for rising early enough to witness it.  I took a deep breath, let it out slowly, so grateful to be outside...and began my morning run.  How sad to have missed out on all that bliss and beauty, and the energy that stayed with me all day, for a few extra minutes of sleep.

So why before 6 am?  Why wake up so early, when our warm beds beckon us to stay?  The Vata time of day falls between 2-6 am and 2-6 pm.  This time carries the qualities of the Vata dosha, so it is very high in energy.  By waking up before 6 am, we take advantage of that extra energy to give us the extra boost we need to get up and moving!  Getting outside and stepping into daylight also helps our bodies to awaken, and reminds us that it is morning!  Our bodies are so accustomed to staying up late at night.  We have an abundance of electric lights that betray the time of day, and convince us to keep going way past our "bedtime."  Walking in early morning sunlight helps to set our internal clock, and helps us to go to sleep at night too!  

The sanskrit term for the art of daily routine is dinacharya.  The times of day are a large part of creating a daily routine that is ideal for each of us as an individual.  Give your body the extra help our environment offers us, and wake up in the Vata time of day!  

For many, waking up is such a challenge because they can't get to sleep at night.  If you have a hard time getting to sleep, or staying asleep, stay tuned for the next two blogs!  We will be going over Pitta and Kapha times of day, and sharing some Vedic secrets for getting the best sleep at night!

Soak up the Beauty that is left in the remnants of the Stillness...

Do you remember being a child during a power outage?  Maybe it was just unique to our family, but I remember it as a terribly exciting and fun event!  All family members would gather in the kitchen, where the gas stove was lit.  The four burners giving the only light to the blanket of darkness.  Once those were lit, and our eyes adjusted, Mom would get more candles and flashlights so we could navigate about the house if need be.  Most nights though, we would stay hovering around the stove or seated at the kitchen table.  Often Mom would open the blinds so we could see the storm with its flashes of lightning dance across the kitchen walls... almost competing with the flickers of candlelight.  With no electricity, came no television, no radio, no distractions.  Crashes of thunder were the soundtrack to our power outage family chats.  On the rare occasion that we had them in the house, Mom would even let us roast marshmallows on the flames of the stove!  What a wonderful way to turn an "unfortunate event" into a joyous one!

This memory brought to my attention how lost we "mature adults" get in the intricacies of grown-up life.  So preoccupied with our to-do lists and jam packed schedules, we often forget about these simple pleasures.  So accustomed to the constant movement, music, television, emails, video games...What if you made a decision to create your own "power outage" intentionally?  Turn off the phones, turn off the music, turn off the television.  The next step is very important, FIRST get your candles and matches or lighter in place and lit, THEN turn off the lights.  ;)  The rest is up to you.  Focus on appreciating the finer details of the rest of your evening.  Tune in to the wonder of your breath, and its effortless ebb and flow.  What other sounds will create the "background music" to your evening?  Are there birds that sing in the evening outside your home like at mine?  Are there crickets that sing to each other outside your window?  Could you time your evening of appreciation with the full moon?  Open up the windows or go outside and soak up the lunar rays and their beauty.  Spring is coming... and with it all the beautiful desert blooms.  Breathe in their delicate aroma, and exhale away any stresses from the day.  Maybe you could plan your night on a "high chance of showers" day, and breathe in the wet desert dirt smell, we natives have come to love.  Whatever type of evening you choose to create, the options of sensory delight are endless.  

There are many of us that mentally recognize that most of our experiences in life are dependent on our perception.  As simplistic as it may sound, this recognition put into action can be life altering, in the best way imaginable.  We constantly receive reminders that life is something that should be relished and thoroughly enjoyed, if we will just open our eyes and listen.  

On Friday, 2:45 came around and it was time to pick up my daughter from school.  I got my shoes and my two year old son, Elijah's shoes on. I grabbed my purse and keys, and took a deep breath.  (One of these days I'll write about the blessing/curse of being a stay at home mom, and all that it entails!)   :)  As I opened the door to walk outside, my happy little boy literally pranced out the doorway.  I quickly locked the door behind  me, and turned to see him half skipping, half running down the walkway to the car.  He stopped halfway, after realizing I wasn't beside him, and ran back to me.  His little hand grabbed mine, and he laughed out a giddy, "MAMA!  RUUUUUUUUN!  HAHAHAHAHA!"  What a lucky mama I am to have this little reminder of how we are meant to enjoy our moments!  What a beautiful thing.  He literally was beside himself with joy to run!  It didn't matter the destination!  It didn't matter the speed!  He just was happy to run!  Now, if you have the secret to enjoying running, then I need to read your blog!  I have not gotten there yet!  But the message is the same.  We choose the level of joy we glean from the collective moments that create our day.  Someday soon, make a "power outage" happen in your life, and soak up the beauty that is left in the remnants of the stillness.  

An Opportunity to Embrace, Remain Neutral, or Let Go...

Let go of the people who cause constant pain; let go of the negativity that colors a room more darkly than any coat of paint. Keep close the people you love, the ones who stay engaged and open to life, who bring joy and peace to the house and garden. ~ Dominique Browning

Today needed something... something more.  I went out to the garage and dug out a book I haven't opened in several years.  It is a book by Sarah Ban Breathnach called Romancing the Ordinary - A Year of Simple Splendor.  The book is overflowing with wonderful little ways to choose a more joyous life.  The message is to "romance the ordinary", and gain an extraordinary existence out of an "ordinary" life.  I highly recommend it.  


In flipping through the pages I came across the quote listed above, and it was exactly what I was looking for.  It was the something more that I needed today.  The message behind this quote is one that I have been working on realizing for several years now in my own life.  Today I choose to it all over again.  


Every day we are handed an unending list of options, of choices with which we will create our day.  From the moment we wake in the morning, to the last conscious thought at night... our day is full of choices.  Every breath is an opportunity to either embrace something, remain neutral, or let it go.  With every decision, we have the opportunity to create more balance and peace within our souls.  


What kind of people do we choose to surround ourselves with?  Do they contribute to the beauty in our life?  Allow us to breathe easier, speak more openly and honestly, and accept and love us unconditionally?  If not, then now would be the best time to, "Let go of the people who cause constant pain; let go of the negativity that colors a room more darkly than any coat of paint."  


Imagine a brightly lit room filled with people... laughter and joyous voices fill the air.  Picture a shadow falling across the wall, falling across the crowd... The voices hush... the light is gone.  There is nothing quite like the damage that can be done by an energetic vampire.  These people literally suck the energy out of their victims, and leave them empty and joyless.  Beware of these people, and the negativity they thrive on and spread.  


"Keep close the people that you love, the ones who stay engaged and open to life, who bring joy and peace to the house and garden."
What type of people do you draw into your life?  Just as each of us is elementally unique, we will be the most benefited by different personalities according to our individual makeup.


Vatas would be best supported by a stable, dependable, centered and grounded friend.  One who will bring them back to reality when they have strayed too far in the airy ethers.  Pittas need a similar friend, but additionally one with a very patient, reasoning quality, for the times when Pittas temper flares.  Kaphas would be complemented by a fiery, energetic person, one who will motivate and encourage them out of stagnant stillness into accomplishing their goals.  Embrace these personalities in your life.  They will support you in the areas you need it most.


Lastly, of course the question lies within you.  What type of person are you?  Do you cause constant pain and spread negativity with your presence?  Or are you engaged and open to life?  


Ready to choose joy and peace today and every day... I invite you to create an extraordinarily beautiful experience out of the ordinary moments of today. 
  

How Deep is Your Love??

How frequently do we push beyond our boundaries of what is comfortable?  How many moments of complete silence do you experience in a day?  I do not have many, being mama to little people that never stop until bedtime.  :)  These quiet moments that come after reading stories, saying prayers, and tucking them in for the night... I am filled with gratitude.  There are dishes to do, laundry to fold, and the never ending work that is a mother's.  But tonight it is quiet.  I hear the plane flying overhead... I slow my breath to a longer rhythm... I have no desire to hear music or melody in this moment.  I am continuing to learn to embrace the beauty of quiet, silent, still solitude. This was not something that I learned by example, but have had to practice and exercise to improve upon.

Growing up my mother never sat still.  Late into the night she was moving... cleaning, cooking, folding, washing, reading.... never still.  If she sat still she would surely lay there for hours on end thinking about everything that must be done.  Any clue what dosha mama is?  :)  A fascinating extreme blend of vata and pitta!  She had the energy of a vata and the discipline of a pitta.  Amazingly productive! 

My kapha father was quite the opposite.  Slow, deliberate, contemplative, analytical, and a talker to beat all talkers.  :)  A lover of learning and of information of any kind...  Every evening after long hours of running his business he would sit at the television.... and flip.. then stay for a while... and flip... until he passed out from sheer exhaustion. Dad would sit still, but would never do so in silence.  There was always noise of some kind, as a distraction.

What is it about stillness that is so uncomfortable for some people?  What happens when you turn off the music and the television and the computer and the phone?  What do you hear?  Your own voice?  The voices of family or friends?  Are they words of love and gratitude?  Or the opposite?  Does it depend on the day?  The week?  Does it depend on how your relationships are going?  Do the things you say to yourself shift depending on the things others say to you??  

Here is the question:  Is your love of yourself dependent on an outside source?  Is the love for yourself conditional?  This is a potent and powerful question.  What if it is?  What does that mean?  What kind of problems could that present?  How does your love for yourself compare to your love for others?  Hmmm?  Curious what you think....

The most important thing I have shared with you.

Today was a very busy day for me, as always, but was definitely different.  It is starting to become glaringly apparent that this knowledge that I have studied for years is incredibly needed by many.  I came to the realization today that I am actively working with SEVEN different people on balancing their doshas.  I don't know what that number sounds like to you, but I can tell you it is perfect.  :)  It happens to be my favorite number too!  Seven different people, with seven different sets of challenges, that are all being benefited by the individuality of this science.  The beauty of this system is its variety of methods of treatment and how customized they are to the individual!  

Something has come up in every single case study I have worked with lately.  It is an emotional challenge that is not limited to just one dosha, but is found in all three.  So here we go.  :)

Imagine for a moment that you have a very dear friend that you have been friends with your whole life.  The two of you have seen each other through childhood traumas, high school heartbreaks, and now adult versions of heartbreaks and traumas.  This friend is the only person you could ever depend on.  Understanding and encouraging, supportive but honest, loving and accepting, compassionate and forgiving, etc.  They were a constant that helped you through the worst of times and rejoiced with you in the best of times.  Imagine now, the kind of love and affection that you would have for this person.  Friends like this are precious, right?  So this friend of yours is in a relationship with someone who is the opposite of everything we just described.  This person frequently makes condescending, demeaning remarks about your friend.  Impatient, judgmental, demanding, or questioning and doubting everything they do, or expressing a lack of faith or confidence in their ability to do anything right.    Are you still with me?  How would that make you feel?  Would you keep quiet?  Or would you speak up?  "Why do you let them treat you like that?"  "You deserve so much more!"  "Why do you let them talk to you that way?"  After all this person has done for you, and all you have been through, of course you would speak up!!  Right?  You may have been in this situation before.  It is hard to see someone you love mistreated and put down.

But for some reason we are much more tolerant of the voices that come from within, aren't we?  Those voices will differ in pitch and tone depending on our dosha.  If we are vata dominant, there will be doubt, anxiety, fear attached to the voice.  "I'll never get anything done."  "I can't finish anything I start."  "I'll never find any peace of mind."  "It doesn't matter if I follow through, people know how I am."  

If we are pitta dominant the voices are much harsher, rougher, and heated.  "What is wrong with you?  Get it together!"  "Suck it up.  There's no time to be tired.  There's too much to do."  "Just get it done, you can rest later."

If we are kapha dominant, the voices are heavy, negative, and weary.  "Why bother trying?  I'll just fail in the end."  "Just keep your mouth shut, they don't care anyways."  "Good thing you didn't trust them completely , you knew they were going to hurt you."  "Nothing matters, just go back to sleep."

Do any of these phrases sound familiar to you?  The sad truth is that many of us silently speak to ourselves in this way every day.  We are unforgiving, harsh, and sometimes downright abusive to ourselves.  Why?  The reasons are different for each of us.  It all comes down to the same train of thought and belief that in order to feel loved, valued and worth something, it must come from outside of us.  This is not only faulty thinking, but incredibly damaging to all of the other relationships that we have.  It all comes back to unconditional love for oneself.  EVERYTHING.  This truth is undeniable to me in every client and student I have ever worked with.  Next we will talk about why this is so critical in the peace and health of every other relationship we have.  Your homework until then is to start listening.... very closely to the way you speak to yourself.  You might be surprised with what you hear....  <3

Grounded, Consistent, and Loyal- The Kapha Dosha

The Kapha dosha is a combination of the earth and water elements.  The positive aspects of these two elements meshing are many.  They are grounded, stable, reliable, consistent, loving, kind, considerate.  They are guarded initially, but once they love, it is deep and committed.  They generally have a larger bone frame, and are more prone to gaining weight than the other two doshas.  Their skin and hair is oily and hydrated.

Remembering that the two elements that compose this dosha are earth and water, consider what the two of them create.  MUD.  When there is not enough air, or movement, then the water settles into the earth and stagnation follows.  Think about what happens when water sits without movement for an extended period of time.  Bacteria can develop, mold can grow.  It becomes a breeding ground for negativity.  This is the same with the kapha dosha.  When there is not enough physical, emotional, or mental movement, issues arise.

The lymphatic system is a major part of our immune system.  It is a part of our filtration system that weeds out toxic substances and flushes them out of the body.  The lymphatic system is different from the rest of our circulatory system though.  Our blood circulates through our body with the aid of our heart.  The lymphatic system does not have a pump to move the lymph through the body.  The system is dependent on muscular contractions, which push the lymph through the tiny filters all over our bodies.  If we live very sedentary lifestyles, this pumping action is not being stimulated, and stagnation will result.  Because of the dominant earth element in the kapha constitution, they are prone to lack of motivation to move.  They are the ones who need to move the most!

Kapha types are also prone to being emotionally "stuck" as well.  They are prone to holding on to past pains or resentments, refusing to forgive and forget.  Sadly, their lack of desire to change or let go of the past makes them the most prone to depression.  It is usually because of past "hurts" that many kaphas seem so guarded and closed off.  The wall that protects them from getting hurt also prevents them from enjoying life to its fullest.

As was mentioned earlier, one thing that is extremely important for a kapha type to do is be active EVERY DAY.  Because of the challenge they usually have in waking up in the morning, walks outside at sunrise are excellent for them.  Even though it is probably the last thing they would CHOOSE to do, it is what they need the most.  Being out in the sunlight will help to set their internal clock, and help them get to bed at a decent hour.  This activity will also assist in the movement of the lymph and boost their immune system.  In addition to that, it will boost their endorphins and their mood!  The "air" element of exercise helps tremendously at stimulating and pushing the earth and water elements to be productive in the rest of their day!

Passionate, fiery, focused, and in this heat... hot tempered!! Pitta!

In this beautiful state of Arizona, specifically where I live, in the Phoenix area, we understand the true meaning of HOT.  The days in the summer can reach as high as 115 degrees!  Understandably, resident's tempers tend to rise with the environment's heat.  This idea teaches us a core principle that "like increases like".  When elemental characteristics in our environment shift, it impacts the elemental makeup within us!  It is for that reason that recent statistics suggest that the heat of the summer months creates a rise in road rage!  Whatever is in our environment impacts us, influences us, in a positive or negative way.  Many of my students have noticed a considerable shift in their patience, tolerance, and rationality in the summer months.

The Pitta constitution is one that is composed of the elements fire and water.  The dominant fire in this dosha is evident in all of its activities.  They are focused, driven, passionate, determined, and very efficient in what they accomplish.  These are all wonderful things!  The only challenge with Pittas is that they don't want to stop... EVER.  They are the classic "type A" personality.  Scheduling every moment to be as productive as possible, the Pitta dosha rarely rests.  This lack of interest in slowing down and grounding makes them more prone to crashing and "burning out", or blowing up at whoever is in their path.  The fire element literally gets too hot, and they are forced to stop.  An excess of the fire element in the body can show up in a number of different ways.  Inflammation in the body is due to excess heat, or fire.  Inflammatory bowel disorders, inflamed acne, inflammation in the joints, eczema, rosacea and any other heat based challenges are all Pitta based.

Remembering the principle that like increases like is important in identifying what choices to make regarding our environment.  All of the elements are found in everything around us!  Look at the food that you are eating... does it heat you up?  Or cool you off?  Look at the type of drinks you choose... are they hot or cold?  Stimulating or soothing?  Look at the people you surround yourself with... do they agitate you?  Or calm you down?  A Pitta constitution should choose all things cooling and keep things that add fire to a minimum.  Spicy food, hot, stimulating drinks, and temperamental personalities should all be avoided to maintain balance.  The key word here is moderation.  I am not suggesting you NEVER AGAIN eat mexican food.  :)  I mean, we live in Arizona, right?  But keeping their intake of heating substances, environments, and personalities will help a Pitta person keep their fire under control.  We'll be learning about specific foods and activities that will help to cool and balance the Pitta dosha.  :)