Mahatma Gandhi is known as one of the greatest statesmen who ever lived.  But as a child, he had his struggles.  He was very shy and didn’t do well in school.  He fell in with a bad crowd, and even stole and smoked.  Feeling guilty, he confessed his misdeeds to his father, who could not hold back his tears.  This was a pivotal point in Gandhi’s life, and he vowed never again to waver from the path of truth.  He finished school, and went to England to study law.  He tried practicing law in India, but he wasn’t very successful, so he moved to South Africa to work there.  One day, while traveling by train in a first class compartment, Gandhi was ridiculed and thrown out by a white passenger.  The humiliation made him determined to fight racism.  He felt strongly that any protest must be made according to the path of ahimsa, or non-violence.  In 1915 Gandhi returned to India and was welcomed by a huge crowd.  He emphasized people’s rights and the right to independence.  His movement touched a chord with the masses.  One of Gandhi’s most beloved quotes is: “Be the change you want to see in the world.”  Deepak Chopra founded the Alliance for a New Humanity based on this quote.  In so many ways, Gandhi’s work lives on.

Alliance for a New Humanity

In India, all animals are sacred.  But the cow, referred to as Gau Mata or Mother Cow, holds a special place in the pantheon of creatures.  India was originally an agriculture-based civilization, and before money came to the countryside, cows were a symbol of wealth.  Cows became legal tender, exchanged for goods and services and even presented as dowry at weddings.  It was thought that gifting a cow to a priest could bring salvation.  The cow also provided milk, the main source of nourishment for much of the country.  The cow dung is used as buel even today.  Dung mixed with hay and dried warms the home and keeps the kitchen fire burning.  It is also mixed with clay and used as building material.  But since most Indians are vegetarian, once the cow stops producing milk, it is often abandoned.  That’s one reason why there are so many cows wandering the streets.  Cows find that the exhaust from the cars helps keep the flies away, so they’re more comfortable.  It’s easy for these cows to find food.  Bread is often left out for the cows the eat, as this is said to be good karma.  On holidays, wandering cows are offered sweets and grass.

Ayurveda teaches us to eat the freshest food possible.  Organic is best because besides being fresh, there are no pesticides used.  We can also go organic in our homes and offices.  Consider using products that come from nature when making purchases.  For example, a wicker wastebasket is more lovely to look at than a plastic one, and does the job equally well.  Glass is made from sand, and ceramic is made from clay, evoking the element of earth.  Both can be used as candle holders, dishware, picture frames and more.  Wood looks rich and beautiful and adds another natural element to décor.  Fill a basket with pinecones or chestnuts and bring it indoors.  Or display some seashells and seaglass.  You’ll have a something beautiful to look at, and also get the natural fragrances from nature, too.  Fresh cut flowers add color, and plants freshen the air!

In Sanskrit, the word Guru comes from the verb root gri, meaning “to invoke” or “to praise.”  Guru is also an adjective, and can mean heavy, serious, or venerable.  When put together, Guru translates to “heavy one.”  There may also be a connection to the root “gur” which means “to lift up.”  The Guru Gita, or “song of the spiritual teacher” is found in a collection of mantras called the Markandeeya Purana.  In the context of this work, the root gu means “darkness” and ru means “removal.”  A guru is a teacher who has attained enlightenment and has the ability to pass on this wisdom to others, removing the darkness and shining the light of understanding.  Besides a teacher type of guru, there is also an inner guru, the higher self that listens, our inner wisdom and intuition.  According to the Vedas, this inner guru is the most important source of knowledge.  In modern times, we have learned that guru translates to “Gee-You-Are-You.”

Orange is sweet, spicy and warming.  Great for balancing both Vata and Kapha, and especially wonderful during this time of year.  Orange is rejuvenating!  Organic India has put together something special to engage each of the senses with their Orange Glow Organic Gift Basket, perfect for the holiday season.  Included in the basket:

-Sight and smell: An Orange-Ginger organic soy wax pillar candle.  This candle burns for 100 hours with a cotton wick and a beautiful glow.  Plus, the healing aromas of orange peel and ginger essential oils.

-Touch and smell: An organic soap with Oatmeal and Italian Bergamot.  Revitalizing for your skin, this fragrant soap with enrich your mind and restore your body.

-Taste and smell: Certified organic Orange Mint Tulsi Tea.  A bright and tangy blend of stress-relieving Tulsi (Holy Basil), orange peel, and spearmint.

-Touch: An organic Tulsi Mala.  The smooth wooden beads on this beautiful mala come from sacred Tulsi, believed to bring good fortune to the wearer.

Digestion is very important to our health, and Ayurveda has many suggestions for how to improve our digestion.  Many times people who have an overabundance of pitta become imbalanced and it shows up as acid indigestion.  Pitta types are prone to hyperacidity, and peptic ulcers.  Stress, impatience, anger, and heat can also aggravate pitta.  What to do if you have are experiencing indigestion?  Avoid pitta aggravating foods like citrus fruits and juices, vinegar, tomatoes, spicy foods, fried foods, salty foods, onions and garlic.  Also, avoid alcohol.  Do not skip meals.  An empty stomach makes more stomach acid.  Eat breakfast, even if you are not hungry in the morning.  Eat something even if it is just a little bit.  If you skip breakfast you can be too hungry at lunchtime, and overeat.  Meditate to relieve stress.  Enjoy the beauty of nature.  Favor cool foods and drinks.  Coconut juice is especially good for pacifying the pitta dosha.

Ayurveda says that it is best to get to bed by 10 pm.  But that can be difficult for us, given that some great TV shows start at 10 pm, and we’re often catching up on e-mail at that time!  But Ayurveda has some very compelling reasons why 10 pm is the ideal bedtime, and these might inspire you to get to bed a little earlier from now on.  First of all, 10 pm is the start of pitta time.  If we are already in bed sleeping, the body generates heat that can burn up any accumulated toxins.  Sleep comes easier during kapha time, which ends at 10 pm, because kapha has the quality of slowness, and dullness, which helps us to relax into that sleep state.  Pitta time is more stimulating, and we might even get the munchies as the time gets closer to midnight.  Another reason to get to bed earlier rather than later, is that there is a solar energy that the earth retains up until midnight.  The sleep we experience while this solar energy is in the atmosphere is very rejuvenating.  It is powerfully beneficial for our health.  Another way we can tell that the cycle of nature is conducive to sleep before 10 pm is the sounds outside.  Before 10 pm, we can hear the crickets singing in a soft melodic tone, a kind of kapha lullabye.  After 10 pm it turns into a much more sharp and piercing sound, indicative of pitta.

A traditional Indian mala has 108 beads, that can be used for reciting mantras, or prayers.  A mala can be worn as a necklace or a bracelet.  When the stones touch the skin, they have a healing effect on the body.  The holiday season is upon us, and a mala makes a lovely and personal gift.  The Empowerment Mala is inspired by the traditional mala, and is an especially beautiful and meaningful piece of jewelry.  It has a Quartz Crystal as its center stone, or meru bead.  Quartz Crystal has a cooling effect on the body, and it increases stamina and self-confidence.  The mala is embellished with Carnelian beads, fresh water pearls, and Tulsi rudrani beads.  Carnelian has been known to increase spiritual wisdom, insight and clarity of thought.  Fresh Water Pearls symbolize purity, and stimulate the mind in clarity and wisdom.  Pearls are also said to enhance personal integrity, focus attention, and increase physical vitality.  Tulsi is considered to be more powerful than any gen in the protection from negative influences.  It is excellent for meditation, as it increases the power of prayer, devotion, and spiritual growth.  Tulsi brings with it the gift of creativity and a pure, joyous, and harmonious life.  Wearing Tulsi is said to awaken the love that is naturally in our hearts.  

 Empowerment Mala from Organic India

According to Ayurveda, because the mouth is governed by the kapha dosha, bad breath, or halitosis, is a kapha disorder.  However, because digestion is governed by the pitta dosha, pitta is also indirectly responsible.  When the digestive fire, or agni, is not functioning properly, our digestion is off, which could lead to bad breath.  Bad breath is caused bacteria in the mouth decomposes the residue of food and releases sulfur.  The sulfur is what smells bad.  Bacteria can live in the spaces of the teeth, or on the tongue.  What to do?  Ayurveda recommends that after we clean our teeth (after every meal or at least twice a day), that we also clean our tongues by using a tongue scraper.  This is a U-shaped instrument, usually made out of stainless steel, that helps to remove bacteria from the tongue.  Clove is commonly used in dental treatments.  Because of its pungent taste, it is great at balancing kapha, which helps to fight bad breath.  Tulsi, or Holy Basil, can also be used to treat bad breath.  Just chew a few fresh leaves right off the plant.  To prevent bad breath, flavor foods with cardamom and clove.  Drink lots of water throughout the day.  If you can’t brush and floss after every meal, at least brush twice a day, and gargle after eating.

Tongue Scraper from The Chopra Center Store

Ashwagandha, also known as Winter Cherry, is a traditional Ayurvedic herb.  It has been called the Indian Ginseng because of the way it rejuvenates the nervous system and minimizes the negative effects of stress.  When taken in the morning, it gives great energy to be used throughout the busy day.  Ashwagandha can also be effectively used for sleep.  The most common cause of insomnia is not having too much energy, but actually having too little.  At the end of a stressful day, we end up feeling both wired and tired.  When taken before bed, Ashwagandha provides the body with the energy it needs to settle itself down naturally for a good night’s sleep.  Containing the tastes of sweet, bitter, and astringent, Ashwagandha helps to balance both Vata and Kapha.  There are many conditions in which Vata and Kapha are out of balance, and that are difficult to treat – but Ashwagandha, a powerful rasayana, or remedy, offers a great solution.  It can be used to treat arthritis, depression, chronic fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, hormonal imbalances, and more.  Organic India uses only organically grown Ashwagandha Root in its pure, revitalizing form.

Ashwaganda from Organic India