Ayurveda recommends that we treat ourselves to a scalp massage once a week.  If you have dry hair or dandruff, you may want to do this twice a week.  If you have oily skin or hair, you can do the massage without the oil.  First thing in the morning, or last thing before bed is the best time for this treatment.  Start by warming 1 teaspoon of sesame oil.  Massage this into the scalp for ten minutes.  Use the pads of your fingers, not your nails.  Massage in a circular motion. Then wrap your head in a hot towel and leave on for about 10 minutes more.  Wash hair with a gentle shampoo.  Massage increases circulation to the scalp and promotes healthy hair growth.  And it feels great!

In Ayurveda there are three seasons, with the properties of Vata, Pitta and Kapha.  How these are labeled depends on where you live, in the northern or southern hemisphere.  The seasons change in approximately the beginning of November, March, and June.  To prepare ourselves for the new season, Ayurveda recommends cleansing, or Panchakarma.  Not all of us have the luxury of going to an Ayurvedic spa for the full Panchakarma program, which includes massage and other de-toxing treatments, every season.  But we can do some cleansing of our own at home with Ayurvedic herbal formulas.  Triphala is a combination of three ayurvedic herbs that work together to transform the digestive system.  It tones and strengthens the muscles in the colon, and increases the absorption of nutrients into the body.  Tulsi acts as a tonic for the nervous, immune, and digestive systems.  It helps to remove toxins from the body and also soothes the nervous system.  Turmeric works to purify the blood, liver and kidneys and also aids in digestion.  Turmeric has powerful antioxidant properties, and can help us to have radiant skin!

The Triple Action Cleansing Set from Organic India includes Triphala, Turmeric and Tulsi for maximum cleansing benefits.

In Ayurveda, our digestive fire is called agni.  When our agni is strong then our appetite is strong.  To maintain healthy digestion, which helps us to digest our food and absorb the nutrients in our food, Ayurveda offers these suggestions:

-Eat only when you are hungry.  And eat before you get so hungry that you are uncomfortable.  
-Stop eating when you feel about 75% full.  Don’t overstuff yourself.  Eating too much food overloads your digestive system and can lead to a build-up of toxins.

-Pay attention to the meal that you are eating.  Really taste the food, smell the food, take in the colors of the food.  This helps to make the experience of eating more pleasant.

-Don’t watch TV or read while you are eating.  This just serves as a distraction to the food and can cause you to overeat.

-Make sure to include all six tastes (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent) in each meal so that you feel satisfied after you eat.

Having a lot of energy is a sign that we are very healthy.  When we feel a lack of energy, or fatigue, then it is time to look at our diet and lifestyle to make sure that we’re doing out best to stay in balance.  Some foods actually deplete our bodies of energy, or impair its ability to absorb nutrients and are best avoided: refined carbohydrates, white sugar, alcohol, and high fat foods.  Fatty or heavy foods impair absorption by coating the inside of the intestinal walls.  Stimulants, like caffeine, and tobacco, as well as white sugar, affect our blood sugar levels and stress out the endocrine system, and fatigue is the end result.  Instead, choose natural sweeteners, fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, whole grains, seeds and nuts.  Make sure you eat at regular times, and in a harmonious environment.

Sleep is also important.  It’s not just the quantity of sleep that we get, but the quality of sleep we get each night.  This is the time for our bodies to recharge.

And of course, exercise, fresh air, and sunshine is important to support the energy in our body and mind.  Our minds can be fatigued by overwork, depression, or boredom.  It’s easy to feel the effects of stress when we’re indoors much of the time.  A good dose of the outdoors does wonders!  Yoga, a morning walk and deep breathing, are also helpful to both release energy blocks and to keep good energy flowing.

Hanuman is also known as the Monkey God.  He has the body of a man and the face of a monkey.  Hanuman represents discernment.  He is clever.  He uses his wits to accomplish feats that might otherwise seem impossible.  Since Hanuman as mastery over the principles of gravity and matter, he can do anything!  And he is a reminder to us that when we put our minds to it, we can do anything, too.  There is a story that explains how Hanuman even was able to avoid the influence of the planet Saturn.  Saturn came to Hanuman and said: “You may be the mighty Hanuman, but even you must have your time under the rules of Saturn.”  Hanuman greeted Saturn and replied: “Thank you, I accept that you are doing your job.  And since you recognize me as the mighty Hanuman, may I ask you one favor?” Since Hanuman was so polite, Saturn agreed, and Hanuman said: “I wish that you would come back tomorrow, and not start this work today.” So Saturn left.  The next day Saturn came back, and was about to go to work influencing Hanuman with his energy, when Hanuman reminded Saturn of his promise: “You said you would come back tomorrow, not today.” Day after day went by with the same routine until Saturn finally gave up and left Hanuman alone.

A big part of controlling our weight is controlling our cravings.  We have these cravings and we want to eat, and that’s when we often overeat, and then gain weight.  Our cravings can be a factor of an imbalance in our doshas.  When we discover the imbalance, we can work on that, reducing the cravings and feeling better all around.

-The craving for comfort foods indicates a Vata imbalance.  Comfort foods are sweet, creamy, carbohydrate-heavy foods.  This is really a signal that our body wants something warm, nurturing, calming or grounding to balance out an excess of Vata.  We can achieve this with Vata pacifying techniques: drink Tulsi Red Mango tea, use aromatherapy (vanilla, orange), hug a friend, listen to your favorite music.

-The craving for salty foods indicates a Pitta imbalance.  We crave salty foods like chips, pretzels and nuts, when we feel frustrated, angry, excited or annoyed.  To balance out Pitta, drink Tulsi Sweet Rose tea, use aromatherapy (sandalwood, mint), walk in the moonlight, look at beautiful landscaping or artwork.

-The craving for caffeine, or chocolate, indicates a Kapha imbalance.  Kaphas need something stimulating to overcome feelings of lethargy or depression.  Instead of downing coffee, cola or candy bars, implement some Kapha pacifying techniques: drink Tulsi Lemon Ginger tea, use aromatherapy (spicy scents like rosemary and clove), dance around to some lively music.

Tulsi Red Mango, Tulsi Sweet Rose and Tulsi Lemon Ginger teas are all available from Organic India.  They can be made either hot or iced.

Ayurveda explains that there are three aspects to mental function: learning, retaining, and recalling.  When we have problems in any one of these areas, it shows up as a learning problem, which can lead to frustration and low self-esteem.  And then behavior problems can follow.  When learning, retaining and recalling are balanced and operating efficiently, the mind is quick and bright.  So, how can we get our minds sharp so that we can have peak performance at school or the office?  Ayurveda has these simple recommendations:

-Eat fresh foods, preferably organic.  Stay away from foods with additives, or foods that have been frozen or leftover.  The fresher the food, the more intelligence that it has. -Eat a balanced diet.  Make sure you get enough nutrition, with proteins such as soy, and an abundance of fruits and vegetables.  We do need some fat, but not too much. -Eat foods rich in antioxidants.  Look for foods with dark, deep, colors: blueberries, sweet potatoes, and spinach are really good. -Get enough sleep.  Sleep deprivations leads to a diminished mental performance.  Sleep is a basic for mind/body health, just as food is. -De-Stress.  Stress has a negative impact on both mind and body.  Make sure you meditate daily, and take time to relax. -Exercise the brain.  Stay active with reading, puzzles, and learning new things.

Rice is used in India for many different ceremonies.  It is used in offerings, and colored, powdered rice is used to create mandalas.  Rice is a symbol of health and wealth in many countries.  We often toss rice at newlyweds to wish them fertility and prosperity.  There are many different kinds of rice, including brown, wild, jasmine, Arborio and Basmati.  The white rices are considered more easily digestible.  Of all the rices, Ayurveda favors Basmati, because it balances all three of the doshas.  And Ayurveda says that we need to avoid rice that is instant, pre-cooked, or leftover because it has less nutrition and life energy in it.  And here’s a tip: Ayurveda says to only add salt to the rice after it is cooked, because adding the salt to the cooking water can affect the cooking temperature of the rice.  Rice can be used so many ways, and cooked with spices, nuts, vegetables or beans.  When sweetened with milk rice can also be made into a delicious dessert.  I like to mix in coconut milk and sugar and serve the rice warm with fresh mango!  Ayurveda suggests that we eat rice several times during the week, but not everyday.  It is a good idea to alternate the rice in our meals with other grains such as couscous, quinoa, and barley.

Colors can have a powerful effect on our moods.  They can energize, inspire, calm or heal.  Each color vibrates to a different frequency, and we can use this generated energy to our advantage.  Red is hot, dense, and powerful.  Red is stimulating and balancing to Kapha, but it can aggravate both Pitt and Vata.  Blue is cooling, and soothing.  It is much too mellow for Kapha, but it wonderfully balances Pitta.  Yellow, which is warm, but much less intense than red, is great for balancing Vata.  Using ayurvedic color therapy, we can choose clothes to wear to balance our dosha and brighten our mood.  Think about how you’re feeling in the morning before you get dressed, and keep in mind that the colors around you will influence your mood.

-Vata: Favor warm, muted, calming colors (yellows, oranges, greens, deep purple), avoid bright red and black.

-Pitta: Favor cool, soft colors (white, blues, greens, pastels), avoid bright colors and dark colors.

-Kapha:  Favor warm, stimulating, bright and light colors (red, orange, yellow), avoid soft, muted colors like pink, white, blue.

A mandala is a circular design, often very colorful, with representations of the world illustrated within it.  The word mandala comes from Sanskrit and is translated to mean circle, or community.  In many traditions, the mandala is used for meditation.  It is thought that as we gaze upon these sacred symbols, our mind opens.  Mandalas are often found in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.  When I was in India years ago, a group of Buddhist monks came to create a mandala for us out of colored sand.  They spent hours and hours, for days, intently creating this amazing and intricate design.  They were clear that the work itself is as important as the eventual outcome of the mandala.  It turned out to be absolutely beautiful, and yet it lasted for only a few days.  The ritual is to sweep the mandala away, as if it were blown away by the wind, signifying the impermanence of existence.  So, with a little ceremony, the monks swept away this incredible work of art, and then filled up little vials with sand for us to take home and remember this important lesson.