Curry is abundant in Indian cooking.  Curry is actually a blend of herbs, and the herb that gives curry powder its yellow color is turmeric.  Ayurvedic physicians have used as turmeric in healing compounds for centuries, and western medicine is just starting to catch on to its many benefits now.  The January issue of “Cancer Research,” published a study which shows that turmeric, and its active ingredient, curcumin, may have the ability to treat and even prevent prostate cancer when combined with a certain group of vegetables like broccoli, kale, brussel sprouts, cauliflower or cabbage.  Interesting to note that while prostate cancer is a definite concern for American men, it barely affects Indian men.

Our sleep affects our health and our general mood throughout the day.  If you’re tossing and turning, are restless, snore, or feel sleepy during the day, then you may be having problems getting the deep sleep you need.  There are basically three different kinds of sleep disorders, one for each dosha.  When you have trouble falling asleep, that is typically because of too much Vata.  If you fall asleep, and then wake up in the middle of then night and can’t get back to sleep, that is indicative of a Pitta imbalance.  When you can’t seem to get enough sleep, you have trouble waking up in the morning, then that shows an overabundance of Kapha.  There are lots of reasons why we may have trouble sleeping, and no matter what they are, Ayurveda has solutions to help us get that good night’s rest.
-Avoid caffeine, especially after noon.
-Eat a light meal between 5 and 7 pm.  This will give you time to digest before you go to sleep, so that you body can rest more soundly.
-An hour before bed, relax.  Avoid stimulating activities such as working on the computer, or watching the nightly news.  Take a nice bath, or listen to music.  Use this time to wind down.  Take slow, deep breaths.
-Get to bed by 10 pm.  This is still Kapha time, when our body naturally wants to rest.
-Wear comfortable clothing to bed, breathable fabrics like cotton.
-Keep the room dark or dimly lit.

Ayurveda explains that the heart is the root of prana (life force) in the body.  Our heart, mind, and breath are all connected as we inhale and exhale.  When we’re scared, or our emotions run high, our heart might race, and we might feel ourselves holding our breath.  So, the physical strength of our heart muscle is important to its health, but our emotions and mental state also play an important role.  In Ayurveda, it is always essential to look beyond the symptoms to identify the cause of any particular disorder.  We need to pay attention to all the areas of our lives and make accommodations where there is an imbalance that affects our health.  Here are some recommendations to keep your heart healthy:
-Diet: to reduce cholesterol, avoid fried foods, red meats, heavy oils, sugar and caffeine.
-Emotions: release pent-up emotions by meditating, spending time with nature, or journaling.
-Exercise: the amount of exercise, and the intensity of exercise will vary with your dosha.  In general, walking is good exercise for everyone to increase circulation and improve oxygen intake.  Yoga is also a good daily practice.
-Pranayama: there are several different types of yogic breathing exercises which help to keep the body in balance.

In ancient India, music was practiced as a form of medicine.  Classical Indian music, or “rags” has been shown to have amazing healing and mind-balancing qualities.  There are a variety of rags for different times of day, and they are also adjusted for seasonal changes.  The melodies evoke many different moods and emotions.  There are certain tones, and instruments, which can help to balance the doshas, too.  When we produced our Dosha Yoga DVD, we hired a music therapist in India to compose and create 3 specific and unique dosha balancing musical pieces just for us, one for each of our routines.  When you do the exercises, you get that added benefit of the therapeutic music.  I like it so much I often just play the DVD for the music, it feels great playing in the background while I’m working on the computer.

Ayurveda explains that our state of mind is instrumental in the condition of our health and well-being.  Ayurveda also gives us advice on how to cultivate a healthy state of mind so that we can live a balanced and healthy life.  For example:
-Take in positive impressions.  This can be a challenge in our western culture as we are often inundated by negativity.  Seek out uplifting and inspiring works that make you feel good about life in general.
-Release negative emotions.  Holding on to negativity can be toxic.  Find healthy outlets for emotions so that they don’t eat away at you.
-Feel good about yourself and who you are.  Develop positive self-worth and self-esteem.
-Keep in mind that the ultimate goal in life is awareness, or moksha.
-Surround yourself with beauty and harmony in your home.
-Take time for rest and time to just be happy.
-Get some sunshine and fresh air daily.  Use full spectrum light bulbs in the darker winter months.
-Spend time in nature.  Take walks, garden, smell the flowers.
-Visit natural bodies of water, a river, the ocean, a creek or a waterfall.
-Spend time in silence, meditate, chant, or pray.

“Kama” in Sanskrit means pleasure, or desire, and “Sutra” literally means “stitch” and also lesson.  The Kama Sutra is a textbook of physical pleasure written by an Indian sage named Vatsyayana sometime between the first and fifth century.  It was first translated into English by Sir Richard Burton in 1883.  Since then there are have been many different interpretations.  The Kama Sutra is probably most well known for it’s illustrations of a variety of “positions,” but this is actually just one chapter of a very large text.  Much of the book talks about the goals of life, Kama being the most elementary.  Ultimately the goal is Moksha, or liberation, mastery over our senses, which is spiritual freedom.  The idea is to pursue all of our goals in harmony with each other so that we grow spiritually as much as possible.  There is a lot of wisdom that we can garner from this.  The newest version of the Kama Sutra is written by Deepak Chopra, and with it he includes the “Seven Spiritual Laws of Love.”  Society has changed quite dramatically since the Kama Sutra was first written, but much of its ancient wisdom applies to us just as much today.  Deepak reveals to us these ideas in a contemporary way so that we can apply them to our lives and learn from them.

Today I’d like to introduce you to Dhanvantari.  He is known as the father of Ayurveda, or the Hindu God of Medicine.  It is said that simply remembering Dhanvantari, holding his image in mind, brings the removal of all physical suffering.  What a guy!  His right hand is raised in the mudra indicating fearlessness.  He holds a pot of ambrosia, which represents physical health, well being, and long life.  When you are studying Ayurveda, it is traditional to keep Dhanvantari somewhere nearby, as he will help with your mastery of the medical sciences and bless you with spiritual knowledge and liberation.

http://images.google.com/images?q=Dhanvantari&hl=en&btnG=Search+Images

Vastu is the Indian science of architecture and placement.  It is a sister science to Ayurveda, and the seed from which Feng Shui came about.  Vastu teaches us how to live in harmony with our environment, so that the elements work for us naturally.  We can also use Vastu to bring in some of the energies we want to create in our lives.  For example: prosperity!  The most efficient way to enhance the flow of abundance is to get rid of the clutter in your home or office.  Clutter is stagnant, and it is an obstacle to success.  Clutter weighs down our thinking, and stifles creativity.  It makes it more difficult for us to move around freely.  When we remove clutter, we make space for prosperity to come in.  Say goodbye to old magazines, newspapers and piles of paper.  Organize your important files so that you can find them on a moments notice.  Store away things that you don’t need all the time so that they’re not in your way.  Give any unused or outdated items to charity.  It is said that one person’s “junk”is another person’s treasure!  Clearing away clutter is energizing.  It says to the universe that you trust that it will provide for you, and it will!

Feng Shui e-book on DoshaDesign

Mala beads are an important accessory for those of us into the Vedic way of life.  They can come in strands of 108, or in bracelet versions of 27 beads.  When repeating the mantra using a wrist mala we just go 4 rounds instead of 1.  I found some really beautiful wrist malas from India and got a few for the coffeyshop.  One is a moonstone and rudraksha combination.  Moonstone is known to bring good luck and grant wishes.  It is very balancing for Pitta.  Rudrakshas promote inner peace and enlightenment.  Another mala is made from garnet and sterline silver.  Garnet gives vitality and strength.  It represents fire, faith, courage and compassion.  We also have a mala made from peridot and quartz crystal.  Peridot is an exceptionally cleansing and healing stone, especially for the heart chakra.  It brings abundance and prosperity.  Quartz crystal is very healing.  The Navaratna bracelet is really special.  Navaratna refers to the nine gemstones related to the nine planets used in Vedic astrology.  Nava means “nine” and ratna means “gem” in Sanskrit.  This mala brings protection because it delivers the benefits of all the nine planetary gemstones simultaneously.  It brings good health, prosperity, happiness and peace of mind.

William Levacy is one of the most well known, and well loved, Vedic Astrologers in the United States.  I reference his book “Beneath a Vedic Sky” in my dosha book.  William has done my Jyotish chart, and I can tell you from personal experience that he is absolutely brilliant!  I have been waiting for his new book for a long time, and I am happy to announce that it is finally available.  “Beneath a Vedic Sun: Discover Your Life Purpose with Vedic Astrology” gives us tools with which we can find our dharma.  William draws from the fields of Vedic philosophy, modern career assessment, Vedic astrology, Ayurveda and Vastu.  With these guidelines we can discover the type of work we are best suited for.  Included with the book is a free CD of the popular ÓParashara’s Light SE Vedic astrology software.  There’s so much to learn here, it’s wonderful!

Beneath a Vedic Sun by William Levacy on amazon