In Sanskrit, Mandala means circle.  It is basically a geometric presentation of shapes and forms brought together to represent some aspect of the universe.  In Jungian psychology, the mandala represents unity.  There is a beautiful mandala on the cover of my “What’s Your Dosha, Baby? book and people often ask me where it came from.  My publisher found the artist, Kim Aaronson, and we have since become friends.  He is a very talented artist, and I love the way that this particular mandala represents the love that is found in relationships.  If you’d like to see more of Kim’s work, visit his site at:
http://www.mandalaart.com.

Yoga is good for everyone; it benefits us both mentally and physically.  I’ve been working on a DVD called “DoshaYoga” which will be out later this year.  While doing research for this project, I found that there are certain poses which are recommended for each of the doshas.
-Vatas do well with poses (also called asanas) that are grounding and calming:  Sun salutation, Lotus, Lion, Tree, and Triangle are examples.
-Pittas benefit from poses that are cooling and relaxing.  For example: Moon salutation, Half Moon, Boot, Fish, Bow, and Tortoise.
-Kaphas do best with asanas that are energizing and releasing: Downward Dog, Upward Dog, Handstand, Shoulder Stand, Plow, and Camel.

Food plays a big role in the Ayurvedic lifestyle.  There are three parts to the digestive process: digestion, assimilation, and elimination of food.  When our digestion is efficient, the rest follows more easily, so we get the optimal benefit from our food.  When our digestion is strong, our immune system is strong.  Here are some guidelines to help boost our agni and improve our digestion: -Sit down while eating. -Do not read or watch TV while eating, focus on the food. -Eat at approximately the same times every day. -Stop eating before you are completely full. -Allow three to six hours between meals for digestion. -Avoid ice-cold food and beverages. -Sit quietly for a few minutes after eating.

In India, Annapurna is the goddess of food, and specifically grain and corn.  She watches over the world’s supply of food, and feeds our soul when our spirit hungers.  The mantra, or prayer, used to bless food before a meal is: “Om Annapurnayai Namaha.” Translated, this means: “We give thanks to Annapurna, the Goddess of food.

A strand of mala beads is very much like a rosary.  It is used in meditation, to help us keep count of our mantras.  There are 108 beads on a string.  The number 108 is significant on many levels.  It is representative of the nine planets, multiplied by the twelve astrological signs.  In numerology, the numbers in 108 add up to 9, which is the number of completeness and wholeness.  The strand is help together with a special bead called the “Meru.”  When you reach this bead, the mala is to be turned and the movement continued in the other direction.  Mala beads can be worn as a necklace, with the Meru bead in the front, or as a bracelet wrapped around your wrist.

The new year is almost here, and one of the most popular resolutions made is to maintain better weight control.  The Ayurvedic approach to weight control is very simple and straightforward.  Kapha types tend to have the most trouble with weight imbalance.  Kaphas have a slower metabolism, so they are more prone to weight gain.  Kapha is made up of earth and water, so to boost metabolism one strategy is to increase the fire element.  Flavor foods with spicy spices like pepper, ginger and curries.  Eat foods that are easy to digest: warm, light and cooked.  Nothing fried, and avoid dairy and sugar.  Pittas can also have issues with weight gain, which is usually caused when digestive enzymes are out of whack and there is too much acid.  In this case there is an abundance of fire, so spicy foods are not good.  Instead, what Pittas can do to improve this condition is to eat three meals a day.  Sweet, juicy fruits like pears and peaches are great for Pittas, as are licorice and fennel seed.  Pittas also need to be sure to get to bed before 10 pm, when Pitta time kicks in and they get the munchies.  When Vata types gain weight it is usually due to stress.  To reduce stress, it is important for Vatas to meditate twice a day and to keep a regular routine.  Vatas also need to remember to eat in a relaxed atmosphere and not rush through their meals.

Ayurveda is more than 5,000 years old, and all this time it has recommended meditation.  Now researchers are doing scientific research that proves just how great meditation is.  Not that we needed proof, we can see the benefits of meditation in our lives with reduced stress, better sleep, lower blood pressure and lot more.  But since this study made the news, I thought I’d share with you.  Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital have found that meditation changes gray matter in the brain.  Those who meditate regularly have increased thickness in a region called the insula, which is key to integrating thoughts and emotions.  This helps explain biologically just how meditation relieves stress.  They also found that people who have practiced meditation for years had increased thickening in areas of the brain affecting heart rate and breathing.  As we age, the brain tends to thin in areas that sustain attention and regulate memory.  Yet those same areas were thickened in the brains of meditators!  Science has already shown that the rain can change by learning another language or by playing a musical instrument.  Now we know, scientifically, that the brain is capable of change through the internal exercise of meditation.

http://www.psmeditation.com

Last March I wrote a little bit about Vastu, the Indian science of architecture and placement.  Vastu actually pre-dates Feng Shui, and it is upon Vastu that Feng Shui was based.  And yet it is not as well known as Feng Shui.  I learned about Vastu when I was researching my “What’s Your Dosha” book, so there is some basic information about it in there.  Since then I have learned much more, and I am absolutely fascinated by Vastu!  When I designed my new house I used the principles of Vastu, and I have incorporated the science into my design business, which is now named Dosha Design.  Of course, we have a website!  www.DoshaDesign.com – and if you’re interested you can check out my portfolio there and see photos of my new place, before, during and after the renovation.

A Kavach is an Indian pendant that has been infused with spiritual energy.  When I was speaking at the Mind Body Beyond Expo in Los Angeles, I came across a gentleman who had brought some Lakshmi Kavach from South India.  He was selling them to raise money for one of the temples in India.    Lakshmi is the goddess of abundance and beauty. 

The Kavach is made of silver, and on the outside is written in Sanskrit “I Honor the Glorious Divine Mother” with the English transliteration “Sri Matre Namah.” This is mantric phrase and it the firstname mentioned in the famous sacred text “Lalitha Sahasranama.” A Sri Yantra stamped in thin copper is hand rolled and placed inside the Kavach.  This Yantra has been charged to help bring fulfillment to all your desires.  Divinely charged ash from a fire ceremony fills the Kavach as well.  Finally, the Kavach is placed inside the Goddess Shakti Temple in Chennai, South India.  This temple is dedicated to Lakshmi. 

There are many different types of Kavach, dedicated to various intentions. You can create your own based on symbolism that has significance to you.  “Charge” it with energy on your altar by setting it near a candle and chanting.  And remember your intention every time you wear it.

In the northern hemisphere, during the months of November through February when the air is cold and dry, it is Vata season.  During this time we all are likely to feel a little more spacey, and anxious than usual.  To balance Vata, eat warm, cooked foods.  Stay out of the wind, meditate, and perform a warm oil self-massage (abyhanga) every morning.  Vata types will want to keep their sensitive ears covered when outside.

Vata massage oil from the chopra center