In Hindu philosophy, there are several forms of the Mother goddess, each with her own personality and purpose.  Durga is a fierce form of the Mother goddess. She is known as “The Invincible One.” She exudes strength, and she destroys ignorance and the world of illusion.  Durga opens us up to the power of self-realization. The lion or tiger she rides upon depicts courage.

The health of our mouths is an important factor to our overall physical health.  In Ayurveda, brushing and flossing the teeth twice a day is an essential part of the daily routine.  Tongue scraping is also recommended.  Tongue scrapers, or cleaners, are typically made out of stainless steel.  It takes only a moment to clean the tongue with this tool, and it helps to remove decay causing bacteria as well as encourage the removal of toxins from the digestive tract.  The Sanskrit word for these toxins is “ama” and research shows that tongue cleaning is the best way remove bacteria that cause bad breath.  It also helps to remove the coating on the tongue, leaving us with improved taste, and slowing the growth of plaque.

Ayurveda teaches us that there is a connection between our behavior and our health.  Positive behaviors have a positive impact on our relationships, and also on our physical health and peace of mind.  The ayurvedic texts list some “Behavior Rasayanas” or guidelines that help us to cultivate natural, healthy behaviors.  These include being truthful, calm, and free from anger.  In Ayurveda, we are taught that love is unconditional.  We are meant to love what is, not what we think “should be.” Love comes from the heart.  The mind is always trying to impose its conditions, yet we are happiest when we surrender to our heart and allow ourselves to feel the love that is always there.  Love is free, and giving.  Our relationships are blissful when we honor our commitments and give love without reservation.  We can nurture the health of our relationships by practicing acceptance, thinking before we speak or act, and spending time with nature.

In the northern hemisphere we’re right in the thick of Vata season, when the weather is cold and dry.  There is a change in the external environment, and our internal one, as well.  It’s times like these when our immunity is compromised, and we’re more susceptible to illness.  To boost our natural immunity, and stay in balance, it is a good idea to favor Vata pacifying foods at this time of year.  The basic rule for the Vata diet is to eat warm, cooked foods.  Warm drinks such as cider or Vata tea are also very soothing.  Try to avoid cold sandwiches and salads, or cold cereal.  Instead, have some oatmeal and a baked apple or pear for breakfast, and some pasta or stir-fry for lunch.  Caffeine is a notorious Vata aggravator so avoid it at all costs.  Hearty soups make a delicious dinner served with some warm bread.  In addition to paying attention to their diets, Vata types need to remember to stay warm, get enough sleep, and keep their ears covered when they go outside.

Stress.  We can’t seem to get away from it with the busy lives we lead.  It can come from work, relationship issues, money issues, or environmental stressors such as insufficient natural light, chemicals in food, or stimulants such as caffeine, tobacco or alcohol.  Ayurveda says that stress affects us more when we are out of balance, when our mind is agitated.  When we are in balance, we can handle stressful situations more gracefully and remain generally healthier in both mind and body.  How can we put ourselves in a balanced state to better handle stress?  Ayurveda has these recommendations:
-Food: Food is like medicine for our mind and body.  Choose fresh fruits, juices, vegetables, sprouts, nuts, and honey.  Avoid frozen or canned foods.  Eliminate caffeine and cut down on fried foods and white flour and sugar products.
-Breathing: When we are stressed our breath becomes shallow.  To be relaxed, breath slowly and deeply.  
-Exercise: Daily exercise is good for both mind and body.  A morning walk is a great way to start the day.  Yoga is good exercise for all the doshas.
-Meditation: Time spent in silence is relaxing and physically beneficially.  It helps to normalize blood pressure, and relieves anxiety.
-Massage:  Abhyanga, ayurvedic self massage, soothes the nervous system.

Amla is also known as Indian Gooseberry and it is used in Ayurveda as a fruit, a tonic, an herb and a paste.  Amla is one of the best natural sources of Vitamin C, it has 30 times the amount found in oranges.  Here are some of the uses and benefits of Amla: -strengthens teeth, hair and nails. -helps to regulate blood sugar. -an anti-inflammatory, especially helpful in hemorrhoids, gastritis and colitis. -treats eye problems, cataracts, nearsightedness. -prevents premature gray hair, prevents dandruff. -boosts immunity.

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.