There are many excellent yoga poses that can open the heart and bring in love.  Opening the heart in your yoga practice can lead to nurturing self-love, loving compassion, ease with vulnerability, and ease with openness around your heart.  An excellent pose for the heart is supported savasana. This restorative pose helps open the heart while keeping you feeling grounded and supported. It can help you emotionally overcome fears of vulnerability, fears of letting go, and fears of opening your heart.  Try using a bolster along your spine in savasna for a supported heart opening at the end of your practice.

Transforming pain into love is one of the fundamental ways to bring love into your heart. Lama Surya Das recommends a meditation for transforming pain into love, where you inhale and imagine your conflicting and negative emotions entering your body and as you exhale slowly imagine all of this negativity leaving your body as happiness, joy, and unconditional love.

To reinforce the affirmations of your practice you may choose to place a gemstone for love in your meditation space or shrine, or you might want to wear a mala that promotes love. Rose quartz promotes love, gentleness and emotional healing. It is the stone of love.  This stone is believed to support the heart in healing from trauma or disease, and aids in releasing past wounds. It teaches trust and hope, and removes anger and resentment.

The picture below depicts the True Love Mala Necklace. This mala was inspired by the heart opening that follows after a practice with dove pose or king pigeon pose. It is made from rose quartz the stone of love.

The post Valentine’s Day and Your Practice: Yoga, Meditation, and Mala Beads for Love appeared first on Salt Spring Malas & Yoga Jewelry.

Practice: Antidote Yoga for Holiday Excess

During the holiday season many of us indulge in sweets, fats, and alcohol. We spend time with family and friends and have many social experiences. This can be both good and bad. One way to restore balance to your body after many rich meals, and many lively social gatherings is to turn inward and to twist. A yoga practice with forward folds helps provide time for ourselves and for looking inwards. A yoga practice with twists is also very important for clearing out the digestive system which can become overstimulated from an onslaught of fat and sugar rich foods. There are many excellent practices designed for the purpose of restoring your balance after the holidays. You can join Felicia Tomasko on YogaGlo for a special practice that will help you recover from the holidays.

Cleansing Recipe: Lemon and Warm Water

After days of siting, eating, drinking and indulging you may be feeling lethargic and stagnant in your body. Holiday stress may have left you with an unsettled stomach, a head cold, or stress related acne. One of the easiest and most simple antidotes to all of this is having a cup of warm water with lemon in the morning before ingesting anything else. According to Ayurveda warm water with lemon is purifying and helps cleanse the liver, kidneys, blood stream, digestive tract and organs.  It can help boost your immune system by giving you a dose of Vitamin C and antioxidants. Try having a cup of warm water with lemon each morning for one month after Christmas and witness a clearer completion, regular bowl movements, and the ability to ward off seasonal colds.

1 cup of boiling water

2 slices of organic lemon with skin on

Let sit for 5 minutes and drink in the morning on an empty stomach.

How to wear your mala beads: Amethyst mala beads for Purification and a New Year

Amethyst mala beads are excellent for this time of year. Amethyst is believed to aid in purification of the physical body. To this end, amethyst is believed to help clear the body and is typically used to counter overindulgence. As such it is a good gemstone to use while meditating after too much holiday food or alcohol. If you are setting New Year’s resolutions for 2013 amethyst is also excellent. Amethyst can help assist in quitting smoking, drinking, or drug use. From an emotional perspective amethyst is believed to help clear negative or addictive emotional patterns. Therefore, if you are trying to change your eating habits or motivate yourself to undertake more physical activity, or if you are resolved to move away from relationships or habits that no longer serve you, amethyst could help you with your affirmations for 2013.  The Wisdom Mala Bracelet is made from amethyst mala beads which is one of the best gemstones for purification and clearing negativity. Moreover, these mala beads help overcome addictive and negative emotional patterns. The guru on this piece has OM Mani Padme Hum inscribed on its surface, a mantra that helps to purify the 6 realms of existence. As such, this mala bead bracelet is excellent for anyone looking to start 2013 with a fresh outlook and a new meditation practice.

Mala Beads for the New Year by jmedalye

For more information on Amethyst see Robert Simmons (2011), The Pocket Book of Stones, North Atlantic Books: Berkeley.

The post Restore After the Holidays: Mala Beads, Yoga, and Recipe for Overindulgence appeared first on Salt Spring Malas & Yoga Jewelry.

Meditation for your Root Chakra

 Guided meditation is an excellent way to develop a connection with your root chakra, and to provide visualizations that can aid in the healing and opening of the root chakra. One excellent recording is Brenda Stanger’s Into the Pause. Another excellent meditation is Harsada Wagner’s Root Chakra Meditation on YogaGlo. Set aside a time when you will have no interruptions and can take half and hour for yourself alone. Make yourself comfortable, make sure the room you are in is warm, the surface you are resting on is comfortable, and that there are no distractions around you. If you’d like, you can lie down on your bed while doing Brenda Stanger’s meditation. During Stanger’s meditation, you will being with a breathing meditation which uses the pause in your breath to explore your energy state. You will then be guided into a visual journey through a peaceful forest where you quite down your frenetic energy, so that you become open to the grounding energy of the earth. After doing this meditation once, you will experience a renewed sense of security, safety and grounding.

Mala Beads and Colors for Your Root Chakra

The Root Chakra is most commonly associated with bright, clear vibrant red. However, if you need to heal this chakra, focusing on bright red may be too intense. As such, Ruth White, in her guide to working with your chakras recommends wearing dark reds and browns if your root chakra requires opening. You can use rose reds, dark reds, and browns in your home to fill your environment with the best healing colors for this chakra. One of the best stones for opening the root chakra is smoky quartz. Smoky quartz promotes calmness, centeredness, and grounding, it also helps calm fear. In the picture below, we feature a yoga outfit and the Root Chakra Mala Bacelet. The clothing is chosen for its earthy colors, textures, and deep browns and reds. The Root Chakra Mala Bacelet uses smoky quartz mala beads with a sterling silver Muldahara (root chakra) charm.

The post Focus on the Root Chakra: Root Chakra Meditation, Mala Beads, Aromatherapy, and Root Chakra Recipe appeared first on Salt Spring Malas & Yoga Jewelry.

Start Working with Your Chakras

There are many methods and exercises you can do to work with your charkas. If you are just starting to work with your chakras you can follow 4 simple steps for beginning this wonderful journey of self-inquiry and healing.

Step 1: Guided Meditation. Begin exploring your chakras with a guided meditation.

Step 2: Chakra Analysis. Take a chakra survey to compare your meditation findings with general observations about the chakras.

Step 3: Retreat. Have an at home retreat or go on a meditation retreat.

Step 4: Continue your work. Read, learn, and continue working with your chakras over time.

Guided Meditation

Personally, I feel that guided meditation on the chakras and energy field is one of the best ways to enter this exploration. After meditating, you can study the theoretical aspects of the chakras. I recommend that anyone who wants to begin working with the chakras do so from the place of intuition. To do so, get a meditation recording made for revitalizing the chakras and your energy field. One excellent recording is Brenda Stanger’s Energy Body Revitalization. Set aside a time when you will have no interruptions and can take an hour for yourself alone. Make yourself comfortable, make sure the room you are in is warm, the surface you are resting on is comfortable, and that there are no distractions around you. If you’d like, you can lie down on your bed while doing Brenda Stanger’s meditation. During this meditation, you can begin to see where your energy field may be off center, you can also begin to understand where trauma, grief, and/or emotional retreat may have happened in your lifetime. After doing this meditation once, you may develop a sense of where your chakra work needs to begin. If you do not have a clear sense after the first meditation, try doing the meditation again several times over the course of a week.

Chakra Analysis

Once you’ve developed an intuitive and honest understanding of your current energy body, and the state of you chakras, you can take a chakra test to evaluate your intuitive assessment of yourself against a standardized way of measuring chakra energy. One test that is particularly useful is made available for free at Ecelectic Energies. Here they offer a 56 question survey which aims to uncover where your chakra work needs to begin. Once you answer the survey the activity levels of your 7 chakras are assessed. After the survey is complete, you will find useful information on dealing with overactive chakras and/or opening the chakras that may be closed in your body. This test can help, if you are unsure of where to start working with your chakras after the guided meditation practice.

Set Aside Time for a Retreat

Once you have a better idea on where to start work with your chakras, you can deepen your healing by taking time for a retreat. You can experience the benefits of a meditation retreat at home or away from home. If you choose to go away there are many excellent meditation vacations. For those with less time and/or money, an at home retreat can be as beneficial.  For a great guide on how to have an at home retreat visit The Yogic Flower.

You can begin by setting aside a weekend for your retreat. On Friday evening, prepare your home for your retreat. Get the food you will need over the weekend, clean your home, buy some essential oils and any other therapeutic beauty products you would like to use. I personally like to buy fresh flowers such as red tulips to put in my home when I am on retreat. These remind me of grounding earth energy, and change my home to remind me that I am in retreat. I also place candles throughout the house, and use candle light instead of artificial light in the evening. This creates a different atmosphere in your home, and will help differentiate your space from everyday life. Make sure you let your family and friends know that you are on retreat and do not want to be disturbed. If you have children, make sure you’ve made arrangements for their care while you are in retreat. Prepare some healthy food for your retreat on Friday evening to last the next few days (see below). Finally, make sure you have a schedule or activity guide for your days on retreat. Below is the schedule I use for my at home retreats.  Once you are prepared, begin.

Sample Schedule for an At Home Retreat

Menu for Your Retreat

The food choices you make for your retreat are very important. Try to avoid caffeine and alcohol during your retreat. Also try to maintain a vegetarian diet if you can.

Sample Menu

Breakfast- Oatmeal with Maple Syrup and Fruit, Herbal Tea (such as peppermint)

Snack- Cookies with Tea, for a healthy chocolate chip cookie recipe visit our post from October 15^th.

Lunch- Flavorful Lentils, Aromatic Brown Rice, and a Healthy Sprout Salad (see below)

Snack- Cookies with Tea or Nuts and Fruit

Dinner- Soup and Bread, for a healthy soup visit our post from November 6^th.

Lunch: Flavorful Lentils, Aromatic Brown Rice and a Healthy Sprout Salad

Flavorful Lentils

1 cup of brown lentils, washed and with stones removed
2 cups of water
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 teaspoon of ground coriander seeds
1 onion
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
½ cup of mushrooms, chopped
1 tomato chopped
½ cup of tomato sauce or ½ can of tomato paste
Salt and pepper to taste
Freshly chopped coriander

In a large pot, bring the water and lentils to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook until the lentils are tender. About 45 minutes. While the lentils are cooking, warm up the olive oil in a saucepan on a medium heat. Add the spices and onion, stir until the onion is well covered in oil and spice. Sauté for 8 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, and mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes. Set aside until the lentils are ready. Add the cooked lentils and tomato sauce and allow it to simmer for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste followed by fresh coriander.  The lentils can be stored in container and reheated as needed.

Aromatic Rice 

2 cups of brown short grain rice
4 ½ cups of vegetable stock
4 cardamom pods
1 whole cinnamon stick
1 star anise
4 whole cloves

Rinse the rice under cold water until the water becomes clear. On a medium low heat, cook the rice covered in simmering water with the spices for 45 minutes. Remove from heat, remove the spices, and fluff with a fork. The rice can be stored in container and reheated as needed.

Healthy Sprout Salad

½ cup of sprouts (I buy a local bag of mixed spouts, check your local health food market)
½ of a tomato chopped
½ of an onion chopped
1 large lettuce leaf chopped
1 tablespoon of fresh coriander chopped
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Juice from ½ a lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and serve immediately. You should make this salad every time you would like to eat it during your retreat. Do not store overnight. Serve all three dishes together for a healthy and hearty lunch or dinner during your retreat.

Serve all three dishes together for a health and hearty lunch or supper during your retreat.

How to wear your mala beads: Ideas for Chakra Exploration

Purity Chakra Mala Bracelet by Salt Spring Malas and Yoga Jewelry by jmedalye

If you are new to exploring your chakras, and you would like to work on improving the flow of energy throughout your central channel, you can use mala beads to remind you of the intention of your practice and to carry the protective energy of your meditation practice off the mat. The Purity Chakra Mala Bracelet was designed for the purpose of inviting in the healing energy of the universe into the central channel of the body. In the picture above, we feature the Purity Chakra Mala Bracelet. It is made from tourmalined quartz mala beads which is one of the best gemstones for aligning all of the chakras. These mala beads aid in purification and recovery from negative influences. Moreover, these mala beads help overcome self-destructive emotional patterns, and create a protective, purifying field around one’s aura and body. Russian serpentine mala beads are used for color. Russian serpentine is also excellent for chakra alignment. As such, this mala bead bracelet is excellent for anyone beginning meditation on the energy body, the chakras, and purifying their central channel.

For more information on Tourmalined Quartz and Russian Serpentine see Robert Simmons (2011), The Pocket Book of Stones, North Atlantic Books: Berkeley.

Ongoing Chakra Healing

Once your retreat is finished you will have a greater sense of balance and ease, and you should feel refreshed. Your retreat may have revealed new areas requiring work in your yoga and meditation practice. To continue working with your chakras use a guide book to educate yourself on how to heal deeply. One excellent book is Working with Your Chakras by Ruth White.

Please join us next week, as we discuss yoga and meditation for your root chakra.

The post Chakra Healing: Meditation, Mala Beads, and an at Home Retreat appeared first on Salt Spring Malas & Yoga Jewelry.

How to wear your mala beads this fall: Ideas for Kapha

Earth and spring constitute the kapha dosha. Dominated by an earthy nature, kapha is warm and generous, and takes life at a slow, calm, easy going pace. However, even with a grounded nature, kapha can also come out of balance. Kapha out of balance tends to retreat from the world, become lethargic, gain weight, and will be prone to health problems associated with excess moisture such as sinus congestion. On and off the mat kapha needs to pay attention to improving metabolism. As the weather cools in the fall, kapha out of balance can experience increased lethargy, weight gain, and sinus and respiratory problems. For kapha, keeping light and warm becomes important. In the picture below, we feature the Fire Mala. The fire mala is made especially for pacifying the kapha dosha. It is made from heated tiger eye mala beads which are uplifting and warming. The Fire Mala uses copper, a metal that is ideal for uplifting kapha. The rich warm browns and red in this piece looks great with the black, cream, burgundy, and dark brown colors in your fall wardrobe.

For more information on Tiger Eye see Robert Simmons (2011), The Pocket Book of Stones, North Atlantic Books: Berkeley.

Fire Mala- A casual way to wear your yoga practice by jmedalye

Ayurvedic Beauty: Dealing with Dullness

Kapha out of balance can experience dull skin.  If your skin looks dull you can make a deep cleanser at home to refresh and enliven your skin and follow with a therapeutic Kapha pacifying face oil. Use the recipe below by Ann Franklin for a deep cleanser, and follow with Pure + Simple’s Kapha Balancing Oil.

Small pot natural live yoghurt
2 teaspoons of honey
1 teaspoon of olive oil
1 small apple, peeled and cored
1 egg white
5 drops rosemary oil
5 drops lemon oil

Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend on a low setting. Massage the mixture over the face. Rinse thoroughly with warm water. Place any remaining mixture in a screw top jam jar and keep in the fridge for up to three days.

Yoga Thought of the Week: Yoga for Lethargy

During the transition time of fall when dark mornings and early evenings can bring on lethargy, kapha will benefit from an uplifting yoga practice that removes any stagnation in the body. Back bends and twists that encourage circulation can remove stagnation from the deepest parts of your body. If you are feeling unmotivated, lazy, lethargic, and/or depressed take the time for a restorative and energizing practice. One excellent practice that you can do at home is with Felicia Tomasko on YogaGlo. This kapha oriented practice uses twists, backbends, and circular movements to restore the kapha dosha and improve energy flow throughout the body.

Ayurvedic Recipe of the Week: Hearty Low Calorie Barley Soup

For Kapha increasing metabolism and avoiding dairy products is critical when out of balance. The earthy and spring nature of kapha can be balanced with foods that are dry, light, warm, and low calorie. Cooking with more spices is important for kapha, and superfoods include mushrooms, carrots, celery, cauliflower, barely, and hot peppers. The recipe below is a simple vegetarian barley soup recipe that is excellent for a cold fall evening for kapha.

Cook time: 1 hour
Serves: 4

1 cup of barley
2 cups of water
2 tablespoons of oil (corn, safflower, or sunflower are best for kapha)
1 white onion chopped
3 crushed cloves of garlic
1 carrot chopped
1 large celery stalk chopped
1 cup of mushrooms chopped
½ cup of cauliflower
A handful of green beans chopped
6 cups of vegetable broth
½ teaspoon of Tabasco sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large pot cook barley until soft, about 45 minutes. In another pot on medium heat warm oil and add onions and garlic. Sauté until golden. Add the carrots, celery, and mushrooms and sauté until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the cauliflower and green beans, and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the vegetable broth and Tabasco sauce and bring to a boil. Add the cooked barley, season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

The post Focus on Kapha- Mala Beads, Beauty Tips, Yoga, and Food for Kapha appeared first on Salt Spring Malas & Yoga Jewelry.

How to wear your mala beads this fall: Ideas for Vata

Air and coolness constitute the vata dosha. Dominated by air, vata needs to focus on grounding and warming on and off the mat. As the weather cools in the fall, vata can experience increased dryness, dull skin, and hypersensitivity to cold. For vata, keeping warm, grounded, and present becomes important. In the picture below, we feature the Earth Mala. The earth mala is made especially for pacifying the vata dosha. It is made from warm pastel amethyst mala beads which are grounding. Wearing amethyst maintains inner space and can keep you in general state of balance and well-being. The Earth Mala uses gold, a metal that is ideal for warming vata. The warm purple in this piece looks great with the navy, black, grey, and dark brown colors in your fall wardrobe. Next week, we will feature how to wear your mala beads in the fall for kapha.

For more information on Amethyst see Robert Simmons (2011), The Pocket Book of Stones, North Atlantic Books: Berkeley.

Ayurvedic Beauty: Dealing with Dryness

Vata out of balance can face the challenge of dryness, dullness, and flaky skin. During the transition time of fall, removing dead skin through exfoliation followed by lubrication is important for vata. One of the best natural exfoliation solutions for dryness can be made at home with simple ingredients from your kitchen cupboard. Mix 1/4 cup of white sugar with 1/8 cup of olive oil until well blended.  Use this mixture as a scrub. With circular motions gently scrub any part of your skin with this treatment and then rinse with warm water. This scrub is ideal for feet, hands, and lips.  It is especially good for dry nails and cuticles. It is optional to follow the exfoliation with the moisturizer of your choice. This scrub is quick to make, and easy to use. The sugar is an excellent exfoliator and the olive oil provides excellent lubrication even after rinsing with warm water. You can visit the Make Up and Beauty Blog, for more natural beauty recipes.

Next week, we will feature Ayurvedic beauty for Kapha.

Yoga Thought of the Week: Yoga for your lymphatic system

During the transition time of fall when the immune system may be faced with new challenges, a yoga practice that clears the lymphatic system is important. Circular movements that allow for a continuous flow of energy and lubricate the joints are important for building immune system strength. Our immune system is the intelligence system of the body, and keeping it free of energy blockages, with a continuous flow of lubrication is critical for optimal health and well-being. If you are feeling tired, overworked, stiff, or in dis-ease try a sequence especially designed for the lymphatic system and building your resilience. One short practice that you can do at home is with Felicia Tomasko on YogaGlo. This lymphatic system practice uses twists, forward folds, and circular movements to restore the vata dosha and improve lubrication throughout the body.

Next week, we will feature Yoga for Kapha.

Ayurvedic Recipe of the Week: Hearty Roasted Root Vegetables

For vata staying warm in the fall becomes a key concern. The airy and winter nature of vata should be balanced with foods that are warm, oily, high in fat and high in protein. Superfoods for vata include potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, olive oil, garlic, black pepper, basil, thyme, and rosemary.  The receipe below is a simple roasted root vegetable recipe that makes an excellent side dish on a cold fall evening.

Cook time: 1 hour

Serves: 4

4 medium potatoes (white, Yukon gold, or russet), unpeeled, washed and cut into 2” cubes

1 sweet potato, peeled, washed and cut into 2” cubes

1 white onion, peeled and cut into 2” cubes

4 whole cloves of garlic

½ teaspoon of dried basil

½ teaspoon of dried thyme

½ teaspoon of dried rosemary

½ teaspoon of dried savory or sage

4 tablespoons of olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 425ᵒF
2. In a large bowl toss the vegetables, herbs,  salt and pepper, and olive oil until evenly coated
3. In a large casserole dish spread the vegetables down evenly
4. Bake for 30 minutes and then flip over the vegetables
5. Bake for another 30 minutes or until golden brown and slightly crisp

Leftovers from this recipe are great reheated and make a great warm breakfast side dish too. If you have leftovers you can warm them up in a frying pan with a touch of olive oil and serve with eggs and fruit for a hearty warm breakfast.

Next week, we will feature Ayurvedic food for Kapha.

The post Focus on Vata- Mala Beads, Beauty Tips, Yoga, and Food for Vata appeared first on Salt Spring Malas & Yoga Jewelry.

How to wear your mala beads this fall: Ideas for Pitta

Fire and air constitute the pitta dosha. Dominated by fire pitta needs to focus on cooling and calming on and off the mat. As the weather cools in the fall, pitta will benefit from reduced heat stress. However, the fall is also a time of year when balance is important for each dosha. The cold and flu season of the fall can present challenges to the immune system for everyone. For pitta, keeping comfortable, soothed, and internally cool becomes important. In the picture below, we feature the Water Mala. The water mala is made especially for pacifying the pitta dosha. It is made from opal mala beads which are calming and soothing. It uses sterling silver, a metal that is ideal for cooling pitta. The cool greys, greens, and browns in this piece look great with the grey, black and dark brown colors in your fall wardrobe. Next week, we will feature how to wear your mala beads in the fall for vata.

Ayurvedic Beauty: Soothing oil for Pitta

Each dosha may experience a variety of skin problems during the transition period from fall to winter if the body is out of balance. For pitta this may manifest as acne or rosacea or increased sensitivity and/or oil production. To keep your skin balanced during the fall, try using a pitta pacifying oil at bedtime. An excellent product to aid in overnight balancing is the Pure + Simple Sensitive Pitta Face Oil. After cleansing and toning your face and neck, gently massage a thin layer of this oil onto your face and neck followed by your regular moisturizer. Made from Neem, Bringraj, and Chamomile this oil is designed to soothe, making it exceptional for pitta.

Next week, we will feature Ayurvedic beauty for Vata.

Yoga Thought of the Week: Restorative Yoga

Restorative yoga changed my life. For many years, I practiced vigorous asanas and looked at yoga as a form of exercise. I took hot yoga to push myself as hard as possible on the mat. I practiced perfectionism in each pose. This form of yoga kept me physically strong, but I was still unhealthy, suffered from regular colds, and acne, and I was never calm. Unsurprisingly, I am a pitta and my choice of practice was not helping me. Today, I understand yoga holistically. I meditate, I eat for my dosha, and I never push myself in yoga. As a pitta, coming to understand how yoga can create balance in my body, sooth my intensity and perfectionism, and quite my mind has been the most gracious gift of my practice. One key step in this transformation in my perspective and practice was my introduction to restorative yoga. I began practicing restorative yoga once a week in 2010, and it truly changed my life. Restorative yoga is beneficial for all doshas, but if you are a pitta restorative yoga should be part of your weekly practice. Restorative yoga is considered an ideal practice for pitta because of its calming and soothing effects. Restorative yoga focuses on deep supported relaxation. In restorative yoga you use props and long hold times to allow the body to passively stretch, release tension, and rest completely. By resting the body, and slowing down your breath, the mind is given a chance to also calm down. If you have never practiced restorative yoga, why not try a class in your neighbourhood or try one online. Pick a time in the evening after which you have nowhere to go and no other commitments. Be sure to wash your face and remove all makeup before the class. Wear comfortable and warm clothing. If you can, try a 30 minute class to start. If practicing at home, find a calm, clean, spacious, quite place to practice. Light some candles and make sure the lights are dim and soft. You will need a yoga mat. If you have props such as a bolster, blocks, strap, and yoga blanket that is perfect and if you do not have these props, there are many prop free restorative practices online. Or you can get creative and use a pillow in place of a bolster, 2 bath towels, and a throw blanket from your bedroom or living room.

Next week, we will feature Yoga for Vata.

Ayurvedic Recipe of the Week: Cream of Celery Soup for Pitta

Finding foods to eat in the fall can be challenging for pitta. A pitta pacifying diet recommends eating cooling foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy, beans and grains. In the fall, when it is cold outside, rainy, and windy, it can be hard to reach for a fresh cold salad. This soup is excellent for pitta. It is easy to make, and combines pitta pacifying ingredients in a warm soup for pitta on a cold day.

Prep time 45 minutes.

2 tablespoons of ghee (clarified butter) or butter

6 medium celery ribs chopped

1 medium russet or white potato, chopped

2 medium leeks, chopped and washed well

2 ¼ cups of vegetable stock with low salt content

1 ¼ cups of skim milk

¼ teaspoon of celery seeds

A pinch of salt

A pinch of nutmeg (if desired)

Black pepper to taste (use pepper in moderation, since it is heating)

1. In a large soup pot, melt the ghee or butter over low heat. Add the celery, potato, and leeks. Stir to coat with ghee or butter, cover and cook gently for 15 minutes.

2. Add the stock and milk. Add the celery seeds and a pinch of salt. Cook over low heat for 30 minutes at a low simmer until the vegetables are tender.  Remove from heat.

3. Let the soup cool a little. Use a hand blender or a food processor to purée the soup. Add the nutmeg and the pepper.

4. Serve warm.

Next week, we will feature Ayurvedic food for Vata.

The post Focus on Pitta- Mala Beads, Beauty Tips, Yoga, and Food for Pitta appeared first on Salt Spring Malas & Yoga Jewelry.

The Lotus Mala was designed for a friend who is a human resource manager by day for a large multinational and a devoted yoga practitioner by night. She was looking for mala beads that would work with her classic fashion style and her cool winter coloration. We decided to make a mala with classic beads such as sterling silver and fresh water pearls, and rose quartz was used for its rich texture and cool undertones. She can now meditate on the mat and wear her affirmations during the day with her mala as a necklace or as a bracelet when she is at work.

Yoga Thought of the Week: Grounding and Lotus Visualization

Since ancient times, yogis have used the rich symbolism of the lotus flower to anchor meditation and help visualize physical postures. Stand tall and imagine yourself as a lotus, your head rising high. Look down and see you strong supportive stem (body and legs), held in place by strong roots (your feet) which draw nourishment from the earth. (1,000 Pearls of Yoga Wisdom, by Liz Lark)

Ayurvedic Recipe: Chocolate Chip Cookies for Pitta

The best recipe I’ve found for healthy chocolate chip cookies for the pitta dosha.

1/2 cup of whole wheat flour
1 cup of oats (large or quick cook)
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 of unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup of brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of natural vanilla extract
1/2 cup of semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup of shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large mixing bowl mix together flour, oats, baking soda and salt. In another bowl cream butter and sugar at a medium speed for 1-2 minutes or until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until well blended, add the vanilla until well blended. Using a wooden spoon mix the flour and oat mixture with sugar and butter mixture. Once combined fold in the chocolate chips and coconut.

On a non-stick cookie sheet lay out 12 tablespoons of cookie mix about 2″ apart. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Leave to cool for 5 minutes and transfer to a cooling rack and let them cool completely. Makes 24 cookies. These cookies freeze very well.

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