Hi Everyone,

Hope you are enjoying summer and staying cool. At this half way point we are still wanting to be present to the fragrance of summer and also preparing for the next season to come, which is one of abundance and rebirth, making the fall a great time for purification of body and mind.

Ayurvedic purification programs are tailored to the constitution, condition and needs of each individual and can incorporate the intake of ghee, herbs, a mono diet of kichare, yoga, breathing, meditation and body work treatments to facilitate the removal of toxins from the body and mind. We can learn from the Bhagavad Gita to be aware of our accumulations and attachments, which can result in creating an environment of hostility and take away the peace from ourselves and those around us.

For people with a propensity to accumulate Pitta and/or Kapha, it is a good time to purify and reduce. The Pitta qualities of summer, like heat, sourness, intensity, sharpness, judgment and criticism by practicing calming, effortless and cooling yoga and breathing practices and incorporating mediation on love and compassion and being at peace with life as it truly is and the Kapha qualities of accumulation, heaviness, greed, envy and attachment, which create a lack of clarity can be reduced by an energetic yoga and breathing practice and meditation on letting go and moving forward in life with grace and ease.

Fall is the start of Vata season, when there is an increase in the qualities of cold, dry, rough, and variability, and for a person with a propensity towards Vata, an increase in gas, bloating, constipation, fear, anxiety, nervousness and insomnia. It is important for a Vata individual to stay warm, eat warm, moist food, be relaxed, nurtured and comforted, and do self sesame oil massage daily including oil in the nose to prevent dryness leading to allergies and or colds. A grounding and slow flowing yoga and breathing practice and mediation on feeling supported and loved. Abhyanga, a full body massage with warm, herbalized oil, is most beneficial to balance Vata.

Ayurvedic Body Treatments
Ayurvedic Body Treatments help to bring harmony and balance to the mind and body

Shirodhara is a calming treatment that helps us to balance Pitta and Vata, including our nervous system and circulatory system, by restoring the brain using the steady stream of warm herbalized oil poured onto the forehead. This treatment can be taken alone or with Abhyanga, a full body oil massage that helps to purify, relax and restore our body and mind.

For those that have a propensity to Kapha and or seasonal allergies coming up in the fall, the Sans treatment, which includes receiving a massage to the head, neck and shoulders, inhaling herbalized steam and then herbalized nose drops, can help if not relieve them.

Most often allergies are a symptom of faulty digestion and nutrition. For a complete analysis of your condition and ways to improve, please contact me to set up an appointment.

Come see me to develop your Personal Ayurvedic Program which could include your 2 hour consultation, personal yoga, breathing, meditation practice and personalized body treatments to balance your condition and suit your needs.

For a complete menu of services visit my menu of services and call ahead for an appointment 413-329-2182.

Recipe for Summer • Cilantro or Mint Chutney

3 cups fresh cilantro or mint leaves
1 cup water
1 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
1/2 small green chili or a pinch of cayenne
1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped fine
1 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 pinch hing
4 curry leaves
1/2 fresh lime
1/4 teaspoon salt

Wash the cilantro or the mint and discard stems. Put in a blender with the water, coconut, chili and ginger.Blend until the mixture is well mixed and becomes a finely ground paste. It may be necessary to scrape down the inside of the blender a few times to incorporate all of the leaves.

Place a saucepan over medium heat and add the ghee, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, hing and curry leaves. Cook until the seeds pop. Cool and mix well into the paste. Squeeze in the juice of the lime, add the salt and stir.

Eat a dab with each bite of food.

This is balancing for all doshas, but pitta might want to decrease or omit the chili, salt and mustard seeds, though the mint and cilantro are quite cooling.

Your Success is My Greatest Reward…

My mission at A Life of Balance is to empower people through the practice of Yoga and Ayurveda, so they can find their inner balance and ultimate joy. My vision of health and journey to wellness takes into consideration the total lifestyle and constitution of the whole person to support health and welllness by learning to live again in the most natural way possible, according to nature, to access our hightest intuition and truth, unlocking the human healing potential. Thank you for your committment to a life of balance. Your results are my deepest joy. I am grateful for the opportunity to wittness your continued success, unfolding and seeing you live again with ultimate joy and ease of well being.

Lenox, MA 01240 I 413.329.2182 I Email

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