This Wednesday Sandbox gathering we will learn about Ayurveda Healing and Cooking from Ayurvedic expert Francis Warner who worked for 10 years at the for Chopra Center Wellbeing in California. I have Vata main type and I have found that eating Vata spices and tea has helped me be more balanced and healthy over the last year. Here is what the Chopra Center says about Ayurveda:

Ayurveda is a 5,000-year-old system of natural healing that has its origins in the Vedic culture of India and has been enjoying a major resurgence in recent years. Early Greek, Tibetan medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine all have their roots in ayurveda. More than a mere system of treating illness, ayurveda is a science of life (Ayur = life, Veda = science or knowledge). It offers a body of wisdom designed to help people stay vital while realizing their full human potential. Providing guidelines on ideal daily and seasonal routines, diet, behavior and the proper use of our senses, ayurveda reminds us that health is the balanced and dynamic integration between our environment, body, mind, and spirit.

Recognizing that human beings are part of nature, ayurveda describes three fundamental energies that govern our inner and outer environments: movement, transformation, and structure. Known in Sanskrit as Vata (Wind), Pitta (Fire), and Kapha (Earth), these primary forces are responsible for the characteristics of our mind and body. Each of us has a unique proportion of these three forces that shapes our nature. If Vata is dominant in our system, we tend to be thin, light, enthusiastic, energetic, and changeable. If Pitta predominates in our nature, we tend to be intense, intelligent, and goal-oriented and we have a strong appetite for life. When Kapha prevails, we tend to be easy-going, methodical, and nurturing. Although each of us has all three forces, most people have one or two elements that predominate.

For each element, there is a balanced and imbalance expression. When Vata is balanced, a person is lively and creative, but when there is too much movement in the system, a person tends to experience anxiety, insomnia, dry skin, constipation, and difficulty focusing. When Pitta is functioning in a balanced manner, a person is warm, friendly, disciplined, a good leader, and a good speaker. When Pitta is out of balance, a person tends to be compulsive and irritable and may suffer from indigestion or an inflammatory condition. When Kapha is balanced, a person is sweet, supportive, and stable but when Kapha is out of balance, a person may experience sluggishness, weight gain, and sinus congestion.

 

An important goal of ayurveda is to identify a person’s ideal state of balance, determine where they are out of balance, and offer interventions using diet, herbs, aromatherapy, massage treatments, music, and meditation to reestablish balance.

Francis will show us how to prepare an Ayurvedic meal : Channa Dhal: A soup made with high protein Chic-pea and Mung beans cooked with herbs and spices for maximum digestibility. Coconut Potato-Squash Curry: Butternut squash and Potatoes cooked in Coconut milk curry. During the meal preparation he will teach how to combine herbs, spices and vegetables to give dishes unique flavor and healing properties.

He will also show us how to prepare of Ayurvedic Churnnas (Mixture of spices for specific Mind/Body types). These Churnnas can be added to any dish as a condiment to maintain balance.

In discussion part of the evening he will give an introduction to Ayurveda and the three Mind/Body constitutional types (Doshas). We will also do a simple test to get a rough determination of individual constitutional type. Then we will discuss the Ayurvedic approach to Food, Cooking and Eating.

The workshop begins after dinner at 8pm.  I invite you to join us, though as always what ever choice you make you will be honored in.

 PS I found an interesting article on using Ayurveda for weight loss here:
http://www.personalgrowthplanet.com/dieting/maharishiayurvedaapproachtoweightloss.htm

"Health is won or lost in how we live day-to-day life. I encourage everyone with weight management issues to take initiative and get on an upward spiral of healthy activity. Your quick reward will be greater freshness, happiness and a lighter, healthier body."

For those with sleep problems here are some tips on using Ayurveda to help:
http://www.yogajournal.com/health/2542
(On Wednesday Francis will help you find your type: Vata, Pitta or Kapha)

And if you want more energy check this article out
http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Ayurveda/id/1172
"If you are feeling dull, sluggish, and drained of energy every day, it probably means that your diet contains too many energy-draining foods, which have clogged your micro channels with toxins. This mean that you need to overhaul your diet to include foods that create ojas and energy. The important thing is to eat food every day that boost your energy, rather then relying on a artificial boosters when you feel your energy sag, because there will always be a negative side-effect."

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