See the Light, Be the Light
Over one year ago this week, the studio was officially born, and life was different then in many ways. We all started out a new decade optimistically, but soon it became difficult and lonely for so many. But at the same time, the slowing down time of this year along with COVID has magnified important life lessons about our own importance about staying satisfied, content, and healthy in our bodies and minds during hard times.
We can often become obsessed and caught up in the movement of life. We fixate on external things we have, or don’t have, to help make us feel content. For a long time, I’ve wondered why this game of chase can leave us feeling emptier and came across the idea of Hungry Ghosts in the Buddhist Wheel of Life which leads a bit of an explanation.
This “Wheel of Life” or mandala claims that our souls go through or between six realms in our lives. One, called the Hungry Ghost realm, is the domain of addiction. These Hungry Ghosts are usually shown with big bellies and small mouths, constantly seeking something outside of themselves to curb an insatiable yearning for relief or fulfillment. When we’re in this phase, we turn to substances, objects, or pursuits that we hope will soothe us, but are not what we really need. This aching emptiness can become a continuous loop of seeking fulfillment for our whole lives.
And the longer we stay in hungry ghost mode, the longer we go without knowing what we need and haunt our own lives by not fully being present. I bring this up because December is the peak time for depression when days are short and it gets dark early, making it easy to reach for unhealthy fulfillment outside of ourselves—even though we know we have what we need. And it’s worthwhile taking time to go inward and surrender.
With the winter solstice on December 21 signifying the halfway mark of the season, there are some Ayurveda tips and routines that are useful to help alleviate what is now becoming Kapha season. This is the time of year where the ground freezes, eventually thawing into a wet spring. The damp, cold and heavy qualities can lower our immunity, which is why the onset of spring can trigger many seasonal imbalances, such as allergies, colds, fatigue and digestive sensitivities. Some overall wellness tips to find balance this time of year:
Go inward. Enjoy that great novel you’ve been wanting to read. Go deeper into your meditation practice and focus on centering. These practices will help you occupy your mind.
Stay warm. When the weather allows you to venture outside, make sure you stay warm. It’s especially important to not go out with wet hair and to keep your head and ears covered, along with your extremities.
Enjoy warm food—like soups, stews, and include well-cooked greens like collards and kale which can add much needed bitterness. When you feel like you have no energy, instead of instinctively filling yourself with oily, fatty foods, eat lighter by maybe cooking pears and apples with cinnamon.
Surrender using your breath. Now is a good time to let go of stuff that you don’t need. Start (preferably on an empty stomach) by setting your timer for 3 minutes and do a bhramari (bumble bee breath) which instantly calms your mind and gets rid of frustration. Using your hands, place your index fingers on your ears. There is a cartilage between your cheek and ear. Place your index fingers on the cartilage. Close your eyes or gaze down your nose gently and make an “MMM” buzzing sound until you need to inhale again and then repeat until the timer goes off. Take three regular breaths to check in.
Honor and adorn your body. Give yourself an abhyanga (Ayurvedic massage) every day before or after showering with coconut or sesame oil. Start with your feet and always move towards your heart—long strokes on your limbs like arms and legs, and circular movement on your joints.
Bonus tip, when in doubt. In January, you can try on your own or join me for an Ayurveda reset by taking a week not drink alcohol or eat meat, eggs, or dairy—only enjoying cooked fruited and veggies, as well as a monodiet food like oatmeal or Kitchari.