In Ayurveda, there are three pillars that make health happen: ahara (food), nidra (sleep), and brahmacharya (balanced sexual drive). When all three are in balance, they make for a properly nourished, adequately rested, and sexually healthy human being. Lacking this critical balance, the individual will suffer from a myriad of disorders, ranging from headaches to infertility. Make Health Happen With Food Food is the best way to prevent disease and optimize health. Ayurveda has complete recommendations about the preparation (samskar) of food, the time of its intake, avoiding unwholesome (apathya) foods, and recognizing wholesome (pathya) foods. There are guidelines on how to steer clear of incompatible combinations called viruddha ahar, which generate toxins in the system (such as mixing fruits and dairy, or fish and milk, or salt and milk). The ancient Ayurvedic texts teach us about the way these food toxins act upon the body, and how those toxins can be digested or metabolized by special diet protocols called aam pachana. There are classifications of foods, including the relevance of foods and recipes in common disorders, such as digestive complaints, colds, coughs, parasites, etc. There are special regimens for pregnant and lactating women, geriatric needs, foods to nourish children from the day of birth till adulthood, fertility protocols, convalescence diets, and much more. Once an individual understands Ayurvedic fundamentals and its science of food, life is transformed. The concepts of pathya and apathya apply not only to food, but also to behavior. There is an extensive general list for both categories and specific details as per prakruti (natural constitution), vikruti (disturbed constitution), agni (metabolic capacity), ritu (season), and vyadhi (specific disease), kala (age), and bala (strength) of the individual. It is the individual’s personal responsibility to make choices that are beneficial to his or her condition, that do not promote disease, and in fact, endow the body with strength, immunity, and longevity. Make Health Happen With Positive Behavior Sadvritta & Achara Rasayana Socio-moral, healthy behavioral recommendations in Ayurveda fall under the heading of Sadvritta (noble code of conduct incorporating healthy attitudes and behaviors). Sadvritta conceptualizes health gained and nurtured from a larger perspective of life that is lived in balance. There is respect for the immediate environment and natural laws, and an ability to live with psychological health and interact in a socially healthy manner. This prevents mental and psychosomatic disorders, since the Ayurvedic tradition is aware that abnormal interpersonal relationships produce psychological stress, which in turn cause psychosomatic disorders. Achara Rasayana is a special teaching to all human beings – a timely message from the sages, which lays down ethical rules, and teaches the consequences of self-destructive actions and thought processes. Personal transgressions, sinful acts, avoidance of responsibilities and duties, etc. are the root causes of psychic, self-afflicted misery, such as anxiety, worry, anger, regret, and others. Thus, for optimum health, good conduct and proper personal behavior in every sphere of life is advocated. Ayurveda conceives of health as a large holistic canvas, where the myriad dimensions of human existence – physical, mental, sensorial, social, and spiritual – contribute towards an interconnected whole. Only when all aspects of the human being are aided to experience well-being, can disease really be prevented and health protected. Make Health Happen Actively With Awareness In Ayurvedic medicine, people actively participate in their own healing. The individual understands the rhythms of the living system and its bio-forces. Informed by knowledge of the wholesome and unwholesome, one can begin to apply it to daily life, thus cooperating with natural laws instead of trying to resist them. A whole gamut of choices and options are possible. These choices, along with their immediate and long-term consequences, ultimately allow the individual to understand and consequently deal with perhaps an inner mental world of resistance, patterns of destructive behavior, habits of laziness, addictions, etc. When we begin to work at this deeper level of awareness around our health, we embrace knowledge and life skills that actively prevent disease, by positively promoting health and well-being. The net result is a society made up of healthy individuals, now in charge of their own health and taking ownership of any disease they manifest. They are actively sculpting a life around optimum lifestyle, foods, behaviors, thoughts, and practices that gift the being with happiness, balance, vigor, and enthusiasm for living life to its fullest potential. This is a great thing, because it teaches us how not to fall sick, which is the need of the hour. More and more people are turning to the comforting refuge of Ayurveda, with its warm, nourishing, and heartening teachings to both prevent disease and promote health. These choices and practices can be adopted inside our homes, kitchens, and hearts to restore some critically-needed power to self-determine the course of our health. Thus, Ayurvedic practices impact not only physiological rhythms, but are also imbued with insights on how to promote well-being in the individual’s psychological, social, and spiritual realms for complete wellness. With Love and Blessings, Acharya Shunya Acharya Shunya is a globally-recognized spiritual teacher and Vedic lineage-holder who awakens health and consciousness through the Vedic sciences of Ayurveda, Vedanta and Yoga. She is the driving force behind Vedika Global, an online not-for-profit wisdom school and worldwide spiritual community, and the author of best-selling book on the Vedic art of min​d​ + body + soul well-being and health, Ayurveda Lifestyle Wisdom (Sounds True, 2017) and forthcoming second book with Sounds True to be released in 2020, Sovereign Self. Acharya Shunya is a keynote speaker at national and international conferences, and serves as an advisor to the Indian Government in matters pertaining to global integration and cultivation of Ayurveda and Yoga. Receive her free online teachings and browse her current eCourse offerings here or see more about her on Facebook and follow her on Instagram. Subscribe to her YouTube Channel where she holds live Global Satsangs once per month. Study Ayurveda with Acharya Shunya in her online course, Alchemy through Ayurveda. #threepillarsofheatlh #acharyashunya #pratichimathur #awareness #ayurveda #conduct #makehealth #responsibility #vedikaglobal

(As Published in Common Ground Magazine) If you have resolved to introduce well-being into your being through food, then perhaps it is time to also gift yourself with the wisdom of spices from the ancient Indian science of Ayurveda. Fortunately, Ayurveda has some simple tips that make it easy to incorporate these spices into your daily life without having to turn your pantry and your partner inside out. Ayurveda’s recommendations come from a place of ease and reassurance, and for centuries, countless people in India, and more recently, in every corner of the world, have attested to the efficacy of these spices and their medicinal, as well as miraculous benefits. Ayurvedic Spices to Heal and Nourish Add a dash of moon, a pinch of sun, shake it with vigor, and stir in love. Ayurvedic spices are natural medicines. When used in moderation, on a regular basis, in our cooking, they keep us happy and healthy. Above all, they keep our digestive fire burning brightly, so that parasites, toxins, and our food excesses get the message to burn up and go away. Spices are the key to digestion, tissue nourishment, and cleansing of the body. Food needs to be properly spiced for good digestion and metabolism. Get whole seeds, leaves, and roots (if you can) rather than powders sealed in plastic bottles and boxes. Expose them to the sun before you store them (in glass), and grind them by hand each time you use them. Whole herbs hold onto their healing properties much longer. Sauté seed spices in oil or clarified butter to bring out their flavor and biological activity. You can add a little bit of the spices you have sautéed directly to the liquid portion of your soup or curry to bring out the water-soluble properties of the spice. Buy only small amounts of spices at a time, as they have a shelf life of less than three months. Adding Ayurvedic spices to your daily food is a great way to prevent disease and optimize health. Here are some popular Ayurvedic spices to get you started: Ginger Powder (Shunthi) Add powdered dry ginger to food while cooking, or drink as a warm tea. Benefits: Prevents loose or multiple stools, nausea, flatulence, and stomachache; enhances the digestive fire; prevents toxin and mucus build-up, colds, allergies, and hemorrhoids; and acts as a general tonic during postpartum weakness. Coriander (Dhaniya) Seeds Can be used to make coriander tea. Freshly ground seeds can be added while cooking, and fresh leaves can be used for garnish. Benefits: Stimulates digestion, without causing overheating. Its regular consumption ensures proper elimination and detoxification, alleviates excessive thirst, acts as a general body tonic, prevents any burning sensation during urination, and counteracts hyperacidity. Cumin (Zeera) Use the whole seeds in cooking, boiling, or stir-frying, or dry roast lightly and then grind into powder. For indigestion, it can also be drunk as a warm tea. Benefits: Cumin is added to almost every Ayurveda-inspired meal; it prevents indigestion and pain in abdomen, loss of appetite, nausea, loose stool, flatulence, and even vomiting. It is also useful for irritable bowels and scanty or irregular periods. Turmeric (Haldi) This legendary herb is used raw as well as cooked. For obesity, swallow a small amount (1⁄4 tsp.) with warm water. For coughs and colds, boil in cow’s milk along with black pepper. Mix with water and gargle for sore throats. Benefits: Acts as an appetizer by imparting a pleasant color to Ayurvedic food. It is antitoxic, antiseptic, and a blood and skin purifier; makes the body inhospitable to parasites; enhances complexion; and boosts immunity. Saffron (Kesar) Boil in milk for the common cold. Benefits: Improves appetite and digestion, enhances the quality of blood tissue and complexion, and acts as an aphrodisiac. And that’s not all. Ayurveda’s science of foods recommends discarding one-size-fits- all diet recommendations and adapting customized diet solutions that complement your unique Ayurveda mind-body type—which can be assessed by taking quizzes in Ayurveda books or paying a visit to an Ayurvedic consultant. Here are more tips: Incorporate all six tastes in your meals—sweet, salty, sour, astringent, bitter, and pungent—that help keep the digestive process regulated. Of course, the proportion of the different tastes depends on your unique mind-body type. As much as possible, eat cooked foods, especially if your digestive activity is lethargic and your lifestyle sedentary. Cooked foods are easier to digest and transform into Ojas, a life-giving, disease-preventing force, quicker than raw foods that are often hard to break down. Meals should be eaten while still warm or even hot, as the heat in the food will ignite the digestive fire and indirectly promote digestion. Lastly, long before the world of cuisine and temperaments got divided into fast and slow, Ayurveda recommended taking adequate and attentive time for food procurement, processing, and cooking, imbuing it with our love and wholesome attention. Ayurveda reminds us that our body is not a battleground but a field of healing potential in which the rare and potent—but mostly latent—gem of disease prevention, self- healing, and self-regeneration lies buried. It is gently unearthed by feeding ourselves love through intelligent, alive, prana-filled, seasonally attuned, organic, wholesome, adequately spiced, and well-cooked foods. It is no wonder that in Ayurveda, such life- promoting food is called God—Annam Brahma. With Love and Blessings, Acharya Shunya Acharya Shunya is a globally-recognized spiritual teacher and Vedic lineage-holder who awakens health and consciousness through the Vedic sciences of Ayurveda, Vedanta and Yoga. She is the driving force behind Vedika Global, an online not-for-profit wisdom school and worldwide spiritual community, and the author of best-selling book on the Vedic art of min​d​ + body + soul well-being and health, Ayurveda Lifestyle Wisdom (Sounds True, 2017) and forthcoming second book with Sounds True to be released in 2020, Sovereign Self. Acharya Shunya is a keynote speaker at national and international conferences, and serves as an advisor to the Indian Government in matters pertaining to global integration and cultivation of Ayurveda and Yoga. Receive her free online teachings and browse her current eCourse offerings here or see more about her on Facebook and follow her on Instagram. Subscribe to her YouTube Channel where she holds live Global Satsangs once per month. Study Ayurveda with Acharya Shunya in her online course, Alchemy through Ayurveda. #healingwisdominthekitchen #ayurvedicspices #digestion #ayurveda #spicesfordigestion

According to Ayurveda, India's ancient modality of health and healing, our health is about more than the absence of disease. It's a fruitful, flourishing state of well-being. To tap into this abundant resource, we start by transforming ourselves from the inside out. Take a look at your kitchen cupboard. Become aware about the decisions you're making when you eat. When we choose, for example fresh vegetables and fruits instead of stale packaged foods, we nourish our physical and mental health. Stale food can actually contribute to feelings of sadness and even anxiety and depression. On the other hand, fresh foods awaken the senses. The experience of cooking reminds us that food is a celebration of seasons and festivities of color, texture, aroma, and divinity. It is a thing to be enjoyed and an exercise in mindfulness. As a child, I don't remember my mother storing leftovers. Food was given to kitchen helpers, the poor and needy, and visitors—including animals. My mother would greet them with fresh snacks or meals she rustled up in the kitchen. It is a pleasant memory, and one that continues to affect how I eat today. Even if you didn't have the same upbringing, you can change your past by modifying your present. Promote positive change simply by adding something favorable and eliminating something toxic from your diet. For example, find ways to incorporate good-for-you foods such as mung lentils, or green gram; homemade Ayurvedic buttermilk; clarified butter, or ghee (Ayurvedic clarified butter); and good spices like turmeric, cumin, fennel, and ginger. Stop or reduce harmful foods from your diet such as toxin-generating foods like yogurt, cheese, processed foods, and cold foods like raw salads. Not sure where to start? Try this delicious recipe for ayurvedic lentil soup. Mung Bean Lentil Soup Ingredients: 1 tablespoon ghee 2 cups whole mung beans, soaked in 4 cups water for at least 3 hours or overnight 12 cups water ½ teaspoon ground black pepper ½ teaspoon ground ginger ½ teaspoon ground cumin seed ¼ teaspoon rock salt (plus more, to taste) 1 teaspoon lime juice (optional) 2 teaspoons minced cilantro Method: 1. Heat a large stockpot on medium-high heat, add ghee, and then add the pre-soaked and drained mung dal. Sauté until the lentils are slightly brown and mildly aromatic. 2. Add 12 cups water and boil until the lentils are fully cooked and individual grains of lentils begin to lose integrity, 30 to 40 minutes, or longer if required. 3. Add black pepper, ginger, cumin, and salt. Use a ladle to mash the lentils fully to get a porridge-like consistency. 4. Add lime juice and garnish with cilantro. Eat while hot. *Originally posted by MindBodyGreen* Acharya Shunya is a globally-recognized spiritual teacher and Vedic lineage-holder who awakens health and consciousness through the Vedic sciences of Ayurveda, Vedanta and Yoga. She is the driving force behind Vedika Global, an online not-for-profit wisdom school and worldwide spiritual community, and the author of best-selling book on the Vedic art of min​d​ + body + soul well-being and health, Ayurveda Lifestyle Wisdom (Sounds True, 2017) and forthcoming second book with Sounds True to be released in 2020, Sovereign Self. Acharya Shunya is a keynote speaker at national and international conferences, and serves as an advisor to the Indian Government in matters pertaining to global integration and cultivation of Ayurveda and Yoga. Receive her free online teachings and browse her current eCourse offerings here or see more about her on Facebook and follow her on Instagram. Subscribe to her YouTube Channel where she holds live Global Satsangs once per month. Study Ayurveda with Acharya Shunya in her online course, Alchemy through Ayurveda. #Selfcare #AyurvedaLifestyleWisdom #HealthyLiving #healingwisdominthekitchen #Ayurveda #ayurvedarecipes #ayurvedacooking #lentilsoup #detoxdiet #boostmetabolism #detoxsoup #ayurvedicsoup #detoxrecipes #antiinflammatory #cleanse #cleansingfoods #cleansingdiet #ayurvedalifestyle #ayurvedalifestylewisdom

Ayurveda, India's ancient modality of health and healing, is becoming increasingly popular because of its tried and tested health-awakening potential. The terms ayu (life) and veda (knowledge) come together to create "knowledge of life." Ayurveda encompasses simple, life-giving principles that extend far beyond just a holistically healthy life. If you want to be brimming with vitality and bursting with joy, Ayurveda holds the potential for positive life transformation. I have in-depth discussions about the practices and science of Ayurveda with my students. But if you're eager to explore and adopt a few techniques before you really dig deep into Ayurveda, try incorporating these eight fundamentals into your life. Together they address body, mind, and spirit and will open you up to your own natural fullness: 1. Get up before 6am. For those of us who are not getting enough sleep, waking up early may seem like a contraindication. But early rising has multiple benefits, including resetting your internal clock. Waking at this time primes us for increased energy, improved digestion, and decreased stress and depression. You will begin to feel more cheerful and lighter. Try it and see for yourself. 2. Practice morning gratitude. Instead of starting your day with a to-do list, which throws you instantly into the stress and chaos of life, wake up with gratitude. Quell the need to check your phone first thing in the morning by chanting "ohm" as you exhale. By doing this, you immediately become aligned with the universal vibrations. Some call it God. I call it universal intelligence. 3. Gargle with sesame oil. Gargling with sesame oil is an immune-boosting practice that has saved my voice on more than one occasion. Just warm some raw oil, then gargle as you would with water for a few minutes (or as long as you can). Then spit it out. Gargle again with tepid water. Try to do this daily—once a week at a minimum. 4. Perform self-massage. Daily abhyanga or self-massage for 10 minutes a day can improve blood flow and reduce stress, stiffness, and pain. It is deeply relaxing for both mind and body. I recommend using sesame oil, which is a natural anti-inflammatory and immunity-enhancing ingredient. 5. Stop buying bottled water. Plastic water bottles are good for no one except the companies that produce them. Try boiling your water and then cooling it. This makes your water highly digestible and can help drain the lymph system. 6. Replace butter and oil with ghee. Cooking with clarified butter or ghee is an easy way to aid digestion. Ghee is renowned for its immunity-enhancing anti-aging qualities. Plus, it has a delicious, nutty flavor. Try it for yourself! 7. Eat your last meal two to three hours before bed. Late-night snacks and large meals too close to bedtime can wreak havoc on your digestion and make it difficult to sleep. Eat as close to sunset as possible and plan a few hours between dinner and bedtime. 8. Turn mealtimes into an event. Most of us save our finest dishes and silverware for "special occasions." But flowers, candles, and fine flatware heighten the dining experiences and elevate the senses. Pleasure and joy in eating add an important psychological component to digestion. *Originally posted by MindBodyGreen* http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-28544/8-ayurvedic-self-care-rituals-that-promote-radiant-health.html Acharya Shunya is a globally-recognized spiritual teacher and Vedic lineage-holder who awakens health and consciousness through the Vedic sciences of Ayurveda, Vedanta and Yoga. She is the driving force behind an online wisdom school and worldwide spiritual community, and the author of best-selling book on the Vedic art of mind + body + soul well-being and health, Ayurveda Lifestyle Wisdom (Sounds True, 2017) and forthcoming second book with Sounds True to be released in 2020, Sovereign Self. Acharya Shunya is a keynote speaker at national and international conferences, and serves as an advisor to the Indian Government in matters pertaining to global integration and cultivation of Ayurveda and Yoga. Receive her free online teachings and browse her current eCourse offerings here or see more about her on Facebook and follow her on Instagram. Subscribe to her YouTube Channel where she holds live Global Satsangs once per month #Ayurveda #HealthyLiving #AyurvedaLifestyleWisdom #Beauty #Selfcare #gratitude #radianthealth #Abhyanga

(As originally posted on CureJoy.com) If you have resolved to introduce well-being into your being through food, then perhaps it is time to also gift yourself with the wisdom of spices from the ancient Indian science of Ayurveda. Fortunately, Ayurveda has some simple tips that make it easy to incorporate these spices into your daily life without having to turn your pantry and your partner inside out. Ayurveda’s recommendations come from a place of ease and reassurance, and for centuries, countless people in India, and more recently, in every corner of the world, have attested to the efficacy of these spices and their medicinal, as well as miraculous benefits. Spices to Heal and Nourish According to Ayurveda Add a dash of moon, a pinch of sun, shake it with vigor, and stir in love. Ayurvedic spices are natural medicines. When used in moderation, on a regular basis, in our cooking, they keep us happy and healthy. Above all, they keep our digestive fire burning brightly, so that parasites, toxins, and our food excesses get the message to burn up and go away. Spices are the key to digestion, tissue nourishment, and cleansing of the body. Food needs to be properly spiced for good digestion and metabolism. Get whole seeds, leaves, and roots (if you can) rather than powders sealed in plastic bottles and boxes. Expose them to the sun before you store them (in glass), and grind them by hand each time you use them. Whole herbs hold onto their healing properties much longer. Sauté seed spices in oil or clarified butter to bring out their flavor and biological activity. You can add a little bit of the spices you have sautéed directly to the liquid portion of your soup or curry to bring out the water-soluble properties of the spice. Buy only small amounts of spices at a time, as they have a shelf life of less than three months. Adding Ayurvedic spices to your daily food is a great way to prevent disease and optimize health. Here are some popular Ayurvedic spices to get you started: Ginger Powder (Shunthi) Add powdered dry ginger to food while cooking, or drink as a warm tea. Benefits: Prevents loose or multiple stools, nausea, flatulence, and stomachache; enhances the digestive fire; prevents toxin and mucus build-up, colds, allergies, and hemorrhoids; and acts as a general tonic during postpartum weakness. Coriander (Dhaniya) Seeds Can be used to make coriander tea. Freshly ground seeds can be added while cooking, and fresh leaves can be used for garnish. Benefits: Stimulates digestion, without causing overheating. Its regular consumption ensures proper elimination and detoxification, alleviates Cumin (Zeera) Use the whole seeds in cooking, boiling, or stir-frying, or dry roast lightly and then grind into powder. For indigestion, it can also be drunk as a warm tea. Benefits: Cumin is added to almost every Ayurveda-inspired meal; it prevents indigestion and pain in abdomen, loss of appetite, nausea, loose stool, flatulence, and even vomiting. It is also useful for irritable bowels and scanty or irregular periods. Turmeric (Haldi) This legendary herb is used raw as well as cooked. For obesity, swallow a small amount (1⁄4 tsp.) with warm water. For coughs and colds, boil in cow’s milk along with black pepper. Mix with water and gargle for sore throats. Benefits: Acts as an appetizer by imparting a pleasant color to Ayurvedic food. It is antitoxic, antiseptic, and a blood and skin purifier; makes the body inhospitable to parasites; enhances complexion; and boosts immunity. Saffron (Kesar) Boil in milk for the common cold. Benefits: Improves appetite and digestion, enhances the quality of blood tissue and complexion, and acts as an aphrodisiac. And that’s not all. Ayurveda’s science of foods recommends discarding one-size-fits- all diet recommendations and adapting customized diet solutions that complement your unique Ayurveda mind-body type—which can be assessed by taking quizzes in Ayurveda books or paying a visit to an Ayurvedic consultant. Ayurvedic diet tips: – Incorporate all six tastes in your meals—sweet, salty, sour, astringent, bitter, and pungent—that help keep the digestive process regulated. Of course, the proportion of the different tastes depends on your unique mind-body type. – As much as possible, eat cooked foods, especially if your digestive activity is lethargic and your lifestyle sedentary. Cooked foods are easier to digest and transform into Ojas, a life-giving, disease-preventing force, quicker than raw foods that are often hard to break down. – Meals should be eaten while still warm or even hot, as the heat in the food will ignite the digestive fire and indirectly promote digestion. – Lastly, long before the world of cuisine and temperaments got divided into fast and slow, Ayurveda recommended taking adequate and attentive time for food procurement, processing, and cooking, imbuing it with our love and wholesome attention. Ayurveda reminds us that our body is not a battleground but a field of healing potential in which the rare and potent—but mostly latent—gem of disease prevention, self- healing, and self-regeneration lies buried. It is gently unearthed by feeding ourselves love through intelligent, alive, prana-filled, seasonally attuned, organic, wholesome, adequately spiced, and well-cooked foods. It is no wonder that in Ayurveda, such life- promoting food is called God—Annam Brahma. Acharya Shunya Acharya Shunya is a globally-recognized spiritual teacher and Vedic lineage-holder who awakens health and consciousness through the Vedic sciences of Ayurveda, Vedanta, and Yoga. She is the driving force behind Vedika Global, an online not-for-profit wisdom school and worldwide spiritual community, and the author of best-selling book on the Vedic art of min​d​ + body + soul well-being and health, Ayurveda Lifestyle Wisdom (Sounds True, 2017) and forthcoming second book with Sounds True to be released in 2020, Sovereign Self. Acharya Shunya is a keynote speaker at national and international conferences, and serves as an advisor to the Indian Government in matters pertaining to global integration and cultivation of Ayurveda and Yoga. Receive her free online teachings and browse her current eCourse offerings here or see more about her on Facebook and follow her on Instagram. Subscribe to her YouTube Channel where she holds live Global Satsangs once per month. #alternativemedicine #ayurvedalifestylewisdom #ayurveda #ayurvedacooking #ayurvedaspices #ginger #saffron #turmeric #acharyashunya #vedikaglobal #cummin #ayurvedadiet

(As originally published on Curejoy.com) Life’s Choices Leading to Disease or Health The science of Life, Ayurveda, incorporates detailed instructions on exactly how to live this life, on a day to day basis, so that this life is at its healthy best. These teachings are classified as positive behavior, or Sadachara, and social/moral/ethical hygiene and mental practices called Sadvritta. In the world of Ayurveda, we are the creator of our own life. We get to carve out our body and mind, food by food and thought by thought. We get to make choices and we get to enjoy the happy and pleasurable consequences of those choices. Life’s script is in our hands and there is no need to stay fixed in the messages of powerlessness and helplessness that we are constantly bombarded with, every second of the day. Today, many disease processes and auto immune disorders are being traced to negative thinking and stress in life. This is not a ‘modern’ realization, but as Ayurveda demonstrates, quite an ancient one. The ancient Vedic sages understood that ultimately, the quality and type of life we lead depends upon the quality or conditioning of our mind and what direction or path it chooses. The sages also comprehended that behavior has to be changed first, before underlying mental states, such as feelings, can be addressed or negative emotions can be transformed into positive ones. Hence, the visionary Ayurvedic doctors composed a brilliant code of conduct called Achar Rasayana, which is really an exhaustive list of positive attributes, behaviors, actions, attitudes, and life rituals that any human can mindfully cultivate and reap the consequent benefit of a purified, transformed mind leading to a high vibration life experience.[i] Thus, before Ayurveda prescribes the medicine, before it performs the surgery, before it teaches a method, before it employs an advanced emergency measure, first and foremost, Ayurveda teaches how to live your life consciously on a moment to moment basis. This conscious life comprises an attitude and life perspective that is psychologically sound, ecologically well-intentioned, socially approved, morally superior, ethically grounded, demonstrating civic awareness, compassion towards others who may be more needy than us (physically or mentally challenged, animals, the poor, etc.), political correctness, wisdom in personal relationships (who to court and who to shun), and understanding of the laws and rules of life and this universe. A Pure Life A pure body leads to a pure mind, as the body is the home of the mind. Ayurveda recommends bathing daily, washing up at least twice a day and cleaning excretory passages and feet frequently. Bathing is especially important before a meal, as a pure body and mind are a prerequisite to good digestion. Further, sage Charaka recommends applying skin improving herbal pastes and face masks to the body and face before bathing to ensure skin health. All bodily hair should stay well groomed, and nails should be cut three times a fortnight. One should always wear well groomed clothes, use natural perfumes and flowers for fragrance; massage oneself with warm oil daily and not forget to apply oil to ears, nasal passages, feet, and head. All this ensures a healthy clean vibration on a daily basis. An Honoring Life We are all aware what havoc dishonoring minds can wreak upon society and, of course, upon personal wellbeing. Such individuals often end up having fallen behind in life, isolated, or even worse, locked up behind bars or even mental institutions. The opposite, an honoring mind, is a state of mind where the individual regards all things as venerable and important for the health of the self and the planet. A deep regard, a sense of responsibility, a realization of worth and appreciation, a sense of interconnectedness are born in an honoring mind. Ayurveda, as a preventive medicine, expressly tries to inculcate an honoring state of mind in each and every human being. One should honor and respect those who are worth our respect, such as accomplished teachers and Gurus, elderly people, including our parents, and even animals, such as the cow, which imparts its own milk to us humans (so she is likened to a mother or mother principle). A charitable and human friendly animal like the cow, which generously provides us with life-giving dairy products, such as wholesome milk and ghee, and medicines that are manufactured from her milk, urine, dung, etc., deserves our respect and appreciation, and should not be taken for granted or abused, to say the least. Ayurveda recommends even honoring inanimate, but cosmic principles, such as fire. It is through the agency of fire inherent in every thing, every cell, and in each and every phenomenon, that transformation of any kind can take place. Hence, this fire, which represents the cosmic laws and principles in operation, is worshiped on a daily basis, either ritually, or in the mind. Sage Charaka writes that, in deference to the honorable entities – both cosmic and human, one should control the urge to pass gas, stool, or urine in the open, as it will violate the principles of air, water, fire, moon and sun, as also in front of the spiritual gurus and other teachers. Ancestors are also respected, as they represent the blessings offered by a continuous tradition. Acknowledging continuity helps remind each one of us that we are part of a whole, and not merely a fragmented floating piece, rudderless and rootless. Charaka writes, “One should not give up the traditional practices excessively, nor should one be in a habit of breaking rules.” Worshipping ancestors helps instill in us a sense of responsibility towards our young ones, and towards family and community life in general. And then, an honoring mind cannot help but honor itself, too. Honoring the other is a celebration of the Self. Hence, Ayurveda teaches the crucial lesson of honor. Ayurveda warns men again ever dishonoring a woman. According to Ayurveda, leading a healthy life includes the decision to never abuse or exploit the aged and the infirm or the weaker, nor ever insult noble people (with noble traits), national or community leaders (as they may represent a higher cause), and teachers (as they impart wisdom and knowledge, a highly venerable profession). In fact, one should demonstrate honor towards ‘knowledge’ as an entity and cosmic presence by never sitting down to study with an unclean body or an impure, reluctant mind. Our devoted study should be an act of honor, no less. A Positive and Balanced Life Ayurveda recommends developing a cheerful frame of mind that is positive in its outlook. Rather than shying back in the woodwork, Ayurveda recommends dropping shyness and initiating communication. The advice is to slowly develop self-control, use different situations to practice presence of mind, mindfully shun negative emotions, like jealousy and fear, work upon underlying anxieties, and as a conscious choice, adopt in every fearful situation, fearlessness. This will nurture natural courage. To develop a state of mental equipoise, Ayurveda recommends practicing our responses to life’s ups and downs by displaying neither impatience nor extreme exhilaration. Why be so ruffled? To not get under the sway of addictions and compulsions, Ayurveda recommends keeping a safe distance from excessive drinking, gambling, and unsafe sex, such as prostitution. In fact, it is necessary to examine our everyday friends, because whom we choose to hang out with daily do influence our mind, and from that angle, our life, on a daily basis. To develop balance in all areas of life, Ayurveda recommends neither accepting everything naively, or hastily, nor unnecessarily delaying the process of taking decisions. In the same vein, one has to neither become a slave to one’s tyrannical senses, nor does one have to walk around with an over-controlling, rigid mind. Either is an extreme state of affairs. A Compassionate and Peaceful Life Ayurveda recommends that, “One should behave like kith and kin to all living beings, pacify the angry, console the frightened, help the poor, be truthful, peaceful, tolerant of others’ harsh words, remover of intolerance, should always look towards the qualities of a peaceful life, and should develop detachment.” Ayurveda recommends not initiating quarrels, and not insulting or ever disrespecting women. To inculcate this peaceful vibration, Ayurveda recommends practicing a speech that is “useful, measured, sweet, and contains meaningful words.” Modesty, courage, devotion (to teachers, etc.) and positive outlook towards life and always maintaining an auspicious (beneficial) conduct, are traits that Ayurvedic texts suggest are worth developing. To develop the spirit of charity, Ayurveda recommends making donations, as well as religious oblations and offerings. A compassionate being is a healer of all that he or she encounters or interacts with. This compassionate behavior manifests best in the practice of self-control. A self-controlled, self-virtuous, and self-restrained being restores harmony, accord, amicability, and empathy. Such beings, by virtue of being in control of their minds, serve as consensus builders, sharing freely their spirit of benevolence and kindliness. Enmity, hatred, non-truthfulness and stealing another’s possessions are emotions or acts that humans indulge in at some time or the other in the course of this life. Be it the habit of telling white lies, be it feeling revengeful, or perhaps even actually stealing. No matter how big or small the mental event or actual behavior is, these episodes ultimately leave us drained and plant the seeds of ill health. Hence, Ayurveda recommends watching within our own self the habit of lying, and rooting it out by self-observation. Desiring illicit sex, seeking another’s possession or property, indulging in enmity and revenge, enjoying gossiping and offering criticism are acts that are to be studiously avoided for abiding peace in life. Or else, the cauldron of life is stirred too violently, and what comes forth is turbulence. In Ayurveda, we find the suggestion “do not be vicious, even to the sinner.” What profound psychology is applied here by the ancient sages! Why, because when we harbor negative feelings even towards the obvious wrong doers, it is our own health that is impacted. Victim consciousness is ultimately a life ruining and self-defeating experience, not to mention the energy spent in holding on to the cluster of ill feelings towards the so-called sinner. Releasing the sinner from his sin, is akin to releasing the Self. I am the Universe ”When one thinks himself spread in the universe and vice versa, and has the vision of the great and the small (mundane affairs), his serenity based on knowledge is affected.” – Charaka Samhita, Sharirasthanam, V, 20 Ayurvedic sage Charaka explains that seeing the entire universe in the self and vice versa gives rise to true knowledge. On seeing the entire universe in his Self, one realizes (the truth), that the Self alone is the agent of happiness and misery, none else. All fear and negativity is naturally dispelled by the knowledge that the person is equal to the universe. Welcome home to your Divine Peaceful Healthy Self, with Ayurveda’s wisdom leading the way. Love and Blessings to All, Acharya Shunya Acharya Shunya is a globally-recognized spiritual teacher and Vedic lineage-holder who awakens health and consciousness through the Vedic sciences of Ayurveda, Vedanta and Yoga. She is the driving force behind Vedika Global, an online not-for-profit wisdom school and worldwide spiritual community, and the author of best-selling book on the Vedic art of min​d​ + body + soul well-being and health, Ayurveda Lifestyle Wisdom (Sounds True, 2017) and forthcoming second book with Sounds True to be released in 2020, Sovereign Self. Acharya Shunya is a keynote speaker at national and international conferences, and serves as an advisor to the Indian Government in matters pertaining to global integration and cultivation of Ayurveda and Yoga. Receive her free online teachings and browse her current eCourse offerings here or see more about her on Facebook and follow her on Instagram. Subscribe to her YouTube Channel where she holds live Global Satsangs once per month. Study Ayurveda with Acharya Shunya in her online course, Alchemy through Ayurveda.

Ayurveda teaches amazing and effective steps to say goodbye to insomnia and welcome deep, rejuvenating, blissful sleep. Here are some of the top recommendations: 1. Fix Your Times to Wake and Sleep To be able to sleep well at night, it is vitally important to get up in the morning at a fixed time — at or before 6:00am, says Ayurveda. And try to go to bed at or before 10:00pm. Try your best to establish this routine: wake up before 6am and go to bed by 10pm. Ayurveda did not come up randomly with this suggestion, and instead bases it upon a deep science of chronobiological rhythms. Modern research is demonstrating that indeed, following this specific lifestyle prescription, restores sleep. Let me forewarn you that once the clock strikes ten, you might get a second wind. You might start thinking about unpaid bills, unanswered e-mails, or the closet that still needs to be reorganized. So as a precaution, I recommend that you take my advice and prepare to go to bed by 9:30pm so that you are well asleep by 10:00pm. It’s important to establish and maintain this sleep-wake schedule at suggested times. There may be an exceptional day, but let those days be the exception, not the norm. Remember that your inner clock has no concept of “sleeping in” or “making up sleep.” Also, try to have a gap of at least three hours between dinner and bedtime. 2. Relax Your Mind & Body with Warmed Oil Application An application of oil to the body at bedtime pacifies the nervous energy (from the days activities) and calms the mind. It instantly aids sleep. So one important lifestyle recommendation is that you gently apply a tiny amount of warmed oil to the soles of your feet, your ear lobes, and if possible, the crown of your head. You can use a dry or warm and slightly wet towel to wipe of any excess oil. 3. Eat Sleep-Inducing Foods Naturally sweet-tasting foods are especially sleep-inducing as per Ayurveda. If you have more than an occasional problem of interrupted sleep, examine your food choices through the daytime and over the week and months and give up drying foods (like chips) and spicy foods (like salsa). Avocado, banana, dairy, cane sugar, sweet fruits, squashes, nuts, fish and goat meat contain natural sweetness and oiliness and are recommended by Ayurveda. Seafood soup is especially useful for sleep in Ayurveda. Mildly spiced fish and crab soup, in moderate quantity, along with cooked rice on the side, can be a great selection for lunch at least twice a week. 4. Make A Sleep-Promoting Bedtime Recipe In regard to sleep, dairy can be your friend. All dairy however, is not equal. Fresh boiled and sweetened cow’s milk and its products — sweet cream, fresh butter, and yogurt sweetened with jaggery or cane sugar — are preferred over cheese and buttermilk. Fresh butter is especially useful in combating insomnia, and you can drink warm, spiced milk before bed to induce sleep. Spiced Milk Recipe for Sleep This is an excellent sleep-promoting drink. Drink at least three hours after dinner and no later than half an hour before bed. Ingredients 1 cup whole cow milk 4 cups water 2–3 green cardamom pods, crushed (or 1/8 teaspoon cardamom powder) 2–6 saffron threads, crushed ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric ¼ teaspoon nutmeg powder Sugar, to taste (optional) Method Combine milk and water in a medium saucepan. Add all the spices (but not the sugar). Heat on high, stirring occasionally until the mixture begins to boil. Quickly reduce heat to medium-low and stir occasionally, ensuring the mixture does not boil over. Cook until the added water has evaporated (20–25 minutes). Once the liquid has been reduced down to 1 cup (approximately), remove from heat and strain, discarding any pods or spices left at the bottom. Add sugar to taste. Drink hot or warm. 5. Make Your Bedroom Conducive to Sleep Make your bedroom a special, restful space (with right intention and not necessarily a monetary investment) that simply invites sleep and calm and awakens you with equal radiance in the morning. Before bedtime, make sure the stage is set for sleep. The lights can be dimmed in advance, and you can light candles as you prepare for bed. If you have to have a desk in your bedroom, then as night approaches, tidy this area deliberately, close the lid of your computer and other gadgets, and calm this activity area. Shut of all electronic devices at bedtime. The classic text, Ashtanga Hridayam, from 550–600 CE, suggests pleasant sounds in the background such as soft music or wind chimes; pleasing smells emanating from the essential oils you have applied to your body or fragrant flowers in the room; a fresh, natural breeze; and an inviting, comfortable, well-draped bed in the room, which is essential for a good night’s sleep. 6. Prepare Yourself Mentally for Sleep A short meditation every night in bed helps settle the mind. Yoga postures can help tremendously promote sleep (but not when they are done at bedtime) include head-to-knee pose, seated forward-bend pose. The corpse pose can be taken up before bed also. Ultimately, the best mental preparation you can do to welcome sleep is to accept the fact that sleep is your best friend in your quest for health, success, wealth, and relationships. It is not merely a necessary pause in your life. Sleep is a time for retreat, when you can let go of the world and deeply rest. Once you realize what an important role sleep plays in your physiological and psychological well-being, you will begin to welcome sleep every night. *Originally published on Medium's Thrive Global* Acharya Shunya is a globally-recognized spiritual teacher and Vedic lineage-holder who awakens health and consciousness through the Vedic sciences of Ayurveda, Vedanta and Yoga. She is the driving force behind Vedika Global, an online not-for-profit wisdom school and worldwide spiritual community, and the author of best-selling book on the Vedic art of min​d​ + body + soul well-being and health, Ayurveda Lifestyle Wisdom (Sounds True, 2017) and forthcoming second book with Sounds True to be released in 2020, Sovereign Self. Acharya Shunya is a keynote speaker at national and international conferences, and serves as an advisor to the Indian Government in matters pertaining to global integration and cultivation of Ayurveda and Yoga. Receive her free online teachings and browse her current eCourse offerings here or see more about her on Facebook and follow her on Instagram. Subscribe to her YouTube Channel where she holds live Global Satsangs once per month. Study Ayurveda with Acharya Shunya in her online course, Alchemy through Ayurveda.

Ayurveda awakens us to our own natural wholeness and teaches us ways to reclaim health from inside us. Ayurvedic principles remind us that we are self-healing beings and that we can maintain—or regain—good health by choosing healing foods, a balanced lifestyle, including adopting daily and seasonal rituals, and inner calm. Countless individuals with beginning, chronic, or advanced disorders have reclaimed their health and well-being, simply by instrumenting lifestyle changes. These lifestyle changes impact core personal areas of food, rest and sleep, sexual and behavioral self-regulation. All of these changes take place in the overall context of a prescribed daily regimen, known as dinacharya, and seasonal regimen, known as ritucharya. While performing all 9 of these rituals may not be possible every day, do your best to perform as many as you can and you will reap many benefits. Ayurveda encourages daily elimination by ensuring a lighter and easy-to-digest meal the night before. The herb Triphala, taken the night before, can also assist regularity in elimination. If chronic constipation persists or there are other elimination irregularities, an Ayurvedic Vaidya (healer) should be consulted. Squatting can also promote the urge and so will a drink of warm water first thing in the morning (if required). Splashing the face and eyes with cool water is great to begin with, and then taking 12 handfuls of water to rinse the mouth fully is recommended. The water should be swished in the oral cavity with vigor so that food particles can get dislodged. The teeth should be brushed with herbal toothpastes and powders that have a predominance of astringent and bitter tastes with some pungent taste also. Sweet-tasting products promote dental decay rather than discourage it, according to Ayurveda. The tongue can be cleaned using U-shaped tongue cleaners and the copper ones work great for almost all people and dosha types. Caution should be exercised that the tongue is scraped gently without any abrasion and damage. In healthy people, an additional ritual called gandush can be performed. This is when one fills the oral cavity to maximum capacity with warmed sesame oil and holds it for as long as one can (with cheeks in full blown position) and then spit it out. This procedure nourishes the entire oral cavity and strengthens teeth, gums, jaws, voice, etc and works excellently to combat TMJ. However, one should check with an Ayurvedic Vaidya before embarking upon this ritual, as digestion and elimination should be in optimal condition before attempted. Ayurveda recommends that people who wish to maintain their health should apply oil on their body daily: a small ritual of self-massage, called abhyanga, with warm sesame oil is recommended, followed by a bath or a shower with hot water. Yoga postures are recommended to keep the body flexible, and one should try to customize the personal yoga practice based upon needs of the body and the requirements of the Ayurvedic constitution (as per recommendations of the Ayurvedic Vaidya). Pranayama, or breath discipline, not only infuses the body with prana (vitality) and healthy oxygen, but also begins to balance the mind, as according to Ayurveda, the breath and mind have a close relationship. The calming effect of pranayama naturally leads into a meditative state, if we so seek to enter. Mediation aligns body, mind and soul. In meditation, I become one with bliss within myself. Be sure to include your personal meditation practice, or try any one of the meditations on my growing Meditations & Mantras YouTube playlist. Transform your life using the wisdom of Ayurveda in my online course, Alchemy through Ayurveda. In this course, I invite you to reimagine health and wellbeing through the lens of authentic, mind-calming, soul-enriching Ayurveda. By taking this course, you will benefit from my 2000-year-old one-of-a-kind Vedic lineage in India. You will enjoy ancient traditions for promoting mental and physical health in all their wholeness on your path to rejuvenating wellness. Acharya Shunya is a globally-recognized spiritual teacher and Vedic lineage-holder who awakens health and consciousness through the Vedic sciences of Ayurveda, Vedanta and Yoga. She is the driving force behind an online wisdom school and worldwide spiritual community, and the author of best-selling book on the Vedic art of mind + body + soul well-being and health, Ayurveda Lifestyle Wisdom (Sounds True, 2017) and forthcoming second book with Sounds True to be released in 2020, Sovereign Self. Acharya Shunya is a keynote speaker at national and international conferences, and serves as an advisor to the Indian Government in matters pertaining to global integration and cultivation of Ayurveda and Yoga. Receive her free online teachings and browse her current eCourse offerings here or see more about her on Facebook and follow her on Instagram. Study Ayurveda with Acharya Shunya in her online course, Alchemy through Ayurveda.

Lord Krishna expounds that a Vedanta Guru, who imparts to us the transcendental knowledge of Brahman (Supreme Reality), is no ordinary human being. This liberated one must be considered as the Supreme Lord Himself (Brahman in special form), manifest in human body to liberate us from the bewildering grip of maya (world of appearances and illusions), and at last lead us home to our true divine Self. yasya saksad bhagavati jnana-dipa prade gurau martyasad-dhim srutam tasya sarvam ku-jara-saucavat "The Guru is the Supreme Lord Himself, because the Guru bestows the light of transcendental knowledge upon the disciples." (1) A traditional Guru always comes with two conditions met: Guru must have a Guru and possess adequate knowledge of awakening scriptures. This Guru has a massive intellect, practical experience and an open heart. Only someone with a loving heart will bother to remove the ignorance in another who keeps getting lost in maya cobwebs. And may I add, a Guru does not “sell” their wisdom to the elite alone. They share this priceless wisdom selectively (to sincere ones who value the wisdom), but freely (cost is no barrier), with genuine seekers, in all eras. Three Synchronized Occurrences Sage Shankracharya from 8 C.E. expounds upon three synchronicities lining up in the verse below: durlabham trayam evaitat daivānugraha-hetukam | manuṣyatvam mumukṣutvam mahāpuruṣa-saṃśrayaḥ He says: It is indeed rare to have three occurrences synergistically align in a seeker's single lifetime: A human birth is rare enough (manushyatvam). Next, to not be caught with worldly matters as a human being but possess a burning desire for Self- Realization is rarer (mumukshutvam). If you are one of those ones, burning to know who you really are, not just intellectually, but experientially, too, then don’t let others tell you that you are “too spiritual” or “not ready” or “not worthy.” However, the third condition is a bit rare, which is to find a Guru, a realized soul who can help us along and mentor and course correct us on our goal of spiritual freedom (moksha). Maya is so tricky that we may think we are on a spiritual path, but we may be slipping into the sinking sands of maya without even knowing it! But to be connected to a living Guru who is accessible to us and knows us personally and takes interest in our journey is a rare occurrence (mahapurusha-saṃshrayah); and this last condition gets fulfilled, as per Vedanta, only due to our good karmas, inner readiness and divine grace. If Divine Allness (Ishwara) wants us to awaken from the bondage of maya, and it is our cosmic time to do so, then Ishwara will match us with the perfect Guru. (In fact, Ishwara will come to us as our Guru, say the Upanishads.) It is clear now, when I look back, that Supreme Truth, Brahman, indeed manifested in the outer being of Baba, to liberate me from me from my own delusions in maya! Why is a human birth necessary for Self-Realization? Only humans are self-aware and can pose the ultimate inquiry that our existence impinges upon us: who am I? Which type of human’s desire is for Self-Realization? The ones who have become disillusioned with the world and seek another way. They are called “mumukshu” or one who desires “moksha” - total freedom from bondages and freedom from mind borne delusions. During our human experience, sometimes there occurs a dissatisfaction with the conflicts, the pulls and pushes, the constant chase. One begins to wonder about the purpose of existence. Most people try to run away from this feeling of emptiness by pursuing monetary, sensual, emotional or religious fulfillment. They do not want to face questions that inquire about their endless pursuit: why am I chasing, what am I chasing, am I satisfied with the chase? They have hypnotized themselves to the extent that they can commit crimes against self and others to fulfill their desires. If they are not fulfilled, they become angry, hurting themselves and others. They are in bondage, completely dependent on their relationships with people and objects. But a moksha seeker does not want to continue like this; and this person struggles against being bound by the default desire, chase and constant emptiness (despite desire fulfillment) set up; and questions conditioned behavior. He or she wants to find the permanent, the real. Frustrated with drugging the self through an endless cycle of desiring and pursuing, which leaves it depleted, restless and empty, it wants to break through the mass hypnosis, and arrive at the truth. A moksha seeker struggles against their own baser nature. Now projections, illusions, crimes against self and others can no longer be accepted. The moksha seeker wonders: have I come to manipulate, to beg for love, to fight power games, to feel alone, stricken and abandoned despite being surrounded by people? What is my reality? The desire to know more and be free comes into someone who has suffered enough, who does not want to suffer anymore. It is not a trait that can be ingrained. It happens, and each embodied being will one day become a seeker of moksha, or liberation from existential bondage, and want an exit into the Real, Truth, God. Why is a Guru important for a true seeker of Self-Realization? Having walked the path, since the Guru was once in bondage, but is no longer bound in maya, the Guru understands the struggle and the stage of evolution of consciousness of the seeker. The teacher helps the seeker channel emotions appropriately, giving knowledge about the field of existence, helping to see the truth in situations. The Guru lays the seeds of right jnana (knowledge) in the mumukshu, to understand the purpose of a life that otherwise may have seemed pointless, thus making a human birth worthwhile.Our life's purpose is to realize the divine Self. If there is no awareness, then life partners, disappointments, joys, sorrows, ups and downs, approvals, criticism are just like different flavored candy. Some we like, some we don't, and we keep trying out newer ones in an endless search for fulfillment. The Guru reminds us that the entire divinity is hidden within, hidden while we stay distracted, acting out, reacting, misbehaving, complaining, dying, being born again, staying attached to transient attributes. The true Guru does not simply teach us feel good tools for more wellbeing or more transient joy, but helps us to understand the important versus the trivial, the eternal versus the non-eternal, the permanent versus the transient, and what we can ignore versus what needs our attention to turn inwards to our own indwelling divine Self. Then, by receiving true knowledge of who one is (the Self) and who one is not (the non-self: body and mind), that is, the path of jnana yoga, a Moskha seeker begins to understand the larger reality and starts living from a wider perspective, instead of holding onto irrelevant things. He continues to enact various roles required in his life, but with awareness. Thus, the desire for moksha is an earnest desire to realize the truth and for liberation from bondage. (1) (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.20.17) Acharya Shunya is a globally-recognized spiritual teacher and Vedic lineage-holder who awakens health and consciousness through the Vedic sciences of Ayurveda, Vedanta and Yoga. She is the driving force behind an online wisdom school and worldwide spiritual community, and the author of best-selling book on the Vedic art of mind + body + soul well-being and health, Ayurveda Lifestyle Wisdom (Sounds True, 2017) and forthcoming second book with Sounds True to be released in 2020, Sovereign Self. Acharya Shunya is a keynote speaker at national and international conferences, and serves as an advisor to the Indian Government in matters pertaining to global integration and cultivation of Ayurveda and Yoga. Receive her free online teachings and browse her current eCourse offerings here or see more about her on Facebook and follow her on Instagram. Subscribe to her YouTube Channel where she holds live Global Satsangs once per month. Study Ayurveda with Acharya Shunya in her online course, Alchemy through Ayurveda.

According to Ayurveda, there are three Upastambhas or pillars of health. They are: Aahar or food Nidra or sleep Brahmacharya or sex You might wonder, how can sleep be one of the main pillars of health? In today’s busy lifestyles, the one thing people have the least amount of time for is sleep. There are so many other things to accomplish that we never really give this pillar of health too much thought. However, Vagbhata’s Ashtanga Hridayam (one of the classical texts of Ayurveda) states that lack of sleep is one of the causes of disease. It can induce feelings of delusion, heaviness of the head and the eyes, lassitude, excessive yawning and squeezing pain all over the body. Charak, one of the great rishis, or sages, of Ayurveda, states that natural sleep at night is like Bhutaadhaatri, meaning it nourishes us like a mother. A good sleep leads to happiness, strength, virility, knowledge and vitality! Habits like excessive sleep, untimely sleep, sleeping during the daytime (except during the summer), sleeping at sunrise or sunset, sleeping right after eating and not sleeping the required amount reduce life span and diminish happiness. The following are Ayurveda’s recommendations on sleep­: 1. Go To Bed By 10pm 10pm. marks the onset of the Pitta Kala. In other words, if one stays awake past 10pm, Pitta, the fiery dosha, stimulates the mind and it becomes difficult to go to sleep. Ayurveda also recommends waking up during brahma muhuruta (48 minutes before sunrise) as that is when the universe is soaked in Sattva, the quality of balance, peace and harmony. 2. Light Massage Massage the top of the head, the inner part of the ears and the soles of the feet with warm sesame oil just before going to bed. This aids in sleeping because it helps to calm Vata, the dosha most often associated with insomnia. 3. Pranayama Bhramari Pranayama is extremely helpful in calming the mind which is essential for a good sleep. 4. Early Dinner Avoid eating late dinners as the body is then busy digesting the meal that you just ate and this leads to disturbed sleep. You also wake up feeling heavy and not fresh. Ideally one should finish dinner around 6pm. 5. Warm Milk Have a warm cup of spiced milk at least three hours after dinner and no later than a half hour before going to bed. It is an excellent snack before going to bed or even as a complete meal in itself. Some of the ingredients that go into making spiced milk help promote sleep. From my personal experience, I can wholeheartedly say that these practices work wonders on the mind and the body. For example, a couple of weeks ago I was working until midnight to finish some of my pending tasks. This continued for a few days and I started feeling very fatigued and my eyes were completely dried out. As a student of Ayurveda, I had to ask myself why did this situation arise in the first place. After analyzing my actions, I went back to going to sleep by 10pm, and within three to four days, the symptoms of fatigue and dryness in my system diminished. The habit of staying up late drains the body of its vital energy and we are left feeling spaced out. Instead if we try to inculcate good sleeping habits, we will have much more energy to complete our tasks and bring good space back into our life. Acharya Shunya is a globally-recognized spiritual teacher and Vedic lineage-holder who awakens health and consciousness through the Vedic sciences of Ayurveda, Vedanta and Yoga. She is the driving force behind an online wisdom school and worldwide spiritual community, and the author of best-selling book on the Vedic art of mind + body + soul well-being and health, Ayurveda Lifestyle Wisdom (Sounds True, 2017) and forthcoming second book with Sounds True to be released in 2020, Sovereign Self. Acharya Shunya is a keynote speaker at national and international conferences, and serves as an advisor to the Indian Government in matters pertaining to global integration and cultivation of Ayurveda and Yoga. Receive her free online teachings and browse her current eCourse offerings here or see more about her on Facebook and follow her on Instagram. Subscribe to her YouTube Channel where she holds live Global Satsangs once per month. Study Ayurveda with Acharya Shunya in her online course, Alchemy through Ayurveda.

You are a soul, and this life you are leading is a test for your soul to remember your hidden spiritual essence, celebrate your inherent connection to your creator, shine the divine light inside you and be the best you can be, while you, an imperishable force, dwells inside a perishable human body suit. This entire universe, and your material manifestations that can span over several lifetimes or life stories, is a soul-schooling ground and an opportunity for the evolution of consciousness. The subtle, super-sophisticated and ultra-intelligent equipment we all possess to navigate the universe and pass our tests with divine ease and joy, is none other but our humble mind. With spiritual re-education and purifying wisdom of self-awareness from the Vedas, the same mind - which is typically the domain of unconsciousness, greed, lust, self-sabotage, addictions, bondage, terror, pain, and confusion, and reduces us often, to mere grasping, chasing, lamenting fearful creatures (estranging us from our higher soul nature) - can become our best friend, an illumined torch, guiding us through this mystical and mysterious universe, reintroducing us to our own inner soul greatness. Therefore, I present my MindEvolution Teachings one teaching every day for 14 days beginning on November 1st. These teachings arose in my soul, based upon the tests my soul passed successfully in my own life story. They are ultimately inspired by my contemplations on Vedic wisdom from the Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads - wisdom that reminds us of our original whole, blissful, beautiful soul nature, soul gifts, soul power, and fearless and boundless soul essence. That is why my MindEvolution Teachings can act like reminders to you - to remember your greater truth and act from a greater knowingness in daily life! Look forward to the daily posts of this series beginning on November 1st in my private Facebook group: Vedic Contemplations by Acharya Shunya ^ Not a member yet? Join now ^ Acharya Shunya is a globally-recognized spiritual teacher and Vedic lineage-holder who awakens health and consciousness through the Vedic sciences of Ayurveda, Vedanta and Yoga. She is the driving force behind an online wisdom school and worldwide spiritual community, and the author of best-selling book on the Vedic art of mind + body + soul well-being and health, Ayurveda Lifestyle Wisdom (Sounds True, 2017) and forthcoming second book with Sounds True to be released in 2020, Sovereign Self. Acharya Shunya is a keynote speaker at national and international conferences, and serves as an advisor to the Indian Government in matters pertaining to global integration and cultivation of Ayurveda and Yoga. Receive her free online teachings and browse her current eCourse offerings here or see more about her on Facebook and follow her on Instagram. Subscribe to her YouTube Channel where she holds live Global Satsangs once per month. Study Ayurveda with Acharya Shunya in her online course, Alchemy through Ayurveda.

Transformation comes from the inside out. One simple step that has big consequences is being conscious of the food you eat. A simple way to invite meaning, experience and energy into your life is to adopt a spiritual sadhana (mindful discipline) of eating fresh foods from the spiritual science of Ayurveda, which is an ancient modality of holistic health and healing from India. Why not make feeding yourself fresh foods every day at each meal, a spiritual choice? Many of us spend more time choosing an outfit that makes us look thin or composing the perfect tweet than deciding what to put into our bodies. We look outwardly to fulfill our needs. We chase meaningful moments, but with a bite-sized fast food mentality. Yet, if we aspire to a healthy life, we need to be conscious of the food we eat. By simply deciding to cook, you are investing in your health and taking ownership of the life you have been given. If you think you don’t have time to cook, you are probably over-investing in other areas of your life. Think of the time you spend waiting in markets, restaurants and drive-thrus. In this way, cooking a fresh meal is a time saver and time well spent. It’s providing a healthy meal for the people you love, making memories with them and getting children to be invested in the meals that they are creating. That’s what I call deliberate multitasking! It surprisingly takes only ten minutes to create a fresh meal that can revive each cell in your body and bring you a surprising amount of energy. In my own life, time invested in preparing fresh meals was not a sacrifice, but an invitation to be more present. The opportunity to make conscious choices when we do menu planning and purchasing of necessary ingredients; the sense of ownership that comes from cooking our own meals and crafting our own health; the seduction by aromas that waft through our nose and colors that splash and sensationalize our vision; the engaging of our mind and literally all senses in the ensuing process; the extension of invitations and nourishment of the family circle; the celebration of seasons and festivities of color, texture, and aroma; the entitled requests for favorite recipes by my son, and the look of satisfaction in my husbands eyes, and the smiles of my students — perhaps these are some of the reasons why I cook for my self, my health, and the well being of all who I care about. Ayurveda clarifies that our goal is eat foods that not only strengthen the body but also revives the mind. Start with eating fresh. Canned, frozen and other convenience foods have an artificially elongated shelf life also come under the stale category. If you want to feel good, you have to stop imbibing “industrial grade slush,” and invest in an experience. Many of us eat these foods out of habit. Choosing meals that taste good and are good for us is a simple adjustment that I promise will positively change your life. Try this: Permanent change takes small steps. You don’t have to completely revise your menu. Commit to eliminating just one packaged food a meal (e.g. swapping a bag of chips or frozen entrée) and replacing with something fresh. Then see how you feel in a month. Acharya Shunya is a globally-recognized spiritual teacher and Vedic lineage-holder who awakens health and consciousness through the Vedic sciences of Ayurveda, Vedanta and Yoga. She is the driving force behind an online wisdom school and worldwide spiritual community, and the author of best-selling book on the Vedic art of mind + body + soul well-being and health, Ayurveda Lifestyle Wisdom (Sounds True, 2017) and forthcoming second book with Sounds True to be released in 2020, Sovereign Self. Acharya Shunya is a keynote speaker at national and international conferences, and serves as an advisor to the Indian Government in matters pertaining to global integration and cultivation of Ayurveda and Yoga. Receive her free online teachings and browse her current eCourse offerings here or see more about her on Facebook and follow her on Instagram. Subscribe to her YouTube Channel where she holds live Global Satsangs once per month. Study Ayurveda with Acharya Shunya in her online course, Alchemy through Ayurveda.