RASA was kindly invited to the Toronto celebration for International #AyurvedaDay on Oct. 25th, where Tiffany was asked to speak on the topic of Ayurveda in relation to our purpose in these bodies; in this life.

She touched on the disappointing trend of dilution in Western offerings of Yoga—with a focus uniquely zeroed-in on physical fitness and the body—and how the ancient Ayurvedic texts always pointed to spiritual liberation as the ultimate goal of this life and of Ayurveda, just as it is with its sister science, Yoga.

Tiffany also shared a personal anecdote about how Ayurveda came into her life in her early twenties.

So if Ayurveda—essentially a longing to return to your most authentic Self—is calling to your heart, this is a beautifully accessible introductory talk and a refreshing reminder to Ayurvedic veterans of the foundational and Divine purpose of this sacred science.

 

 And if you feel you've just got to go deeper, then check out our upcoming 50-HOUR AYURVEDA IMMERSION Online Course, starting again NOV. 13th, 2019. For 16 weeks, and from the comfort of your own home, you will gather with community of seekers to learn the foundational principles of this Vedic system of living, in a way that can be practically applied to your daily life. You can pick Tiffany's brain as much as you want during the 3-hour live classes, and know that each session is recorded, meaning that you can catch up in your own time if a class must be missed. 

This course has recived rave reviews, so don't miss out! Find out more info here.

In this Vlog, Tiffany reflects upon our current obsession with anti-aging, the anxiety this it is collectively creating, and how we can return to the wisdom of Ayurveda and cherish the natural aging process and all that arises with it. 

 

 

 

 

A simple and quick Vata-Calming recipe for sharing this Thanksgiving Weekend!

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Welcome to our first VLOG!

In this Vlog, Tiffany Nicholson-Smith gives some Back to School Basics to help parents and teachers as children adjust to the return to the classroom. She addresses Vata imbalances in children and gives some simple daily suggestions that can be implemented to help alleviate anxiety, overwhelm and lack of focus.

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We are deep in the midst of Navaratri, meaning ‘nine nights,’ this deeply auspicious festival whose intention is to fully honor, to bow to the great Goddess and Divine Mother, the omnipotent Shakti, the energy of all manifestation.

Shakti is the feminine energy, that which creates, which births, which brings forth and also receives. And in these final three days of this holy festival, Saraswati is the form to which we direct our focus and energy. She is the Vedic goddess of wisdom, creativity, purity, artistic expression and an embodiment of the light of knowledge within us all and the unlimited creative expression that can be born of this vast well of Consciousness.

Why not, from now until October 7 (and beyond!) bring the worship of the feminine energy into your heart and your practice. One way, is to literally celebrate the altar of your femininity! Although taboo in our western culture, in Ayurveda, it is a joy to anoint the Yoni, the vagina, with Sneha, meaning both oil and love. Our Sacred Yoni Elixir is truly a bottle full of this love. After your shower (or in coupled or single sexual pleasuring), place the bottle in a bowl of hot water so that the oil may become warm. Then, with full awareness, apply a few drops to the Yoni and massage with care, love and presence. Notice the conditioned thoughts of shame that arise. Watch them and know that they are not born of your heart. Laugh. Cry. Rejoice! You are free. Do this daily and watch your naturally creative expressiveness spring forth over time.

The Yoni Oil is also a powerful tool in preventing and addressing persistent bacterial infections, chronic dryness, pain during intercourse, and energetic holdings.

Jai Ma Saraswati Namaha! Jai to Truth embodied as Life!

How to survive and even THRIVE in the dry cold of Autumn, according to Ayurveda? If you’re tired of feeling dry, itchy and chilled to the bone at the first leaf-drop, read on, as this post is your survival guide, or more specifically, your Vata-Pacifying Guide for your transition from the balmy days of summer to the windy, coolness of Fall.

Vata is a Dosha (a mind/body type in Ayurveda), comprised of the elements of Air and Ether (space). We don’t just find the Doshas being expressed in our bodies, but in everything in existence, including the seasons. Vata is most predominant in the late summer to early Winter.

Ayurveda offers us guidelines of living, specific to each season (rutucharya), including suggested foods, herbs, daily habits, types of exercise, colours, aromas, Yogic practices, etc. which will bring in the opposite energies of those that are most predominant during that seasonal period, thus bringing balance back to our bodies. This is why Ayurveda is so amazing in its simplicity and applicability.

10 AYURVEDIC TIPS FOR FALL (+ 2 BONUS TIPS)

1. Think HEAVY, WARM & MOIST. Apply these tenets to everything, including what you eat, how you eat, and your overall lifestyle. 

2. Prioritize foods that are Sweet, Sour & Salty. These 3 Rasas, or tastes, balance/decrease Vata dosha. 

3. Avoid or limit foods that are Pungent, Bitter & Astringent. These tastes increase actually increase/aggravate Vata dosha.

4. Choose herbs like Cumin, Coriander, Fennel, Cinnamon, Clove, Tulsi, or just drink our VATA TEA daily to simplify things!

5. Avoid or limit coffee, as it can be very Vata and Pitta-aggravating (dry, spacy, heated, jitteriness anyone?). Try our AYURVEDIC COFFEE instead. It offers all the comfort and ritual of your regular cup of coffee, but without all the detrimental short and long-term side effects. Plus, it is enriched with the stress-busting and immunity-boosting powers of adaptogenic herbs.

6. Avoid cold or windy environments, or dress warmly, especially covering the head. Vata literally means 'wind,' which is why we want to limit our exposure to too much moving air at this time. 

7. Keep exercise slow, calm and repetitive!  High intensity, erratic workouts will only increase Vata energy in the body and mind. AND routine is key! Schedule your daily activities at regular, repetitive times. Eat, sleep, work and wake at the same times, as much as you can. 

8. Take warm baths. Practice Abhyanga (Ayurvedic Oil Massage) 30 minutes before you bathe (Our VATA ABHYANGA OIL is especially grounding and calming for this practice.)

9. Meditate once or twice per day. If you are new to the practice, begin with just 10 minutes. Tiffany offers some beautifully-crafted guided meditations to ease you  into a place of deepened calm and inner quietude.

10. Adorn your body and environment in scents that are warming, comforting and calming, like our VATA SACRED ESSENCE, or use Ginger, Orange, Clary Sage, Vetiver, Spikenard, etc.

BONUS TIP #1. Yogic Asanas (postures) & Pranayama (breathing techniques) to pacify Vata? Try Standing-Forward Bend (Uttanasana), Legs Up the Wall (Upavistha Konasana) & Bee 🐝 Breath (Bhramari Pranayama). Hold each posture for 3-10 mins, and breath slowly, with soft awareness to whatever sensations and releasing that may occur. 

 

BONUS TIP #2. Fall into a period of internal cleansing & dietary simplification. Order a KIND CLEANSE, if you live in the Toronto ON area, and ease into a self-retreat of 5 or 10 days in which your diet will be paired down to the delicious, nourishing, unctuous and deeply cleansing Kitchari dish, a highly-revered and traditional meal of organic rice, mung beans, spices and vegetables cooked specifically for your unique needs and doshic imbalances. The junction between the seasons, this time of pause, has always been known to be a potent and ideal time for bodily and mental cleansing.

 

Autumn does not have to be such a challenge for Vata constitutions, especially when we modify our lifestyle in ways that honor the changing rhythms of nature in accordance with the endlessly wise teachings of Ayurveda. 

So here's to a wonderful Autumn transition rich with crisp walks, colours ablaze and spiced teas in hand!

Ayurvedic lifestyle tips to balance the de-stabilizing effects that travel can have on mind, body and emotions.

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Heart-inspired rituals that work, when the resolutions just don't.

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In Ayurveda, "Dravyaguna" is an entire science of Herbalism that can seem complex and foreign to many of us who are new to the world of this ancient medicine. 

To make it simple, we've listed below our Top Ten Ayurvedic Herbs, which are great to have in your medicine cabinet and are used in many of our potions, as well as in our selection of standalone herbs.

1.  Ashwagandha - VITALITY

One of the best anti-aging herbs, Ashwagandha enhances vitality. This herb is crucial for people suffering from too much stress, or who are overworked. Take 1/2 teaspoon cooked in milk (sweeten with 1 tsp of raw honey). Note that Ayurvedic herbs are fat soluble, and are able to go deeper into the tissues and cells when taken with a healthy fat (such as ghee, butter, or raw whole milk).

2. Brahmi - BRAIN TONIC

Brahmi is the #1 tonic for the brain and nervous system. Its leaves even look like the brain! Brahmi also balances the left and right hemispheres of the brain, and decalcifies the pineal gland. It is tridoshic, but is especially beneficial for balancing high Pitta conditions. Brahmi removes toxins and blockages from the nervous system. It helps with depression, enhances intelligence and improves memory and concentration. Brahmi enhances the overall cellular wisdom in the body. It also happens to be great for hair growth! Take Brahmi every morning to rejuvenate the body-mind. Ways to take it: boil in water (as a tea), boil it in milk, or make Brahmi ghee. It can also be used as a medicated oil for the hair, and the nutrients will seep into the brain cells via the crown chakra.

3. Moringa - THE TREE OF LIFE

Moringa is considered one of the most nutritious superherbs of Ayurveda and is often called the "Tree of Life". It is a complete food, containing all of the essential amino acids, as well as acting as a nutritional powerhouse, offering an array of nourishing vitamins and minerals. It has a highly nutritious profile and offers powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and tissue-protecting properties. It is used to treat diabetes, heart disease, anemia, arthritis, liver disease, and respiratory, skin, and digestive disorders, making its benefits widespread. It is truly super!

4. Manjistha - SKIN PURGE

Manjistha is probably the best blood purifying herb in Ayurvedic medicine. It is anti-inflammatory and clears acne. Manjistha cleans the blood and liver, lowering pitta disorders in the skin, and clearing acne. It cools and detoxifies the blood, and cleanses and regulates liver and kidney functions. Take this herb in capsule form (2 capsules in the morning, and 2 capsules at night) if you are suffering from any Pitta skin disorders. Or, take it with warm milk before bed.

5. Neem - DETOX

Neem is one of the most powerful blood purifiers and detoxifiers in Ayurvedic herbology. Best for acne, skin diseases, wound healing, and skin damage (especially from the sun), neem is useful for all Pitta disorders (such as skin and eyes). It works wonders for eczema and psoriasis skin flare-ups. It is also useful for joint and muscle pain. Use neem on the skin in a medicated oil.

6. Shatavari - FEMALE VITALITY

Shatavari is the #1 Ayurvedic rejuvenative for women (as Ashwagandha is for men). Shatavari even translates to "she who possesses a thousand husbands!" It nourishes and cleanses the blood and the female reproductive organs. Shatavari is readily available as a tea, in pill and powder form, or it can be taken in ghee or cooked in milk, which is the preferred form (all Ayurvedic herbs are best assimilated into the body's cells when taken with a fat).

7. Turmeric - THE SPICE OF LIFE

Turmeric purifies the blood and the channels of the body. It improves the skin's complexion, bringing circulation and nutrition to the skin. Turmeric is anti-inflammatory and is a perfect remedy to treat acne-prone skin. Turmeric balances all the doshas, but it balances Pitta the most because of its blood-cleansing and liver-cleansing properties. Try to incorporate turmeric into your daily life in literally any way you can. Ideally use 1 tsp per day in some form: whether in capsule form, on the skin, or in the diet. Throw some in as you are sautéeing veggies in coconut oil to throw over quinoa. Boil some turmeric in goat milk with honey before bed. If you consume turmeric on a regular basis, you will notice your health improve in a multitude of areas.

8. Triphala - ELIMINATION

A classic Ayurvedic combination of three Indian herbs (haritaki, bibhitaki, and amalaki, sometimes spelled slightly differently), triphala is used to enhance digestion and eliminatory regularity, and helps good bacteria to flourish in the gut. It is most celebrated for its properties as a gentle bowel tonic, assisting with digestion, and supporting regular evacuation, and is highly antioxidant, helping to protect the body and mind from damage due to free radicals, and removing the system of excess waste and weight.

9. Amalaki or Amla - REJUVENATION

One of the herbs in Triphala, Amla is also used on its own for rejuvenation, especially in cases of anemia or a weak immune system. It can be helpful for frequent colds or flu, ongoing cough, bronchitis, or upper-respiratory tract infections. Amla is also used in conjunction with chemotherapy or radiation treatment for cancer.

10. Tulsi - RESPIRATION

As a tea, holy basil is a traditional Indian remedy for colds and flu, and is also used to relieve other respiratory infections, asthma, and seasonal allergies, and to counteract stress and anxiety. The herb is often found in combination herbal formulas and you can find it as the base for many of our teas.

 

Here's to your Herbal Health! May we be grateful for every plant we receive and the blessings they bring to our lives!

Coffee. Friend or foe? Devil or Saint? Is it actually true, as the memorable Folger’s Coffee jingle goes, that the best part of waking up is a steaming cup of ground-up coffee beans and hot water?

Coffee Origins

Apparently discovered by an unsuspecting Ethiopian goat-herder in the 15th century, the red fruit of the coffee shrub served its first caffeine-high and sleepless night to a few poor goats and a group of monks.

From these measly beginnings, coffee, as we know it, was eventually developed and is now second in line, only to oil, as the most valuable legally traded good in the world. And it comes as no surprise, since most people who call themselves coffee drinkers, guzzle it down like oil to a starving engine. In our stimulation-addicted culture, we eat different meals every day, but coffee–one of nature’s most powerful and stimulatory herbs–is the one thing we take every single day without fail.

I (Lisa), have been a black coffee drinker since I was 18, sometimes downing 2-4 cups per day. At my current age of 29, and after a decade of anxiety, I have pulled that back down to just 1 cup/day, and sometimes just a few/week. My goal is to shake this addiction and proudly call myself an ‘occasional coffee-drinker.’ ;)

Ayurvedic Perspective on Coffee

What is the Ayurvedic perspective on this beloved drink? Well, like most things, Ayurveda considers coffee to be both medicine for some and poison for others, at certain times and in certain situations.

Energetically, coffee is hot, light and dry in quality, a carrier of the Air and Fire elements, and produces a stimulatory effect on the stomach. Because of its Vata and Pitta increasing effects, a cup of joe is helpful for balancing Kapha-types and Kapha conditions.

It encourages the emptying of the stomach and stimulates bile secretion, lowering appetite and stimulating the intestines to get moving! All these effects are helpful for the sluggish and congested Kapha body.

But for a Vata or Pitta-type, where heat, lightness and dryness have already been long-term residents, the effects of coffee can lead to anxiety, twitching, irritability, inflammation and over time, disease.

Chronic issues, like adrenal fatigue, hormonal imbalance and insomnia, can develop and if left untreated, will go on to create even more serious conditions like arthritis and digestive dysfunction. How many imbalances in your body/mind are actually caused by this hidden culprit?

Here are some more things you may not know about this apparently innocent, liquid alarm-clock:

1.  Caffeine is actually a pesticide

The coffee plant uses caffeine as a poison to paralyze and kill insects that eat its seeds. It also kills surrounding plant to provide the coffee plant with greater access to sunlight and space to grow larger.

2.  Coffee depletes the body of vital energy

According to Ayurveda, coffee causes vital energy in the body to move upwards (Udana Vayu) and outwards (Vyana Vayu), depleting the body of the sustenance and nourishment of this energy (Ojas). This torrent of energy moving up, towards the head and out of the body sends the nervous system into fight-or-flight mode and produces the ever-reliable, post-caffeine crash when the the body finds itself depleted of its vitality and life-force.

3. The fight-or-flight response is activated for 3 weeks after 1 cup of coffee

3 weeks!  The limbic system of the brain, which captains our emotions, sex-drive and survival instincts, is thus turned all the way on, reducing our brain capacity to that of a caveman. With the sympathetic nervous system activated, the brain is bio-chemically fooled into believing that danger is imminent. This is why so any of us spend our adulthoods in the fight-flight-or-freeze mode, behaving like children and incapable of making rational decisions. It’s no surprise then, that anxiety and disorders of the nervous system are all too common in our modern and very coffee-addicted society. 

4. Coffee is just as brain-damaging as alcohol and cocaine

According to psychiatrist Daniel Amen’s book, ChangeYour Brain, Change Your Life, the effects of heavy and long-term coffee-consumption can be equal to those of drugs, such as cannabis and cocaine. By narrowing the blood vessels in the brain, proper blood supply is cut off and cognitive functioning becomes limited. This level of intake can eventually produce holes in the brain. How much of your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours, your depression, concentration issues and poor memory are in fact, a direct result of your daily caffeine jolt, and not of ‘free-will?’ 

5. Coffee might be the reason you can’t lose weight.

With the body in a constant state of fight-flight-or-freeze, it eventually turns to fat as its primary fuel source, because fat contains 9 calories/gram as opposed to sugar and protein’s 4 calories/gram. Energetically, a nice layer of fat serves to protect the body from the barrage of imaginary threats that the brain has been wired to expect after years of coffee enslavement. 

6. The brain can heal!

The good news is that, because the brain is plastic, cutting down or quitting your coffee addiction will allow the brain to recover and heal over time.

Ayurvedic Coffee Alternative

Not convinced yet? Well, if you are going to drink coffee, make it organic, limit your consumption to 1 cup/day and only after a meal, never on an empty stomach. Have your drink between 6-10am, durng Kapha time, to counteract this Dosha’s heavy and sluggish qualities. Sprinkle a bit of cardamom powder into your cup to neutralize the acidic and stimulating effects and thus, reduce the aggravation of Vata.

And if you are inspired to make a change, try our AYURVEDIC COFFEE!

This herbal coffee replacement is a blend of medicinal and adaptogenic herbs, including Dandelion Root, Chicory, Brahmi, Ashwagandha and more.

Bias aside, and from one recovering coffee-addict to another, this magical concoction has been my life-saver and the reason my journey out of addiction has been and continues to be successful. Hand-made, organic and blessed with Mantra, this is a cup of comfort, support and healing, which is far more than any mug of Folgers could ever boast about.

Head over to our store to purchase!