SEASONAL SELF-CARE BLOG
THE DECADE OF EVOLUTION
Posted on December 29th, 2019
This is it. It’s 2020 and we’re entering The Decade of Evolution.
We are invited to the Conscious Evolution of our species!
It really sunk in as I stood in the freezing cold outside NY City Hall with 1,000+ teens and a few adults, for the Dec 6. Climate Change protest. A 15 year old girl spoke passionately and eloquently about how the 2020’s must shift everything. How when we look back from 2029, our energy sources, lifestyles, values, consumption patterns must all be carbon free in order to save our planet. With the latest IPCC reports, according to the Scientists, we only have about 10 years to make the changes necessary to reduce carbon in the atmosphere before we hit the tipping point. How are we going to do this? Entrenched patterns are so difficult to unravel and change. It takes so much mindfulness, intention, and compassion. Are we up to the task?
It is difficult to let go of what we know and even scary to be in the unknown. In the last few days of 2019, I’ve been reflecting on what is holding me back from making the transformations in my life that I envision. What do I need to let go of in order to invite full manifestation. I am feeling caught up in old patterns of personal difficulty and hopelessness. No matter how much I seem to work on these issues, some patterns just feel intractable! So I’ve been diving deeper into practices of mindfulness and compassionate loving attention with these issues. Tara Brach’s podcasts and her, RAIN has been helping me alot- Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture. I notice a softening and an opening. Transformation is happening. These practices of mindfulness and compassion give me hope. They are powerful tools to help us navigate the emotional process of transformation both personal and cultural in the Decade of Evolution.
It is exciting to be a part of this transformation of consciousness. Powerful to be moving into a way of inhabiting the world by living more consciously in tune with and connected with ourselves, each other, and our world. We as individuals making daily mindful choices for a healthier planet and life, as well as connecting with each other in community and evolving the emergent culture through working together. And sometimes we get lazy or tired, and sometimes we can’t do it, but we do our best, and join with others on the path which helps us stay focused and buoyant. And little by little the shift is happening already! Conscious Evolution.
Happy New Decade!
Leigh
SELF-CARE = EARTH-CARE
Posted on October 9th, 2019
Fall is here and I find myself deepening my self-care practices, embracing the yearly journey now turning inwards in our seasonal cycle. It can be difficult to release the Summer, with the fun travel & sun – the glorious fire element’s expansion and outward expression. So to help me release in tune with the Season, I’m leaning into and consciously encouraging practices that summon a letting go. On retreat, as in this photo from our Nicaragua retreat, I offer restorative practices as the sun sets to help the students align with the daily cycle gracefully. Fall in our Seasonal cycle, is like the sunset. In the transition inwards that Fall offers, I often struggle with unraveling the constant outward and upward activity because it is so encouraged in our society and we are rewarded for our busyness and constant production. But all this constant activity all the time is exhausting and out of tune with the rhythms of the Earth. I find that when I move with the Season’s invitation to go inwards and slow down, I feel more whole, more in touch with myself, more aligned with the Earth. I feel very nourished and rested. I’m inviting in more yin activities that welcome slowing down, honoring processing and reflection: sound healing, restorative yoga, Seasonal yoga practices, singing, pranayamana, meditating, and eating to balance vata dosha, the air element which gets agitated in Fall. Please join me this Fall for my offerings to help you slow down, go inwards, reflect and find balance in harmony with your inner self and connection with the Earth inside and outside. Self-care is Earth-care.
This Fall enjoy some of my sound healing offerings – sign up for a private sound healing sessions and join me for one of my Fall Rest & Renew: Restorative Yoga Sound Baths. Rest in deeply nourishing restorative yoga poses while basking in sonic bliss as Tibetan singing bowls, tuning forks, chimes, and drums lull you into an extraordinary meditative relaxed state.
Join me for a cozy Afternoon Tea YTT Info Session, on Sun Nov. 3 at my house for my Yoga Sukhavati 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training. Don’t miss the opportunity to save $150 with the Early Bird Special – Nov 25 – Level I – EVOLVE YTT – Costa Rica, March 12-22. I am thrilled to offer the first 100 Hour training on the glorious Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica, one of the most diverse places on the planet. It is a sublime setting to begin my Earth-focused 200 HR Teacher Training which fuses both the body and the earths’ cycles, encompassing everything from anatomically based vinyasa yoga to ayurvedic wellness and women’s practices to support the whole self in a lifelong journey of self awareness.
Ayurveda has given me so much insight and very tangible simple self-care practices, to help me find balance through the seasons and in my daily life. I am delighted to offer you the opportunity to explore these practices. Join me at Ayurveda Teacher Training Immersion, Nov 9-10 at Sacred Sounds. Invite health and well-being into your life!
joyous heart!
Leigh
cooling herbal teas
Posted on July 9th, 2019
Usually in the Summer I love a good iced black tea. But all the ice teas in the store are now in plastic bottles. Since I’ve been really trying to be as plastic free as possible, I just can’t buy them anymore. It’s really frustrating! You might ask “Why don’t you just make it?” But it just never tastes the same….so thanks to the inspiration of Plastic Free July and the intense humidity, I’m compelled to make an herbal cooling tea that I will love. Oh and according to Ayurveda, caffeine is heating and aggravates pitta dosha, the fire element, which is definitely true for me….(see above)!
Last week I asked my Facebook friends for suggestions of their favorite Summer refreshing cooling drinks. Wow! so many people had great suggestions! Some I know and others like, “watermelon, beet, lemon, and mint”, I had never tried before. It’s been fun experimenting with the plethora of cooling herbs that help us make it through this sweltering heat: mint, lavender, lemongrass, lemon verbena, hibiscus, rose petals, roasted barley, chamomile, nettles, comfrey, dandelion, fennel, jasmine, kukicha, lemon balm, passion flower & other Summer favs – lemon, lime, and cucumber.
According to Ayurveda, Summer is the season when Pitta Dosha , the fire element can become agitated. You might be noticing some of the signs of Pitta out of balance as the heat kicks up. Are you irritable, cranky, or impatient? Is your skin itchy? Do you have hives, heat rash or acne? Are you stressed out, feeling obsessive, or judgemental? We can effectively cool our system and stay hydrated with refreshing herbal teas so that we can fully enjoy the joyous expression of the Summer’s radiance!
I’ve been experimenting and love the pitta cooling mixture of lemongrass, lemon verbena, and fresh mint tea with a touch of lemon and honey. It’s incredibly refreshing, and makes me feel very relaxed. In fact, I’m sipping on some right now! Lemon verbena soothes inflammation, aids digestion, and offers calming qualities which also makes it a great sleep aid for those suffering from insomnia. Lemongrass detoxifies the body, reduces inflammation, fevers, infections, and swelling, and offers the bitter flavor and mint, our favorite Summer cooling herb, offers the sweet flavor both which calm pitta dosha. Lemons detoxify pitta in balance, though due to their sour flavor may stimulate aggravated pitta. Honey is heating to pitta, so use it sparingly. Enjoy!
Today I went to pick up some hibiscus and rose petals at Flower Power in the East Village. I’ve been trying my best to be plastic free and they have an incredible selection of loose, organic herbs and spices. I brought my own refillable cotton bags with me, but they also have small paper bags. It’s #plasticfreejuly and small daily plastic free choices make a big difference in the landfill & the sea. AND small daily dosha balancing choices have a huge impact on our well being. So today I made the choice to purchase herbs for tea that would cool my system instead of agitate it and I chose to support a business that offers herbs without any plastic footprint. Every little bit helps us find balance within ourselves and the planet.
joyous heart!
Leigh
