Living the Path of Ayurveda

Lving the path of Ayurveda--is a radical and complete acceptance of your true nature.

I love a new year. It's like a fresh notebook waiting to be filled. I love the possibilities, the letting go of the old and bringing in of the new, and the clarity that shines a light on how to simplify.

Every December, for decades, I do two things to simplify my movement through life, and that clarifies what is truly important to me.

First, I go through my physical space and let go of anything that is no longer used. If it's been more than a year, and if it doesn't hold sentimental value, it is donated. This lightens the load, and frees up energy to focus where I want, and to create an physical environment that supports a calm state of mind. Less is more. There is nothing wrong of course, about enjoying the things of the world, it's about balance. If there's so much stuff that it's distracting us from how we want to spend our time and energy, then it's something to explore.

Second, I sit down with a piece of paper and draw out boxes with categories of my life on it. I write down what I want to create, things I want to accomplish, changes I want to make, and things that are no longer needed, wanted, or supportive.

Ok, grab some tea, a little side trip here for a moment. In Ayurveda we do cleansing. Usually people think in terms of cleansing or detoxing the physical body--this is about mental, emotional, and psychological cleansing. When our minds are freed up and at ease, everything flows more easily. How many people feel stress in their gut? You get the picture. Remember it's not "just stress." Stress is what causes dis-ease. Where we can eliminate (little Ayurveds pun there), let's do it.

This same process of clarification and simplification can be applied to communications (ahh, that little device we call a phone, but let's face it, we're walking around with a computer in our hands, how many hours do we spend on it per day?), and relationships. Are we spending our energy and time with awareness? Ok, our side trip is now completed.

Over the decades, the piece of paper has become smaller, and the list under each category has become shorter. I appreciate that organic shift of simplification about simplifying, that has occurred.

Years ago it might have read, for example, MOVEMENT: Cycle X number of miles per week, do yog-asana daily, do the Ironman ride. Now it simply reads move daily. It's a shift away from measuring, to simply being in the movement. What that movement is each day, is free to show itself, what is needed, and is guided internally, versus an external counting. It helps me keep in tune with what is needed in the now, versus what I think I should do.

In one way, this is a shift from Pitta stage of life, to a radical acceptance of Vata stage. There's so much freedom and ease in this way of moving through life.

In another way, regardless of stage of life, it's the difference between being driven versus flowing; of writing oneself a permission slip to be fully who one is naturally. When we do, we are peace filled. We experience vitality and focus, energy and stillness. We feel complete just as we are.

This is living the path of Ayurveda--to live in harmony with one's nature.

Wishing you a new year filled with unconditional acceptance of your true nature.

Be well,

Veena

Veena is a Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner and Meditation Teacher and Monk.

She is President Emeritus of the Meditation Center and former staff member of the Minnesota Institute of Ayurveda.

Veena fell in love with the traditional medicine used in her family's home learning herbal remedies at her grandmother's knee. She remains passionate for over 30 years, helping clients feel their best physically, emotionally, and spiritually with Ayurveda.

Veena individualizes treatment plans to each person, rather than offering a one-size-fits-all approach, so it fits your life and becomes woven into your daily life, naturally.