This month, in our Yoga Nidra Club, we are focusing on rooting and blooming; ensuring our roots are firmly planted as we unfurl into spring. Its key that we are balanced: not too grounded and sedentary, and also not too active and over-stimulated. You can work on this balance, or sattva, not only via your meditations, but also through your food choices and yoga practice.
Food:
If you are feeling a little too sedentary, dull or heavy, eating the following can help:
- foods that are bitter, sour, salty, pungent, hot and dry
- lemon, tea and betel leaves
- chocolate, pepper, ginger and radishes
- fresh fish, eggs and meat
If you are feeling a little over-stimulated or untethered, try, in moderation:
- root vegetables like beets, parsnips and carrots
- mushrooms, avacados, green onions, watermelon,
- dairy, cheeses and coconut milk
- wheat, macadamia nuts and brazil nuts
- spices like nutmeg and mustard leaves
Onions and garlic are generally always good.
The best foods to eat are balancing – sattvic – foods, including:
- fresh food, lightly cooked and lightly seasoned
- milk, butter, ghee (clarified butter), fresh ripe fruits, almonds, dates, moong (green gram) sprouts, barley, wheat, cereals, tomatoes, plantains etc.
- fruits like apples, peaches, oranges, bananas, guava, berries, papayas and pomegranates
- mild spices including basil, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, fennel, fenugreek, fresh ginger and turmeric
On your Mat:
Its also good to have a variety of yoga incorporated into your practice.
- Yin and restorative practices help ground the body and mind. They work the deep tissues in the body and are calming/meditative. These practices are great before sleep.
- Vinyasa, Iynegar and more movement-based or alignment-based practices help you get the juices flowing and enliven the body and mind. These practices are great first thing in the morning or during that mid-afternoon energy-lull.
- Pranayama can also enliven or calm the energy in the body. Your lungs are critical to your health and cultivating your ability to breathe deeply is key. Long, slow breath practices can calm the body, while skull-shining breath or sheetali breathing can enliven the body.
Its great to work all types of yoga into your regular routine. Note that seasons also have a natural quality, and spring is kaphatic, or slightly heavy and grounded. To counterbalance that, get your body moving!
