Writings
Root and Nourish: Practices to Calm and Soothe Vata
Here we are… there are no shortage of challenging circumstances to navigate and process right now. Vata season has arrived (for my northern hemisphere friends), and even in a non-pandemic, election, crazy-town year, this seasonal shift can result in feelings of anxiety, anger, insomnia and overwhelm.
Vata is one of the three Ayurvedic constitutional types/doshas, with pitta and kapha making up the other two. We all have a unique mix of these three doshas.
Standing Hand to Big Toe Pose / Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana
In yoga there are many balancing postures where we’re standing on one leg with the other lifted in a variety of positions. And, off the mat, we’re in a one-legged balance posture for a moment in time every step we take. Having good balance is an important part of our health, and one that becomes even more so as the years go by.
The Zen of Oryoki
Oryoki is a formal style of serving and eating, that's typical in Zen temples. While I was on retreat over the New Year, we ate in Oryoki fashion. Each person has their own Oryoki kit, which is comprised of three bowls, two chopsticks, a wooden spoon, a wooden spatula, a lap napkin, a drying napkin, and a cloth case for the utensils. All of these items are stacked, bundled and tied up in the lap napkin.Just like in the Zen practice of meditation, Oryoki has a lot of rules.