True Health through the lens of Ayurveda can only be achieved when we have clear communication throughout each of the five layers of our Being. These 5 layers are referred to as the 5 Koshas and they hold the key in our ability to achieve a state of complete balance, or 24-hour bliss. This state of 24 -hour bliss is considered true health from an Ayurvedic perspective, aka absolute health.
Physical Layer - Annamaya Kosha
Earth and Water elements (Kapha)
Our physical body, or our food body, is the densest expression of our unique Being. However, all that lies beneath the surface is what actually determines the health of this layer. While there are certain approaches one can take to address health concerns that manifest on this level of our existence, it is recommended that one addresses each of the five layers if a state of true health is desired.
Triphala - This three fruit blend is packed with the potential to both detox and rejuvenates the blood, lymph, tissues, and fat. Click here for a lovely, in-depth article highlighting the benefits of this ancient ayurvedic formula.
Hot Water Therapy - Drinking Hot water throughout the day stimulates the 13 agnis in the body. You can drink very warm water and experience similar results. The agni is our digestive fire. This fire is responsible for the transformation of food into useable information to provide the nourishment needed in the proper form for full absorption. Hot water encourages movement and receptivity, as well as helps to rid the body of accumulated waste, also known as agni.
Fill a stainless-steel thermos with boiling, purified water and sip throughout the day. I pour 2 oz shots into a separate glass and sip one every half hour or so.
CFC Tea - this combination of 3 powerful spices supports the body's natural detoxification process as well as rejuvenation of the tissues and organs. Cumin is a stimulant and antispasmodic, which means it encourages movement by soothing inflammation and energetic irregularities. Coriander helps to balance the energies of cool and hot, while serving as a diuretic, alterative, and carminative, soothing and encouraging flow as it cleanses. While fennel sloughs the intestines of mucus and stagnicities, encouraging the downward flow and therefore removal of toxic matter.
Balance the Body Through Food - mindful eating is a wonderful way to tap into the intuitive feedback of your body's response to your choice of foods. Eating an ayurvedic diet encourages our focus on the primary energetic dosha, or energy, of our constitution so that we can strive to keep the energy in balance. Our primary dosha is usually the one that is most troublesome, attributing to most of the manifested symptoms we experience in life due to its wavering imbalanced state. Take this quiz to find out your predominant dosha and explore the food list to see which foods you might be eating that are supporting your own dis-ease by clicking here.
Coffee enema - It's possible that many of you might get a bit squeamish thinking about engaging in the practice of enema therapy, but as one who has used this therapy annually now for the last 12 years to support my body's own detoxification process and with great success, I highly recommend this to anyone and everyone that intuitively feels that their overburdened liver is the cause of their less than optimum health. Read more by clicking the link here about this simple life enhancing procedure that has the potential to bring tremendous health benefits, all in the privacy of our very own home.
Abhyanga (Self Massage) - This ancient practice of self-massage has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years. Massaging the body bridges the connection between our outer physical world and our inner ethereal world through the action of both touch and feeling. Using large amounts of a specifically chosen oil based on one's energetic constitution, one can experience a myriad of health benefits by choosing to engage in this practice as a daily ritual for 7 to 10 days at a time.
Nasaya - Oleation therapy is highly recommended by most Ayurvedic practitioners. This involves putting a medicated oil, usually with a base of sesame oil, in any orifice that is in need of attention. With Nasaya, a few drops of oil is administered into the nasal passages to moisturize the nose, brain, and eventually, the lungs. Dryness in the lungs and brain are the leading cause of anxiety and an overactive mind. By just putting a couple of drops of oil in your nose at night before bed you can begin experiencing better sleep, less anxiety, and easier breathing, just to name a few of the miraculous benefits of oleation therapy. Read more about this therapy here. Just fyi, you can also try this with any cold pressed cooking oil, organic is always recommended by mama, by dipping your clean pinkie in a few drops of oil and just rubbing the inner passage of your nasals until well coated. Do both sides with a clean finger. I recommend using sesame (not toasted), safflower, or avocado oil for a lighter feel with less smell.
NATURE, NATURE, NATURE - I cannot stress this therapy enough. As a matter of fact, I will repeat this in every single section of this suggested therapies. Sitting in nature, bare feet on the grass, allows the body the comfort and sense of safety that it needs to achieve a state of receptivity. In this state, our body has an opportunity to tap into its mother, the energy that is in resonance with our very own energetic heartbeat. Even if all you have to give to yourself is five minutes a day of this nurturing, it is better than nothing at all. All you need to do is find a quiet place, unplug from all devices, and sit in awe of the beauty of our great Mother to experience magic in the making.
Spices - the fastest way to integrate plant medicine into the body as spices have the power to penetrate all seven of the tissue layers within 24 hours. Chew a few seeds for an instant dose of potent antioxidant medicine for deep healing, almost instantaneously.
Energetic Layer - Pranamaya Kosha
Air and Space elements (Vata)
Our energetic body serves as the information gridwork that supports and sustains our entire life experience. It is responsible for transferring all of the necessary information throughout our entire layered existence that provides our system with the nutrients and the intelligence it needs to thrive. This energy streams directly from Source energy, however, if we lack awareness of this part of our Being, chances are we are deficient in our overall health experience. One of the three foundational philosophies of Ayurveda is that in order to achieve a state of true health, one must develop a conscious connection to the divine Source. This connection will in turn provide one with the experience of 24-hour bliss, which is what Ayurveda defines as a state of true health.
30 minute energetic detox - exercise such as qi gong and visualization holds immense power for moving qi throughout the body. In combination with the breath, one can harness tremendous power within, guiding energy with the power of visualization and belief in the Self. In this video, I guide you through a series of exercises to rid the body of unwanted cling on energies so that more room can be made for the benevolent, supportive energies that want to see your body thrive.
Breathwork - is the absolute best way to move prana, or qi, through the body. The breath is our life force and it is responsible for carrying nourishment throughout our entire system many times over in a day to sustain our livelihood. The nose serves as the gateway to the brain, so providing it with fresh, oxygenated air provides the body with a healthy dose of medicine simply through this awareness. Below is a link to one of my absolute favorite breathwork series from one of my favorite places in the US, the Art of Living Retreat Center in Boone, NC. Check it out if you have an interest.
Reiki/Hands on healing - Using our hands to facilitate healing in the body is a practice humans have used since most likely the very beginning of our days on the planet. The best way to begin growing confidence in our ability to self heal is to put our hands on our belly the next time we feel it to be upset. We already do this intuitively, however, we've just forgotten the reason! I use my hands to soothe my head/brain on a daily basis.
Our hands are portals of energy, as well as our feet. One gives out the healing, high frequency energy, while the other absorbs, or draws in the excess. As you use this ability more, you will become more clear as to which hand is which for you.
All you have to do is first wash your hands, dry, then rub together to activate the energy and slowly pull them apart and place them wherever you intuitively feel they need to be. Hold one hand on the sore part and the other over your solar plexus, either above or below the placement of the other hand. Become mindful of the energy exchange through the sensations you witness. Swap the hands and see what differences you note. One hand might help the pain more effectively, or they both might equally. It's possible you may feel a bit of discomfort at sometime during this process and I encourage you to stick with it to move the stuck energy. Pain is a result of blocked flow. So a lot of the times when we are working with the body on an energetic level, we can have moments of intense pain. However, the pain should always subside and resolve through continuing to support the flow with the placement of the hands. Trust in your ability as a healer and you will be guided to bring balance to your body.
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Mental/emotional Layer - Manomaya Kosha
the delicate dance of fire and water elements
Our minds have access to information that goes beyond our beliefs, and yet so many of us will stay stuck in loops provided by our egos for the majority of our time here. The only way to expand in consciousness is to break free from the limitations our egos set in place, but in order for us to do that, we must become aware of how much control our ego actually has over our realty. The two tools I recommend most for sifting through the subconscious of distorted ego energy is meditation and mindfulness. If you have come to find that your beliefs seem to be preventing you from achieving your soul's desires, then congratulations! You have achieved one of the most important realizations of this journey. Below is a meditation to help you to cleanse the mind of unnecessary energies and to balance the two hemispheres for united thinking. This will guide you to purge any blockages preventing you from feeling aligned with your greater purpose and strengthen your awareness of the truth of your unique Being.
Intuitive/emotional Layer - Gyanomaya Kosha
The Intelligence Body
This part of our being is known as the gateway to the divine, which is the layer just outside of our divine Self, or buddhi Nature. Our intuition is fed through our connection to the divine and provides us with a direct link to our higher wisdom. Ayurveda is the art of living in connection to your divine knowing, which is the complete opposite from the way we have been conditioned to live for many, many generations. Learning how to tap into this powerful resource for guidance is a gift that is our birthright, and one that will provide you with all the answers in life you will ever need. Below, I talk about ways you can begin cultivating a connection to your divine being through supporting your intuitive body.
Let Nature guide you back to the peace within, your divine Nature, your intuitive wisdom. Nature is truly our greatest medicine. Surrender to its wisdom.
OR you can cut to the chase and address the ROOT
Bliss Body - Anandamaya Kosha
Consciousness Body/Divine Feminine
Our bliss body is the warm, gooey center of our multilayered Being. It is the beautiful pearl of our most profound existence. The bliss body is also known as the highest Self, which is also known to be our inner buddha, or our divine Nature. The very goal of our spiritual journey as a human being here on Earth is to integrate all of our layers into this core truth of our Self to live fully through our unique Nature, so that we can experience true heaven on Earth as we have come here to do. If you can recall a moment when life felt like absolute bliss and perhaps you had the thought, "I wish I could feel like this always," then this would be an example of experiencing your highest Self expression. For many of us, this feeling comes and goes. However, with practice, you can learn to reset this state as your default. Living a life of Ayurveda works to cultivate this as your reality.
If you'd like to work one on one with me for healing guidance, I would be grateful to assist you to get to the root of your greatest obstacle and teach you how to create an environment for healing. Email me at rootedinthebeautyofme@gmail.com or click here to schedule an appointment. Together we will towards creating a life of more peace, bliss, and balance.
Peace and love babies, Mama Dubbs
