Back To School :(

 "The Ayurvedic Institute, recognized as a leading Ayurvedic school and Ayurveda health spa outside of India, was established in 1984 to teach the traditional Ayurvedic medicine of India and to provide these ancient therapies. Ayurvedic healing includes herbs, nutrition, panchakarma cleansing, acupressure massage, Yoga, Sanskrit, and Jyotish (Vedic astrology)."

  "This ancient art of healing has been practiced continuously for over 5,000 years. The principles of many natural healing systems now familiar in the West, such as Homeopathy and Polarity Therapy, have their roots in Ayurveda. Ayurvedic practices restore the balance and harmony of the individual, resulting in self-healing, good health and longevity."

"Ayurveda, the science of life, has brought true health and wellness to millions of individuals throughout the ages with simple changes in daily living practices. Incorporating just a few of these proven methods into your lifestyle can bring about radical changes in your life."

Courtesy of the Ayurvedic Institue website
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*QUICK LESSON:  Ā in Sanskrit sounds like a long "ahh". A in Sanskrit sounds like a short "uh".

        I am attending Āyurvedic Studies Program 1 (ASP1). This course is comprised of 3, 10-week trimesters. The first trimester ended before Christmas break, and what a challenge it was for me, to say the least.

        Myself and a couple other students had ZERO previous knowledge about Yoga, Sanskrit, Āyurveda, Āyurvedic nutrition, nothing! While the rest of my classmates are asking questions with words and concepts I wasn't able to comprehend! Whew!  Although, it has to be difficult for a teacher to convey such influential subject matter to 37 adults, ranging from super novice, to "I been self-studying Āyurveda for years"! Having always been the student that was "too slow" for the regular class, and "too fast" for the remedial class...I literally just had to coast through the first trimester by cramming and regurgitating what I needed to for quizzes and tests. Hey, it worked for me. Pulled off a 3.0 GPA and I will sit fat and happy with that! 
*I know that sounded pretty dirtbag'ish, but truth be told I have learned A LOT,I just feel I should know more, perhaps*

Sanskrit

       The Āyurvedic Institute, like many other schools that cater toward natural healing, isn't just about the books. One characteristic a notable Āyurvedic Counselor and/or practitioner will hold is their intuitive ability to help clients because they themselves have experienced all Āyurvedic treatments. I don't know if it is just me, but I don't like going to doctors or asking someone for advice if they have not experienced the treatment themselves. I'm aware not ALL issues can fall into this category, but I still give a slight side-eye. I try to practice that philosophy (give it a trial before sharing). Although, when it comes to emotional issues I am so eager to help/give advice and I don't take it my damn self! The human species is so darn good at that. So what I was trying to get to are the things I have been incorporating into my dinacharya (daily routine) CONSISTENTLY:

• Yogāsanas.

OK. Consistent because I have Āyuryoga® class every Wednesday, lol. I have practiced at home a handful of times though, too. I have definitely gained more flexibility. I have also cultivated a very nice sense of peace and awareness within my body during practice. This I believe is because I keep my breath in unison with the asanas (postures). When I practiced yoga before this school, I did not focus on my breath. I just panted in pain and held my breath during difficult asanas to try and keep up with the other students. Lol nah it wasn't THAT bad. 

• Prānāyāma (breath control).

During class, I did not experience any sort of "shifts" within my mind and body, which the teacher made a point of asking after we finished a round of any particular prānāyāma. Over the holiday break, I nestled comfortably in my own space and I practiced many different ones and they felt...great. I felt the shifting. I can only relate my findings to the feelings I start to get 20 minutes into meditation...kind of blissful. Peaceful. Content. Floaty. Connected. Ahhhh feeling. 

Each prānāyāma has multiple benefits on mind and body, and there are also contraindications for each. You can purchase a wonderful DVD by Dr. Vasant Lad, founder of the Institute, explaining how to do these prānāyāmas. I am going to practice specific ones for certain conditions and I will track and share my progress!

• Oil Pulling (swishing/gargling).

 I have been doing this for about 2 years now and have experienced wonderful things in relation to headaches, tooth infections, and severe menstrual symptoms. I will do a post on it in the near future. We have barely touched upon this Āyurvedic practice in class, so I will leave you with a resource I used before trying it out.  www.oilpulling.com

• Tongue Scraping.

I use a stainless steel tongue scraper every time I brush my teeth. Tongue scraping helps digestion, stimulates the internal organs, and removes dead bacteria from the tongue (helping with halitosis). There are meridians on the tongue, much like everywhere else in the body, and they correspond to the organs in the picture below.A mirror image.

         There are many more practices I have been doing, but on a non-consistent basis. Once I get my ish together, then I will share with yall my experiences. Hope this info inclines you to try something out (after your own research). There is nothing to lose, and your health to gain!

XOXO

-Love Bug