Another gooey Ayurvedic substance....

A delicious breakfast  is to toast whole grain bread with a little almond butter and a teaspoon of a dark brown gooey substance called Chavanprash.  It's an Ayurvedic Jam that is mostly made from amla fruit paste, also known as Amalaki and Indian Gooseberry.  Amla is one of the three fruits found in the Triphala that we use during the Elemental Cleanse™.  

Chavanprash doesn't just contain Amla.  Depending on the recipe, it can contain up to 50 other Ayurvedic herbs.  It is very satisfying because it contains 5 of the 6 tastes of Ayurveda.  In Ayurveda, if you have a balanced meal that includes all 6 tastes, you will feel satisfied and maximize digestion.  The tastes included in Chavanprash are sweet, sour, bitter, pungent and astringent.  You are missing the taste of salt which can be found in the almond butter and bread. 

Amla is soothing to The Fire or Pitta dosha and is therefore wonderful for digestion.  It contains extraordinary amounts of vitamin C making it a superior antioxident.  A few of the other 50 ingredients that you will recognize include pepper, sesame oil, ghee, honey, sugar, shatavari, ashwagandha, ginger, licorice and clove. 

A dose = 10 grams or 2 teaspoons.  Take one in the morning and one at night.  Your total Vitamin C content will be around 150 mg. 

In Ayurveda, Amla is considered a Rasayana.  Rasayanas increase strength, vitality and minimize the effects of aging.  Chavanprash is eaten daily because it tastes awesome and helps out with the following:

• Constipation
• Gastritis
• Peptic Ulcer
• Intestinal cramping
• Cough
• Asthma
• High Cholesterol 
• Diabetes
• Acidic Belly
• Pregnancy and nursing
• Anti aging
• Immunity Boost
• Libido boost
• Lowers blood glucose levels
• Stimulates hair growth

Chavanprash is a tasty way to facilitate healing and prevent disease.  

You can purchase Chavanprash in the studio or online>>>

Can a black sticky tar-like substance really be good for you?

Stress causes you to age the most.

The studio in Montgomery has been open for a little over a year now.  Our yogis, especially those who have participated in the Elemental Cleanse,  have received a  foundation in Ayurveda and they are starting to explore further.  That means that I have been making some decisions on herbal supplements and some of the more interesting oils to stock in the studio.   

Most recently, I started carrying a supplement called Shilajit.  The California College of Ayurveda, in clinical studies, have confirmed that Shilajit acts to counter ulcers, anxiety and stress.  I don't know about you, but they had me at stress.  Studies out of India are showing a reversal of the aging process in rats.  I'm going to assume that the rats are experiencing less stress and therefore less aging.

I'm all in.

Now here is the weird thing.  Shilajit is not an herb.  It's a sticky tar like substance that oozes out of the cracks and crevices of the rocks of the Himalayas.  It's called "rock sweat."  It contains at least 85 minerals that are naturally occurring  in what is called "ionic" form.  That means that it has a negative charge.  Negative charge is a positive for humans especially as it relates to aging.  The free radicals that are inside of you running around causing damage will attach to the negatively charged ion and become neutral.  Hence, anti-aging. 

I've just added it to my anti-aging routine which also includes yoga, meditation, Sesame Oil massage on face, neck and body daily, Neem, Triphala, B-Complex, RejuvenAge Ultra and Hyaluronic Acid.  Eating sattvic foods and sticking to your daily routine are also critical success factors to anti-aging.

If you want to learn more about Ayurveda, meditation, yoga and anti-aging, join us at the studio or sign up to experience the Online Elemental Cleanse.  learn more>>>

Eat more honey

Each morning I start my day with a balancing and grounding Cleansing treat called the Yogi Breakfast.  I love it because it’s warm, nourishing and includes one of my favorite Ayurvedic secrets…raw, unfiltered, organic honey.

Ayurvedic philosophy designates honey as a “sattvic” or pure food.  Your body knows exactly what to do with it.  It promotes digestion and facilitates healing on multiple levels.  Think about it, it’s baby food for bees!  That means that it is pre-digested by a bee before it enters your bloodstream.  It is made from the pollen of plants.  That means that it is made from the portion of a plant that creates life. 

Honey is used as a rejuvenative.  That means that it nourishes the body and mind.  If you are feeling ungrounded, anxious, worried, stressed or recovering from illness that is Vata related, take a teaspoon of honey daily. 

Honey, because it is pre-digested, is used to transport healing herbs throughout the body.  In my Yogi Breakfast, I add both cinnamon and nutmeg because they are anti-inflammatories, control blood sugar levels and fight cancer.  These healing herbs attach to the honey allowing me to better digest them and utilize them to heal. 

Cool things to know about honey and Ayurveda:

·      Honey is called “madhu” in Sanskrit.  It means “perfection of Sweet.”  I love that.

·      Eating honey makes the ego sweet.  If you are participating in the Elemental Cleanse, add honey to your morning as we work to cultivate purity in our ego.

·      Honey is an aphrodisiac.   It is made from the semen or “shukra” of plants.  In Ayurveda, like increases like so eating shukra makes more shukra.   After making love, drink some non-milk milk with a bit of honey to recharge. 

Science facts about honey:

·      The American Medical Center in Amsterdam found that honey contains an antibiotic called defensin-1.  The bees actually need this to protect themselves and they pass it on to the baby bees through honey.

·      Honey does not spoil.  When King Tut’s tomb was unearthed, archeologists discovered edible honey. 

·      A honeybee will visit up to 2,000 flowers in just one day. 

·      Honey comes in different colors because of the different flowers that it is made from.  You might notice that “forest” honey is very dark.

·      Honey contains the beneficial bacteria that help you to digest. 

·      Honey is an effective cough suppressant. 

Eat more honey!  One teaspoon daily is the Ayurvedic recommendation.

To learn more about Ayurveda and Cleansing, take the Elemental Cleanse.  learn more>>>

Traveling and Ayurveda

Happy Easter to All!

I'm spending my Easter in Destin, Florida with my 2 children and 2 of their friends. I set many intentions for this trip including trying to figure out how to feed 4 kids a healthy diet for the week, daily meditation and yoga on the beach and lots of time for reflection and journaling.

Of course, we make plans and God laughs so here goes:

12 hours in a very small car with 2 pre-teens and 2 teenagers. I have new respect for Green Day, Eminem, 50 cents and Snoop Doggy Dog. Yes it is possible to silently repeat mantra and jam to the grooves. On occasion, foot must be put down so the mama driver can have some peace. Thank God for MC Yogi. Kids now think yoga and mantra is a little cooler. Go Elephant Power!

Publix is not interested in organic. I did the best I could....

If you turn eating asparagus into a game of Fear Factor, kids will eat it.

Caution on Kundalini Meditation on beach: People will stare at you funny when you shake like a leaf all over your body at the end of Kundalini Kriya. Have children near so they will shake with you.

Kids will respectfully hover around you while you meditate peacefully on the beach....for about 1 minute. At that point they interrupt to ask you a question. Just treat it as a distraction, answer the question and go back to your meditation.

Sometimes it's hard to find a level spot in the sand for yoga. Just do a seated practice instead and go for a walk. Not worth tweaking a knee or shoulder.

Accept that traveling makes your Vata skyrocket. Be a little more quiet, take your triphala, hot bath first night helps and so does pasta!


Off to the beach to sit with Spirit. I can hear the whispers of eternity in the waves and the wind.

Om Shanti, Pamela

The force of Vata or The Wind in your Mind

The elemental forces or "doshas" are the tension created between the elements to keep the elements playing nicely. You are some unique combination of the 5 great elements. Because you may have a predominance of certain elements, you exhibit certain characteristics in your body and mind.

The force of the Wind is the tension created when the elements Space and Air combine. This force in Ayurveda is known as “Vata”. If you have a predominance of the Wind (Vata), you still do have the other forces of Fire (Pitta) and Earth (Kapha) in your mind; however, their expression is not your first response.

To understand how your mind behaves, you only have to think of the elements that combine to make the force of the Wind; Space and Air. Space and Air are dry, rough, cool, light, penetrating, moving, broad, unlimited and unbounded. Envision a dry leaf blowing erratically on a cool autumn breeze. The leaf goes every which way and suddenly stops. It is unpredictable and may just as suddenly start moving again. There is no rythmn or routine to the movement. The breeze brings with it a sense of excitement and change. The leaf is dry and fragile and if the breeze blows too hard, it begins to fray.

You probably exhibit the following characteristics in your personality.

The Wind in all minds is the activity of thinking. Combine that with a predominance of Wind (Vata) and you have a person who does a lot of thinking. Even in a balanced state, your mind tends to go and go and jump from thing to thing. This can be wonderful because the Wind mind is very enthusiastic, lively, energetic and creative. This can be troublesome as you may find that your sleep is interrupted even when you are totally living in balance. You dream a lot of vivid dreams. You are intuitive.

Because of your active mental state, you are prone to anxiety and worry. You may find that you worry about absolutely everyone and everything including much that is completely out of your control. The lesson for the Wind is to surrender to outcome and stay in the present moment.

You probably love all things new. You are familiar with the top 10 on the bestseller list, you know the latest headline news and you are signed up for a class in the latest trending fad. You know a lot of people and have a large circle of friends. You have excellent short-term memory. You love to shop and spend and pick up lots of small little treats for self and friends. You have a hard time saving money.

You can be easily distracted. In fact, you may be reading all 10 books on the bestseller list at the same time. You may find it hard to finish any one of them and you may not retain the story very well. While you are familiar with the latest headline news, you may not exactly understand the history or geography of the world’s events. You are very big picture. You tend to jump from thing to thing, so while you are a “jack of all trades”, you may not be a “master” of any one. Your circle of friends is wide, but you may have few close friends. You can appear aloof and you may struggle to listen to others.

Your imagination and creativity make you a very entertaining person. In fact, the Wind is usually the life of the party. Quick witted and able to outthink most others, you generate laughter and excitement. You are the person that picks other’s up. In fact, your strong intuition knows when others are a bit down and you are always quick to lend a smile, hug or laugh to shift the energies of others.

You are fabulous at finding creative solutions to problems. In fact, you should be working in a job where you initiate creative solutions. You don’t necessarily want to be in charge of others, but you do like to have freedom of movement and freedom in how you spend your time. You lack follow through and finishing projects may be very hard for you. Surround yourself with people who can take your fabulous ideas and see them to fruition.

You are very sensitive. Others may not realize how deep your feelings truly run and you may find that you are easily hurt. You hate making mistakes and worry that what you do is never good enough. Sometimes you feel scattered. You will find that you need long periods of rest and silence each day to soothe your nerves and nourish your sensitive heart.

The following are some examples of situations that you may be prone to due to your Windy nature. Don’t worry that you are doomed to experience these. Living in a balanced state will allow you to manage these conditions:

Insomnia

Worry

Anxiety

Tremors

Palpitations

Headaches

Backaches

Constipation

Stomach Sensitivity

Shanti, Pamela

The Element Air in Ayurveda

Air or “Vayu” is moving everything

It’s job is to “expand”

Properties: Moving, Unpredictable, Cool, Light & Dry

The sense of sound or hearing is associated with this element

In the body & mind, it is any moving function like thinking, speaking, breathing and eliminating

When I think of this element I always think of a dry leaf blowing on a fall breeze. The leaf itself is dry, brittle and fragile. The fall breeze brings with it a sense of and excitement. It energizes you, brings freshness and makes you want to try something new. Think about the start of the school year and how all the energy of your family shifts.

The breeze is unpredictable. It gets strong and then softens. It blows up and then down. It suddenly stops and just as suddenly starts again. The breeze brings a chill and makes you want to snuggle up and dress warm. Standing in the breeze for a long time can exhaust you especially if it really begins to blow.

Sit quietly with your thoughts for a few minutes and notice how they move. Feel the air rush in and out of your lungs. Feel your blood coursing through your veins. Go outside and feel the movement of the fall breeze across your skin and listen to the leaves rustle.

Space, Akasha and Ayurveda

In Ayurvedic terms, Space is the element that contains everything. Space, unlike the other elements, does not change. It is the one constant in your body and your environment. Space in your body does not go out of balance. It is a consistent containment of your nature...it is your spirit.

Space is holding everything together

It’s job is to “contain”

You cannot affect Space through your thoughts, words or deeds.

Properties: Cold, Light & Dry

The sense of sound or hearing is associated with this element

In the body, it is the empty space between. On a Quantum level, we are only empty space.

I always think of Space (Ether or Akasha) as the foundation of the other elements. Perhaps it’s the vastness of the night sky when I look up that makes me think that there is something around us that is holding all of this together. That’s the element of Space from Ayurveda. From the perspective of science, I believe they are calling this dark matter or dark energy.

It’s a bit of an argument in Ayurveda what element was first. Some will argue that it was the Earth element, others Space. I believe it was Space because Space to me seems like the most intimately connected to Spirit. When you look to the properties of Space and Spirit, they are similar. Both are holding everything together, both cannot be changed by you, both are simply a consistent presence regardless of what you are going through or choosing. This makes me think of the non-judgmental and ever present nature of Spirit.

I also think it is fascinating that Space is associated with sound. The Bible tells us that the universe was created with a “word”.

By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast. ~ (Psalm 33:6,9)

Yogis will tell you that the Universe was created with a “sound”…the vibration aum or om. OM or AUM is a Sanskrit letter. It is deemed to be the most powerful letter of the Sanskrit alphabet. Sanskrit is the most sacred written language known to man. Many languages are derived from Sanskrit.

OM,

The imperishable sound, is the seed of

All that exists

The past, the present, the future -

All are but the unfolding of OM

And whatever transcends the three realms of time,

That indeed is the flowering of OM

- Upanishads

You need to know its properties, which are Cold, Light & Dry. You were born with a certain amount of Space in your body and mind and there isn’t anything to do that can change or affect it. Do explore your Spiritual nature. Do look up at the night sky and be amazed by your very existence. Look into the vastness and wonder…

What is Ayurveda?

Ayurveda is a system of holistic living and medicine that originated in India many thousands of years ago. The word Ayurveda is Sanskrit and translates to “the knowledge of life”. It is a systematic science that utilizes the natural rhythms of nature to prevent, diagnose and treat disease. The influence of Ayurveda can be seen in all the world’s holistic medicine.

Sadly, with the invasion of India, many of the traditions of Ayurveda were forsaken, not forgotten, forsaken. Recently, however, Ayurveda has seen an unprecedented comeback, especially in the West. We can thank Dr. Deepak Chopra, my teacher, for much of the resurgence in interest.

Ayurveda is the most widely embraced and accepted preventative holistic medicine in the West. In large part, this is due to the fact that Ayurveda embraces new medicines and technologies. The Ayurvedic view is if it is working for you, then stay with it. If you are controlling sleep disorders, depression, high blood pressure or any other ailment with Western drugs, you should take the advice of your physician. What Ayurveda can do for you...and doctors absolutely love this...is change your stress levels, your sleeping routine and your nutritional choices making you healthy at the root of your disease and ultimately eliminating many of your drug choices. Western physicians are really smart and caring people. They want you to prevent disease. They actually never want you as a sick patient. They just want to see you once a year for annual check up to tell you that everything is wonderful.

Ayurveda is a simple science for life that teaches and empowers the individual to reconnect with the rhythms of nature. Ayurveda honors that you are one with nature affected by the rotation of the planets, the pull of the tide, the changing seasons and the movement occurring throughout your day in each minute. It honors that you are unique. It honors that you are a creature of this earth as well as of the divine.

The Rishis of India identified the building blocks of nature and indeed the whole universe as five great elements, space, air, fire, water & earth. Rishis are legendary yogis thought to have magical powers known as “Siddhis” and believed to live for hundreds of years. Imagine an aging man sitting in a loincloth on the top of a mountain in the snow meditating in perfect peace and physical comfort. Rishis of India sat in meditation and contemplation and asked God, The Universe, The Cosmic Mind or their Higher Selves many of the same questions that we ask ourselves today. Why am I here? What is my life's purpose? How do I stay healthy, vibrant and young? It is believed that through the meditation process the Rishis downloaded from cosmic consciousness, the formula for living a healthy and happy life.[1] This formula includes diagnosis with and management of the elements

I don’t know if it is true that the Rishis received a download or not. I guess it seems kind of far out. Perhaps these Rishis of 5,000 years ago were simply great observers of nature. Perhaps they simply sat by their fires and noticed that when a piece of wood goes into the fire it comes out transformed. Maybe they then had the thought, “Wow, that’s just like when I eat, it goes in one way and comes out another. Perhaps I have fire in my belly.”

Maybe they watched a dry dead leaf blowing on a fall breeze and observed that the leaf would quickly dart one way, then another and finally come to an abrupt halt only to fly up again. Perhaps they had the thought, “Wow, that’s just like my mind. My thoughts go this way and that and suddenly stop. I must have wind in my mind”.

Imagine the people of 5,000 years ago planting their spring gardens. A rock sits in the middle of their field. They push and push and it just doesn’t want to go anywhere. They think wow, that’s just like the 5 pounds I put on after the Spring Solstice celebration. I must have earth in my body.

It’s really a very assessable way to identify with our bodies and minds. It is truly amazing what was known over 5,000 years ago. People knew the earth is round and rotates on an axis. People knew that the earth traveled around the sun. Ayurvedic physicians knew how to diagnose and "treat" diabetes. They also knew how to deliver complicated births. They even performed surgeries. More fundamentally, a plan for living that prevents disease, aging and needless suffering was devised. Learn more about this amazing lifestyle at Elemental OM. We offer the Elemental Cleanse™ to immerse you in this lifestyle for 28 days. Bring your body, mind and Spirit to balance. LEARN MORE>>>

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[1] This formula was passed down for generations in prose and finally captured in the Vedas and around 500 BCE in two medical texts called Susruta Samhita and Carkaka Samhita.

Ayurvedic Discussion

MuseRadio: Ayurveda and Pamela Quinn

Monday's Show Topic: Ayurveda, an Interview with Pamela Quinn

Join me as I chat with Pamela Quinn, founder Elemental OM, as we discuss the basics of Ayurvedia medicine, a 5,000 year old science of life originating in India. We will discuss the 5 Great Elements and the doshas. Learn the power of this ancient science and how you can use it to take one more step into your Extraordinary Life.

Pamela Quinn is a certified instructor in the Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga and Perfect Heath through the Chopra Center for Well Being. Pam has trained under the direction of Drs. Deepak Chopra and David Simon along with Vedic Master, Claire Diab. Pam's training is based in Ayurveda which is a 5,000 year old science of life originating in India. Ayurveda combines lifestyle, yoga, meditation, and nutrition to offer a holistic way of life. Pam's purpose for creating Elemental OM is to introduce you to this amazing way of life in an "elemental" or easy to understand form.

Listen Live: Just click here to listen live on Monday, March 15 from 2-3pm CST (3pm Eastern and Noon Pacific.)

Find Archives here.

Subscribe for Free on Itunes: http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=339894614

Turn on your Radio!

MuseRadio: Ayurveda and Pamela Quinn

Monday's Show Topic: Ayurveda, an Interview with Pamela Quinn

Join me as I chat with Pamela Quinn, founder Elemental OM, as we discuss the basics of Ayurvedia medicine, a 5,000 year old science of life originating in India. We will discuss the 5 Great Elements and the doshas. Learn the power of this ancient science and how you can use it to take one more step into your Extraordinary Life.

Pamela Quinn is a certified instructor in the Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga and Perfect Heath through the Chopra Center for Well Being. Pam has trained under the direction of Drs. Deepak Chopra and David Simon along with Vedic Master, Claire Diab. Pam's training is based in Ayurveda which is a 5,000 year old science of life originating in India. Ayurveda combines lifestyle, yoga, meditation, and nutrition to offer a holistic way of life. Pam's purpose for creating Elemental OM is to introduce you to this amazing way of life in an "elemental" or easy to understand form.

Listen Live: Just click here to listen live on Monday, March 15 from 2-3pm CST (3pm Eastern and Noon Pacific.)

Find Archives here.

Subscribe for Free on Itunes: http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=339894614

Simple Routine for Health

Many people begin to explore the Ayurvedic lifestyle and quickly abandon it. It is loaded with lots of Sanskrit words and esoteric teachings. It seems complicated and confusing and not very practical. At Elemental OM, we've made it simple to apply to your contemporary life. It's about little changes that have a big impact.

The following is a simple life changing routine for living and eating that resonates with every element. Just incorporating a few of the suggestions below will begin the process of pulling every element back into balance. Once you see the amazing results that you achieve, you may want to move forward with balancing the specific element that you resonate with.

Just pick a few things that you can commit to!

Life Style

• Go to bed between 10 and 11 pm each night.
  
• Do not watch tv in bed. Read something inspirational and nice instead.
  
• When you go to bed each night, place a glass of water by your bed. Drink the room temperature water down as soon as you wake up each morning.
  
• Get out of bed between 6 and 7 am each morning.
  
• Say thank you for all the things in your life each morning... gratitude.
  
• Sit on the toilet after you drink your water and set the intention that you will eliminate. You may or may not. Do it every morning until your body learns that this is the time to go.
  
• Drink your morning beverage, coffee or tea, by a window, alone, in silence each morning. Just gaze at the trees, flowers or sky. Do this for 10 minutes.
  
• Eat 3 meals a day around the same time each day.
  
• Go for a small walk or sit quietly for a few minutes after each meal.
  
• When you are in your car, be silent. Keep the radio and phone off. Make this a sacred time for you to relax and veg out. Drive in the right lane and go with the flow.
  
• Do something you love ALONE each day. Read, paint, walk, run, sit, knit, write...

Enjoy! Visit www.elementalom.com to find out what element you resonate with!

Mini Ayurvedic Detox to reset digestion

Everyone has had the experience of going on vacation or simply having a big party weekend.....like memorial day......and waking up at the end of it feeling lethargic, bloated and having put on a few pounds.  The following "mini" detox is the perfect way to quickly pull yourself back into balance.  Go to www.elementalom.com for recipes and instructions for meditation and the eating routine.  Have fun!

Your Daily Plan

Breakfast           

Heat skim milk or soy milk in a pot with a little bit of honey, nutmeg and cinnamon. You may add some almonds to the bottom of your pot.  They get warm and soft and taste great!

Lunch & Dinner

brown or white rice and the detox dish.

Snack

Herbal tea, bliss balls or hot water with ginger or lemon

Ginger

Eat ginger mix before each meal.

Herbal Therapy

Neem & Triphala

Hot water

Sip hot water with ginger or lemon throughout the day

Eating Routine

No eating 3 hours prior to bedtime, eat 3 meals a day around the same time each day.

Meditate

Daily, 20 minutes

Exercise

Daily yoga & walking

Massage

Daily self massage with Sesame Oil.  Have one professional Ayurvedic massage on the last day.

Sweat Therapy

Seek out hot baths, saunas, sit in sun