December: COLD, Calm & Collected
Early winter (hemant) has arrived. It is COLD out there, ya’ll! The days have become shorter, and the earth feels more still as people (and our animal friends) begin their hibernation. There is comfort in the solitude, if you just look. The winter is a beautiful time for self-reflection, creative endeavors, reading, connecting with family & friends, and going deeper into a meditation practice. Find ways to feed your soul!
The dark, cold & quiet days of winter remind us to direct outward energy, inward. We’ve spent a LOT of our energy reserve over the past several months, and the winter is here to help restore & revive for the coming year. It’s possible you may have overspent your reserve, but not to worry! Life is about learning, and the shorter days are all bout’ that rest. Embrace the slumber! Spring will be here soon, and you’ll be fresh, free, and ready to flow.
Winter is also a time for building immunity. Your digestive fire (jatharagni) is strongest during the winter months, which helps in digesting foods rich in fats, proteins, and complex carbohydrates. Ayurveda believes the strength of our digestion is in direct relationship with the strength of our immunity. It’s time to nourish your body, slow down, and build internal strength. Double down on warming spices, such as: cardamom, ginger, garlic, black pepper, and licorice. Continue eating cooked foods, warming soups, and don’t leave out that ghee!
Keep sip’n on that hot tea, take a warm bath, wrap up in a scarf & blanket, grab a good book, and tap into your calm. It’s there, I promise!
VATA Skincare Cleanser Recipe
Winter really has a way of brining out ALLLL the sweaters….and the dryness in your skin. Am I right?! Or is it just me? I’m in a daily struggle to stay moisturized, over here. It has me searching for that nice, supple glow from the summer. Most people struggle with dry, itchy skin in the fall to early winter, but Vata skin-types will feel the struggle even more than others. And the struggle is real!
Vata-type skin is dry by nature, with smaller pores, thinner skin, and an often uneven skin tone. It’s especially important during the fall to early winter (now!), to nourish with hydrating & rejuvenating herbs and oils on the regular. After you cleanse (with the cleanser below), gently massage oil onto the skin for a boost of nourishment, circulation, and to help reduce the signs of stress (i.e. those fine lines). Sesame oil and almond oil are especially nourishing, calming & hydrating during the dry season. Don’t forget to also stay internally hydrated! Drinking warm beverages & eating cooked foods with oil or ghee will nourish the tissues & joints, and help prevent those pre-mature fine lines, while giving your skin that supple glow.
This Ayurvedic skin cleanser recipe will gently exfoliate, sooth & protect the skin, stimulate collagen regeneration, protect from UV damage, reduce hyperpigmentation (uneven skin tone), rejuvenate, improve complexion & circulation, hydrate, detoxify the internal skin layers, and offer your skin a radiant glow. As if that’s not enough….it’s all natural!
What You Need:
Colloidal Oatmeal —4 parts
Kaolin Clay —2 parts
Almond Flour -OR- Rice Flour —2 parts
Haritaki Powder—1 part
Turmeric Powder —just a pinch!
Cardamom Powder —1 part
Licorice Powder —1 part
Lavender Powder —1 part
Ashwagandha Powder —1 part
What To Do:
Daily Cleanser: Mix (about) 1.5 tsp of cleanser with (about) 1.5 tsp of water. Apply to face, neck and décolletage. Gently exfoliate in a circular, upward motion. Rinse with warm water, and pat to dry. Don’t forget your face oil!
Mask: Use as a mask 1-3 times per week for added benefit. Apply to skin, and allow to dry for about 10 minutes. Rinse off.
**Try using RAW honey in place of water, for even more radiant skin. Get it, girl!
And if you REALLY want to treat yo’ self to some royal wintertime love, try using the cleanser over your entire body! If that seems excessive and too messy…. maybe use once/week on problem areas, like elbows, hands & feet.
SO many options! Get glow’n.
*Mountain Rose Herbs and Banyan Botanicals are both great for finding organically & sustainably grown herbs and spices. You can find ingredients for the cleanser recipe, here:
Banyan Botanicals: www.banyanbotanicals.com
Mountain Rose Herbs: www.mountainroseherbs.com
Feeling like too many ingredients to try acquiring? Check out these small-businesses for organic & ethically created Ayurvedic cleansers:
NĀO AYURVEDA: www.naoayurveda.com
PAAVANI AYURVEDA: www.paavaniayurveda.com
Nadi Shodhana
By alternating the breath through the nostrils we balance the solar and lunar sides of ourselves. Bringing into balance ida (left) and pingala (right)/ying and yang.
Nadi Shodhana calms, purifies & strengthens the nervous system, supports hormone balance & sleep, grounds the body, helps to clear & release toxins by stimulating the lymphatic system, aids in alleviating respiratory allergies, and fosters mental clarity, concentration and alertness.
Nasya Oil
Nasya (nasal) oil application is recommended as a daily practice in Ayurveda as it helps to cleanse, nourish, and encourage flow of prana (life force) throughout the body. The benefits of this daily practice are profound and include: protects & soothes the nasal passages, improves the quality of breath by filtering pollen & pollutants that circulate in the environment, enhances mental clarity & cerebral function, relieves mucous & congestion, clears stagnation, calms the nervous system, soothes vocal cords, helps to prevent & treat allergies, sinuses, headaches, sore throat and jaw discomfort. The list continues, but I think you get the idea!
Shop Nasya Oil from these small business, women-owned, made with love goodness:
NĀO Ayurveda: www.naoayurveda.com
PAAVANI Ayurveda: www.paavaniayurveda.com
MAMĀYURVEDA: www.mamayurvedamedicinals.com
Banyan Botanicals: www.banyanbotanicals.com
Tarot Reading:
12 Signs of Astrology for 2022
Y’all! There is so much goodness on the horizon! But, it’s going to require letting go, self-reflection, having faith, taking risks, and trusting the Sun to light your path. And don’t forget that intuition! You’ll want that close. Healing, balance, and transformation all require action, after all.
Before rushing off to the next thing, take time to connect to what this reading means for you. I hope you find inspiration & motivation for the new coming year….because 2022, we’re come’n for ya!
Are you interested in learning more about your own astrological chart? Contact Lisa directly for a one-on-one session. She’ll tap into your personal chart, what it means, and what you can expect over the coming months.
lisa.delafleur@gmail.com
Coconut Curry Lentil Recipe
This Coconut Curry Lentil recipe is full of big flavor, fresh spices & a kick’n sauce! It’s an excellent dish for pacifying both Vata and Kapha, boosting immunity….and have I mentioned it’s delicious?! Because it’s delicious. Oh, and it’s super simple.
What You Need:
4 cups water
1 1/2 cups yellow or red lentils
1 Tbsp coconut oil -or- ghee
1 shallot
4-5 garlic cloves (minced)
3 Tbsp fresh ginger (minced or grated)
Salt
1 Tbsp curry powder
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (add more for extra kick)
1 1/4 cups coconut milk (or 1 can)
1 Tbsp coconut sugar or maple syrup
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Cilantro (optional, but I say go for it)
What To Do:
•Bring water to a boil. Add lentils and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes or until tender. Be careful not to overcook! They can easily become mushy, and nobody wants mushy lentils. Strain and set aside.
**Soaking lentils overnight (or for 6-8 hours) is helpful for easier digestibility. Soak, rinse, strain, and follow recipe as guided.
•Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add: oil, shallot, garlic, ginger. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Then, add: salt, curry powder, turmeric, cayenne. Cook for 1 more minute. Decrease to low heat.
•Add coconut milk and coconut sugar. Stir to combine, and cook over low heat for 4 minutes.
•Add the strained lentils to the coconut sauce and stir. I like BIG flavor, so I add more seasoning (salt, curry powder, turmeric, cayenne). But, season to your taste!
•Turn off heat, and add lemon juice & cilantro.
•These kick’n lentils are amazing on their own -or- serve over cooked basmati rice. Maybe even top with sautéd leafy greens! Mmmmm yes, please.
•Enjoy!
*I’d love to claim this recipe, but I can’t. It’s adapted from the Minimalist Baker. Many thanks to them for this goodness.
Stay Cozy Out There!