Spring is a time of renewal - freshness and change. It's a good time to cleanse after the cold winter season and de-clutter both the home environment and your body. Doing so will rejuvenate your health; emotionally, physically and energetically.
DID YOU KNOW...
... that de-cluttering and reorganizing can shift energy and create more harmony in your life?
According to Feng Shui experts a cluttered environment will drain your vitality and make it difficult for positive energy to flow around your home. It can block your connection to your spiritual and intuitive side and cloud your thinking.
Clutter can be defined as anything that is:
- Not regularly used
- Not loved or cherished
- Stored or left in the wrong place
- Half-finished
- Squeezed into a space that is too small
- Broken or unusable until fixed
- An unwanted gift
- Any items that bring up negative feelings
But how do I get rid of the clutter?
It can seem like a daunting task. One suggestion is to set a schedule; take one step at a time and begin with a small area. Start with one drawer, then progress to the whole cabinet and on to the whole room, and so on. De-cluttering and reorganizing can shift energy and create more harmony in your life. For instance; having your clothes organized, especially your work or school clothes, will allow you to have a calm and orderly start to your day.
Introduce clutter clearing as a practice for all areas of your life; not just in your home. Re-evaluate your commitments, reorganize the files in your computer and take a look at the way you use your time. Ask a friend to help clear the clutter so you don't hold on to unnecessary items. There may be things stored in your basement that affect you subconsciously relating to unresolved past issues. This sort of stuff will block your energy and prevent you from moving forward in your life. As you de-clutter and clear space, expect to see some energy or health fluctuations while you rearrange things externally.
As the warmer weather approaches, open windows, exercise outdoors and take time to de-stress. Use springtime as the marker to start clearing the clutter and give yourself a fresh beginning.
Ref: The Healing Home - Using Feng Shui to Organize Your Home and Transform Your Life - Gina Lazenby, Feng Shui - A Practical Guide to Health, Wealth, and Happiness - Karen Farrington
The Practice of Panchakarma
Panchakarma is the Ayurvedic deep-cleansing process that releases toxins from the cells, purifies the body, and balances the doshas.
Do-it-yourself panchakarma:
- Take a week off from work, or close your doors to the world for a long weekend.
- Get plenty of rest and take each activity and treatment slowly. Minimize sensory distractions, such as television or music.
- Follow a khichadi diet for 3 to 7 days. Keep the body well hydrated with spring water and herbal teas, and cut out coffee, black tea, and other stimulants.
- Give yourself a daily oil massage
- Take long, contemplative strolls outdoors, but stay out of the sun and wind.
- Practice gentle yoga asanas appropriate to your dosha, and meditate.
BASIC KHICHADI
Vary the vegetables and spices according to your dosha and taste as follows:
Vatas: Add a mix of any of the spices in the ingredient list and try also combinations of asafetida, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and fennel. The only spices to limit are caraway, cayenne, and fenugreek.
Pittas: To the ingredients listed, feel free to add combinations of cinnamon, mint, and saffron. Avoid anise, asafetida, basil, cayenne, cloves, mustard seeds, nutmeg, oregano and paprika.
Kaphas: Omit the fennel and salt; instead try combinations including asafetida, basil, black pepper, caraway, cardamom, cayenne, cinnamon, dill, and fenugreek.
1 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter) or olive oil
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon of each: Cumin seeds, fennel seeds, ground cilantro, sea salt, fresh grated ginger root, tumeric
1 cup organic basmati rice
1 cup organic split mung dal, presoaked for 3 hours
4-6 cups of purified water
2 oz. (60 g) diced organic carrots or celery'
Fresh lemon juice
Chopped cilantro leaves
- Melt the ghee or oil in a large pan. Add the cumin, bay leaves, fennel seeds, ground cilantro, salt, and ginger, and sauté for 1-2 minutes
- Add the tumeric, rice mung dal, and 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Boil for five minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally, Cover, and cook for 25-30 minutes, adding more water if necessary to maintain a soupy consistency. Add the carrots or celery, and cook for another 15 minutes. To serve, add lemon juice and garnish with cilantro leaves.
Panchakarma and Khichadi Taken from: The Ayurvedic Year - a seasonal guide to nutrition, yoga, and healing by: Christina Brown
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