Ayurveda for Anytime: Get More Ojas in Your Life!
According to Ayurvedic philosophy, ojas is the life-sustaining vitality that promotes immunity in the body. Ojas can keep you healthy during flu season and prevent depletion during a stretch of overtime at work. It takes a long time to build this nourishing substance, but, in our fast-paced, overscheduled, and under-rested lives, it can get spent quickly. Here are a few ideas for building more ojas.
- Keep good company. Positive people will be uplifting and nourish your soul.
- Eat cooked foods. Raw foods are dry, light, rough and express as dry, light, and rough in the body.
- Take rest. Bypass your typical vigorous vinyasa and try a restorative yoga class.
- Hug someone—really hug them, for one to two minutes.
- Go to bed by 10:00 pm and wake at sunrise. The hours between 10:00 pm and 2:00 am provide the most restorative sleep.
- Avoid coffee and alcohol.
- Try this nourishing recipe:
Ojas Milk for One
1 cup raw whole organic milk or almond milk
10 almonds, soaked overnight, peeled and chopped
2 whole dates, chopped
1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/4 teaspoon powdered cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon powdered cardamom
1/4 teaspoon poppy seeds
Pinch of saffron
Place all ingredients (except saffron) in a saucepan. Bring to a low boil. If you like, use a standing blender or immersion blender to blend the mixture to a creamy consistency. Pour in a mug and add a pinch of saffron. Enjoy!
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Erin Casperson, Lead Kripalu Faculty and Director of the Kripalu School of Ayurveda, is passionate about sharing how the ancient practices of Ayurveda can be applied to modern-day living.
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