Warmth in Winter

Are you in it? 

Winter. 

Snow fell here in California recently.

Time to hunker in and sip hot tea. 

Or maybe you're out on the slopes like my daughter who is currently snowboarding with her dad in Montana. 

As for me, I'm heading south. Waaaaaay south.

Costa Rica sits 8 - 11 degrees north of the Equator where the temps are steadily held between 72 and 88.  My kind of winter. 

Forty years in Montana served up many a fine ski season in my past. 

At this stage of the game, I've traded in my skis for flip flops. As my body becomes more Vata with age, I'm thankful to have shifted my residency and my nomadic tendencies to match the need to stay warm. This California girl is happy to be back in her home state. 

What is best for you during the month of winter's darkness?

How do you care for your body and soul? 

Nature has her rhythms and so do we. Those rhythms shift throughout the year and our well-being is nourished when we align with the energy of our environment. (or change our environment to match our energy ; ) 

In Ayurveda, winter is identified as a kapha season with prominent vata influences. It manifests through chilly temperatures, a feeling of weightiness, heightened moisture (typically as rain or snow), overcast days, and a grounded, unhurried sensation that induces hibernation in many animals.

 Winter is the time to rest, reflect, hold space, vision, and withdraw from outwardly-focused energy and redirect it inward. Allowing yourself to slow down, do less, and sleep more will restore your energy and prepare your mind for the active months of Sprinig and Summer.

Winter also marks the period when the body's digestive fire is at its peak. To maintain warmth and health during the colder months, the body demands increased fuel, pushing the fire principle deep into the body's core and enhancing digestive capabilities. Consequently, a more substantial, nutritive diet becomes a natural craving, leading to higher consumption of foods.

Here's some tips for eating well in Winter:

• Focus on eating warm, cooked, slightly oily, well-spiced foods. Your body needs to be fed dense calories. 
• Plan your meals around cooked grains, root veggies and legumes to stoke your digestive fire, giving you a deep sense of satisfaction. 
• Drink room temperature, warm, or hot beverages and avoid iced or chilled drinks.
  

  
  TASTY TEAS FOR YOUR TUMMY

• CCF TEA encourages strong digestion and can be taken after meals or sipped throughout the day. Mix equal amounts of cumin, coriander and fennel seeds, the boil 1 - 2 tsp of the mixture for 5 minutes. I brew this up a quart at a time. So soothing and satisfying. 
• GINGER, CINNAMON AND CLOVE TEA  Increases heat and circulation and helps clear respiratory passages. Add ½ Tsp each and boil for 5 minutes.  Sip and enjoy

KEEP MOVING!

Even though it's a time to slow down, balance your time of stillness with a healthy dose of movment. Bundle up and enjoy a walk in the fresh, brisk air. Or put on your favorite song and dance like nobody's watching. 

Here's a link to an active KAPHA BALANCING YOGA PRACTICE that will keep you feeling light and lively. It runs 53 minutes. Enjoy.