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Ignite Your Inner Light
During the Darkest Nights of November
By Rose Carol,
M.A., LPC, SVA Educator
It’s that challenging time of the year again when the days become short and dark. The sweet memories of balmy summer nights fade away as the colorful leaves dry up and disappear from the trees. In the past, I used to dread this dark and damp transition time of the year. Thanks to the help of the wisdom of Ayurveda, I have learned to ignite my inner light on most days during the late Autumn and Winterseason. Ayurveda focuses on daily routines called dinacharya (and seasonal routines called ritucharya to help prevent health issues –physical, mental, and emotional imbalances. In addition to Ayurveda, I also incorporate my three-year experience of living in Norway to add to the positive aspects of winter living called hygge – a nurturing way to create an experience of being ‘cozy’ something that Scandinavians have uniquely created as an artful way of living in long winter climates that was developed over many generations.
I moved back to the Chicago area almost three years ago shortly before the pandemic hit our world after living on the West Coast over ten years. Spoiled by the mild winters there, I was not looking forward to the intense winters here. I have had to work at creating a different reality by changing my mindset and creatively applying Ayurveda and Norwegian mojo. Here’s how to ignite your inner light:
Being connected and a feeling of belonging is a necessary requirement for both physical and mental health and scientific research shows that isolation is as dangerous to our health as being a smoker and having a poor lifestyle. My mindset meant for me was to use different words that I normally associate with winter – instead of dread and lonely, I use words such as cozy, nourishing, rejuvenating, restful, connective, and contemplative. The winter mindset, much like my Norwegian friends is a positive and fun time, it’s a time where you try to socialize a little bit each day, either inviting people over, going out to a café, taking a class, or attending social activities. When I lived in Norway, everyone baked homemade bread every few days because they would count on having unexpected company. In Norway, no one called to make plans, they stopped by unannounced or you would always be warmly welcomed if you stopped by someone’s home. The older generation held knitting circles – women sitting together, knitting wool sox, hats, and sweaters so that by the holiday time, they had enough to give for gifts. What will you plan to do to socialize during this cold season?
Fire Element – On the day the clocks turn back, is always the most challenging week, so this year I have invited a few friends over to gather and eat together and light lots of candles to create additional warmth. Lighting candles throughout the day and evening is something my Norwegian family taught me. The light of the fire creates a cozy warmth. Last year, I purposely rented an apartment that has a fireplace, there’s something about fire that feels natural and nourishing. The fire element is balancing when the weather is cold and windy (kapha and vata increasing). The wisdom of Ayurveda tells us that opposites balance, and the same increase, so the heat of fire balances the cold and wind. Though not everyone has the luxury to have a fireplace, lighting candles is just as helpful. For health reasons, I do not recommend candles that contain synthetic perfumes due to their toxicity, but instead use the all-natural beeswax or ghee candles.
I discovered that using ghee candles or ghee lamps refined my experience by uplifting my mood in the winter. Ghee is a purified butter, a golden pure oil that has been used for thousands of years in ancient Vedic and spiritual ceremonies across India and Southeast Asia. You can either purchase a candle made from ghee or you can make your own ghee and purchase cotton wicks to be used in a brass, silver, or copper candle holder. The cotton wicks and brass candle holder made especially for ghee lamps can be purchased at an Indian store or online. If you are a highly sensitive person like I am, you will notice the subtle uplifting benefits of lighting a ghee lamp each morning and in the evening. The ghee light balances your agni, your life energy, and your digestive power. It also soothes the eyes and calms the mind. Fire, also called Agni represents the power and heat of the sun, so it’s a way to connect to the energy of the sun when the sun is farthest away from us. According to ancient Ayurveda ghee lamps purify the environment of stagnant negative energy and produce positive and protection in the environment. In addition, the benefits of ghee light:
attract sattvic vibrations
bring hope and light in life
invites health, wealth, and prosperity
contains nanoparticles that nourish the subtle body and channels
Dynamic Movement – Aligning with the Sun – Mentally, I am getting ready to focus on a different type of daily exercise. My daily walks along the beautiful shores of Lake Michigan are not an option for me when it’s too cold, windy, rainy, or icy. However, on mild days, walking in the snow is uplifting. I love walking, so this year, I have invested in a treadmill on days when it’s too cold to walk outside. However, for some, joining a gym would be a more social option. Or, do you love music? Moving, dancing, and stretching to music is a great way to move in the winter, as well as outdoor sports such as snow shoeing, skiing, and ice skating. Yoga classes live or online is also a great way to keep in shape. The most beneficial exercise I do is the Sun Salutations also called Surya Namaskar. This ancient flow of movement connects one with the rays of the Sun, even if you do them inside. In the winter, when we are missing the sunlight, we can connect to the life-giving energy of the sun by doing this flow of positions. Ideally, 13 rounds of Surya Namaskar is recommended to ignite the 13 agnis of the body. I have found this practice to be expansive as well for deepened awareness and growth of consciousness, as I do them in the morning sunlight or cloudy weather either inside or outside with my attention on my body, breath, self, and the Sun. It’s a way to connect to the rhythms of nature and the ever-powerful healing energy of the Sun.
Waking up before dawn – Ancient Ayurveda prescribes waking up 90-minutes before dawn called Brahma Muhurta. When it’s dark out in the early morning, there’s a temptation to stay in a warm bed and sleep in – but don’t – it makes matter worse. According to Ayurveda, sleeping during kapha time 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. increase the cold, heavy, sticky energy in the body increasing kapha and thereby increasing a tendency toward depression and weight gain. However, it takes practice for the body to get into a routine. One must be willing to go to bed early before 10:00 pm in order to wake up early naturally as well as a lighter dinner early in the evening to help sleep better. The first thing I do is light a ghee lamp and listen to some uplifting Gandharva music to get me going in the wee hours of the morning. All I can say is try it, you will be amazed how good and how productive and healthy you become from this life changing lifestyle tool.
Studying pure knowledge – the ancient vedic textbook called the Bhagavad Gita says, “even a little of this knowledge alleviates fear and suffering”. It’s a great time to study Ayurveda either as a self-paced program or with the guidance of experienced teachers and fellow students. There are many opportunities to study Ayurveda here at the Online Ayurveda Amritanam Learning Center, or directly with Chandi.com, and/or Ayurveda Living School. Studying Ayurveda is a great support during challenging times in world events as well as personal challenges. It creates a stable basis to learn all about the non- changing aspects of life and come to know the inner bliss that transcends all changing forms.
Evening Activities on long dark nights – it’s necessary to make the effort to plan things so you have something to look forward to. Either a get together with family or friends, a class either online or in person, a creative project or practicing an instrument and have a good book to dive in. For me, my challenge will be to not spend so much time on the computer watching Netflix or social media.
Vitamin D – make sure you are getting enough Vitamin D due to the lack of sunshine, lack of Vitamin D can contribute to low energy and depression. I recommend a daily Transdermal Vitamin D roll from www.Chandika.com. Vaidya Mishra’s ayurvedic expertise was one of a kind. That’s why only through his website can you get a Vit D deodorant. This is not just a convenience, but there is actually ayurvedic science behind why we would apply Vit D on the armpits. Read up all about it on:
Last but never least, one of my favorite things is eating heart warm stews when it’s cold out. The smell of spices, beans, and grains simmering on the stove pot is a nourishing way to share food with others. Here’s one of my favorite recipes:
Tridoshic Winter Dahl Recipe
(1 to 2 servings)
1/8 cup whole mung beans
4 ½ cups water
1 teaspoon soma salt
¼ cup chopped sweet potato
1 or 2 teaspoons of ghee or other vegetable oil
½ Thai green chili pepper (not for high pittas)
1 inch chopped fresh ginger
2-3 curry leaves or 1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon of ground turmeric
1 pinch of ground fenugreek
1 pinch of ajwain seed
½ teaspoon cumin seed
1 kale leaf chopped
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Fresh lime juice to taste
Chopped cilantro to garnish
If possible, soak mung beans the night before or a few hours before cooking. In my original recipe on the video, I did not soak, and it took longer to cook.
Sauté ginger and Thai chili for a few minutes, then add cumin and sauté for another minute. Add the mung beans and continue to sauté a few more minutes, add the bay leaf or curry leaves. Add water and salt, fenugreek and ajwain. Bring the mung bean, water, and salt to boil and then lower to medium heat where there is a soft boil. Add the sweet potato. After 30 minutes add the kale and parsley or other vegetables of choice. Continue to cook for an additional 15 or 30 minutes or until the mung beans are completely soft and mushy. Garnish with lime juice, black pepper, and cilantro. Pour over basmati rice or other grain.
I met Vaidya Mishra in 1995 when I was working for MAPI at a very elegant new Ayurveda Store in Bellevue Square Mall in Bellevue Washington. Vaidya came to the store periodically to train the staff on all of the products as well as give consultations. The first day we met, he took my pulse and said, “we both have the same problem, we are in the wrong culture”. That was the introduction to Vaidya, it was like meeting an old friend from the past and from there he became my teacher. His training in the store was in depth about his products and herbs and how they benefit the subdoshas, dhatus, ojas, or reduce ama as well as in depth his diet and nutrition protocols. I was able to sit in with him during consultations to take notes for the patients and learn how to recommend lifestyle, diet, and herbal formulations. In later years, I wrote MAPI newsletters and interviewed Vaidya for the articles on various topics, so it was a wonderful way to study his deep understanding of Ayurveda. I continued to learn from him over the years deepening my knowledge of Transdermal marma therapy and its applications to health and all the many in-depth courses he offered. When he toured in the midwest I was invited to cook for him in Wisconsin and on occasion in Fairfield which was always an honor to cook food for one’s Vaidya.
Rose Carol is the founder of
Ayurveda Learning Center www.ayurvedalearningcenter.com and offers professional Ayurveda Health Coach Training, Health Consultations, and Vedic Counseling. She is also a licensed counselor and offers therapy in the Chicago area. She may be reached at:
Join Kathleen and Carol on a blissful retreat to Troncones, Mexico. Troncones is a small fishing village with unspoiled beaches, sea turtles, whales and colorful sunset. It’s a quiet and quaint place to build a foundation of bliss with yoga, SV ayurveda and meditation practices. Your retreat is at the beachfront Casa Manzanillo Bed and Breakfast along the Manzanillo Bay. Imagine your days bookended with baby humpback whales (la ballena jorobadas) practice their breaching while enjoying breakfast to colorful sunsets from a private cabana. Retreat to bed for a blissful night of sleep to the lullaby of waves….
“Over the last 15 years I’ve spent countless hours learning, studying, practicing, and sharing the knowledge of Ayurveda and the enlightened wisdom its unveiled. Living and sharing how to live an Enlightened Ayurveda Lifestyle has become my life’s passion and work.
A yoga class in 2005 was my first introduction to Ayurveda. Immediately the principles resonated, but it took a year before I acted, and only because my entire health and wellbeing fell apart. My “American Dream” life was becoming a nightmare. My digestion was all over the place (IBS), I had blinding anxiety and panic attacks, sleep issues, and my hormones were completely out of whack with perimenopause symptoms.
I was only in my mid 30s and fearful my MD would write a handful of prescriptions and be medicating my symptoms for the rest of my life. That vision of my future scared me. Before relenting to this path, I decided to give Ayurveda a try, hoping to get to the root cause of all my health issues and challenges.
In less than 30 days, I experienced improvement in every health issue, all through sustainable Diet, Self-Care and Lifestyle practices. Not only did Ayurveda get to the root cause of my health issues, it helped me begin unveiling my true self.
By 2011, I started making a complete career change from Accounting and IT to Ayurveda. My ongoing journey of self enlightenment through my Ayurveda practices provided a message loud and clear – You must share your knowledge and wisdom.
Today, I offer Ayurveda bodywork, Ayurvedic and Functional Medicine wellness coaching, panchakarma (Ayurveda purification), retreats and workshops.
My focus is to create personalized mind, body and spirit aligning experiences that
Enlighten the Wellness Within YOU.
A common thread through all of my knowledge, practice and inner wisdom is strongly aligned with the 5,000+ year old Ayurveda lineage of Shaka Vansiya Ayurveda, brought to the U.S. by Vaidya Rama Kant Mishra, a Pulse and Marma master. Vaidya Mishra was my first teacher of Ayurveda and remains my most influential teacher, even after his passing in 2017.” ~ Carol Nace
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Your Experience:
Learn Ayurveda step-by-step in a supportive online global community of women guided by world class guides, including SVA lineage teachers (Traci Webb & Rose Carol=)
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Learn cutting edge life-coaching skills to support you to actually live your ayurveda such as time-management, habit evolution science and life-purpose clarification practices
Experience hands-on herbal medicine making immersions as we move thru each season
Learn to heal common imbalances in all bodily systems thru specific foods, recipes, herbs, traditional formulations (ghees, oils, wines, jams, etc), lifestyle medicine and massage therapies
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Learn in-depth Ayurveda body reading skills to assess imbalances before they go deeper (including body reading, face, tongue, nails and pulse reading basics for self-healing)
Includes: Weekly live classes, weekly video lessons, weekly peer support & practice pods, monthly ayurveda cooking lessons, monthly Dharma Activation Retreats, & monthly private Ayurveda Health Sessions with our certified practitioner graduates, Textbook(s)/workbook shipped to your doorstep
Taught by: Traci Webb who respectfully and joyfully shares her teacher Vaidya Mishra’s SVA lineage knowledge, along with several other world class ayurveda female luminaries such as Rose Carol, Mamta Landerman, Mary Thompson, Vijaya Stern, Sandhiya Ramaswamy & Anjali Deva
FOLLOWYOURBLISS!
Free Lecture 2023
A Saturday Day Pass is required to attend this lecture
Melina Takvorian-Mishra 2023
Shield EMF with SV Ayurveda
Saturday, February 11th | 2:00pm-2:45pm | Room: Century B
Shield EMF with SV Ayurveda
EMF (vibrational toxins) interfere with our innate rhythm and connection to the healing & nurturing power of cosmic prana (life energy). Dr. Melina Takvorian- Mishra shows how vibrational toxins from computers, cellphones, Wi-Fi, and household appliances enter our physiology and disturb our physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing. She offers time-tested ancient Ayurvedic protocols to shield and neutralize vibrational toxins, including dietary tips and an energetic aura-cleansing technique for instantly discharging EMF toxicity overload.
Dr. Melina Takvorian-Mishra (PhD) is a writer, speaker, & SV Ayurveda education expert. Along with Vaidya R. K. Mishra, she established the Chandika.com Ayurvedic formulations and SVAyurveda.com companies. She is passionate about Ayurveda and Vedic lifestyle.
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