I took this photo early Christmas morning while walking Phil. Even though I have walked this street many times, I most love walking it during the morning hours when there is a stillness, peaceful, clear, harmonious, or sattvic, quality in the air. I take these times for contemplation, purposefully looking at the sky, the trees, grass, flowers, and shrubs. I look to nature for signs or guideposts that direct me inward to my intuition…

The holiday season is upon us. This is a time when our already busy schedules can become even more packed and busy. I encourage you to put a plan in place to help you to stay grounded and embodied. This season, I plan to regularly pause and notice what is pulling me away from a place of peace.

I hope that you all have had a wonderful Summer. I am sending a few late summer recipes to wrap the Summer up and will be sending an actual newsletter in a few weeks.

We have all heard the old adage “you are what you eat”. Ayurveda goes a step further to teach that you are what you digest.  But what if your food is laced with chemicals that our bodies innate intelligence cannot recognize? How does this impact our digestion? What happens to our mind, and consciousness?

I know the saying is April showers bring May flowers, but as usual, we are ahead of that here in the Valley of the Sun. April is here, and the state is in full bloom. I was blessed to drive to Tucson two weekends ago to share Ayurveda with the beautiful souls at The Yoga Pod. I was blown away while driving by the beauty of the desert after all the recent rain we have enjoyed. As I drove, my eyes feasted on a green carpet on the desert floor covered with swaths of purple and yellow flowers.

Spring is budding here in Arizona. We vacillate between beautiful warm days and the occasional cold spell with rain. The mountains are green due to the rain we have received and the plants blooming. Ayurveda defines the transition between two seasons as rutu sandhi, typically the final 15 days of one season and the first 15 days of the next.

Welcome to the New Year. I wish that 2023 is filled with peace, joy, prosperity, and insight for all of us.

It is the citrus season here in the Valley of the Sun and in this month's newsletter, we will celebrate the amazing lemon. We have all heard the adage, “ when life gives you lemons, make lemonade,” but according to Ayurveda, lemons are so much more than lemonade.

The solstice is right in front of us. On Wednesday, December 21st, in the northern hemisphere, we will move into the winter season and begin transitioning towards Kapha time of year. As the days have been becoming shorter and darker, it is a wonderful time to slow down and nourish your mind and body.

Merriam-Webster defines Gratitude as “the state of being grateful.” Cambridge Dictionary defines Gratitude as “a strong feeling of appreciation” for the help received from something or someone.

Recently there have been scientific studies exploring the mental and physical benefits of gratitude. This research shows that a practice of gratitude can contribute to an individual’s character development and overall well-being. Gratitude is more than just an individual’s emotional response that makes others feel appreciated.

Robert A. Emmons is one of the main researchers in the field of gratitude. He believes gratitude has two main components. First, he says gratitude is something he refers to as “an affirmation of goodness.” This is a way to recognize the “sources of this goodness are outside of ourselves.”

Hallelujah, the mornings are cooling off and we are beginning the transition from Summer to Fall. When this transition happens, you may begin to notice your body and/or mind are feeling a bit different. Perhaps you are sensing familiar symptoms that tend to reoccur during this transition? Maybe you are experiencing a completely new imbalance. Much of this will depend on how we managed our diet and lifestyle over the past summer months. Notice if you are feeling dull and lethargic, having aches or pain, allergies, or weight changes. Are you feeling anxious, trouble sleeping, changes in appetite, metabolism, or digestion?

One of many things I have observed over the past few years is the impact our modern life has on our mental health. I have been working on being very aware in my own life of what is occupying my mind. The thoughts I want to think versus thoughts that are old beliefs. Those patterns that are simply used to being recycled in my mind.

Happy August! How is everyone doing this summer? Here in Arizona, we have gotten rain and seasonal conditions that resemble an actual monsoon season. I am sending love and well wishes to all of those that have been affected by the weather patterns of floods and fires. Friends, this climate stuff cannot be ignored. We desperately need to make big changes now that should have been made decades ago. It has been tragic to watch how nature has been attempting to pivot and adapt to the mess we humans have created.

Grounding Gratitude Mediations for you.

Summer is Pitta season. Pitta dosha is predominately fire with a bit of water. Here in the Southwest, the intense heat has arrived. I am happy to offer some suggestions to help you stay cool in your minds and bodies during this fierce time of year. This double-month newsletter is a survival guide full of tips to keep your fire balanced with lifestyle, diet, and activity choices. There is no reason why this cannot be a fantastic season filled with fun and adventure.

Pictured: Goddess Shakti by Artist Damodar Salve

Mother can be a powerful image, title, or word to invoke deep emotions in us. We all have a mother who birthed us. During our time in the womb, we were influenced by the emotions she felt, the food she ate, the thoughts she held, and any daily routines (or lack thereof). When you hear the word mother, perhaps feelings of joy, security, acceptance, and love may be felt in your body and soul. However, a large population of people has a very different maternal relationships. Their experience may span from violent physical abuse to not being seen or heard at all. For many people, the lack of a stable connection stemmed from a mom who just couldn’t fully show up. Often what is not done, can be as cruel as what is done.

Summer is Pitta season. Pitta dosha is predominately fire with a bit of water. Here in the Southwest, the intense heat has arrived. I am happy to offer some suggestions to help you stay cool in your minds and bodies during this fierce time of year. This double-month newsletter is a survival guide full of tips to keep your fire balanced with lifestyle, diet, and activity choices. There is no reason why this cannot be a fantastic season filled with fun and adventure.

Spring is upon us here in Arizona even though on other parts of America they are experiencing frigid temperatures and atomic cyclones. Our farmers markets are busy and full of wonderful fruits, sprouts and vegetables that are perfect for cleansing in the spring. I came across some beautiful broccoli leaves that I stuffed with spiced black-eyed peas and quinoa. The recipe is below, and I hope you enjoy it. If you have a hard time finding broccoli leaves, a good substitute would be collard greens or even Swiss chard.