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It is my belief that in order to be a teacher of anything, I have to, first and foremost, be a dedicated student of the subject. When I am in student mode, it is difficult not to let the mind wander into the territory of, “how will I teach this to my students?” It is this particular challenge that led me back to New York City to my teacher, Sri Dharma Mittra,to do the work of being a student of yoga.  Photo by Steven Coffey  Photo by Joanna Kosinska In our “Habits of Yogis” series, we’re looking at the daily routines and rituals that connect us with the natural cycles of nature. The Ayurvedic term for daily habits is dinacharya, and these are guidelines for living a long and vibrant life. A nature-aligned evening routine is essential for healthy living. Thoughtful, nurturing evening habits honor your body’s natural energy cycles. It puts you into the flow of life, rather than trying to work against nature. We’ve already talked about why an earlier, lighter dinner is important. It gives your body appropriate nourishment to end your day without adding extra material to digest in the evening and overnight. Once dinner is over, you have time to naturally wind down in preparation for sleep. Ancient Wisdom and Modern Science for Sleep The yogis have known for ages that sleeping when it’s dark and rising when it’s light is nature’s design for humans. Whether you look to the yogis, or to nobel laureates or you listened to your grandmother, there’s scientific proof and deep wisdom that tells us that “early to bed, early to rise makes a (wo)man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” Our culture does not support nature-aligned sleep, and its effects are severe. The book, Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker, PhD (or this interview of if you want a quicker hit) offers fascinating science on how sleep is essential (e.g. for being ready to learn and for remembering what we learn). He also presents sobering science on how lack of sleep is connected to so much of our dysfunction and disease (e.g. increased risk of immune disorders, Alzheimer's and dementia, and cancer). Getting too little sleep makes life harder (and unsafe). It weakens the immune system. It makes you fuzzy and ungrounded. Sleep deprivation can leave you more impaired than if you were drunk on alcohol. The cumulative effect of poor sleeps knocks you out of integrity with yourself and puts high barriers between you and your life purpose. The Habit of Early to Bed Ayurveda teaches us that our nighttime energy cycle from 10pm to 2am is the time when energy is high for detoxification and rejuvenation. Your cells are taking out the trash and making vital repairs to keep organs and systems strong. It is also the time when you mentally and emotionally digest the events of the previous day. When you stay awake past 10pm, your body gets a second wind from that rising energy cycle, you feel alert and push on with more work or socializing, and you miss out on the deep rest your body needs. When tuned into to the natural rhythm of waking and sleeping, you protect the time your body needs for rest. You wind down in the evening, starting around 8pm, and you close your eyes to sleep by 10pm. You allow yourself the time to sleep for 7-8 hours each night. You need MORE sleep (8+ hours nightly) if you have been sleep deprived for a long time or are experiencing big challenges or demands at this time of your life (e.g. raising children, demanding job, illness, emotional stress, a big project, etc.). Seasonally, you may feel you need different amounts of sleep. The darkness of winter may draw you to bed earlier, and the long days of summer may cause you to linger later. The best way to know when it’s time for bed is to listen to your own body’s needs. Follow your body’s natural rhythm and you’ll sleep soundly and wake with a clear mind and an energized body, ready to greet a new day. Creating a Healthy Sleep Habit A sound sleep habit is built on other self-nurturing routines that will set you up for deep sleep. When you’ve had an early and light dinner, you have time for light activity and relaxation in the evening. You can be alert to your body’s cues and you will feel your fatigue - your signal for winding down. Now we get to the fun part: You design your evening to prepare yourself for sleep. Here are some things you can do to wind down before bedtime:
Invoke satya - truthfulness - and look honestly at your sleep patterns, habits, and the overall quality of your life and health. Are you thriving or are you feeling fatigued, foggy, and unwell in some aspect of your being? Sleep may be the habit you need to nurture yourself back to better health and wellbeing. If your current evening routine is far from the of calm, quiet, ease, you’ll be more successful in improving your sleep habit if you make a series of small changes over time.
Even small changes can make big improvements to the quality and quantity of your sleep, so give yourself credit for every small win. You don’t have to be a perfect sleeper to benefit from better bedtime habits! The Subtle Energy of You Ojas is the word for the subtle, refined energy that is produced by the digestive processes in your body. It is what protects the functions of your cells and systems, and promotes overall health. Ojas holds together the immune system, so strong ojas = vibrant health + longevity. Ojas is depleted or built up by lifestyle choices, and sleep is one big factor. So is pushing through instead of resting when you feel tired, filling your schedule with too many activities and no downtime, and using caffeine, alcohol, or other substances to either wake up, stay awake, or fall asleep. We all have our our favorite ojas-depleting tendencies, which can almost always be remedied by cultivating nurturing, nature-aligned habits that build ojas and create stability and strength to your immune system and to your life. Start with creating a relaxing and calm evening routine, followed by a full night’s rest and you’ll feel the effects on your energy, mood, and overall wellbeing. Kirstin PinitKirstin Pinit is Santosha’s writer-in-residence. She is an artist, a student of yoga, Ayurveda, and massage therapy, and she is a Yoga Health Coach. Kirstin practices and teaches the habits of yogis - dinacharya. This is the Ayurvedic practice of daily habits that are essential for leading a vibrant, healthy, creative life. Find out about her upcoming courses and collaborations at kirstinpinit.com.  Photo by Rosie Kerr on Unsplash Happy New Year! Turning the calendar over to January brings a feeling of newness, and a chance for a fresh start. What do you want to create for yourself in 2018? Do you want to open yourself to new opportunities? Improve your mental or physical health? Reinvent your career? Revitalize relationships? Yoga can help you make the best use of new year energy. Instead of making a typical “New Year’s Resolution,” set a different kind of intention - a sankalpa - that will bring you closer to the New You you want to become. Sankalpa is an intention that comes from the heart. When you make a sankalpa, you vow to harness the resources within your body, mind, and spirit to work toward a specific goal. Make setting your intention a thoughtful inquiry and know that you have what it takes to reach your goal. N - Notice your deeper desires. It’s common to set resolutions designed to “correct” a negative aspect of yourself. Instead, ask what you want to experience, feel, or become in the next chapter of your life, and set your intention to realize that desire. “I feel strong and free in my body” may be the sankalpa underneath a typical resolution to “lose ten pounds.” E - Evolve and unfold. Allow yourself the grace to let your intention unfold over time. Deep transformations don’t happen overnight. Work toward your sankalpa in small steps and practice tapas - mindful discipline - to persevere when your motivation or energy level is low. W - Watch out for resistance. Once you set an intention to change, expect fear, doubt, and uncertainty to rush in and get in your way. This is the ego doing its job to maintain the status quo. Identify resistance as a sign you are on the edge of growth and use it to fuel your actions. Create a phrase or short sentence that captures the essence of your intention. State it as an affirmation, such as “I am thriving in my work,” or “Peace is abundant in my relationships.” Make it part of your daily routine. Y - Yoga practice. Incorporate your sankalpa into your yoga by repeating your intention at the beginning of your asana practice and using it as a mantra during pranayama or meditation. O - On your mind. Keep your sankalpa in your awareness by posting it where you will see it often - on your bathroom mirror, your phone screen, inside a kitchen cabinet, and any other place that comes into view throughout your day. U - Under the breath. Repeat your sankalpa when you wake up and when you go to sleep. Make this vow part of your stream of thinking at the beginning and end of the day to seal it into your conscious and subconscious mind. Living your intention and achieving your sankalpa may feel like you’re traveling a bumpy road. You may get lost along the way and end up on a long, scenic route to the place you want to be. How you handle the setbacks is a practice unto itself. Use obstacles and difficulties as teachers, and learn from these experiences. Replace criticism and self-loathing with curiosity and compassion. Forgive yourself and start again each new day. Welcome all that comes to you with santosha - contentment with what is - and you will experience unshakable joy on your way to the New You. The Santosha community is here to welcome you and support you in the new year. Your presence is part of what makes our studio so magical. Here are highlights of what’s happening in the studio in January and beyond from our latest eNews. If you don't receive our eNewsletter in your Inbox and would like to, please sign up: ENEWSLETTER ENROLL
Kirstin PinitKirstin Pinit is Santosha’s writer-in-residence. She is an artist, a student of yoga, Ayurveda, and massage therapy, and she is a Yoga Health Coach. Kirstin practices and teaches the habits of yogis - dinacharya. This is the Ayurvedic practice of daily habits that are essential for leading a vibrant, healthy, creative life. Find out about her upcoming courses and collaborations at kirstinpinit.com   Ahimsa for the Holidays. Ahimsa for the Holidays. Ahimsa for the Holidays. This phrase has been rolling around in my brain since Thanksgiving, begging me to consider what it would mean to live the principle of Ahimsa - nonviolence - during the holiday season. Surely, this is the time of year when peace and hope and love are extra close to our hearts. It’s also a time of year when we may feel a little frazzled, anxious, and overextended. Normal life and the concerns of the world don’t stop to make room for holiday traditions and joyous celebrations. Headline news, end-of-the-year deadlines, frayed nerves and a jam-packed calendar make Ahimsa a potentially delicate principle to practice this time of year. How can we bring more love and less suffering to the holidays? How can we carry the spirit of the season into the new year and beyond? First, let’s remind ourselves that yoga philosophy is not so much a set of steps to follow, but a guide for living a joyful life. Though we may seek to master the eight limbs of yoga, it’s the daily practice of living a conscious and connected life, the ever deepening our of understanding and expression of its values, that bring us great meaning and purpose in this lifetime. The holidays are a wonderful time to recommit to yogic values. Ahimsa is the first of the five Yamas. It means nonviolence, and it instructs us to do no harm to any living being. Living the principle of Ahimsa is meant to the the basis for all of our decisions, choices, and actions. It is more than “to not kill.” Ahimsa extends to our thoughts, words, and deeds to others - and to ourselves. If what we think, say to do brings pain or suffering, we have violated this principle of Ahimsa. Our world is filled with so much violence and suffering, sometimes the possibility of attaining Ahimsa seems out of reach. Looking at all suffering, all pain, all people, all beings - it’s too big to change. What could one person do but feel despair and hopelessness? Could there be another way to understand, know, and live the principle of Ahimsa? Another way to understand Ahimsa is to take responsibility for ourselves. We are accountable for our thoughts, words, and actions. We cannot change others, but we can manage ourselves. We can change ourselves. We can look honestly at our lives to notice what is out of alignment with Ahimsa, and we can mindfully behave in ways that do not create suffering. Practice this understanding by noticing if you are out of alignment with Ahimsa. Decide how you will take responsibility for your actions, and how you will move toward a greater expression of nonviolence in the way you think, speak, and act. At holiday gatherings, while shopping, when stuck in holiday traffic - take responsibility for yourself embody love. Another way to know Ahimsa is to participate in community. One person’s actions, thoughts, and intentions my seem insignificant, but we are not acting alone. As a yoga community, we practice together as like-minded people who want to support each other's growth and well-being. Our combined efforts in living Ahimsa amplify its effect and motivate us all to pursue our dharma. Practice this knowledge by mindfully choosing how you spend your time during the holiday season (and always). Say yes to the parties, events, and traditions that bring you close to those who share your values and encourage you to be your best self. Another way to live Ahimsa is to act in accordance with the principle of nonviolence. Essentially, to live Ahimsa means to love. When we cultivate loving thoughts, when we speak with compassion and friendliness, when we act with care and generosity, we exemplify Ahimsa. In this way, we radiate respect and care and generosity. In this way we may help to open the hearts of others to also act in love and not in violence. Practice Ahimsa by giving the gift of love to all. Open your heart to all beings, and spread your love freely, without reservation, without fear. Know that the source of love is infinite. Know that the gift of love creates ripples that will reach farther than you may ever know. “See yourself in others. Then whom can you hurt? What harm can you do?” -Buddha Holiday gatherings are colorful and vibrant and full of emotion. It’s true that even with our best intentions, the holidays can bring moments that are difficult to maneuver. Our best intention and most thoughtful practice may still fall short in the face of certain relationships, memories, or expectations. When we remember that we are all one, we may be able to access a deeper place where Ahimsa is abundant. With this, I offer you a blessing: May you see yourself in every being. May you choose to live Ahimsa in honor of our sacred oneness. Do no harm. Always. Happy Holidays to you and all you love, respect, and cherish. Kirstin PinitKirstin Pinit is Santosha’s writer-in-residence. She is an artist, a student of yoga, Ayurveda, and massage therapy, and she is a Yoga Health Coach. Kirstin practices and teaches the habits of yogis - dinacharya. This is the Ayurvedic practice of daily habits that are essential for leading a vibrant, healthy, creative life. Find out about her upcoming courses and collaborations at kirstinpinit.com  In our “Habits of Yogis” series, we’re looking at the daily routines and rituals that connect us with the natural cycles of nature. The Ayurvedic term for daily habits is dinacharya, and these are guidelines for living a long and vibrant life. One of the foundational habits of dinacharya is to eat an earlier, lighter dinner. If you want to sleep deeply tonight, have abundant energy tomorrow, and keep your body feeling light and lithe, finish your eating early in the evening. This allows time to digest your food completely before bedtime so your system - your physical and energetic bodies - can do the work of resting and restoring overnight. Living on Mother Nature’s Schedule Humans are diurnal creatures. That means we are physiologically built to be active in the daytime and sleep at night. A basic understanding of the Ayurvedic “body clock” will help us understand why eating early and light in the evening is aligned with nature and supports our vibrancy through the days and the years.   Ayurveda expert John Douillard summarizes the body clock into two, 12-hour cycles, each with three segments within them:
Based on this knowledge of the body clock we understand that digestion is strongest in the daytime. The capacity to digest, absorb, and assimilate nutrients is called agni - the digestive fire. When we take in our food when agni is strong, the body is more able to turn food into energy and body tissue. Ayurveda’s body clock explains why eating a large, nutrient dense meal at midday makes sense for the function of your body. It also makes it possible for the evening meal to be light and supplemental - enough to get you through until breakfast without being too hungry. This is not just ancient, esoteric theory! In my midwestern upbringing, the routine of a large “dinner” at noon and a light “supper” in the evening made sense for farmers who needed their energy during the working, daylight hours. Earlier, Lighter Dinner Basics
Working Against the Clock Our bodies are remarkable machines that can continue to function even when we live against the body’s clock. We fuel up on food and caffeine, catch the second wind, and keep producing long into the night. We can do this occasionally - and sometimes we have to - but over time, this rhythm is not sustainable. We draw too much out of our energy bank account and end up deeply depleted, sick, and tired. Over time, working against the clock - waging a war on time - will result in added weight, a dull complexion, a lack of joy and other symptoms that we usually call the inevitable effects of aging like stiff and painful joints and muscles, memory decline, and degeneration of vision and hearing. Working with the clock by changing our relationship with food, sleep, and activity levels will mitigate many of the effects of time and keep a long list of “lifestyle diseases” at bay. So, What’s for Dinner? The best way to align with your body clock and eat an earlier, lighter dinner is to start small and keep it simple. Slowly adjust your mealtime until you are done by 6pm. Don’t snack between meals so you will be hungry when it’s time to eat. Make a weekly meal plan so you always know what’s for dinner. Keep your evening meals simple so they don’t take much time to prepare and they are easy to digest. Need some menu ideas for an earlier, lighter dinner?
What will be your simple step toward living in sync with nature and eating an early, light dinner? Kirstin PinitKirstin is Santosha’s writer-in-residence. She is an artist, a student of yoga, Ayurveda, and massage therapy, and she is a Yoga Health Coach. Kirstin practices and teaches the habits of yogis - dinacharya. This is the Ayurvedic practice of daily habits that are essential for leading a vibrant, healthy, creative life. Find out about her upcoming courses and collaborations at kirstinpinit.com. |
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