6 Ayurveda-Inspired Ways to Stress Less

With so many online resources and social media experts, there have never been more options to get advice for challenging and changing times. While it's easy to find oneCrowdHowever, advice can be difficult to obtainclarityWhat advice can we trust? Fortunately, ancient and proven health systems such as Ayurveda have a treasure trove of effective techniques that we can currently use to reduce stress and cultivate peace.

Breathe well:

Yes, you've probably heard this over and over again, but how we really breathedoesMatter. Our breath reflects our state of mind. If your breath is short, shallow, and seems to fill your upper chest and collarbones, your mind is probably anxious, stressed, and preoccupied. However, if your breathing pattern is calm, slow and soft, it means the mind is in a balanced and relaxed state. Just as breath is affected by our state of mind, we can affect our state of mind by the way we breathe. Try to practicePranayama(breathing techniques) to balance your mind. Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing), Brahmari Pranayama (buzzing bee breathing), or simple box breathing can be very effective in quickly calming the brain and nervous system.

Focus on your feet:

When you are feeling “ungrounded,” turning your focus to your feet can be a wonderful way to get out of your mind and into your body, where we typically experience a more relaxed state. As our connection to the ground, our feet are our connection to the earth element, and we can enhance the properties of the earth elements (such as feeling stable, grounded, and strong) by working with them. Foot massage is a key practice in Ayurveda for this reason.

To practice, use warm oil such as sesame, almond, or coconut and slowly massage it into the soles of your feet, staying alert and present. For an extra dose of relaxation, try adding lavender and frankincense essential oils before bed or ginger and cardamom essential oils to aid digestion.

Marma Point Power:

Just as Chinese medicine uses acupressure points, Ayurveda uses Marma points located all over the body. Each Marma point interacts with a different physical, emotional and subtle quality. Try this to relax and rebalanceAjnaMarma point is located at the midpoint between the eyebrows. Press and massage this point firmly and gently with your index finger for a few minutes - massage clockwise to awaken and stimulate the mind, and counterclockwise to relax and create calm.

Golden milk:

When it comes to delicious concoctions and some “magic potions,” Ayurveda has plenty of them. Much of our physical and mental stress is related to inflammation. While inflammation is indeed a useful part of healing injuries, when it is chronic and low, we are likely to experience ongoing gut health issues, brain fog, body pain, and hormonal imbalances. Use this simple recipe to boost digestive power, calm inflammation, nourish the immune system and relax the mind:

• 1 Tasse Milch Ihrer Wahl
• ½ TL gemahlene Kurkuma
• Prise schwarzer Pfeffer
• ¼ TL Zimt
• ¼ TL Ingwer
• Samen von 1 Kardamomschote (gemahlen)
• 1 Safranstrang
• Alle Zutaten in eine Pfanne geben und warten, bis es gerade anfängt zu köcheln.
• Nehmen Sie die Hitze ab, gießen Sie sie in Ihren Lieblingsbecher und fügen Sie ein wenig Honig hinzu, um sie zu süßen, wenn Sie möchten

Develop a routine:

When life is disrupted and unpredictable, the energy ofvata(associated with movement, irregularity, dryness, air and ether elements and change) is increased. A balanced amount of Vata energy allows for creativity and adventure, but too much can leave us feeling very anxious and scattered. Vata is calmed by routineregularitytoIrregularity.Especially if you've recently fallen completely out of routine or experienced a major life change, plan a daily routine and try to stick to it to calm, ground, and focus your energy.

Mantra medicine:

Mantras have been used for thousands of years to balance the body and mind. The word “Mantra” is a combination of the root words “Man” from the word “Manas” meaning “Spirit” and “Tra” with various meanings such as “tool”, “travel” and “transportation”. Essentially, the essence of the mantra is that it is a tool for transporting the mind from one state to another. Mantras are said to contain certain vibrations of energy, and when the words are chanted, these vibrations affect the mind and body. Just focusing on a specific word or mantra can really help develop a different state of mind because what we focus on, we tend to attract. Try chanting the mantra to calm the brain and nervous system“Om Shanti”means “I am peace”;,SWEET POTATO',the heart chakra mantra; or affirmations like'This too shall pass'or'Everything is fine'.