Heidi E. Spear - The Everything Guide to Ayurveda: Improve your health, develop your inner energy, and find balance in your life

WELCOME TO THE

GUIDE TO
AYURVEDA

Dear Reader,

Im so glad to have this opportunity to support you and your family as you explore the science of life called Ayurveda.

Before I found Ayurveda, I was searching for answers to simple questions: What should I eat, what exercise is best for me long-term, can I balance work and relaxation? With all the information on the Internet, in commercials, and in magazines, it was hard for me to find a trustworthy, natural, and practical way to health. I didnt want a quick fix; I wanted to learn how to enjoy life without catching annual colds, suffering from seasonal allergies, and developing chronic headaches. And, most of all, I wanted to do it naturally and in a way that could support me through my later years of life. Ayurveda has the answers, and its been in practice for more than 5,000 years!

Now, I am thrilled to offer you this doorway into the vast science of Ayurveda. Its a system of health that allows you to learn more about who you truly are and what you personally need. May the words in this book inspire you to enjoy the road to a naturally healthy, happy, and long life.

Namaste,

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THE

GUIDE TO

AYURVEDA

Improve your health, develop your inner energy,
and find balance in your life

Heidi E. Spear
Foreword by Hilary Garivaltis,
Dean of the Kripalu School of Ayurveda

To my mother, Sandie; my father, Stan;
and my brother, Scott

A book is so much more than the knowledge it aims to pass on. A book holds the energy of all those who contribute to its production and make it possible for everyone to do her part. I send so much gratitude to everyone at Adams Media who worked on this book. Specifically, I appreciate Kate Powers for her patience and expertise in guiding this project from inception to completion. I am grateful to the editorial team at Adams Media and to Hilary Garivaltis for writing the foreword.

Its been such a pleasure to work with colleagues who contributed knowledge and expertise to this project. Thanks so much to Sudha Carolyn Lundeen for her valuable work: the vata breathwork and yoga sections, as well as a couple of not-to-be-missed recipes (her halva balls and digestive chew). Janna Delgados breathwork and yoga sequences for pitta and kapha are creatively inspired, just like her yoga classes. Im so grateful to be able to include her voice in those sections of the book, as well as in the section that describes a standing meditation. Jonathan Dahari-Lanciano shares his mastery of spice masalas, which add balancing and satisfying tastes to meals at any time of day. Danny Arguettys personal experience with Ayurveda shines in the writing and recipes he contributed. His culinary delights are simple to make, nourishing, and fun to eat. Patricia Lemer also contributed healthy, flavorful recipes, showcasing her ability to choose meals that are comforting and deeply nourishing. I am also grateful to my mother for sharing her sought-after recipe for perfect pecans! Thanks to Sarajean Rudman for her important contributions that form much of the Top 10 list at the start of this book. Also, thank you to Sadie Cunningham, whose writing gives a glimpse into what makes Ayurvedic bodywork unique, particularly as a restorative and balancing treatment. Sadie has a gift for transmitting healing energy, which is apparent even in her written word.

This book could not have happened without the gracious support of Kelley Johnson Boyd, whose enthusiastic encouragement and sensitivity toward the writing process showed up in numerous ways. Thank you also to Karen Li, Beth Haydon Bodan, Sally Segerstrom, Cristie Newhart, Liz Walz, Joshua Needleman, and Hallie Deen for your unwavering support during the writing process.

1. Let the first thing you drink in the morning be a glass of warm water (add some lemon juice if youd like).
2. Give yourself an oil massage in the morning before you shower or bathe: it feels good and helps the blood and lymph circulate through the body.
3. Get outside for a walk and breathe in fresh air every day.
4. Each time you eat, take your time and enjoy the nourishing food.
5. Have your biggest meal at lunchtime.
6. Sip warm water throughout the day to stay hydrated and support digestive fire.
7. As an alternative to coffee, for an energy boost without caffeine that can also help reduce stress, make tulsi tea.
8. Always buy the freshest produce you can, local and organic when possible.
9. Take time before bed to wind down from your day by spending time relaxing or spending time with friends or family.
10. Enjoy creating balance in your life as you make choices according to this observation in nature: opposites balance, like increases like.

Ayurveda, often translated as the Science of Life, can also be considered universal knowledge. More simply put, it is our owners manual that teaches us how to keep ourselves running well from birth to death. Just like other creatures are wired into natural rhythms in nature such as hibernation or migration patterns, the human being, or homo sapien, is wired with particular rhythms as well. No one can escape this fact. The more we align with our natural rhythms, the more balanced and harmonious we are, and as an extension of our existence, the more harmonious we are, the more harmonious the world becomes. These premises sit strongly in the system of Ayurvedic Medicine and guide every aspect of existence.