Healthy Habit
We're officially in Spring!
In Ayurveda, spring can be thought of as kapha - having earthy qualities that are damp and heavy (earth and water). When kapha is out of balance, we can hold onto things - these things could be emotions like sadness or depression or physical things like clutter piles.
We also had a New Moon last night. The New Moon is a good time to stop and reflect on your life and intentionally decide how you'd like to move forward into the next moon phase.
Seasonal Support: Clean Your Home
One way to support yourself during kapha season is to clean your home! Sure, you could go all out and clean your whole home OR focus on one space.
Clearing out a space or your whole home will not only look better, but you will experience an emotional and spiritual cleansing as well.
Why your home? Your home is the externalized expression of the state of your mind. It's hard to let go of things because things hold old stories. The most important thing is to get rid of old stuff that doesn't bring you flow or joy. Clearing out these things will create room for the "good stuff".
For example, I noticed I had so many supplements, expired prescriptions (one from 2012), and expired over the counter medicines taking up space in my cupboard. I cleared everything out and it felt amazing!
Side Note: If you decide to go this route, you can properly dispose of your medications/supplements/OTC drugs by visiting a disposal site. Do not flush medications, they goes into our water system.
Happy Clearing and Cleaning!
“A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.”
~ Maya Angelou
Have you ever thought about how many hours you spend inside during the day? Are there days when you don't go outside at all except to walk from your car to a building or back to your car?
Someone shared a video with me where an expert talks about how the sound of birds chirping opens up a tree's bark so the tree is able to get more air. If a tree can be positively impacted by the sound of birds singing, imagine how we (humans) can benefit from birdsong!
Well guess what?!?! There ARE amazing benefits from listening to birdsong!
A Recent Study: A Glimpse into the Healing Power of Birdsong
The above study, conducted by researchers at a prominent university, aimed to investigate the impact of birdsong on mental health and well-being. Over the course of several months, participants were exposed to recorded bird songs while engaging in a range of activities, such as meditation, relaxation exercises, and walking in natural environments. The researchers monitored participants' stress levels, mood, and overall psychological well-being throughout the study.
Mental Health Benefits of Birdsong
- Stress Reduction: Exposure to birdsong significantly reduced stress levels among the participants.
- Mood Enhancement: Uplifting melodies of birds can have a positive impact on our mood and emotional well-being.
- Cognitive Restoration: Spending time in nature and immersing ourselves in the sounds of birds can enhance cognitive functioning.
- Connection to Nature: The sounds of birds singing serve as a reminder of our connection to the natural world.
As urbanization and technology continue to dominate our lives, it's easy to feel disconnected from our environment.
Stop and listen for the bird's song, then notice how you feel after a couple of minutes listening to the birds. You may be surprised.
Study Source: Wild Bird Feeding Institute
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Breathwork Technique: Bee's Breath (Bhramari Pranayama)
With all the golden coming out in nature, we're seeing all the happy bees gathering pollen.
Bee's Breath is a breath you can do anytime and its top benefit is tonifying your vagus nerve* so you are prepared to handle challenging situations - whether the situations are perceived or really happening.
*Your vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve, the main nerve for your parasympathetic system (rest and digest), and it's responsible for regulating body functions such as your digestion, heart rate and immune system.
Other bee's breath benefits include:
- Calms your mind and allows you to feel centered
- Helps with any throat ailments and healing bodily tissues
- Relieves stress and anger
- Helps you get good sleep
- Reduces blood pressure
- Improves thyroid, parathyroid and thymus gland function to support your immune system
Start with 7 repetitions (1 round). If you like, you can increase to 2 or 3 rounds (14 or 21 repetitions); be sure to take a break between each round, breathe, and check-in with your body to note how you feel.
Here's a YouTube video that describes how to do Bee's Breath.
Experiment with this breathing technique and notice how your body feels afterward!
Book of the Month!
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Rewilding is full of stories and practices to reconnect with Nature.
Micah was one of my Ayurveda school teachers and we got to do some of these practices during our class. My favorite practice was the Sit Spot. Finding a spot in your yard that you sit everyday for 15 -30 minutes. This practice gets you in touch with where you are and when you are (because you experience seasons change from your spot) - a beautiful grounding practice to reconnect with yourself & nature.
Rewilding: Meditations, Practices, and Skills for Awakening in Nature by Micah Mortali
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Join Me at my Upcoming Events!
Moon Cycles + You: How to Live in Sacred Cyclical Attunement @ True North: Sunday, May 10 - Mother's Day (1:00-3:00pm) - $44 (sign-up link)
Bring your friend, mom, or daughter with you to learn more about your cycle, the moon cycle and how you can better support yourself through self-compassionate practices.
Yin & Sound: Wednesdays at 7pm @ The Portal
We'll move through a gentle Yin practice, holding poses long enough to release deep layers of tension and give your body time to truly soften. After our slow movement, you'll be guided into a long, restful savasana with sound healing.
See you next month!
Angela
FIG Bites' intention is to "Feed your body and mind so you are a fully nourished and joyful person able to fully embrace life" whether you're at work or home.
