I had a lovely day today in the warm autumn sun. I wandered into the forest and picked herbs, then carried them home and made medicines from them. 
For me being in nature and slowing down is the gift of these mad and challenging times.

My last post was a simple Stress Release Hold. Now I'd like to offer a chance to go deeper into self nourishment with this foot massage tutorial.

Take a moment for you, delight in touch, return to yourself and nourish your nervous system from the ground up. This is an easy to follow Ayurvedic massage technique focusing on marma points and touching on acupressure.
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Please ask questions, give feedback, share or contribute in whatever way you feel 

I feel so blessed living here in the sub-tropical forest of northern NSW. We were shocked and challenged during the fires, and had to evacuate,. We never imagined that it could get so dry here, and that fires could burn our ancient tropical forests. But it did.
My heart goes out to all that was lost in the fires around Australia, the people, animals, homes and habitat. May we learn from this and care more for Mother Earth - that's my prayer.
After the fires came the floods, which we are more accustomed to dealing with up here! Now it feels like our usual wet season, so I'm planting in my garden again and dealing with mold.. Many of my family, friends and clients are still dealing with the shock and trauma of these recent events, and once again I"m finding the tools and common sense approach of Ayurveda, and natural wisdom a healing balm. So I give Thanks to Wise Women's ways, and to the depth and insight of Ayurveda.. Common sense, grounding, being in nature, simple kitchen herbs and spices, empathy and caring for each other. For me these are the keys. to heal and move forward. 

Summer season with the fires and the heat is upon us.. It's the time to balance Pitta and find ways to relax and nourish. 
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So as we hurtle towards the festive season it's a good idea to keep balancing pitta with cooling food choices and chilling out by not pushing too hard.
It's ideal to incorporate pitta soothing elements into our diet now with spices like fennel, parsley, cardamom and coriander, and herbs like mints, rosemary, roses and rose petals. Eat cooling cucumbers, lots of greens and ensure regular meals with protein.

A lovely relaxing technique is applying fresh cucumber slices over the eyes and taking 10 minutes away from distractions.. The best Yoga practice now is more soothing and slow so as to avoid stirring up the pitta fires. Another simple pitta balancing method is to splash your eyes with cool water after meals. 

I have really enjoyed offering the Bush Medicines workshops lately up here at my place in Goonengerry. The feedback has been very positive, so I'm offering another one this
Sunday 6th October.
12 noon to 4 pm
If interested please go here to book  
https://www.facebook.com/events/933843416980670/
or email me.
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Ayurveda is an ancient philosophy based on eternal truths about the human body, mind, and spirit. It aims to bring us into our own unique state of balance and well-being. Although it originated in India thousands of years ago, it is relevant and appropriate within modern society.Ayurveda is considered by the World Health Organisation to be the oldest healing system known and the most holistic. I have found that Ayurveda's logical, common-sense approach to health and living is particularly appealing and accessible.
Coming from the Sanskrit words ayur, meaning ‘life’ or ‘longevity’, and veda, meaning ‘knowledge’ or ‘science’, Ayurveda is “the science of life”, or “the science of optimal living” or “the systemic knowledge of living”.
Ayurveda treats on 3 levels:
Body: with foods, herbs, medicated oils and asanas
Mind, thought and feeling: through mantra and subtle therapies, herbs, colour, gems, sounds and aromas
Cognition and Implicit memory: through meditation and mindfulness

Ayurvedic scholar Matthew Remski’s provides a Brief Synopsis of Ayurvedic Theory:

* Ayurveda in 7 steps:

1. We consist, roughly, of two parts: a feeling part, and a conscious part.
2. The feeling part is a unique combination of elemental qualities and movement patterns we may call “constitution”. It is the basis of the conscious part.
3. Constitution can harmonise or clash with its natural or social environment, whether by conscious choice or by circumstance.
4. Not paying attention to sensual feedback, internal rhythms and environmental changes prematurely weakens first vitality, and then immunity.
5. As immunity weakens, the natural strengths of structure (kapha), metabolism (pitta), and coordination (vata) express their shadows: congestion (k), inflammation (p), and disorganisataion (v).
6. Good digestion is the root of feeling health and conscious health.
7. Pleasure, transparency, creativity, and resilience are its flowers.

 

• In the Vedas, ayur is synonymous with agni: the yogic concept of the gross and subtle fires of transformation: fire in the belly, fire in the mind.

Ayurveda is the art and science of reconnecting us to our source of life, so we can sustain our vitality and serenity and build our potential for joyful living. Om Healing Ayurveda shares a down to earth practice rooted in daily awareness. We like to ground this ancient wisdom into the local, specific environments we find ourselves. An appreciation for locally growing foods and herbs, with their own beneficial qualities and energetics, can be deepened through an Ayurvedic lens