HBlissIf you have developed an interest in wellness as part of your efforts to lead a healthier life, the term Ayurveda has probably entered your vocabulary.
The basics are known to anyone who’s tried fixes for their bodies and minds, like mindfulness and yoga to oil pulling and tongue scraping – Ayurveda is a 5,000 year old traditional medicine originating from the Indian subcontinent, which has inspired some of the most popular wellness trends.
Before you can finish saying the words “wellness trend” everyone is crazy about almond milk, circadian rhythms, intermittent fasting, energy balls, and adding turmeric to everything while talking about how these practices change their lives and that’s great.
Did you know though, that all of these seemingly new wellness trends can ALL be traced back to the ancient Ayurvedic health system? And this brings us to the biggest mistake you can make when practicing Ayurveda or if you are thinking about incorporating it into your lifestyle.
Being a true Ayurveda practitioner is more than jumping on any new wellness craze. What about Ayurveda being a sister philosophy to yoga and understanding the cycles of nature and the power of elements?
What some practitioners do incorrectly, is take it too far with every “new” remedy they hear about. It’s called extremism. They forget balance is the solution for living well. The dose makes the medicine or the poison. Did you know that an innocent fruit like an apple contains amygdalin in its seeds, and that pears contain very small amounts of formaldehyde? These are natural chemicals which are toxic for humans, but are found in fruit in very small quantities, far below the harmful dose.
It’s the same way with Ayurveda and any modern or traditional health practice – overdoing it becomes harmful.
So it’s time to take a break.
Listen to your body and find out what you really need.
Don’t crawl out of bed to go to a HIIT class if you are not in the mood. Practice gentle yoga instead. A simple series of sun salutations still works every single muscle in the body.
Don’t push bone broth down your throat if it makes you nauseous.
Sleep, rest, and eat before anything.
Learn how to be and only then focus on doing.
Less is more, and not only in art and design.
Doing less is an attitude you should instill in more aspects of your life, starting with the adoption of wellness trends.
Sometimes doing more is a false economy; because you are busy, you feel like you are being more productive. Sometimes the BEST thing you can do, is actually to stop and reflect and take a moment and you will find you will gain way more than that time back later in increased energy, increased productivity, better sleep, improved mood etc.
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