To cleanse or not to cleanse?

It’s fall and folks are talking about kitchari cleansing. Just do it?

A big problem I see often: people want to take on a cleansing diet, but keep the same rigorous lifestyle. This is a no-go. Rest is an essential aspect of Ayurvedic cleansing. If the attention and senses are going outward all day, this activity requires nourishment- juice won’t cut it. The inner channels, which may indeed be in need of a sweep-and-mop will not receive the body’s care when the attention is outward most of the time.

It is not a more-cleansing-is-better kind of thing, and there are many individual factors to consider about how best to improve life. Cleansing can also be a clearing of old habits, energy patterns, or messy desk space. The point is to slow down enough to take stock of your daily rhythms, your diet, and your dinacharya practices and see how they are serving you.

Seasonal Recipe: Yogi Tea

I recently served this tea to my yoga students and was inundated with recipe requests, so here it is, a caffeine-free fall cup.

½ tsp cinnamon powder or 1 stick
1 tsp coriander powder
½” piece of fresh ginger, diced into sticks
1 petal of star anise (not a whole star) 
½ tsp fennel seed
2 Tbsp jaggery (evaporated cane juice AKA Sucanat, coconut sugar works too) 

Boil all of the above in 32 ounces of water, then turn down to simmer for 15-20 minutes. Stir to make sure the sweetener isn’t stuck to the bottom. 

Strain and serve.