AYURVEDA & ME - SECOND EDITION

I was contemplating giving each blog a name but there is still a little piece of me that likes numbers and I know that satisfaction will come from seeing the edition number grow!

The previous blogs that I pubished on my website had been pulled together when I first set myself up last year– I had that need to have tangible ‘stuff’ available on my website. They came together easily but I hadn’t given them much thought in terms of audience or continuity. This new series of Ayurveda & Me has more purpose and structure. It has a better place both in my head & notebook (yes, I write this out first with pen and paper to stay aligned with my goal of spending less time attached to electronics). NOTE - I don’t edit this too hard so please enjoy / tolerate my waffle and typos!

This edition will include a little more about my own Ayurvedic journey and also provide some information on Ayurvedic concepts and looking at how you can better understand your own unique being. Whether you are interested in learning about Ayurveda or simply looking for a more natural way to live or heal I have you covered.

I recently posted about Sadhana on both Instagram and Facebook. Sadhana is a disciplined and dedicated practice or learning. I have also spoken a little about silence and stillness being my words for 2025. Being comfortable with silence is freeing and with practice becomes easier.

This blog series is my offering to you, a chance to see how Ayurveda is weaved into my life & how you can apply these principles to your own life.

A daily practice requires dedication and consistency to truly reap its benefits, supporting personal growth & development. Any daily routine builds a foundation for growth. This dedication will in turn provide so many benefits to your short and long term health and wellbeing. Consistency is key to all practices, it is better to be realistic about the time you can commit to right now. The beauty of Ayurveda is that it meets you where you are now, no prerequisites, if a minute or two is all you have available then it is better than not starting at all. You can begin your own practice with just a few minutes in the morning, some slow, deep breathing (either seated or lying down). It can be that simple.

It is best to shake the image of sitting in a perfect lotus position for long periods of time to meditate. Everyone’s practice will look different, my lack of flexibility means I sit on a cushion and prop up with yoga blocks (books or more cushions work too), I am usually wearing pyjamas and not fancy yoga pants, this is your practice and yours alone so be comfortable.

Sadhana is one of my Spring topics and while it seems like a small and simple thing to implement its power should not be underestimated. Equally simple things can also be the most challenging to implement. Before I started Agni Therapy as part of my training with Hale Pule I threw myself into the dietary elements with full on commitment. I gave up coffee overnight and began eating completely Ayurvedically. I had some resistance to get started with my daily practice, I already had a dinacharya (daily routine) that incorporated things like tongue scrapping and oil pulling but the spiritual side provided a blocker. I meditated regularly but it was a very loose practice. In my head I wanted my new ‘zen den’ to be perfect before I started but I had to ask myself what was I really waiting for? Another Himalayan salt lamp to arrive, a bit more decluttering, where would Buddha sit, more or less candles? I mean none of these things mattered, there was nothing stopping me apart from myself! So, the following Monday morning I began my new practice in the zen den.

Of course, it wasn’t perfect (and it still isn’t now) but that’s not the point. I spent plenty of time rewinding Myra’s video’s on pranayama and worrying if counting in my head was a good or bad thing…but over time my Sadhana has become the foundation of my day. I feel both grounded and energised afterwards.All healing starts from within, our body and mind heal everyday but we must create the right environment for it to do its job effectively. Our modern lives are chaotic and over stimulating so it is more important than ever to go within to build inner strength. Breathwork alone and sitting in silence promotes healing.

This is a simple and free way to bring some calm to your life. To introduce Ayurveda gently into your life….

So, a little more about Ayuveda....

The word Ayurveda (a Sanskrit word) can sometimes feel off putting, it is not commonly known in the Western world and can feel alien. Ayurveda translates as the science of life. Ultimately it is a way of living and being, it isn’t a trend and it doesn’t require expensive equipment or fancy ingredients. In fact, Ayurveda is more about keeping things simple.

We are meant to live in alignment with nature so lets start there….

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Nature moves in cycles, its rhythms are evident as day turns into night, through the seasons and even our own life cycle.

There are five natural elements in the universe. Ether, Air, Fire, Water and Earth. Each of these are present in all of us in varying levels and are also present in everything in nature. We all have our own unique balance of these natural elements which I will talk about more in my next post.

Once you understand the qualities of these elements it becomes easier to identify what you see and experience in life. These five natural elements are found in the three doshas that make up our unique constitution. I am Pitta dominant…more on that at another time…

Vata dosha consists of Ether and Air

Pitta dosha consists of Fire and Water

Kapha dosha consists of Water and Earth

A key concept in Ayurveda is that like attracts like and opposites bring balance. As an example, if my dominant Pitta dosha is out of balance eating hot spicy food or laying in the midday sun will increase that imbalance whereas if I by choosing cooling food and activities I am able bring myself back into balance more easily. Our mind and body are both impacted by everything we consume with our senses (not just the food we eat), understanding your own constitution and how to maintain that balance is essential for optimal health. Once we understand and observe these qualities in both ourself and our environment we can make better choices.

We are already heading in the second quarter of 2025 (or for some the first quarter). And while my best laid plans were sent off course when out puppy arrived there is still a reasonable amount of success to be recognised. Our own expectations can cause us to feel despondent. My initial plan was to complete the training program that I am working on but I felt like that needed a dedicated space both physically and emotionally that I didn’t have available. After reflecting on what I wanted to achieve and what was possible I gave myself permission to let that flow and grow in its own time. It wasn't about giving up, it was acceptance. Letting go of that goal allowed me the space to get this blog started. I often wonder who it will reach and what people will think (not just those reading it but also those that know me personally – it probably isn’t something they expected from me. I sometimes struggle with the idea of being an Ayurvedic Health Advisor too, a little bit of impostor syndrome going on, a little bit of worry that no one will want to listen or learn and also a little bit of ego driven desire for my goals to be successful (and yes I still have to work on letting go of my ego...).

Pulling up my big girls pants and just doing this is tremendously liberating, its done now, its out there and I am loving it! My entire career had been so regulated and controlled. The finance sector is in itself highly regulated, everything I did had a tight timetable and lets face it, it is a rinse and repeat exercise quarter after quarter. Of course regulations change, environments change and systems change but I have never felt so free. It is now breeding its own level of creativity – which I think explains the need to birth this blog. Feeling passionate about sharing this ancient wisdom but fearing no one is willing to listen but at the same time it is providing me with the perfect platform to get a little creative. I genuinely feel like I have nothing to lose.

This series will have a little structure, there will be some seasonal topics and themes but the rest will be loose. I don’t want to commit to perfect regularity but rather let it flow out onto paper as it arises. I am also very open to covering topics that readers are interested to learn about, you are very welcome to contact me via email (claire@innernourishment.co.uk) or Instagram or Facebook (links below)

If you haven’t joined my new Facebook group, head over there too. It’s called Inner Nourishment. It was an idea I toyed with for a while, I wasn’t keen to join Facebook at all, it goes against the grain somewhat and I wanted to spend less time at the computer or on a phone.

Before I sign off this edition I just wanted to give a shout out to Lorna Blanchard. Lorna runs two amazing businesses, Heart Centred Business and Nourish Your Family. You can find her on Instagram under those handles. Her next networking meet up for Heart Centred Business is 24th April but I would imagine that is fully booked now, her other upcoming dates are 12th June and 21st August. If you are working from a heart centred place and are within reach of Copford in Colchester, I would highly recommend joining Lorna's sessions. She is my Earth Mother role model and her meetings have provided me with so much support during my early days in this new space. Much appreciated Lorna!

Welcome to the second edition of Ayurveda & Me !

The qualities we find in these natural elements all have an opposite and are called the gurvadi gunas. These are 20 qualities, 10 sets of opposites. These are aligned with each Dosha, you can begin to see how these energetic qualities can be brought back to balance.