What are Sattvic Foods?

In general, a sattvic diet is primarily plant-based and focuses on organic, whole, natural fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts,  seeds, and grains that are grown in harmony with nature. Sattvic foods are generally sweet, fresh, light, nourishing, and aromatic and create feelings of contentment, joy, and aliveness after digesting them. Sattvic foods keep the body lean and healthy and make the mind clear and sharp.

Work on adding the sattvic foods listed below to promote and support a yogic lifestyle. Eating more of these foods will support your meditative, spiritual, and yogic practices:

1. Fresh fruit

Packed with prana (life force energy) and antioxidants, fresh fruit can form up to 50% of a yogis diet. All fruit that is sweet, fresh, and organic is considered sattvic, so adding more fruit is the easiest and most effective way to make your diet more yogic. Minimize frozen, dried, or preserved fruit in favor of fresh and in-season fruit. You...

Indian tradition teaches that our Prana, or life force, is delivered through energetic pathways, or Nadis, in the body. The human body has 72,000 Nadis which converge in the 7 chakras. with the most predominant being the Ida and Pingala.

The Ida Nadi is the feminine, creative, moon, receptive energy conduit, running from the base of the spine, alongside the spinal column, up the back of the skull, and culminating in the left nostril. The Pingala nano is the more masculine Nadi, channeling action-oriented, sun, directive energy throughout the body, This Nadi also runs from the base of the spine up the spin and head, and culminates in the right nostril. Ida is the Shakti, Pingala the Shive. Ida is the right brain, Pingala is the left brain. In this visible world, the duality of Ida and Pingala, masculine-feminine, sun-moon, dark-light are woven into everything we see.

However, humans also have a central nadi, the Sushumna, or spinal column, which is empty, neutral. As Sadhguru...

This week our friend Jamilah hosted a workshop here at AmaSer to awaken kundalini energy. Coach Mel and Jameelah Nuriddin guided our  through "KAP," or Kundalini Awakening Process, along with Yoga Nidra, to both awaken and move root fire energy through the bodies of participants.

KAP, or Kundalini Awakening Process, is a "transmission of life force energy", and a gentle, passive way to awaken this powerful energy which rests at the base of the spine. Though kundalini energy can be awakened through yoga, meditation, breathwork, and movement, KAP practitioners channel this energy, allowing others to receive this help while in a 'yogic sleep' state, or Yoga Nidra. 

Energy in nature and in our bodies needs to move. When our energy is in fast motion, we feel "higher vibrations" in our emotions and in our bodies. Think of a waterfall, a rushing river, a thunderstorm, or a ray of light. All are fast-moving, cleansing, healing, and these fast-moving energies elevate our...

1. How to surrender to the flow of things 

The town of Puerto Viejo, the home of AmaSer, is located on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica near Panama. Here in Costa Rica, things flow a bit more loosely than you may be accustomed to. Picture it like a bottle of honey: in warmer climates, things flow a bit more freely! Plans often rely on the presence of sunshine, and as Costa Rica is a tropical country, the rainfall comes down quickly and heavily on the turn of a dime. It usually doesn't last long, but you may find yourself needing to take shelter in a cafe, restaurant, or store for some time which may change your outdoor plans for the day. Costa Rica wouldn't be nearly as lush and gorgeous without the rain nourishing all of the greenery, so try to be patient and accepting when those moments do arrive. 

2. How to say some basic sentences in Spanish

Most areas of Costa Rica have an amazing mix of people from all over the world, including other parts of...

Craniosacral therapy (CST) is a gentle bodywork technique that relieves tension in the central nervous system by applying light touch to the head, neck and back. This article will look over the science behind and the benefits of craniosacral therapy.

Developed in the 1970s by John Upledger, a doctor of osteopathy, CST is a non-invasive, hands-on therapy that enhances the body’s healing capabilities.

The light touch affects the pressure and circulation of cerebrospinal fluid— the fluid around the brain and spinal cord, relieving pain and dysfunction.

Evidence on craniosacral therapy shows it can be used as a treatment on its own or combined with other medical or alternative therapies.

Now that we’re clear on what craniosacral therapy is, what are the benefits of this alternative treatment, and what conditions can it help improve?

Benefits of Craniosacral therapy

Firstly, by relieving compression in the head, neck and back, CST can alleviate pain and release physical...

When life gets away from us, clawing our way back out usually seems like an insurmountable task. The overestimation of the road ahead douses so many flames and drags capable people deep into a rut. 

It makes bad situations worse, augments self-doubt, and encourages self-destructive habits and negative thinking. If left unchecked, a rut can quickly (and often does) turn into a downward spiral, ending at rock bottom. 

OK, that might be a bit melodramatic, but you get what I’m saying. When we let what could be a bump in the road define our self-worth, things can get pretty hairy down the line.

The good news is that ruts are normal. They happen to everyone – from Tom Brady to Nelson Mandela. 

So, without further ado… Whaddya gonna do about it?

Acceptance

Image source: FreePik

The solutions that follow cannot be accomplished without first accepting the situation. Many people find this the most challenging step, as easy as it sounds. 

...

Benefits of yoga for mental health | Mental Health Awareness Month 

Over the last decade or so, we've seen a massive increase in mental health awareness. More and more people are speaking up about mental health issues and how "it's ok not to be ok". Mental health in the workplace is also gaining in importance, with many employers addressing the issue and implementing measures to make sure employees are happy at work. The COVID-19 pandemic also pushed forward the topic. Many countries were forced to step up their mental health services and support after the WHO WHO a 25% increase in the global prevalence of anxiety and depression.  

So, for this Mental Health Awareness Month (May in the USA), we wanted to talk about how yoga can significantly improve your mental health and quality of life. 

Research shows daily yoga practice can significantly improve mental health 

Yogis have known this for (thousands of) years, but the rest of the world is catching on:...

If you’ve ever attended a yoga class at AmaSer, or browsed our delicious smoothie menu, you’ve probably seen or heard a reference to the chakras. Other words that usually come hand in hand with chakras are ‘blocked’, ‘open’ and a range of body parts and colours. Read on if you’d like to discover more about the seven chakras and how they relate to yoga! 

What is a chakra? 

The concept of chakras is embedded into the ancient tradition of Hinduism. The Vedas, ancient and sacred texts of spiritual knowledge which date back over 3,000 years, have mention of chakras. In recent years, chakras have become more widely known, with the increase in popularity of yoga.  

chakra is an ancient Sanskrit word that means "spinning wheel". In yoga, the chakras are intersections, or wheels, of the body’s energy channels. According to the concept, these energy fields that surround the body make up the physical human body...

The decision not to eat animal-based foods has been present in human societies for a long time–like, 2,000 years type of long. Ancient Indian communities were well known for following strict vegan diets. In Ancient Greece, the mathematician Pythagoras of Samos (known for his theorem on right angles) was famous for more than his geometrical genius. 

Pythagoras believed that animals had souls and that eating them prevented union with a higher form of life. Many other philosophers of the past labeled meat as a decadence that leads to war and suffering. 

After cropping up in many groups worldwide and in the west, veganism finally caught a tailwind straight into modern mainstream culture. In the 2010s, it took off. Today, countless celebrities and people of all backgrounds are adopting the lifestyle. 

Here are some of the benefits of cutting out animal-based foods.

Nutrient-rich foods increase overall well-being

It should go without saying that when your body gets...

It came to the west and caught like a cold. There's something about yoga that arouses people's curiosity. It might be the spiritual aspect or the promise of a challenging workout; perhaps it's the touted health benefits that have people landing on the mat and twisting themselves into funny poses. Whatever lights that fire, curiosity is quickly extinguished by doubt.

Yoga beginners commonly feel like outsiders looking in or imposters imposing on other people's space. That's classic monkey mind behavior. Give that monkey a banana and tell it to chill because we've got you covered. 

Don't Compare Yourself to Others

If there's a universal hindrance to progress in any field, it's measuring yourself against the abilities of others. All that energy you waste being jealous or thinking of how long the road ahead is will be better spent making this moment the best it can be. 

When the mind starts straying into feelings of doubt, it hands the reins over to uncontrollable forces of...