Hi Reader, I was in Colorado recently for my nephew Sid’s wedding (Sid also happens to be the person behind much of the web work for my business). Weddings have a way of bringing together people from all the different parts of our lives. Family comes from near and far. People you haven't seen for years suddenly appear in front of you. There are long conversations, short conversations, old stories and new ones. And, in this case, some very big Colorado skies. Not long before the wedding, I had...
10 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, There is something about August that always makes me want to do a little less. Actually, if I'm being honest, this feeling usually starts before August 1. Lately, I have been waking up and thinking, I don't really want to do that today. Not in a dramatic way. I still have things to do. I still teach, write, answer emails, make plans, cook food, take care of the house, and show up for the people I love. But my body seems to have other ideas. My body is on a beach vacation in Italy....
25 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, My nineteen-year-old daughter has spent the last three summers working as a lifeguard. On hot afternoons, the community pool is full—lap swimmers, children splashing, inflatable slides, parents chatting in lawn chairs. The lifeguards watch. Last summer she saved someone's life. She didn't think to tell me until two weeks later. I remember being stunned by what she had done. As her mother, I don't think I'll ever look at lifeguards quite the same way again. A few days ago I read...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Last Sunday afternoon, my kitchen became a little canning factory. For hours, I blanched and peeled peaches, stirred bubbling pots, sterilized jars, got a few steam burns on my arms, and listened for that satisfying pop as each lid sealed. When I finished, the counter was lined with jars of peach jam and preserves. Looking at them now, I realize I wasn't just preserving peaches. I was preserving a season. Ayurveda teaches us to live in rhythm with nature. Summer gives...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Every July, my front yard becomes a sea of lavender. A sea of lavender in my front yard—one of summer's simplest joys. One of the things I love most about lavender is that the deer leave it alone. Here in San Rafael, they wander through our neighborhood almost every night, nibbling roses, fresh shoots, and just about everything else—especially if it's pretty. But they walk right past the lavender. Its strong aromatic oils and naturally bitter taste tell the deer everything they...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Every summer, my neighbor's peach tree reminds me that abundance often comes with a little urgency. Harvest time! One branch from my neighbor's peach tree reaches into my yard. One rather large branch stretches over the fence into my yard, and every July I find myself picking peaches just a little earlier than I'd like. If I wait for perfect tree-ripeness, the birds and squirrels usually beat me to them. Life is like that sometimes. We wait for the "perfect" time to eat better,...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, One of my favorite things about summer is that it naturally invites us to explore. We visit family, travel to new places, take road trips, hop on airplanes, and step away from our usual routines. Travel can be incredibly nourishing—but it can also leave us feeling a little…off. Read the Ayurveda Travel practices Have you ever returned home from a wonderful trip feeling grateful and happy, but also tired, scattered, or like you’re having a hard time settling back into your normal...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, People often tell me, "I can't meditate because I can't stop thinking." From an Ayurvedic perspective, that's like saying, "I can't exercise because my muscles get tired." The mind thinks. That's what it does. Meditation isn't about eliminating thoughts. It's about changing your relationship with them. Ayurveda recognizes that our minds, like our bodies, have different constitutions. Some people have minds that move quickly from one idea to the next. Others become intensely focused...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, As I write this, we're standing right at the threshold of summer. The days are longer. The sun is stronger. Schedules seem to get busier. Children are finishing school, vacations are being planned, and many of us are feeling pulled outward after the quieter rhythms of winter and spring. In Ayurveda, this seasonal transition is important. Summer is associated with the qualities of heat (even in the cooler San Francisco climate), intensity, brightness, and activity. These qualities...
3 months ago • 1 min read