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7 Pillars of Wellness

The 7 Pillars of Wellness is Ayurveda’s holistic and structured approach to wellness.


The summer is upon us as the days seem to get hotter and drier. I am now recalling my days in June at the Sohum Healing Resort in the cool Blue Ridge Mountains atop Elk Mountain in Asheville. The Blue Ridge is a place of sanctuary, for rejuvenation and healing. The sound of "So Hum" echoed through the mountains, danced on the wind, swam in the streams and lived through my breath.


"So Hum" is an ancient mystical chant that whispers the secrets of the universe calling us to embark on a journey of self-discovery. It has become my mantra with inbreath and outbreath; by bringing awareness to this mantra through breath, we bring awareness of our union with the divine. Practice it. Breathing in whisper “So” and breathing out whisper “Hum”. So Hum: I am He/She/That...I am Divine.


Fully now in Pita season, we continue to hydrate and keep cool. Eating seasonally, taking rest in the shade, and developing rituals will aid our wellbeing. Ayurveda has spoken of the power of ritual for thousands of years. The 7 Pillars of Wellness is Ayurveda’s holistic and structured approach to wellness. Each of the seven pillars are rooted in Ayurvedic concepts supporting a daily ritual (dinacharya) that ultimately supports and maintains wholeness through all the years of our being.


Rituals can be simple and beautiful, perhaps spending time developing your own daily or morning rituals will bring wholeness to your being. Here are the 7 Pillars:


  • Nutrition…Having a balance of all six tastes in your diet supports a balance in the body of all elements and functions. Chocolate has three of the six tastes; add orange zest and you have four and finish with ginger for the other two.

  • Cleanse…Removal of natural buildup of wastes that clog our channels. Our body does this daily through urination, bowel movements and sweating. Drink a glass or two of hot water in the morning. This will support urination and awaken your bowels.

  • Move…Spend time throughout the day with your yoga mat with awareness of your breath, mind and body. Morning rituals of appropriate movement extending throughout the day will keep prana flowing.

  • Sleep…Beyond the many benefits of physical sleep, it is important to balance our solar energy with the surrounding nature of lunar energy. Darkness, heaviness, warmth and silence are all balancing qualities to bring deep sleep. Aromatherapy, lavender, are ways to bring some of the qualities to your body at bedtime.

  • Connection…true connection is true complete and undivided presence. Listening and speaking become one when your heart and the heart of another become one. There is no judgement or expectation, just love. Gratitude is the simplest most profound way to activate presence. Practice by sending a gratitude card or two to special people.

  • Inspiration…. spend some time each day reading about a new way of thinking or a new perspective on a subject. Feeding this part of ourselves is essential to keeping our mind, body and spirit fresh and clear and ready for growth.

  • Peace…create a space for a few minutes daily by sitting and looking at the beauty around us. After a few minutes close your eyes and hear “So Hum” ebb and flow in your breath.

“When sound, breath and awareness come together, it becomes light” V. Ladd


On May 28, eight of us enjoyed cooking a plant-based lunch and gathering around the table to eat and reflect. We made sweet potato/black bean burgers, cucumber salad, chickpeas salad, one pot lasagna soup, banana chocolate muffins, sundried tomato cashew cream, pickled red onions, and chocolate mousse pie. Follow the links below for a couple of recipes. Watch for the next class, you get knowledge, lots of food for lunch and great fellowship with fellow Yogis.



 

One-Pot Lasagna Soup



INGREDIENTS

  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for sautéing

  • 1 medium onion, diced

  • 3 cups vegetable broth, or a combination of 1-1/2 cups water and 1-1/2 cups broth

  • 3 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1/2 cup dried brown lentils

  • One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, with liquid

  • 1/2 cup red wine

  • 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano

  • 1/2 tablespoon dried basil

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 1/2 pound lasagna noodles, broken into pieces

  • Salt and white pepper (optional)

  • Tofu ricotta* or cashew cream

  • Basil Leave for garnish


DIRECTIONS

  1. In a large soup pot, sauté the onion in olive oil until tender, about 6-8 minutes.

  2. Place next four ingredients (vegetables broth, garlic, lentils, and tomatoes) into the pot. Bring it to a boil and then reduce to medium low heat to simmer for 20 minutes.

  3. Stir in wine, herbs, and spices and simmer for 20 more minutes.

  4. While the broth is simmering, cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions.

  5. Add lasagna noodles to the soup; add salt and pepper to taste.

  6. remove from heat and ladle into individual bowls.

  7. Serve with generous dollop of tofu ricotta or cashew cream and garnish with basil.


COOKING TIPS

*To make tofu ricotta blend 1 pound extra-firm tofu (drained and patted dry) with 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon basil, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice until combined; stream in extra-virgin olive oil until you obtain the consistency that you want. If too thick, add water, one table-spoon at a time to thin out. Add salt and white pepper to taste.





Sweet Potato Black Bean Burger



INGREDIENTS


The Patty:

  • 1 ½ cups rolled oats

  • 1 cup peeled, mashed, cooked sweet potato

  • 1 cup mashed black beans

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • 2 teaspoons onion powder

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

  • ½ teaspoon chipotle powder, optional

  • Oil for cooking


The Buns:

  • 4 whole-wheat burger buns


The Sauce:

  • ¼ cup toasted pepitas

  • ¼ cup good-quality salsa verde


The Toppings:

  • 1 avocado, sliced

  • ½ cup loosely packed sliced kale

  • Pickled or thinly sliced raw red onion*


DIRECTIONS

  1. To make the patties, pulse the rolled oats in a food processor until coarsely ground and set aside.

  2. Combine the sweet potato, black beans, salt, and spices; then incorporate the ground oats.

  3. Let this sit for about 5 minutes so flavors can marry.

  4. Form the mixture into 4 patties.

  5. In a skillet, heat a thin layer of oil over medium heat.

  6. Add the patties and fry on both sides until crisp, about 4 minutes per side.

  7. To make the sauce: Puree the pepitas and salsa verde in a food processor or blender and set aside.

  8. Build your burger: Mash the avocado and spread on the bottom bun. Then, add your patty and top with the pepita sauce. Finish off the burger with kale and red onion, then the top bun.


COOKING TIPS

*To pickle red onions, submerge them in white vinegar with a generous pinch of salt for at least 6 hours.

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