How to Live an Ayurvedic Lifestyle with a Tantric Mindset
By Krupa Balasubramanya - June 2, 2020
In previous posts, we have covered both the benefits of an ayurvedic lifestyleand a tantric life philosophy, but we have yet to discuss how the two can be incorporated together. In case you’re new to the party or simply need a refresher, here are a few basic facts: Ayurveda is a holistic approach to healing and wellnessthat has been practiced for thousands of years around the globe. Tantra is a joyful tradition based on love and self-acceptance, which emphasizes a view of the world in which all energy, all activity and all feeling originate as expressions of the divine. Ayurveda has two main goals: to keep the body’s energies, or doshas, at equilibrium, thereby ridding oneself of disease and welcoming optimal health; and to use health as the basis for enlightenment. Tantra Is unique to this in that its main goal is to have no goal at all; rather, emotional presence and existence are celebrated, savored and enjoyed. A simpler way to think of this is that where Ayurveda is concerned with the body, Tantra is concerned with the mind. Both are concerned with the spirit, which is what makes their practical partnership such a spiritual necessity to the enlightened one’s health and wellness journey! A typical ayurvedic lifestyle emphasizes the prevention of disease and other ailments through healthy daily routines that keep the body as balanced as possible. This might include nasal cleansing with a netti pot, eating for your dosha, herbal treatments, an optimal sleep schedule and meditation. All of these things, when practiced together, will lead to improved health and well-being, but can be a bit too much to bite off all at once if you’re new to the game. Such is the beauty of combing tantra with an ayurvedic practice! The journey becomes less about perfection or instant results and more about addressing the root of the body’s actual needs and desires. While it is important to set goals and to reach them, when the psychological self is free to pursue goals without the pressure of achievement, the physical self is even more likely to perform. This is because a true Ayurvedic mindset believes that the human soul takes on any and all manifestations of the mind-body complex. They are wholly linked and cannot be independent of each other. To take care of the psychological self is to take care of the physical self and vice versa. As David Frawley states in his book Body, Mind & Spirit, “The body itself is a mental organism, a vehicle of perception designed to support the functions of the senses and to facilitate experience by the mind. Any breakdown in bodily function has its root in the perceptual process and results from wrong use of the senses. Too much, too little or wrong use of the senses results in wrong actions that cause us eventual pain. To understand how our body functions, we must also see how we use our minds.” According to the National Science Foundation, as many as 80 percept of our thoughts throughout any given day are completely negative in nature. All of that negativity serves to wear away at one’s mental health and throw off the body’s equilibrium. This is why as a simple way to start your tantric approach to an ayurvedic lifestyle, we suggest you begin by simply turning inward and creating a daily practice of love and self-acceptance. Focus on setting SMART goals; that is, goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, timely. Deciding to immediately eat according to your dosha and do an hour of yoga five days a week may be specific, but it may not be achievable or realistic. Instead, try a few of the below:
For the next two weeks, I will take five minutes every day to write out what I like about myself, what I’m thankful for and what I did to make someone else more positive for that day.
For the next three weeks, I will wake up 30 minutes earlier than I usually do so that I can mindfully prepare myself a hot breakfast without rushing.
For the next three months, I will choose one night each week to completely unplug from the world and focus on myself and my needs. Maybe I’ll go for a walk or maybe I’ll just take a hot bath, but I won’t be telling social media about it. The only validation I need is my own.
Whatever you choose to do, just remember: In the end, no one else can heal you but yourself. You may choose to seek assistance from a qualified professional or hit up your favorite self-help literature, but you are the one who needs to do the work. You can heal yourself! And Alpha Hearts is here to help. Drop us a line or slide into our DM’s and we are ready and eager to help you mindfully set goals and begin a journey toward becoming your most magical self. Did this post speak to your heart or teach you something new? Alpha Hearts still has spots available to welcome new clients into our community! Email me if you’re ready to find the Connection, Love, Growth, and Support that will allow your inner self to fully shine and embrace all that your life has to offer you! Alpha Hearts supports your life’s journey with Numerology, Ayurveda, and Tantra. Did you love this post? Consider sending us a little love back! Visit here to donate to Alpha Hearts now!