Diamond Way Ayurveda

Essential Oils and Ayurveda

2012-01-13T17:19:00.000-08:00

We have recently read an article from an Ayurvedic practitioner warning people off of the use of essential oils other than in the form of inhalants and incenses. The claim is that as the essential oil is the fire element of the plant, that across the board, they will aggravate pitta dosha if ingested either in foods or in products applied to the body.

The warning is a good one, in so far as in the West we tend to think that if a little is good, more should be better. Thus there are people, even companies, which encourage people to use essential oils with little discrimination or reservation. I for one can attest to what happens when too much is used in a product. While visiting a spa in Australia, a technician who did not know the proportions of how much peppermint essential oil was to go in a seaweed body wrap froze me to the core. I shook for about 30 minutes. Worse still, it shut down my bowel function for 3 days!

But the fact is that when used in the dosages that are recommended by classically trained professional aromatherapists, this caveat need not be taken wholly to heart. For example in Tisserand's stellar works, one is given proper dilutions of essential oil to base oil, etc... And within the context of Ayurveda itself, I have attended a class with Dr. David Frawley who said that if the vaidyas had had access to essential oils the way we do today, they would have been using them rather than always using the decoction methods.

We are delighted that this issue has come up. It is a serious one. We hope that as Ayurveda develops in the west, that people will avail themselves of the knowledge it takes to use these gifts of nature properly.

SHORTAGES or ABUNDANCE, YOU CHOOSE

2011-11-18T12:52:00.001-08:00

     Like many mornings my day starts with a conversation with my husband and business partner about the just what HAS to be done today. Like many of you, we are a small business and to get things done we wear many hats in a day. So many in fact we have invented imaginary people and even named them who work for us. Viola does her best in the office, Juan is the warehouse manager, Laramie is the shipping queen and so on. It keeps us sane and gives us a way of voicing praise but more often disapproval of one anothers performance without the atmosphere getting too heavy. Mostly this happens from a shortage of time to do things as fully as either one of us would like. Time shortage is a reasonable difficulty for a small business, busy is good remember.

    But this is not what I am talking about today. Going back to this morning, I told Bob I just had to place a few orders before I got the house ready for my daughter and grandson to visit. When I use the world JUST it reminds me of my Dad. In our house a "just job" was like a "honey do......job".   In other words there was no JUST about it. That is how my morning went.

     I called to see if the rings for the Shirodhara equipment were ready. We work with a wonderful small local company and they have always been efficient and on time, not today. They are having a problem finding copper. Not copper at a great price, copper at any price. Ordinary copper bar has not been available for weeks apparently. The reason, China is buying it all. So much so that the company that make our beautifully designed copper lotas in India are just selling the raw material and not even bothering with manufacture anymore. After looking at alternatives that turned out to be twice the price, copper bar was found, production delayed but up and running again I am happy to say.

    Then I called for jojoba oil. Sorry none until February, I was told. Oh no, this is a first. They had a fire in the warehouse and stocks are low. Bad but not tragic. Another local business I am loyal too but I need oil. I started to call everyone I could find on the web, same story. My only source, one gallon for over $400. That is nearly six times the "normal" price. There is world wide shortage I was told. Why, I asked, thinking I know the Chinese need copper for all the cities they are building but jojoba oil, really. What to do? So far I don't have a solution. We are working on it. Will shortage be the next hurdle for small business? Let's all visualize abundance and once again be flexible.

2011-11-03T13:05:00.001-07:00

KansaFace Wand

What is it?
Imagine a small bronze saucer shaped disc about two inches in diameter with awooden handle attached so it looks a little like a pestle or a mortar andpestle used to grind herbs and spices.

How did we come to have them at Diamond Way Ayurveda? Many years ago now I meta beautiful Belgian girl who had learned an Ayurvedic foot massage techniquefrom an Ayurvedic doctor in Paris. For awhile his school provided us withlittle bronze bowls so we could show our students the benefits of this usualfoot massage technique they called Kansa Vataki. We then got a stronger toolwith a little handle. Unfortunately about half of those in any shipment camewith a broken handles. So that slowed us down a little. Then fate smiled on usand an Indian manufacturer contacted us. For a number of years he provided uswith a beautiful and consistent product and the foot massage we calledPedikarma(TM) caught on. With the sucess of this treatment our dear customersstarted to ask if this kansa could be used on other parts of the body. We toldthem there was not a tradition behind it but no harm in it either. We wonderedwhat was happening out there in creative spa therapy land when we got a calltelling us that the kansa worked miracles on the face, better that theelectronic machine that had just been purchased. This customer asked if asmaller kansa was a possibility. It was, and the kansa wand was born.

What does it do?
We think it is the best face massage tool on hte market it takes just minutes toeradicate stress, tiredness and give a gentle lift. It is a wonderful add onfor professional facials but equally easy to use for home use. You can use itanywhere, by which I mean at home, at work, in the car aswell as on your head,face, neck and shoulders. We hope spas will think of them for retail thisholidays.

How do we learn more about it?
Just email ayurveda8@earthlink.net or call866-303-3321 and we are happy to send out more information. If you are a visualtype we have a short DVD we can send that is $5 plus postage.

It is in other countries?
It is now officially in Australia distributed by our dear friends at HeritageHealers. We have had some interest in England too.

Against a background of the OCCUPY movement we have no idea what is in storefor our civilization but stress reduction and working togehter to help oneanother is always a good idea. Here is another of our contributions to thatcause.

Busy August

2011-08-01T16:39:00.000-07:00

So many events this month.

The Kansa Face Wand Class on August 7th, then Special Techniques, August 21st-23rd.
We also have a presentation with MedicineCrow Live on August 17th and you can click HERE to become part of the presentation.
Also, Melanie will give a talk for AAPNA on August 20th which you can learn more about by going to their SITE.

You can find more details from our site as well: http://www.DiamondWayAyurveda.com.

New Tread meets Ancient Knowledge

2011-02-28T16:33:00.000-08:00

It was expected that “wellness” would become a $1 trillion industry by 2010 with the fastest growing and most lucrative market sector in this market being anti-aging products and services. i am not sure if this figure was reached but we are definitely seeing more interested in organic products and supplements to support young looking skin. Is this trend being driven by baby boomers refusing to get old like their parents? Partly so, but it seems everyone from young teens to the thirty some things are also looking for the miracle cream or pill that will slow the hands of time. And, if you think it is just a girl thing, think again. A report published by the Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) in 2007 showed that the fastest growing segment of today’s wellness industry is the men’s cosmeceuticals.

Cosmeceuticals are topical cosmetics that are pharmaceutical hybrids intended to enhance health and beauty through ingredients that influence the skin’s biological function.

But it is not just we put on our skin that is fascinating us there is a growing interest in what is being called “nutria-cosmetics”. These are nutritional cosmetics, products you eat or drink, that promise to improve the results of a skincare routine by working from the inside.

You may think this is a new trend but for those of us interested Ayurveda we acknowledge that humans have been looking for what keeps us healthy, happy and deeply inspired from beginning less time. Indeed, one of the translations of the word Ayurveda is, the study of longevity or more simply out how to age well or look and feel good for as long as possible.

I was fascinated to discover just recently that hundreds of years old texts talk about the same the very same issues our modern cosmetics are designed to address. You may not recognize the Sanskrit terms but their translations come up in advertizing slogans all the time.

• Vayasthapana: age defying
• Varnya: brighten skin-glow
• Sandhaniya: cell regeneration
• Vranaropana: healing
• Tvachya: nurturing
• Shothahara: anti-inflammatory
• Tvachagnivardhani: strengthening skin metabolism, and
• Tvagrasayana: retarding aging.

Ayurvedic texts mentions over 200 herbs, minerals and oils to maintain and enhance the health and beauty of the skin and these same ancient texts describe in detail how they should be applied or ingested. Packs, oils, herbal waters, powders of every kind were offered to promote ageless skin by tonifying, smoothing imperfections, and increasing hydration level, thus restoring a radiant and healthy look. You can find a number of these recipes in either of my books, Ayurvedic Beauty Care or Ayurvedic Spa. But, I would like to take this opportunity to offer a little more information about a few common Ayurvedic herbs and how they fit into the anti-aging puzzle by placing them in their ancient categories.

Vayasthapana means “maintaining youthfulness” or “arresting age”. These herbs nourish the skin and ensures its optimum physiological functions. Gotu-Kola is the foremost anti-aging herbs. One of its many properties is to enhance collagen synthesis thus supporting good skin tone.

Varnya means “youthful radiance”. This radiance or glow is one of the major signs of youthful skin according to Ayurveda. Herbs that are said to promote this glow include sandalwood powder, vetiver or khus, Indian madder or manjistha and Indian sarsaparilla or anantmul.

Sandhaniya means “protection from normal wear and tear”. These herbs are healing and regenerative for the skin. A commonly used herb in this category is Sensitive Plant or lajjalu which is said to enhance healing and regeneration of the nerves by 30 to 40%. Shea nut oil and meadowfoam seed oil in our pitta face blend are also protective.

Vranaropana means deep healing. These herbs enhance deeper healing abilities in the skin. Both gotu kola and sensitive plant, and are known for their ability to heal wounds. In the west plantain would hold this position.

Tvachya means “enhancing and nurturing”. These herbs support moisture balance and provide overall nourishment to the skin. Gotu Kola, Silk Cotton Tree, Costus and Rose
Petal are among those most widely used for this purpose.

Feeding the skin properly is very important to prevent premature aging which is why we call our face oils skin food and encourage our clients to feed their face and body.

Shothahara means “anti-inflammatory”. Inflammation is considered to be the primary cause of aging; an inflamed site forms a micro-scar that over time develops into a wrinkle or blemish. By protecting the skin against allergens, inflammatory substances, chemicals and even stress, this group of herbs provide the anti-inflammatory effect, essential to all anti-aging formulations. Rose petal, Silk Cotton Tree and Aloe Vera are examples of common Shothahara herbs.

Tvachagnivardhani means to “enhance the luster of the skin” by enhancing the skin’s own metabolism. With age or poor health the body’s metabolism generally slows down; similarly the skin’s own metabolism also weakens. Enzymes that help digestion are disrupted and through indigestion primarily metabolic toxins are created. Ayurveda calls these toxins ama. Ama in the skin clogs the subtle channels, leading to wrinkles, dryness and color anomalies and other signs of aging. Clogged channels is also said to create dullness and lack of youthful glow. Application of gota kola improves circulation promoting inner cleansing of deep impurities, it helps prevent varicose veins, cellulitis, premature aging skin, and weakened immunity to allergens and many skin diseases.

Tvagrasayana means skin rasayan or “skin rejuvenator”. These include powerful herbal formulae designed to prevent sickness and retard aging of the skin. In these category amalaki, is supreme, being a potent antioxidant, rich in Vitamin C, tannins and gallic acid.

It seems like the latest trends in beauty, health and wellness sectors are giving rise to a new realm of possibilities for Ayurvedic practitioners. These are indeed interesting times and it will be fascinating to watch the rise in popularity of Ayurvedic herbs in cosmetics and supplements.

Indeed, Ayurveda offers vast amounts of information on principles of anti-aging, skin care and anti-aging herbs and we may it see this knowledge come forward first in the spa and beauty industry.

Are We Bothered about CO2 emissions?

2011-02-15T11:10:00.000-08:00

Being further north, nearer the icecap, an island nation,having a government that acknowledge global warming as something other than junk science and a freer media means that Brits get to hear some interesting stuff on the "Beeb", BBC radio four. If you are interested in informative, well research material about what our European neighbors are doing to be green, tune into the BBC through your computer.

Here are the action items I gleaned from a recent show. A longer piece will soon be in LNE magazine. Check out www.lneonline.com if you don't already get the magazine. Their most recent editor is waving the green flag and publishing about all sorts of holistic treatments. It is really worth a read. Great pictures too.

HOW HELP YOUR STAFF AND CLIENTS BE BOTHERED AND TAKE ACTION -Advise from British psychologists.

Paint a heavenly future when you talk about your green goals rather than describing the hell we all want to avoid. Pictures of gloom and doom turn us off, sap our energy and paralyze us rather than energizing us into action.

Talk about ordinary tangible things that the average client or staff member can choose to do. Don’t talk about tipping points, deadlines beyond which there is no hope. They are great to motivate serious funders that are used to planning on predicted numbers but totally freak out, bore or plain turn off the average person.

Introduce changes as being positive for everyone that are just plain common sense and demonstrate common ethical values. Don’t use saving money as the single motivator for change. This entrains people to make decisions that help our environment only if they are cost effective.

Be inclusive. Green initiatives, especially here in the US, are either thought of as hippie/environmentalist, liberal democrat especially as we had an ex-democratic vice President Al Gore presenting the movie, “An Inconvenient Truth” or even elitist. These habit changes must be something everyone can get on board with irrespective of social group, political persuasion or any other socio economic reason. Every spa can be green in some way.

Green must not be associated with austerity, not having, but having something better and more rewarding. We see this trend in magazines like Real Simple whose by line is cleverly, “life made easier, everyday”. Most of us thing easier is better . Let’s make green easy and better too.

Green must become the new glamorous. How about hosting what in Europe they are calling a “swishing party” which tries to replicate the buzz women get from clothes shopping, but in a carbon neutral way. Buying clothes from foreign countries accounts for about 10% of our carbon foot print. Green action must become fun and status-rich, rather than signing clients or staff up for a life of grim austerity, SWISH.

Talk to people, every client and staff member as if green actions are normal and the smartest thing to do for everyone, which they are of course. Marketing geniuses tell us clients don’t respond well to words like global warming, climate change, or even pollution. But interestingly everyone seemed to respond positively to working to take care of our deteriorating atmosphere. Even though CO2 is not poisonous breathe, maybe the intimacy of the very air we breathe is present and understandable so start there.

Use local examples. In Britain they had a campaign to highlight the melting northern ice cap with a jingle, whose punch line was, “Don’t make the polar bears cry”. It failed on two fronts. Firstly, people thought they had to be environmentalists to be concerned and secondly they believed the world of polar bears was a long way off and didn’t have much relevance to normal life of the average Brit.

Make every green suggestion sound and feel important. If the solutions offered in a message are too simple or painless such as turning off the lights or unplugging your phone charger, unintentionally we might be encouraging the idea the problem can't be that serious if the answers are so trivial and so not worth doing?

Do your part to connect clients with nature. People will value the natural world if they experience the bliss that this connection offers. Many destination spas are in beautiful places but even the small city bound day spa can have local flowers, fruits and skin care products. This approach is now being tested by WWF the World Wildlife Fund with projects like Natural Change in Scotland.

Give it a try.

SPICE AS MEDICINE

2011-02-08T09:50:00.000-08:00

As a new member of AAPNA (Association of Ayurvedic Professionals of North America) I decided to tune into their monthly free conference call. Unfortunately the advertised speaker had a bad sore throat that did not resolve in time for her to host the call so instead we had a "phone panel discussion".

I was so impressed by the level of expertise of the other callers but even more impressed by their willingness to ask the difficult questions that we so often overlook. I shared my enthusiasm for the Healing Spice book by Bharat Aggarwal Ph.D. which prompted a very interesting discussion.

Dr. Aggarwal was raised in India in a tradtional household that made use of Ayurveda but his higher degrees are from american universities and he is now involved in western research. I have found the book fascinating and I had no idea so many foods and spices were being studied for there possible medicinal benefits. Dr. Aggarwal is articularly famous for his ground breakiing research on turmeric. On the call the question came up, "Do you like the idea of clients taking turmeric in capsules?" The answer was interesting.

The thought is that if a capsule burst in an empty stomach it could irritate the stomach lining. Turmeric is better delivered in food, mixed as a tea or taken in milk if dairy foods are well tolerated by the client. The Ayurvedic idea is that you cannot just jump on one spice and start taking loads of it and see results. There is more to it than that. Also, interesting to hear the doctors on the call say if the researchers think they will get the same healing results by islolating the ingredients they think are the active ones in a spice, they will not. They may record great results initially but eventually taking just part of a spice, they will eventually see side effects like those that happen with other modern drugs. It reminds me of the slogan Dr. Lad taught me years ago, "Anything can be a medicine , but if it had side effects Ayurveda would not call it a medicine."

So Ayurvedic teachings ask us to understand that nature made spices whole and that is the way they should be used. Ofcourse, prevention is better than cure so please use spice in your food. Spice not only makes food taste great so your body is primed to digest but it brings prana into food and provides phytonutrients just not available in grains, fruits and vegetable, dairy and meat products alone.

I very much hope we will see a greater emphasis on cooking in Ayurvedic studies and that student will be encouraged to discover how people the world over use spice.

SPICE

2011-02-07T11:48:00.000-08:00

In his wonderful book Healing Spices, Dr. Bharat Aggarwal describes spices as, " the jewels of the plant kingdom". Meaning, they are the most precious foods that bestow health and promote healing in a variety of ways. He goes onto say, that most spices are powerful antioxidants that act in the body to control and disarm "free radicals" the very chemicals thought to damage cells and cause illness and aging. Many contain phytonutrients that calm inflammation another root cause of several deadly health problems such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and Alzheimer's. He discribes this process as fighting inner rust in the body, an image I love. Interestingly, recent research has found that cultures whose native diet makes regular use of spice have lower rates of colon cancer, heart disease and mental problems. We have all been led to believe that your five servings of fruit and veg is enough but apparently spices contain unique compounds that have been shown to

protect tissues against cancer
boost our immune systems
protect brain cells
ease arthritis pain
relax menstrual cramps
tame nausea
control appetite, helping weight loss
benefit and protect the skin

So get ready to spice up your life. Still not convinced?

I have to tell you this book is a fascinating read, the recipes are fantastic and original and the whole text inspired me to use even more spice on, in and around my body. Just a taste of the gems of wisdom Dr. Bharat has to share...

Acne- 500mg of turmeric twice a day

Age spots - blend of oil using essential oil of oregano

Depression- 15mg of saffron twice daily bet out Prozac in a good number of cases

Unwanted hair growth in women - 2 cups of spearmint tea during and five days after your menstrual cycle.

Interested now ? I've been glued to this book and it has prompted a search for more spicy ayurvedic skin care formulas. I'll keep you posted.

COFFEE - A HEALTH DRINK?

2011-02-02T12:56:00.000-08:00

If you are health conscious but still are attached to your morning cup of Jo you might be cheered to hear what Dr. Frank Hu of Harvard School of Public Health has to say about coffee.

“There is certainly much more good news than bad news,

in terms of coffee and health.”

The present studies are not completely conclusive because it is possible that coffee drinkers in general have better diets, exercise more or have protective genes. But, the findings are interesting and truly support the Ayurvedic idea that every substance can be healing. This is good news since the average American downs 416 eight ounce cups of the delicious java annually (2009 statistic) and it is thought to be the main source of antioxidants in much of the population. Here are 10 disorders that coffee may help or at least have a preventive function in terms of deducing risk factors.

1. Type II Diabetes: More than 15 studies point to the fact that the type of diabetes that is not inherited may benefit from coffee. Interestingly, decaf and full caffeine coffee have similar effects. Possibly because it is chlorgoenic acid found in coffee that is thought to be the active ingredient responsible. Though Dr. Hu thinks more ayurvedically, when he says,“It’s the whole package.” Coffee is rich in antioxidants -- nutrients that help prevent tissue damage caused by molecules called oxygen-free radicals. Coffee also contains minerals such as magnesium and chromium, which help the body use the hormone insulin, which controls blood sugar (glucose) the main difficulty in diabetes.

2. Cancer: According to the Harvard Health Publications of Harvard Medical School, studies have shown that those who drink coffee are 50 percent less likely to suffer from cancer. Most specifically studied were breast, rectal and colon cancers.

3. Parkinson’s Disease: Coffee has also been linked to lower risk of Parkinson’s disease, dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. A 2009 study from Finland and Sweden showed that, out of 1,400 people followed for about 20 years, those who reported drinking 3-5 cups of coffee daily were 65% less likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, compared with nondrinkers or occasional coffee drinkers. The reasons for this are still unclear and are not conclusive as other environmental factors have not been isolated.

4. Heart Problems: Possibly because coffee is actually a natural antioxidant source coffee is thought to help decrease risk factors for heart attack, stroke and heart rhythm disturbances. Antioxidants help to keep the blood clean, thus possibly helping to prevent high blood pressure and heart disease. But remember, these benefits were found in tests where men or women were drinking 1-3 cups of coffee a day, no more.

5. Cirrhosis of the Liver: Cirrhosis of the liver is a common ailment among alcoholics, though others can suffer from it too. Fortunately, several studies have shown that those who drink coffee regularly are 80 percent less likely to develop cirrhosis of the liver. Again we are not sure why but those coffee enemas deep clean the liver.

6. Losing Weight: Coffee really can get you doing in the morning. In fact, it boosts your metabolism which can also help to burn off calories. But only if you do get up and go! That combined with the fact coffee is naturally low in calories, makes coffee a prime drink for losing weight. It also helps with regular bowel movements, literally moving out dead weight. Just keep in mind it’s all the sugars and creams added to coffee that can make it fattening. A 6-ounce cup of black coffee contains just 7 calories. Add some half & half and you'll get 46 calories. If you favor a liquid nondairy creamer, that will set you back 48 calories. A teaspoon of sugar will add about 23 calories.

7. Asthma: Medicines for asthma almost always contain high does of caffeine because caffeine helps with the symptoms of asthma. So what’s more natural than coffee for a dose some caffeine?

8. Natural Diuretic: Need to shed a little water weight? If so, then you should try drinking coffee. Not only is coffee a natural diuretic, but it also naturally cleanses the stomach as it passes through. Beware, however, because this is not true for everyone; some people have shown to have upset stomachs after drinking coffee. So just try a little and see how your body reacts to it.

9. Gall Stones: Coffee apparently lowers the levels of cholesterol in stomach bile, thus helping to prevent the body from building up gall stones. Studies have shown this works best for those who drink lots of coffee.

10. Exercise: Coffee is even good for exercise. No, it won’t give you supper muscles, but the caffeine in coffee gives your body some extra energy, which can allow you to run or workout all that much longer, and possibly harder. As always, beware ingesting too much caffeine.

BE WARNED!
The effects on pregnant women drinking more than 12 ounces of coffee a day might increase the risk for miscarriage, low birth weight and premature delivery.

Drink a lot of coffee and you may head to the bathroom more often. Caffeine is a mild diuretic – that is, it makes you urinate more than you would without it. Some sources say you need to drink thee glasses of water to compensate for one cup of coffee. In Europe coffee is often served with a cup of hot water. Decaf on the other hand has about the same effect on urine production as water.

Decaf drinkers are more likely to be suicidal.

Both regular and decaffeinated coffee contain acids that can make heartburn worse.

CHECK OUT SHAKTI SHOTS

A new product coming soon from Diamond Way Ayurveda

It's a blend of liquid spice essences that make coffee taste great while buffering the strong effects of the coffee acids for a gentling of ht eimpact on the stomach and kidneys.

Ayurveda local or Indian?

2011-01-25T13:40:00.000-08:00

It has come up once this last week and it took me back a little then it came up again and that got me thinking. Ayurveda local or Indian?

The first time the question came up recently was when I was on a radio talk show. I was giving information about abhyanga and the use of various custom oils. I made the suggestion of mahanarayan oil to help comfort rheumatic joints. A caller came back with the request not for the best source of organic mahanarayan oil but what could I suggest that could be sourced more locally. I suggested ginger or garlic oil.

The second time was on an email contact from a company in Peru asking if using Ayurvedic spa techniques with local herbal oils and plant materials would be something I thought would be a viable idea.

My response in both cases is on the one hand, we are blessed to have Ayurveda because it is a very complete system of totally trust worthy principles and, on the other hand, I believe the spirit of Ayurveda calls us to apply these principles in our own lives, in our own way with the materials we find talk to us. So yes, I support the idea of oils made from local ingredients, and I think Amazonian Ayurveda would be fantastic. I am all for honoring the principles and discovering American Ayurveda or in my case Californian Ayurveda. I look forward to the day when I can get castor oil from Californian castor plants or understand our native plant medicine enough to heal ourselves.

My latest find is powdered plantain leaf form Mountain Rose herbals. It is a gentle facial exfoliant and terrific mask ingredient even for my very sensitive skin.

Let us know your Ayurveda Local remedies.

melaniesachs@earthlink.net

Benefits of a Good Hot Bath

2011-01-07T11:26:00.000-08:00

For the last two weeks I've been struggling with one of the nastiest, fluish colds I've ever experienced in my adult life. As I flopped around the house wondering what to do help myself some words of wisdom from my wonderful mother floated up in my consciousness. She would always say, "What you need is a nice cup of tea and good hot bath and you'll fell so much better." So that is exactly what I do. A herbal tea, a hot bath and an afternoon nap and I did feel so much better. So much so it really got me to thinking and feeling deep gratitude for the wonders of modern pumping. A hot bath was not something available in the average household a hundred years ago. You would have had to have been wealthy or near a natural hot springs to experience such a thing.
The benefits of bathing are talked about in Ayurvedic texts but they are also very much part of the European spa tradition. As I was mooning around unable to focus for long on anything I rediscovered the book, Inner Cleansing by Carlson Wade. It is one of those slightly funky natural medicine texts that promises miracle cures for pennies using ingredients you might find in your pantry. I was trickles to discover in first chapter a few paragraphs on how to take a bath for joint health. I've followed his instructions to the T for the last three days and I really think it is the main thing that has helped in my recovery. So when ever you feel tired, achy, have joint pain or just want to perk up a bit try this. Be sure to pay attention to times and temperatures because they make all the difference.
CARLSON WADE - "STEAM CLEANING"
Fill a bath with water that is 96-103 degrees.
Immerse yourself and rest covered by the water for 15-20 minutes.
Stay in the bath but let it drain.
Stand up and put on a hot shower then gradually reduce the temperature to tepid. Stay in the tepid shower for 5 minutes.
Pat yourself dry and get into bed and rest.
Bathe like this once in the morning and before you try to rest at night.

BENEFITS
The soak opens your pores and allows toxins to float out.
The warm soothes the nerves, allow the body and mind to relax and heal.

It is great to oil the body afterward with one of Diamond Way Ayurveda Body oils.
You can also try the Tension or Joint Lotion on particularly sore spots before you soak.

The Beauty of Women - a quotefrom the Karma Sutra

2010-12-09T14:35:00.000-08:00

A beautiful analogy:

" It took the lightness of the leaf and the elegance of the fawn, the rejoicing sun rays and the tears of the mist, the inconsistency of the wind and the shyness of the hare, the vanity of the peacock and the smoothness of the swallow's neck. It was also added the hardness of the diamond, the sweetness of the honey, the cruelty of the tiger, the warmth of the fire and the coldness of the snow. And to this it was added the cooing of the dove and the twitting of the jay. Then it was all mixed up and a woman was formed. "

Tvashtri, Hindu's mythology (over 2000 years old).

Raw Milk - what the Vedas were talking about

2010-11-26T15:16:00.000-08:00

RAW MILK

Coming to Ayurvedic diet from Macrobiotics it was hard for me to accept milk as part of a healthy, healing diet. Yet, milk has been considered a "health food" for thousands of years all over the Indian continent and in my native Europe. Was it just that our macrobiotic teachers were Japanese and part of a people who fermented soy beans rather than dairy foods? Or, did they know that what the American people were being offered by the gallon at the store ready pasteurized and homogenized was not remotely similar to the milk of our ancestors.

Raw milk is a whole food and still contains all its pro-biotic bacteria, enzymes and fats and is as the vedas promised highly anti-inflammatory. It is well tolerated by the lactose intolerant due to the natural bacteria in milk producing lactase enzyme. It helps rather than chokes up asthma and air born allergy sufferers. It contains phosphatase that is destroyed in the pasteurization process which help the body absorb vital minerals including calcium making a great food of choice for those with osteoporosis. Both raw milk and fermented raw dairy products such as kefir and yogurt are healing for the GI tract and have been shown to help with ulcers, irritable bowel and even Crohn's disease. Healing the intestines heals 80% of the immune system, just as Ayurveda has always taught. Take care of digestion first!

For more information check out www.rawmilk.com.

Sweet Prayer

2010-11-23T19:34:00.000-08:00

This was sent to me by a couple we have never meet. They found us on this wonderful internet. They live in northern Australia and are truely a world away but our hearts are close. They called and spoke to us so gently. Then they gave us this gift which is meant for sharing. May many find it eventually.

"May today there be peace within.

May you trust you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others.

May you use the gifts you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.

May you be content with yourself just the way you are.

Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance praise and love.

It is there for each and everyone of us."

COSMIC VIBRATION

2010-11-22T11:12:00.000-08:00

Ayurvedic treatments rely in part on what is now being called energy medicine. Diamond Way Ayurveda treatments that include work with both marmas and chakras are obvious examples of energy medicine. But energy is also at work in less obvious ways when we use a bell, gong, take time for a prayer at the beginning or end of a treatment or simply extend the hope that we are doing something useful to bring the client into better balance.

Recently I was sent a quote by an Indian yogi that explains energy healing in a beautiful way. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

"When we vibrate in the same way as cosmic vibration, we get in tune with the cosmos. That is why when we repeat OM, we feel cosmic peace. That cosmic vibrations vibrates in our own body. It bring a a sort of realignment in all of the cells of the body, an adjustment or new rhythm. When the cells of the body run restlessly in different ways, we feel sick. But, when we arrange that vibration to make it run smoothly, we feel happy and get healed. By constant repetition of OM, we will be able to mend many physical ailments and, ultimately, the mind also. Then you will experience physical health, mental peace and pure happiness." SWAMIJI

Repeating OM is one way. Touching with love is another. Intention heals too.

WHAT IS FAIR TRADE

2010-11-17T19:25:00.000-08:00

WHAT IS FAIR TRADE?

“Fair Trade is a people-powered solution to global economic injustice.”
People powdered means bringing about a solution by voting with your choices and your dollars. If people demand more Fair Trade then more businesses will endeavor to become fair trade. We have already witnessed this trend with organic products. Fair trade is the next level in some ways and demand is growing.

What is this economic injustice and how is Fair Trade a solution? The injustice is basically that very often the original producer is paid barely enough to keep them alive while others down the production chain pull in disproportionately large profits. Fair Trade is changing this equation and more besides.
In order for a product or ingredient to be called a Fair Trade item it must be certified by an American or International Fair Trade organization and to gain that certification the producer has to prove three main things.

1. People along every step in the production chain must receive a fair living wage.
2. Workers and their communities are must be treated with dignity.
3. Artisans and producers must take steps to preserve the health of themselves and their environment.

A Fair Trade economy is based on real justice, personal dignity, empowerment of workers, transparency of business practices and respect for all people and the planet we all depend on for life itself.

Know that all essential oils used in Diamond Way Ayurveda products are Fair Trade and support organic farming practices all over the world.

Green America’s Guide to Fair Trade which you can download at www.fairtradeeaction.com or order copies by calling 800/58-GREEN.

Continuing Education Hours Now Available for Distance Learning

2010-11-02T10:56:00.000-07:00

Diamond Way Ayurveda is very happy to announce that registered massage therapists and massage practitioners can now get Continuing Education Hours (CE Hours)for completing our distance learning programs.

CE Hours are now available in three subject areas

Ayurvedic Face Rejuvenation

Tibetan Shirodhara and

Pedikarma(TM)

All three of these Ayurvedic programs use both our book Ayurvedic Spa (LOTUS PRESS) and one of the three DVD’s which have always been available on our website www.DiamondWayAyurveda.com.

Each program takes on average 3 hours to complete so we can offer 3 CE hours per subject area.

Each program costs $80 which includes the cost of the book, Ayurvedic Spa the DVD, delivery and return of test materials (postage as needed) and administrative fees for grading the test and registering results with NCBTMB.

$80 for 3 CU’s

The cost of the program can be adjusted if you already have exactly the same book or exactly the same DVD already in your possession. $30 credit will be given for either the book or the DVD. $55 for the book and the DVD.

You can find further description of the courses and register for the distance learning classes by going to www.DiamondWayAyurveda.com and checking on the

HOME PAGE

CALENDAR OF EVENTS or

SHOPPING CART

We hope this exciting development will serve more of you and help the spread of Ayurvedic Body Work. We also hope that it will encourage you to come to classes and/ or check out the products that support the treatments.

As ever you can always call 866-303-3321 for further information.

Ayurvedic CUs now available

2010-10-19T11:08:00.000-07:00

We are happy to announce that Diamond Way Ayurveda is now able to offer what used to be called Continuing Education Credits now called CUs for distance learning for three of our treatment.

AYURVEDIC FACE REJUVENATION

TIBETAN SHIRODHARA

PEDIKARMA

Each course requires you view our DVD on the subject, read the chapter in Ayurvedic Spa and answer 25 questions to gain 3 CUs.

The course costs $80 with a $30 credit for the book and /or the DVD if you already have these in your posession.

We hope this serves you all well and will be of use especially to those who cannot travel to our in house classes.

Check our website or call for more details 866-303-3321

Benefits of Abhyanga

2010-10-18T14:31:00.000-07:00

ABHYANGA is a traditional Ayurvedic technique that is designed to bring
beauty and vitality to the Body by the application of customized oils.
Abhyanga pronounced ABBEY ANGER actually more like ABBEY UNGER with the unger being like the second part of Younger is a Sanskrit word. Like many words each syllable has a meaning. In this case ABHY means to rub and ANGA means limbs. It is also described in ayurvedic classical texts as, “Smearing the body with unctuous or oily substance” or “Stroking the hands all over, all around the body in a gentle manner” or the translation i feel is at the heart of the technique, “TO TOUCH WITH LOVE.”
Practiced for thousands of years as a self massage technique to support health, beauty, and longevity it is recorded in many ancient writings including the Charaka Samhita. Today is it is practiced in spas in healing centers all over the world.
Traditionally men work on men and women with women. It maybe offered by one, two or more therapists whose hands must work in harmony in perfect coordination.

Traditional benefits listed in Sutrasthanam V. 78-93
The body becomes
•Firm
•Smooth-skinned
•Free from disturbances of vata - that otherwise prematurely age the body and cause pain
•Tolerant of exertions of hard work and exercise
•Not affected much even if subjected to accidental injuries or strenuous work
•Endowed with pleasant touch
•Trimmed in all body parts and
•Strong, charming and least affected by old age.

A beautiful quote which offers a perfect comparison says,

“Oily substances infused into the human organism imparts a tone and vigor to its tissues in the same manner as water furnishes the roots of a tree or a plant with the necessary nutritive elements and fosters its growth when poured into the soil where it grows.” Susruta

So is Abhyanga for estheticians or massage therapists or both? It can be called a full body facial or a full body massage depending on the way you describe it and the claims you make for the outcome.

Full Body Facial
•oil selected according to skin and body type
•optionally - skin cleansed in bath or shower
•oil applied to the skin all over the body with caring touch
•oil allowed to penetrate the skin which maybe helped by a warm linen wrap or steam treatment
•oil removed with herbal cleanser – ubtan

Full Body Massage
•oil selected specific therapeutic benefits
•oil worked into the skin with repeated strokes
•time allowed for oil to penetrate the skin
•oil removed with herbal cleanser – ubtan

What is unique to Abhyanga?
Intention of the therapist
Customized oil selection according to body type, condition and/or season
Importance of the type and quality of oil used
Working with the natural flows of subtle energy in the body
Stimulating marma points
More time spent on the abdomen and joints
Use of ubtan – herbal cleansing powder

INTENTION
Mind always precedes body
The greatest gift is CONNECTION
“The mechanics for the fulfillment of any desire are inherent in the desire itself.” Dr. Chopra
•time
•space
•presence and full attention to see for your client that the highest good arising from your care

CUSTOMIZING OIL
Vata oils – warm, calm and nourish
Pitta oils – cool, sooth, and relax
Kapha oils – warm, comfort, stimulate
Think of these oils as foods that is served in ways to please and nurture
Vata – long, slow, deliberate, predictable
Pitta – precise, lifting, giving a sense of
expanse
Kapha – more intense, warming, varied,
quicker

BENEFITS FOR BODY AND SKIN
Reverses/prevents aging - increasing longevity
Removes fatigue and stress from the body
Enhances flexibility in the muscles and joints – Trims and firms the body
Mobilizes impurities and flushes toxins from the tissues
Heals and strengthens the nervous system
Promotes good vision and sharpens the all senses
Nourishes the body and balances appetite
Makes the body firm and trim
Creates an electromagnetic balance in the body
Stimulates antibody production which boosts the immune system
Rejuvenates the skin – improving texture, tone, color, vitality and hydration

Oils are a major anti-oxidant and is bacteriostatic, so they discourages growth of germs, bacteria, fungi, and viruses and scavenges free radicals.

BENEFITS FOR MIND
The mind feels a sense of comfort which produces a state of relaxed or restful alertness
Remedies insomnia
Reduces anxiety
Helps balance the emotions so we feel happier and more connected
Improves self esteem
Helps overcome a sense of Isolation and loneliness
helps balance vata, pitta and kapha doshas
Works by producing Human Growth Hormone
Starts the “tend-and-befriend" response,women producing more oxytocin
Helps in lowering cortisol levels

Great resons why Abhyanga should be part of your weekly routine.

Now we suggest you take our Ayurvedic Body Type test and select one or two body oils then take out Ayurvedic Skin Type test and select one or two of our face oils and start doing abhyanga for yourself.

Simply apply 1-2oz of oil all over your body and 1 to 2 pumps of oil to your face. Use long strokes and rub vigorously over your long bones and circular movements over your joints. Leave on your skin for a maximum of 20 minutes and rinse off. You can use our Rose Ubtan for a more complete body polish, tension Lotion for tight muscles, joint lotion for stiff or sore joints and backs and breast oil if you want to offer extra love to your breasts.

The Magic of Kansa

2010-10-14T18:41:00.000-07:00

When Melanie first heard about kansa in France, she was amazed at how relaxing it was to receive a foot treatment, kansa vataki, on her feet. This lead us to create our PediKarma foot treatment.

During that time we thought kansa was a unique, but ancient metal and that it was only used therapeutically on the feet.

But, then we were approached by an Indian doctor who both de-mystified kansa for us and at the same time, broadened our understanding of just how effective using kansa anywhere on the body is.

The fact is, kansa is a highly refined and pure form of bronze, made of copper and tin, with a tinge of zinc. It was one of the first created alloys and one of its capacities is that it is a phenomonal carrier of electric, hence electro-magnetic currents. So, think of the nervous system, the acupuncture merideans, and the marma network. All are stimulated and all benfit from kansa on the feet, the face, the back, virtually anywhere.

Check out our face and foot kansa wands at our website. And, if you are already using and/or are a fan of kansa, we'd love to hear your experiences. We believe that kansa is the next big wave in the bodywork, aesthetic, and spa industries - something that has been around for millenium and is now come back into the light of day.

Karmic Management - the next step

2010-08-03T11:11:00.000-07:00

So we have read the book KARMIC MANAGEMENT by Geshe Michael Roche and friends through once together, that's Bbo and I, felt really inspired and then put it down and got into another great book by the same authors called HOW YOGA WORKS. It too is a really great read. Very simple prose but fantastic description of how yoga really works from the Tibetan prospective. We now read the yoga story at night and have gone back to Karmic Management in the morning. It is so interesting how even the most inspiring and worthwhile ideas take time to integrate themselves into our life and how much just doing something it takes to make it happen.

The book is set out in chapters with a TO DO list at the end of each chapter. The first task is to choose a project that you want to work on. Easy you might think, but our business and interests fly in so many directions we might just have to choose one dream each. The two dreams presently under consideration is KANSA - the massage tool for face and feet and AYURVEDIC OILS. Then of course there are my fairies that you can start to see on Facebook. They are always flying around wanting attention and making up stories. The chapter we read this morning was about not making decisions so this will be an interesting journey. Come along.

THOUGHTS ON THE GULF

2010-07-21T19:42:00.000-07:00

FEELING THAT TREMOR IN THE FORCE?
I first felt what is best described by the Star Wars phrase, “a tremor in the force” when I was around nine years old. I so clearly remember that morning. I walked into my parent’s bedroom as they were drinking their first cup of tea for the day when they told me The American President, President Kennedy had been shot to death. Suddenly and strangely I felt like my whole world changed that day even though I was just a little girl in England who had no idea then that one day she would become an American citizen.
I felt it again the day Princess of Wales, Lady Diana, died. I knew to the depth of my bones that day that my nation was in shock and mourning. Only this once in all the years that I have lived in American did I feel the need to reach out and talk to my British friends here and somehow link into the grief and sadness we knew was hanging over our island for some kind of group comfort.
Then came 9/11 and I sat and watched with my American family hardly able to take on board what I was seeing. In the following days I experienced for myself what it was like to be in and part of a nation in shock and sorrow.
Now, with America being engaged in the longest war we have ever fought and fairly regular news of terrorist attacks we each have found our own way to cope with troubling news stories that so rarely come to our doorstep. Until now most for most of us the pain and sorrow is felt in distant lands or in the scattered homes of our returning veterans. But, the events in the Gulf of Mexico in these last few months has changed that. Now we have an oil spill that might just be biggest man-made disaster in the history of the planet. This dreadful accident killed 11 good men and injured and burnt many others. It’s toxic plume has killed unknown hundreds of thousands of our fellow creatures and is ruining the lives and livelihoods of countless Americans. With no end in sight the trouble may well spread to Mexico, the Caribbean and where ever else the current will eventually transport this mess. We are now witnessing a silent but still deadly storm, moving from dark cold places through our blue waters, onto our white beaches and choking our pristine marshlands bringing with it death and destruction that will remain for generations.
When I first heard the word ecopsychology I must admit I thought it was the latest wave of California madness supported by grey haired intellectuals, tree hugging hippies, raw food vegans and the like. It took a disaster of this magnitude to wake me up to the truth of what is a core belief of ecopsychology. That is, that we are all connected, consciously or unconsciously we all feel when there is a “tremor in the force”. There is indeed a synergistic relation between planetary and personal well being; that the needs of the one of us, plant, animal or human are relevant to the needs of all others. We are all connected and we indeed do feel one another’s pain. For me this time the impact is being felt slowly and deeply. Unlike the oil that continues to gush, real news about what is going on in our Gulf is only very slowly immerging. But it is on all our minds, and looms in all our mental peripheral fields. I know it is the minds of our clients.
We acknowledge the stress of city living, long commutes, noise, over stimulation by the media. I am suggesting we need to recognize a new and even more powerful stresser, alienation from our environment and the stress of the of the impact from the “crazy” decisions that are made when personnel in International companies are disconnected. We must open our eyes, hearts and minds and look become part of the ecopsychology movement. We must find ways through our spa facilities and spa treatment to contribute to it’s goal to find ways of healing alienation and to build a sane society and a sustainable culture.
The term comes from Theodore Rosak’s book, The Voice of the Earth. Written in 1992 he called for a study of why people continue to behave in “crazy” ways that damage the very earth that supports all our lives and for the development of new ways to motivate people to positive action and positive protest. Personally, I feel spa especially green spas have a huge role to play in this new field. First, we can reassure our clients that they are not nuts or alone in feeling stressed by environmental disasters be they manmade such as in the Gulf or natural such as the earthquake in Haiti. Then, we can hopefully be part of the solution helping by offering touch and connection with natural elements such as oil, water, warm and clay, to reconnect, raise respect and revitalize ourselves and our planet.
On a purely practical level if you have a client that says they have a deep sense of overwhelming, immobilizing sadness and anger about the oil spill you might connect them with this prayer by Dr. Masaru Emoto, the author of "The Hidden Messages in Water". He's the Japanese scientist who has researched and written about how our thoughts and words affect the molecular structure water. Here is the prayer, but watching the you tube clip is really a worthwhile way to use a few minutes of your precious time. www.youtube.com/watch?v=U56ngpGDG_4.
To the water, whales, dolphins, pelicans, fishes, shellfishes, planktons, corals, algae and all creatures in our Gulf of Mexico:

I apologize.
Please forgive me.
Thank you.
I love you."

- Dr. Masaru Emoto

Melanie Sachs

Beauty of Green Thinking

2010-07-07T15:34:00.000-07:00

I was sent this piece by the Center for Eco-Literacy and thought it was so amazing and so thought provoking I wanted to share it. Please check newsletter@centerforecoliteracy.org.
and find "Toward a Beauty Centered Education" by Sandra Lubarsky.

Karmic Management

2010-07-07T09:58:00.000-07:00

Bob and I have been reading a wonderful little book called Karmic Management by Geshe Michael Roach, Lama Christie McNally and Michael Gordon. Two of the authors are classically trained in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Michael is the owner of Bumble and Bumble a very successful hair care and products company.

In the simplest terms karma means: what you sew so shall you reap or what goes around comes around. This book sets out very clearly now to sew the karmic seeds that will both make your business grow and make our world a better place. It is a completely practical guide through a process that many have followed with great benefit.

We are going to spend the next few months working through the process and we'll keep you posted with the results. If you want to join in the experiment the book is a quick one hour read.

Wishing all our clients and customers the greatest success and joy in their work.

Melanie

SEA BUCKTHORN BERRY

2010-06-10T10:40:00.000-07:00

Just a very quick heads up to say check out the next new super fruit - Sea Buckthorn Berry. It is a very tasty nutrious drink and the seed oil is great for the skin. My favorite site for information is www.sibubeauty.com. It is especially interesting to us as their Sea Buckthorn is grown on the Tibetan Plateau and part of the company profits goes to help Tibetans in exile.

Going to Miami soon!

2010-04-02T16:30:00.000-07:00

This week we are busy preparing to go the International Congress of Esthetics in Miami that runs April 10th-12th. We will be on the green carpet as an organic products exhibitor and I will be hosting a round table on Natural Healing in the spa setting on the Monday 2-3pm. Many thanks to the vision of Christele De La Hay for holding this vision for our industry and more power to the Green Spa Network for gathering so much "how to" information for us all so we can all gradually be greener. Look out for featured Green Spas in LNE all this year. These great articles honor the Green Spa ground breakers and are a feast of simple, cost effective ideas for any spa seeking to be greener.

We are looking forward to meeting up with the LNE and Dermascope staff at the show who have become like family in a strange way over the years, our beautiful translator, Angeles, our south east trainer Tracy who has been working hard setting up programs for us in Jensen Beach after the show (check the website for details) and all our show friends that we see rarely but so appreciate.

So what will be new for us at the show?

We have new Kansa Vataki bowls with beautiful wooden handles. We are excited to show what they can do to lift the face and energize the facial tissue as well as cool and calm the whole body when used on the feet.

We have updated our DVD covers and they look great!

We have a new ubtan to sample. We have discontinued the sandalwood as the sandalwood tree is endangered and takes 50 years to grow. We think we will use lavender instead. Come and smell for yourself.

AND

We have some new slogans that e hope will make the connection between Tibetan and Indian ayurveda stronger. We are not afraid to share as always we what this stuff to be available to everyone. Here they are......

Diamond Way Ayurveda - Customized treatments for ageless beauty and longevity from the ancient healing traditions of India and Tibet.

Ayurveda - hundreds of ways to love the skin you are in!

Relax your Unlimited Mind - Vitalize your Vata.

Allow kindness to kindle your Spontaneous Joy, Power up your Pitta.

Cherish your Rainbow Body, Revel in your Kapha.

and Turn your Lights on with Marma.

That's it for now. Hopefully see you at the show.

Trends for Beauty from Within.

2010-03-19T12:14:00.000-07:00

I was just at the Natural Products West Show down in Anaheim. I actually went to work for dear friends, Eve and Tom Neuhaus, owners of Sweet Earth Chocolates - a local, organic, fair trade artisan chocolate company. Should you ever need excellent custom recipes or custom packaging for short runs these are the people to contact (www.sweetearthchocolates.com). If you ever thought chocolate was not HUGE just watch health nuts grab it vegan, sugar free or NOT. I spent five hours solid cutting samples to keep the mini confection cups full for those culinary delight seekers.

So, Thursday I helped them in the new comers tent then Friday I attended the show. It was huge, exciting and very noisy. The vast majority of the booths were natural food of one sort or other with smaller sections for natural body care. Mostly the big natural retail companies were exhibiting - Weleda, Kiss My Face along with a few great small specialty businesses. We all loved Volcanic Minerals Inc, a northern California company that has great mineral water to drink or use with custom aromas as a spritz and GREAT live mud. I found the best natural beeswax products - www.BeeRescued.com. It worked like a miracle on the eczema I get when I over extend. Mountain Rose Herbals, the source of many of our organic oils had a beautiful and very classy booth. I discovered the owners are English like me. Then the most unusual find, an Icelandic company with the most beautiful Neti pots and Prana Mats. An organic mat with multiple eco-plastic lotus flower massagers to be like a modern day bed of nails. Really extraordinary. See www.advaitalifestyle.com.

The main message seemed to be "Beauty from Within". Not surprising with so many food exhibits, but refreshing. Ayurveda has always called the skin the cream of rasa, meaning the product of our blood quality, which is directly related to what we eat and how well we digest. So once again these ancient teachings are being recognised as truth. The main new foods for the skin were super juice drinks of various sorts. I got the chance to try purple carrot juice - which tasted like pomegranate, fig juice - very like prune juice, both from Smart Juice and sea buckthorn juice - a delicious orangey, tropical flavor made from yellow berries grown in baron parts of the Himalaya. Please check out www.sibubeauty.com. We know it as a skin care ingredient, now you can drink it AND it is delightful. It goes straight to the top of my Spa Treats list.

Natural Hormones

2010-03-01T12:35:00.000-08:00

I like many of my friends are at that stage in life when we are experiencing the wonders of peri and full on menopause. Though very hard for some it has been known to be completely plain sailing for others.

As questions come up about hormone replacement natural or otherwise I wanted to link readers with a very useful piece I just discovered on the web. It is on a wonderful site called Women to Women. I must have signed up at some point as I get their emails. Check out this article. www.womentowomen.com/menopause/ayurvedictreatmentformenopause.aspx

Ayurvedic Approach to Acne

2010-03-01T11:35:00.000-08:00

A number of clients have asked what to do about skin breakouts or even severe acne so I wanted to take this chance to offer all the advise I have given over the years in one place. Basically, we suggest our pitta face oil and using the rose ubtan as a gentle cleanser. Neither should cause further congestion or breakouts. Be gentle on your skin and take things step by step. Diamond Way Ayurveda skin products are generally soothing but are not designed for major skin problems. We refer clients to friends in the Ayurveda community for that specialty. For those with deeper problems we suggest the following information and products with contact information.........

Ayurvedic Theory

Ayurveda teaches that a major cause of breakouts on the skin is due to our blood becoming overloaded with toxins from incomplete digestion and elimination. Skin is called the cream of rasa (the fluid in which the red blood cells are suspended). Toxins float to the top and pore out the sin when they are not able to pass out through the channel of normal elimination. So it then only makes sense to pay heed to what you eat, how you eat and think about taking some herbs that help digestion and gentle detoxification. In terms of diet many of the foods that elevate the pitta dosha can be a problem for those with skin problems. These include chocolate, coffee, anything with caffeine in it, white sugar, hot spices, red meats and shell fish, as well as heavier fats and nut butters. Try to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables especially greens and whole grains. Raw foods could be a path to consider as a stronger cleansing start or a polarity diet. Try to sit and eat calmly, eat at regualr times and with people that make you feel happy. Also take time to go to the bathroom. For reliable herbal support check out www.banyanbotanicals.com. If you hit acne on their search tool you will find three herbal formulas. I suggest you start with trying "Blood Cleanse". Triphala which is not on this page is a good addition too. We like the triphala formular produced by Michael Tierra check www.planetaryherbals.com to source that. Diamond Way Ayurveda will have a triphala Tincture once again in the near future. All these herbal formulas are non habit forming and fine to be taken on going. Be sure to check contraindications on the websites by clicking on the picture of the product.

Skin Care
Of course most people think of something topical. Here the action is two fold, cleanse and sooth. There are also herbal formulars that work directly on the skin. Sarada has a pimple formula that has been one of their star products for years. It is available through Banyan Botanicals too on the same page as the blood cleanser but you can find more information on their website www.saradausa.com.
Some people find unrefined coconut oil to be very soothing after a herbal skin wash. A little goes a long, long way. One of the cheapest and best sources is www.mountainroseherbs.com. Our Pitta face oil also is great for soothing too. One of the simplest remedies I've witnessed being effective is white vinegar. Just dab it on with clean cotton pad night and morning. My guess is it changes the pH of the skin and makes it an unfriendly environment for bacteria that flourish in the toxins being excreted on the skin.

I would love to hear from anyone that tries any of these approaches so do please call 805 543 9291 or blog and let us know what works for you.

DIET DIET DIET

2010-02-16T15:23:00.000-08:00

Yes, the neti pot did do the trick and I find I am breathing better and as a result feeling calmer and clearer. But what I really want to share about is something much more serious.

As I think I have said before I have become a secret ted.com fan. This week on the advise of National Public Radio I checked out the new presentation by Jamie Oliver. For those of you that don't know him, he too is British. He is actually from the next county to me - Essex. He was raised in a pub that served great food. Following in his family's foot steps the BBC has made him a famous chef. I knew since he has young children himself that he was working on getting better school dinners for English kids but I did not know he now has a TV show here and is working with Mrs Obama with her work on obesity. And that is what I want to talk about.

I had no idea that two thirds of American adults and 15% of our children are obese or over weight.

That every 18 minutes 4 Americans die from a diet related disease.

That the standard American diet is thought to be shortening the life expectancy of our children by as much as 10 years.

That the top three killer diseases are diet related.

That obescity and associated health problems accounts for 10% of the national health care bill and it is projected to be double that in the next ten years.

That fewer and fewer people can actually cook and many don't have mothers or grandmothers that cook either.

Most people are surviving on industrialized food that is full of too much fat, salt, sugur and chemicals.

Most kindergarten children cannot recognise or name vegetables.

So here is the question for the spa industry. Do seriously over weight people come to the spa? If there will be more big people in future will we accomodate them with bigger tables and specialized treaments or could be become part of the cure.

This could be as simple as sharing the sats I've mentioned.

Serving fresh fruits and vegetables as snacks.

Encouraging staff to eat well.

Offering recipes or community pot lucks.

Diet is basic not only to good health but good skin. More about that next week.

Happy New Year

2010-02-11T10:50:00.000-08:00

You probably know this Sunday is Valentine's Day, February 14th, but did you know that it is also Tibetan New Year? We will be entering into the year of the Metal Tiger a time that promises to be full of big changes, social upheaval, drama, tension and unpredictability. So buckle up and enjoy the ride. We wish everyone happiness and good health this year and ask you to share whatever good you have with others. Family and community is going to be more and more important inthe days ahead so be sure to take time for both. Remember........

"A thousand candles can be lighted from one single candle, yet the life of that one candle is never shortened. Happiness is never decreased by being shared." BUDDHA

Neti Pot Miracles

2010-02-08T12:38:00.000-08:00

Maybe it is the dryness of my forced air heating or the damp of the California rains I'll never know. What ever the external cause I have had mildly blogged sinuses since I had an odd sort of cold a few weeks ago. Just the sort of thing you keep telling yourself, "this will go away on it's own" but it hasn't. So finally I'm taking my own best advise and getting out the trusted neti pot.

I personally like the plastic neti "horn". It is soft, warm and the angle of the spout makes the whole thing work really well. Plus, it comes with a little salt measuring spoon so you get the dilution right everytime for a pleasant no sting experience. (If you suspect you may have an infection try adding a pinch of turmeric powder. It is a natural antibiotic. Of course if the problems gets worse do see a doctor.) After gently but thoroughly blowing my nose I put 1/4 teaspoon of organic coconut oil in each nostril. The easiest way to do that is to lay on your back on your bed with your head over the side so your nose is as verticle as possible. Put the oil in semi solid and lay there until it melts. When you sit up have a tissue ready for drips! It has worked every time in the past. I'll keep you posted.

2010-02-04T10:06:00.000-08:00

Here we are at the beginning of February with Christmas and New Year now a shadowy memory. But for us here at Diamond Way Ayurveda we have have a second chance to catch our breath, as we have celebrated Tibetan New Year for the last twenty five years or more, and set new resolutions once again.

After the rains California is jewel green so that too makes us feel like fresh energy and new beginnings. So what is new for us.

Our Head Support Pillows and Tummy Warmers now have beautiful new covers. With an increasing need to feel a sense of personal inner peace and to have quiet time to go inside we suggest the whole pillow set with the meditation CD as a great gift idea. Photos will be online very soon.

We have fallen in love with the new Kansa Vataki foot bowls and have been experimenting with using them on backs and necks with or without our Tension Lotion. We are amazed how easy it is to work deeply with such comfort for both therapist and client and feel they are going to be a great success at the Miami Show in April.

We have set up classes in Florida in April with our trainer Tracy Henson. Check the website for details. Classes in Florida are now two days and focused on practical hands on.

Melanie has been writing about how to green your spa and these short articles will be in LNE magazine.

AND Biggest of all we are searching for funding so we can go to India in August and train in a special therapy to help veterans with PTSD.

PLUS I feel more on board and have vowed to become a blogger and Face Book user so get ready for more notes about our new directions and achievements!

Ayurveda and The Season

2010-01-29T14:31:00.000-08:00

Winters these days are so unpredictable. I remember when I was growing up in Cleveland that winter was cold and white. There was sometimes a weird thaw. But, lately, weird is the norm.

In the predictions made by more enlightened beings of the past, it was said that this time period would be Vata-aggravating. And so, we see more chronic illnesses, wild fluctuations in energy levels, mental instability.

When spring thaw came, the sedentary life we lead during the winter would make us need to detox some of the Kapha excesses of not moving so much, sleeping and eating more. But, the variability of the time makes Vata also get unbalanced.

To remedy this Vata aggravation, it is important to remember that this is STILL winter. Just because the temperature climbs to summer degrees doesn't mean that it is sensible to go out in a t-shirt and flip flops. Keep your body and mind settled, even if this seems the boring thing to do. For if one gets caught on the wind of unpredictability, more than likely you will will see immune challenges in the spring.

Back from Phowa and worshops...

2009-12-05T16:34:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,
The phowa retreat with our friend, Lama Ole, was quite wonderful. Melanie and I were especially happy as all 3 of our children learned the practice.

Now, over the next few weeks, we have 3 workshops to give. Starting on Monday, the 7th, we teach Tibetan Shirodhara. Then, over the weekend I do a Nine Star Ki Astrology class. Then the following weekend, on Saturday, the 19th, I shall be doing a class on conscious dying.

If you are in or around the central coast of CA and can join us, let us know. Best to call at 805-543-9291.

Yours,
Robert and Melanie

Pancha Karma and Phowa

2009-11-20T10:33:00.000-08:00

This weekend, Melanie and I shall be giving Pancha Karma to some clients. These are the deeply detoxing treatments of Ayurveda. After this weekend, we are off to San Diego to attend a PHOWA retreat with our dear friend, Lama Ole Nydahl. PHOWA is the conscious dying yoga of Tibetan Buddhism. It is an extremely useful practice as it creates a reflexive channel for one to leave through the crown chakra at the moment of death - which can happen at any moment. It also helps you to do this for friends. If you have ever read or are interested in reading my book, Rebirth Into Pure Land, you can learn more about this practice. And, if you want to learn about the retreat, go to http://www.diamondway.org/phowa2009.

Also, a reminder that if you shop with us by calling or online, mention our 20% rebate on purchases. This sale is for all retail products and will last until the first of he year.
Much Love,
Robert (and Melanie)

The need for prevention

2009-10-30T10:54:00.000-07:00

It will be interesting to see what the final health care bills look like. Hopefully there will be some form of universal coverage. But, that said, allopathic medicine is extremely costly. If this is the only form of healing included in the government offering, then it is bound to be costly and ineffective.

Ayurveda has the potential to be the holistic health paradigm par excellence in helping people to put together a lifestyle that eases their stress and tension, two of the primary causes that lead to chronic illness.

In that light, we are including more helpful hints on our website. And, you will see hints offered here each week as well.

So, hint Number 1 - If you are concerned about your weight, drink a cup of hot water (boiled and cooled slightly) first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. AND, to improve digestion for anyone, drink a cup of hot water about 5 minutes after each meal.

Let us know how this tip helps.

Changes We Hope You Like

2009-10-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

We hope you have noticed the changes on our website. We have tried to make it so that there is more information about our treatments, our trainings, and our products. PLUS, we have made available a number of downloads which we hope are useful for your self-knowledge and practice.

That said, we would like to hear from you to find out if there is other information about Ayurveda or what we do that you would like to have more readily available. Feel free to comment on this blog or contact us directly.

New projects and products

2009-10-10T18:28:00.000-07:00

We hope you like the new face of our website, http://www.DoamondWayAyurveda.com. The goal was to update our look, but also make the content more relevant to all who visit.

Their are a few projects we have wanted to get on with and make their results available to friends interested in Ayurveda. One is a DVD on Ayurvedic breast massage. The other is on our Tibetan Chakra Stone Ritual. We hope to be in production with these in the next few weeks.

Also, we shall have a new PediKarma massage bowl available in a few weeks. It seems that UPS has lost them for the moment. But, when we have them, you shall see them in our shopping cart.

In the meantime, feel free tpo ask us any Ayurvedic lifestyle question gnawing at the back of your mind. Our goal is to update this BLOG twice a week.

Yours,
Melanie and Robert

Back and Around

2009-09-18T13:54:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,
We have been away from you all for way too long. There were some extremely difficult family matters to attend to and we simply were putting all of our attention and creativity in that direction. As John Lennon said, "Life is what is happening while your making other plans."

Recently, Robert went to Sydney and taught about Ayurvedic Nutrition with The Academy of Healing Nutrition (http://www.academyhealingnutrition.com) and we just got back from the ICE show sponsored by LNE and Dermascope. It was nice to see friends, clients, and companies whom we have known in the spa and beauty industries over the years.

As matters have cooled down and the fall has arrived, we are launching more classes, sourcing new and improved products (which you will soon see on our website) and doing more writing. Robert is working with his agent to create a book called SPA TO GO, which will be about how one can create a spa experience at any time wherever you are. Stay tuned as the details unfold.

In the meantime, we wish you all well and promise to be more attentive to blogging as issue and questions arise.

Yours,
Melanie and Robert

Our Logo

2009-05-27T08:49:00.000-07:00

Over the years many of you have commented on how much you love the Diamond Way Ayurveda logo and asked about where it comes from. Up until now we have been very quiet about this subject and simply said that it is a traditional Tibetan design.

We feel now is the right time to say more. This new coming out began at the Congress of Esthetics in Miami this last month when we finally took a classroom so we could explain more about the company, the tretments and the products.

on strength of this presentation we will be be revising and adding to the website over the next months but until then I just wanted to share more about our logo.

It is a traditional mandala which is a geometric design that guides our minds into a more positive ways of being. Mandalas each have a specific purpose. This particular mandala is for healing in every sense of the word.

Just like in the Native American tradition each of the colors represents a direction.

Blue for the east. Yellow for the south. Red for the west and green for the north. Each direction has an associated quality that is part of the healing process.

Blue represents pacifying quality which means making your clients feel at home and secure with your approach and your knowledge. It is asociated with mirror like wisdom which is about each of us looking at each other and checking out if indeed we have a connection. Blur is ht edoor through which we enter and begin the journey to greater beauty.

Yellow carries the quality of enrichment and the wisdom of equinimity. It is about sharing knowledge and experience with clients and forming a bond of mutual respect.

Red is magnetizing and holds the wisdom of dicrimination. It brings in our passion to communicate what is genuine, special and helpful about our products and services.

Green is the quality of destruction. Not by way of being destructive but by firmly pushing aside all that is not helpful or healthy for the client. It is about all accomplishing wisdom whic is a broad view that embraces green practices and reminds us that our products have always been organic and fair traded.

In the middle sits the white lotus resting on all four of these principles. It gracefully represents the wish that all our treatments and indeed all interactions with our clients gives them more of a clear mind, open heart, beautiful body.

We look forward to sharing more ideas and inforamtion as we all gradually get more computer savvy. Thankyou for your interest in Diamond Way Ayurveda.

Fifty Ways to Go Green

2009-03-18T12:03:00.000-07:00

Dear friends,
We promised to release the list of 50 things you can do to go GREEN after the Dallas International Congress of Esthetics and Spa show. We hope you find this inspiring and useful.

1.Replace a regular incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb (cfl)
CFLs use 60% less energy than a regular bulb. This simple switch will save about 300 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.
We recommend you purchase your bulbs at www.1000bulbs.com they have great deals on both screw-in and plug-in light bulbs.
2. Install a programmable thermostat
Programmable thermostats will automatically lower the heat or air conditioning at night and raise them again in the morning. They can save you $100 a year on your energy bill.
3. Move your thermostat down 2° in winter and up 2° in summer
Almost half of the energy we use in our homes goes to heating and cooling. You could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple adjustment.
4. Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner
Cleaning a dirty air filter can save 350 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.
5. Choose energy efficient appliances when making new purchases
Look for the Energy Star label on new appliances to choose the most energy efficient appliances available.
6. Do not leave appliances on standby
Use the "on/off" function on the machine itself. A TV set that's switched on for 3 hours a day (the average time Europeans spend watching TV) and in standby mode during the remaining 21 hours uses about 40% of its energy in standby mode.
7. Wrap your water heater in an insulation blanket
You’ll save 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple action. You can save another 550 pounds per year by setting the thermostat no higher than 50°C.
8. Move your fridge and freezer
Placing them next to the cooker or boiler consumes much more energy than if they were standing on their own. For example, if you put them in a hot cellar room where the room temperature is 30-35ºC, energy use is almost double and causes an extra 160kg of CO2 emissions for fridges per year and 320kg for freezers.
9. Defrost old fridges and freezers regularly
Even better is to replace them with newer models, which all have automatic defrost cycles and are generally up to two times more energy-efficient than their predecessors.
10. Don't let heat escape from your house over a long period
When airing your house, open the windows for only a few minutes. If you leave a small opening all day long, the energy needed to keep it warm inside during six cold months (10ºC or less outside temperature) would result in almost 1 ton of CO2 emissions.
11. Replace your old single-glazed windows with double-glazing
This requires a bit of upfront investment, but will halve the energy lost through windows and pay off in the long term. If you go for the best the market has to offer (wooden-framed double-glazed units with low-emission glass and filled with argon gas), you can even save more than 70% of the energy lost.
12. Get a home energy audit
Many utilities offer free home energy audits to find where your home is poorly insulated or energy inefficient. You can save up to 30% off your energy bill and 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Energy Star can help you find an energy specialist.
13. Cover your pots while cooking
Doing so can save a lot of the energy needed for preparing the dish. Even better are pressure cookers and steamers: they can save around 70%!
14. Use the washing machine or dishwasher only when they are full
If you need to use it when it is half full, then use the half-load or economy setting. There is also no need to set the temperatures high. Nowadays detergents are so efficient that they get your clothes and dishes clean at low temperatures.
15. Take a shower instead of a bath
A shower takes up to four times less energy than a bath. To maximize the energy saving, avoid power showers and use low-flow showerheads, which are cheap and provide the same comfort.
16. Use less hot water
It takes a lot of energy to heat water. You can use less hot water by installing a low flow showerhead (350 pounds of carbon dioxide saved per year) and washing your clothes in cold or warm water (500 pounds saved per year) instead of hot.
17. Use a clothesline instead of a dryer whenever possible
You can save 700 pounds of carbon dioxide when you air dry your clothes for 6 months out of the year.
18. Insulate and weatherize your home
Properly insulating your walls and ceilings can save 25% of your home heating bill and 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Caulking and weather-stripping can save another 1,700 pounds per year. Go to www.buyenergyefficient.org for more information on how to better insulate your home.
19. Be sure you’re recycling at home
You can save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide a year by recycling half of the waste your household generates.
20. Recycle your organic waste
Around 3% of the greenhouse gas emissions through the methane is released by decomposing bio-degradable waste. By recycling organic waste or composting it if you have a garden, you can help eliminate this problem! Just make sure that you compost it properly, so it decomposes with sufficient oxygen, otherwise your compost will cause methane emissions and smell foul.
21. Buy intelligently
One bottle of 1.5l requires less energy and produces less waste than three bottles of 0.5l. As well, buy recycled paper products: it takes less 70 to 90% less energy to make recycled paper and it prevents the loss of forests worldwide.
22. Choose products that come with little packaging and buy refills when you can
You will also cut down on waste production and energy use... another help against global warming.
23. Reuse your shopping bag
When shopping, it saves energy and waste to use a reusable bag instead of accepting a disposable one in each shop. Waste not only discharges CO2 and methane into the atmosphere, it can also pollute the air, groundwater and soil.
24. Reduce waste
Most products we buy cause greenhouse gas emissions in one or another way, e.g. during production and distribution. By taking your lunch in a reusable lunch box instead of a disposable one, you save the energy needed to produce new lunch boxes.
25. Plant a tree
A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime. Shade provided by trees can also reduce your air conditioning bill by 10 to 15%. The Arbor Day Foundation has information on planting and provides trees you can plant with membership.
26. Switch to green power
In many areas, you can switch to energy generated by clean, renewable sources such as wind and solar. In some of these, you can even get refunds by government if you choose to switch to a clean energy producer, and you can also earn money by selling the energy you produce and don't use for yourself.
27. Buy locally grown and produced foods
The average meal in the United States travels 1,200 miles from the farm to your plate. Buying locally will save fuel and keep money in your community.
28. Buy fresh foods instead of frozen
Frozen food uses 10 times more energy to produce.
29. Seek out and support local farmers markets
They reduce the amount of energy required to grow and transport the food to you by one fifth. Seek farmer’s markets in your area, and go for them.
30. Buy organic foods as much as possible
Organic soils capture and store carbon dioxide at much higher levels than soils from conventional farms. If we grew all of our corn and soybeans organically, we’d remove 580 billion pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere!
31. Eat less meat
Methane is the second most significant greenhouse gas and cows are one of the greatest methane emitters. Their grassy diet and multiple stomachs cause them to produce methane, which they exhale with every breath.
32. Reduce the number of miles you drive by walking, biking, carpooling or taking mass transit wherever possible
Avoiding just 10 miles of driving every week would eliminate about 500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year! Look for transit options in your area.
33. Start a carpool with your coworkers or classmates
Sharing a ride with someone just 2 days a week will reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by 1,590 pounds a year. www.eRideShare.com runs a free service connecting North American commuters and travelers.
34. Don't leave an empty roof rack on your car
This can increase fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 10% due to wind resistance and the extra weight - removing it is a better idea.
35. Keep your car tuned up
Regular maintenance helps improve fuel efficiency and reduces emissions. When just 1% of car owners properly maintain their cars, nearly a billion pounds of carbon dioxide are kept out of the atmosphere.
36. Drive carefully and do not waste fuel
You can reduce CO2 emissions by readjusting your driving style. Choose proper gears, do not abuse the gas pedal, use the engine brake instead of the pedal brake when possible and turn off your engine when your vehicle is motionless for more than one minute. By readjusting your driving style you can save money on both fuel and car maintenance.
37. Check your tires weekly to make sure they’re properly inflated
Go to www.carcare.org/Tires_Wheels/Inflation.shtml to learn how proper tire inflation can improve gas mileage by more than 3%. Since every gallon of gasoline saved keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, every increase in fuel efficiency makes a difference!
38. When it is time for a new car, choose a more fuel efficient vehicle
You can save 3,000 pounds of carbon dioxide every year if your new car gets only 3 miles per gallon more than your current one. You can get up to 60 miles per gallon with a hybrid! You can find information on fuel efficiency at www.fueleconomy.gov/ and www.greencars.com
39. Try car sharing
Need a car but don’t want to buy one? Community car sharing organizations provide access to a car and your membership fee covers gas, maintenance and insurance. Many companies – such as www.flexcar.com offer low emission or hybrid cars too! Also, see www.ZipCar.com
40. Try telecommuting from home
Telecommuting can help you drastically reduce the number of miles you drive every week. For more information, check out www.telcoa.org
41. Fly less
Air travel produces large amounts of emissions so reducing how much you fly by even one or two trips a year can reduce your emissions significantly. Go to www.nativeenergy.com/ to learn how you can also offset your air travel carbon emissions by investing in renewable energy projects.
42. Encourage your school or business to reduce emissions
You can extend your positive influence on global warming well beyond your home by actively encouraging other to take action.
43. Join the virtual march
The Stop Global Warming Virtual March is a non-political effort to bring people concerned about global warming together in one place. Go to www.stopglobalwarming.org/ and add your voice to the hundreds of thousands of other people urging action on this issue.
44. Encourage the switch to renewable energy
Successfully combating global warming requires a national transition to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and biomass. These technologies are ready to be deployed more widely but there are regulatory barriers impeding them. U.S. citizens, take action to break down those barriers by going to www.votesolar.org/
45. Protect and conserve forest worldwide
Forests play a critical role in global warming: they store carbon. When forests are burned or cut down, their stored carbon is release into the atmosphere - deforestation now accounts for about 20% of carbon dioxide emissions each year. www.conservation.org/learn/forests/Pages/overview.aspx has more information on saving forests from global warming.
46. Consider the impact of your investments
If you invest your money, you should consider the impact that your investments and savings will have on global warming. Check out www.socialinvest.org/ and www.ceres.org to can learn more about how to ensure your money is being invested in companies, products and projects that address issues related to climate change.
47. Make your city cool
Cities and states around the country have taken action to stop global warming by passing innovative transportation and energy saving legislation. If you're in the U.S., join the cool cities list by going to www.coolcities.us/
48. Tell Congress to act
The McCain Lieberman Climate Stewardship and Innovation Act would set a firm limit on carbon dioxide emissions and then use free market incentives to lower costs, promote efficiency and spur innovation. Go to www.action.environmentaldefense.org/campaign/globalwarming_petition and tell your representative to support it.
49. Make sure your voice is heard!
Americans must have a stronger commitment from their government in order to stop global warming and implement solutions and such a commitment won’t come without a dramatic increase in citizen lobbying for new laws with teeth. Go to www.vote-smart.org/pre_10.htm and get the facts about U.S. politicians and candidates at Project Vote Smart and The League of Conservation Voters at www.lcv.org/scorecard/. Make sure your voice is heard by voting!
Share this list!
Send your friends to www.globalwarming-facts.info/50-tips.html to Spread this list worldwide and help people doing their part: the more people you will manage to enlighten, the greater YOUR help to save the planet will be (but please take action on first person too)!

And, if you want to learn more about GREEN in Spas, check out www.GreenSpaNetwork.org

Diamond Way Ayurveda at The Grammys

2009-02-10T13:47:00.000-08:00

On February 6th, Melanie and I had the opportunity to set up a spa for one fo the Grammy venues, organized by Beverly Visty-Doman of Dharmata and John Forrester as part of their Green With Music event (http://www.greenwithmusic.com/).

Called Spa Tibet to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the exile of the Tibetan people from Tibet, we took two rooms of The Mercury in Koreatown in LA and converted them into a Tibetan spa, replete with beautiful tapestries, carpets, thankas, and other artifacts.

We then assembled a staff - myself and Melanie, Dawn Tardif of Bodiscience, Theresa Blackner, Nestor Ruiz, and our daughter, Christina Sachs and offered 5 modified versions of our tibetan Ayurvedic treatments. Most of the people we worked with were either stars from the movie or musc industry and the media. We even had a meditation and yoga room set up and Lama Dawa Tharchin of BodhiPath Buddhist Centers offered meditations on the Bodhisattva of Compassion, Chenrezig (also known as Kwan Yin) and silent sitting.

In the frenzy of Grammy weekend, we were able to offer a serene and healing atmosphere that seemed to light up those we touched. To read more, go to http://www.buzzine.com/2009/02/green-with-music/.

Spa Tibet was the first venue where we at Diamond Way Ayurveda wish to launch a "Spa without Walls" initiative. The idea is to not only make spas places that you go to, but an awareness and ability to do kind things to restore and re-energize yourself wherever you are. Stay tuned for more information.

2008-12-13T21:21:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends,
Ayurveda teaches that in times of big change, VATA, the energetic of our body and mind best symbolized by the wind, becomes aggravated, grows in intensity. As if caught in the whirlwind, we buzz around too much and get distracted by all sorts of demands and concerns. Even the positive "stress" of the holiday can takes its toll; lots of parties, snacks, changes in our normal routines.
Getting grounded and relaxing into the time is what is demanded for us to not feel burnout by the end of the first week of January - a classic time for people to feel under the weather.
We cannot hold back the times, whether they offer us gifts positive or negative from which we must learn. To bring balance in these times, gather close to people you love. Share warm thoughts, warm food, and good cheer. Take a walk and look at the holiday lights in your neighborhood. Sing in a warm tub or in front of a fire with friends - maybe both.
VATA ultmately becomes balanced when we can step back and take a more wholesome look at the bigger picture. This is made so much more easy for us all when we gather together, take care, and take heart.

2008-12-04T14:16:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends,
The holidays are upon us. It is a time of gathering, of reflecting...
What an amazing year it has been. We are looking at a change of spirit in all sectors of our life. And, historically, the will to change, to create new possibilities, comes on the heals of disaster. With all of the wisdom of the ages, with Ayurveda and other healing systems and the various world religions to guide us, we tend to only rely upon and study their wisdom when we have sufficiently dug ourselves into a hole due to self-centeredness.
Now is a time to expand, to share, to think of others and join in a vision that - if nothing else - plants seeds for future generations. All of mine and Melanie's writings and efforts are towards that end.
So, be in touch. Share your vision, your passion with us. We hope that as you post on our blog, others will become inspired by what you do and how you are in the world.
Stay warm in body and heart in these turbulent, yet jubilant, holiday times...

Welcome to Diamond Way Ayurveda

2008-11-25T14:37:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,
We all know that you can go to our website or call and ask us anything. But, sometimes many people have the same questions about Ayurveda, our various products, or issues that come up from reading our articles and books.
So, here is a place we can all share and learn from.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Yours,
Melanie and Robert Sachs