A lot of commotion in the sky today with Saturn’s transit into Pisces and the New Moon in Pisces with partial solar eclipse. What does this mean for you? Below is an outlined forecast for the upcoming weeks according to Vedic Astrology. For a more detailed outlook on how this pertains to your unique forecast, feel free to contact me for individualized birth chart reading.

PLANETARY FORECAST MARCH/APRIL 2025

SUN: The Sun is residing in the watery sign of Pisces up until April 13th giving you plenty of time to tie together loose ends. Pisces being the end of the Zodiac symbolizes endings.  With both Venus and Mercury retrograde, this is a good time to assess what is important in your life and what is not.  Is there anything you need to discard to move forward? The Sun will enter Aries April 13 where it is exalted.  Take this time to plan, “clean house,” evaluate your current activities, relationships and career path so that when the Sun moves into Aries, you too are ready to move forward with your intentions and well thought out plans. 

VENUS: Venus will be taking up residence in Pisces through May 31, 2025. While it is currently retrograde and combust due to the Sun’s close proximity, Venus is a benefic planet. Meaning, it mostly gives positive results. Whenever a planet is retrograde, it’s a good time to review the areas of significance for that planet.  In the case of Venus, Venus governs our relationships with both our partners and our business partners.  Venus is known as a Guru, a teacher.  People who have a strong presence of Venus in their birth chart typically enjoy art, things of beauty, luxuries and nice cars 😉 Now is a good time to take a look at your own relationships, personal and professional.  Do they nourish you or deplete you? 

MERCURY: Mercury, like Venus, is also retrograde, residing in Pisces and combust by the Sun.  Unlike Venus who is exalted in Pisces, Mercury is debilitated.  The good news is Venus and Mercury are besties, working well together. So while Venus is assessing relationships, Mercury is coming to terms with its communication skills.  People with heavy influence of Mercury in their charts often hide behind their true feelings by joking around. Mercury retrograde gives you the opportunity to notice your go to style of communication and work on being more authentic with people close to you. 

MARS: Mars has been flip flopping between Gemini and Cancer since October 2024, very challenging for this strong, action oriented planet.  Currently, Mars is in Gemini which is ruled by Mercury.  Previously, Mars was retrograde in Cancer since early December.  Mars is debilitated in Cancer and therefore does not feel comfortable in this watery sign.  This feeling of dis-ease presents as frustration, anger and inertia(unable to push forward). Now in Gemini, Mars feels like it has to make up for lost time. Typical Ram mentality plows through all obstacles missing the full picture.  My advice for those Rams and Scorpions, tread gently, practice patience and make space for other people to join your team. Now more than ever, we need to stick together so all of our voices are heard.  

JUPITER: Jupiter has been in Taurus since last April 2024. May 13 of 2025, it will transition to Gemini. Taurus being ruled by Venus is a lovely place to live. Jupiter known for its beneficence has been able to thrive in this house. Like Venus, Jupiter is also known as “The Guru.”  It is the largest planet in the sky and therefore the most expansive, not just in taking up space but also in the quality of its mind. People with strong Jupiter in their charts enjoy learning, teaching, accumulating knowledge, pursuing spiritual interests and sharing their wisdom and good counsel with others. Keep up the good work!!

SATURN: Saturn is the slowest moving planet in the sky. It takes 2.5 years for Saturn to move through a constellation. For the past 2.5 years, Saturn has been residing in its own sign of Aquarius. You can imagine, living in your own house is very comfortable. On March 29th, Saturn will transition to Pisces.  Wow, there is a lot of activity in this watery arena of Pisces.  Sun, Saturn, Venus, Mercury and Rahu(The Northern Node of the Moon) are all in Pisces through mid April when the Sun enters the beginning of the Zodiac.  Saturn teaches us patience, to slow down. With all this activity in the last constellation of the zodiac, be mindful of your actions, perhaps hold off on any big decisions.  And question, are you moving in the right direction? 

NEW MOON IN PISCES MARCH 29 The waning Moon joins the party in Pisces at the end of the month where we have a partial solar eclipse. Why partial? The Moon will be 11 degrees away from Rahu, the Northern Lunar Node. When the Sun and Moon are at the exact degree of Rahu/Ketu there is a full eclipse which we experienced on March 13/14 of this year. This new moon is in the naksatra(special star) or Uttara Bhadrapada which means blessed steps. It’s Deity, Ahirbudhnya-water dragon.  The water dragon imparts a love of water and all things associated: fertility, beauty, calm, introspection and a sense of isolation. Dragons also imply wealth.  In this case, not just monetary wealth but also spiritual wealth. Ahirbudhnya resides at the bottom of the ocean. This new moon presents you with the opportunity to root yourself in spiritual practice that leads to transformation.  And, Ahirbudhnya is a Dragon, watch out for bumps along the way. 

Happy Summer Friends! Today feels like the perfect first day of summer with the sun shining brightly, undertones for upcoming adventure in the air, and finally, a warm breeze. As a child, I lived for summertime. At the age of eight, my parents introduced me to an eight week, overnight summer camp which slowly became part of my journey around the sun, each year, for the next twelve years. Summer to me represented a time of freedom, playfulness, friendship, mischief, competition, and romance. While fall, winter and spring left me with fond memories, summer lingered. Even as an adult, being an expatriate for 20 years, summer stood out from my yearly journey around “the sun.” It was a dedicated time for coming “home.” And while this coming home was no longer filled with mischief, or sporting competition, those feelings of freedom, romance, playfulness and friendship still bubbled up inside.

Fast forward to the present moment, I now look at summer with fresh eyes. Eyes that consider the placement of the planets in the sky and how their position may enhance or in some cases detract from our sense of adventure, love life, relationships, lazy afternoons at the beach………

And coined from the 1972 film, “What’s Up Doc,” below are some of my takes on what you can glean from the sky above in the coming weeks and months.

Sun:  The Sun was in Taurus May 14 -June 15, it transited to Gemini on June 15 and will take up residence until July 16th. Up until June 15, you may have noticed deep connections to the earth element, a sense of settling into Spring, Kapha time of year.  June 15, the Sun moved into Gemini who is ruled by Mercury and resembles the air element. Moving into Gemini, there will be a shift in focus toward movement, growth and playfulness. Mercury being the only Tri-Doshic Planet, takes on the qualities of Vata, Pitta and Kapha.  You may find this upcoming period to invoke creativity, stability, learning and playfulness and when needed strong attention to business relations.  

Moon: The Moon is the fastest moving planet in the sky, it changes constellations every 2.5 days. On June 17th, the Moon met the Sun in Gemini for the New Moon. A nice prelude to summer being in the playful yet astute constellation of Gemini. Being the rapid player in the sky, the Moon is making its way through Cancer today. The Moon rules Cancer, While today was an exceptional start to summer, the moon being in Cancer may have invoked emotions. Perhaps you were compelled toward spiritual practices, wanted to stay close to home, nourish yourself and your family with delicious meals?

Mars: Mars sits in Cancer for the whole month of June and will enter Leo on June 30th taking up residence until August 18th. Fiery Mars residing in a water sign does not present the best side of Mars.  When influenced by the Moon, Mars may appear vulnerable, emotional and fickle. The trick during this period is to stay strong and steady in both mind and body.  To add more drama, Venus is also holding space in Cancer from May 30-July 7.  Together, Mars and Venus make a strong passion combination in the watery sign of Cancer. Take out your tissues!!

Venus: As mentioned previously, Venus is also in the sign of Cancer from May 30-July 7. Unlike Mars, Venus feels right at home in the sign of Cancer. Venus having many feminine, nurturing  traits allows for a creative, beautiful and entertaining period in Cancer.

Mercury: Mercury will be in Taurus June 7-June 24. Mercury being the only Tri-doshic planet can usually make itself feel at home anywhere. Taurus is ruled by Venus, Mercury is considered a friend of Venus and will pull his weight while residing in Taurus. While Venus loves beautiful homes, nice cars and gourmet foods, Mercury will do its best to keep everything under control and accessible.  Don’t be surprised when either you or your partner takes care of the garden and household chores with a newfound fondness this month!! On June 24th when Mercury moves into Gemini, it will be moving into a constellation that Mercury owns. If you are not already aware, Mercury rules both Gemini and Virgo. Being in its own air sign will only enhance Mercury’s childlike nature taking you back to the days of skinny dipping in the lake, playing jokes on your friends and enjoying more laughter during the extended light of summer.

Jupiter:  Jupiter moved into Aries April 21, 2023 and will remain in Aries until April 30, 2024. When Jupiter moved into Aries, the planets of Mercury, Moon, Sun and Rahu were living there too! This presented a lot of commotion in Aries, perhaps an unsettling feeling in your life too?  Now, Jupiter is only with Rahu in the house of Aries taming the fire of Aries.  For the next year, Jupiter will either aspect or be associated with all the fire signs including Aries, Leo and Sagittarius, along with Libra(air sign) across the way.  Saturn will also have an affect on Jupiter as it one sidedly aspects Jupiter. Saturns influence may ruffle the mostly calm waters of Jupiter. A person who has a strong influence of Jupiter in their birth chart could feel the small bumps in the road presented by Saturn. And, with their skills for learning, teaching, and advising, navigate any rough waters making this next year a time of growth and prosperity.

Saturn: Saturn currently resides in his own air sign of Aquarius.  Being the slowest moving planet, it takes Saturn 2.5 years to move through a constellation.  Before moving into Aquarius, Saturn spent 2.5 years in Capricorn, also ruled by Saturn.  Taking up living quarters in one’s own sign becomes advantageous for the planet and those people who have a strong influence of that particular planet in their chart.  In the case of Saturn, He governs time, ageing, illness, Karma, and the Vata Dosha.  Saturn often teaches us lessons by its slow moving nature, and propensity to reveal our Karma. On June 17, Saturn completely stopped and turned directions going retrograde through early November 2023. This retracing of steps backward is a good opportunity for you to pause, rethink your actions and have a “second chance” to move forward in November when Saturn stops once again and returns on its path forward.
Rahu and Ketu: Rahu and Ketu are known as the shadow planets.  You can’t see them in the sky and be assured you will feel their effects.  They form an axis in the sky, Rahu in the North, Ketu in the South, always moving in retrograde motion. Rahu is in the sign of Aries along with Jupiter and will be there through October 2023.  Ketu is in the sign of Libra, also until October 2023.  When Rahu and Ketu are poorly placed in the sky, you can expect obstruction, instability, addiction and mistakes.  Rahu being associated with Jupiter will temper this behavior. Hence, when favorably placed, you may find opportunities, engage in spiritual practice, and take time to travel to foreign places.  

With play and light,

Lisa

It’s been a full on Pitta aggravating week here in Portsmouth, NH. Yup, we are camping out in Portsmouth at a lovely one bedroom apartment while our house that we bought almost a year ago, August 31, 2020, is being completely renovated. The renovation by the way, is a whole other blog post!

My perception has become cloudy as Jeff and I have spanned three seasons living like nomads, first in our basement, now an apartment, and the occasional hotel here and there to give our dog, Jiao Zi a bath. Is it the Heat that’s burning inside my heart or the inability to locate my favorite blue jean shorts?

Ha ha, I am just kidding(mostly), the heat outside has been stifling. I dig deep into my Ayurveda treasure chest and pull out remedies on the daily. Yesterday, I stopped off at a local farm on my way home from teaching to pick up fresh cilantro, green leafy vegetables, fresh red peppers and plums. Later in the day, I picked cucumbers from our garden seeking the perfect antidote for my “burning heart.” I discovered that while fresh cilantro is cooling, putting it in your water is not the most appetizing. Maybe that’s a me thing?

Some of my tried and true cooling remedies to keep the heat at bay:

• Start your day with a refreshing coconut oil self-massage, less is more
• Fill a pitcher with room temperature water, sliced cucumber, mint and quartered oranges, sip throughout the day
• Sprinkle fresh chopped cilantro on your favorite summer time dishes
• Add cucumber to your salads, drinking water, and use as a refreshing eye pillow
• Treat yourself to a spritz of rose water on body and face….whenever
• Stock your fridge with coconut water
• Forget about Sun bathing, switch to Moon Bathing, cool off in the evenings by the light of the moon
• As Linda Rondstadt sings, “Don’t Pass Up This Chance!” ie. Surrender with abandon, find playfulness in every moment

This has been a challenging time for all of us. And while it gets hotter outside; and, we may be finding ourselves struggling with current life circumstance, I go back to Linda Ronstadt, “It’s like a heat wave, burning inside my heart…… We are all on this journey together, Don’t Let the Heat Grind you Down!

With Love and Light,

Lisa

Vermonters refer to the transition between the leaves falling off the trees and the branches being blanketed in snow as “Stick Season.” The term Stick Season has trickled throughout New England and made its way all the way around the world signifying the pause between fall and winter.

Being a New Englander myself, I will admit, Stick Season is not my favorite time of year. And, according to local Vermonters it is the perfect time to learn how to mull cider, wine and glogg. In addition to experimenting with different spices, maple syrup, molasses and cinnamon sticks to come up with a warm, soothing beverage. With beverage in hand, cozying up to your favorite book, later waxing your ski’s in preparation for the arrival of snow. That all sounds very tempting, even ayurvedic! Okay, not sure I would recommend spending too much time learning how to mull wine, hard cider and glogg. And, we could glean something from that process. Consuming warm beverages with spices gently sweetened with molasses, honey or maple syrup, taking time to relax with a good book, spending time preparing for the cold months ahead. These are all wonderful ways to balance the Vata Dosha, our predominant fall/winter dosha.

Each dosha is comprised of a combination of elements; vata dosha formed from the elements air and space. On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have Kapha, formed from earth and water. Logically speaking, if we add earth and water to air and space we move toward creating balance between the elements. Are you still with me? So, if we take time to nourish, warm and snuggle during “Stick Season,” we intuitively begin to make the transition from fall to winter feeling grounded and balanced!

Recipe for Spiced Turmeric Milk

1 to 2 Cups Whole Milk or Oat milk

1 to 2 tsp ground turmeric, 1/4 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp ground cardamom, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, pinch of black pepper

1/2 to 1 tsp raw honey

Heat milk in saucepan uncovered until steamy, whisk spices into the milk until combined. Add honey to taste and enjoy!!

It’s been 7 weeks 1 day and 1.200 hours since we started social distancing in Switzerland. Slowly things are starting to open back up. Yesterday, I went running in downtown Baden where store fronts had their doors open, fresh air permeating the stale in anticipation of soon to come shoppers. With schools, stores, yoga studios and restaurants opening up next week, I feel as though we are once again transitioning toward something BIG! Of course, there are still guidelines we must follow, restrictions on how many people at a time are allowed in these establishments, what protective armour we might have to wear etc. etc…..

Essentially, many of us will be leaving our houses Monday morning, taking public transportation and going back to our “External Offices.” Wowza!! I am not sure how I feel about this! Of course, part of me wants to grab on to what was before Covid19. And, the other part of me sees there are many fruits from slowing down, doing with less, being more conscious of our actions. Sounds like daily sadhana!

Does it all boil down to finding the perfect balance? Can we make this transition back to “normal” with mindfulness, grace and a tempered pace? Should there be a “new normal?” These are all inquiries I put out there for all of us to contemplate. Right now, I feel there are no answers, infinite inquiries and many uncertainties.

Staying on Track, making tweaks in our daily routine (refer to Blog Post Dated March 16, 2020), maintaining a daily pranayama, meditation, and or yoga practice, continuing to nourish ourselves and our external environment are all things we can do to stay healthy, prepared and open to life after Covid19. With that said, I leave you with this comforting and healthy recipe to add a little sparkle to your day!

Angle Hair Pasta with Zucchini Lemon Sauce

• 3 to 6 Zucchini sliced into 2 inch rounds
• 1 Pound Angel Hair Pasta
• 3 T Lemon Juice
• 1/2 Cup Coconut Oil
• 1/2 t Ground Tumeric
• 3 T Fresh or 1 T Ground Thyme
• 3 T Fresh or 1 T Ground Oregano
• 3 T Fresh Parsley
• 1/2 t – 1t Cayenne Pepper
• 1 t Sea Salt
• Fresh Ground Pepper to taste
• Nutritional Yeast (Optional)

Steam Zucchini using steam basket for 15 to 20 minutes until soft. Place zucchini, lemon juice, coconut oil, herbs and spices in blender or food processor and blend until smooth. **Note: Save some Fresh Herbs for Garnish!

Prepare pasta according to label directions and strain. Plate pasta and serve with generous amount of zucchini sauce, fresh ground pepper and fresh herbs to garnish. Optional sprinkle of Nutritional Yeast on Top!

Relax and Enjoy!!

When I started this blog over a year ago, the intention was to stay connected with my ever growing global yoga community. Creating a space through blogging, guiding yoga classes, offering ayurvedic consultations and or workshops where people felt safe, nourished, healthy and inspired.  My specialty has always been supporting seasonal transitions, more recently life transitions.  In the past, people came to me with issues that were in their range of control yet navigation tools were out of reach.  There was rarely a situation I couldn’t tackle.  At least the feedback I received was  positive 🙂

Today we are faced with a situation that is out of our control: the incredible outbreak and transmission of corona virus globally.   And, if you are like me, I need to feel that I am in control!  Yes, the corona virus is spreading like wild fire. And, we do have control over our actions which without a doubt will affect our health and the health of our surrounding community. By now, we are all washing our hands, continuously.  Using Hand sanitizer if we can get our hands on any. And, beginning the suggested social distancing by staying home from work, minimizing exposure to large groups of people, refraining from going to restaurants, gyms and yes, yoga studios.

What I am seeing mostly in the Ayurvedic Community is an outpouring and reinforcement of Ayurvedic Self Care Rituals to build our immune systems.  This is something we do have control over!!  If you’ve ever taken a workshop with me, you may be familiar with Dinacharya ie. Daily Routine. During these uncertain times where we are spending more and more time in isolation, creating a Daily Routine is essential.  Not only does it balance the irregular nature of our current circumstances, but it also includes many immune boosting protocols. Lets get started:

Morning Routine: 

• Wake up with the sun, everyday! By waking up at the same time everyday, you create a rhythm to begin your daily activities
• Scrape the Tongue: Use tongue cleaner or even a piece of dental floss to remove the bacteria in your mouth and activate the digestive system
• Brush Teeth: If you have access to ayurvedic toothpaste, neem and licorice flavor is best
• Oil Pull: Swish sesame or coconut oil in your mouth without swallowing for at least 5 minutes, then spit out.  You will notice change in consistency of oil to milky.  This is good news, toxins are being eliminated!
• Drink 1 to 2 cups warm water: Start the day by moving impurities out of the system and clearing the channels for a fresh new day
• Neti Pot: a great technique to keep nasal passages clear and free from bacteria, follow with Nasya Oil and or a few drops of warm ghee
• Rosewater: Drop one to two drops pure rosewater in each eye promoting clarity and refresh
• Self-Oil Massage: A wonderful Self-Care ritual. Give yourself a massage with warm sesame or coconut oil every morning or evening. Benefits include calming the nervous system, lubrication, improving circulation and nourishing the spirit from inside out.
• Morning is a great time for Light Exercise, Pranayama, Yoga and Meditation Practice

Day Routine:

• Eat three healthy meals a day with largest meal at lunchtime.  Eating three meals stokes our digestive fire while also allowing time between meals for digestion
• Limit snacking to fresh fruit and herbal teas
• Favor warm foods over cool, warm beverages over cold: Warm beverages and food may help reduce onset of corona virus
• Eat in a mindful environment free of distractions
• Favor Spring Tastes of Bitter, Astringent and Pungent
• Incorporate Green Juices, soups and smoothies into your meals
• Stay Hydrated sipping warm water throughout the day: Add a pinch of sea salt and coconut sugar with lime if feeling dehydrated
• Suggested Daily Supplements to Keep Immune System Strong: Zinc, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Medicinal Mushrooms(Chaga, Reishi) and Tumeric

Evening Routine:

• Begin to wind down after an early supper
• Light reading, warm bath, pranayama, warm oil massage, and or meditation suggested
• Try drinking warm Ojas Milk before bed: Ojas Milk is a nourishing, grounding, delicious beverage that helps you sleep and keep the immune system strong!
• In Bed with lights out at 10:00pm

Recipe Ojas Milk:

•  2 cups Almond, Rice, Oat or Whole Milk
• 1 teaspoon Ashwaghanda Powder(Optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon Cardamom
• 1 chopped Date
• 1 teaspoon shredded coconut
• Pinch of Honey(Optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon Tumeric Powder(Optional)

Bring all ingredients to a gentle boil on stove stirring constantly.  Pour in your favorite mug and enjoy!!  Makes 1 to 2 servings

Let’s keep the dialog going.  We may have to practice external social distancing; and, we still have control over keeping connections through emails, face-time and staying tuned in to both our local and global community.  Would love to hear how you are doing in your neck of the woods.  Any remedies that are working for you?  Or just a simple hello!

Wishing you health, connection, love and continued support during these special times.

With Love, Lisa

Every year around this time the word resolution takes a front seat in many of our thoughts.  I resolve to work less, spend more time with family, explore healthier eating, minimize alcohol consumption and the list goes on.  Does this ring true for you?

While I believe it’s a wonderful idea to set intentions, make resolutions and step into a New Year and in this case New Decade with purpose, I am a bigger fan of Ayurvedic Lifestyle where stepping into each New Year is an opportunity to continue on the path toward health and balance.  Knowing your unique physical and emotional constitution in advance and having a daily routine in place exclusive for your well being. Being familiar with living in harmony with the season, consuming local harvest, exercising for your particular body type are all avenues toward walking down your intended path.

This winter there are many opportunities to dive into ayurvedic yoga and lifestyle with me.  Starting Thursday January 9 at 9:15am, I will be leading weekly Ayurvedic Yoga Lessons at Sanapurna Yoga and Ayurveda.  Each class will be infused with ayurvedic wisdom,  flow yoga and the unique energy you bring to practice.

January 18th, I will be leading an Introduction to Ayurveda, Yoga and the 20 Gunas Workshop also at Sanapurna Ayurveda and Yoga.  In this workshop, you will discover the connection between Ayurveda and Yoga as it relates to yoga practice. We will explore ayurvedic constitutions: vata, pitta and kapha as well as the 20 gunas(qualities) which make up our body types.  Through discussion and practice, you will discover your unique body type. And have the chance to balance vata, the predominant winter dosha  with a warm, nourishing yoga practice designed to leave you feeling rejuvenated and ready to embrace the cold winter months ahead.

On February 23, I am excited to lead an Ayurvedic Yoga workshop in the US at YogaSmith in Portmouth, NH.  This Workshop will be both practice and discussion, introduction to Ayurveda and an opportunity to directly experience  Ayurvedic Yoga.  You will learn about the Ayurvedic Body Constitutions having the chance to discover your own Body Type. The class will focus on inviting warmth, balance and peaceful energy into body, mind and spirit.

One of my resolutions for 2020 is to be an ambassador for Ayurveda and Yoga, sharing inspiration, recipes, ayurvedic lifestyle and yoga with the intention of guiding people toward continued health and balance.  Paving the way for New Year’s resolutions to be an enhancement to each New Year and Healthy Lifestyle being the New Normal.

If you had to choose your favorite season, what would it be?  I believe entering any season brings a feeling of nostalgia, anticipation, excitement, the need to cleanse etc. etc.. For me, autumn takes me back to my childhood where my family and I would drive from our home in Westchester County, New York up to Franconia, New Hampshire. We had a small ski chalet.  Of course, it was not yet ski season; rather, we called it leaf peeping season!  I have such fond memories of taking walks in nature, my Mom packing us peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to eat on a newly discovered rock big enough for all of us to sit on.  My sister, brother and myself enjoying goofing around along the river, my parents doing their own thing.  Fall was a season of innocence.  Collecting all the fallen leaves in a huge pile and throwing our bodies right in the center.  Rolling around with pure abandon. Fast forward 40 plus years and fall has a very new meaning for me.  I have spent the greater part of my married life  living abroad experiencing the different shades of autumn.  In Puerto Rico, I yearned to travel back to New England to get a glimpse of “Peak.”  In Beijing, there was one street notorious for its golden yellows.  Unless you lived a distance from this street, Autumn in Beijing was fully accessible. People watching was almost as beautiful as the leaves!  South Africa felt anti-climatic as  summer brushed into fall and landed in winter.

Now I am in Switzerland, experiencing fall “Full  On!”  And yes while I do miss my youth of indulging in the beauty of the White Mountains, I also feel so grateful to have  stunning views outside our patio right here in Nussbaumen.

As I gaze outside our window watching the leaves blow off the trees, I am reminded that inside our bodies we also experience this need to shed our layers.  Unlike trees, we can’t just let our leaves go! We have the same excess heat that accumulates from the summer months and is pounding on our doors asking to be guided out.  Back in the day when I was pounding down peanut butter and jelly sandwiches without a care in the world, I had no inkling I might be weighing down “my leaves,” so to speak.  So again, I fast forward 40 plus years and fall not only brings me nostalgia toward my childhood, it also is a reminder that I too must play a role in shedding excess heat, toxins and metals from my body.

While it may be a coincidence that apple picking is a favorite weekend outing in Autumn, consuming 2-4 tart apples daily can be a great start toward releasing excess heat through purgation. What about some of the other local harvest?  Indulging in raw shredded beets with lemon juice and ground mustard are perfect for cleansing the liver.  Green soups with whatever local greens you fancy are another wise choice for taking care of your body and mind as you transition from leaf season to stick season! Remember, we are not just cleansing our bodies, our minds also take a toll and need to be refreshed through intelligent consumption.  And I use the word consumption loosely.  Not only do we consume whole foods and grains, but our minds take in external stimuli constantly.  Hence, if you do decide to take the time to shed your leaves, you may also want to slow down, find more time for quiet reflection, meditation and gentle yoga.  Go lightly and playfully!

Happy Fall, Lisa