This is one of my basic staples ~ great for calming Vata, or any space-y, scattered, restless, anxious, busy, can’t settle down sort of energy. It is such a basic staple that for years I’ve had it on the Basics page. But people were always asking me for the recipe and not finding it there, so I’m posting it here for all to see, share and enjoy.
Rod Stryker of Para Yoga described it to us many years ago, tossing it out casually as something Pandit Rajmani Tigunait gave him after too much work, too much travel, and too much of an overwhelming need for the land of nod.
In translation and over time the recipe may have been modified, so I can’t promise you it is exact according to Ayurvedic tradition (which likes its exactitudes). What I do know is that it is resoundingly, deliciously potent, and seems to work for everyone.
Try taking it an hour before bed for a night of sweet dreams and deep slumber.
As this extraordinary, whole food, medicinal drink came without a name, we nicknamed it Ojas Rasayana. Here’s why:
Ojas is the Ayurveda word for deep nourishment, our underlying reserves of energy. Ojas gives patience, contentment, longevity, stamina, endurance, strength, stability. In the Autumn, when Vata dominates, Ojas is available to us through seasonal foods like root vegetables, grains, ghee, nuts and seeds, dates, raisins and sweet Autumn fruits.
Rasayana is a grand word used in many contexts, including an entire branch of Ayurveda. Generally it means rejuvenative, and more modernly, anti-aging, stress-reducing. According to Ayurvedic Dr. Vaidya Mishra, “Rasayana is the designation given to special herbs, fruits and spices, or combinations of them, that are particularly renowned for the positive influence they have on overall health, vitality and longevity.”
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The ultimate nourishment, of course, is love, and a delicious tonic like this is a rich reminder that food is a nourishing love story.
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If you do not know what ghee is, where to find it or how to make it, check out this post with a video demonstrating how easy it is to make.
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Gentle Yoga is wonderful in the evening to prepare you for a deep sleep, or any time you want to unwind and come home to yourself. I offer you this gift of a 10 minute, simple practice that can be done any time, any where, and hope it brings you peace.
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Namaste!
Photos and Illustrations: Getty Images
Please note: If this tonic does not seem to work for you, it may be a sign of a deeper imbalance, which you might want to take to your health practitioner.
Filed under: All Recipes, Ayurveda Basics, Gluten-free, Recipes for Autumn, Tonics & Teas Tagged: anti-aging recipes, Autumn Health, Ayurveda Autumn tonics, Ayurvedic Foods, deep sleep, how to get a good night sleep, Ojas Rasayana, rejuvenating, sleep aid, sleep remedies, slumber, stress reducing foods, Vata, Vata-reducing
