Seaweed, Black tea and Balance
I’ve been noshing on seaweed lately – finding balance between the cloudy moist days and the similar symptoms in my body with the season’s allergies. In Ayurveda, like increases like, opposites balance. To balance back out I finally had to give up my morning black tea, milk and sugar that I love so much. In the late spring and early summer when the air is warm and fragrant my body can handle the morning dairy and sugar a few days a week. Better than in the winter when the air is thin. I can feel my body trying to manage staying warm while battling the effects of sugar – the way it breaks down the mucous membrane causing excess snottiness and sneezing – a sure sign that the body is out of balance and is veering toward a more moist and sleepy state, as surely as the Titanic veered toward the great iceberg.
I wrote that a few months ago as we headed into November. As I look out the window on this sunny and clear February day, one of the mildest winters I’ve ever known, maintaining balance right now is more about getting enough rest an participating in the natural rhythm of hibernation and rest even though the outside weather seems contradictory to these natural rhythms. It’s so warm that my body will allow a couple of cups of black tea, milk and sugar per week without excessive gooey sneezy-ness. Though I go one step further now adding chai masala spices to give me lots of support with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and other spices. (See my recipe from a couple of months ago in this blog.)
When you check in with yourself today, where is your balance point? Is it in feeling nourished? playful? loved? rested? acknowledged and understood? Today pick one of these and give to yourself a little bit more. Then let me know how it goes. I’d love to hear your story.
