When you sit down to meditate or eat a freshly cooked Ayurvedic meal, you can feel a sense of peace come over your whole being. That feeling has a word – sattva. It means balance and harmony representing the light, and can act as a guide for every aspect of your life.
Sattva is a quality you can cultivate every day, in everything you do. We’re offering 27 ways you can bring in this light of consciousness every day for the entire month. These tips and activities are all simple ways to breed more sattva within you, and many of them will take less than five minutes. Taking on these sattvic actions will bring forth a shift in the way you relate to yourself and the world around you, a change that will last much longer than 27 days.
27 days of sattva
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Ground yourself by applying oil to the top of your head and the bottoms of your feet. Practice full abhyanga when you have more time.
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Turn off electronics (including your phone and television) one hour before going to sleep so your mind and nerves can settle down.
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Chant a mantra or say a prayer to set the energy before you start to cook.
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Let go of the seriousness and have a good laugh at yourself. :)
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Create a meal of 60 percent augmenting, 40 percent extractive foods.
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Let go of one thing today that is causing you stress. Put it in your hands in front of you then open the hands and let go!
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Make a batch of ghee.
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Forgive someone today. Maybe even yourself.
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Start your morning with a soothing herbal tea and have a caffeine free day.
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Tell one person in your life how much you appreciate them.
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Make a space in your home that is just yours. Go there whenever you want to connect with your innermost self.
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Eat a meal free from distractions, such as televisions, phones or reading.
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Leave the leftovers behind. Make a meal with freshly cooked, prana-filled food. Here are some Ayurvedic recipes to inspire you.
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Take a walk in nature. Leave your headphones behind and engage fully with your senses. What do you notice?
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Reflect on a mistake you have made from a neutral place of observation. What value did that mistake bring to your life?
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Embrace savasana.
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Make an appointment in your calendar twice per day for you to "Take pause.” Take 12 deep breaths and smile to yourself. Treat it as an important meeting.
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Pat cool water on your eyes after eating to calm pitta dosha.
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Build a new relationship with yourself by embracing ahimsa, non-violence, in your asana practice.
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Start your day with at least five minutes of meditation.
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Come back to your natural rhythm by implementing a dinacharya practice.
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When you have a judgmental thought about someone’s character, replace it with a kind thought that honors their divinity.
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Listen to another person from a space of neutrality, from the center of your head. Truly hear them instead of waiting for your chance to talk.
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Practice this affirmation at the beginning of your day: "I trust the process of life and the flow of the universe."
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Unlock creativity in all areas of life such as cooking, drawing, gardening…
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Give your agni a reset with a meal of kitchari.
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Do something helpful for another without anyone knowing it is you.