Entries by Natalie Rousseau

Cleansing Comfortably in January

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To support you in making lifestyle shifts that will support your overall health and wellness in 2012 I’d like to offer the following tips on how to cleanse safely and comfortably in January. Keep in mind that seasonal cleansing is ideally done in Spring and Fall when nature supports us in eating lighter so January can be a challenging time to lighten up, especially if you live in a cold climate. These guidelines offer some very simple tools that can support you in releasing excess and up leveling your overall wellness though the next month…

Holy Nights

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In the Christian traditions the period of time between Dec 24th and January 6th is known as the Holy Nights or the 12 Days of Christmas and is honored as a sacred time. For myself I feel that my own Holy Nights begin on the Winter Solstice and run right through to the Feast of Epiphany on January 6th….

Solstice Musings On Ritual And The Meaning of 108

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Every year for the last seven years I have celebrated the Winter Solstice by doing 108 rounds of Surya Namaskar with my local community here in Tofino. In eastern philosophy the number 108 is considered a number that represents a complete cycle and is the ultimate end of an event or phenomenon and so for this reason it is common to do 108 rounds of prayers on auspicious occasions….

Meditations on Subtlety & Spaciousness

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This time of the year is characterized by the qualities of subtlety, lightness, dryness, and mobility and this morning I could feel each of these qualities so clearly. The dry frosty ground beneath my feet, the cold wind on my skin, the lightness of the tree branches looking so fragile without their leaves, and the subtlety of light and morning mist that lends mystery to this season. It is beautiful for sure and lends itself to the more subtle practices such as reflection, inquiry and deep meditation. You may find that you are more naturally drawn to these practices or that those of you who have established meditation practices can go deeper more readily….

Ayurvedic Tips on Cleansing

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November is 30-Day Challenge month in Tofino and many of the participants in this year’s challenge are also taking on a nutritional cleanse. Cleansing twice  year during the seasonal changes of Spring and Fall is highly recommended in helping you to reduce the presence of toxic buildup in your body and mind while allowing you […]

Ayurvedic Tools for Maintaining Balance Through Autumn

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We are halfway through Autumn and the days are getting cooler while the leaves are starting to fall from the trees. You many be noticing that things are changing within your own inner environment as well as the energetic nature of this season is so different from that of summer. According to the ancient Indian science of Ayurveda the autumn season is characterized by Vata dosha, which means, “that which moves things”.

Autumn Harvest

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It is a precious and sacred time of year and hope that each of you are able to find some space and time to enjoy it amidst the busyness of the back to school routine or any other seasonal shifts that occur in your communities. I wish you all the best as you make your own transitions from the fullness of spring and summer into the stillness and sweetness of autumn and winter.