Sarah Dunfee is a NAMA Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner. She graduated from the Ayurvedic Practitioners Program at The Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 2021. Prior to that, she graduated from the Ayurvedic Counselors Program at the Ayurvedic College for Wellbeing in Rincon, Puerto Rico in 2017. Sarah apprenticed in Panchakarma at the Ayurvedic College for Wellbeing while completing her studies. She also participated in Ayurvedic Therapies Training at Vaidyagrama Healing Village in Coimbatore, India in 2018. Sarah continues her Ayurveda studies virtually through the Dhanvantari Ayurveda Hospital in Udupi, India.
In addition to Ayurveda, Sarah holds two 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training Certificates: one in Ashtanga Vinyasa Primary Series from Ashtanga Yoga Mysore in Mysore, India (2018) and one in Yoga Inbound from the Yoga Inbound school in Vrindavan, India (2018). She teaches Ayurveda virtually for Yoga Teacher Trainings through the Hot Yoga Dundrum studio in Dublin, Ireland.
Sarah currently works as the Student Advisor of Chopra Health Programs. She also practices in-person at Sisikyou Ayurveda in Ashland, Oregon as well as offers online consultations at her very own Bhumi Shakti Ayurveda, LLC.
The energy of the divine feminine is present within all beings. By building awareness around this often-suppressed strength, greater balance can be brought back into our lifestyle to create a more harmonious state of being, both internally and externally.
Disease is an obstacle in the way of being able to identify with our true Self. To overcome this obstacle, the sophisticated science of Ayurveda offers many solutions to roga (disease) through Dravyaguṇa karma, the practice of Ayurvedic Pharmacology.
One of the best times of day is when it is time to eat. Being fully present during this sacred time of bliss is of utmost importance. What we consume, how much, and what time we eat affects how we digest, along with our sense of wellbeing. Following a few simple guidelines for mindful eating can go a long way in maintaining a robust digestive fire and cultivating a feeling of satiation and contentment. Pure, wholesome foods, when consumed in the wrong state of mind or circumstances, may generate impurities. The following tips for mindful eating can help us stay on track.
The cornerstone of health in Ayurveda comes back to the simple concept of agni, our digestive fire. Likewise, the seed of disease comes back to the concept of āma, toxins. Balanced agni is the key to proper digestion, assimilation of nutrients, sustained energy, healthy aging, and maintaining homeostasis. Quality agni can prevent, āma from forming and burn existing impurities that are stagnated within the body and mind.
There are three essences that govern the functions of the sthula sharira and sukshma sharira (gross and subtle bodies) on a finer plane than the three doshas. These subtle essences are known as Prana, Tejas, and Ojas.
Traveling endows us with the clear, light, mobile qualities of Vata, and can provide insights and open our eyes to a perspective we may have been missing. Vacations inspire us with new beauties of the world, cultures, and nature, and remove us from the redundance of our day-to-day energy bubble and life routine.
It is not only what we do during cleansing that results in a healthier, happier state of the body, but what we do after cleansing that determines the longevity or transience of any changes we undergo. Properly coming off a cleanse is a vital stage for achieving cleansing success. In all stages of a cleanse, patience is key to honoring the time that it takes for the body to metabolize the toxins lodged in our deep tissues, so the ama can return to the central digestive tract to be excreted.
“Know, Oh Arjuna, that the mode of darkness is born of ignorance, confusing all embodied beings. Through distraction, sleep, and laziness, it binds.” (Bha.Gi.14.8)
This holiday season, we may find ourselves torn between eating nutritious foods and sharing in holiday treats. Ayurveda can help us do both at once, while including one of Ayurveda’s Four Aims of Life: enjoyment. These are some simple variations on holiday recipes that will satisfy your sweet tooth and appetite, as well as your agni.
For many of us, ringing in the new year with fresh resolutions is a great opportunity to bring awareness and attention to our aspirations to break free from our current unhealthy habits.