Well-being

In many ways, New Year’s resolutions are ritualistic. They invite us to get grounded and go inward to ask ourselves what it is we want to call into our lives, plus what healthy habits or practices we might use to do so. With 2022 right around the corner, many of us might be experiencing a more reflective state of mind and gearing up to set some intentions for what’s to come in the new year. No matter what you wish to call in, intention candles can help amplify the energy of your New Year’s intentions.

Just as the chakra system maps and encourages the balance of our Root chakra, and Crown chakra energies, Japanese energetic anatomy also depicts the balance of Earthly and Heavenly energies coming together at the heart center for harmony and balance.

Coming to my mat has always been a space to surrender, a space where I take time to connect with myself. It was on my mat that I first learned what it felt like to embody gratitude as a way of being rather than an external expression. So frequently gratitude is expressed outward, where we thank those around us or recall the things we feel blessed to be surrounded by. External practice is a deeply valuable and important mode of the expression of gratitude, and a practice of gratitude can be so much more.

A foundational principle in Ayurveda is that the senses and sense organs are the gateways to the mind and body and that we can use the sense for healing. Although for centuries this was a difficult concept to understand from a Western medical perspective, we are now validating this ancient observation with modern science.

Follow along in this new article series exploring the author's experience on the path to becoming a Chopra Well-being Coach.

Our body and mind are constantly adapting to the demands placed upon them. When we have adequate time, energy, and emotional resources to meet those requirements, we experience a state of balance. If our ability to fulfill responsibilities runs low, we encounter stress. When we no longer have the physical or emotional bandwidth to meet life's demands, we encounter burnout.

Welcome autumn when school begins, the number of evening hours increase, and vata dosha characterizes the new season. September marks the perfect time to reinstate routine into our lives, as we walk in autumn air that cools our cheeks. For some, the idea of routine might sound restrictive. In reality, routines help balance vata dosha, leading to a sense of being grounded, nourished, and supported. Cherishing the differences of each season and altering our self-care routines accordingly paves the way for smooth and joyful transitions allowing us to appreciate all that nature offers.

I grew up in New York and one of the things I distinctly remember is the smell of autumn, my favorite time of year. I remember the crunching of the leaves under my feet as the trees shed their layers and the cool air in the mornings indicating the seasons were indeed changing.

In a time of uncertainty – like we are living in now with the Delta variant, climate crises, and social, gender, and economic injustice – establishing a new routine is a reliable, grounding practice. A routine is like a ritual – a practice that captures our attention, and in the act of doing it, gives us a sense of control and calm.