1. Here is the link to our private Facebook community

2. Here is the Zoom link for all our calls....

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6520091121?pwd=Yy9NcCs5WHpYWEpCZ214WVpOeE5aQT09

Meeting ID: 652 009 1121

Passcode: 8QyTY6

Igniting your motivation

Questions to consider this week...

• What is my general mood on a daily basis?
• What are my energy levels like?
• Am I happy with my current state of physical well-being?
• Am I happy with my current state of mental and emotional well-being?
• How does this impact my life?
• How does this impact those around me?
• What will my life look like in 1-10 years time if I don't address some of these issues now?

Listen to this recording https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/CB4oi

Spend some time considering this.....

• What is the ideal?
• What do you want to be working towards?
• what ambition are you setting for yourself for the end of this time together?

Using meditation for deeper insight

Listen to morning motivation .aac by Your Inner Truth on #SoundCloud
https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/...

Listen to effortless awareness meditation to restore calm by Your Inner Truth on #SoundCloud
https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/...

Listen to healing energy meditation .aac by Your Inner Truth on #SoundCloud
https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/...

Energy Audit

Who are you anyway?

Understand the gifts and strengths you have to share with the world

Discover what naturally comes easily to you here... Free Personality Tests! Discover Yourself. Instant results (my-personality-test.com)

Questions to ask yourself...

- What parts of my life are aligned to my natural strengths? How can I embrace this further?

- What areas of my life are misaligned to my natural strengths? Is there anything I can change?

- What areas of my life do I need support to help me live more in alignment with who I am?

The spiritual laws to guide your journey

Understanding your journey

Create a timeline of your life to date and pick out the main things that you experienced along the way.

Then consider....

- How has this event helped me?

- How did his event help me grow?

- How did it change me?

- What did it teach me?

- Why am I grateful I experienced this?

Month 1 - Samskara - healing your relationship with food

Week 1 - Uncovering your current relationship with food

This week we start by understanding where you are and what is your current relationship with food. 

Spend some time with these questions...the deeper you go, the more you will uncover, the more you can re-write....

1. What are my memories about food as a child?

2. What did I witness about my families relationship with food as a child?

3. What did I use food for as a child?

4. Did my relationship with food change at any point and why was that?

5. Were the food patterns passed down through my lineage? 

6. Were their beliefs about food passed down through my lineage?

7. Which of these are helpful and which ones do I need to re-write?

We will dive into the rewriting this over the next few weeks but for this week, just concentrate on getting really clear on where you are.

Week 2 - Uncovering your current relationship with movement

This week we begin to understand what is your current relationship with movement. 

Spend some time with these questions...the deeper you go, the more you will uncover, the more you can re-write....

1. What are my memories about movement as a child?

2. What did I witness about my families relationship with exercise as a child?

3. What did I enjoy about movement as a child?

4. Did my relationship with movement change at any point and why was that?

5. Which of these are helpful and which ones do I need to re-write?

We will dive into the rewriting in the next few weeks but for this week, just concentrate on getting really clear on where you are.

Week 3 - Writing your new story...

We can have a tendency to rush over this part but please don't!

It is so important to understand where you want to be, what would feel good to you, what would nurture, support and serve you on a daily, weekly, monthly basis so then you can start to build this into your life...little by little...

Have fun with this and allow your imagination to run away from you! 

Here is a meditation to help you connect into the part of you that already understand what she needs and makes it a reality....

 https://soundcloud.com/holly-boulle/stepping-into-the-ideal-you?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Week 4 - Somatic experiences

This week I invite you to deepen your connection with your body to help you better understand your needs and identity where you are compensating for your needs not being met.

Try to do this exercise every day or when you notice a strong emotion:

1. close your eyes and notice any strong sensations present in the body - emotional or physical 
2. sit with the sensation - really get to know it, in your minds eye what shape is it, what colour, how heavy/light, dense/thin.....explore
3. what feelings does it invoke? An emotion? A want to hide? To numb? 
4. what need is trying to be met? To feel safe, loved, cared for etc.
5. how does this usually play out - what behaviours or choices does this lead to?
6. what other choices could you make instead to meet that need? Brainstorm and start experimenting with them. See what works, see what doesn't.

This exercise requires real honesty with yourself and can be quite uncomfortable but please be know I am here if you want to discuss anything that comes up for you.

I hope you enjoy getting to know yourself even more this week and creating healthy support systems.

BONUS Somatic experiencing retreat below 

Month 2 - Addressing Mind/body imbalance

Week 5 - Understanding the doshas

Week 6 - Create your Dinacharya (daily rituals)

Week 7 - Prana, Tejas and Ojas

Prana, Tejas and Ojas are the more subtle energetic forms of the doshas.
All should be at optimal level which corresponds with your prakruti. 

If we consider this in the body - there is an intelligence in each cell in your body (Tejas), the intelligence flows and communicates with other cells (Prana) and medium that holds the flow is Ojas.

Prana is the purest essence of Vata dosha and the element of Ether  - It is life energy. You may have heard it called Ki or Chi in other traditions. one of the functions is our respiratory system - we inhale the cool air and exhale the warm. In Ayurveda breath can be used to alter dosha imbalances (we will discuss this in a later training). It is pure awareness and awareness is manifested as thought, feelings and emotions. To witness these without seperation or judgement is what allows for healing. 

Tejas is the purest essence of Pitta dosha and the element of Fire -  it is pure intelligence. The intelligence that transforms what we take in and experience - our food, liquids, thouughts, actions, emotions. Tejas give colour to our aura, eyes look bright, hair and skin glow. It is eternal - it is your true nature. 

Ojas is the purest essence of Kapha dosha and the element of Water - it is related to our vitality and immunity. Ojas fights against aging and disease. If you Ojas is good, you rarely become sick - it is your natural immunity. One of it's functions is to maintain the tissues in our bodies and the doshas. The quality of Ojas depends on your digestion, lifestyle, stress, traumas and quality of relationships. In Ayurveda we know a health relationship is a good tonic.  

Prompts to assimilate learning:

Prana 

- Notice your emotions throughout the week - what emotions do you avoid, supress and hold on to? 

- Can you witness without judgement? 

- How does this change their intensity, your bodys response, how long they last?

Tejas

- Notice throughout the week where are you saying yes where you want to say no? 

- Where are you saying no where you want to say yes? What are you longing to do but don't due to reasons/logic/stories you are telling yourself 

- What are your actions saying about your relationship to yourself and your worth? 

Ojas 

- What does a healthy relationship mean to you? 

- What is the quality of your relationship with your partner/close friends?

- Are there relationships you hold on to but know they are not healthy?

Week 8 - Sleep

Things to consider this week;

- How stable is your night time routine?

- How could you improve it 

- Is your sleep showing you signs of a dosha imbalance?

- How might you approach this

Also see below a bedtime drink recipe to help you sleep like a baby!  

Golden milk for sleep

Ingredients:

2 cups milk (whole, coconut, almond, etc.)
1 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1-inch piece of fresh, peeled ginger
1 tbsp. honey or maple syrup
Directions:

Warm the milk, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, and honey or maple syrup in a small saucepan until it simmers hot.
Whisk well to dissolve spices and divide into two mugs.

fights inflammation
protects against oxidative damage and sleep deprivation
promotes relaxation and lowers anxiety levels

Week 9 - Let's get ready to cleanse!

The first week in your cleansing journey we will be preparing your body to let go of the toxins it has accumulated creating good Agni, which means boosting your digestive power. 

Good Digestion = Good Assimilation/Absorption + Good Elimination.

As you will know by now agni is what transforms and assimilates what we are taking in, whether it is food, life experiences or thoughts. 

Eating as sacred activity allows the food to assimilate and “join well” with us. Eating without the sense of the sacred causes digestive issues.

This week we will be looking at simple ways of letting go of toxicity and boosting your digestive capacity before cleansing further next week;

• Eat light at night. Soups and milky/spicy herbal teas at night make the belly happy and help us detox.

• Ginger—freshly slice it. Squirt a lemon on it and add a pinch of salt. Eat a few slices before and/or with meals to boost metabolism and gut enzymes or if this feels too much for you try taking the ginger and lemon in warm water

• Drink milk alone or with things that are sweet (such as grains, honey, brown sugar). Milk digests best when it is hot and spiced.

• Avoid eating with too much liquid. We only need about ½ a cup typically, or a little more for drier meals and snacks.

• Prepare and eat the food with love. Try not to cook or eat when in anger, fear, etc. The energy of the cook goes into the meal!

• Do NOT drink ice water with your meals (or anytime, really), as it dampens and destroys the digestive fire.

• Think of eating as a form of celebration or meditation - How we eat may be even more important than what we eat. Make sure to connect with the SACRED aspect of eating. Try beginning meals with a few deep breaths and a personal prayer or “grace.”

• Avoid TV, reading, the computer or other forms of distraction. If possible, be in our near nature or a beautiful view. 

• Try to chew your food to even consistency, paying attention to the food. This will improve both its digestibility and assimilation.

• Eat until you feel about 75% full. Some say until your first small burp. Avoid the feeling of fullness. Simply stated, eating too much is the origin-cause of so many chronic health conditions. When you are done, you will feel satiated and not hungry.

• Take 15-20 minutes, minimum, to rest and digest.

• Eat your heaviest meal in the middle of the day - when digestion is naturally strongest.

• Allow your last meal to fully digest before eating again - at least 3 hours

• Get to know these superstar medicinal spices: turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, cumin, coriander, fennel, black pepper.

Other things to do this week;

1. Purchase all dry goods for your cleanse in advance, leaving time to order any specialty items you cannot find locally. Buy produce items just before the active cleansing phase begins (see week 14) 

2. Communicate to others in your household when and why you will be cleansing and ask for any support you need.

3. Gradually reduce consumption of coffee/other sources of caffeine, cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, etc., as well as meat, processed foods, and refined sugars.

4. This course is about loving you and that starts with taking care of yourself with love and compassion and valuing your own needs. This week spend at least 10 mins a day doing something that you love. That might be reading, painting, listening to an album you had as a teenager, or scheduling in a bit of pampering - it's completely up to you what you choose, and make sure you find the time. We have 24 hours a day, you can find 10 minutes for you!

5. Journaling is a wonderful way to get back in touch with who you are and I can't even begin to tell you how much it has helped me personally. Use these prompts to guide you - spend a minimum of 10 minutes a day journaling what comes up for you. Before you begin get comfy, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Open your eyes, ask yourself the question and just write. Don't over think it, don't judge, just see what comes up. Who am I really? (Not just wife/mother/job title but underneath it all) What are the stories I tell myself about me? Where do these come from?

6. Listen to the audio recording below everyday and keep a note of your experiences or share them in the Facebook Group

https://soundcloud.com/holly-boulle/chakra-meditation-week-1-aac/s-VQKrSIzIL2R

Week 10 - Cleanse mind body and soul

Why cleanse?  

To stabilize digestion, reduce/eliminate digestive challenges, clear the blood of toxins, clear and revitalize body tissues, support all of the body’s major cleansing organs (liver, kidneys, colon, skin, etc.) and to alkalise our acidic diet. Don't worry - YOU GET TO EAT FOOD And fats. And even a little meat if you need it. Basically, it’s just healthy eating that will give you body he opportunity to reset. All ancient lineages understood the need for periodic cleansing and fasting for spiritual and physical renewal. We simply can’t step into the peace of consciousness when our bodies are filled with toxins.

Firstly you need to commit to 7 days of clean eating and clean living. Here’s the recommendation on what you will be eating/not eating:

1. 80% Green: Every meal will be 60-80% vegetables. Greens are great (cooked kale, collards, any cruciferous veggies, spinach, salads, etc.) You may want to add in some roots like carrots, beets, etc. Avoid too many root vegetables that are sugar rich. Moving to an 80% plant-based diet turns on more than 500 genes that create health, and switch off more than 200 genes that create cancers. Green juices and smoothies are fine in moderation.

2. Dairy: Avoid during the cleansing week.

3. Grains: Quinoa is great (it’s not a grain!), but keep to 1/2 to 1 cup with meals. Kitchari is also a great option, especially if you are vegetarian and is made with basmati rice. (recipe below)

4. Mung beans: 1/2 cup with meals (so if you are eating kitchari-recipe below-you could have 1 whole cup with each meal because it’s the rice and beans.) Try to limit kitchari to one cup per meal.

5. Spices: cardamom, cumin, fresh or dry ginger, cinnamon, salt, cloves, mustard seed, black pepper, aesofetida, fenugreek, turmeric, coriander, fennel, cumin, dill, mint, turmeric, parsley are all good.

6. Sugar: Zero. No honey, stevia, soft drinks, no artificial sweeteners. We need to let it go because it creates an addiction in the system. After the cleanse you can move back into sweets like fruits, honey and other natural sweetness in moderation.

7. Fats and Protein: Totally great if they are “good fats”-Omega-3 rich foods, avocados, nuts(no peanuts), and coconut, ghee, butter or olive oil. No processed vegetable oils. Only cook with coconut or ghee. Use the others raw! Good quality proteins are allowed (lean organic, grass-fed meats and fish, etc.) but eat sparingly. Fish is the best option, but look for small, wild caught so as to avoid mercury toxicity. Personally I would avoid meat during the 7-day cleanse. If you are eating it, it meats only in the middle of the day when the digestive fire is high.

8. Fruits: Just lemons and limes although avocado and tomatoes are fine.

9. Coffee/tea: Try to cut out coffee and tea. If it’s not possible, this is the least of my concern. If you are doing coffee, do it with some fat like coconut oil or butter. I recommend cutting back slowly instead of cold turkey.

10. Bone or veggie broth: For thousands of years there have been traditional foods like bone broths for deep cleansing and reconstitution of the gut. Bone both helps with almost all forms of digestive imbalance, aids in overcoming food intolerances and allergies and boosts the immune system. Bone broths are incredibly nutrient-dense, easy to digest, rich in flavour and great for cleansing. The simmering causes the bones and ligaments to release healing compounds like collagen, proline, glycine, and glutamine. Researchers explain that bone broths contain minerals in forms that your body can easily absorb: calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur and others. They contain chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine, the compounds sold as pricey supplements to reduce inflammation, arthritis and joint pain. Bone broth is super easy to make (recipe below) but it is important that you get bones from a grass-fed source with no hormones/antibiotics/chemicals, etc. If you are vegetarian, you can also make veggie broths!

So, a typical cleanse day might look like this:
1. Morning lemon water with 1 tablespoon of coconut oil + 1/4 tsp. ginger and 1/4 tsp. turmeric first thing in the A.M.
2. Bone broth, vegetable soup or alkalizing green drink (see recipes below) first thing in the A.M.
3. Around 9 or 10 AM some nuts or salmon with coconut oil/butter on some cucumber slices or a small bowl of kitchari.
4. Lunch-80% cooked veggies and/or salad with oil and apple cider vinegar. 1 small bowl of kitchari OR a small piece of fish or lean meat.
5. Dinner-Large bowl of steamed or grilled veggies with a small side of quinoa. OR a bowl of kitchari with steamed veggies and coconut oil with sunflower seeds. If you can do bone broths, great. 

Don’t go hungry, but I find that if I eat enough fat, sometimes I’m not even hungry at night. Refrain from eating after 6 pm if possible.
FEEL FREE TO DESIGN YOUR OWN CLEANSE AND YOUR OWN MENU BASED ON THE ALLOWED ITEMS.

Other considerations:

• Begin each day with warm water with lemon
• Plan time each morning to prepare food for the day 
• Aim to have meals at consistent times daily, spaced at least 3 hours apart. Have your final meal no later than 7 p.m.
• Drink water (with lemon or lime is fine) or herbal teas throughout the day
• Allow adequate time for sleep; ideally go to bed/wake up at the same time daily
• Avoid excessive exercise and sexual activity 
• Limit direct exposure to the elements 
• Be mindful of your use of electronic devices

Other activities for this week:

1. Cleansing can bring up lots of emotions for us. As we cleanse the body, we are also cleansing any emotional baggage we are also holding onto. Try the practice below this week when you are faced with difficult emotions
Feel - What emotions are coming up for you? Where do you feel this in your body? What story is being told by your mind about this? If this feels too much for you, or is too painful at first, take breaks of coming back to noticing the breath. Acknowledge - Acknowledge this is how you feel. You don't have to judge it or justify it, it just is! Accept this is you creating this reaction, not the external circumstance. The external circumstance has triggered something in you, a need that hasn't been met previously. What is that need? Maybe a need to feel loved, or heard, or considered. It might be helpful to journal what comes up for you at your next opportunity. And know you do not need to rely on others to fulfil these needs. You have everything you need to fulfil your own needs! Every trigger is an amazing opportunity to discover more about yourself and grow from it. Let it go - It's done it's job and taught you what you need to work on. Let go of the story that is going on in your head as this is what is feeding the emotion and pain and is no longer useful.

2. Spend at least 10 mins a day journaling "what does my soul need me to do today?" As before - get comfy, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Open your eyes, ask yourself the question and just write. Don't over think it, don't judge, just see what comes up. 

3. Listen to the audio recording below everyday and make a note of your experiences or share them in the Facebook Group

https://soundcloud.com/holly-boulle/journey-to-your-guide-aac/s-PNB7PKx10UC

RECIPES

Alkalizing Green Drink for Morning• 1/2 to a whole cucumber with skin• a few large green leaves (lettuce, collard, watercress, etc.)• small piece fresh ginger (half thumb size)• 1 teaspoon-1 tbs. coconut or MCT oil• 2 stalks celery• 1 c. water• 1/2 cup Aloe Vera juice. Blend in blender on high for 30 seconds.

Kitchari - Mung beans scrape the intestines and alkalize the system which supports cleansing of toxins. Please make your kitchari in a pressure cooker if you can. Beans are best pressure cooked-this removes the lectins from them, otherwise they create digestive upset. If you can’t buy a pressure cooker (they are pretty affordable on Amazon!), then soak them at least overnight and cook until totally liquid and follow the directions below. If you DO have a pressure cooker, simply add all ingredients and cook for 15-20 minutes as per desired consistency (mushy to not as mushy). • 1 tsb. ghee • 1 and 1/2 tsp spice seeds • 1 and 1/2 tsp powdered spices • 2 and 1/2 cups water • 1/4 cup organic basmati rice• 1/4 cup organic mung beans • 1-2 cups fresh, seasonal, organic vegetables, cut into small pieces • 1 tsp. coriander seed powder • 1/4 tsp rock salt. 

Rinse and soak mung beans. Rinse cup basmati rice. Take ghee and melt into pan. Add spice mix (choose 2 from cumin seed, mustard seed, fennel, fenugreek). Heat ghee in sauce pan until seeds pop. Add in the powdered herbs (choose from turmeric, garam masala, curry powder, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, etc, “Italian herbs,” etc.). Add rinsed/soaked mung beans and rice. Stir to coat with oil and spices. Heat through. Add hot water and bring to a boil. Add 1-2cups chopped vegetables and greens. Simmer on medium-low for 30-45 minutes. 

Other options: Mung Beans with Carrots, Saffron-Asparagus Kitchari, Kale with Sunflower Seeds, Mung Bean Vegetable Soup, Roasted Veggies with Lemon and Spice. 

Digestive Teas: Fennel, Cumin, Coriander seeds (savoury): Take 1 tsp. each and place into 1 and 1/2 cups cold water. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool to drinking temperature. Strain to drink.

Ginger/Fennel (sweet and warm): Use a coin sized piece of ginger and 1 tsp. fennel seeds. Mince fresh ginger. Add herbs to 1 and 1/2 cups water. Bring to boil for 5 minutes. Remove heat and let cool to drinking temperature. Strain to drink.

Cardamom tea: Cardamom seeds, fresh ginger, cinnamon. Take 1 tsp. cardamom, 1/2 tsp. grated ginger and 1/4 tsp cinnamon. Add herbs to 1 and 1/2 cups water. Bring to boil for a few minutes. Remove heat and let cool to drinking temperature. Strain to drink.

Bone Broth: Use animal bones-any will do. Make sure your products are pasture-fed and free of antibiotics and hormones. You will be using bones, fat, meat, vegetables and water. Add a bit of apple cider vinegar to your pot to help draw the minerals from the bones. I find that a slow cooker is easiest.

Cooking Suggestion:

1. Place 2-3 large bones into a large stock pot or slow cooker and cover with water.

2. Add two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to water prior to cooking. This helps to pull out important nutrients from the bones.

3. Fill stock pot with clean water until it cover the bones. Leave plenty of room for water to boil.

4. Heat slowly. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer for at least six hours. Remove scum as it arises. I have found that if you have good bones, there is zero scum.

5. Cook slow and at low heat. Chicken bones can cook for 24 hours. Beef bones can cook for 48 hours. A low and slow cook time is necessary in order to fully extract the nutrients in and around bone.

6. You can also add in vegetables such as onions, garlic, carrots, and celery for added nutrient value.

7. You can also add in healing herbs: I suggest a few strips of astragalus, 1/2 cup dried nettles,1/2 cup burdock root. I also sometimes to a big chunk of sliced fresh ginger. After cooking, the broth will cool and a layer of fat will harden on top. The broth AND fats hold the nutrients so don’t discard. The collagen in bone broth will heal your gut lining and reduce intestinal inflammation. In addition, collagen will support healthy skin and can reduce the appearance of cellulite. Also, the glycine in bone broth can detoxify your cells from chemicals and improve brain function. Have 2-4 cups daily while cleansing.

Week 11 - Beginning to re-emerge

This week enjoy simple, plant-based foods that are cooked and easily digested: soups, broths and purees are ideal. Fish can be phased in towards the end of the week. Slowly reintroduce diversity; try to add in dairy, soy, wheat, and eggs one at a time and keep a log of anything that isn't reacting well. 

We will also look at how to eat and live inline with your own personal constitution. Here you will find a quiz (https://www.dropbox.com/s/juvf...) to help you establish your mix of the doshas. The doshas are patterns that manifest in the body - we are born with a unique pattern of the doshas and these go out of balance as we go through the course of our lives but the aim is to come back to our original nature - our original state of balance. 

Think of them as indicators that tell us when we are going out of balance so the key is to eat inline with the dosha that is presenting most strongly for you at the time.

Eating to balance kapha dosha:

1. Eat only when you are genuinely hungry and not in between meals. Avoid overeating, especially in the evening kapha types can thrive on two meals a day, so you can afford to skip breakfast if you are not hungry or just have a fresh vegetable juice made with ginger. 
2. Favour foods that are light, dry or warm to counter fluid retention and congestion. For example grains such as barley, corn, millet, buckwheat and rye. Raw food is viewed as cold and damp and is best minimised
3. Favour foods that are spicy, bitter or astringent such as steamed, green, leafy vegetables rich in the bitter taste, prepared with warming garlic and ginger. 
4. Fresh ginger is especially helpful for kapha types. You can take a pinch of fresh ginger root daily with a few drops of lemon juice as an appetiser before each meal
5. Other key herbs to warm the digestion are black pepper, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and turmeric. Try adding these spices to your cooking to invigorate a sluggish kapha digestion 
6. Reduce foods that are heavy (eg: red meat), oily/fatty (eg: nuts, crisps, biscuits, cakes, fried foods) or cold (eg: yoghurt, cheese)
7. A largely vegetarian diet is recommended. If you eat meat, favour white meats and take some brisk exercise after eating to help the digestion process
8. Reduce foods that are sweet (refined sugars, chocolate), salty and sour in taste. A little honey is the best sweetener for this type
9. Avoid raw or refrigerated foods as well as iced drinks
10. Minimise alcohol which is sweet and sour in nature. 
11. Enjoy hot, spicy warming drinks with herbs such as ginger, cinnamon and fennel. 

    ---

Eating to balance pitta dosha:

1. Aim for three good meals a day. Eating at consistent times from one day to the next also helps to balance an overactive digestive fire
2. Favour sweet, bitter and astringent tastes which are cooling and refreshing- such as fresh fruits and vegetables, rice, quinoa, spelt, barley, oats, milk, butter, ghee, foods rich in the bitter tastes include green, leafy vegetables, rhubarb and rocket 
3. Raw foods tend to be naturally cooling, and pitta tends to be able to handle them better than the other doshas, so mixing in an assortment of raw fruits and vegetables will generally be supportive—especially in the warmer months. Try not to mix raw and cooked foods in the same meal 
4. Avoid hot and spicy foods such as those cooked with chillies, raw onion, raw garlic, mustard and cayenne. 
5. Minimise the sour taste, for example, foods such as cheese, yoghurt and tomatoes are considered especially sour 
6. Minimise your use of salt and salty foods such as salted nuts and crisps
   The best oils for Pitta are olive, sunflower and coconut oil, as well as ghee or unsalted butter. Avoid fried and greasy foods and low-quality oils 
7. Favour the milder spices such as fresh ginger, fennel, coriander, turmeric and small amounts of black pepper. Some key cooling and calming herbs you can use to help balance your strong digestion are coriander, and mint. You can use these herbs liberally in your cooking and as cooling garnishes 
8. Favour all the sweet fruits but avoid the sour tasting ones such as oranges, grapefruits and pineapples. Lemon and lime are fine in moderation 
9. Limit your intake of stimulants such as alcohol, coffee. Instead, drink cool drinks and minty, refreshing herbal teas. Include cooling and calming Aloe Vera juice in your daily diet

Eating to balance vata dosha: 

1. Establish a routine of regular meal times, ideally three or four times a day 
2. Try not to get distracted while you are eating and instead create a calm, relaxed atmosphere for meal times so you can concentrate on your meal 
3. Favour foods that are warm, soupy, heavy and oily- think soups, stews, casseroles and other one-pot dishes 
4. Some key warming herbs for vata to help balance your digestion, are fennel, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, dill, black pepper, and cardamom.
5. Favour foods that taste sweet, sour and salty as these are most nourishing for you. Note that this doesn’t mean refined sugar but foods which are considered energetically sweet such as rice, spelt, kamut, oats, quinoa, root vegetables, sweet fruits and organic dairy
6. Try to minimise white sugar. The best sweeteners for this type are honey, molasses, barley malt and maple syrup 
7. Increase your intake of good quality natural oils - hemp, sesame, olive, sunflower and flax are all ideal. Cooking with butter and ghee helps to moisten dry foods but avoid fried and greasy foods 
8. Stimulants such as alcohol, coffee, black tea and fizzy drinks can all be aggravating for this type. Take plenty of warm water and spicy and relaxing herbal teas. 
9. Minimise foods that are cold, dry and hard - such as crackers, rice cakes, crisps, and dried fruits and nuts (unless they have been soaked)
10. Minimise foods that are very spicy such as chillies, bitter like coffee or astringent like raw apples, most beans/pulses except mung beans, red lentils and marinated tofu 
11. Avoid raw food, cold and frozen foods as much as possible, such as ice cream and iced drinks.

    ---

• Journal - Use these prompts to guide you - spend a minimum of 10 minutes a day, longer if you can, journaling what comes up for you. Before you begin get comfy, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Open your eyes, ask yourself the question and just write. Don't over think it, don't judge, just see what comes up. "What do I love about myself? How can I share these gifts with world in a greater way?"
• Listen to this audio recording everyday and make a note of your experiences or share them in the Facebook Group 

Week 12 - Building Ojas

Ojas is the container that holds your abundant energy and immunity in the body and it is important to replenish after cleansing. It is the ultimate energy reserve of the body and mind and is sometimes referred to as the body’s natural honey; it is the delicate and refined essence we produce from the plants and other vital essences we take in. These days, everyone needs a little more support in the realm of ojas. Here are some steps to start putting into practice this week to build and conserve your vital energy (ojas):

1. Re-introduce some heavier foods (e.g., meat and dairy) and core vitality boosting foods which are listed at the bottom of this page
2. Limited amounts of raw or uncooked foods can now be consumed
3. Go organic—Eat foods that are organic, in season and, when possible, local. 
4. Avoid overeating—This depletes your digestive fire.
5. As already mentioned avoid excess stimulation while eating—If you want to build your core vitality, don’t watch the evening news during dinner or eat lunch in front of your computer.
6. Rest—Sleeping eight hours at night is paramount for building ojas. Rest also means taking a break from constant “doing” to relax and deeply unwind.
7. Oil your inner body- Yes, that’s right. Drinking and eating more oils boosts ojas. Incorporate more oils such as hemp, flax, avocado, coconut and ghee into your diet. 
8. Say no to vampires—Avoid the people, places, and media that disturb your mind and/or suck your soul blood.
9. Spend more time in nature
10. Rest your mind
11. Do restorative yoga - if you can't get to a class, there are lots of free classes on YouTube
12. Love the one you’re with—any form of genuine love and devotion boosts your core vitality and immune system.

THINGS THAT WILL SAP YOUR CORE VITALITY:

• Travel (especially in airplanes)
• Over-exercising
• Serious physical injury
• Letting yourself get excessively hungry
• Over-analysis, over-thinking, and any form of mental disturbance like doubt, lack of faith, anger, greed, jealousy.
• Unprocessed anger, worry, anxiety and grief

We are also looking at when you should combine and when not to combine certain food for optimal digestive health. Putting two foods together that are dramatically different requires your body to work 10 times harder.

• Eating fruit alone is best (although stewed fruit is generally ok with grains). Melon should always be eaten alone.

• Milk should be taken alone or with things that are sweet(grains, honey, brown sugar, etc.) Milk digests best when it is hot and spiced. Great milk spices include: cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric, black pepper and nutmeg. Milk has a particularly hard time alongside bananas, sour fruits, yeasty breads, fish/meat, and yogurt.

• Avoid eating any dairy products with fish.

• Eggs don’t mix well with fruit, milk, meat and yogurt.• Honey should never be boiled/cooked, and only mixes with ghee in equal amounts (by weight).

• Nightshades (eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes) don’t mix well with melon, cucumber and dairy

Other considerations for this week:

• Enjoyment! This week spend at least 30 mins a day doing something that you love. That might be writing a story, going to explore somewhere new or taking yourself out for afternoon tea - it's completely up to you but make sure you find the time because here's the thing, if you don't value you, no one else will either!
• Journal - as before spend a minimum of 10 minutes a day, longer if you can, journaling what comes up for you. Before you begin get comfy, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Open your eyes, and ask? "If I didn't have to worry about other people or responsibilities, what would I do with my life?" and just write. Don't over think it, don't judge, just see what comes up.
• Listen to this audio recording everyday and make a note of your experiences or share them in the Facebook Group 

https://soundcloud.com/holly-boulle/stepping-into-the-ideal-you/s-xk42Hni5oXg

EATING CORE-VITALITY-BOOSTING FOODS:• Sesame seeds and sesame oil • Pumpkin seeds • Dates • Coconut and coconut oil • Avocado and avocado oil • Olive oil• Bee pollen • Oats• Barley • Almonds (soaked in water over-night, skins removed)• Flax seeds and oil • Walnuts and walnut oil • Raw honey• Raw organic cow or goat’s milk/ cream • Ghee or butter• Sweet potatoes and yams • Okra • Squash • Eggplant• Spinach• Mango • Raisins • Blueberries • Mung beans • Red lentils • Homemade buttermilk • Homemade unsalted cheese • Bone broth and stews

Week 13 - Hormone Disruptors

Hormone Disruptors 

• BPA ◦ Imitates estrogen ◦ Found in  linings of cans  water bottles  receipts  

• Dioxin ◦ Disrupts both estrogens & androgens ◦ Found in meat, fish, eggs, butter  

• Atrazine ◦ Feminization of frogs Herbicide: found on produce & in drinking water  

• Phthalates ◦ Signals testicular cell death, changes hormones ◦ Found in plastic food containers, plastic wrap, personal care products  

• Perchlorate ◦ Competes with thyroid for iodine ◦ Found in drinking water (rocket fuel) 

• Fire retardants ◦ Imitate thyroid hormones ◦ Found in textiles used in household 

• Lead ◦ Lowers levels of sex hormones, disrupts stress response ◦ Found in old paint, water  

• Arsenic ◦ Interferes with sugar metabolism ◦ Found in water  

• Mercury ◦ Binds with hormones that regulate women’s menstrual cycle & ovulation ◦ Found in seafood  

• Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) ◦ Impacts sperm production and fetal development ◦ Found in non-stick pans, stain & water resistant textiles 

• Organophosphate pesticides ◦ Lowers testosterone, alters thyroid levels ◦ Found in pesticides

Actions to avoid Hormone Disruptors:

• Filter your water ◦ Ceramic filters, reverse osmosis, distilled  

• Know your ingredients: Read Labels!  

• Find Phthalate-free self-care products  

• Dine on fresh food: Avoid cans/plastic wrappings of processed foods  

• Buy (& ingest) only organic dairy, meats, produce, or other products

Week 14 - Working with your cycle

Here is a free app to track your cycle Clue Period & Ovulation Tracker with Ovulation Calendar for iOS, Android, and watchOS (helloclue.com) 

Week 1 - New Moon - Menstruation 

Theme: Rest and Restore

Foods that will be supportive during this phase are grounding and building

You may need to eat more generally during this phase

*lentils *almonds *rice *leafy greens *dandelions *sweet potatoes *turmeric *buckwheat *dark chocolate *avocados *black beans *organic red meat *nuts sand seeds *nettles *seafood *beets *flaxseed *pistachios *licorice *ashwaganda 

Avoid: *caffeine *alcohol *sugar (including natural sweeteners) 

Activities that will be supportive during this phase are 

*meditation *breathwork *walking *time in nature

Week 2 - Waxing crescent - Follicular phase 

Theme: Cleanse & Build

Foods that will be supportive during this time are:

*ground flax *pumpkin seeds *broccoli *sauerkraut *fermented foods *onions *leafy greens *lemon *fresh produce *quinoa *olive oil *coconut oil *chickpeas *oysters *seeds *turmeric *ginger *lighter fresher foods

Avoid: *cut back a little on the carbs 

Activities that will be supportive during this phase are... 

*increase movement *dancing *jogging *time in nature *setting intentions and goals

Week 3 - Full Moon - Ovulation 

Theme: Hydrate and Digest

Foods that will be supportive during this time are:

*bone broth *leafy greens *broccoli *cauliflower *cabbage *kale *bok-choy *fermented foods *millet *quinoa *berries *lean protein *tuna *seaweed *sunflower seeds *mint tea

Avoid: *take a break from dietary supplements

Activities that will be supportive during this phase are... 

*cardio *High intensity Workouts *social events *talking to others *gratitude practices

Week 4 - Waxing Crescent - Luteal phase 

Theme: Hydrate and Build

Foods that will be supportive during this time are:

*cucumber *melon* dark chocolate *root veg *dark berries *ghee/butter *leafy greens *sweet potatoes *red meat *dates *treat/joy food *rice *pepper mint tea *cinnamon *drink lots of fluids

Avoid: *limit caffeine, salt and alcohol intake

Activities that will be supportive during this phase are... 

*Get outside in nature *gardening *read and listen to uplifting books, movies and programmes *review and let go of what is no longer serving you

Week 15 - How our hormones change and what we can do about it...

Week 16 - Strength

Action: Daily Strength building 

Resources:

Strength and Flex exercise plan: how-to videos - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Upper body strength: https://youtu.be/yXOHM5_6uS8

Chair Yoga for stretch and Strength https://youtu.be/gXB3NhOAalk

Yoga For Strength - 40 Minute Vinyasa Sequence https://youtu.be/9kOCY0KNByw