How sweet it is!
Summer is finally, officially gracing the Rocky Mountains with its blessedly long hours of sunlight on the river, rock and trail. 

Mountain Soul Yoga provides a daily mind/body/soul tune-up, so you can get after it all season. When you visit, be sure to stay for a spot of apres-yog tea.

Our Summer Garden Sweet Brew follows the age-old recommendations from the Ayurvedic wisdom-keepers, who taught us that summertime is the right time for your sweet tooth. 

To balance the intensity of pitta dosha which can easily become exacerbated during hot and active summer months, Ayurveda endorses imbibing things that are sweet, bitter, and astringent. 

Enter stevia leaf... 

a natural sweetener that carries subtle notes of both bitter and astringent as it tickles your tastebuds. Fresh, unprocessed stevia is the key ingredient to the sweetness of our herbal tea blend. The Summer Garden Sweet Brew also features Spearmint leaf, Peppermint left, Hibiscus flowers, and Rose-hips. Each ingredient is packed with nutrient-rich power and chosen for its associated health benefits:

Mint leaf...

• lowers blood pressure.
• aids digestion.
• improves memory.
• lowers blood sugar.
• is known as an antioxidant.

Hibiscus flower...

• strengthens hair roots.
• improves cardiovascular health.
• is an antioxidant.
• offers antibacterial benefits.
• adds light astringent, cranberry-like flavor.

Rosehips...

• are rich vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin C.
• add slight astringent sweetness.
• lower blood pressure and cholesterol.
• reduce inflammation, including symptoms of arthritis.
• are antimicrobial/antibacterial.
• give our tea its bright pink color. 

Stevia leaf...

• provides sweetness without the calories.
• regulates blood pressure.
• lowers cholesterol.
• maintains oral hygiene by reducing bad bacteria.
• promotes healthy skin balance for a clear complexion.
• pitta-reducing.

 
Stay balanced this summer with our Summer Garden Sweet Brew. Enjoy it with us in the studio boutique, and/or take some home. 

(A bit more stevia leaf history is offered by Jeff Perlman at Three Seasons Ayurveda.)

R.R. Shakti, PhD

​Āyurveda is a system of wellness deeply rooted in nature.
It recognizes that humanity is created from, exists within, and eventually returns to the elements.
Āyurveda is a Vedic science that has been practiced for thousands of years for the sake of holistic wellness. The system of Āyurveda recognizes that the key to good health is balance at all levels of being. It employs mindful dietary considerations, yoga āsana (postures), prānāyāma (breathing practices), herbs, and meditation for optimal health. It seeks to cleanse the body of toxins and eliminate excess inflammation.

SPACE
Ākāsha is space: the place where everything happens;
the starting point from which all the other elements unfold.
Space does not possess the weight of earth, the moisture of water, the light or heat of fire, nor the movement of wind. The qualities of ākāsha are light, still, fine, cold, dark, smooth, and soft. Ākāsha lives in your heart/mind as openness and bliss. ​

WIND 
Vāyu is air & wind. It is the power of movement, the potential for creative action. Air does not possess the weight of earth, the moisture of water, the light or heat of fire, nor the smooth, refined stillness of space. The qualities of vāyu include agile, active, cold, light, dry, rough and expansive.These qualities show up in your body and mind as movement such as gas and neural activity: creativity & imagination.

FIRE
Agni is the principle of fire. It is the power of transformation. It provides clarity and illumination. Fire does not possess the weight of earth, the moisture of water, the cold of air, or stillness of space. The qualities of agni include hot, sharp, clear, fine, light, dry and upward-moving. These qualities show up in your body as heat and digestion, bright eyes and mental clarity. Psychodynamic qualities of fire include joy & compassion, intelligence, humor, warmth and ambition.

WATER
Jala is the element: water. It is nourishment, healing, growth and integration. Water does not possess the dryness of space or wind. It is not rough like the earth …nor does it contain the heat or light of fire. The qualities of jala include cold, soft, liquid, oily, slimy, agile, lubricating, and heavy. These qualities manifest as all the fluid in your body: blood, mucus, sweat, etc. As a mental construct, it means going with the flow. It allows you to feel nourished, content, and self-contained.

EARTH 
Pṛthvī means earth. The earth is the stable foundation from which all things grow. The earth contains all things within it.
Space, air, water and fire are all held within the confines of the earth. But earth has its own distinct qualities: heavy, hard, course, rough, solid, compact and slow. Earth invites you to be steadfast & grounded–confident, but also adaptable.

​In the physical body, the five elements combine to form the three dosha: VATA, KAPHA & PITTA. According to Ayurveda, these three dosha are the bio-energetic conditions that influence your overall wellness.