Amikita - Annameka McLucas - my little friend

Amikita - Annameka McLucas - my little friend Aryuvedic Wellness Coach - Shakti School

It has been ages since I last posted here. Here is one reason why!
26/05/2024

It has been ages since I last posted here. Here is one reason why!

Home of digital credentials

What a wonderful introduction into the world and power of ayurveda 'The Natural Law' is! I know not all of you will have...
28/08/2023

What a wonderful introduction into the world and power of ayurveda 'The Natural Law' is! I know not all of you will have the 1 hour and 20 minutes spare to watch it, but if you do, you won't regret it!! Click this link for prompts to download your personal link to be able to watch this film, free of charge, but for a limited time only.

Some of my favourite pieces of wisdom from it are:

'To eat is human, but to digest is divine'

'Avert the danger that has not yet come'

'With bad digestion, medicine doesn't work, with good digestion medicine is not necessary', and

'Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better' (the last tidbit of wisdom is actually from Albert Einstein!)

These recognise the significance of good digestion and living in accordance with nature for good health and the often disease preventative nature of ayurveda. Who doesn't want that!?!?

Discover nature’s secret code to lifelong wellness: and freedom from the illnesses, pain, and disconnection of modern life

20/05/2023

About a 4 minute read

Wow, just like that it has been nearly two months since I last posted here. I started level 2 of my ayurveda course around that time. At the end of this level, I will be an Ayurvedic Health Counsellor! I was on the fence about continuing, but after the first class, I knew it was the right thing and was so glad I signed up! Unfortunately it will likely mean I can't post here as regularly as I would like to.

A lot of practical and super helpful things came to mind when I was thinking about what I wanted to write in this post, and we will get to those at some point...but before we do, I thought it more helpful to contemplate the why? Apart from the obvious human desire to be free of physical, mental and emotional challenges, of course. Why else might we want to heal our imbalances and work towards physical, mental and emotional health? I mentioned in an earlier post that one of the meanings of yoga is 'to make the unconscious conscious'. But again, why? These unconscious parts of ourselves are often perceived as the unwanted parts of us, parts that are too painful, that we find shameful or wish were not part of who we are. The problem with not acknowledging and accepting these parts of ourselves is that without us necessarily even knowing, these have the potential to impact on every aspect of our lives and often not in a positive way. As Dr Robert Svaboda said 'If you don't get on reality's side, reality will come for you.' Unfortunately that can often be when you least expect it, nor are you in the best place to deal with it, such as during a relationship breakdown.

Ever felt like something is wrong, but you just don't know how to put your finger on it, let alone how to begin to do something about it? You might even have experienced discontent with your current situation, but not even know what you want it to be instead. Or realised you don't even know what you like, much less who you are. You might even notice you get into the same kind of relationships that are not healthy, that don't nourish or serve you, despite desiring more healthy relationships. These are all signs that you are not embracing the real you, your true nature. Such situations are unfortunately all too common in life when you are at your lowest, weakest point and most in need of good things in your life. However, to work towards that is often the hardest thing to do at such a time, but is where the medicine, the healing, the growth is. It's hard because doing something different is hard and can often seem impossible or overwhelming when you are already struggling. It is, however also necessary if you want positive change. As the saying goes, the definition of insanity is to continue to do the same thing and expect a different outcome.

So, we decide we want change...what then? The key is starting small. In the case of a physical health issue you might start to pay more attention to the cues your body gives you about what it needs or what is not right. Perhaps you push yourself way too hard and start to incorporate some more rest and relaxation in your life, however small. You may start to notice unpleasant sensations after eating certain foods and look for alternatives. Or, you might finally admit that you don't even really like, nor are you very kind to yourself, and start talking to a therapist. Over time, you notice that these small things will start to add up and that you experience the positive effects, which continue and often increase over time. In doing so, we start digging beneath the surface of the part of us we acknowledge and show to the world, to reveal more of our true self...to make the unconscious conscious...to acknowledge and accept all of who we are, even the parts we consider unsavoury. Often, relieving ourselves of physical challenges is all part of discovering and working towards embodying who we really are...after all, how can you expect to do deeper work on yourself when you are experiencing unpleasant sensations in the body? Also, remember that strong mind-body connection.

But why does it matter that we are embodying our true selves? Part of working towards our true self is identifying and in some cases discarding those learned patterns and behaviours that are not consistent with our beliefs, values and that don't serve us. We start to learn who we really are by discovering all those things we are not, and this gives space for our real selves to flower and flourish. It is from this place of embodying our true nature that we can start to live a life consistent with our dharma – our life's purpose, our true longing. When you know yourself, it is easier to trust yourself; your intuition or knowing, your bodily sensations, that can often help you figure out exactly what you want and how to go about working towards getting it.

Sound good? Everything that follows is working to this overarching goal. Just to say, your life's purpose doesn't have to be something you make the history books for achieving. You know when someone is living their dharma when they are generally content, even downright happy, just going about their everyday lives.

02/04/2023

About a 2 minute read

I hope that at least some of you found something useful about my previous posts about spring and autumn (depending on which you are in right now). These mentioned some of the more subtle energies, as well as the kind of foods most appropriate for these seasons. But what else can we do to support ourselves during these transitional seasons into the hottest/coldest seasons of the year?

If you are in the northern hemisphere and currently in spring, you might recall I recently mentioned that it is wise not to be tempted to start wearing summer clothing and exposing bear skin too soon. Spring is a notoriously cool and damp season, and one of the first places it can show up in the body in terms of sickness is in the lung tissue, in the form of colds and flus that are most likely heavy and with mucus. All the more reason to make sure you dress appropriately for the season. It is also the season where you may feel like socialising more after the cold winter months during which daylight hours are often shorter. This is healthy, but a word of caution to exercise discernment when making any decisions during a season where it is typically very easy to make bad decisions...spring fling gone wrong, anyone? In terms of self-care practices, you want to focus on things that are warming and get things like lymph moving, like dry brushing your body, saunas and more strenuous forms of exercise.

Conversely, if you are in the southern hemisphere and currently in autumn, you want to prioritise rest and self-care. You may notice you need more sleep at this time of year, so allow yourself to do so (within reason) and make a conscious effort to prioritise relaxation. This is so important for the immune system, particularly at this time of year. Practices like self-massage with oils like sesame oil and taking warming baths (perhaps with ginger, which is also warming) are also great in the autumn season, as are more warming forms of exercise, like more vigorous forms of yoga.

What are some of your personal practices in spring/autumn, and are they along similar lines to those mentioned above?

25/03/2023

As promised, for folks in the southern hemisphere, a bit about the autumn season from an ayurvedic perspective. In autumn, we want to guard against the depleting effect of the cooler weather and especially dry, cool winds that can be prevalent during this season. How do we do this? Firstly, dress appropriately for the season. Think layers, you want to keep warm and protect yourself during what can be a harsh season. In terms of diet, I mentioned that this is the other season during which it is appropriate to do an ayurvedic cleanse. If you are interested in trying a traditional ayurvedic cleanse dish, refer to the kichadi recipe I linked to in my previous post. The foods you want to be eating at this time of year are moist, cooked foods, with a focus on those considered sweet, salty and sour. Ever notice that you don't want to eat cold and raw foods like salad at this time of year? Listen to your body. This kind of food only further dries out and depletes you at a time where these qualities are already prevalent. How do we get that moist quality into our food, apart from cooking methods such as steaming, slow cooking and pressure cooking? Think small amounts of healthy oils like coconut, avocado and olive and also ghee.

Foods considered sweet according to ayurveda include grains, meat and certain vegetables, like sweet potatoes and carrots. Foods considered salty include (of course) salt, seaweed, soy sauce, tuna but also interestingly celery and cottage cheese. Foods like citrus, fermented foods like sourdough bread, sour cream, cheese, kimchi and yoghurt are considered sour in nature. However, take care not to overdo it on the more heavy foods, like oils, ghee, meat and dairy products, especially if you don't have healthy digestion. What are some signs your digestion is not as healthy as it could be? Symptoms of gas or bloating, heaviness after meals, or feeling full after eating only a small amount of food are just a few signs that there is room for improvement with your digestion. As well as an ayurvedic cleanse, sipping warm ginger tea during the day is just one thing that can help with this.

Also during autumn, you may start to notice that you are happy to stay at home more and socialise less as the weather cools down and the daylight hours shorten. This is the time of year you might notice your sense of intuition is heightened, perhaps because it is the season for more introspection and contemplation. It is also appropriate to start to rest more. Conversely, in terms of exercise, you want to be doing more vigorous and warming exercise to bring heat into your body. For the same reason enjoying warm baths, sipping ginger tea and massaging the skin with sesame oil (which is warming in nature) are also helpful during this season. How well you take care of yourself during autumn can influence your health during the even colder and more depleting winter months, during which illness is more prevalent.

I would be interested to hear your comments about this content below. Was a lot of it what you intuitively knew you needed at this time of year? Did you find anything I mentioned above surprising?

About a 2 minute readToday is the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere. According to ayurveda, spring is the t...
21/03/2023

About a 2 minute read

Today is the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere. According to ayurveda, spring is the time to shift the heaviness of the winter months. Whether it be eating less heavy foods to aid the digestion and perhaps shift a few unwanted kilos, something also helped along by doing more strenuous exercise. This is the time of year you want to be eating more greens. Greens are detoxifying and cooling; they help with the accumulation of heat as the temperatures start to rise. Spring is also one of two times a year (the other being autumn) where a digestive cleanse is most appropriate. The aim of a spring cleanse being to help move some of the excess from the winter months and lay a strong foundation for and get the best out of eating lighter foods during the spring and hotter summer months.

Curious about an ayurvedic cleanse? Why not try one of my teacher's recipes. I recommend starting with kitchadi, which is the main dish included in an ayurvedic cleanse https://alchemyayurveda.com/kichadi/ I know what you are thinking...if this is something you eat on a cleanse, it must be awful...that's certainly what I thought! As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, I could not have been more pleasantly surprised! So much so that I started making this dish regularly, even though I wasn't doing a cleanse...simply because I enjoyed it so much! As did a friend of mine who I made it for! Those of you in the southern hemisphere, heading into autumn...this is the main dish included in an ayurvedic cleanse, regardless of whether it is spring or autumn...so you might like to give it a try too! I'll write more relevant for those of you heading into autumn, soon.

Spring is also the time for fresh starts, birthing new ideas or projects. Every wondered why we do spring cleaning? This is also a form of getting rid of excess. Clearing our space is a kind of fresh start, but ever heard the saying 'as without, so within'? A clear, uncluttered environment is usually a reflection of our inner state and therefore more conducive to help you get moving and perhaps get a project going.

On a more practical note, spring weather can be cool and damp. Avoid the temptation to expose that bare skin too quickly and get caught out not dressing warmly enough during this transition into summer. I hope you found something in this post that is useful...please feel free to share, in the comments below.

Kichadi, also known as kitchari or kitcheree, is considered to be a perfectly balanced one pot wonder dish. Ayurveda's perfect comfort food!

About a 2 minute read. So, as you may already know, today is International Women's Day. As the main things I share with ...
08/03/2023

About a 2 minute read.

So, as you may already know, today is International Women's Day. As the main things I share with you here on this page are about feminine ayurveda, I couldn't let this day pass without a post. I was recently reminded of a few quotes from some ancient ayurvedic texts that one of my teachers introduced me to. The first one I wanted to mention is 'Where women are respected, prosperity, blessings and righteousness abound. Where women are not respected, the opposite happens.' This recognises the powerful contribution women have the capacity to make to the world. Another quote I wanted to share is about the Shiva (masculine) and Shakti (feminine) energy 'Without Shakti, not even a blade of grass can move and the holy trinity Shiva, Brahma (the creator) and Vishnu (the preserver) bow down to her because they know they are powerless without her Shakti.'

Now, please don't misunderstand me, I am very much of the belief that the masculine and feminine are equally important and indeed can be complementary. However, unfortunately there has been a long history of feminine energy and power being suppressed. This impacts on females of all ages to some extent. The intention here is to highlight the potential of this incredibly strong female energy. Ayurveda is just one example of where the feminine plays such an important part. My third post on this page talked about this, so have a read of that, if you are interested.

I also wanted to share a Dana Ashworth poem that is right on topic. It talks about the challenges our ancestors faced and how this forms part of us, honours some of our unique skills as women as well as recognising our obligation to play our part in this world. I will talk more about some of these things in future posts.

Finally, I wanted to mention an artist I learned about only today; Kat Shaw. Her art represents women in all their shapes and sizes and today is the perfect day to honour all of them. In ayurveda there is no such thing as the perfect body shape, size, weight...as with so many things in ayurveda it comes down to the individual, and recognises that our beauty is in our individuality. What more appropriate way to honour this than including a link to one of her pieces here. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cpb22Mht-Ag/ The one I have chosen is in keeping with the theme of this post, but she has many more for you to explore, if you are interested.

Hi folks. As promised last time, here is a link to a quiz to find our your vikruti or your current state. When compared ...
05/03/2023

Hi folks. As promised last time, here is a link to a quiz to find our your vikruti or your current state. When compared to your prakruti from the first quiz, we can start to identify our imbalances.

Answer the questions in terms of what is going on with you right now. Some of your answers might be the same as in for the prakruti quiz, others different. Your vikruti is your current state; the state of your imbalances taking you away from your true nature.

About a 6 minute read plus time to complete the 'prakruti' quizI hinted at it in my last post when I referred to somethi...
26/02/2023

About a 6 minute read plus time to complete the 'prakruti' quiz

I hinted at it in my last post when I referred to something one of my teacher's teachers said about learning ayurveda...if you want to learn it, look at nature. A fundamental concept of ayurveda is that of the five elements. How they show up in excess or as deficiencies, how this changes during the course of life and how to work towards improving any imbalances. Everyone is different, including the combination of these elements in you and your imbalances. However, as is the case in nature, there are generally patterns and it is through an understanding of these patterns, an appreciation of your unique nature and the remedies for imbalances, that it is possible to start to work to a more healthy you.

So what are these five elements? You just have to think about nature, as they all exist there as well as within us all. They are earth, fire, air, ether (or space) and water. Earth is heavy, dense and grounding and the most obvious representation of this in the physical body is the bones. Fire is hot, intense and transformative and from an ayurvedic perspective this includes the digestive fire, which transforms food and drink into energy and nourishment for the body. We take in air from the environment into our lungs through the nose and mouth and expel it the same way. Without this, human life could not exist. Air is mobile, drying and can also be degenerating. You only need to think of the way the wind can erode the coastline over time. Ether is represented in numerous cavities within the human body, but also on a micro level, it is the space between the cells. It is cold, light and immobile. The final element is water, which is believed to make up more than half of the human body. It is in the blood and digestive juices to name but two places it exists in the human body. Water is cold, mobile, heavy and moist.

These elements combine in what is referred to in ayurveda as the three doshas. Of course, the five elements could combine to make more than three unique combinations...so why are there only three doshas? This is because certain elements have more of an affinity for each other. But before we get into that, what is a dosha, apart from a combination of the elements? The root of the word dosha is 'dush' in Sanskrit and 'dis' in English, as in dis-ease. The word dosha translated most simply means fault or imbalance. Another way of thinking about dosha is that it is your body's attempt at bringing you back into balance...the body will always err on the side of keeping you alive, not necessarily healthy. To work towards health, it is therefore important to identify and work to reduce your imbalances. Before we talk more about the three doshas it is important to know that the way these show up can change from more of our original nature when we were born, and indeed are always changing. But why is this important? Think of it this way, if you can identify how these doshas are showing up for you in the present moment, and compare this to how they show up in your more long-term tendencies (think things that don't really change once you stop growing, like your bone structure), this helps to start identifying your imbalances that have taken you away from your innate nature. Your innate nature or long-term tendencies are referred to in ayurveda as your prakruti. The word prakruti comes from the roots 'pra' meaning forever or in this context, unchanging, and 'ruti' meaning nature. Conversely, the combination in which the doshas are currently showing up in you is your vikruti. The root 'vik' means to separate or take away from and again 'ruti' means nature. That is, how your current state is taking you away from your true nature or prakruti.

Vata is one the three doshas. It is the most subtle and therefore the easiest and quickest to go out of balance, but also to bring back into balance. Vata is the combination of the air and ether elements. By nature, vata is mobile, cold, light, drying and degenerating. In your prakruti it could show up as a thin bone structure, in your vikruti as gas or anxiety.

Pitta is the dosha formed by the combination of fire and water. A few characteristics of pitta are hot, oily and sharp. In your unique nature this can show up as a medium body frame or even red hair. In your vikruti, it could show up as acid reflux or anger.

Kapha dosha is earth and water combined. It is heavy, cool, moist and immobile. Someone with a kapha prakruti would likely have a large bone structure and may have other large features such as eyes, nose and lips. In your vikruti it could show up as carrying excess weight or as lethargy or depression.

As I mentioned earlier, the first step to start to work with the doshas is to identify them in yourself; both those characteristics that don't change (your prakruti) and your current tendencies that differ from your original nature (your vikruti). The focus then being to work on the imbalances represented by the difference between the two.

Click on this link to complete a quiz to find out the dosha most prevalent in your prakruti https://www.opinionstage.com/page/1a05aca9-c8ca-4593-9a24-da45b295eb5d Soon to come will be a quiz to find out the dosha most prevalent in your vikruti.

Your prakruti is your innate/unchanging nature. Choose the most appropriate responses for your life as a whole.

12/02/2023

About a 2 minute read

My ancestors are not from South Asia, where ayurveda has its roots. I would say that my name gives that away, but interestingly, Anamika is a female name in India. Ayurveda was not a part of my life growing up in the way it was for some who grew up in South Asia. I do, however have a great sense of curiosity, reverence and gratitude for the ayurvedic teachings that have greatly transformed this human existence for me. Ayurveda is so vast and I am so often humbled by it and the wisdom it offers. I have the deepest respect for the wisdom of the ancient rishis who founded ayurveda and countless men and women who have lived, taught and passed on this ancient wisdom over what some say has been thousands of years. Without folks like these, myself and countless others would not have had the privilege of learning about ayurveda, a large part of which is experiential, or sharing it with others.

It is from this place of the deepest respect that I share what I have learned though my study and embodiment of the teachings offered as part of this ancient health care system. This has been an incredibly positive experience for me personally and this is my main inspiration to share this wisdom and its limitless positive effects with others. One of my teachers said that yoga is universal and for everyone, that we are all brothers and sisters, meaning we are all the same. I believe the same can be said for ayurveda. Something one of my teacher's teachers said about learning ayurveda describes this beautifully; if you want to learn ayurveda, look at nature, it has no culture, no race. So, although this science of life, of nature, has its roots in South Asia, it really is universal medicine and I will share that wisdom so that you can experience some of its benefits yourself.

07/02/2023

About a 7 minute read

Time for an introduction to ayurveda, which is what underpins everything I will share here on this page. If you read my first post here, you know a bit about the journey that led me to do a course in feminine form ayurveda. Some of you might even know something about ayurveda. For everyone else, you may be wondering, what the heck is ayurveda, let alone what is feminine form ayurveda? Or even before that, you might be thinking, how on earth do I pronounce it? The unfamiliar and non-English sounding words I use here are in Sanskrit, a language with its roots in South Asia, which includes India. Some say that words in ayurveda help you to experience what the word is used to denote, as well as give meaning to it. It is also believed that the sounds of words in Sanskrit have the power to heal! Words in Sanskrit are typically derived from certain root words and interestingly, a word in Sanskrit can have many different meanings! Ayurveda (pronounce 'ay' 'or' 'vay 'duh') is derived from the roots 'ayur', meaning life and 'veda', meaning knowledge. So, ayurveda is often referred to as the science of life.

Ayurveda and yoga are intrinsically interwoven and in fact, ayurveda is often referred to as the sister science of yoga. The word yoga comes from the sanskrit root 'yug' which means to unite, specifically to unite the physical, emotional and spiritual. Another meaning often given to the word yoga is to make the unconscious conscious to help remove limitations. Yoga is much more than the physical practice most of us know about. For anyone who has ever practiced yoga, you may have noticed that you feel so much better once you finish your practice, on more than just on a physical level. Perhaps you can't even explain how it is that you feel better, or maybe you notice more of a sense of calm or a lessening of symptoms like anxiety. This is because yoga works on mind, body and spirit. Those of you who do know something about ayurveda or yoga know that they have their roots in ancient India, but are universal and timeless. You and your family, caregivers growing up and ever since may even have used some remedies that are ayurvedic in nature, without even knowing it. It's the homemade chicken soup/ your Mum or caregiver gave you when you were younger and were feeling sick, it's listening to the cues your body gives you to rest when you start menstruating or just feel exhausted, eating seasonally and locally and applying more nourishment to your skin in autumn and winter. In yoga, there is a lot of focus on the breath and being guided by your body. Who of us doesn't remember hearing advice like 'take deep breaths' and 'breathe slowly' to help in a stressful situation, or being told to listen to your body and not push through physical pain? I could go on and on, and I won't, but what you might notice from these examples is that there is something in ayurveda for everyone.

Ayurveda also operates on a more subtle level and like yoga, helps to make the unconscious conscious...with the ultimate goal being to discover who you really are, after overcoming your physical and emotional challenges and removing unhelpful conditioning and patterns that no longer serve you. There are also a lot of practical things ayurveda offers, including advice on food choices depending on where you are, the season and what is going on with you at that moment. Although ayurveda has its roots in India, as the example of the chicken soup your Mum made you when you were young and feeling sick suggests, you don't have to like Indian food (though I have some wonderful recipes to share that might change your mind!) Nor do you need countless hours free every day to perform ayurvedic practices, to benefit from it. The thing the ancient rishis (think of them as the wise founding fathers of ayurveda - you guessed it, they were mostly men, but more on that later) said about ayurveda was that it must be adapted to the time, place, people and situation in which it is being applied, otherwise it is useless. That's what I'm here for! Take what you are interested in/what works for you (for now, as don't be surprised if this changes over time) and leave the rest. As just like everything else in life, different things work for different people. You may have heard the saying 'the only constant in life is change.' The good news is that because ayurveda is so vast, it can be adapted to support you no matter where you are and what is going on in your life, as well as support you though change.

So, what is feminine form ayurveda? Well, remember I referred to the ancient rishis or founding fathers of ayurveda? If you ever read any of the ancient texts on ayurveda (who knows, one day you might be inspired to!) you will notice that they were all written by men. Why..because women were too busy running the household and raising children to write books! They still practiced ayurveda though..in the kitchen and (for example) by giving oil massages to their very young children to help with their physical development. So, most of feminine form ayurveda was passed down orally in these situations. The other aspect of feminine form ayurveda is that it is intuitive, flowing and adaptive - taking all aspects of you and your environment into account. That is, taking general principles and applying them to your personal circumstances, not blindly sticking to rules, but using them as a guide, as well as intuition to decide the right approach. You might be wondering whether feminine form ayurveda is only for women. The answer is no, but often more women are drawn to it, and I will also talk about issues specific to women, such as menstruation and menopause here.

Feminine form ayurveda also honours the more masculine aspects of ayurveda. For example, harnessing the anti-inflammatory effect of curcuma extracted (a very masculine process) from turmeric. Western or allopathic medicine is also masculine in nature. Feminine form ayurveda also honours and can compliment this masculine form of medicine by, for example making certain food choices and performing ayurvedic practices to help with physical and emotional challenges you are experiencing alongside taking western remedies. Feminine form ayurveda also recognises that some issues need a solely masculine solution - think, see a problem and fix it as soon as possible. Imagine your appendix is about to burst. This is when you need an urgent operation to remove it (surgery is also very masculine, and interestingly it is believed that it was first performed by elders from the Indus Valley in ancient India), and not an ayurvedic health coach. So, feminine form ayurveda is adaptive, preventative and holistic in nature. Who doesn't want that in a complimentary health care system?

Finally, I just want to say a huge thank you to the founder and one of my teachers at the Shakti School, Katie Silcox. I learned and experienced so, so much from/with her and the other teachers during my course. If you want a modern gal's introduction to feminine form ayurveda, I cannot recommend highly enough Katie's book 'Happy, Healthy, Sexy'. I am sure I will have many more teachers on this and related topics in the years to come, including you, if you choose to continue with me on this journey. I say this because, I will happily be your guide, but also hope to help awaken within you, your own intuitive healer. I hope that you have found at least something in this post that interests or even inspires you, and that you will continue with me on this journey.

Please leave your comments and questions below - any questions I am more than happy to answer.

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