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Ayurveda

Pratyahara – developing inner awareness

January 21, 2022 By Terra

Double Spiral of stones laid out on sand - one spiraling out from its center, then inward to the center of the other spiral

Pratyahara is one of the Eight Limbs of Yoga from the Yoga Sutras. It is the linchpin between working with the outer physical world and going to the more inner, subtle senses. This is relevant to both Ayurveda and Shamanism.

For Ayurveda, it works at awakening to the Atman, the Highest Self.  This is the source of Truth, Light, and Love.  It supports a sattvic mind, leading to better lifestyle choices.

For Shamanism, developing our inner senses allows us to sense the subtle Upper, Middle, and Lower Worlds. This allows us to bring more information back to this world.

The first steps to Pratyahara involve learning how to properly deal with relationships. These are the first limb – the Yamas and Niyamas.

Yamas

Yamas focus on our behavior and thoughts towards others.

  1. Ahimsa is non-harming, non-violence. It is being loving and compassionate.
  2. Satya is truthfulness and honesty.
  3. Astya is non-stealing.  We develop healthy interchange with others. This means not just avoiding thievery, but also avoiding being a taker or user without giving back somehow.
  4. Bramacharya is moderation of the outer senses.  This means controlling your sensual cravings and addictions.
  5. Aparigraha is non-hoarding. We avoid unnecessary materialism and selfishness around sharing our time and energy with the world.

Niyamas

Niyamas help us learn to maintain a positive environment and develop self-discipline and inner strength.

  1. Saucha is purity and cleanliness. This involves physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual levels.
  2. Santosa is contentment.  Learning to accept and enjoy what is now.
  3. Tapas is heat or fire of practice. Using our best efforts even when we don’t want to develops the discipline needed for deep inner work.
  4. Svadhyaya is self study. We contemplate ourselves– mind and body – to find our own truths.
  5. Ishvara Pranidhana is surrender to Higher Self. We may surrender to Nature, a personal god or the higher self as spiritual practice.

Asana

Asana is another limb of yoga.  As a spiritual practice it is more than poses.  It liberally means “to sit calmly.” Through asana we become aware of our bodies, emotions, and minds. We become healthy, balanced, calm and disciplined enough for further inner work.  Prana – the life energy- can where we put our attention. Asana helps us become aware of our whole body. It also releases stuck areas that inhibit the flow of prana.

Pranayama

Pranayama is meant to allow prana to circulate freely through our body-emotion-mind- spirit system. It is opening up to allow the flow to happen. Being able to sit (or live) calmly and allow our prana to nourish every cell, give us the energy and safety to move on to pratyahara.

Pratyahara

Pratyahara can happen when the prana flows. We need to be in a safe place in the external world. Then we can practice opening up and strengthening our internal sense organs.  Next blog, we’ll delve more into the practice.

I highly recommend the Pratyahara class by Dr Claudia Welch and Dr Robert Svoboda

Part 2 will delve into more about developing Pratyahara

Filed Under: Ayurveda, Blog Posts, Inner Work, Meditation, Mind-Clear & Full, Shamanic Tagged With: Ayurveda, inner awareness, inner senses, pratyahara

Dosha Tests & Beyond

July 3, 2020 By Terra

For my twenty years of Ayurveda practice I’ve avoided using the “Dosha Tests” with my clients. I could determine their doshas simply through history, symptoms and pulse readings.

I want to spread the word on the usefulness of Ayurveda and so many know so little about it. So, with the help of my tech mentor, Karen at Spiezz Digital, we’ve created a less jargon-y quiz to ease people in.

This fun test is perfect for those just getting interested in Ayurveda and wanting to know more about themselves. Please share it with any such humans (not yet calibrated for wild things, pets, or aliens).

Of course, the test is just a first step into the never-ending story of Ayurveda…after all, the science of Life is as long and varied as Life itself…

The Test: Are You Doing All the Wrong Things for Your Health?

Filed Under: Ayurveda, Ayurveda Categories, Beginning Ayurveda Concepts, Blog Posts, Free Intro Classes, Introduction to Ayurveda, Self Care Tagged With: Ayurveda, ayurveda self care, body type, Body type test, dosha test, doshas, learn my body type

Ayurveda Self Care Support Group for YOU!

February 3, 2020 By Terra

Ayurveda self care goes to the heart. It is the framework upon which you can build a life in tune with Nature. Going to the root – it’s radical – and worthy of a support group . Changing your self care routine can change so much in your life. And Ayurveda offers healthy routines for eating, sleeping, exercising, meditating, and more. And I’m starting a free support group to help you get started.

What is your self care routine? Is it routine, locked into a list you automatically check off in your brain every day? How to make new self care part of your life is key.

Once automatic you don’t need willpower!

Getting to automatic is where social support comes in. It’s essential to have a special buddy and or a support group you can be accountable to and get help from in sticking to your routine. For that reason, I’m starting a free on-line Ayurveda self care support group.

Whether you are new to Ayurveda or a certified practitioner, you can use support to improve your self care and live in tune with your nature and Mother Nature. To sign up – email me. Do it today to join in to the weekly support group – we’ll start Wednesday, March 4 at 7pm on Zoom.

Filed Under: Blog Posts, Self Care Tagged With: Ayurveda, Ayurveda routines, ayurveda self care, Self Care

Know Your Daily Doshas to Choose Your Day Wisely

December 26, 2018 By Terra


Maybe like me, you wonder how to best choose your food and activities for today. I made up this little chart to share with students and clients to get in the habit of determining our daily dosha needing balance.

If you need to learn how to balance, choose my class series – Learn the Language of Nature – Ayurveda for a background which teaches you how to do just that.

Filed Under: Blog Posts Tagged With: Ayurveda, doshas, Self Care

ENHANCING THE CHILDBEARING YEAR with Ayurveda Class Series

October 1, 2018 By Terra

Symbol of Childbearing - A felt picture of a tree growing from a placenta with a full moon in the background

Enhancing the Childbearing Year with Ayurveda Class Series

With Terra Rafael

Ayurveda adds much to caring for the childbearing year. This class covers fertility, pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. and how Ayurveda supports health throughout.

  • Anatomy and physiology of the fertility/menstrual cycle
  • Basic understanding of the physiological view of conception and pregnancy according to Ayurveda
  • Ayurveda approaches to fertility, pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum.
  • Natural family planning techniques with emphasis on fertility awareness
  • Helpful herbs and treatments for the childbearing year

This class series includes 20+ hours of video divided into 7 classes, each with a pdf of notes, slideshow pdfs, and an optional exam.

  1. Anatomy & Physiology of Female Reproduction
  2. Male Anatomy and Fertility
  3. Female Fertility Concerns
  4. Pregnancy I
  5. Pregnancy II
  6. Labor & Birth
  7. Postpartum

The text is Ayurveda for the Childbearing Years, by Terra Rafael , PACE approved class logo - National Ayurvedic Medical Associationavailable from amazon.

This class is approved by NAMA for PACE 24 CEUs can receive a Certificate of Completion after submitting their exams for review to Terra Rafael, at wisewomanhood@gmail.com

You may also be interested in Optimal Menstrual Health with Ayurveda.

Class 1: Female Anatomy and Physiology  

  • Video Part 1 – Introduction
  • Video Part 2 – Female Reproductive Anatomy
  • Female Reproductive Anatomy Slide Show PDF
  • Video Part 3 – Female Reproductive Physiology
  • Female Cycles Slide Show PDF
  • Video Part 4 – Ayurvedic View of Female Reproductive Anatomy and Physiology
  • Exam Class 1 PDF

Class 2: Male A&P and Fertility;

  • Video Part 1 and Video Part 2
  • Male Anatomy and Physiology and Fertility Slide Show PDF 
  • Exam Class 2 PDF

Class 3 Female Fertility

  • Video Part 1 and Video Part 2
  • Exam Class 3 PDF

Class 4 Pregnancy 1 -Health

  • Video Part 1& and Video Part 1.5 Video Part 2
  • Exam Class 4 PDF

Class 5 Pregnancy 2 – Concerns&]

  • Video Part 1 and Video Part 2
  • Exam Class 5 – PDF

Class 6 Labor and Birth

  • Video Part 1 and Video Part 2
  • Class 6 – PDF

Class 7 Postpartum and Newborn

  • Video Part 1: Postpartum
  • Video Part 2: Routine PP Care of Mother
  • Video Part 3: PP Concerns of Mother
  • Ayurveda for PP Slideshow PDF
  • Video Part 4: Newborn PP and Concerns
  • Newborn Slide show PDF
  • Class 7 Exam

  • Symbol of Childbearing - A felt picture of a tree growing from a placenta with a full moon in the background

    ENHANCING the CHILDBEARING YEAR with AYURVEDA Series

    $150.00
    Add to cart

Optional Mentoring for professionals will support applying the teachings to your clients.

  • MENTORING with Terra Rafael – Single Session

    $72.00
    Add to cart
  • MENTORING with Terra Rafael – 3 Session Bundle

    $180.00
    Add to cart

Filed Under: Ayurveda, Ayurveda Categories, Ayurveda CEUs, Childbearing Year, Continuing Ed Classes, Fertility, Uncategorized Tagged With: Ayurveda, birth, fertility, labor, newborn, postpartum, pregnancy

ENHANCING FERTILITY with Ayurveda

September 28, 2018 By Terra

Image Fertility -sperm heading to egg

Enhancing Fertility with Ayurveda

with Terra Rafael
Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner, Midwife (now retired)

With detailed slides and images, Terra outlines the methods available inPACE approved class logo - National Ayurvedic Medical Association Ayurveda to support those having difficulty conceiving who want a more holistic and natural approach to perinatal care, including:

  • Anatomy and physiology of fertility and conception for both women and men
  • Natural family planning techniques with emphasis on fertility awareness and improvement
  • Ayurvedic therapeutic approaches to supporting healthy fertility
  • An overview of Ayurvedic cleansing and rejuvenation techniques to improve fertility

The course includes extensive class materials and visual aids, including  79 pages of written notes and PDFs of the slide shows in the course.

Students will have the option to hire Terra as a mentor to help them study or as a practitioner/consultant to help them troubleshoot fertility issues. She welcomes both professional Ayurvedic practitioners and birthworkers, as well as moms (and Dads) to-be.

This course is approved for  5 NAMA PACE CEUs. To receive Certificate of Completion, complete exams and homework and email them to Terra.

Class 1: Female Anatomy and Physiology

  • Video on Female Reproductive Anatomy
  • Female Reproductive Anatomy Slide Show PDF
  • Video on Female Reproductive Physiology
  • Female Cycles Slide Show PDF
  • Video on Ayurveda’s View of Female Reproductive Anatomy & Physiology
  • Notes PDF
  • Exam Class 1 PDF

Class 2: Male A&P and Fertility

  • Video Part 1: Male Reproductive Anatomy and Ayurveda
  • Video Part 2: Male Fertility with Ayurveda
  • Male Anatomy and Physiology and Fertility Slide Show
  • Notes PDF
  • Exam Class 2 PDF

Class 3 Female Fertility

  • Video Part 1
  • Video Part 2
  • Notes PDF
  • Exam Class 3 PDF

  • Sale! Image Fertility -sperm heading to egg

    ENHANCING FERTILITY with AYURVEDA

    $63.00 $50.00
    Add to cart

  • MENTORING with Terra Rafael – Single Session

    $72.00
    Add to cart
  • MENTORING with Terra Rafael – 3 Session Bundle

    $180.00
    Add to cart

Filed Under: Ayurveda CEUs, Fertility, Uncategorized Tagged With: Ayurveda, CEU, fertility, PACE

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