By Whatever Name

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Comfort in a cup. I've used this beverage to warm, soothe, nourish and just plain enJOY for quite a few years now. I learned to make it from a truly lovely Ayurveda/Yoga teacher, Laura Plumb. The ayurvedic name of this nectar is Ojas Rasayana, but we referred to it as Goddess Milk.

Ojas is the supreme glow of health of all tissues.

                      Ashatanga Hrudayam

Rasayana, from Yogapedia (don't you love it?)is a Sanskrit word that translates to “path of essence." The term is derived from the root words, rasa, meaning “essence,” and ayana meaning “path."

Ayurvedic nutrition is based on the idea that you are the result of what, when, where, how and why you eat. How many times have you heard, 'You are what you eat.'? When I first learned the ayurvedic principle of food being life, my mind wanted to add a few tags to it. However, at the building block stage of biology and chemistry I'll lean in to their wisdom.

Unlike a fad diet, the dietary practices in Ayurveda encourage a conscious way of living. Ayurveda is a way of embracing food as life-giving energy, and a way of understanding how your individual nature and the influences around you determine how well your food will serve you. - Denise O'Dunn, certified Ayurvedic Practitioner

While I appreciate information pertaining to eating, 'dieting' (ick, time to delete that word), what I value MORE is what my body is telling me. What is 'she' calling for? There is a distinct and palpable relay to which I pay close attention and it is incredibly spot on. This has been a way of living for quite a few years now, having tried all the things that didn't work or support the well-being of my body. None of our bodies and systems that regulate them are the same, so how could ANY diet 'work'? When we learn to trust our own intrinsic body wisdom first, the word diet/ (die-it)? can give way to a more accurate and attuned term - nourishment, sustenance. Notice how those are more sensual? Not the old punitive type? We must receive greater joy into our bodies and they will begin to blossom with their divine intelligence.

THIS is why I call Ojas Rasayana, Goddess Milk.

OH, I nearly forgot a recipe, though the image credit will link to one version. I am happily finding there are plenty to find online should you want to explore. The one I'll add below is the one I originally used and was published on Laura Plumb's website, linked above.

Thanks for reading and i hope you enJOY the goodness of the Goddess Milk!