The Power of my People
So Ayurveda practices have been tapping me on the intuitive shoulder for quite some time now. And for those of you who do not know or are familiar with Ayurvedic medicine (“Ayurveda” for short) is one of the world's oldest holistic (“whole-body”) healing systems. It was developed more than 3,000 years ago in India. It's based on the belief that health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between the mind, body, and spirit. Thank you to WebMd. So basically, everything that I want to encompass is right there in a practice and it's from India to boot! I finally broke down and purchased a book off of Amazon. It is literally called Ayurveda, Beginner's Guide by Susan Weis-Bohlen. It is fascinating. Upon opening the book, I resonated with everything she was talking about regarding the practice. She even broke it down to a three-week plan according to your dosha or energy category. Brilliant! They ask you a series of questions and then based on your answers, it identifies which dosha you are most likely aligned with. So........ when I do something, I go all-in. I never do anything half-ass. I just don't think it is in my blood. But more on that in a bit. I decided to keep reading and figure out what my 21-day ritual should be, and based on my dosha, I am a Pitta and told myself I would realign my daily practices and habits to that of an Ayurvedic-Pitta nature! (Uffda!)
I asked my husband (Matt) to go to the grocery store and purchase all of the Indian-ish ingredients. Three phone calls and $50.00 later, away I went! First, I started with this daily tea and let me tell you folks, I am Indian and you think I should be accustomed to those smells in the kitchen, but I am not! They are potent! While I was making it, it reminded me of my homemade Taco Bell chicken quesadillas recipe because of the cumin, which is the same ingredient that is used in the tea and many other Indian dishes. SO, with my nose turned up a little bit, okay a lot, I kept on moving forward and with a new hankering for Taco Bell! I strained it out because we used whole seeds and not powder and I felt very organic during this time, let me tell ya! As I begin to drink it I closed my eyes and thought the "Power of my People" would consume me and fill me up and my ancestors from India would finally shout, "Hoooray, she came back to us" and we would all be happy! But that is not at all how it ended up to be. I could hardly stomach it and I thought, I can do this, I'm from India. My taste buds should just automatically grow accustomed to it right? WRONG! That whole nature verses nurture thing is REAL and ALIVE! I was laughing so hard at this notion because I honestly thought I would just grow accustomed to the taste throughout the day. But as I struggled to drink it with each passing sip, I had to come to the realization that it wasn't for me. I dumped it out and chalked it up to the fact that "My People" are made up of Czech, German, Swedish, French AND Indian!
And that is very potent indeed!
Now that I have a bit more emotional and physical capacity (thanks to my youngest turning three!), I’ve decided to dive deeper into my Indian roots and what that means for a Minnesota-raised woman with a love for goulash and spaghetti. To kick things off, I’ve updated my logo and written a story I can’t wait to share with you!
I’m also considering starting a cooking blog inspired by this incredible Indian cookbook I found. It’s written by an Indian woman and adapted for American kitchens—think “Julie and Julia,” but with Indian recipes! Join me as I navigate the world of spices, laugh through the inevitable mishaps, and embrace the love and humor of reconnecting with my heritage. Let’s go on this flavorful journey together!