Most of us are probably pretty consistent with brushing our teeth each morning before facing the world. This is just the tip of the tongue when it comes to preparing your mouth for your first meal of the day. Ayurveda gives us 4 key steps to preparing our mouth for our first meal. Here's each step and some resources to practice at home. 1) Tongue Scraping - Using a U-shaped metal bar, the tongue is gently scraped from back to front to remove the film that builds up overnight. By removing this, it improves taste and avoids re-ingesting this film. Copper Scraper 2) Brushing Teeth - Brush your teeth with a toothpaste that has bitter and astringent ingredients, such as neem, pomegranate, clove and licorice. This helps discourage microbial excess and encourages healthy gums. Healthy Herbal Toothpaste 3) Oil Pulling - It takes just a small amount of oil to draw out lipid based toxins and support gum health. Using 1-2 tablespoons, swish the oil between your teeth, around your gums and entire oral cavity. Only need to do this for 5 mins then discard. Gandusha Oil 4) Warm water rinse - Using warm water, rinse out your mouth and discard in the sink. This will remove excess oil and prepares you for the first meal of the day. Learn more about preparing and making your first meal of the day in the January 2026 Cooking Class. Bonus options - Oral Care from SVA/Chandika

Yogacharya BKS Iyengar

Have you seen the Walk for Peace sadhana of a small group of venerable Buddhist monks (and a spiritual dog), dedicating 120 days to walk from Dallas TX to DC? Their message is simple, the mindfulness practice of peace start with each of us. Their advice is steadfast that if we wake each day and write on a piece of paper...This will be my peaceful day....we can begin our sadhana to peace. Peace and bliss are interchangeable. Peace is a state of calm, compassion and tranquility. We define a state of bliss similarly, it a state of balance, ease and an open heart full of love. Both start within and expand infinitely. Follow their journey My hope is to walk with them in the next couple weeks as they pass near Charlotte NC. I'll share that experience with you here.

What is Sadhana? Sadhana is a deeply known desire and daily actions taken towards what one seeks in the Spiritual realm.