Did you know that in Chinese, the pictograph for “rush” consists of two symbols? These symbols represent “killing” and “heart.” I am sharing this reminder with you to invoke stillness as a way to celebrate heart health.
A few weekends ago I spent three nights at Kripalu Centre for Health and Yoga in Lenox, Massachusetts. This facility was once a Jesuit monastery, then became an ashram and eventually, an educational center. They have hundreds of guest teacher-led programs each year to round out their standard daily R and R offerings of yoga, qigong, and breathwork classes and many other healing modalities. I took a photo of the daily schedule to show you the variety.
Kripalu is near and dear to my heart as I spent a month there in 1994 getting certified as a Holistic Lifestyle Teacher. I love the vibe there; it’s peaceful and serene, where like-minded people come to pursue personal journeys of internal exploration. When I’m there, I feel like I’m in a womb, in a state of peace, tranquility, and mindful non-doing. It’s the most restorative experience for me, that no other time away can deliver. I highly recommend it! Check out this sample of programs being offered during the weekend I was there.
One of the delights of being there is the food. It’s all organic, much of it grown on their grounds, and compiled with Ayurvedic principles in mind. When I was there in the 90s, it was all vegan and there was no caffeine to be found on the property. All that has been relaxed now, and the menu includes fish and fowl and even coffee. The meals remain low sugar, whole food, no artificial ingredients, super healthful and all-round delicious.
I want you to have a taste of Kripalu so I’m sharing the recipe for one of their signature condiments. It’s the Kripalu house dressing, which can be used on raw salads but great on cooked veggies as well. It’s amazing on steamed kale + garlic. The dressing uses tahini as a key ingredient and is tangy, thick and creamy. The calcium-rich tahini makes is a powerful addition to a bone building program. Enjoy!
Kripalu Dressing
- 1 cup sunflower oil or grape seed oil
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- ¼ cup tamari or soy sauce
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1/3 cup sesame tahini
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ tablespoon dry mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
- pinch cayenne (optional)
- ½ cup water
Combine all ingredients and blend using a standard blender or immersion blender.
Monica Montag, MA, HHP, CN
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