India is a country of great significance to the world today. Learn more about the rich history,
traditions, and values that India and its amazing people have to offer here at Levitating Monkey.
Monday, March 4, 2019 is one of the most auspicious nights of this year in the Hindu calendar. Known as Mahashivratri, this ancient pre-spring festival invokes the blessings of Lord Shiva for both worldly success and liberation. ...
It’s Sunday, September 2nd, 2018 as I post this. It is the birthday of Lord Krishna, the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu. Called Janmashtami, it is celebrated on the eighth day (Ashtami) of the Krishna Paksha (dark fortnight) of the month of Shravana (August-September) according......
Today’s full moon is a blood moon, a full moon that is taking place during a total lunar eclipse. This lunar eclipse will be the longest lasting lunar eclipse in a century. If that weren’t enough to excite you, this full moon also coincides with......
I’ve been focusing on Lord Shiva a great deal these days, as I want to better understand his significance in Hinduism. In particular, I’ve been spending time learning about Lord Shiva’s trishula, the three pointed spear or trident he carries. The trishula has many symbolic......
As you deepen your meditation practice, it’s important to meditate according to your dosha type. In this first post on meditating according to your dosha, we will talk specifically about meditation for Vata types. The major motivating factor for Vata types to meditate is centered around......
Every year at this time, I start to notice how my color palette begins to change alongside the seasonal shift. In Ayurveda, color therapy is often used to treat dosha imbalances, including those caused by stress. Depending on one’s dosha, colors can help harmonize emotions,......
Dry Skin Brushing massage, (Garshana in Ayurveda), assists in mobilizing and removing excess kapha from the system. Ideal for those of the kapha constitution, it is good for people of other doshas, as well. Traditionally done using dry, raw silk gloves, it may also be performed using a dry......
The Ayurvedic treatment of oil pulling, where one swishes oil around in the mouth for up to 20 minutes, has been in use for thousands of years in India. Oil pulling is one of nature’s most efficient ways to detox the body, increase energy levels,......
As the East Coast continues to experience a heat wave, I’ve been determined to stay cool by eating foods that are naturally cooling. Enter the cucumber! Considered a holy fruit in northern India, cucumbers are sattvic, calming and refreshing. Being made of over 90% water, cucumbers......
