MYRA LEWIN
“We are incredible beings, so much more sensitive than we tend to live these days. Moving too fast through life, we lose that beautiful subtlety and it becomes difficult to feel satisfied and content with life.”
Myra Lewin is the founder and director of Hale Pule Ayurveda and Yoga. An Ayurvedic Practitioner (AP) and Ayurveda Yoga Therapist (AYT), Myra Lewin is a professional member of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA) and Yoga Alliance (ERYT 500). A master yogini, Myra has amassed more than 50,000 hours of yoga teaching experience spanning 30 years of practice. She is also the author of two books, Freedom in Your Relationship with Food and Simple Ayurvedic Recipes, and is the host of two remarkable podcasts on holistic healing, “Everyday Ayurveda and Yoga at Hale Pule” and “Spark Your Intuition.”
Follow Myra:
Website: Hale Pule
Instagram handle: @hale_pule
Podcasts: Hale Pule Podcasts
“When I live in alignment with nature as best as possible, I am able to move through the challenges in life with ease.”
What does Ayurveda mean to you?
Ayurveda is the science of living so for me it provides the principles and foundation for living in alignment with nature both on the outside and inside of me. It made life make sense to me after having been raised in an environment where modern science was supposed to have the answers to everything.
When did you discover it? How long have you been practising it?
I was first introduced to Ayurveda through my yoga teacher in 1990, although it was not easy for me to take in at first. I had been a vegetarian eating organic food as much as possible for almost 20 years already. Once I had ghee for a week and felt the impact on my body and mind, I never looked back. Like for most of us, it was a progression. But once I realised how much improvement it could make in how I felt on a daily basis I was all in. And it has continued to get better. It enhances the effects of the practices of yoga and creates the space to live life fully. It has helped me realise and accept that life is changing daily and when I live in alignment with nature as best as possible, I am able to move through the challenges in life with ease. My body and mind are always transforming.
What drew you to Ayurveda?
Ayurveda explained how we function as holistic beings, which made sense to me. And I got results right away by making small changes. Bringing the mind, body and spirit together in the healing process was empowering for me, so much that it was clear right away that I would share it with others.
Has it helped you with anything major?
Ayurveda has helped me completely move through the effects of Rheumatoid arthritis and a bout of leukemia, kept very short. In both cases I learned more about myself and how to employ the great healing power that we each have. Ayurveda and yoga help us understand the impact of feelings and emotions on our health and how to work with them to live a better life.
Is Ayurveda part of your everyday life or just for your medicine cabinet or fall-back routine?
I live the principles in everything I do to the depth of my understanding. I learn more every day as I explore my own nature and the nature of life. There was a point where I made a choice to see the world and my life through the lens of Ayurveda, and to let go of the old lens, meaning I look at everything in its holistic nature and the subtleties of life. We are incredible beings, so much more sensitive than we tend to live these days. Moving too fast through life, we lose that beautiful subtlety and it becomes difficult to feel satisfied and content with life.
What are your top 3 Ayurvedic tips that have worked for you?
1. Make the eating process a sacred practice, 3 times daily, leaving out snacks, chewing well. The digestive fire will get stronger along with increased vitality and immunity and optimised weight. Try engaging all 5 senses of sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell at each meal. It is truly one of our most important relationships in life and reflects our relationship with Self.
2. Have a regular time for sleeping, before 10pm and up by 6am. Take care to have quality as well as quantity. More energy through the day is the result.
3. Integrate regular practices to cultivate spiritual connection such as Pranayama and meditation. Five minutes on a regular basis makes a difference. It is getting to know one’s self and our divine nature.
What surprised you most about Ayurveda?
It really surprised me how Ayurveda just made sense in terms of the body, mind, spiritual connection and in terms of nature. I realised I no longer needed to fear the unknown as we are given the tools to realise our truth.
Did you integrate it gradually or overnight for any particular reason?
My digestion was terrible prior to Ayurveda. Once I started learning about it, I tried it and things got so much better. But I was a bit stubborn and attached to certain foods and certain ways. It was gradual at first. I also had a tendency to not sleep much and just keep going in life. Ayurveda helped me understand and value the healing process that takes place in sleep and gave me the tools to improve the quality and quantity of my sleep. And this makes the ageing process much easier.
Do your children/family eat an Ayurvedic diet? And if they do, do they know it’s Ayurveda or do they just think of it as home cooking?
Everyone I am around knows the cooking is from Ayurveda and people generally like my cooking. It’s quite simple. I put love into the process and keep a sense of peace, harmony, and sweetness in the kitchen.
What is your favourite Ayurvedic recipe or go-to ingredient?
I don’t think of recipes as Ayurvedic, but rather, as a balanced meal that will be easy to digest and therefore provide nourishment to maintain the body and mind very well. With all six tastes in a meal we feel satisfied afterwards. Ghee is a wonderful ingredient that provides lubrication and supports digestion. In Ayurveda we use it to cook, bake, add to food, and medicinally both internally and externally. I call it liquid sunshine.
How does Ayurveda fit into your day-to-day routines?
I have a life of balance so I don’t think of it as separate. I find for most people that just creates stress. Having it as a foundation really works the best. Ayurveda is not rules, it is about conscious choices based on the principles of nature and understanding yourSelf.
What do you wish was easier in our society to make an Ayurvedic lifestyle more accessible?
One of the beautiful things that has happened in the past year is that more people are spending time at home and cooking. Many people are learning about cooking to create balance in their bodies and minds, rather than just satisfying the cravings and sense pleasures that take them out of balance. It becomes an act of love that nourishes us in so many ways. Cooking for ourselves is a healing in itself.
Do people around you/in your circle of friends know about Ayurveda?
Some do and some don’t. Some are just not interested and that’s okay. We have free choice in life. This is important in the human experience.
What’s the one thing you would encourage everyone to try or you think would benefit the majority of people’s health for the better?
Take care of your digestive fire, the ability to digest life and food. Learn about and practise the 3 tips I mentioned and things will get better. Even if you never do anything more with Ayurveda, it will create a big improvement in your life.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Ayurveda was given to us to support humanity to move through difficult times. Now is the time to dive in and make your life better. Let go of the things in your life that are not in your top priorities. Make space for living and not just doing. There is so much here for us.
With love, Myra