Aytana’s winter warming dal

When we hold workshops, we host up to 12 people in our home and up to 16 – 20 for dinner. I draw up a timetable or roster, and everyone signs up for their turn at cooking, cleaning, lighting the oil burner, refreshing flowers and the general cleanliness of the yoga room throughout the 10-day […]

vegetable barley ginger soup with lemon thyme & a leaf mandala

A soup to warm your hands and to strengthen your courage… We can do anything if we sit with intention, just holding it in our thoughts, our hearts and lifting it up with LOVE, LIGHT, JOY, PEACE and COURAGE. There are no limits to what we can do…..try it! tips If I am out of […]

sunshine in a glass

When you need to brighten things up even if the weather isn’t. Beautiful, bright, yellow, warm. Freshly picked, freshly squeezed orange juice. One thing I love about Europe is the cheap and plentiful freshly squeezed orange juice. The Portuguese love their orange juice. Most cafés have an industrial juicer right next to the espresso machine […]

yellow dal tovve

I wake up early, and after my morning yoga practice and chores, I take my morning tea up to my room, open the doors wide, and sit enjoying all the different bird calls that greet the morning. Usually, it is still dark, and I am blessed to witness that mystical time when the generous light […]

ahhhh……kichadi

I always turn to this healing Ayurvedic dish when I need a simple cleanse. I prepare kichadi with various vegetables for a few days—to one week—alongside plenty of water, fresh fruits, steamed vegetables, and cumin and coriander kashaya. It always feels cleansing and nourishing. This dish has endless variations, depending on the herbs, spices and vegetables used. Whenever […]

spicy pumpkin lentil soup

A cold snap has hit in the last few days, not only climatically but also throughout my body. A pot of Spicy Pumpkin Lentil soup was required. Packed with spices to warm the soul and body, it was made with pumpkin, carrots, fennel, and tomatoes, added for substance, and a quick puree for a thicker, smoother […]