Mental Ama: Digest What Doesn't Serve You

In Ayurveda, there is a concept called ama that is a metaphor for toxins. It is a kind of "sludge" that accumulates in the body overtime when foods are not completely digested or if we don't take the time to cleanse routinely. Unprocessed emotions and feelings - like food - can turn into mental ama if we do not address and release them as they come. When something bad happens to you, it triggers painful emotions that you don't want to feel. Mental ama is an accumulation of these unresolved, hurtful feelings. Mental ama can create bitterness and frustration if you feel you've been treated unfairly. Or, it can simply create sadness and depression if you've lost hope. Either way, mental ama changes your attitude towards the world and your life, often in ways that undermine your own progress in life.

Ayurveda encourages mindfulness practices to help you resolve these stored emotions. When your emotions resolve you find acceptance, restore hope, and ultimately release thoughts, feelings and emotions so that they do not build up and create emotional patterns that can wreak havoc in your life. This week, spend 5 - 10 minutes each day processing your emotions. You could journal, meditate, go for a walk, or do anything that rejuvenates your mind and allows you to release anything you may be holding on to that does not serve you. See if you notice any patterns or recurring themes in your thoughts and emotions. Another practice is imagining a light within you, guiding the way and clearing out any muck that is holding you back. You can meditate on the image of a candle in your mind or a bright, radiant light in your heart.

Read more about How to Improve Your Mood by Improving Your Digestion