5 wisdoms from Ayurveda that mean business

Guess what I learned over the past nine months? Ayurveda is not a weird diet and the practitioners are not really tree-hugging woo-woos with an extreme affinity for Mother Nature (they're normal people who take really good care of themselves & their communities). Funny how we make-up expectations & judgments about things before we even try them.

I've been taking this online Ayurvedic Living Course. I went into it knowing next to nothing about Ayurveda. I signed up because I had long been recovering from an eating disorder that damaged my body and left me wondering what normal really felt like. The idea of learning to bring myself back to optimal health through preparing food and other natural remedies sounded great. Now I'm emerging from it feeling like a more adept student of life, really.

The knowledge and practices of Ayurveda go so deep that they penetrate every aspect of my life. I cannot separate the two anymore. Ayurveda is the science of life after all.

During these past nine months layers upon layers of myself have been uncovered thus leading to a lot of reorganization in my reality. I've changed jobs, started my own business, got married, cultivated a pretty regular morning practice that sets me up for the rest of the day, planted a garden, participated in seasonal cleanses, started giving myself oil massages in the shower, searched out herbs when my family wasn't feeling well, and a countless number of other subtle shifts. But, what I'm most happy & excited about right now is the connections between Ayurvedic wisdom and business. When applied, my experience has been that Ayurvedic wisdom leads to more profitable and passionate work.

Here are five Ayurvedic wisdoms that you can use to connect to your business right now:

1. This famous Ayurvedic quote recognizes our fundamental connection with the greater universe:

As is the cosmic body, so is the human body
As is the cosmic mind, so is the human mind
As is the macrocosm, so is the microcosm

Continuously coming back to this connection reminds us to stay "plugged in" to the concept that life and nature are not separate from us. In fact, they can even be used as a mirror to help us see ourselves more clearly. Every moment, every thought, every belief, every word spoken and every action taken has an impact. If you don't like the impact you're making right now, take steps to shift. Love your life.

2. The Five Elements are the foundation for our entire world: that which is outside and that which is Inside of all of us. The five elements are the building blocks of all of existence. Be like the five elements when you work.

Be like the ether. Be open, keep a beginner’s mind. Hold a space for love and transformation. Welcome transparency.
Be like the Earth. Stay grounded in your core beliefs. Embody your deep talents.
Be like water. Feel. Be fluid, be cohesive, be compassionate and content.
Be like fire. Have a burning for your highest potential and the highest potential of the world. Dare to shine and be courageous, even in the darkness.
Be like air. When you encounter an obstacle, dance like the wind that can move around any problem. Be imaginative and innovative. Embrace the energy of movement and momentum.

3. There is a great symphony being conducted every moment in nature that works in accordance with "master cycles". Keep practicing tuning into these cycles. Make changes with the seasons and with the corresponding rhythms of the day. The more tuned in you are, the more tuned in your work is. This can translate into a service or an offering with more depth and success because it's exactly what people need in that moment, on that day. Imagine that.

I move with the infinite in Nature's power.
I hold the fire of the soul.
I hold life and healing.
-Rig Veda

4. Like increases like. An imbalance in you leads to an imbalance in your business. When you're clear, your customers are more clear. As entrepreneurs or small business owners, make conscious choices about when to spend resources investing in your education and when to invest in your business.

5. You hold a lot of intrinsic intelligence and goodness. Assume your customers do as well. Operate on this fundamental principle: people are inherently good and reachable. Define your ideal customer so you know who you are trying to reach. There are a lot of awake and discerning humans, with credit cards, who need what you've got. I believe that my customers/tribe/audience are smart and savvy, and they'd be annoyed if I treated them like robots. If your work is tuned in and based on timeless principles like Ayurveda or yoga, don't try to sell your people on something that will only work once. We're all happier when we're working together in harmony with the highest. It's part of all of our paths.