Hi Reader,

I hope this note finds you well.
I wanted to share a few reflections from this week, and if you’re curious for more, you can read the full blog, California Ayurveda: Seasonal Rest and a Famous Yogi’s Legacy, here.​

This past weekend I was at the California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine conference in Milpitas, and I kept thinking about California.

We were right in the middle of Silicon Valley, surrounded by so much Indian culture—the food, the language, the women in saris—and it struck me again how naturally these traditions live here. Ayurveda and yoga come from India, but they’ve taken root in California in a real way. They’re practiced, adapted, and shared here with an openness that feels very true to this place.

As a third-generation Californian, I feel that personally. This is the environment I’ve grown up in and the one I practice in now.

It was an inspiring couple of days, and at the same time, I can feel the seasonal shift in my body. We’re in that early spring moment where things aren’t quite settled. I’ve been waking up with a dry throat, noticing that winter hasn’t fully let go, but spring isn’t fully here either.

Ayurveda pays close attention to these in-between times.

The transition from winter to spring isn’t always smooth. There can be a mix of heaviness and dryness—kapha (heaviness) still present, vata (dryness) starting to increase. It’s not unusual to feel a little off, even when everything around you is pointing toward “spring.”

There’s also a tendency to want to do more—clean things up, get energized, move forward. But the body doesn’t always move that quickly.

I’ve been moving a little more slowly this week.

Not because things are quiet—there’s a lot happening—but because that’s what feels right. A bit less urgency, a bit more attention to how I’m actually feeling.

After Monday night’s yoga nidra class, a few of us stayed and talked. It was a small group, but the conversation was meaningful. People shared how restful the practice feels, and how different it is from the more athletic styles of yoga that are everywhere right now. There was a sense that this kind of practice might actually be what’s needed.

At the conference, I also came across Maharishi Mahesh Yogi—known to many as the teacher the Beatles followed—who also played a major role in bringing Ayurveda to the U.S. through Maharishi Ayurveda, which is still based in Iowa.

I picked up a few of their products—soaps, toothpaste, a Digestive Remedy for my daughter Arielle, and Triphala Rose remedy for myself—and it felt like a small but meaningful reminder of how these traditions travel and take shape in different places. I’ll likely bring some of these into the Folk Yoga shops.

More than anything, this week has felt like a reminder to hold back a little. To let things settle before adding more.

Reflection Question:​
​Where might I benefit more from rest than from effort right now?

Optional Seasonal Offering:​
My Monday night yoga nidra class will be shifting soon—moving to Thursday evenings and adding Yoga & Meditation on some nights—which feels like a natural change with the season.

If you’ve been curious about it, or feel like you need something more restorative right now, you’re very welcome to join.

Want to go deeper? You can always:

• Book a free intro call ​
• Reply to this email (I always appreciate hearing from you)
• Join a class or upcoming offering​

Warmly,

Marisa

P.S. If this resonated, feel free to forward it to someone who might enjoy it. They can join the mailing list here: https://ayurvedasleepsnack.com/​