When the body is cleansed, the mind becomes clear. When the mind is clear, the soul is awakened.
Ancient Ayurvedic Proverb
Ayurvedic (or Ayurveda) is one of the world’s oldest holistic healing systems. It originated in India over 5,000 years ago and is still widely practised today.
The term Ayurveda comes from two Sanskrit words:
"Ayur" meaning life, and "Veda" meaning knowledge or science
So, Ayurveda is "The Science of Life."
It’s not just about treating illness, it’s about promoting vitality and preventing imbalance.
Where across the course of your day today, could you consider where it might be that you look at the imbalances within your life?
Here’s a breakdown of common imbalances in life across physical, emotional, mental, relational, and spiritual domains.
1. Physical Imbalance (Exercise & Eating)
Overtraining or undertraining (e.g. burnout vs stagnation)
Poor sleep patterns (chronic fatigue, irregular circadian rhythm)
Nutritional gaps or overeating (mainly sugar, alcohol, processed food)
Reliance on stimulants (caffeine, pre-workouts, energy drinks)
Sedentary lifestyle (especially in knowledge workers or remote workers)
Signs: Low energy, brain fog, weight gain, chronic pain, hormonal disruption.
2. Emotional Imbalance (Embodiment & Encouragement)
Bottling up emotions or frequent emotional outbursts.
Chronic anxiety, irritability, or sadness.
Dependence on external validation.
Emotional exhaustion or burnout.
Signs: Mood swings, poor coping habits (emotional eating, doomscrolling, substance use), strained relationships.
3. Mental Imbalance (Education & Enlightenment)
Overthinking or ruminating on worst-case scenarios.
Lack of mental stimulation or inspiration.
Negativity bias or fixed mindset.
Information overload with no integration.
Signs: Indecision, confusion, mental fatigue, inability to focus or complete tasks.
4. Relational Imbalance (Engagement)
People-pleasing or excessive boundary enforcement.
Isolation or over-dependence on others.
Inauthentic communication or passive-aggression.
Constantly rescuing or needing to be rescued.
Signs: Conflict avoidance, resentment, codependency, breakdown of trust.
5. Financial Imbalance (Relates to Reward & Structure)
Living beyond your means or hoarding money due to fear.
Underearning due to low self-worth or pricing.
Financial avoidance or overspending on “quick fixes”.
Feeling trapped by work with no deeper sense of purpose.
Signs: Stress, lack of freedom, compromised health or joy, over-identification with status.
6. Time Imbalance (Can overlap all 8 E's)
Constant busyness with no white space or recovery.
Being reactive instead of proactive.
Neglecting what matters most due to an urgency culture.
Failing to schedule joy, connection, or reflection.
Signs: Chronic lateness, missed deadlines, always saying “I’m too busy,” disconnection from goals.
7. Spiritual Imbalance (Enlightenment & Purpose)
Living out of alignment with values.
Losing connection to meaning, gratitude, or awe.
Numbing instead of nourishing the inner self.
Lack of ritual, stillness, or inner inquiry.
Signs: Apathy, nihilism, identity crisis, spiritual bypassing.
8. Environmental Imbalance (Often overlooked)
Living in cluttered, chaotic, or noisy spaces.
Digital overstimulation (constant pings, doomscrolling)
Lack of time in nature or fresh air.
Disconnection from natural rhythms (sunlight, sleep, seasons)
Signs: Feeling scattered, ungrounded, overstimulated, disconnected.
"Where across the course of your day today, could you consider where it might be that you are most overextended?
Imbalance isn’t always caused by what you lack; it’s often what you’re overgiving. Overextension in one area is usually accompanied by undernourishment in another.
Burnout rarely begins with doing too little. It begins with doing too much of the wrong thing for too long.
Overextension is a silent thief. It steals from your future by convincing you you’re just being ‘committed’ today.
Where across the course of your day today, could you consider where it might be that you apply some detox principles in your life?
Here's a comprehensive detox practice for each of the eight types of imbalance listed, aligning with The 8 E’s of Equilibrium framework.
1. Physical Imbalance Detox Practice
Detox Protocol: 72-Hour Reset of Movement, Meals, and Melatonin
Day 1–3: Strip back to clean, whole foods (vegetables, protein, healthy fats)
Cut out caffeine and sugar.
Commit to two 20-minute walks per day (one in the morning sun, one post-dinner)
Lights off by 9:30 PM, magnesium before bed, zero screens after 8 PM.
Why: Resets nervous system, recalibrates circadian rhythm, stabilises blood sugar and energy output.
2. Emotional Imbalance Detox Practice
Detox Protocol: Feel-to-Heal Journaling & Nervous System Grounding.
Each morning for 7 days, write: “What am I pretending not to feel?”
Follow with 1-minute box breathing and bilateral tapping (e.g. EFT or alternate shoulder taps)
End with a self-encouragement statement: “Even if I feel ___, I can still show up.”
Why: Discharges pent-up emotional energy and brings regulated embodiment back online.
3. Mental Imbalance Detox Practice
Detox Protocol: Information Intermittent Fasting.
48 hours: No podcasts, news, notifications, social media, or YouTube.
Read only one physical book (ideally fiction or inspiring nonfiction)
Do a stream-of-consciousness brain dump each night (handwritten) to process unspoken thoughts.
Why: Clears mental clutter, integrates stored information, reawakens clarity and inspiration.
4. Relational Imbalance Detox Practice
Detox Protocol: 3-Day Communication Cleanse.
Practice radical truth and radical pause: only speak if it’s true, kind, and necessary.
No complaining, gossiping, or rescuing.
Send one message a day to repair or affirm a relationship (e.g. "I’ve been thinking about something I didn’t say…")
Why: Interrupts patterns of codependency or avoidance, rebuilds authentic engagement.
5. Financial Imbalance Detox Practice
Detox Protocol: The 5-Day Money Mirror.
Track every dollar that leaves your account for 5 days—without judgment.
Label each expense as either investment or avoidance.
On Day 5, write down your real hourly rate (income divided by actual hours worked)
Why: Creates visibility, self-worth alignment, and neutral data for healing money patterns.
6. Time Imbalance Detox Practice
Detox Protocol: The Calendar Fast & Power Hour.
For 24 hours, cancel all non-essential appointments.
Schedule one Power Hour: 20 minutes of movement, 20 minutes of silence, 20 minutes of intentional creation.
Declare this block sacred. Phone off. No multitasking.
Why: Resets autonomy over time, shifts from reactivity to creation, restores rhythm.
7. Spiritual Imbalance Detox Practice
Detox Protocol: Sunrise Stillness Ritual.
For five consecutive mornings, watch the sunrise in silence, no phone.
Begin each with one question: “What is life asking of me right now?”
Close each session with one handwritten line of gratitude and one word you want to embody that day.
Why: Reconnects with meaning, rhythm, and reverence; invites presence back into purpose.
8. Environmental Imbalance Detox Practice
Detox Protocol: The Sacred Space Sweep.
Choose one room or workspace and declutter for 20 minutes (set a timer)
Open windows, burn sage or palo santo, and rearrange one item intentionally (e.g. a plant, photo, light)
Remove all phone chargers and cords from the sleeping area.
Why: Signals your nervous system that the space is safe, sacred, and intentional, not chaotic or reactive.
Watch out for derailments to any of your detox or life-changing plans as well. I arrived home yesterday to a delivery of 50 bottles of wine..
If you're keen on participating in Dry July, take advantage of the month to detox from as many toxins as possible. People included.
Ayurveda offers a deeply personal and preventative approach to health. Unlike modern medicine, which often focuses on symptoms, Ayurveda looks at the root cause and encourages daily habits, food choices, movement, and mental clarity as medicine.
Ayurveda is based on the belief that health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between the mind, body, and spirit.
In Ayurveda, digestion is everything. A strong agni (digestive fire) is believed to be the key to good health. Detoxing, or cleansing, is used to rekindle agni and remove toxins (ama).
Toxins that accumulate from poor diet, stress, or environmental exposure. The goal of Ayurvedic detoxes is to remove ama and restore clarity and balance.
Ayurvedic Detox for Dry July
Warm water with lemon or ginger in the morning.
Triphala (herbal blend) to support digestion and elimination.
Abhyanga (self-massage with warm oil) to stimulate the lymphatic system.
Mindful eating, meditation, and daily routine (called dinacharya)
Imbalance isn’t chaos. It’s the body’s way of telling you something is costing you more than it’s giving.
While you’re thinking about that, think about this and have a Gr8 day!
Be well.
DL
“A healthy outside starts from the inside.”
Robert Urich - 1946 - 2002