Honey For A Sweet New Year (& in Ayurveda)

Rosh Hashona, the Jewish New Year, begins Sunday night, September 16th.  It is a time we stand before G-d accepting his sovereignty and praying for a happy, healthy and successful year.  Success is defined in our personal growth as a person emulating G-d like traits of things like compassion, joy, kindness, etc.  Sometimes we have to evaluate how we have not lived up to our G-d like qualities and make amends for that.  While it is also a serious day of judgment for each person, we have the tradition of eating sweet foods hoping we will be blessed with a sweet new year.  Honey is one of the foods featured prominently with the dipping of an apple in honey and eating honey cake.

In Ayurveda, honey is considered a sattvic food, meaning it physically and energetically promotes the qualities of purity, knowledge, truth and light.  It is also a sweet food which increases bulk, moisture and weight.  Too much of it causes weight gain and toxic build up.  Honey is unique in that it has a heating and drying quality, so the build up is not as pronounced like other sweet foods and sweeteners.  It should be eaten raw, not cooked or pasteurized,, and in small quantities.  Raw honey is a source of nutrients, vitamins and enzymes.  Ayurveda also has many medicinal remedies using honey.

Whether or not you are celebrating the Jewish New Year, honey will sweeten your life by giving healing and light.

Stay healthy & well,
Lisa