From a very young age, we tend to look outside ourselves for validation, guidance and information. I witness this every day with my two daughters. And as a parent, I know it’s okay to validate and respond with praise but, at the same time, it’s just as important if not MORE important, to allow them to make their own decisions (even though I’m cringing inside), so they can learn to gain that sense of sovereignty.
Turning to outside sources is pertinent for learning, growing and expanding. However, the end result will always be the same and that is that growth is an inside job.
Which can be quite scary if you have any smidgen of self-doubt, fear of failure, or decision-making issues. I’ve experienced all three to be quite honest and obtaining that sense of sovereignty has been quite a journey.
Self-sustaining action can be intimidating because when we empower ourselves from the inside out, we truly have no one else to “blame” when things go unlike we planned. Not only that but we also have to take complete ownership and responsibility for our thoughts, words and actions.
Complete ownership of our thoughts, words and actions.
That means that whatever we decide to be, do and contribute in this lifetime is ours to claim … regardless of how it “turns out.” But what I’m learning is, when we rely on the inner calling of our soul, we blaze our own trail and magnetize others that uplift our goals.
So then, can we confidently say that when we sit in meditation or dedication, and expand our innocence and vulnerability to learning for the sole purpose of elevating our soul’s calling, that we connect to our inner pulse and experience sovereignty?
Can we admit then that our external gaze actually inhibits our personal growth and may even restrict our intellect when it comes to making autonomous choices?
Would you agree then, that relying on the projections (not the opinions), of others, can potentially take us down a path that is not our own?
I think that listening to the whisper of our own divinity and following that unique voice is the only way to gain the empowerment that we crave in this lifetime. I think we know on a deep level that we hold this power within ourselves to create what is uniquely yours, we just rely on the judgment of others and that then becomes the pattern.
Sovereignty is knowing your truth, standing in your truth and then expressing your truth in everything you do. And not just some of the time, all of the time.
By Dana Damara
“My passion on the mat is proper alignment, powerful breath and effortless flow so you feel that off your mat. Your practice becomes sacred space where you arrive to find more meaning, depth, authenticity and integrity in your life."
- Dana Damara: mother, author, yoga instructor, speaker and yogini. Visit DanaDamara.com for more inspiration from Dana.
Click here to download or stream one of Dana's YogaDownload classes!
Enter Grilled Veggie and Chicken Kabobs with Honey Thyme Mustard.
Nothing says Memorial Day BBQ quite like kabobs do. So get ready to fire up the grill and toss these bad boys on! They’re quick and easy and sure to be a crowd pleaser for men, women and kiddos of all ages.
Have a safe and happy holiday weekend and remember you can have fun and eat clean good food too.
With kabob love,
Grilled Veggie and Chicken Kabobs with Honey Thyme Mustard
Yield: 12 kebobs
Ingredients:
12 wooden or metal kabob skewers ½ cup organic yellow mustard 2 heaping TB. honey 1 tsp. fresh thyme, finely chopped 2 tsp. lemon juice 2 tsp. olive oil, plus more for greasing the grill Pinch cayenne pepper 1 lb. skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch chunks 1 red onion, quartered, core removed, and separated into pieces 3 zucchini and/or summer squash, cut into ½-inch discs 8-10 large button mushrooms, quartered Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions: If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least an hour before putting them on the grill.
In a medium bowl, whisk together mustard, honey, fresh thyme, lemon juice, olive oil, and cayenne pepper. Separate into two equal bowls and set aside.
Heat grill to medium-high. Prepare the kabobs by alternating between pieces of chicken and veggies, or if preparing for veggie and meat lovers, keep chicken and veggies on separate skewers. Slide about 8 pieces onto each skewer, careful to leave enough room on the skewer to handle comfortably.
Use a paper towel dipped in olive oil to lightly grease the grill. Place the skewers on the uncovered grill with the handles hanging over the edge so they stay cool. Rotate kabobs after about 4 minutes. Using half of honey thyme mustard, baste each kabob after about 6 minutes. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
Turning occasionally, cook vegetarian kabobs for about a total of 10 minutes and chicken kabobs for about 10-12 minutes, or until the thickest piece of chicken is cooked through.
Remove from grill and move to a platter. Option to keep food on the skewer or remove pieces from skewer with a fork. Serve hot with remaining bowl of honey thyme mustard for dipping.
Jo Schaalman and Julie Peláez are co-authors of the book The Conscious Cleanse: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body, and Transform Your Life in 14 Days, a best-selling, step-by-step guide to help you live your most vibrant life. Together they've lead thousands of people through their online supported cleanse through their accessible and light-hearted approach. They've been dubbed “the real deal” by founder and chief creative director Bobbi Brown, of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, beauty editor of the TODAY show.
To learn more about “Jo and Jules” and to download a free e-cookbook for a sampling of the delicious food served up on the Conscious Cleanse, please visit their website.
After you make this yummy recipe try a healing yoga class with Jo or Jules:
Conscious Cleanse Detox Flow - Jo Schaalman
Heart Opening Forrest Yoga Flow - Jo Schaalman
Traditional Hot Yoga - Julie Peláez
Holistic Practitioners My body was shutting down and it wasn’t until I visited a holistic practitioner that I figured out what was wrong, after half a dozen MDs couldn’t diagnose me. The fact is there are things happening in your body that a regular MD can’t see without a million tests, such as hormone or cortisol imbalances, or if there are foods in your diet that are causing inflammation. A holistic practitioner can identify things like this just by asking you a few questions. Holistic practitioners aren’t covered by insurance and it might be more money that you feel like taking out of your pocketbook, but they are worth every penny to be more in tune with your body.
Massage A massage from a licensed therapist is way more than just rubbing out sore muscles. A good massage will get your blood flowing, push toxins build up out of your muscles, AND in addition, address muscles that have tightened up from improper or overuse. Nowadays, massages aren’t as expensive as they used to be, but you should definitely keep an eye out for therapists with certification.
Physical Therapy If you’ve had an injury, it’s a long term investment to get that injury treated professionally. People make the mistake of believing injuries will heal themselves. I have a bad scar on my foot from a surgery that never healed right. It’s stiff from the scar tissue around it and my foot just doesn’t land right when I’m running. If I had spent a little time and invested a little more on physical therapy after my surgery, I know it would be more flexible. Similarly, I have problems with a shoulder I injured in a triathlon crash. Again, I never went to physical therapy and I now know I’ve been dealing with it since then.
Quality Food My husband used to get on me about how much money I spent on food, because I would go to Whole Foods instead of a regular grocery store. But, in my opinion food should be your first place to invest in yourself. Food is our daily medicine. The nutrients in your food are absorbed into every system in your body. Same with chemicals, they are ingested into your body. What we put in our body is what we are.
No More Red Eyes Sleep is so important. It is your body’s best chance to recover and restore after a long day. I will no longer sacrifice two days of my life for the $40 I may save taking a red-eye or a 6am flight, because of what it takes me to recover. I’ll be exhausted, I won’t sleep well, my sleep schedule will be destroyed, my digestion will suffer and I’ll wind up cranky. I can even see the fatigue in my skin and face. All for $40? totally not worth it. When I fly at times I’m already awake, I get a much better change good night’s sleep before I depart and when I arrive and I’m not trying to find my hotel in the middle of the night.
The body you have is the only body you’ve got. You have to nurture it and take care of it. You invest money in your children’s future, in your retirement, in your home. You are worth investing in too!
XO, Hayley
By Hayley Hobson
With her unique specialization in the combination and complement of pilates, nutrition and yoga, Hayley offers a cocktail of lifestyle changes that produce real and lasting results. Hayley is a columnist for Elephant Journal and has been featured in Pilates Style Magazine, Natural Health Magazine and Triathlete Magazine. She currently lives in Boulder, CO with her husband, former world-ranked triathlete, Wes Hobson and their two beautiful daughters, Makenna and Madeline. Read more about Hayley and check out her new book at HayleyHobson.com
Core Yoga 4
Here are some good reasons why you should give yoga a try:
(1) Yoga is a gentle way to start to be more physically active. Yoga can be the gateway to other exercise. In and by itself, yoga is a complete fitness program, however the strength, balance and endurance you develop through practicing yoga often leads to the confidence to take up other activities which you may not otherwise have been willing to try.
(2) Yoga helps keep you young. According to Human Anatomy and Physiology, "Exercise that coaxes joints through their full range of motion…is the key to postponing the immobilizing effects of aging on ligaments and tendons, to keeping cartilages well nourished, and to strengthening the muscles that stabilize the joints" In addition, yoga incorporates deep breathing which helps improve lung capacity and increases energy and endurance levels.
(3) Yoga undoes the damage we do to our bodies. Whether you are an athlete or have a job that keeps you sitting at a desk all day, or both, your body pays a price. Tight muscles in the back, neck and legs are by-products of how we use our bodies. Spending one hour a week at yoga, undoing that damage, will make a marked difference in how your body feels and performs.
(4) Yoga can help manage stress and other physical conditions. High blood pressure, depression, osteoarthritis, and asthma are a few of the many conditions which studies have shown yoga helps manage. Also, yoga has been shown to reduce the stress hormone, cortisol, which helps alleviate and manage stress and depression.
(5) Yoga is a fun, enjoyable form of exercise. There are many styles of yoga, the key is to find the type which fits your personality and needs. The perception that yoga is meant for young, skinny women in expensive stretch pants is wrong. While it's true, those classes exist, there are also gentle, restorative classes, accessible to all levels of fitness and are actually fun for the participants.
Hatha yoga is a general term used to describe classes which are slower moving and hold poses for a moderate amount of time. Look for words like "gentle" or "all-level" if you are beginner. Vinyasa is a term which usually describes a form of yoga that incorporates a lot of movement. Quicker paced, these classes can be very fun, and a bit more challenging.
Yin yoga, is a therapeutic form of yoga which holds each pose for several minutes to target the connective tissues, such as ligaments and tendons. Yin is the perfect yoga for athletes, it is gentle and helps promote recovery. Finally, restorative is a very slow moving, gentle form of yoga that uses props such as bolsters, blocks and straps. Extremely gentle in it's pace, restorative yoga is perfect for those recovering from surgery or dealing with chronic pain conditions.
Give yoga a try for yourself, you will probably find there are many other benefits which are not listed here.
By Tara Kestner
Previously published on Next Level Yoga's Blog
Tara Kestner is a registered yoga instructor who specializes in working with athletes of all levels. She designs programs based on specific sport requirements and challenges. Utilizing the principle that strength plus flexibility equals power, her classes give athletes the tools they need to enhance their performance. Tara is the owner of Next Level Yoga, Ltd., in Toledo, Ohio.
Sad but true story.
The moral of the story though is that Zucchini Hummus was one of the key staples in my new health food routine that helped me transition away from my usual store-bought hummus snack, to a better healthier, fresher homemade alternative.
And while I don’t recommend overdoing any type of food (health food or not), I DO recommend finding your own favorite staples as you start your cleanse or your new healthy lifestyle.
This vibrant bright green hummus dip is ideal for spring, featuring sweet peas. It makes a great snack with veggie sticks or even a delicious spread on a collard green or nori veggie wrap – another one of my favorite springtime lunches.
Enjoy and be sure to leave me a comment below. Do you love hummus? What do you think of this green pea lemony twist? Can it become one of your favorite all-time healthy staples?
With sweet green pea love,
Green Pea Hummus
Yield: 1½ cups
Ingredients: 2 cups frozen green peas ½ cup water ¼ cup tahini ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice ½ cup cilantro 2 cloves garlic ½ tsp. sea salt, or more to taste
Instructions: In a small pot, bring water to a boil. Add green peas and simmer until tender, about 2 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water.
In a food processor fitted with the S-blade, pulse together cooked peas, tahini, lemon juice, cilantro, garlic and salt until smooth. Serve with veggie sticks. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
In almost all avenues of health and wellness advice, importance placed on stretching is a given. Yet, when you ask someone if they know what stretching actually is they rarely have any idea about it. We associate the sensations felt when our bodies are put in one position or another, or challenged to move in new ways, as an abstraction that we call "stretching." And these days, when many people are looking to stretch, yoga classes are often where they go because, for lack of any other reference, they have come to think of yoga as merely an elegant way to “stretch out.”
A June 2014 study in the Journal of Clinical Biomechanics found no differences in people's muscles and tendons after six weeks of a stretching regimen. What we typically think of as “stretching” is not actually making muscles longer. When I was growing up we always had to try and touch our toes in physical education class. Some kids could touch easily and some kids could not. We were told to bounce. I remember having an image of two steel cables along the back of my legs being pulled taut and longer. This carried over into my early adulthood and forray into yoga. I was determined to mold my body into an ultimate enlightenment machine and was willing to withstand whatever pain might be in the way.
My ranges of motion did increase. But this came with a price. It was quite an accomplishment to achieve full splits that one summer when I made it my life goal. And I relished showing off my accomplishment in every yoga class I went to throughout the subsequent year. However, the degenerative issues and pain I now deal with in my SI joint seems hardly worth it. Eventually, wanting to feel better became more important than poses. And I began to discover that a lot of the discomfort in my body was not because of energy blocks or toxins that needed to be purified but the natural result of a "unbridled pursuit of unlimited flexibility" that I was being praised for and encouraged to pursue.
Muscles sliding long and conditioning oneself to withstand the signals that fire when we press our bodies past the point of safety are not the same thing.
Honestly, I'm not really much of an anatomy guy. At a certain point, too scientific a viewpoint sucks all the magic out of it for me. But watching video of people with limited motion who miraculously regain full range when placed under anesthesia is quite a revelation. As crazy as it may sound, we all have full ranges of motion in our bodies when we are under anesthesia. Clearly, what is restricting movement in our bodies is not determined by our muscles alone. And more importantly, if not determined by muscles then from where else would we derive the mobility and stability that constitute a healthy functioning system?
The technical keys to answering these important questions will need to be left to others more knowledgeable than myself. But in lieu of being able to fully explain these revelations empirically, I feel obliged to at least question some stock things I've been saying in my classes for years. And I think other yoga teachers ought to do the same. A quick perusal of the content that yoga teachers, media, and the fitness industry at large, are generating online reveals a grossly ill-informed use of anatomical platitudes. While well intentioned, these attempts to explain the nuanced phenomenon of a human system through sweepingly inaccurate statements, and what's worse purport to provide easy answers to complex conditions, is doing everyone a disservice.
Those ubiquitous numbered lists of yoga poses to address whatever condition are entirely bogus. Offering poses as a means of targeted stretches assumes a uniformity among human bodies that does not exist and serves to obfuscate a deeper understanding of how we move and feel.
Last month, I wrote a piece called Slow Yoga Revolution. The outpouring of camaraderie around a slower, simpler, and more attentive practice was remarkable. Seems like others are also getting over the allure of accomplishments and embracing the subtleties instead. For all those who find common sentiment there, I want to suggest that part of changing the dialogue around yoga practice requires becoming clearer about what we are saying to people. And not continuing to perpetuate myths.
So, I’m officially done with stretching. As far as I can tell, there really is no such thing. And even if someone can make an anatomical case to the contrary, the reasons why yoga practice makes people feel better encompass more than our ability to articulate physiology. In my experience, when my muscles slide long, when my body moves freely, when pain abates, it feels like a comforting release more than an intense sensation. Not like those two hard cords down the back of my legs being pulled taught, but rather the gentle caress of a loving hand that soothes my nerves. It feels like a softening. It feels safe. It has nothing to do with stretching.
By J. Brown
J. Brown is a yoga teacher, writer and founder of Abhyasa Yoga Center in Brooklyn, NY. His writing has been featured in Yoga Therapy Today, the International Journal of Yoga Therapy, and across the yoga blogosphere. Visit his website at jbrownyoga.com
Click here to try J. Brown's "Slower is Stronger"
To balance an excess of Kapha, it’s recommended that you opt for bitter, pungent and astringent foods to clear congestion, dry dampness and boost energy. In this dish, I sauté onions and garlic (pungent), add red lentils (astringent and bitter) and finish it off with leafy green kale (bitter). Spices add extra flavor to make this a light, satisfying dish that’s perfect for Kapha season.
Creamy Red Lentils Serves: 4
Ingredients: 1 ½ Tbsp. olive oil 1 small onion 2-3 cloves garlic 1 tsp. ground cumin ½ tsp. ground ginger ½ tsp. ground turmeric 1 cup red lentils 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth 2 cups chopped kale Sea salt
Directions:
Nikki’s Note: As you can see in the photo, I often add a few handfuls of frozen organic corn kernels for texture. Simply toss the corn in at the very end and the heat from the lentils will defrost it.
By Nikki Croes
Nikki Croes is a Personal Chef & ISHTA’s resident Nutrition Coach. She trained at the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health & Culinary Arts and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Her focus is on cooking nutritious, mouthwatering, (mostly) plant-based meals for her clients and their families. As a coach, Nikki also teaches busy people how easy and elegant it is to cut the crap out of their diets and revitalize their health one delicious bite at a time. For recipes and lifestyle tips, follow Nikki on Twitter and Pinterest.
Asanas to do before going to Sleep:
Here are a few asanas that you can do before going to sleep that may help you rest better.
1. Jathara Parivartanasana
Jathara means stomach; Parivartanasana means turning or rolling about. If you come to my classes, it is no surprise that I love this pose. Of all the poses, I think this pose and its variations are responsible for keeping me flexible. I always practice this pose before going to sleep and have for the past 20 something years. Ease into it if it is your first time exploring this pose.
Steps: 1. Lie on your back with your legs extended. 2. Draw your knees up into your chest one at a time and wrap your arms around your legs, hugging them. Rock side to side to massage the back. 3. Continue holding onto your right knee with both hands and extend your left leg all the way out onto the bed. 4. With your left hand on the right knee, draw the right knee across the left side of the body towards the bed. Keep both shoulders down and extend the left arm straight away from the body. 5. Hold for a few breaths or until the back releases, (or relax and enjoy for a few minutes). Inhale, bring both knees and head back to center, and repeat on the other side.
Modifications and Props: • Use a blanket under the knee if you feel you need some support (so your knee isn’t just hanging there).
Variations: • Take both knees to the left and hold the right knee down with the left hand. Release your back. Hold for a few breaths and come back to center. Repeat on the other side.
Benefits: • Stretches the spine and shoulders • Improves digestion and circulation • Strengthens the lower back • Relieves lower backache, neck pain, and sciatica • Opens the hips and chest
Contraindications: (or reasons not to do this pose) • High or low blood pressure • Diarrhea • Headache • Menstruation • High blood pressure
2. Thread the Needle Pose
I have really tight shoulders from biking, especially the rhomboids (muscles between the shoulder blades). This pose helps to stretch them so that prāna can have a head start in healing this tricky part of the back.
Steps: 1. Start in table position. 2. Weave the left arm under the right and place straight away from the body, as you twist through the lumbar and thoracic spine, place the shoulder on the floor. 3. Lift right arm up towards the ceiling and intensify the stretch. 4. Keep the majority of the weight on the shoulder to create the traction for the stretch. 5. Repeat other side.
Modifications and props: • Place a blanket on the bed and place the shoulder on it if padding is needed. • Can be made into a balance by lifting the leg on the same side as the arm that is lifted.
Benefits: • Stretches shoulders and posterior rotator cuffs • Stretches oblique • Strengthens legs
Contraindications: • Neck injuries • Upper back injuries • Migraines • Pregnancy
3. Supta Virasana
Supta means lying down, vira means hero. I always say that “no pain, no gain” is such a washed up theory. You shouldn’t have to experience pain in order to manifest what you need. That is silly. This pose, however, shoots holes in my theory if the legs and back are not ready for it. So one of the best places to try it out is on your bed, where the mattress can give space when the muscles and tendons do not. Use blankets and pillows for comfort.
Steps: 1. Start in Virasana (Hero’s pose). 2. Exhale and lean back onto your hands, then your forearms and elbows. 3. Once you are on your elbows, place your hands on the back of the pelvis and release your lower back and upper buttocks by spreading the flesh down toward the tailbone. 4. Then finish reclining, either onto the bed or the support of blankets or bolsters. Take both arms out to the side. 5. Stay in this pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Gradually extend your stay to 5 minutes. To come out of the pose, inhale and press your forearms against the bed, exhale and bring your chin towards your chest and come onto your hands back into Virasana. As you come up, lead with your sternum, not your head or chin.
Modifications and Propping: • If you’re not able to recline fully on the bed, set a bolster or one or more folded blankets behind yourself to fully support your spine and head. • Use as much height as you need to make the position reasonably comfortable. • To help release the groins, lay some weight across the creases of the top thighs where they join the front pelvis. • Start with a 10-pound sandbag and gradually over time increase the weight to 30 pounds or so.
Variations: • Before doing Supta Virasana you can start with its halfway variation, Supta Ardha Virasana (Ardha means half). To sit in Ardha Virasana, draw just your right leg back into Virasana. You can keep your left knee bent with the foot on the floor, or straighten your left leg by pushing out through the heel. Then recline as described above, either onto a support or the bed. Come out as recommended for Supta Virasana, then repeat with the left leg back.
Benefits: • Stretches the abdomen, thighs, and deep hip flexors (psoas), knees, and ankles • Strengthens the arches • Relieves tired legs • Improves digestion • Helps relieve the symptoms of menstrual pain
Contraindications: • Serious back problems • Knee issues • Ankle problems • Avoid this pose unless you have the assistance of an experienced instructor.
4. Viparita Karani
Sava means corpse (Corpse Pose). This is a great way to balance your prāna before you move to your favorite sleep position.
Steps: 1. From a seated position, roll down one vertebrae at a time, flex the knees as you roll down. Once your back is on the bed, straighten the legs. Allow the legs to open naturally. Lightly lift your buttocks off the bed by pushing down with your hands and lengthen through the lumbar spine. Lower the buttocks back to the bed. 2. Dorsi flex the right foot and lengthen the leg. Plantar flex the foot and hold for a couple of seconds. Then relax muscles in the leg, the ankle, and toes. Do the same for the left leg. Allow the calf and inner thigh to release. Leg may turn outwards naturally. 3. Lengthen the arms above your head for a long stretch, and then take them towards the ceiling as you open up your back, allowing the shoulder blades to stretch away from the spine. Bring the hands down by your sides with the palms facing the ceiling. Spread the fingers and then relax the shoulders and hands. 4. Bringing the chin to the chest, stretch the neck. Then lay the head back to the bed. Relax the jaw and soften the tongue off the top of the mouth. 5. Taking long deep breaths, allow the body to release any tension that remains in the body. 6. Stay in Savasana for 5-15 minutes. When you are ready to come out of the pose, take a couple of deep breaths, wiggle toes and fingers, and when ready, roll to the right side for a couple of breaths. By pressing the left hand into the bed, slowly push yourself up to seated position.
Modifications and propping: • You can use a folded blanket or towel under the neck for comfort. You can also use an eye cover to help with relaxation. • If it hurts your lower back to keep legs straight, you can place a folded blanket or bolster under the knees. • If it hurts legs to allow them to turn outward, you can use a strap around the feet to keep the hips turned forward.
I think you will enjoy your “before you go to bed” poses so much that upon waking, you will want to do a few more asana to transition into the day centered and balanced. Watch for my next article on Yoga Asanas to do in Bed when you Wake up.
By Peggy Breeze
I am a Ayurvedic Diet and Lifestyle consultant, Yoga Specialist, Peak and Power Pilates instructor, cycle instructor and a personal trainer with certifications from Kripalu and 500-hour Himalayan Institute.
To know more about Peggy Breeze- visit www.thebalancedyogi.com
What I liked about this portion of the book was the scientific approach to understanding emotion and its relation with meditation. In this section, written by Erika Rosenberg, PhD, it talks about the observational skills of meditating that are similar to the observational process of the scientific method. Once more, it also also mentions how emotion is not something you can stop.
The point of meditation is not to eliminate emotions. It is to learn how to accommodate them skillfully and with compassion for oneself and others.” (Rosenberg, p.70) This brings me back to the title of this blog post, Walk slowly with your emotions.
An emotional response occurs almost immediately following the event that triggers the response. It can be a powerful tool to aid in escape, recovery, temporary gains in strength, stress, and other effects on the mind and body. Before you let your emotions run away, instead try walking with them. Let them go, it’s okay. And as you continue to walk slowly with the emotions, you can welcome them and say goodbye on your terms, instead of running a race the you will never win.
Here are some things I do to help me reel in any runaway emotions:
When I feel angry If I allow this emotion to persist, my teeth will grind, my jaw becomes tense, the shoulders arch up towards my ears and I feel heat all over my body. The heart rate increases and I start to have shallow breathe. Sometimes this does help me focus on whatever made me angry to solve the problem, which is a productive outcome of the process. However, if I’m still steaming over the subject or event I do the following: close my eyes, place my hands together, and take deep long breaths. My eyes closed, it allows me to feel the tension more-so in my body and I try to visualize the release of everything that feels tight. The deep breathing helps relieve all that tension within the body and then calms down the mind. Having my hands together gives me a feeling of compassion for myself and others, I am not longer clenching my fists or jaws.
When I feel anxious or nervous Sometimes this is a good reaction to the feeling. You’re about to embark on a great journey. Of COURSE you’re going to feel nervous or anxious about the trip. My eyes may dart around, my breathing becomes quick and short, and my hands feel clammy. The feeling to disappear from public view starts to creep in. What I do: LAUGH! Reminding myself not to things “so seriously” and see them as events on a timeline versus events on their own. Everything is connected, in one way or another. So my anxiety is connected to my self-esteem. When I begin to laugh I remind myself of the strong person I am and how much stronger I want to become. It gives me ease to relax knowing that small mantra I’ve held close to my heart: today I’m stronger than yesterday.
When I feel sad We’ve all had this feeling. Like the color we see today is not as bright as it usually is to us. The faces of others look like twisted masks covering the human flesh. When I’m sad, it’s easy to see on my face with my gaze low, shoulders rounded, and blank stare. Sometimes I have emotion about emotion. I get angry that I’m sad! I tell myself, “what do you have to be sad about?! There are others that have it worse off than you.” What do I do to get out of this loop? I use to EAT! That’s how I got over 200 lbs in my early twenties. I dealt with emotions as cover-up by food choice. Now, I MOVE MY BODY. When your mind wants you slow down and lament over the same emotion, again and again, movement helps your thought train move alone. Largely, I do yoga, but if I need something more up-tempo, I dance, by myself.
So there you go. Emotions come, Emotions go! (just like money, but that’s another topic) This is ONE of the MANY reasons I practice and teach yoga. It has helped me slow down and move through emotions, surpass challenges, and question myself. Yoga has given me the opportunity to connect with so many people in a way I thought never imaginable. When I first started yoga, I would laugh at the “yoga can transform you!” and other sayings. Now I find myself saying those same exact words. All you have to do is be open to change, and it will come. Follow your heart.
Again, if you’re interested in reading the book about meditation that I mentioned earlier, check it out on amazon:
By Jenn Allen
Jen Allen is E-RYT 200 Yoga Teacher in Maryland. She is currently undergoing yoga therapy teacher training at Maryland University of Integrative Health. Find out more about her at www.jenallenyoga.com
For strength everywhere else in the body, you’re resistance training at least twice a week. And no, yoga doesn’t count and really, neither does Pilates. Pick up some weights or go to a weight training class. If your core strength is weak, then let’s talk about some Pilates Reformer private sessions. You will have a much easier time in your weight training endeavours with a strong core, not to mention in your sports. No lie, skiing and snowboarding will be so much easier.
Now let’s talk about Yoga. You balance your stimulating cardio and resistance training workouts with Yoga. The mistake a lot of people make is by thinking that their Yoga can be their workout. Sadly, Yoga is your work “in” or your balancer of the overstimulation in your life, not a workout.
So you should be evaluating your day to decide what kind of Yoga to practice. If you start your day with Yoga, and it’s going to be a low key day you may want a stimulating class, like Ashtanga. If you are looking at the day from hell, maybe a gentle balancing yoga would be a better choice. If you practice after a cardio or strength workout, Yin yoga is a great choice. It works to stretch connective tissues. If you practice in the evening, you will have experienced most of your day and if it was stressful and over stimulating, restorative could be the ticket. If you have had a very vatic day (experienced a little bit of air-headedness, or you were having a hard time staying focused, an Iyengar class would bring alignment and balance. Whatever you choose, make sure that it is not hot (remember we are healing) and that you are balancing, not continuing to deplete which creates more of the same stress or imbalance. That will only open the door for injury, aging, illness, headaches, anxiety, emotional imbalance, depression, and hormone imbalance.
The next thing to look at is your food. You are what you eat. How your digestion and energy level are; how often are you sick? Are you eliminating on a regular basis and what does that look like? Yes, literally, what does that look like?
What you eat determines the answers to these questions, because again, you are what you eat. If the answers aren’t “great”, then you must look at how and with what you are nourishing your body.
In Ayurveda, (the ancient science of health) we look at our body’s constitution or make-up, Dosha, (Vata, Pitta, or Kapha) and then follow the nutritional guidelines for our particular make-up. You won’t believe how much difference it makes when you eat the food your body is capable of digesting correctly.
Last but not the least, sleep, yes, you need a good sleep.
So it looks like you are doing a really good job. You are exercising daily and in a way that fills you full of energy and vitality, not in a depleting manner. You are eating fresh, organic foods that agree with your constitution. And you are getting sleep, at least 8 hours. You are nourishing your body so that it can digest not only your food, but also your emotions, thoughts, feelings, and impressions.
Here are 10 Ways To Up Your Ojas:
Everyone is unique. Ayurvedic medicine recognizes the uniqueness of every individual taking into account psychological, emotional and physical conditions and tendencies. Remember the definition of Ayus is mind, body, senses and soul.
The elements and their qualities are present within each of us, but in different quantities at different times. When in balance, these qualities contribute to our good health. Our health improves when we practice small ‘balancing acts of kindness’.
How do we find balance? Baby steps! The elemental qualities within each of us are increasing and decreasing with the changes in season, the time of day, and the time of life. The goal is to live in balance with our true nature.
According to Ayurvedic principles, like increases like and opposites pacify. We begin by observing the qualities of how we feel. Then we encourage balance by introducing opposite qualities and reducing similar qualities. For example, when we feel cold we increase warmth. In the winter, especially this year, we need to eat more warm food with warming spices, massage with warming oils, wear warm socks and sweaters, cover up during Shivasana, and spend time with warm hearted friends and family. During the cold season we need to decrease our consumption of cold food, eliminate iced drinks, and minimize cold relationships.
Yoga and Ayurveda are sister sciences. How do we recognize the more subtle qualities that we are feeling? Yoga to the rescue! Ayurveda is a sister science to yoga. The nonjudgemental awareness that we cultivate in our yoga practice is an indispensable tool to support our good health. In order to make choices that will promote balance in our lives we need to observe our own qualities. We observe ourselves feeling cold, heavy, slow, hot, anxious, lethargic, impatient. We learn how to decrease similar qualities and increase opposite qualities. As we stress less, sleep better, manage weight and improve stamina with our Ayurvedic practices we will find ourselves more available to our yoga practice.
Value the small steps. Each act of self care is truly valuable. If you find you neglected yourself one or two days then just start again tomorrow. In tIme you will establish new habits. No rush. Be kind.
By Rhona Sewell
Rhona Sewell is a certified ISHTA yoga teacher, a LV Chair yoga teacher, and a 500 Hour Kripalu Ayurveda Yoga teacher.
To celebrate this major milestone and to help give you a taste of one of the decadent recipes featured in the new 65-page 80:20 manual, we want to share with you our new Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe.
We’re on a mission to ditch the words “guilty pleasure” from our vocabulary. The 80:20 is a guilt-free zone, so please enjoy these Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies with a big smile on your face.
Here’s to having your cookies and good health too,
Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yield: About 24 cookies
3 cups blanched almond flour 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 2 eggs 1/2 cup maple syrup 1 tsp vanilla extract ½ cup coconut oil 1 ½ cups Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Instructions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a medium sized mixing bowl combine almond flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a small mixing bowl beat eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla extract with a hand mixer. Pour wet ingredients into dry and beat with hand mixer until combined. Melt coconut oil, pour into batter, and continue to blend until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
On a parchment lined baking sheet, drop balls of cookie dough, about a tablespoon in size. Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool and serve with a cold glass of Homemade Almond Milk!
Black rice cooks up in about 30-40 minutes and is a real show-stopper on the plate. With its rich, exotic pop of color, it will surely impress your dinner guests… heck, you’ll impress yourself!
Forbidden Black Rice: Basic Recipe
Ingredients: 1 cup Forbidden Black Rice (I like Lotus Foods’ brand) 2 cups water Pinch salt
In a small pot, combine rice, water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Turn off the flame and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and cool just a few minutes. Fluff with a fork. Optional: season with olive oil, sea salt and fresh herbs.
Let me put it to you simply… opposing energies, both working in our benefit, both taking courage to harness. Huh?
Simpler … it takes courage to leap forward in life, like the fiery energy of Aries. AND it takes courage to sit still and examine our stuff that has been shoved into the back corner of our closets (or under the rug) before leaping forward.
It takes courage to do it all.
I started thinking about it really and … I think we display courage in every waking moment. I mean, we’re courageous when we speak, we’re courageous when we’re silent. We are courageous when we try something new, and we’re just as courageous when we sit and wait our turn.
I used to think that courage came from our will, our drive to move forward and follow our passions and … impulses. I used to think that it took courage to leap without thinking. And I used to think it took courage to stand for what you believe in and speak your mind.
I still believe that.
And I think it takes courage to sit and see what happens for a moment. And I think it takes a helluva lot of courage to listen … especially when you may not like what you hear. It takes courage to expose your heart and be seen for who you truly are. And it takes courage to accept and unconditionally love those around you.
I used to think it took courage to live and stand in your power. Now I think it takes courage to live from your heart. To expose the truth of how you feel without expectation or attachment. To love without knowing how the other person feels. To let go not knowing what is next.
I came home from work tonight to some you know, pre-teen drama. And I witnessed my daughter courageously admitting that she was wrong, saying how she felt, and then taking responsibility for her actions from her heart… on her SLEEVE! So proud, so inspired ..
The world NEEDS courageous hearts … those souls willing to SPILL IT, fall on their face, get back up again and do it again. The world NEEDS more people willing to LOVE ALL OUT and go ALL IN; diving deep and coming back to the top refreshed and in reverence for it all … every, last bit.
Repeat after me … I am a courageous soul, I am a courageous soul, I am a courageous soul. Now go be that.
Ayurveda recognizes and honors our uniqueness. Ayurvedic philosophy teaches that we are all unique, not just by looks, but by the things we are made of. We know we are made of bones, skin, hair, and squishy stuff. And true, we all are built with two eyes, two arms, two feet, and a liver, but none of these parts are the same shape and size in any of us. In Ayurveda, one size does not fit all. Ayurveda recognizes and honors our uniqueness.
This is where Ayurveda gets interesting. There are only five elements that exist. Those five great elements are: space, air, fire, water, and earth. Simply put, the Universe has lots of space in it. The mountains (earth), the oceans (water), bon fires (fire), trees (space, air, fire, water, earth), are all part of the nature surrounding us. Now think about your body. You have hard parts (earth), liquid parts (water), warm parts (fire), parts that move other parts (air) and holey parts (space). Since big nature is made of the same things we are, it makes sense that we feel best when surrounded by nature because we ARE nature.
From those five elements, come three energies. Those energies are called doshas. We are each made of all three doshas, but each have our own unique combinations. This unique combination of doshas is what makes us, US! It’s our individuality and authenticity—our stamp on that says, “Yessss this is ME!
The three doshas are vata, pitta, and kapha. Each dosha serves a different purpose and works together to create our unique physical, mental, and emotional make-up.
Vata, the energy of movement.
Elements: Space & Air.
Nature: Wind
Main Location: Colon
Qualities: Cold, Dry, Rough, Light, Mobile
Vata is responsible for the movements of the body including heart beating, eyes blinking, food moving though digestion, breathing, talking, walking, jumping, pooping, and giving birth. Pitta and kapha cannot move without vata, so vata is considered the king of the doshas.
Because vata is made of space and air, there really isn’t much holding it together. In nature, vata relates to the wind as it is quick to change, moves fast, and is usually cold. Vata people tend to be thin with visible bones, thin dry skin and hair, long delicate fingers, and oval faces. They talk and move a lot (and fast), are highly creative, animated storytellers, great musicians, dancers, actors, artists, vivacious, full of exuberance, and the ones who “light up a room.” They change their mind often, can come up with a million creative ideas, but tend not to finish what they start. Vatas are impatient, often distracted, and complain often because something usually hurts, including their brain. Their mind worries about the future rather than staying present and focused. Remember, they HAVE no ground because it’s not in their nature! Vatas are busy doing many things at once and if they are not careful they will turn into a tornado (talk about wind!) to the point of exhaustion.
Constant vata motion creates inner turbulence and the energy runs amok, no longer functioning as it should. Some vata imbalances include anxiety, panic attacks, low self esteem, insomnia, constipation, chronic headaches, tremors/twitches, overall weakness, memory loss, osteoporosis, even heart attacks. If you are with an out-of-sorts vata, give them a space heater or throw them (gently) in a hot tub. They will feel much better.
To stay balanced, vatas need grounding, structure, slowness, warmth, and oiliness. They feel best with a reliable schedule they can stick to. They should favor saucy vata foods that are heavy, warm, and mildly spicy. Vatas desperately need fats and oils in their diet because of their dry quality. They need consistent, quality sleep, and an exercise routine that builds strength and stamina like yoga, walking, or light weight training.
Pitta, the energy of transformation
Elements: Fire & Water
Nature: Sun
Main Location: Small Intestines
Qualities: Hot, Sharp, Mobile, Oily, Light, Smooth
Pitta is responsible for transforming our food, thoughts, and emotions. Pitta is the main player in digesting our food as it is closely related to our digestive fire. It is the only dosha with the fire/heat element to it. Without pitta, everything would be cold and rigid.
Pitta is made of fire and water elements, so think of pitta like a hot, sharp, oil transforming everything in its path. In nature, pitta relates to the sun, the giant fire in the sky. Pitta people tend to have a medium build with good muscle tone, pink skin with moles or freckles, straight silky hair, early gray or early balding, usually wear glasses or contact lenses, pink finger nails, and have sharp features on their face. They have a sharp intellect and tongue, are quick-witted, organized, disciplined, make great athletes, lawyers, politicians, and anything else that has a competitive edge. They love politics, news, and talk radio. Pittas are leaders and people instinctively want to follow them. They stick to the plan (they do not appreciate spontaneity) and strategy comes natural to them. They are not quick to agree to someone else’s ideas and ask a ton of questions until they have analyzed the situation down to nothing. Pittas live in the present moment, which makes them excellent and fast problem solvers. Because they are smart and not afraid of hard work, pittas will carry the weight of the world on their shoulders while holding in a lot of stress. This is partly because they want to ensure high quality results and partly because they want things done their way.
But, have you heard of burn out? Pitta imbalances are the results of stress and heat, like acne, rashes, eye irritation, high blood pressure, acid reflux, heartburn, blood or liver disorders, any inflammation, and are easily burned by the sun. If you have an inflamed or angry pitta on your hands, give them ice cream (or put it on their sunburn). They will chill out in 10 seconds.
To stay balanced, pittas need calm, serenity, cooling, grounding, and downtime. They feel best when they have a balance of mentally stimulating work and challenging fun, which is likely to be physical activity. They should favor pitta foods that are heavy, cool, and mild, with lots of fruits and vegetables. Pittas can eat most anything because their digestive fire is so strong, but they should avoid high-heat foods like red meats, alcohol, and very spicy foods. Pittas need enough sleep so their mind can rejuvenate. The best exercises for pitta are bike riding, swimming, yoga (not hot yoga), and evening walks. Pittas should never exercise in the hot sun.
Kapha, the energy of lubrication and structure
Elements: Water & Earth
Nature: Moon
Main Location: Chest & Stomach
Qualities: Cold, Wet, Heavy, Oily, Static, Gross, Dull
Kapha is responsible for sticking everything together. Kapha brings coolness and creation and without it, everything would be a windy inferno. They may even refer to themselves as the “glue” that holds a family or team together.
Kapha energy is cool, heavy, and wet, like a dollop of yogurt, which moistens vata and cools pitta while sticking these doshas together. In nature, kapha relates to the moon which is soothing and cooling. Kaphas are mentally and physically strong with a sturdy build and thick joints, but they don’t like to move. They have oily skin, thick lustrous hair, substantial fingers and hands, round angelic facial features, long eyelashes, and beautiful teeth. Kaphas are the caretakers, nurturers, chefs, and singers, and have a love for music. They tend to be on the shy side and listen more than they speak. They are averse to change and love familiarity and routine. Kaphas are extremely patient, slow to anger, and smile almost all of the time. They often live in the past and have a tendency to linger in sadness, grief, or past trauma that is hard for them to shake.
Kaphas carry extra emotional, physical, and material stuff which adds to their heaviness. Some kapha imbalances include depression, weight gain, obesity, water retention, swelling, allergies, extra mucus or congestion, lethargy, laziness, cloudiness of mind, and grief. If you have a heavy kapha, make them laugh and give them garlic. This will lift their spirits and stoke their digestive fire. So will the garlic.
To stay balanced, kaphas need lightness, warmth, dryness, spiciness, and movement. They feel best around people who are light-hearted, funny, and sharp. They should favor kapha foods that are vegetarian, light, warm, and spicy. Kaphas will want sweet foods, but need to limit them since “sweets” in Ayurveda are heavy foods. They need good sleep, but not too much because it can cause heaviness. Kaphas need dry heat, like a sauna or Arizona! Kaphas feel amazing when they are in dry, sunny, hotness. Exercise should be a fun cardio to help raise their heat and break a sweat. A challenging yoga class or brisk walks are also good, but kaphas will best stick to exercise with a fun, chatty buddy.
Aren’t you curious to know which dosha is prominent in your being?! Take this quiz to learn more about YOU!
By Monica Bloom
Monica Bloom is an Ayurvedic practitioner, writer, lecturer, and creator of the blog, HeyMonicaB.com: A Blooming Resource on Ayurveda. Her purist delivery of Ayurveda’s ancient wisdom fused with Midwest humor and practicality make her an impactful & entertaining healer. Monica is a wife, mama of a spirited toddler, and ‘parent’ to three animals. She currently works a 40-hour corporate grind in San Francisco, making her an expert at tucking Ayurveda neatly into our modern lives. Join the fun on facebook and her blog.
"Introducing the Three Doshas" is courtesy of Prana’s ‘Ayurveda Life’ - a comprehensive series on the practice of Ayurveda from some of the most influential Ayurvedic authors and organizations.
“Yoga and Ayurveda are sister sciences that developed together and repeatedly influenced each other throughout history. Yoga and Ayurveda work together to enhance their great benefits on all levels”.
“The link between yoga and Ayurveda is prana, or the life force. Yoga is the intelligence of prana seeking greater evolutionary transformations, while Ayurveda is its healing power…” ~ Dr. David Frawley
So you start applying the rules: go to a quiet room, light some candles, dim the lights, play some soothing music (or not) and sit. It takes a few moments to get into the right posture – you try them all: cross legged, chair sitting, kneeling, lying on the bed, they all seem to cause some discomfort to your body. After a few long minutes you decide to go for cross legged - you feel this is the real thing, after all it is on the cover of all health magazines! So you close your eyes and start breathing. You try to relax your muscles, focus on the gentle music and the breath. “Yeah, that’s easy”, you rejoice,” I can do it”. “Nice”! Then, before you’ve even reached your fourth deep breath, you realise you’re making a grocery list in your mind, setting a meal planner for the week and before you know it, you’re mentally going through the recipe for raw chocolate cake for the weekend, as you’re having friends over. “This isn’t working, I just can’t focus”, you worry. “I don’t think meditation is for me”. Nevertheless, you decide to give it another try. You bring your focus back to your breath and try relaxing again. Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out... This time you’ve got it!
But, again, before you have any time to savour the victory, your mind has already decided the seating plan for the Saturday dinner and it’s now busy choosing the right tissue napkins to go with the table cloth. “Oh, this is not going to work”, you decide. “I’m obviously too busy and have too much on my mind right now. I’ll try another day when I don’t have so many things to deal with”.
And that’s how most people introduce themselves to meditation. But the verdict you give yourself after that first session is really important. You can either go for: “No one can say I haven’t tried. It’s just not for me. It’s probably more suitable for the more spiritual kind of folks” or “Boy, it’s hard quieting this chattering box, this is going to take a while”!, which leaves the door open - or at least ajar!
I believe it’s important to keep in mind that almost everyone attempting to meditate will have had a similar experience to the one outlined above. Meditation is a process, it just gets better and better every single day and it’s not something that you need to be good at, it’s just something that you need to be willing to experience.
Mindful meditation as “you” time How you perceive the act of meditation is really important. If it feels to you like a task, then I guess it’s better to reframe it so that it becomes something you look forward to. You might want to see it as your “you” time. Any amount of personal time is very much welcomed in the anarchy of our busy lives, so meditation can provide that safe and undemanding place where you go to, well, meet yourself. Your thoughts, your emotions, your sensations. The entirety of you.
When you do start your practice, be gentle with your expectations. This is utterly important, because if you set your mind on achieving something in particular, not being able to meet that goal will bring along disappointment and a feeling of not doing it right. Simply be there with your kind awareness and just notice without judging. Meditation is not about accomplishing something, at least not in a practical and tangible way. I would say it’s more about exploring and cultivating emotions, sensations or ideas.
Once you’ve started meditating you might notice that the mind seems to just get in the way of your achieving that long sought after relaxation. Don’t fight it. Let the mind manifest itself, it’s what the mind does. Simply notice your thoughts, let them be and then let them go, one by one without following or paying particular attention to any of them; nor need you judge yourself for not being able to keep a blank mind during the meditation - that’s not necessarily the purpose. You might have become aware of the fact that the harder you try to push away those thoughts, the harder it seems for you to acquire any sense of serenity. The truth is that the less you try, the easier it becomes. It sounds simplistic, but often this plain truth eludes us.
And so this attitude of tolerance, patience, lack of expectations and judgement becomes one of the most important emotions one can cultivate during a meditation practice. I don’t believe the aim is to stop our state-of-the-art Swiss mechanism of a brain from working so that we no longer hear the ticking of our worrying thoughts, but more to witness and try to better understand its ways.
If you find it hard to stick to your practice... ... just know that it’s perfectly all right. Many people find it hard to commit as they might think they’re not good at it, or that it will interfere with their religious practice, or that they’re not the spiritual sort so why would they need it, or that they’re too busy and meditation is obviously for people who have lots of free time, and so on. If you find you’re giving yourself excuses for not meditating or being mindful, don’t blame yourself. Be patient. But, also, be perseverant, in the most gentle and non-judgemental way.
And so, in this safe space where you learn to let go of control, of expectations and simply live your present circumstances with the aim to cultivate a better understanding of yourself, the journey within begins. So, travel widely!
Namaste
Written by yoga and meditation probie, Monalisa E. Formagiu
My name is Monalisa and I live in the UK. I have been on a journey for the last three years trying to teach myself the way out of chronic pain. I am quite dedicated to my yoga and meditation practices as they have become the load bearing structures of my healing process. And I must confess I no longer look for reasons as to why I shouldn’t stick to them (except for when I come up with the most ingenious excuses and that’s when I have to at least give myself credit for my inventiveness and celebrate with ... a yoga session!) But it’s not all play, as I am also studying and training to become a psychologist and life coach and am happy to be able to put all the hardship to good use. Hurray!
Josh and I began showing Namibians our love of yoga at our host family in Okahandja for our 2 months of training. We would do yoga with the kids on the porch. We called our style of yoga “Shusk-tanga.” Patent pending.
Our host family loved it. It was a nice way for us to bond with them. We saw the 3 year old from our host family in Okahandja over Christmas Holiday and she still remembers “Downward Dog.”
I then brought yoga with me to our site and my school. I did it once with the Girls Club and many girls enjoyed it so much they wanted to keep doing it together. When I am free on the weekends, I’ll put together a Saturday morning yoga session. It’s been a fun way to share something I enjoy and am passionate about.
I always enjoy hearing everyone in my class say “Miss! I feel so good!” after a class is over. I am not a trained teacher myself but I have done it long enough to give people the basics. I usually put a yoga dvd on halfway through class to let the experts tell us when to breathe in and out, etc.
The website YogaDownload.com offers a free membership for PCVs. It really makes yoga more accessible and introduces people all over the world to new styles of yoga. It’s a great way to keep your yoga routine fresh.
Workout videos and running have also been a great way to help cope with stress here. If you’re a person who likes to turn their headphones on and ignore the rest of the world when running, well then running in Namibia might not be for you. On days when I’m feeling social I’ll go run in town and on the sandy paths and greet people as I go by.
Seeing the Kavango River as you run by isn't a bad way to spend 30-45 minutes. Running and exercise in general really isn't a popular thing here. (most want to save their calories) so this white lady gets some funny looks, but it's a fun atmosphere on the walking path new our flat. I see ladies carrying baskets on their heads, men walking home from work, feral dogs who want to bite me and little kids playing with one another.
By Lisa Shusko
Lisa is a Peace Corps volunteer serving in Namibia, Africa since 2013.
Two years ago I wrote a piece called: "Gentle is the New Advanced." It was mostly a response to a NY Times article on the meme of the yoga selfie. I observed that some old-school teachers seemed to be finding a niche among the new-school vinyasa scene by billing themselves as "Gentle Flow." I also suggested that the allure of the flashy pose and its ability to attract followers was a hollow pursuit that would wither over time. Recent trends might suggest that not only are people reevaluating the merits of Instagram, but younger teachers are beginning to embrace and emulate old-school wisdom.
People are discovering again that yoga is not necessarily something you do to yourself so much as something you do with yourself.
I first noticed the old-school teachers reemerging while at one of the larger holistic learning centers on the national circuit. Whenever I teach at one of these venues, I feel like I am getting a glimpse into the broader commercial yoga world. Over the last three years, I have been changing the title of my program. First, it was: “Fundamentals of Therapeutic Yoga” and the folks who showed up all had conditions that they wanted to have addressed. Then, I called it: “Making Vinyasa Yoga Safe” and a number of old-school teachers attended to bolster their repertoire and ability to meld into the new vinyasa conventions. This year, I presented: “Vinyasa Slow: More Power, Less Pain.” My hope was to attract new-school teachers with a sizzling title. It didn’t work. The participants ended up being people who I had previously met or were already on board with a slower and safer approach.
But a funny thing happened on the way out of my program one day. You see, there was a “Vigorous Vinyasa” class happening in the space after us and the teacher was waiting in the hall. She had noticed the title of my program. She said: “Are you the teacher? I saw the title of your workshop and that is totally what I do.” I looked at the sign that had replaced mine with “Vigorous Vinyasa” quizzically and she continued: “Moving slow is so much more work.” She then proceeded to immediately come into a high lunge and slowly lift and lower her arms to demonstrate. I smiled and said: “I couldn’t agree more.”
For many, power and hot yoga have become like that friend who you initially hit it off with and had so much fun with but now when you hang out it just feels negative and draining. Eventually, you drift apart.
The concept of “Slow Yoga” is not just about the pace with which we move our bodies. It’s a question of purpose. Are you doing yoga practice because you want to sweat? Are you doing yoga practice because you want to be stronger and more flexible? Are you doing yoga practice because you have pain and want relief? Or are you doing yoga practice because you just want to learn how to be well? Perhaps, all of the above. Whatever question you’re asking yourself and whatever the answer you may arrive at, space enough for the inquiry is going to be required. Slow Yoga takes emphasis off accomplishing something and puts it more on experiencing something.
Like any relationship, as a yoga practice progresses over time, the initial buzz wears off and we are left with either an appreciation for the subtlety and nuance of the in-between moments or the empty feeling of nothing ever being enough. We can struggle and fight against this, attempting to forever change things and find new ways to spice things up or we can embrace this mundane inward turn and see what it holds. One thing is for sure: yoga practice that covets what has yet to be attained will always overshadow the beauty of what is already in place.
I told myself that I would stop writing about what is happening in the “yoga world” and just focus on yoga. But it occurs to me that there is no way to separate these out from each other. The “yoga world” consists of people who are interested in yoga practice. The motivations at work and the actualities of people’s experience that make up the yoga world have everything to do with yoga. And up until recently, singing the song of simplifying and slowing things down have always felt like pushing against the tide. Now I’m seeing a wave of new voices picking up the tune.
Fast and intense may serve for a time but it is unsustainable and will invariably require some reevaluation. For in the slowness of our lives is where we are able to perceive its worth. Yoga practice is no different.
Over the past five years since taking on the Conscious Cleanse and learning to live the 80:20 as a lifestyle, my health has completely changed.
Because this has been such a life-changing shift, I wanted to share some of my tried and true foods for keeping those nasty spring allergies at bay.
Check out my five favorite foods for reducing spring allergy symptoms below. Do you feel like spring kicks you in the tush? Come drop me a line below and share your story.
With spring-blooming love,
5 Foods to Fight Your Spring Allergies
1. Fermented veggies. Gut health is key in combating the spring-time funk. Just a few servings of your favorite fermented veggie can increase the good bacteria in your gut, keeping your immune system strong. Our recommended brand, Ozuke, comes from our friends right here in Boulder.
2. Dark leafy greens. Kale, spinach, chard oh my! Dark leafy greens contain quercetin, which is a natural antihistamine blocker. Our favorite way to incorporate greens is by drinking a green smoothie. Join the green smoothie revolution with us!
3. Nettles. Make your own nettle infusion to remedy spring symptoms. Nettles fight inflammation and help your body build up a tolerance to the histamine response, making it nature’s natural allergy shot.
4. Salmon. Known for being one of the best sources of omega 3 fatty acids, this wild fish has been shown to improve lung function. Breathe easy this spring with just 2-3 servings of salmon a week.
5. Broccoli. This cruciferous wonder contains high levels of vitamin C which helps to combat inflammation. In just 500 mg you’ll notice an improvement in your allergy symptoms. Two cups of broccoli contains 160 mg, so eat up and feel better fast!
1. Breathe Become more aware of your breathing patterns throughout the day. Cultivate a calm smooth breath whenever possible. Try the Breath of Joy to lift your mood and energy!
2. Connect to your body Create a daily practice of connecting to your body, your temple. This could be in the form of a bath or foot massage, yoga, dancing, swimming, or anything that makes your body feel good.
3. Connect with loved ones Initiate contact with joyful friends and loved ones and make room in your schedule for this on a regular basis.
4. Try something new Always wanted to try scuba? Go for it. The curiosity and playfulness involved in doing new things can be a satisfying mood booster.
5. Gratitude Create a daily habit of recognizing the abundance and goodness in your life. Find creative ways to express gratitude, whether that is repeating it to yourself, writing in a journal, making art, or sharing with a friend. Don’t skip over the ‘small’ stuff…if you have two feet – be grateful and celebrate!
"The attitude of gratitude is the highest way of living, and is the biggest truth, the highest truth. You cannot live with applied consciousness until you understand that you have to be grateful for what you have. If you are grateful for what you have, then Mother Nature will give you more." -Yogi Bhajan
6. Listen to music Listening to joyful music can actually cause the brain to release dopamine, a feel good neurotransmitter.
7. Get out in nature A study in 2013, "Benefits of Ecotherapy..." showed that simply taking a walk in nature had the capability to reduce symptoms of depression in 71% of the participants.
8. Smile & laugh Buddhist monk and activist Thich Nhat Hanh said, “Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.” Smile more and engage in activities that make you laugh. You’ll also find that you get treated differently when you move through your day with a smile on your face.
9. Stay with positive experiences I love neuropsychologist Rick Hanson’s concept of ‘taking in the good’. Fully focus on positive experiences for about 30 seconds; let them really sink into your mind and body so you remember the feeling and can more easily access it next time. You are essentially training your brain over and over again to notice and remember the positive over the negative.
10. Make space Leave room in your schedule to simply do nothing. Rushing from one activity to another is a sure way to suck out your joy and leave you feeling emotionally and energetically depleted.
By Jennifer Meek
Jennifer Meek is a Certified Yoga Teacher (RYT 500) specializing in Yoga Therapy for common conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and back pain. Utilizing her 25 years of movement experience as a dancer in combination with the tools of yoga and mindfulness she teaches people how to tap into their innate potential for health and happiness. Read More from Jennifer at jennifermeek.com
More than 10 years later, I finally started to learn exactly what my parents and doctors were looking for. The tongue is a detailed health map. Our tongues change colors/shades, shape, and surface texture, providing a current health status update. Tongue analysis is an ancient health assessment technique that is still used in Chinese medicine and by Ayurvedic practitioners.
Much as in reflexology, different parts of the tongue correspond to different organs. As a mirror of the body’s digestive system, the tongue can reflect the toxicity level in the gut, show potential food sensitivities or a weak digestive fire, point to malabsorption of nutrients, and reveal the health of other organs in the body.
Trained Ayurvedic practitioners will be able to provide a complete health analysis by examining a patient’s tongue. Dr. Vasant Lad, the founder of the Ayurvedic Institute in New Mexico and one of my favorite Ayurvedic teachers, encourages everyone to learn the basic tongue diagnosis principles as they can serve as a useful health analysis tool.
Our tongues contain a wealth of information, and learning how to interpret the looks of our tongues can be very helpful in understanding our bodies on a deeper level. It is a great way to build a closer mind/body relationship. Any trusting healthy relationship has to be based on mutual understanding.
A daily look at the tongue helps us to become more aware of the effects of food on our body. The tongue doesn’t lie. It provides the feedback about last night’s dinner with full honesty first thing in the morning. This is your free daily health report.
The beauty of a tongue diagnosis is that its basics can be learned and applied by anyone to monitor their own health. While it might take years to learn the intricacies of tongue diagnosis, there are some general guidelines that anyone can use to evaluate general health and digestion.
Dr. Lad advises you to look at your tongue in the morning before brushing your teeth.
There are a few factors that are worth noting when you look at your tongue: shape, shadings, markings, wetness, texture, and coating. A healthy tongue should look like a kitten’s tongue or a young baby’s tongue: symmetrical and evenly pink. It should not tremble. It should have a thin, transparent coating. All the taste buds should be flat, orderly, and free from bumps, lines, cracks, and patches. It should not have foam, hair, fur, be too dry, or too wet, or have a foul odor or taste.
As a beginning tongue explorer, there are a few things you should pay attention to:
Tongue coating. Excessive coating usually means sluggish digestion and toxins in the colon. Depending on the food that you eat, coating will change from day to day. If you have a late night heavy dinner of pasta and wine, your tongue is more likely to be swollen and have a thicker coating. This is the way your body is trying to tell you that the digestive system might be overburdened. Knowing that your colon is full of material that doesn’t belong there, that spreads toxins into your blood, makes you sluggish, your skin dull, and your head foggy might be exactly what you were waiting for in order to change your diet. If you wake up with a heavily coated tongue, take a break from heavy, oily, and processed foods and choose foods that are easiest to digest until the coating clears up.
Dr. Lad strongly encourages the use of a tongue scraper on a daily basis. Why walk around with a ton of toxins if you can just scrape them off?
Scraping the tongue first thing in the morning removes overnight build-up of bacteria and toxins. Rather than brushing the tongue, which will only push bacteria and toxins into the tongue, scrape your tongue with a tongue scraper or spoon. You can use a metal or a copper one. To scrape your tongue, extend it out and place the scraper as far back on the tongue as comfortable.
Using one long stroke, gently pull the scraper forward so that it removes the unwanted coating on the tongue. Rinse the scraper and begin again if necessary. I usually do this five or six times.
Teeth imprints. Teeth imprints around the contour of the tongue can mean malabsorption of nutrients, inflammation, or too much salt in the diet. If your tongue has teeth imprints, your digestive system is not very happy. Most likely it is overloaded and weak. To stimulate digestion in a natural healthy way, add fresh ginger tea, avoid iced drinks, and start paying attention to food combining, which we will discuss later in the book.
Trembling tongue. This is a sign of anxiety or fear. We live in such a high-stress society that anxiety can crawl over you without you even being aware of it. It might even be your permanent state and you are so used to it that you can’t tell the difference. Time to take a break from caffeine, have some chamomile tea, and nourish your nervous system with warm and easy-to-digest light soups.
The changes on the tongue will show the effects of changes in your diet. You will be able to watch the changes on your tongue as you begin improving your diet and healing your digestion.
By Nadya Andreeva
Nadya Andreeva is the author of the #1 Amazon best-selling book on digestive health for women Happy Belly: A Woman’s Guide to Feeling Vibrant, Light, and Balanced. Professionally trained in mindful eating, yoga, and positive psychology, Nadya helps women create a healthy relationship with food that honors their body’s unique chemistry and eliminates bloating and irregularity. To learn more about improving your digestion, check out Nadya’s free Happy Belly cookbook http://www.spinachandyoga.com/100recipes/
**Tongue Diagram images reproduced with permission from Ayurveda: Science of Self Healing, by Dr. Vasant Lad. Lotus Press, a division of Lotus Brands, Inc., PO Box 325, Twin Lakes, WI 53181, USA, lotuspress.com ©1984 All Rights Reserved.
Easy, no. Worth it? Hell yes.
You know, this notion that you can “have it all” is so not true in a way. Yeah, I can be a mom, run a successful business, have a great marriage and amazing friends, but I’ve had to redefine what that looks like for me and how to accomplish it all.
A Mompreneur will quickly discover her priorities become whittled down wish lists. She’s become the expert of efficiency. Figure out your exercise balance.
When I started my business I had to put some things aside, like training for a marathon. So instead, I invested in a cardio machine and began holding meetings while on a fast incline.
I love running and I love my business, but I need efficiency and was unwilling to give up either.
Let me be clear. If honestly getting out of the house is what you need, go do that. Get in your exercise where you can and find your balance. I schedule in daily exercise and treat it equally important as I would a meeting. When it pops up in my calendar there’s no backing out.
Outsource everything that distracts you from your priorities.
My priorities are having time in my day with my daughter, husband and my team. If anyone gets shorted I look at outsourcing.
This means I hire a house cleaner who helps with meals, or I delegate work tasks to my team, so I have bath time with my daughter or alone time with my husband. By knowing that these priorities are absolutes I can outsource with greater ease.
One of the best things I did was get a house cleaner who makes our meals. She’s incredible. We need to get over the idea we should be doing it ‘all’, instead totally rock our priorities and the stuff we’re actually awesome at.
Really know your health.
Listen, none of this is going to work if you’re run down, stressed and nutrient deficient. What’s worse than kids sick, is you sick. I know that feeling of wishing you could stay in bed. One extra hour please.
And, you know what?
Sometimes I trade with my husband morning shifts so I can rest longer. I’ve learned over the years that health has to come first. If I need rest, I take it without apology or guilt – and you can too.
We eat a raw, vegan menu in our house and exercise every day. We take herbs and natural medicines when we need to, and practice living a healthy lifestyle because I know my health is a non-negotiable.
Show up to your marriage.
Moms, sometimes it’s just not going to happen tonight. Sometimes it’s the kids. It’s work. It’s a lot of things that get in the way.
My husband & I have dates nights, date days, date lunches. We set goals and priorities together so we can help keep focused on each other. I’ve seen my marriage significantly improve when I showed interest in my husband, which means I turn off the cell phone and list making to fully focus on him. It means I listen to him and respond lovingly. It takes work, and oh yes, it’s worth it. He gets her up in the morning and gets her ready so that I can get going, and I take care of her in the afternoon. This is about the negotiation of time, communication between each other, and flexibility to make it all fit in. The key is that we do it together.
Success means knowing your priorities by not doing everything to exhaustion.
What does having it all mean to you? Moms with careers pack a lot into their lives. From drop-offs, pick-ups, meltdowns, multi-tasked meetings, forgotten appointments and overdue oil changes, we’re well stocked up on hectic. Have you found your sweet spot in family, life and business? How would you feel about letting go of some of your tasks to someone else? What stops you? I’d love to hear from you and I know your comment could help other women struggling to find her balance. Post in the box below and share with someone who you think needs to hear this.
Originally posted in Positively Positive
The post got so many responses, that I knew I had to share with you my own personal Veggie Lover’s Conscious Cleanse Meal Plan.
We are currently in week one of the Spring cleanse so hopefully this is helpful to all of our current veggie loving participants, as well as anyone looking simply to incorporate some more springtime cleansing meals into their rotation.
I should probably mention that the weekends in this meal plan account for our first weekend of Purification, which is when we consume only veggies and fruits with a small about of healthy oil, to ramp up the detoxification process.
Also, I didn’t include any green smoothie recipes here but I have really been enjoying adding cilantro and parsley to my morning ritual. If you’re looking for new green smoothie recipes, be sure to check out our brand new 80:20 Lifestyle Plan. One of the bonuses included in the membership is our I ❤ Green Smoothies Guide, including 10+ of our favorite new green smoothie recipes.
Check out my Veggie Lover’s Meal Plan below and be sure to drop me a line. Are you detoxing your diet this spring? Let me know your favorite springtime cleansing foods?
With veggie-lovin’ r-e-s-p-e-c-t,
Veggie Lover’s Sample Meal Plan
Monday
Breakfast: Green smoothie AM Snack: Apple Lunch: Cucumber Radish Salad over bed of spinach, option to add walnuts or garbanzo beans for more protein PM Snack: Blue-green smoothie (blueberries, spinach, banana, chia seeds, coconut water) Dinner: Warmed Zucchini Noodles and Pesto topped with steamed broccoli and green peas
Tuesday
Breakfast: Green smoothie AM Snack: Celery with almond butter Lunch: Leftover Cucumber Radish Salad over bed of arugula PM Snack: Handful of walnuts and cup of sweet rose tea Dinner: Millet Buddha Bowl with Tahini Drizzle
Wednesday
Breakfast: Green smoothie AM Snack: Apple Lunch: Kale Avocado Salad with a Kick (recipe in our book – pg 244) topped with pumpkin seeds PM Snack: Carrots dipped in leftover Tahini Drizzle Dinner: Thai Coconut Soup (with brown rice)
Thursday
Breakfast: Green smoothie AM Snack: Apple Lunch: Mixed green salad (arugula, spinach, cucumbers, radishes, sprouts) drizzled with Green Goddess Dressing PM Snack: Lara Bar Dinner: Leftover Thai Coconut Soup (without brown rice)
Friday
Breakfast: Green smoothie AM Snack: Carrots dipped in leftover Green Goddess Dressing Lunch: Chilled Cucumber Dill Soup (recipe in our book – pg 254) PM Snack: Handful of cashews Dinner: Quinoa Beet Arugula Salad
Saturday Purification
Breakfast: Green smoothie AM Snack: 1 English cucumber, sliced, topped with lime juice and sea salt Lunch: Meal-sized salad with leftover beets, steamed broccoli, cauliflower and asparagus drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice PM Snack: Sliced pear and apple Dinner: Bieler’s Broth (recipe in our book – pg 253)
Sunday Purification
Breakfast: Green smoothie AM Snack: Apple Lunch: Meal-sized salad (spinach, radishes, cucumbers, sprouts, carrots, cabbage) with Citrus Squeeze Dressing (recipe in book – pg. 250) PM Snack: Green juice Dinner: Curried Carrot Soup
So like I was saying, I have been reviewing the last few years and I’m blown away at how much I’ve changed. And when I look at photos of myself from just three years ago (the ones from five years ago blow me away), I can’t get over how much I don’t see a resemblance to my current self at all. Not even in the least bit. It’s odd really; to see a photo of yourself and feel like you are looking at a stranger.
It’s taken some time, it’s taken some courage, and it’s taken some grieving and struggling. More than anything else though, it’s taken love to be here now.
Self-love, unconditional love, tough love … you name it, it all dissolves into love.
And in this moment, on the eve of the New Moon, just before Pluto goes into Retrograde and lines up with the Ascendent (the cusp of my 1st and 12th house), I am in awe of my life. I am in complete reverence for the magic and the shifts in my awareness. From where I stand right now, I remember so vividly, as if it were yesterday, when that alchemical shift started inside my heart. I knew there was more to life … so much more but my body was so tight and so stagnate and so … congested with fear, doubt and worry that I couldn’t get to it. It was so dense and scattered really.
My physical body needed to catch up to my spiritual body and it was having one helluva time. It’s like my spirit was on a jet plane and my poor body was still be pulled by horse and carriage … and it was carrying all of my old ancestral patterns with it.
The cry to shift was so subtle, but came up consistently in Eka Pada Rajakapotasana. I struggled and literally cried every time I would enter it. It was a cry that got louder in Ustrasana. My yoga practice was the beginning of my alchemical shift that has brought me here; and it’s what keeps me shifting every single day.
We are not stagnate beings, in fact, we are 75% water … we are supposed to shift and change … A LOT! And that can be really scary for a lot of people! I mean, what would we do if things were different when we woke up in the morning! EEEK!
And what’s really cool, when I look back just two years, and then five years, the change in my personal life hasn’t shifted immediately. I remember thinking it would. I remember assuming that if I simply stated that I was ready for a change, well then it would happen exactly when I wanted and how I wanted it to work out.
Yeah, not so much.
It happened just like the books say … in a time-lapse, slow-motion crazy sort of way that is different every time you look back at the unfolding of it all. Because that’s how it works, it isn’t up to you. The only thing that is up to you is the willingness to shift and expand.
For real.
It’s a willingness to see magic, believe in your path, and trust in the unknown. It’s a vulnerability to love and a readiness to create a grandiose life outside of your own imagination!
I remember, when I was 21 years old, I said I wanted to write a book about how you live your life in chapters. And how they are always leading you to the next one and the next one and the next one. I haven’t written that book just yet, but I sure am living it. The odd thing is … every chapter ends in love and begins with wonder.
It’s tough to see what or who we will become – how we will change as a result of our actions.
I remember my early days with yoga and how sore my wrists used to feel in downward facing dog – how it was a struggle to be there for more than a few seconds. The instructor said it would eventually get easier, that my wrists would get used to it and that I would one day appreciate it as a resting place. Hah! I thought, I couldn’t even imagine that. Then, one day, several months later, I was feeling worn out during a particularly difficult flow sequence and I found myself looking forward to down dog, a rest. I’d reached a point in my practice that I thought would never happen!
I was reading a fellow yoga blogger who was talking about how yoga teaches us to believe in what we cannot see or perceive. If we have been practicing yoga for any length of time we can now see how our bodies have changed, adjusted to the consistent actions we take on the mat. Over the course of a few months, we notice how we’ve become stronger. We move with more fluidity, we can hold challenging poses longer. we can stretch beyond our former limits, maybe touch our toes in forward fold.
When was the last time you stopped to acknowledge how far you’ve come?
We don’t always acknowledge that what was once impossible for us, is now possible.But we should because honoring that gives us the mental power to apply that awareness to other areas of our lives where we find ourselves facing what we think are impossible challenges. When we can’t see ourselves any differently.
The fact that our physical form can and does change if we believe it will is an amazing teacher for our life and our ability to believe in things we can’t see for ourselves. This reminder comes at a very important moment in my blogging career. I would have never thought a year ago, when I opened my WordPress account that I could have written 100 blog posts. That’s a lot of writing for no reason other than a desire to share ideas and maybe help someone else facing similar challenges. When I started, I didn’t think about the number “100.” If I had, that might have stopped me. I just thought, keep going. Write another, and then another. I kept the idea of “what’s next” for the blog in my mind at all times and the ideas for it came to me on a regular basis. All I had to do was sit down at the computer and write them up, one at a time. It’s been a year and 100 blog posts later. I have come to rely on it as an enjoyable place to rest, to sift and filter thoughts about life and goals and making dreams come true.
And that is how the impossible becomes possible – by implementation of a tried and true formula: Consistent Action in a Singular Direction.
Transformation is a quiet, and somewhat slow process. The work of change happens from the inside out. The more often we show up, the quicker changes happen – once a week, three times a week, or every day actions are going to produce results at a different rate. The more you believe in your ability to grow and change and attain your dreams, the more often you will show up and the faster it will happen. That’s just the way it works.
By Tracy Martin
Tracy is a dancer, writer, runner, yogi, and lover of adventures large and small. Breaking through barriers, building bridges and basking in the glow of life's fabulousness. Meeting other fabulous people on the way and telling stories to share the good news that the Universe is indeed All Good! Visit Tracy at http://soulsetinmotion.wordpress.com/