It has been a while since I have time to write an article. Early this morning I had a powerful message during my meditation to write about exactly what the title calls for. Having a message during a meditation is nothing but having a purgation of thoughts that need to be surfaced. Once again, I acknowledged my monkey mind and took a note of what I needed to do.
Since my last meditation retreat at Sivananda Ashram in Grass Valley last winter I have been faithfully following an instruction from Swami Sita. I was to sit for fifteen minutes morning and evening and repeat the given mantra. At the time I thought that it was a technique to occupy my mind for a higher purpose. Instead of preoccupying my mind with some mundane daily activities and get bored or agitated by them I could be thinking about God and connecting with the divine. I understood this intellectually but I had no idea how it would manifest.
Another technique from Swami Sita is to sit with an inner focus on the third eye (the spot on the forehead right above the center of the eyebrows). Another option is to focus at the center of the chest which is the heart center. Swami Sita told us to pick one that naturally come to us. The third eye spot is for someone who is more mentally and intellectually engaged. The heart center is for someone who is more devotional and more emotionally engaged. I found myself over and over again fixing my inner gaze dead on that third eye spot. With the mantra and the inner focal point I was equipped with the traditional vedic meditation technique. I was a fit person to commune with God as my inflated ego would have it.
So, what has another year brought after all this meditation or more accurately "sit." I cannot say that I have ever meditated as I never once felt that long, uninterrupted state of absorption with the divine. For a short period of time I would feel immense peace. It normally followed by my thought of "ah, I do not want to get out of this peace". Then it was all over. I had to try to get back into that peace again.
I used to cringe at anything devotional. I had a big dose of it growing up in Thailand attending many hours in temples wondering how older folks could be so...well,devotional. Throughout my school years up to highschool I was herded into a line with my fellow schoolmates military style every morning. After singing the national anthem we chanted a Buddhist mantra not unlike the mantras I am chanting now in the yoga classes I teach. At that time I was bored to death with the process. Yet, somehow me and my Buddha developed a strong bond that last to this day. I now credit much of our successful relationship to the mantras I used to loath. But when Swami Sita told us to pick a spot and it was so easy for me to focus on my third eye I thought to myself that I could never be a devotional type. Little did I know the power of the mantra meditation.
It occurred to me this morning that more than anything else the effect of the mantra is softening. Over time the mantra softens me, my shell, my ego and in the process it gently broke my heart opened. It allows me to bow down and accept the beauty and love of devotional practice even as I am fixed on that third eye. It has become a part of my daily routine now to light up an incense first thing in the morning. I offer the fire ritual to gods and goddess, Buddha and gurus, ancestors, animals and nature. Most importantly I offer it to the divine deep in my heart so, that I can truly connect with those I love.
It has been a year now since the last retreat and I am yearning to get back to that sacred land. The mantra carries me to that place right here right now. I think of Swami Sita, her guru and her guru's guru and I feel a strong yearning in my heart. That sort of emotional yearning was reserved in my previous life for some unfortunate love affairs. Yet this yearning is much different as it brings unconditional love and sweet peace. After all, Swami Sita having done a quick reading of my Jyotish astrological chart said to me with a soft expression "you do have some devotion." Om Namo Narayanaya.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
Yama & Niyama in Yoga Teaching
The following is my submission as a part of the final requirement for my yoga training that you may find helpful to your practice of self-exploration as a yoga student or teacher.
Final requirement for Anatomy & Physiology
Submitted on 05/13/07
Yama and Niyama as related to the teaching of Asana
Yoga principle is a tool for skillful living. The 10 yamas and niyamas provide effective means for us to relate to ourselves and to others. They are the common ground for one to build a healthy, joyful and purposeful life. They are a crucial foundation for an aspirant on a spiritual path to establish in order to realize the spiritual self. Essentially, yamas and niyamas are my teaching philosophy.
Yama is the first limb of yoga. It consists of five disciplines that express how one should relate oneself to the rest of the world. Yoga aptly addresses grosser concerns before subtler ones. Before an aspirant can begin the other steps of coming to know the spiritual self or her most subtle self she must establish her relationship with the grosser self, her physical self and her physical relationship.
The five yamas and how they relate to my teaching of asana are as followed.
1. Ahimsa or non-harming. Preventing injury in asana practice is crucial for students’ wellbeing. Often students are not in touch with their body’s responses and going into or sustaining poses that are harmful to their body. Guiding students to become mindful of their body sensation and the movement of their breath deepens body awareness. Encourage students to take the ego out of the process by inviting students to dedicate their practice to someone or something specific. Acceptance of where one is in her practice can be encouraged through modification of poses and the use of props. Poses that should be avoided in order to minimize spinal injuries are inversions such as shoulder stand and plough. When teaching seniors it is important not to stress the spine. Intense forward bend such as Paschimottanasana should be avoided. Retention of breath after a full inhalation can result in vascular injuries and if chosen to practice should do so with extreme care.
2. Satya or truthfulness. Asana, when practiced mindfully is an expression of truth in body and mind. Students should be guided to express their bodily needs through means of verbal communication and actions. Anytime a student feels tired or experience shortness of breath a child pose should be utilized. When dealing with injury or pain, students should explore and investigate the truth in their body through the sensation it gives. Students can then use that truthful information to guide their practice rather than trying to emulate a pose. Cuing students into how their body parts feel rather than focusing on the final pose is essential. Students should follow the principle of steady ease in each asana, resting when necessary and modifying to honor their body’s truth.
3. Asteya or non-stealing. A desire to have what does not belong to one is a misalignment of self-yearning expression. Yoga asana is an inner expression of self that requires no things. When students learn to connect deeper with their inner self their desire for outside materials will naturally subside. Utilization of Mudras and Drishtis keep student’s mind focus and steady on internal exploration. Encouraging students to explore their inner being during yoga asana by shutting down the senses such as closing their eyes during steady or restorative poses. Forward bends promotes detachment to the outside world. Forward bends are similar to the act of hugging self and hence promote internal peace and calmness and fulfill the yearning for self-love as opposed to searching for that love outwardly.
4. Brahmacharya or self- continence. Energy when used inappropriately results in sense cravings and physical and mental destruction. Yoga asana teaches one to use her energy appropriately in order to realize her potential self. Creative energy can be realized through procreation or self-realization. We express ourselves through our voices and actions. Yoga asana is a form of bodily action/ expression. Students can express themselves through balanced movements of yoga asana. Vinyasa sequences promote self-creativity and expression. The use of mantra and chanting encourage students to express their inner self through their voice and direct their energy toward their higher self. For example, students can practice Surya Namaskar sequence with the chant of Om each time they bend forward into Uttanasana.
5. Aparigraha or non-hoarding/ collecting. The fear of not having enough is perpetuated in the society at large through the belief that we do not have enough. The true lack we have is the fact that we consume more than we need and create unnecessary imbalance in our mind, body and environment. Practicing being in the present moment during a yoga asana practice promotes detachment to what has passed and what has yet to come. There is richness in the present moment. Practicing the breath of connection through guided reflection establishes students’ relationship to the world at large and promotes gratitude, non-hoarding and social connectedness. For example, students can cultivate compassion thorough “loving kindness meditation.” Postures that open the heart such as backbends and partner exercises encourage the practice of Aparigraha.
Niyama is the second limb of yoga. It consists of five disciplines that express how one should relate to oneself. It is a step closer to the inner-self. As yama is the outer layer that steers an aspirant toward proper relationships without, niyama steers an aspirant toward proper relationship within. While yama is a universal principle as it addresses the web of social body, niyama applies to each individual’s discipline.
The five niyamas and how they relate to my teaching of asana are as followed.
1. Saucha or cleanliness. When the body is viewed as a house of spirit one treats her body as a sacred space. When the body and its environment are clean and clear of clutters one has a mind fit for spiritual exploration. Cleanliness is the same as simplicity. A clean asana practice consists of a clear and focus intention. A simple sequence consists of an intention to address one specific theme done mindfully is a clean sequence. For example, students can practice their connection to the foundation through Tadasana and a few other standing poses. They can set an intention to practice cleanly by being in the poses completely, begin and transition these simple poses mindfully. Creating some heat in the practice with vinyasa movements improves circulation and elimination that results in detoxification or cleansing of the body. Steadiness in breath and movement promotes a complete and clean asana practice.
2. Santosa or contentment. Contentment is a state of mind that can be fulfilled by no things. When we are content we open ourselves to the endless possibilities life brings. The opposite of contentment is depression and compression. In an asana practice a student gains contentment through heart opening poses in backbends. Surya Namaskar sequences open the heart and symbolized the radiant joy of the sun. Deep breathing and long exhalation promote the function of the parasympathetic nervous system and normalize the sympathetic nervous system. Reflection on blissful experience in the present moment elevates contentment.
3. Tapas or self-discipline. Consistency and regularity of asana practice promotes self-discipline. Working on similar asana routines but with increased intensity serves tapas. Students can fine-tune their sense of self or proprioception through a repetition of movement which is Tapas. By introducing a pose that is challenging to students they are encouraged to build up the discipline it takes to practice the pose. The more difficult the poses the more self-discipline it takes to accomplish the pose. By strongly engaging in creating a tension in a pose the pose can later be practiced with ease as the nervous system gets used to the tension. But it also takes discipline to practice with moderation and to know one’s limitation. Practicing too much too soon results in injuries and burn out. Students should be encouraged to practice consistently and steadily and sticking to one routine until it is throughly explored.
4. Svadhyaya or self-study. Body awareness and breath awareness are self-study. Students are invited to feel their way through their practice by receiving cue actions instead reaching a final pose i.e. “bend forward until you feel the stretch in the back of your legs” instead of “bend forward and touch your toes.” Students can be asked to observe their attitude in a pose or toward a pose and to invite an attitude of playfulness, devotion or surrender into the pose. Students can practice a pose or a sequence of poses with eyes open then with eyes closed to focus on what they feel rather than what they do. Students can explore a pose without a commitment to one “right way” to do a pose. Going into a pose in various ways or explore making small movements in a pose and find the differences in body sensation are self-study. For example, students can practice doing neck rolls very slowly and feel the tension in different muscle groups. Taking a different perspective through body positioning such as in Sirsasana or handstand also encourage self-study as well as courage and self-discipline.
5. Isvara pranidhana or surrender to God. Slow releases without force in a posture is surrendering the will to the process and the divine’s will. For example, in Paschimottanasana one uses the breath to guide further into the pose by stopping when the tension is felt and move further when the muscles relax. This is flowing with the grace of God rather than forcing into a pose by ego. Savasana symbolizes the final surrendering in an asana practice when one let go completely and dwell in the quietude of the body and mind. The final reflection in words, the sound of om or simply a silence meditation directs students to something greater than themselves and unite them to their spiritual self and the purpose of yoga.
Final requirement for Anatomy & Physiology
Submitted on 05/13/07
Yama and Niyama as related to the teaching of Asana
Yoga principle is a tool for skillful living. The 10 yamas and niyamas provide effective means for us to relate to ourselves and to others. They are the common ground for one to build a healthy, joyful and purposeful life. They are a crucial foundation for an aspirant on a spiritual path to establish in order to realize the spiritual self. Essentially, yamas and niyamas are my teaching philosophy.
Yama is the first limb of yoga. It consists of five disciplines that express how one should relate oneself to the rest of the world. Yoga aptly addresses grosser concerns before subtler ones. Before an aspirant can begin the other steps of coming to know the spiritual self or her most subtle self she must establish her relationship with the grosser self, her physical self and her physical relationship.
The five yamas and how they relate to my teaching of asana are as followed.
1. Ahimsa or non-harming. Preventing injury in asana practice is crucial for students’ wellbeing. Often students are not in touch with their body’s responses and going into or sustaining poses that are harmful to their body. Guiding students to become mindful of their body sensation and the movement of their breath deepens body awareness. Encourage students to take the ego out of the process by inviting students to dedicate their practice to someone or something specific. Acceptance of where one is in her practice can be encouraged through modification of poses and the use of props. Poses that should be avoided in order to minimize spinal injuries are inversions such as shoulder stand and plough. When teaching seniors it is important not to stress the spine. Intense forward bend such as Paschimottanasana should be avoided. Retention of breath after a full inhalation can result in vascular injuries and if chosen to practice should do so with extreme care.
2. Satya or truthfulness. Asana, when practiced mindfully is an expression of truth in body and mind. Students should be guided to express their bodily needs through means of verbal communication and actions. Anytime a student feels tired or experience shortness of breath a child pose should be utilized. When dealing with injury or pain, students should explore and investigate the truth in their body through the sensation it gives. Students can then use that truthful information to guide their practice rather than trying to emulate a pose. Cuing students into how their body parts feel rather than focusing on the final pose is essential. Students should follow the principle of steady ease in each asana, resting when necessary and modifying to honor their body’s truth.
3. Asteya or non-stealing. A desire to have what does not belong to one is a misalignment of self-yearning expression. Yoga asana is an inner expression of self that requires no things. When students learn to connect deeper with their inner self their desire for outside materials will naturally subside. Utilization of Mudras and Drishtis keep student’s mind focus and steady on internal exploration. Encouraging students to explore their inner being during yoga asana by shutting down the senses such as closing their eyes during steady or restorative poses. Forward bends promotes detachment to the outside world. Forward bends are similar to the act of hugging self and hence promote internal peace and calmness and fulfill the yearning for self-love as opposed to searching for that love outwardly.
4. Brahmacharya or self- continence. Energy when used inappropriately results in sense cravings and physical and mental destruction. Yoga asana teaches one to use her energy appropriately in order to realize her potential self. Creative energy can be realized through procreation or self-realization. We express ourselves through our voices and actions. Yoga asana is a form of bodily action/ expression. Students can express themselves through balanced movements of yoga asana. Vinyasa sequences promote self-creativity and expression. The use of mantra and chanting encourage students to express their inner self through their voice and direct their energy toward their higher self. For example, students can practice Surya Namaskar sequence with the chant of Om each time they bend forward into Uttanasana.
5. Aparigraha or non-hoarding/ collecting. The fear of not having enough is perpetuated in the society at large through the belief that we do not have enough. The true lack we have is the fact that we consume more than we need and create unnecessary imbalance in our mind, body and environment. Practicing being in the present moment during a yoga asana practice promotes detachment to what has passed and what has yet to come. There is richness in the present moment. Practicing the breath of connection through guided reflection establishes students’ relationship to the world at large and promotes gratitude, non-hoarding and social connectedness. For example, students can cultivate compassion thorough “loving kindness meditation.” Postures that open the heart such as backbends and partner exercises encourage the practice of Aparigraha.
Niyama is the second limb of yoga. It consists of five disciplines that express how one should relate to oneself. It is a step closer to the inner-self. As yama is the outer layer that steers an aspirant toward proper relationships without, niyama steers an aspirant toward proper relationship within. While yama is a universal principle as it addresses the web of social body, niyama applies to each individual’s discipline.
The five niyamas and how they relate to my teaching of asana are as followed.
1. Saucha or cleanliness. When the body is viewed as a house of spirit one treats her body as a sacred space. When the body and its environment are clean and clear of clutters one has a mind fit for spiritual exploration. Cleanliness is the same as simplicity. A clean asana practice consists of a clear and focus intention. A simple sequence consists of an intention to address one specific theme done mindfully is a clean sequence. For example, students can practice their connection to the foundation through Tadasana and a few other standing poses. They can set an intention to practice cleanly by being in the poses completely, begin and transition these simple poses mindfully. Creating some heat in the practice with vinyasa movements improves circulation and elimination that results in detoxification or cleansing of the body. Steadiness in breath and movement promotes a complete and clean asana practice.
2. Santosa or contentment. Contentment is a state of mind that can be fulfilled by no things. When we are content we open ourselves to the endless possibilities life brings. The opposite of contentment is depression and compression. In an asana practice a student gains contentment through heart opening poses in backbends. Surya Namaskar sequences open the heart and symbolized the radiant joy of the sun. Deep breathing and long exhalation promote the function of the parasympathetic nervous system and normalize the sympathetic nervous system. Reflection on blissful experience in the present moment elevates contentment.
3. Tapas or self-discipline. Consistency and regularity of asana practice promotes self-discipline. Working on similar asana routines but with increased intensity serves tapas. Students can fine-tune their sense of self or proprioception through a repetition of movement which is Tapas. By introducing a pose that is challenging to students they are encouraged to build up the discipline it takes to practice the pose. The more difficult the poses the more self-discipline it takes to accomplish the pose. By strongly engaging in creating a tension in a pose the pose can later be practiced with ease as the nervous system gets used to the tension. But it also takes discipline to practice with moderation and to know one’s limitation. Practicing too much too soon results in injuries and burn out. Students should be encouraged to practice consistently and steadily and sticking to one routine until it is throughly explored.
4. Svadhyaya or self-study. Body awareness and breath awareness are self-study. Students are invited to feel their way through their practice by receiving cue actions instead reaching a final pose i.e. “bend forward until you feel the stretch in the back of your legs” instead of “bend forward and touch your toes.” Students can be asked to observe their attitude in a pose or toward a pose and to invite an attitude of playfulness, devotion or surrender into the pose. Students can practice a pose or a sequence of poses with eyes open then with eyes closed to focus on what they feel rather than what they do. Students can explore a pose without a commitment to one “right way” to do a pose. Going into a pose in various ways or explore making small movements in a pose and find the differences in body sensation are self-study. For example, students can practice doing neck rolls very slowly and feel the tension in different muscle groups. Taking a different perspective through body positioning such as in Sirsasana or handstand also encourage self-study as well as courage and self-discipline.
5. Isvara pranidhana or surrender to God. Slow releases without force in a posture is surrendering the will to the process and the divine’s will. For example, in Paschimottanasana one uses the breath to guide further into the pose by stopping when the tension is felt and move further when the muscles relax. This is flowing with the grace of God rather than forcing into a pose by ego. Savasana symbolizes the final surrendering in an asana practice when one let go completely and dwell in the quietude of the body and mind. The final reflection in words, the sound of om or simply a silence meditation directs students to something greater than themselves and unite them to their spiritual self and the purpose of yoga.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Insomnia
Creating a nurturing routine has always been a challenge for me and most people I know. There are many barriers in our own psyche which create our habitual pattern and prevent us from communing with our true source, the way in which we were meant to live. And there are several more barriers in the collective psyche and social pattern. They constantly influence and pull us further away from living with our natural rhythm and contribute to our imbalance. By bringing Ayurveda and yoga into our life we can begin to break through these barriers and manage our life effectively.
Insomnia is caused by over-active, unrested body and mind. Normally we think that if we tire ourselves out we would sleep well. That is true if we are following our body natural rhythm. Our body has an intelligence or the memory imprinted just like the rest of the universe. The sun rises and sets, the moon waxes and wanes at certain times of day and month. We suppose to go to sleep, wake up and eat at certain times of day and give our body a proper amount of physical and mental stimulation. If we go against our natural rhythm our body becomes unintelligible. It no longer wants to sleep when it needs to!
The quality of our sleep tells us about the story of our life. Insomnia, according to the Merriam Webster's Medical Dictionary means "prolong and usually abnormal inability to obtain adequate sleep." In Ayurvedic viewpoint excess Vata is the main cause of insomnia. Pitta can also attribute to insomnia. Vata is governed by the principle of movement causing our body and mind to become hyper-active. Pitta is governed by the principle of heat and transformation causing our mind to become overly focus and unable to rest.
I suffered much from insomnia as a child and adult. It was yet another condition of mine that was improved through ayurveda. As a child I was extremely imaginative. Day dreaming and fantasizing were my full time job. I was also very much fixating on goals rather than enjoying and appreciating the process of life. These are the signs of overly active and focused mind driven by the forces of Vata and Pitta. It was no surprise that I chose my earlier professions as a model, actress and fashion designer. As I reached each fantastic goal I set I could not reach the ultimate goal of peace and happiness. Eventually, I got the message. My journey since has shifted it's course. Instead of reaching out to something or someone that would bring me happiness, I reach for happiness itself. That happiness is peace right here right now.
During my insomnia episodes I would be laying in bed tossing and turning most of the night until I was so exhausted that I finally passed out. The condition persists until one day after I have been practicing yoga and ayurveda for some months I noticed that I no longer had a difficulty falling asleep. Yet over the years of connecting to my sense of wellbeing I have found through my own condition that I still obtain inadequate sleep even if I do not have a difficulty falling asleep. During a sleep if my mind is active and I have active, chaotic dreams I would suffer physical fatigue as well as dullness in the mind the day after.
Body and mind work together. For the most part we can not act a simple act without having a thought first. Busy mind causes an inability for the body to rest and rejuvenate itself. We are living in a stressful mode all the time even in our sleep. If you can remember the dreams you had the previous night then you can calculate how much sleep you had depending on the length and the content of your dreams. The longer the dream, the more active, anxious, fearful or violent the more mental energy you have spent and the less rest you procured. Our sensory organs are over-stimulated by our choice of activities. The craving for sensory pleasures is the misalignment between what our mind and senses want versus what our body truly need.
Treating insomnia is unlike having a surgery in order to remove a condition once and for all. It is an on going practice of self transformation through creating a proper daily routine. Following are suggestions that you may find helpful in gaining adequate sleep.
1. Wake up upon sunrise and go to bed by 10-11 pm. Create a consistent bedtime and rise the same time each morning.
2. Either get rid of your alarm clock (your body will eventually adjust to the new natural cycle) or find one with a soothing tone to help ease you in the waking period.
3. Have your last meal by 6-7 pm. Your body needs time to digest. It cannot gain a full rest while your digestive organs are hard at work. Between dinner and bedtime you can have chamomile tea mixed with a pinch of nutmeg. Both herbs promote relaxation and sound sleep.
4. Drink less liquid and eliminate alcohol and caffeine after 7 pm to prevent taxing the digestion and elimination organs. Getting up in the middle of the night to eliminate also disturbs the resting process.
5. Reduce activity before bedtime. Turn off TV. Limit yourself to light reading with spiritually uplifted material rather than disturbed or intellectually stimulated subjects. Listen to soft music, nature sounds or better yet, stay in silence.
6. Try to relax throughout the day by bringing awareness to your body and breath. Take yoga classes or stretch at home. Meditation is very effective in treating and preventing insomnia as the body is fully relax and the mind learns to stop its chaotic movement of thoughts which is the main cause of insomnia.
7. Rest more during the change of seasons, in fall, and winter as these time heighten Vata Doshas.
8. Lastly, try to enjoy the process of living and be optimistic. Let go of resentment, grudging and aversions. The more you hold for or against someone or something the more your psyche is loaded with unnecessary weight. They transform into subconscious fear, anxiety and anger that prevent you to rest fully within your essence.
Insomnia is caused by over-active, unrested body and mind. Normally we think that if we tire ourselves out we would sleep well. That is true if we are following our body natural rhythm. Our body has an intelligence or the memory imprinted just like the rest of the universe. The sun rises and sets, the moon waxes and wanes at certain times of day and month. We suppose to go to sleep, wake up and eat at certain times of day and give our body a proper amount of physical and mental stimulation. If we go against our natural rhythm our body becomes unintelligible. It no longer wants to sleep when it needs to!
The quality of our sleep tells us about the story of our life. Insomnia, according to the Merriam Webster's Medical Dictionary means "prolong and usually abnormal inability to obtain adequate sleep." In Ayurvedic viewpoint excess Vata is the main cause of insomnia. Pitta can also attribute to insomnia. Vata is governed by the principle of movement causing our body and mind to become hyper-active. Pitta is governed by the principle of heat and transformation causing our mind to become overly focus and unable to rest.
I suffered much from insomnia as a child and adult. It was yet another condition of mine that was improved through ayurveda. As a child I was extremely imaginative. Day dreaming and fantasizing were my full time job. I was also very much fixating on goals rather than enjoying and appreciating the process of life. These are the signs of overly active and focused mind driven by the forces of Vata and Pitta. It was no surprise that I chose my earlier professions as a model, actress and fashion designer. As I reached each fantastic goal I set I could not reach the ultimate goal of peace and happiness. Eventually, I got the message. My journey since has shifted it's course. Instead of reaching out to something or someone that would bring me happiness, I reach for happiness itself. That happiness is peace right here right now.
During my insomnia episodes I would be laying in bed tossing and turning most of the night until I was so exhausted that I finally passed out. The condition persists until one day after I have been practicing yoga and ayurveda for some months I noticed that I no longer had a difficulty falling asleep. Yet over the years of connecting to my sense of wellbeing I have found through my own condition that I still obtain inadequate sleep even if I do not have a difficulty falling asleep. During a sleep if my mind is active and I have active, chaotic dreams I would suffer physical fatigue as well as dullness in the mind the day after.
Body and mind work together. For the most part we can not act a simple act without having a thought first. Busy mind causes an inability for the body to rest and rejuvenate itself. We are living in a stressful mode all the time even in our sleep. If you can remember the dreams you had the previous night then you can calculate how much sleep you had depending on the length and the content of your dreams. The longer the dream, the more active, anxious, fearful or violent the more mental energy you have spent and the less rest you procured. Our sensory organs are over-stimulated by our choice of activities. The craving for sensory pleasures is the misalignment between what our mind and senses want versus what our body truly need.
Treating insomnia is unlike having a surgery in order to remove a condition once and for all. It is an on going practice of self transformation through creating a proper daily routine. Following are suggestions that you may find helpful in gaining adequate sleep.
1. Wake up upon sunrise and go to bed by 10-11 pm. Create a consistent bedtime and rise the same time each morning.
2. Either get rid of your alarm clock (your body will eventually adjust to the new natural cycle) or find one with a soothing tone to help ease you in the waking period.
3. Have your last meal by 6-7 pm. Your body needs time to digest. It cannot gain a full rest while your digestive organs are hard at work. Between dinner and bedtime you can have chamomile tea mixed with a pinch of nutmeg. Both herbs promote relaxation and sound sleep.
4. Drink less liquid and eliminate alcohol and caffeine after 7 pm to prevent taxing the digestion and elimination organs. Getting up in the middle of the night to eliminate also disturbs the resting process.
5. Reduce activity before bedtime. Turn off TV. Limit yourself to light reading with spiritually uplifted material rather than disturbed or intellectually stimulated subjects. Listen to soft music, nature sounds or better yet, stay in silence.
6. Try to relax throughout the day by bringing awareness to your body and breath. Take yoga classes or stretch at home. Meditation is very effective in treating and preventing insomnia as the body is fully relax and the mind learns to stop its chaotic movement of thoughts which is the main cause of insomnia.
7. Rest more during the change of seasons, in fall, and winter as these time heighten Vata Doshas.
8. Lastly, try to enjoy the process of living and be optimistic. Let go of resentment, grudging and aversions. The more you hold for or against someone or something the more your psyche is loaded with unnecessary weight. They transform into subconscious fear, anxiety and anger that prevent you to rest fully within your essence.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Self-Abhyanga: More than Skin Deep
A friend of mine sent an article about Ayurveda recently posted on the Yahoo site. She also mentioned that this was the fourth article she found in Yahoo on the similar subject. It seems that Ayurveda is becoming more mainstream. I rejoice to the news.
The particular article I read was about self-Abhyanga, an Ayurvedic self massage using natural, cooking grade oil. I have been doing self-Abhyanga for a few years and regularly advice my client especially those with Vata imbalance to do the same. My application method that I have refined over the years and perhaps the intention behind the practice may differ slightly from the article. Hence, I think it is worthwhile to share my thought on this topic.
Sure, the application of good quality, all natural oil is better than sticking petroleum based moisturizer or processed oil onto our body. But it is not enough for me to forgo the quick convenient, non-sticky, much less messy organic lotion I used to swear by. There is more to self-Abhyanga than moisturizing the skin.
The word Sneha in Sanskrit means love. It also means oil. When we give ourselves the nourishment of oil application we give love to our body, mind and connect to our spirit. Oil is said to pacify Vata Dosha which resides primarily in our nervous system, skin and bones. When we oil ourselves we sooth the nerves, calm the mind, lubricate and protect our physical tissues in the skin and joints. It strengthens body and mind and builds Ojas, the essence of our wellbeing and immunity.
Self-Abhyanga is a part of my morning ritual. If I cannot give myself at least ten minutes to do it properly I skip it and go for the organic lotion. I do so in order to alleviate any rush to come afterward which creates more stress in my life. In my last article I mentioned how Ayurvedic medicine is not a substitute for allopathic medicine. In the same way, self-Abhyanga is not a substitution for applying body lotion. If one wants to practice Ayurveda one needs to address the emotional and mental imbalance together with the physical condition. Ayurveda is the yogic medicine. Healing through Ayurveda is to yoke all aspect of self.
Nourishing self takes time. If you are pressed on time you should first examine your priority. You will either have to get up earlier or practice self-Abhyanga on the days that you have more time. You may also opt for an evening practice rather than the morning. To practice Self-Abhyanga, first you should find out your Dosha or imbalance. If you tend to have dry, flaky skin you are of a Vata type. If your skin is fine, sensitive and tends toward redness and inflammation you are of a Pitta type. If your skin is pale and tends to be cold and clammy you are of a Kapha type. Because of the skin condition Vata needs generous amount of oil, Pitta needs moderate amount and Kapha needs little amount and least frequent applications.
Choosing appropriate oil for your skin is simple as long as you know your Dosha. For Vata, use sesame or almond oil. I also recommend Mahanarayan oil which is warming and excellent for alleviating stiffness in the joints. For Pitta, use coconut or olive oil for the cooling property. You can also mix neem oil in to help pacify skin irritation and inflammation. For Kapha, use safflower or sunflower oils which are lighter. Mustard seed oil is also recommended for lightness and heating properties. Depending on the seasons, you may need to warm your oil in fall and winter but leave it room temperature during the summer. Vata needs to practice Self-Abhyanga the most and Kapha the least.
Next, choose an appropriate method of application. I like to massage my oil in and wait at least five minutes to let the oil get absorbed into the skin before taking a warm shower or bath. This is most beneficial for Vata. During this time I scrape my tongue, empty my bowel, brush my teeth and apply Neti (see an article on Spring Allergies for more info on Neti). In short, I waste no time while I let the oil get absorbed into my skin. For Vata, use gentle but firm pressure to sooth and calm the nerves while massaging. For Pitta, use moderate pressure and for Kapha use strong pressure to invigorate the whole body.
Massage the oil into the scalp if you plan to wash your hair afterward. Then massage in and around your ears, along your neck and the trunk of your body. If you are prone to acne on your face you may skip the oil as it can clog pores and escalate the condition. Otherwise, massage in circular motion on your forehead, temples, cheeks and jaws. Apply long strokes up and down on your arms and legs with more pressure upward toward the heart where there are major lymph drainages. Apply vigorous circular motion onto the joints to heat up and loosen up stiffness. Massage the oil well into the fingers, toes and the soles of your feet.
To take excess oil off, dampen your skin with water then apply chickpea flour and exfoliate your skin before showering. Or make a paste of chickpea flour and water and apply directly onto the skine. To keep more moisture on your skin skip the exfoliation and let a warm shower opens up the pores and carry the oil deeper into the tissues. Lightly towel yourself dried afterward.
I find that if I let the oil get absorbed before showering there is less oil on the surface of the skin and my towel gets very little or no oil. You will need to clean your shower floor or bathtub more frequent to avoid slippery floor. At the end it is worth all the effort and time. You will feel the nourishment deep within your soul as you take extra care of yourself further than skin deep.
The particular article I read was about self-Abhyanga, an Ayurvedic self massage using natural, cooking grade oil. I have been doing self-Abhyanga for a few years and regularly advice my client especially those with Vata imbalance to do the same. My application method that I have refined over the years and perhaps the intention behind the practice may differ slightly from the article. Hence, I think it is worthwhile to share my thought on this topic.
Sure, the application of good quality, all natural oil is better than sticking petroleum based moisturizer or processed oil onto our body. But it is not enough for me to forgo the quick convenient, non-sticky, much less messy organic lotion I used to swear by. There is more to self-Abhyanga than moisturizing the skin.
The word Sneha in Sanskrit means love. It also means oil. When we give ourselves the nourishment of oil application we give love to our body, mind and connect to our spirit. Oil is said to pacify Vata Dosha which resides primarily in our nervous system, skin and bones. When we oil ourselves we sooth the nerves, calm the mind, lubricate and protect our physical tissues in the skin and joints. It strengthens body and mind and builds Ojas, the essence of our wellbeing and immunity.
Self-Abhyanga is a part of my morning ritual. If I cannot give myself at least ten minutes to do it properly I skip it and go for the organic lotion. I do so in order to alleviate any rush to come afterward which creates more stress in my life. In my last article I mentioned how Ayurvedic medicine is not a substitute for allopathic medicine. In the same way, self-Abhyanga is not a substitution for applying body lotion. If one wants to practice Ayurveda one needs to address the emotional and mental imbalance together with the physical condition. Ayurveda is the yogic medicine. Healing through Ayurveda is to yoke all aspect of self.
Nourishing self takes time. If you are pressed on time you should first examine your priority. You will either have to get up earlier or practice self-Abhyanga on the days that you have more time. You may also opt for an evening practice rather than the morning. To practice Self-Abhyanga, first you should find out your Dosha or imbalance. If you tend to have dry, flaky skin you are of a Vata type. If your skin is fine, sensitive and tends toward redness and inflammation you are of a Pitta type. If your skin is pale and tends to be cold and clammy you are of a Kapha type. Because of the skin condition Vata needs generous amount of oil, Pitta needs moderate amount and Kapha needs little amount and least frequent applications.
Choosing appropriate oil for your skin is simple as long as you know your Dosha. For Vata, use sesame or almond oil. I also recommend Mahanarayan oil which is warming and excellent for alleviating stiffness in the joints. For Pitta, use coconut or olive oil for the cooling property. You can also mix neem oil in to help pacify skin irritation and inflammation. For Kapha, use safflower or sunflower oils which are lighter. Mustard seed oil is also recommended for lightness and heating properties. Depending on the seasons, you may need to warm your oil in fall and winter but leave it room temperature during the summer. Vata needs to practice Self-Abhyanga the most and Kapha the least.
Next, choose an appropriate method of application. I like to massage my oil in and wait at least five minutes to let the oil get absorbed into the skin before taking a warm shower or bath. This is most beneficial for Vata. During this time I scrape my tongue, empty my bowel, brush my teeth and apply Neti (see an article on Spring Allergies for more info on Neti). In short, I waste no time while I let the oil get absorbed into my skin. For Vata, use gentle but firm pressure to sooth and calm the nerves while massaging. For Pitta, use moderate pressure and for Kapha use strong pressure to invigorate the whole body.
Massage the oil into the scalp if you plan to wash your hair afterward. Then massage in and around your ears, along your neck and the trunk of your body. If you are prone to acne on your face you may skip the oil as it can clog pores and escalate the condition. Otherwise, massage in circular motion on your forehead, temples, cheeks and jaws. Apply long strokes up and down on your arms and legs with more pressure upward toward the heart where there are major lymph drainages. Apply vigorous circular motion onto the joints to heat up and loosen up stiffness. Massage the oil well into the fingers, toes and the soles of your feet.
To take excess oil off, dampen your skin with water then apply chickpea flour and exfoliate your skin before showering. Or make a paste of chickpea flour and water and apply directly onto the skine. To keep more moisture on your skin skip the exfoliation and let a warm shower opens up the pores and carry the oil deeper into the tissues. Lightly towel yourself dried afterward.
I find that if I let the oil get absorbed before showering there is less oil on the surface of the skin and my towel gets very little or no oil. You will need to clean your shower floor or bathtub more frequent to avoid slippery floor. At the end it is worth all the effort and time. You will feel the nourishment deep within your soul as you take extra care of yourself further than skin deep.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Whole Healing = Successful Living
The day before my graduation as a Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist I participated in the workshop called “The Yoga of Success” given by Dr. Marc Halpern at the California College of Ayurveda. Having had no business background this was my opportunity to learn how to become a successful Ayurvedic Practitioner. Or at least get to do what I love and have immersed myself into learning in the past three years. I cannot live my Dharma and serve my life purpose if I am not accessible to people who need my service. This is a simple fact as well as step #1 toward growing a business.
In the workshop we went through Ayurvedic & Yogic psychology similar to what I have already learned in the past. There was a practical component of how to organize and plan our life into a success through business planning and marketing. There are many books out there written by well-known holistic practitioners and business coaches that communicate the same principle of success.
The foundation of success is the alignment between our goal and the higher purpose or God’s goal. The message that truly struck me at the workshop was just that. This alignment does not only apply toward our career or success in material wealth but success in every aspect of our life including health and relationship. Ayurveda’s uniqueness in its understanding of disease and treatment firmly follows this principle of alignment.
Whenever a person has discomfort, symptom or disease there is a misalignment in how the person lives her life. Dr. Halpern, true to his crusade of teaching this principle to the mass urged the freshly graduates of his program never to be dragged into chasing symptoms and diseases. If a person wants to treat a disease in the most efficient way she should choose the strongest drug. In this course of treatment there is no difference in the principle of the treatment whether the person chooses Ayurvedic herbs or allopathic drugs. The goal of treatment remains the same-- treating a disease.
Ayurveda’s goal is to treat an individual as a whole being and not as a disease. Disease arises to tell us that we are living out of harmony and out of the alignment with our life’s purpose. As long as we are living the same way we have been living we will continue to have dis-ease no matter how well we try to treat it. Many people turn to alternative medicines and Ayurveda after they found that the drug they used to take did not “get rid of the problem”. We can go about chasing disease in various ways and still left with the same unresolved problem.
We have the potential and the power to heal ourselves. By recognizing the lifestyle that is out of alignment with harmonious living and replace the old habits with the new supportive ones you can realize perfect health and successful life. Today, start by taking an inventory list of your five-senses intake. You are what you eat, see, hear, touch and smell. Do they support your health and peace of mind? If you are not sure, ask yourself how you feel physically, emotionally and mentally.
You can take an alignment check up by answering truthfully to the following simple questions.
Do you love life right now?
Do you enjoy your work and career?
Are you successful at whatever you are doing right now?
We all have some room for improvement. The meaning of life pertains to continuous growth and expansion of consciousness. Educate yourself by reading books on Yoga and Ayurveda. Get help by connecting with an Ayurvedic Specialist. Concentrate on what you can do and not what you can’t do. Focus on your whole being and not your disease. If you have time to complain about anything be it your physical illness, your financial position or your co-workers, means you are focusing on what you cannot do. You are making yourself unavailable for success. Choose to be on a successful path in health and in life.
My gratitude for the teaching of Dr. Marc Halpern.
In the workshop we went through Ayurvedic & Yogic psychology similar to what I have already learned in the past. There was a practical component of how to organize and plan our life into a success through business planning and marketing. There are many books out there written by well-known holistic practitioners and business coaches that communicate the same principle of success.
The foundation of success is the alignment between our goal and the higher purpose or God’s goal. The message that truly struck me at the workshop was just that. This alignment does not only apply toward our career or success in material wealth but success in every aspect of our life including health and relationship. Ayurveda’s uniqueness in its understanding of disease and treatment firmly follows this principle of alignment.
Whenever a person has discomfort, symptom or disease there is a misalignment in how the person lives her life. Dr. Halpern, true to his crusade of teaching this principle to the mass urged the freshly graduates of his program never to be dragged into chasing symptoms and diseases. If a person wants to treat a disease in the most efficient way she should choose the strongest drug. In this course of treatment there is no difference in the principle of the treatment whether the person chooses Ayurvedic herbs or allopathic drugs. The goal of treatment remains the same-- treating a disease.
Ayurveda’s goal is to treat an individual as a whole being and not as a disease. Disease arises to tell us that we are living out of harmony and out of the alignment with our life’s purpose. As long as we are living the same way we have been living we will continue to have dis-ease no matter how well we try to treat it. Many people turn to alternative medicines and Ayurveda after they found that the drug they used to take did not “get rid of the problem”. We can go about chasing disease in various ways and still left with the same unresolved problem.
We have the potential and the power to heal ourselves. By recognizing the lifestyle that is out of alignment with harmonious living and replace the old habits with the new supportive ones you can realize perfect health and successful life. Today, start by taking an inventory list of your five-senses intake. You are what you eat, see, hear, touch and smell. Do they support your health and peace of mind? If you are not sure, ask yourself how you feel physically, emotionally and mentally.
You can take an alignment check up by answering truthfully to the following simple questions.
Do you love life right now?
Do you enjoy your work and career?
Are you successful at whatever you are doing right now?
We all have some room for improvement. The meaning of life pertains to continuous growth and expansion of consciousness. Educate yourself by reading books on Yoga and Ayurveda. Get help by connecting with an Ayurvedic Specialist. Concentrate on what you can do and not what you can’t do. Focus on your whole being and not your disease. If you have time to complain about anything be it your physical illness, your financial position or your co-workers, means you are focusing on what you cannot do. You are making yourself unavailable for success. Choose to be on a successful path in health and in life.
My gratitude for the teaching of Dr. Marc Halpern.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Where do I go during my yoga practice?
By Janya Wongsopa
This is a short essay I submitted to my mentor John Berg during my yoga teacher training at the Avalon Center in Palo Alto, Ca.
Where do I go during my yoga asana practice?
I go deeply inward. My whole body sensation and breath surface to the foreground and mental thoughts and sensory impressions fall to the background. My journey into Yoga is one of ease and at the same time intense focus. I often closed my eyes naturally as I take more steps inward. My body becomes a sacred space that expresses itself through flowing breaths and movements. It is a place of unity between me and that aspect of myself which is beyond names, shapes and forms.
Yoga asana is my creative expression through the body. I am an artistic being in that I cannot live without expressing myself fully in body, mind and spirit. When I see nature like a sunrise over an ocean I deeply feel the beauty of the scene because of my artistic appreciation for it. Bliss is that appreciation unbroken and unchanged by any scene. Yoga is my path of integrated self-expression yearning for that bliss.
In my asana practice I steadily perform the movements and deeply engaged with my breath. It is a model of how I live my life. I try to carry out my thoughts, words and deeds consciously while I move through life and relationships. Where I go in my yoga practice is where the essence of a moment is. It is simply being without dramas. I am just happy to be with myself without outside gratification. As I journey deeper into my yoga practice on a mat and in life, I become more established within my self.
This is a short essay I submitted to my mentor John Berg during my yoga teacher training at the Avalon Center in Palo Alto, Ca.
Where do I go during my yoga asana practice?
I go deeply inward. My whole body sensation and breath surface to the foreground and mental thoughts and sensory impressions fall to the background. My journey into Yoga is one of ease and at the same time intense focus. I often closed my eyes naturally as I take more steps inward. My body becomes a sacred space that expresses itself through flowing breaths and movements. It is a place of unity between me and that aspect of myself which is beyond names, shapes and forms.
Yoga asana is my creative expression through the body. I am an artistic being in that I cannot live without expressing myself fully in body, mind and spirit. When I see nature like a sunrise over an ocean I deeply feel the beauty of the scene because of my artistic appreciation for it. Bliss is that appreciation unbroken and unchanged by any scene. Yoga is my path of integrated self-expression yearning for that bliss.
In my asana practice I steadily perform the movements and deeply engaged with my breath. It is a model of how I live my life. I try to carry out my thoughts, words and deeds consciously while I move through life and relationships. Where I go in my yoga practice is where the essence of a moment is. It is simply being without dramas. I am just happy to be with myself without outside gratification. As I journey deeper into my yoga practice on a mat and in life, I become more established within my self.
Monday, May 14, 2007
How am I practicing my yoga?
Yesterday was my last day of the yoga teacher training I have been attending for the last three months. It has been a wonderful learning experience not only in the context of my professional teaching but more importantly my personal life. The material I learned graces me daily and propels me to explore more deeply about my own actions, thoughts and beliefs. There is an investigation in each of my days as I encounter various situations and relationships. How am I practicing my yoga?
My internal fire or Agni became stronger as I questioned my teachers’ practice and my own practice. Agni is the force of transformation and through agni we process all of our intake of food and information for body and mind. When the agni is balance the transformation results in a shift toward clarity and spiritual transformation. When it is not we are clouded by our own ego and judgment and are unable to break free from our habitual ways.
Purifying the agni is done through the practice of yoga. The process starts with Yama and Niyama. Before we should bring ourselves to the practice of asana or the physical discipline on our yoga mat we need to establish a balance relationship with ourselves and with others and the world. Only then we can gain the mastery over our senses and our physical body that are fit to meditate on the indefinite light within us.
Questioning and investigating the truth within the relationship without judging can be the greatest challenge. By directing the question “how am I practicing my yoga?” time and time again as I question the relationship with myself and with others I began to feel a shift toward clarity. With that clarity came the realization that everything in life is an opportunity for me to practice my yoga. I am grateful for the teaching of all the teachers and student teachers in the program. Each contributed their own light to my flame and supported me in overcoming my darkness of ignorance.
My internal fire or Agni became stronger as I questioned my teachers’ practice and my own practice. Agni is the force of transformation and through agni we process all of our intake of food and information for body and mind. When the agni is balance the transformation results in a shift toward clarity and spiritual transformation. When it is not we are clouded by our own ego and judgment and are unable to break free from our habitual ways.
Purifying the agni is done through the practice of yoga. The process starts with Yama and Niyama. Before we should bring ourselves to the practice of asana or the physical discipline on our yoga mat we need to establish a balance relationship with ourselves and with others and the world. Only then we can gain the mastery over our senses and our physical body that are fit to meditate on the indefinite light within us.
Questioning and investigating the truth within the relationship without judging can be the greatest challenge. By directing the question “how am I practicing my yoga?” time and time again as I question the relationship with myself and with others I began to feel a shift toward clarity. With that clarity came the realization that everything in life is an opportunity for me to practice my yoga. I am grateful for the teaching of all the teachers and student teachers in the program. Each contributed their own light to my flame and supported me in overcoming my darkness of ignorance.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Create Room for the New
Recently, I picked out an old Feng Shui book to read. Last week I organized a spring recycle party. When life is flowing with the natural rhythm we automatically act in accordance to nature. Springtime is the time to clean out the old and create room for the new. In Feng Shui as well as in Ayurveda, creating room for the new requires that we detach ourselves from old things, old thoughts and old habits that no longer serve us.
Springtime is Kapha time. Kapha represents earth and water or a mix of the two which results in mud. Physically, it gives structure and strength as well as softness and stickiness. This is the time of year we tend to experience cold, flues and allergies and produce more mucous and phlem or Kapha. Psychologically, Kapha represents sticky emotions or attachment to possessions and relationships. Hence, springtime is the time we should be sloughing off excess Kapha physically and mentally.
A few weeks ago I decided to clean out my closet and had put aside old clothes to give away to Goodwill. Later, during a hike with friends, one told me that she made a vow not to buy new clothes this year and if she needed to she would buy secondhand. I thought of my big bag of old clothes waiting to be donated and offered her something that would fit her, specifically a pink sweater. Later, as I had more time to ponder on my friend’s vow, I was inspired to make the same commitment.
My spring recycle party stemmed from that inspiration. After a yoga session and a simple dinner we laid all of our old clothes out and went to work. We had a great time picking and trying out clothes, shoes and even exchanging DVDs. We complimented each other on the new/ old outfits. Everybody went home with a big shopping bag they came with but were then filled with new/ old contents. Linda picked out my pink sweater I had imagined to suite her. She wore it home as she was chanting “this is a good life” on her way out. I wore my newfound favorite top the next day. There was still plenty left to be donated.
The idea of detachment is not about getting rid of the olds so we can buy new stuffs that we like more. It is about changing or refreshing our way of thinking and shifting our perception. How can we think, talk and act in the way that is fresh, creative and flowing like the rhythm of nature, the water current and the moment that comes and goes? How can we do it in the way that would ultimately serve our life purpose as well as all beings and the world?
Making space for new ideas requires that we make space in our thoughts. I have learned to never say never because the moment after I say it the universe sends me her gift of transformation. Detachment from our own thoughts and ideas give us space to flow with the law of nature. This does not mean that we have no idea at all. Rather, we are letting the natural creative force to flow through us and we become more than the thinker and the doer. We become a conduit to something larger than our imagination, perception and beliefs.
Someone said that it is not possible to live in a blissful state all the time because the world is not an ideal place. I say that a blissful state can be experienced all the time when we are not attached to our idea of what the world is and should be. If we are looking to live in a blissful state by making the world an ideal place we will most likely experience pain and suffering to different degrees depending on our level of expectation. The world as we see it may appear permanent and lasting through our senses but it is constantly undergoing changes, destruction and renew. Coming into term with the impermanent is creating room for the new.
One of my yoga teachers often says that future pain can and should be avoided. Creating room for the new is an important part of skillful living and is a tool to avoid future pain. Kapha imbalance results in stagnation, accumulative waste and toxicity. The opposite of Kapha qualities are lightness and mobility. Recycling our old clothes, thoughts and emotions allows us to flow with the natural rhythm. It is good for the planet and our own psyche. When our body is flexible, supple and adaptable we are blessed with good health and we can enjoy life. Similarly a flexible and adaptable mind can enjoy the dynamic beauty of the world and cultivate the blissful state that can be experienced in our daily living.
Springtime is Kapha time. Kapha represents earth and water or a mix of the two which results in mud. Physically, it gives structure and strength as well as softness and stickiness. This is the time of year we tend to experience cold, flues and allergies and produce more mucous and phlem or Kapha. Psychologically, Kapha represents sticky emotions or attachment to possessions and relationships. Hence, springtime is the time we should be sloughing off excess Kapha physically and mentally.
A few weeks ago I decided to clean out my closet and had put aside old clothes to give away to Goodwill. Later, during a hike with friends, one told me that she made a vow not to buy new clothes this year and if she needed to she would buy secondhand. I thought of my big bag of old clothes waiting to be donated and offered her something that would fit her, specifically a pink sweater. Later, as I had more time to ponder on my friend’s vow, I was inspired to make the same commitment.
My spring recycle party stemmed from that inspiration. After a yoga session and a simple dinner we laid all of our old clothes out and went to work. We had a great time picking and trying out clothes, shoes and even exchanging DVDs. We complimented each other on the new/ old outfits. Everybody went home with a big shopping bag they came with but were then filled with new/ old contents. Linda picked out my pink sweater I had imagined to suite her. She wore it home as she was chanting “this is a good life” on her way out. I wore my newfound favorite top the next day. There was still plenty left to be donated.
The idea of detachment is not about getting rid of the olds so we can buy new stuffs that we like more. It is about changing or refreshing our way of thinking and shifting our perception. How can we think, talk and act in the way that is fresh, creative and flowing like the rhythm of nature, the water current and the moment that comes and goes? How can we do it in the way that would ultimately serve our life purpose as well as all beings and the world?
Making space for new ideas requires that we make space in our thoughts. I have learned to never say never because the moment after I say it the universe sends me her gift of transformation. Detachment from our own thoughts and ideas give us space to flow with the law of nature. This does not mean that we have no idea at all. Rather, we are letting the natural creative force to flow through us and we become more than the thinker and the doer. We become a conduit to something larger than our imagination, perception and beliefs.
Someone said that it is not possible to live in a blissful state all the time because the world is not an ideal place. I say that a blissful state can be experienced all the time when we are not attached to our idea of what the world is and should be. If we are looking to live in a blissful state by making the world an ideal place we will most likely experience pain and suffering to different degrees depending on our level of expectation. The world as we see it may appear permanent and lasting through our senses but it is constantly undergoing changes, destruction and renew. Coming into term with the impermanent is creating room for the new.
One of my yoga teachers often says that future pain can and should be avoided. Creating room for the new is an important part of skillful living and is a tool to avoid future pain. Kapha imbalance results in stagnation, accumulative waste and toxicity. The opposite of Kapha qualities are lightness and mobility. Recycling our old clothes, thoughts and emotions allows us to flow with the natural rhythm. It is good for the planet and our own psyche. When our body is flexible, supple and adaptable we are blessed with good health and we can enjoy life. Similarly a flexible and adaptable mind can enjoy the dynamic beauty of the world and cultivate the blissful state that can be experienced in our daily living.
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Spring Allergies
Sneezing, itchy eyes, runny nose…. sound familiar? Having suffered spring allergies for many seasons in my life I empathized with my fellow allergy sufferers. I understand that we would do anything to relieve the symptoms as well as get rid of them for good. You will be glad to know that there is actually a way to treat yourself holistically and successfully. Ayurveda is highly effective in treating autoimmune disorders such as spring allergies symptomatically and long term.
The first time I encountered seasonal allergies was when I moved from Bangkok, a barren city to the lush hill country of Chiangmai situated north of Thailand in my junior year at Chiangmai University. I suffered a severe sinus infection and was bed ridden for a week. I had a fever, terrible headaches and at the end lost about 5 lbs which was a lot for my 100 lbs frame. Since then I suffered spring allergies consistently despite my inconsistent localities. When I lived in New York City, I suffered allergies about six months out of the year. At other locations including Texas and Oklahoma it was more less around three months out of the year.
When I first moved to California in 2001 I continued to experience spring allergies a couple months out of the year. The first year I did not suffer from spring allergies was the year of 2004 after I had been studying and practicing Ayurveda for about six months and doing yoga daily for about one and a half year. I also did not experience spring allergies two years later. Needless to say, I was ecstatic and full of confident in my faith for yoga and Ayurveda. Yet, I am not quite as allergies free as I had hope for.
This year, spring allergies made its visit to me. Earlier in the winter, I traveled to Canada and came back with a serious cold. I was a malaise for about a month. Ayurveda teaches that in order to be well we must be highly aware of our activities and how our body responses in regards to those activities. Often times we would say that we catch a cold from someone or something. That can be true. It is also true that we create within ourselves a condition susceptible to catching a cold from someone or something. My susceptibility to allergies was a result of the cold I experienced. The cold was a result of the lengthy traveling and the harsh weather in Canada. Why I became weak from the traveling and the cold weather condition had to do with my constitutional tendencies as well as the inherent imbalances I have accumulated throughout my life.
The concept of building Ojas or building our immunity is enormously crucial in claiming our health. Our habit of blaming on anything from a person coughing next to us to dirty air and eating wrong foods may give us comfort but it does not lead to a long-term solution. Ojas is our immunity or the essence that gives the bodily tissues and mind strength and endurance. In order to build health we must build Ojas or we run the risk of perpetually being a victim of anything slightly haphazard to our immune system. My story above shows that building Ojas is a dynamic process. Hence, the most important requirement for building Ojas is, awareness. We can build our Ojas by becoming conscious of our activity level and our body response. Harmonious activities result in strong Ojas.
Picture an immune system as a troop. An allergy occurs when the troop mistaken an allergen to be harmful. To protect the body, the troop sends out soldiers called IgE antibodies to attack the specific allergen. These soldiers then stay on to guard the body at the surface of tissues in the mast cells and blood basophils found throughout the body. When the soldiers detect the same substance, they alert the mast cells and blood basophils to release chemicals such as histamines, resulting in the symptoms of an allergic reaction (vasodilation, smooth muscle spasm, swelling, glandular hypersecretions). Upon re-exposure to the substance the troop can initiate a faster and more aggressive attack which leads to a more intense allergic reaction.
For those who are predisposed to allergic reactions such as myself, the exposition to allergic substances must be minimized. Otherwise, we become a victim of our own troop. This is the only time of year I suggest people walk on a treadmill or better yet, stick to an indoor yoga class instead of hiking in a park. Exposure to allergic substances keeps the immunity weak which results in weaken digestive strength. A weaken digestion builds up toxicity in our body and reduces our immune strength even more. This wicked cycle continues on as we become more firmly established in an allergic state. Ojas is needed in order to substantiate our body tissues and prevent allergic reaction. To break the cycle, build your Ojas and say good-bye to your spring allergies, here are what you need to do.
1. Learn what you should eat in order to rekindle your Agni and strengthen your digestive fire. Read a book on Ayurveda and find out your constitution and your imbalances then, eat your food according to the findings. The use of digestive spices is vital in aiding your digestion. If available to you, visit an Ayurvedic practitioner who can help guide you through the whole process including the rest of what you need to do on this list and more.
2. Learn to create a healthy daily routine that does not drain your energy and keep your emotion stable. Somehow we are in a denial that our daily activities have consequences to our mood nor do we understand that our mood leads us to act in certain ways. Weak body equals weak mind and vice versa. For example, if you stay up past midnight watching a violent movie, drinking beers and eating potato chips, how do you think you would feel the next morning? And what happens when you keep doing it nights after nights? Right, you get the picture. This is a crude example. The same logic can be applied to any activity that is not harmonious and is done on a regular basis. Creating a balance routine is a requirement for building Ojas.
3. Exercise on a regular basis. There should be no doubt to positive effects of a regular exercise. Exercise keeps us fit physically and mentally. The heat generated during an exercise invigorates blood and circulation, build digestion and over time strengthen body tissues. Yoga Asana has many added benefits beside building cardiovascular strength. It also calms and tones the nervous system and in turn relieves allergic reaction.
4. Practice Neti then oil inside your nostrils with sesame oil or ghee afterward. Using warm water mixed with a little salt in a Neti pot, let the solution runs through and cleanse your nasal passages. Oiling inside your nostrils lubricates the nasal walls and prevents allergic reaction. You may also drop 2-3 drops of Nasya oil (medicated oil) into your nostrils to prevent or alleviate sinus allergies.
5. Again, minimize your exposure to allergic substances. For pollens, weeds, grass, trees, reduce outside activities. You may be allergic to your dog or cat and may have to do some soul searching in order to find a solution. Continually exposing yourself to allergic substances of any kind keep your Ojas low and progressively weaken your immunity.
6. Take herbs to strengthen Agni and relieve allergies. A good herb to take on a regular basis is Triphala for digestion and elimination. Good elimination is highly important to one suffering from allergies since it keeps the toxic accumulation in check. You can find Dosha specific herbal formulas for allergies in the book by Dr. Vasant Lad, The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies. An Ayurvedic practitioner can also prescribe you a formula designed specifically to your Dosha or imbalance.
7. Practice Pranayama or breathing exercises. Bhastrika and Kapalabati or breath of fire are best for spring allergies. Ujaiya breath done alone or during Yoga Asana helps strengthen your immunity and is beneficial for all types of allergies.
8. Meditate regularly. Allergic reaction is a stressful state. When there is stress in the mind there is stress in the body and vice versa. Hence, calming the mind through meditation can improve allergy conditions, strengthen the immunity as well as build Ojas.
Three days ago after spending a few hours outside during a sunny, breezy, perfect spring morning, I later suffered the spring allergy symptoms. I thought I would never see a perfect spring day again. Today, I am sitting inside looking through a glass window seeing yet another perfect spring morning with zero side effect of the spring allergies. I thank the universe for providing such magnificent gift of springtime. I also thank my Ayurveda and yoga practices for making it possible for me to enjoy that gift. Perhaps, I will always have to be inside to marvel at the beauty of spring. But having suffered spring allergies six months out of the year (with more time spending indoor) in my previous life, I am more than hopeful that the spring allergies will not be visiting me for long.
The first time I encountered seasonal allergies was when I moved from Bangkok, a barren city to the lush hill country of Chiangmai situated north of Thailand in my junior year at Chiangmai University. I suffered a severe sinus infection and was bed ridden for a week. I had a fever, terrible headaches and at the end lost about 5 lbs which was a lot for my 100 lbs frame. Since then I suffered spring allergies consistently despite my inconsistent localities. When I lived in New York City, I suffered allergies about six months out of the year. At other locations including Texas and Oklahoma it was more less around three months out of the year.
When I first moved to California in 2001 I continued to experience spring allergies a couple months out of the year. The first year I did not suffer from spring allergies was the year of 2004 after I had been studying and practicing Ayurveda for about six months and doing yoga daily for about one and a half year. I also did not experience spring allergies two years later. Needless to say, I was ecstatic and full of confident in my faith for yoga and Ayurveda. Yet, I am not quite as allergies free as I had hope for.
This year, spring allergies made its visit to me. Earlier in the winter, I traveled to Canada and came back with a serious cold. I was a malaise for about a month. Ayurveda teaches that in order to be well we must be highly aware of our activities and how our body responses in regards to those activities. Often times we would say that we catch a cold from someone or something. That can be true. It is also true that we create within ourselves a condition susceptible to catching a cold from someone or something. My susceptibility to allergies was a result of the cold I experienced. The cold was a result of the lengthy traveling and the harsh weather in Canada. Why I became weak from the traveling and the cold weather condition had to do with my constitutional tendencies as well as the inherent imbalances I have accumulated throughout my life.
The concept of building Ojas or building our immunity is enormously crucial in claiming our health. Our habit of blaming on anything from a person coughing next to us to dirty air and eating wrong foods may give us comfort but it does not lead to a long-term solution. Ojas is our immunity or the essence that gives the bodily tissues and mind strength and endurance. In order to build health we must build Ojas or we run the risk of perpetually being a victim of anything slightly haphazard to our immune system. My story above shows that building Ojas is a dynamic process. Hence, the most important requirement for building Ojas is, awareness. We can build our Ojas by becoming conscious of our activity level and our body response. Harmonious activities result in strong Ojas.
Picture an immune system as a troop. An allergy occurs when the troop mistaken an allergen to be harmful. To protect the body, the troop sends out soldiers called IgE antibodies to attack the specific allergen. These soldiers then stay on to guard the body at the surface of tissues in the mast cells and blood basophils found throughout the body. When the soldiers detect the same substance, they alert the mast cells and blood basophils to release chemicals such as histamines, resulting in the symptoms of an allergic reaction (vasodilation, smooth muscle spasm, swelling, glandular hypersecretions). Upon re-exposure to the substance the troop can initiate a faster and more aggressive attack which leads to a more intense allergic reaction.
For those who are predisposed to allergic reactions such as myself, the exposition to allergic substances must be minimized. Otherwise, we become a victim of our own troop. This is the only time of year I suggest people walk on a treadmill or better yet, stick to an indoor yoga class instead of hiking in a park. Exposure to allergic substances keeps the immunity weak which results in weaken digestive strength. A weaken digestion builds up toxicity in our body and reduces our immune strength even more. This wicked cycle continues on as we become more firmly established in an allergic state. Ojas is needed in order to substantiate our body tissues and prevent allergic reaction. To break the cycle, build your Ojas and say good-bye to your spring allergies, here are what you need to do.
1. Learn what you should eat in order to rekindle your Agni and strengthen your digestive fire. Read a book on Ayurveda and find out your constitution and your imbalances then, eat your food according to the findings. The use of digestive spices is vital in aiding your digestion. If available to you, visit an Ayurvedic practitioner who can help guide you through the whole process including the rest of what you need to do on this list and more.
2. Learn to create a healthy daily routine that does not drain your energy and keep your emotion stable. Somehow we are in a denial that our daily activities have consequences to our mood nor do we understand that our mood leads us to act in certain ways. Weak body equals weak mind and vice versa. For example, if you stay up past midnight watching a violent movie, drinking beers and eating potato chips, how do you think you would feel the next morning? And what happens when you keep doing it nights after nights? Right, you get the picture. This is a crude example. The same logic can be applied to any activity that is not harmonious and is done on a regular basis. Creating a balance routine is a requirement for building Ojas.
3. Exercise on a regular basis. There should be no doubt to positive effects of a regular exercise. Exercise keeps us fit physically and mentally. The heat generated during an exercise invigorates blood and circulation, build digestion and over time strengthen body tissues. Yoga Asana has many added benefits beside building cardiovascular strength. It also calms and tones the nervous system and in turn relieves allergic reaction.
4. Practice Neti then oil inside your nostrils with sesame oil or ghee afterward. Using warm water mixed with a little salt in a Neti pot, let the solution runs through and cleanse your nasal passages. Oiling inside your nostrils lubricates the nasal walls and prevents allergic reaction. You may also drop 2-3 drops of Nasya oil (medicated oil) into your nostrils to prevent or alleviate sinus allergies.
5. Again, minimize your exposure to allergic substances. For pollens, weeds, grass, trees, reduce outside activities. You may be allergic to your dog or cat and may have to do some soul searching in order to find a solution. Continually exposing yourself to allergic substances of any kind keep your Ojas low and progressively weaken your immunity.
6. Take herbs to strengthen Agni and relieve allergies. A good herb to take on a regular basis is Triphala for digestion and elimination. Good elimination is highly important to one suffering from allergies since it keeps the toxic accumulation in check. You can find Dosha specific herbal formulas for allergies in the book by Dr. Vasant Lad, The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies. An Ayurvedic practitioner can also prescribe you a formula designed specifically to your Dosha or imbalance.
7. Practice Pranayama or breathing exercises. Bhastrika and Kapalabati or breath of fire are best for spring allergies. Ujaiya breath done alone or during Yoga Asana helps strengthen your immunity and is beneficial for all types of allergies.
8. Meditate regularly. Allergic reaction is a stressful state. When there is stress in the mind there is stress in the body and vice versa. Hence, calming the mind through meditation can improve allergy conditions, strengthen the immunity as well as build Ojas.
Three days ago after spending a few hours outside during a sunny, breezy, perfect spring morning, I later suffered the spring allergy symptoms. I thought I would never see a perfect spring day again. Today, I am sitting inside looking through a glass window seeing yet another perfect spring morning with zero side effect of the spring allergies. I thank the universe for providing such magnificent gift of springtime. I also thank my Ayurveda and yoga practices for making it possible for me to enjoy that gift. Perhaps, I will always have to be inside to marvel at the beauty of spring. But having suffered spring allergies six months out of the year (with more time spending indoor) in my previous life, I am more than hopeful that the spring allergies will not be visiting me for long.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Practical Meditation
As I am finishing up both of my ayurveda and yoga trainings I find myself in the midst of an erratic schedule. My sleeping time ranges from 9 pm to 11 pm and my waking time ranges from 5 am to 7 am. Morning is my most sacred time. I set up a morning routine that includes self-cleansing, sacred reading and meditation. With the new schedule I had to relinquish some of the activities. I still regularly practice meditation in the morning except on the days that I have to leave home at 6 am for the yoga classes. On the days that I get up later due to late classes on the previous nights my meditation does not feel quite as satisfying.
A conversation with a friend from the yoga training inspired me to think more deeply about my meditation practice. She is also experiencing some challenges in keeping up with her meditation practice due to changes in her life circumstance. How can we practically integrate meditation into our everyday life when there are changes and conditions that get in the way?
In the last winter, I spent ten days at Sivananda Yoga Ashram in Grass Valley. During those cold and sodden days I woke up at 5:30 am every morning to meditate for thirty minutes. It was my second meditation retreat and I had an easier time following the meditation routine. After a few months of regular meditation practice since the first retreat I was able to sit more comfortably and for a longer period. I was also given a mantra and it had become a habit to repeat the mantra without much fussing. The mantra was to be my object of focus so that I could train my mind to concentrate on only one object. Yet, my mind was still very active even in the peaceful ashram setting. Instead of letting only the mantra filled up my mind I often added the mantra on top of the already brimmed mental space.
After a few days there, I could sometime felt a glimpse of stillness during a meditation. It was as fleeting as the rest of my mental drama. Nevertheless, it was reassuring and I ensued the practice with deliberation. Having more confidence in my meditation practice I asked Swami Sita, a female monk who led the retreat if I could do a longer practice at home. At the first retreat she prescribed to me a fifteen minutes meditation in the morning and again in the evening. I confessed to her that it took about fifteen minutes for my mind to begin settling down. I thought that it would be best for me to aim for a thirty minutes home practice to accommodate my exceedingly active mind. She gave me a compassionate look and proceeded to tell me to the effect of the followings.
Time is not an important measure in meditation. Sitting longer does not improve meditation. Consider meditating throughout the day by becoming more mindful of the mental activities. Observe the mind and emotion. As long as they swing unconsciously throughout the day there is no hope in gaining mental equability necessary for a meditation practice.
Those words struck me like a thunderbolt. They shifted my focus from the span of 30 minutes to each and every moment of the day. They not only freed myself off from trying to achieve a perfect morning meditation but also gave me a chance to make up my meditation no matter where I was and what I was doing. The discipline I used in bringing myself to the meditation cushion could also be utilized and titrated throughout my day whenever I recognized my habitual emotional swings.
Swami Sita’s simple words bestowed me an epiphany. Meditation is not separate from the rest of life. The fruit of meditation is the union of self with Self. That Self is vast and I will not attempt to define it for everyone. For me, it is that which is greater than what my mind can perceive. Hence, it is limitless, timeless and spaceless. It exists in the realm of spirit and it is what inspires (in-spirit) life. To attempt a union with that Self I must become as vast and boundless. I cannot realize it by creating a perfect meditation routine without regards to the rest of my life.
Presently, as I juggle with the not so harmonious schedule I also keep in mind those wise words from Swami Sita. Instead of using my meditation practice as a way to achieve peace and calmness in life, I use life as a way to enhance my meditation practice. I am still sticking to the fifteen minutes routine but I also embrace a five minutes or a thirty minutes session. The best part is that I look for the opportunity to meditate in any given moment. My favorite session is during the time when I have strong emotions like anger and fear or even the seemingly less destructive emotions such as pride and exultation. Those emotions tend to subside after a period of observation. What left are the more neutral, long lasting and nourishing emotions like calmness and contentment.
My meditation for the moment to moment practice consists of bringing my awareness to my thoughts and emotions. Instead of focusing on what a situation or a person makes me feel, I focus on what I make myself feel. This allows me to change how I feel because my feeling does not depend on any outside factor. As long as we think that something or someone is making us feel bad, we give up our responsibility to make the real change in how we response to them. Our concentration is wasted on what is always changing and uncontrollable. A different person or another situation continues to make us feel bad.
I find gratefulness to be an excellent tool in bringing myself out of my all-important, ego-centered self. Instead of trying to control the situation and make changes the moment those emotions arise, I wait. I fill up my time with gratitude on anything that assists me in my daily existence. And I send out my love to whatever and whomever my thoughts were attacking or fearing. After then, I may or may not proceed to act in regard to the emotions. With all the space that I create between my thoughts, emotions and actions, I have a better chance to act appropriately and transcend my stubborn habits. Being grateful is like giving up my small self to the greater Self. In this space there can be no conflict. I am in union with that which inspires my life.
Similar to my morning meditation practice, my moment meditation practice does not always give me a sense of peace. It does continually inspire my observation and subsequently my eagerness for the practice. It does not solve my daily occurring life condition. However, meditating on momentarily life occurrence keeps me grounded in the big picture, the great one. I am not as inclined to be influenced by my life condition. In each and every moment I am given an opportunity to realize my greater Self, even within my irregular schedule. That is something to be grateful for.
Om Namo Narayanaya
A conversation with a friend from the yoga training inspired me to think more deeply about my meditation practice. She is also experiencing some challenges in keeping up with her meditation practice due to changes in her life circumstance. How can we practically integrate meditation into our everyday life when there are changes and conditions that get in the way?
In the last winter, I spent ten days at Sivananda Yoga Ashram in Grass Valley. During those cold and sodden days I woke up at 5:30 am every morning to meditate for thirty minutes. It was my second meditation retreat and I had an easier time following the meditation routine. After a few months of regular meditation practice since the first retreat I was able to sit more comfortably and for a longer period. I was also given a mantra and it had become a habit to repeat the mantra without much fussing. The mantra was to be my object of focus so that I could train my mind to concentrate on only one object. Yet, my mind was still very active even in the peaceful ashram setting. Instead of letting only the mantra filled up my mind I often added the mantra on top of the already brimmed mental space.
After a few days there, I could sometime felt a glimpse of stillness during a meditation. It was as fleeting as the rest of my mental drama. Nevertheless, it was reassuring and I ensued the practice with deliberation. Having more confidence in my meditation practice I asked Swami Sita, a female monk who led the retreat if I could do a longer practice at home. At the first retreat she prescribed to me a fifteen minutes meditation in the morning and again in the evening. I confessed to her that it took about fifteen minutes for my mind to begin settling down. I thought that it would be best for me to aim for a thirty minutes home practice to accommodate my exceedingly active mind. She gave me a compassionate look and proceeded to tell me to the effect of the followings.
Time is not an important measure in meditation. Sitting longer does not improve meditation. Consider meditating throughout the day by becoming more mindful of the mental activities. Observe the mind and emotion. As long as they swing unconsciously throughout the day there is no hope in gaining mental equability necessary for a meditation practice.
Those words struck me like a thunderbolt. They shifted my focus from the span of 30 minutes to each and every moment of the day. They not only freed myself off from trying to achieve a perfect morning meditation but also gave me a chance to make up my meditation no matter where I was and what I was doing. The discipline I used in bringing myself to the meditation cushion could also be utilized and titrated throughout my day whenever I recognized my habitual emotional swings.
Swami Sita’s simple words bestowed me an epiphany. Meditation is not separate from the rest of life. The fruit of meditation is the union of self with Self. That Self is vast and I will not attempt to define it for everyone. For me, it is that which is greater than what my mind can perceive. Hence, it is limitless, timeless and spaceless. It exists in the realm of spirit and it is what inspires (in-spirit) life. To attempt a union with that Self I must become as vast and boundless. I cannot realize it by creating a perfect meditation routine without regards to the rest of my life.
Presently, as I juggle with the not so harmonious schedule I also keep in mind those wise words from Swami Sita. Instead of using my meditation practice as a way to achieve peace and calmness in life, I use life as a way to enhance my meditation practice. I am still sticking to the fifteen minutes routine but I also embrace a five minutes or a thirty minutes session. The best part is that I look for the opportunity to meditate in any given moment. My favorite session is during the time when I have strong emotions like anger and fear or even the seemingly less destructive emotions such as pride and exultation. Those emotions tend to subside after a period of observation. What left are the more neutral, long lasting and nourishing emotions like calmness and contentment.
My meditation for the moment to moment practice consists of bringing my awareness to my thoughts and emotions. Instead of focusing on what a situation or a person makes me feel, I focus on what I make myself feel. This allows me to change how I feel because my feeling does not depend on any outside factor. As long as we think that something or someone is making us feel bad, we give up our responsibility to make the real change in how we response to them. Our concentration is wasted on what is always changing and uncontrollable. A different person or another situation continues to make us feel bad.
I find gratefulness to be an excellent tool in bringing myself out of my all-important, ego-centered self. Instead of trying to control the situation and make changes the moment those emotions arise, I wait. I fill up my time with gratitude on anything that assists me in my daily existence. And I send out my love to whatever and whomever my thoughts were attacking or fearing. After then, I may or may not proceed to act in regard to the emotions. With all the space that I create between my thoughts, emotions and actions, I have a better chance to act appropriately and transcend my stubborn habits. Being grateful is like giving up my small self to the greater Self. In this space there can be no conflict. I am in union with that which inspires my life.
Similar to my morning meditation practice, my moment meditation practice does not always give me a sense of peace. It does continually inspire my observation and subsequently my eagerness for the practice. It does not solve my daily occurring life condition. However, meditating on momentarily life occurrence keeps me grounded in the big picture, the great one. I am not as inclined to be influenced by my life condition. In each and every moment I am given an opportunity to realize my greater Self, even within my irregular schedule. That is something to be grateful for.
Om Namo Narayanaya
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Cook well. Eat well.
Welcome to the first edition of my personal articles. Ayurveda and yoga permeate every aspect of our life. I hope you enjoy reading the article as much as I enjoy sharing my personal experiences as a practitioner of yoga and ayurveda.
Growing up in Thailand was a blessed experience. The country is full of colorful and aromatic pleasures. I remember countless evenings of fragranced coconut curry intermingled with slightly less appealing but equally fragranced fried salty fishes. Over the years as my attachment to these sensual treasures grew I also started to encounter the less pleasurable experiences. Often times I would feel an unbearable discomfort after a wonderful meal. My emotion too had its own pendulous swing ranging from begrudged and anger to fear and depression.
My mother was born into a poor family. My late grandfather was a policeman who was very strict in his professional as well as family life. My mother who is an eldest daughter was given the responsibility as a caretaker for her four brothers and a sister. My mother did the best she could. She forwent her academic education reluctantly at her father’s bid. A woman did not need an intellectual cultivation in my grandfather’s time. She poured all of her energy into learning her profession – cooking.
As a child I took her talent and skill for granted. Instead I ceaselessly admired my father’s intelligent and his successful profession as an engineer. After all, our dinners were always good but it was my father’s presence that was consistently missing. He was too busy for the daily family gathering due to his demanding work. Often my siblings and I would dine without our parents. My mother, true to her obligated upbringing would spend much of her time cooking wonderful meals for us without participating in the feast with the rest of us. To this day she still prefers eating quietly by herself after she cooks.
Growing up I was always encouraged by my elders to eat well. My family having come from Chinese ancestry especially places great value in a strong appetite in children. Eating a big meal meant showing power and strength. Since then, I have come to realize the truth behind that sentiment. It was an easy habit to tend given that I was delivered wonderful meals daily. I continued the custom throughout my adult life until the recent years.
Coming to learn ayurveda is another blessing I have been graced with. My unbearable discomfort after eating a meal is no longer a daily encounter. In fact, I rarely feel any digestive discomfort these days. Ayurveda teaches that the pathology of any disease in our physical body starts in the digestive system. Hence, eating well is of great consequence to our health.
We commonly place our attention more on the food we eat than how we eat the food. Earlier in life, my idea of eating well was to eat delicious food and a lot of it. I thought I was doing a good service to myself. However, this goal led to a cascade of physical and emotional imbalances. I could not have connected the causes to the effects without knowing the principle of ayurveda. That principle is “awareness”.
Ayurveda suggests several ways to eat consciously. I practiced none of them growing up. It is of no mystery then that I suffered from gas, distension and abdominal pain. Ayurveda recognizes the interconnectedness between the mind and body. Emotional stress is both the cause and effect of an unhealthy body. Having the right state of mind prepares our body to receive and digest food properly. It is the most important factor in supporting optimal function of the digestive system.
Beginning a meal with grace starts our digestive journey properly. Instead of grieving over the absence of my father I could have been grateful for the wonderful meal I was given through the love of my mother. Being grateful gives us the sense of contentment and opens our mind and body to receive what the moment brings including nutritious supplies to our being.
During a meal we should keep external activity to a minimum. I spent many meals watching television, reading a book or magazine and mindlessly engaging in emotional conversation either with myself or with others while eating. All these extra activities kept my energy away from assimilating the food and lessen my digestive strength. This suggestion sounds simple enough. But once you start practicing you will become well aware of how difficult it is to eat without distraction. Do you remember the last time you spend your meal being with just your food?
Collectively we juggle multiple tasks at any given moment. Sometime we do this deliberately to achieve higher performances. Most of the time it is automatic. When our mind is distracted our body tends to want more activities. When we do one thing at a time we are more focus on that particular activity. We can actually feel more, enjoy more and perform better. My mother naturally follows this healthy eating guideline. We can do the same with or without a company of others.
There is less seepage of awareness when we slow down. Intentionally chewing our food until it is an even consistency keeps us engaged in the eating process. The saliva and the act of chewing also predigest the food which lessen the work of the other digestive organs and improve nutrient absorption.
Eating only until we are moderately full will give us satisfaction without feeling heavy. This meant that we should eat to about 75% full not 100%. I was consistently eating at a rate of 120% full before learning the ayurvedic principle. As a child, my metabolism was strong enough to take the abuse and I did not feel dis-ease. But as I grew older, the accumulative abuse resulted in a strong digestive imbalance. My digestive power became weaker yet I continued to eat too much. Finally, the imbalance became so deep that it was given a disease name IBS. Fortunately, I came to know ayurveda before the condition got any deeper since there is no cure for IBS in the conventional medicine.
Finishing up a meal we should give ourselves some time before rushing off to another activity. After a meal, our body still digests the food it received. We should keep our activity light for about 15-20 minutes. Now is a good time to have a light conversation, read a light book or take a slow walk. Eating is a sacred experience. The food we eat gets absorbed and builds our body tissues. Our relationship with food is one of the most intimate. By treating our meal time as a ritual, we give the best care to our body and in turn our body will no longer complain through digestive symptoms.
After I became an Ayurvedic Specialist Intern, I realized that there are many of us who suffer daily from digestive challenges. The symptoms can be improved and eliminated not only through what we eat but how we eat as I have explained. Having lived away from Thailand for fifteen years, I eagerly await the next time I would be back to Thailand to experience and taste its sensual treasures. However, my focus has shifted from the gross delectable experience to the more conscious and meaningful experience. An indulgence without awareness causes suffering. A conscious meal gratifies my whole being almost as much as my mother’s smile after I praise her magnificent gift.
Growing up in Thailand was a blessed experience. The country is full of colorful and aromatic pleasures. I remember countless evenings of fragranced coconut curry intermingled with slightly less appealing but equally fragranced fried salty fishes. Over the years as my attachment to these sensual treasures grew I also started to encounter the less pleasurable experiences. Often times I would feel an unbearable discomfort after a wonderful meal. My emotion too had its own pendulous swing ranging from begrudged and anger to fear and depression.
My mother was born into a poor family. My late grandfather was a policeman who was very strict in his professional as well as family life. My mother who is an eldest daughter was given the responsibility as a caretaker for her four brothers and a sister. My mother did the best she could. She forwent her academic education reluctantly at her father’s bid. A woman did not need an intellectual cultivation in my grandfather’s time. She poured all of her energy into learning her profession – cooking.
As a child I took her talent and skill for granted. Instead I ceaselessly admired my father’s intelligent and his successful profession as an engineer. After all, our dinners were always good but it was my father’s presence that was consistently missing. He was too busy for the daily family gathering due to his demanding work. Often my siblings and I would dine without our parents. My mother, true to her obligated upbringing would spend much of her time cooking wonderful meals for us without participating in the feast with the rest of us. To this day she still prefers eating quietly by herself after she cooks.
Growing up I was always encouraged by my elders to eat well. My family having come from Chinese ancestry especially places great value in a strong appetite in children. Eating a big meal meant showing power and strength. Since then, I have come to realize the truth behind that sentiment. It was an easy habit to tend given that I was delivered wonderful meals daily. I continued the custom throughout my adult life until the recent years.
Coming to learn ayurveda is another blessing I have been graced with. My unbearable discomfort after eating a meal is no longer a daily encounter. In fact, I rarely feel any digestive discomfort these days. Ayurveda teaches that the pathology of any disease in our physical body starts in the digestive system. Hence, eating well is of great consequence to our health.
We commonly place our attention more on the food we eat than how we eat the food. Earlier in life, my idea of eating well was to eat delicious food and a lot of it. I thought I was doing a good service to myself. However, this goal led to a cascade of physical and emotional imbalances. I could not have connected the causes to the effects without knowing the principle of ayurveda. That principle is “awareness”.
Ayurveda suggests several ways to eat consciously. I practiced none of them growing up. It is of no mystery then that I suffered from gas, distension and abdominal pain. Ayurveda recognizes the interconnectedness between the mind and body. Emotional stress is both the cause and effect of an unhealthy body. Having the right state of mind prepares our body to receive and digest food properly. It is the most important factor in supporting optimal function of the digestive system.
Beginning a meal with grace starts our digestive journey properly. Instead of grieving over the absence of my father I could have been grateful for the wonderful meal I was given through the love of my mother. Being grateful gives us the sense of contentment and opens our mind and body to receive what the moment brings including nutritious supplies to our being.
During a meal we should keep external activity to a minimum. I spent many meals watching television, reading a book or magazine and mindlessly engaging in emotional conversation either with myself or with others while eating. All these extra activities kept my energy away from assimilating the food and lessen my digestive strength. This suggestion sounds simple enough. But once you start practicing you will become well aware of how difficult it is to eat without distraction. Do you remember the last time you spend your meal being with just your food?
Collectively we juggle multiple tasks at any given moment. Sometime we do this deliberately to achieve higher performances. Most of the time it is automatic. When our mind is distracted our body tends to want more activities. When we do one thing at a time we are more focus on that particular activity. We can actually feel more, enjoy more and perform better. My mother naturally follows this healthy eating guideline. We can do the same with or without a company of others.
There is less seepage of awareness when we slow down. Intentionally chewing our food until it is an even consistency keeps us engaged in the eating process. The saliva and the act of chewing also predigest the food which lessen the work of the other digestive organs and improve nutrient absorption.
Eating only until we are moderately full will give us satisfaction without feeling heavy. This meant that we should eat to about 75% full not 100%. I was consistently eating at a rate of 120% full before learning the ayurvedic principle. As a child, my metabolism was strong enough to take the abuse and I did not feel dis-ease. But as I grew older, the accumulative abuse resulted in a strong digestive imbalance. My digestive power became weaker yet I continued to eat too much. Finally, the imbalance became so deep that it was given a disease name IBS. Fortunately, I came to know ayurveda before the condition got any deeper since there is no cure for IBS in the conventional medicine.
Finishing up a meal we should give ourselves some time before rushing off to another activity. After a meal, our body still digests the food it received. We should keep our activity light for about 15-20 minutes. Now is a good time to have a light conversation, read a light book or take a slow walk. Eating is a sacred experience. The food we eat gets absorbed and builds our body tissues. Our relationship with food is one of the most intimate. By treating our meal time as a ritual, we give the best care to our body and in turn our body will no longer complain through digestive symptoms.
After I became an Ayurvedic Specialist Intern, I realized that there are many of us who suffer daily from digestive challenges. The symptoms can be improved and eliminated not only through what we eat but how we eat as I have explained. Having lived away from Thailand for fifteen years, I eagerly await the next time I would be back to Thailand to experience and taste its sensual treasures. However, my focus has shifted from the gross delectable experience to the more conscious and meaningful experience. An indulgence without awareness causes suffering. A conscious meal gratifies my whole being almost as much as my mother’s smile after I praise her magnificent gift.
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