I first taught a Yin yoga class a few months ago subbing for a fellow teacher. I have been regularly attending Yin classes for about two years and took a couple workshops on the subject. I was elated for the opportunity and thoroughly enjoy teaching the class.
An injury has led me to experiment with different styles of yoga. At one particularly good yoga class during my teacher training I went so deep into a forward fold that I compressed the sciatic nerves. I know many people who have had injuries due to yoga and many of them are teachers. The injury has been a great learning tool for me to create appropriate practices for myself and for those who come to my classes.
It turned out that I needed to strengthen the muscles around the injured area so that I don't over stretch them. Yin yoga did not fix my injury but the awareness I cultivate during a Yin practice allow me to move safely through a practice whether it is Yin, Vinyasa, Iyengar or any other type of yoga asana. Not too long ago I used to get bored holding postures for a long period of time. But I've come to appreciate valuable insights obtained through a quiet, conscious practice and eager to share them with the students.
Many people come to yoga to fix their physical discomforts and injuries. I can distinguish a new student from an experienced one by just looking at their foot position. This is because a new student's mind is engaged more to the upper body which is where most of us orient ourselves in everyday activities. Yoga gives us the opportunity to orient ourselves in all directions and extremities. Your mind and senses have to be engaged with what is going on in your muscles, tissues and organs. Certain postures focus more on certain areas of the body. With practice your intelligence expresses, unifies and aligns your whole bodily system.
This innate intelligence has always been there for you. Your body is constantly communicating to you whether it is whispering about your tight hips or screaming about your injured shoulder. Each of you is unique and has unique experience in any given yoga class. So, please listen to what your teacher has to share but listen even more closely to you-- your ultimate teacher.
Showing posts with label yoga. Show all posts
Showing posts with label yoga. Show all posts
Monday, December 1, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Giving Thanks Truly
Last year my Thanksgiving cerebration was a vacation to a beautiful hot spring resort. I took a yoga class there and shared what I learned with my students after I came back. The previous year I hosted a dinner with friends for the Thanksgiving. This year I am spending the Thanksgiving with my next door neighbor and her wonderful family. I love what the holidays bring, the smell of freshly baked foods and winter spices, the time spending with friends and family or the trip with my partner to a beautiful place. But I have yet to spend much time contemplating about what is the true spirit of Thanksgiving until now.
HONOR THAT WHICH NOURISHES THE BODY
Holidays often center around foods. Your relationship with foods is the most fundamental and profound relationship. It determines how healthy you are. Food culture has changed and evolved over time. Our ancient ancestors had a much closer relationship with their food sources. They either grew, raised or slaughtered them. Today we largely eat manufactured foods or foods that we have no idea where their sources are. This makes it difficult to have any sort of relationship with living foods-- the plants or animals we eat.
Cooking is our primary bonding with foods. But with the popularity of eating out and pre-cooked foods we hardly need to cook ourselves. Human focus has evolved from knowing foods to consuming foods. When foods are reduced to mere consumer products what respect do you give to what you eat? Yesterday I read a newspaper article mentioning a tradition called Turkey bowl. It is a competition of bowling using frozen turkeys instead of regular bowling balls. The idea of using carcasses for fun pains me beyond words. What is more important to your health than what you eat is how you acknowledge and honor what you eat. When you honor your foods you prepare your body the complete intake of the nutrients. Your body will digest the foods with ease and you will know the proper amount required to nourish you. The simplest and most profound practice is to say grace out loud or internally in the honor of the foods you eat. When you practice yoga your body becomes your prayer. When you practice yoga of eating foods become your prayer. This Thanksgiving take the time to ponder what you can do to create a healthy relationship with your sustenance.
ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE
Thanksgiving is the time of gathering with family and friends. I have heard countless times how stressful this is. When your relationship with your family members is sour it can be painful to spend many hours with them. If you are generally anxious being with a large group of people then holidays can be the most challenging time. I am not a stranger to either of these experiences. Over the years though, my attitude has changed because my relationship with myself has changed.
Bringing myself to my yoga mat and meditation cushion regularly has brought balance to my relationship inwardly and outwardly. Physical and emotional challenges are overcome through yoga practice. When your body and mind are no longer hostile your temperament toward others will turn friendly and loving as well. You cannot try to be compassionate or grateful. You either are compassionate and grateful or you are not. Faking these emotions is repression. It is healthier for your psyche to express what you feel. Expressing what you feel does not necessary change how you feel. If you want to change how you feel you must change your attitude. Changing attitude is an inner work of replacing the content of your mind. It requires you to be present and observe your thoughts. This is why meditation is a major spiritual practice. Meditation allows you to pause and observe. It gives you the ability to change your thought patterns and act appropriately rather than reactively do what you have been doing out of habit.
Over time the practice of yoga and meditation spill out into your every living situation. When your body and mind are at ease your attitude is full of gratitude. There is nothing to fear and everything to love. Not everyone will welcome your love as they have their own attitude to change. You can still send love their way and enjoy the true Thanksgiving spirit. For this Thanksgiving take the time to contemplate what you can do to honor and nourish your relationship with yourself and with others.
Happy Thanksgiving!
HONOR THAT WHICH NOURISHES THE BODY
Holidays often center around foods. Your relationship with foods is the most fundamental and profound relationship. It determines how healthy you are. Food culture has changed and evolved over time. Our ancient ancestors had a much closer relationship with their food sources. They either grew, raised or slaughtered them. Today we largely eat manufactured foods or foods that we have no idea where their sources are. This makes it difficult to have any sort of relationship with living foods-- the plants or animals we eat.
Cooking is our primary bonding with foods. But with the popularity of eating out and pre-cooked foods we hardly need to cook ourselves. Human focus has evolved from knowing foods to consuming foods. When foods are reduced to mere consumer products what respect do you give to what you eat? Yesterday I read a newspaper article mentioning a tradition called Turkey bowl. It is a competition of bowling using frozen turkeys instead of regular bowling balls. The idea of using carcasses for fun pains me beyond words. What is more important to your health than what you eat is how you acknowledge and honor what you eat. When you honor your foods you prepare your body the complete intake of the nutrients. Your body will digest the foods with ease and you will know the proper amount required to nourish you. The simplest and most profound practice is to say grace out loud or internally in the honor of the foods you eat. When you practice yoga your body becomes your prayer. When you practice yoga of eating foods become your prayer. This Thanksgiving take the time to ponder what you can do to create a healthy relationship with your sustenance.
ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE
Thanksgiving is the time of gathering with family and friends. I have heard countless times how stressful this is. When your relationship with your family members is sour it can be painful to spend many hours with them. If you are generally anxious being with a large group of people then holidays can be the most challenging time. I am not a stranger to either of these experiences. Over the years though, my attitude has changed because my relationship with myself has changed.
Bringing myself to my yoga mat and meditation cushion regularly has brought balance to my relationship inwardly and outwardly. Physical and emotional challenges are overcome through yoga practice. When your body and mind are no longer hostile your temperament toward others will turn friendly and loving as well. You cannot try to be compassionate or grateful. You either are compassionate and grateful or you are not. Faking these emotions is repression. It is healthier for your psyche to express what you feel. Expressing what you feel does not necessary change how you feel. If you want to change how you feel you must change your attitude. Changing attitude is an inner work of replacing the content of your mind. It requires you to be present and observe your thoughts. This is why meditation is a major spiritual practice. Meditation allows you to pause and observe. It gives you the ability to change your thought patterns and act appropriately rather than reactively do what you have been doing out of habit.
Over time the practice of yoga and meditation spill out into your every living situation. When your body and mind are at ease your attitude is full of gratitude. There is nothing to fear and everything to love. Not everyone will welcome your love as they have their own attitude to change. You can still send love their way and enjoy the true Thanksgiving spirit. For this Thanksgiving take the time to contemplate what you can do to honor and nourish your relationship with yourself and with others.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Ayurvedic Makeover
One fine morning I had a quick chat with one of my yoga students before the class started. She was telling me about her favorite TV show on the personality makeover which consisted of new and more attractive hair, makeups and attires. She mentioned how popular the show was. I remembered that ten years ago, back in the days I still owned and watched TV the makeover shows or segments were also a big hit. Consistently, there seems to be a big demand for positive and sometime miraculous changes in our outward appearances. This contributes greatly to the growth of the fashion and makeup industries as well as plastic surgeries.
The makeover is based on the idea that when we look good we feel good. Ayurveda teaches the opposite, when we feel good we look good. Consider how many women complain of feeling fat and ugly during PMS although, their outward appearance stays exactly the same. Having watched virtually none of these stimulating TV shows for a decade I casted the subject aside and went on with my yoga sequences. I did not think much about the conversation afterward despite my student's encouraging me to pick up a makeover gig on the side. I told her I used to work as a fashion designer a dozen years ago. My interest in fashion and beauty waned over the years. I retired from the career after realizing how irrelevant it was to my happiness. But is it?
The other day I read an article written by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize winner. He wrote "People tend to look like the things they love--which is why so many people end up looking like their dogs!" I have also heard and even notice myself that couples, husbands and wives end up looking like each other. Desmond Tutu further suggested that we can also look like God if we love God and strive to be like God. It seems a hefty aspiration but indeed you are not just what you eat but what you take in physically, mentally and emotionally.
Ayurveda and yoga provide abundant makeover tools to bring your life back into balance and beauty. The makeover is sustainable and long lasting. You do not have to wait for a fairy godmother or a TV personality to show up. Chances are you will never get one. In fact, you will build your own magic muscles and radically shift your life for the better physically, mentally and emotionally. Ugly and volatile emotions that turn you into a temporary or long term witch such as anger, fear, greed, jealousy and even boredom eventually subside. Replacing those emotions are steady and beautiful emotions like calmness, compassion, courage and enthusiasm. These emotions bring out the divine within you as these are angelic attributes. You will begin to look like an angel yourself. People will want to flutter about you and stay away from other grumpy folks.
It seems a common sense, is it not? But why is it so difficult for mankind to find peace within and shine forth the inner beauty? We would certainly save a lot of material and monetary resources, not to mention a longer and healthier life. Below are some simple yet challenging steps you can take to give yourself an Ayurvedic makeover and get the most out of yourself. They are based on the Ayurvedic principle of treatment. Like qualities increase the likes and opposites reduce them.
1. Watch less TV shows to reduce the influence of how you should look and feel if you want to increase your inner wisdom and the depth of life experiences. It helps to write down what your favorite shows are. They tell a lot about what you are planting deep in life. If your favorite shows are crime and thriller, most likely you are experiencing a lot of fear, worry and anxiety. You may want to consider watching something a little more uplifting if you can't yet give it all up. Those so called reality shows are highly dramatized and often traumatized to your nervous system. Give them up and focus on your reality.
2. Stop reading fashion magazines if you want to get in touch with your own creativity and find a sense of well being. It has been a dozen of years since I subscribed and read fashion magazines on a regular basis. Once in a very long time I would pick up a fashion magazine and never fail to find that the contents are still exactly the same. They are filled with unhappy looking and very thin models wearing impractical clothes. If you want to be happy, healthy and original, wear weather appropriate and clean clothing without referring to the mass fashion scene. Choose clothes that fit you comfortably. Wear pleasant colors and stay away from bright, neon, dark or dirty colors. Angelic colors are lighter in shades. Choose more natural materials and stay under your budget. There is nothing more unfashionable and emotionally draining than debts!
3. Stop using unnecessary skincare, perfumes, hair products and makeups if you want the world to accept who you are. You first have to accept all of you including your body, hair and skin colors. Are you exercising wisdom and creative expression or are you exercising self rejection? Respect your divine self by taking care of your body with appropriate intake through the five senses. Eat well, exercise and surround yourself with natural and nourishing sound, sight, smell and touch. Do not abuse or traumatize your body through chemical products or surgical alteration. Use only natural products that do not harm your body or the atmosphere.
4. Stop holding grudges against your friends, siblings and more importantly your parents and ancestors if you want to express your authentic self, build relationships and find true happiness. Whatever you are holding on to you are under its power and spell. If you are holding on to hatred and anger against your love ones you have no chance of creating loving relationships, partnership and family. The sooner you cleanse yourself off from ugly emotions the sooner you create your attractive self and promote the life you desire. Start mending your relationships by acknowledging and accepting shortcomings and challenges that you and others have to face. Create ancestral rituals through praying and offering. You will soon find yourself at ease among friends and strangers alike.
Whatever you spend the most time thinking about and acting upon create your personal look and outlook. I hope your makeup and makeover support you toward your highest potential.
The makeover is based on the idea that when we look good we feel good. Ayurveda teaches the opposite, when we feel good we look good. Consider how many women complain of feeling fat and ugly during PMS although, their outward appearance stays exactly the same. Having watched virtually none of these stimulating TV shows for a decade I casted the subject aside and went on with my yoga sequences. I did not think much about the conversation afterward despite my student's encouraging me to pick up a makeover gig on the side. I told her I used to work as a fashion designer a dozen years ago. My interest in fashion and beauty waned over the years. I retired from the career after realizing how irrelevant it was to my happiness. But is it?
The other day I read an article written by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize winner. He wrote "People tend to look like the things they love--which is why so many people end up looking like their dogs!" I have also heard and even notice myself that couples, husbands and wives end up looking like each other. Desmond Tutu further suggested that we can also look like God if we love God and strive to be like God. It seems a hefty aspiration but indeed you are not just what you eat but what you take in physically, mentally and emotionally.
Ayurveda and yoga provide abundant makeover tools to bring your life back into balance and beauty. The makeover is sustainable and long lasting. You do not have to wait for a fairy godmother or a TV personality to show up. Chances are you will never get one. In fact, you will build your own magic muscles and radically shift your life for the better physically, mentally and emotionally. Ugly and volatile emotions that turn you into a temporary or long term witch such as anger, fear, greed, jealousy and even boredom eventually subside. Replacing those emotions are steady and beautiful emotions like calmness, compassion, courage and enthusiasm. These emotions bring out the divine within you as these are angelic attributes. You will begin to look like an angel yourself. People will want to flutter about you and stay away from other grumpy folks.
It seems a common sense, is it not? But why is it so difficult for mankind to find peace within and shine forth the inner beauty? We would certainly save a lot of material and monetary resources, not to mention a longer and healthier life. Below are some simple yet challenging steps you can take to give yourself an Ayurvedic makeover and get the most out of yourself. They are based on the Ayurvedic principle of treatment. Like qualities increase the likes and opposites reduce them.
1. Watch less TV shows to reduce the influence of how you should look and feel if you want to increase your inner wisdom and the depth of life experiences. It helps to write down what your favorite shows are. They tell a lot about what you are planting deep in life. If your favorite shows are crime and thriller, most likely you are experiencing a lot of fear, worry and anxiety. You may want to consider watching something a little more uplifting if you can't yet give it all up. Those so called reality shows are highly dramatized and often traumatized to your nervous system. Give them up and focus on your reality.
2. Stop reading fashion magazines if you want to get in touch with your own creativity and find a sense of well being. It has been a dozen of years since I subscribed and read fashion magazines on a regular basis. Once in a very long time I would pick up a fashion magazine and never fail to find that the contents are still exactly the same. They are filled with unhappy looking and very thin models wearing impractical clothes. If you want to be happy, healthy and original, wear weather appropriate and clean clothing without referring to the mass fashion scene. Choose clothes that fit you comfortably. Wear pleasant colors and stay away from bright, neon, dark or dirty colors. Angelic colors are lighter in shades. Choose more natural materials and stay under your budget. There is nothing more unfashionable and emotionally draining than debts!
3. Stop using unnecessary skincare, perfumes, hair products and makeups if you want the world to accept who you are. You first have to accept all of you including your body, hair and skin colors. Are you exercising wisdom and creative expression or are you exercising self rejection? Respect your divine self by taking care of your body with appropriate intake through the five senses. Eat well, exercise and surround yourself with natural and nourishing sound, sight, smell and touch. Do not abuse or traumatize your body through chemical products or surgical alteration. Use only natural products that do not harm your body or the atmosphere.
4. Stop holding grudges against your friends, siblings and more importantly your parents and ancestors if you want to express your authentic self, build relationships and find true happiness. Whatever you are holding on to you are under its power and spell. If you are holding on to hatred and anger against your love ones you have no chance of creating loving relationships, partnership and family. The sooner you cleanse yourself off from ugly emotions the sooner you create your attractive self and promote the life you desire. Start mending your relationships by acknowledging and accepting shortcomings and challenges that you and others have to face. Create ancestral rituals through praying and offering. You will soon find yourself at ease among friends and strangers alike.
Whatever you spend the most time thinking about and acting upon create your personal look and outlook. I hope your makeup and makeover support you toward your highest potential.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
The Power of Mantra Meditation
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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