Diet is a four letter word

*show of dualism on Ganga-ji’s ghats*

Last night as I wasted some time on facebook between freelance projects, I was amazed at the number of people talking about starting their diets, and discussing what they were gorging on at the moment before D-Day. Day of Diet Restrictions for the Brand New Year! I know, I shouldn't be amazed, its all part and parcel of the new year celebrations.

I don't resolve to change. I pledge to act like a clown, eat when my body is hungry, indulge when appropriate, restrict with moderation and in general treat my body like the divine vehicle it is!

When you set yourself up to live a certain way for a limited amount of time you aren't truly honoring your potential. Why not pay more attention to the rhythms of your body? There are definite rhythyms that influence the human physical body, considering it is composed of 70% water... if you have seen a tide move in and out, you can see the power the moon's gravity projects on a massive scale.

There is something between us and Truth, the Absolute Reality, and that is called the mind. Training the mind is the starting point for Patanjali, in the Yoga Sutras. For example, one of the first things he talks about is observing which of our thoughts are useful or not useful, positive or negative. Then he directs us to learn to make choices in life on the basis of what is positive and helpful in our growth, choosing to do that which we know leads towards a stable, inner state of tranquility. Such self-observation, self-examination, and self-training are necessary in preparation for the deeper practices. 

The Dualism of the Yoga Sutra gives us detailed instructions on how to clear away the clutter so we can find the door. Non-Dualistic Vedanta philosophy gives us a sound contemplative base for deeper understanding of the nature of the door and that which is beyond. Tantra shows us how to open the door, as well as how and where to knock.
-- SwamiJ.com

I try to be very clear in my vocabulary when I pledge something. If I feel like my digestion is sluggish, I do a mono-food cleanse. If I am agitated, dehydrated and sleepless in the winter, I cook a hearty stew and cozy up by the fire and some warm bodies.

Making the rhythms of life a natural part of your routine will outlast any diet, resolution, or quick fix. This is your body for life, and it needs to know you love and cherish it, just like an old friend who is always there for you.

*image found here

Chyawanprash

Chyawanprash is a comprehensive herbal tonic with multiple health benefits, prepared according to an ancient Ayurvedic formula. Used by people around the world today, and especially in India, it is a proven energizer, immunity booster and pre-emptive tonic.

This unique ‘jam’ is a mix of 49 powerful ayurvedic herbs with ‘amla’ (Indian gooseberry) or Emblica officinalis as the base. The other ingredients in this traditional recipe include ashwaganda, pippali, cardamom, nutmeg and cinnamon in a base of clarified butter and honey. This 'elixir' is good for all, irrespective of age and gender, and creates a harmonious synergy in the body leading to better metabolism. Here’re some specific health benefits of Chyawanprash.

Digestive and Immune System
Chaywanprash's basic ingredient amla has 30 times more vitamin C than orange and helps in strengthening the immune system and expediting the healing process. Regular intake of chyawanprash strengthens digestion, absorption and assimilation of food and balances stomach acids.

Heart and Brain
The perfect blend of Ayurvedic herbs acts as a cardiac stimulant and helps in smooth functioning of the heart. Chyawanprash nourishes the brain cells by supporting the nervous system and enhances co-ordination and memory power. The tonic is good for students as it increases retention and recall.

Lung, Liver and Kidneys
The smooth functioning of the lungs is facilitated by the regular intake of chyawanprash. Moisture balance is maintained in the lungs and gives new energy to respiratory system. Chyawanprash helps purify blood and invigorates the liver and helps to eliminate toxins. It helps the downward flow of energy in the body and eases constipation. Apart from these, the herbal jam eliminates wastes from the body without overworking the urinary system.

Other Benefits
The holistic traditional formula of chyawanprash improves skin complexion, glow and fights dermal bacterial infection. It promotes hair growth and helps absorption of calcium resulting in strong bones and teeth. It is especially good for alleviating cough and asthma. The anti-oxidant properties of the tonic act against the ageing process and maintain youthfulness. Chyawanprash enhances fertility, keeps menstruation regular and helps to overcome difficulties in conception. It also improves muscle tone by enhancing protein synthesis effectively.

i found this one at New Seasons 

acro goddesses

lovely acro yoginis
Rachel Plies , Sujata Shyam, Lila Donnolo
Saraswati, Kali, Lakshmi

{link}

planning a fireside yoga class... wishing for acro. ruminating about thai massage, herbalism...

knitting, planning knitting, procrastinating. my dad converted nearly 100 hours of family video to DVD... watching sister and i jump and ham for the camera in oklahoma, missouri, with family, birthdays, roller skate parties...

fun yoga class this morning. blessings!

Keeping Busy

I have felt quite... busy these days. When I sit down to knit, I start 3 different projects, making little to no progress on each. When I revel in a quite night at home, I find blogs to read, internet TV to watch, things to clean. And while this cleaning and catching up on life is necessary, I am finding it increasingly difficult to just BE. STILL. Its not surprising to observe that my daily sitting practice (whether it is a mantra, mudra, or pranayama) isn't happening. Yoga asana is a constant, but being that my favorite pose is handstand, perhaps I need a bit more grounding. I am also sick again. I am very aware of the positive effect sickness has on my meditation practice. So I try to be thankful when I feel like a booger factory, and spend some time observing the loftier thoughts that cross my mind. Reflecting on eternity, God and such.

The article below from Zen Habits popped up on my Google Reader (since I was impatient with the loading time on another website, and my default multi tasking brain auto piloted and opened up mail/reader/facebook almost before I could blink.

This Christmas, I think its time for a technology fast.

From Darkness to Light

We are experts at denying our experience. Take any habit that doesn’t serve you – compulsively shopping or staying busy, self-judgment, jealousy. If you trace it back to its root, you will find an expectation or feeling you have been avoiding.

These hidden aspects of ourselves thrive when we ignore them, leaving fear, desire, and lack to unconsciously drive our behavior. Once they are illuminated by becoming aware, we see how they operate, and we can make a different choice. No more conflict. No more confusion. Finally, peace.

Unearthing our inner experiences is like treasure hunting. Each one is a breadcrumb leading us out of the wilderness of discontent and into the light of a simple, conscious, lovely way of being. Suffering ends and freedom begins, leaving us available to happiness, wonder, enjoyment, and creativity.

The How-To

Exploring your triggers takes courage and openness. Prepare yourself for the journey by being willing:

• To be honest

• To feel pain but not wallow in it

• To let go of the old and change

• To contemplate a new kind of inner life not beset by distress and disturbance

• To be happy and peaceful

Now, begin to explore. Showing up as a loving presence to yourself is one of the most sane and compassionate things you could ever do.

1. When you are triggered, rather than playing it out in the usual way, stop and breathe.

2. Simply notice the thought patterns, feelings, and bodily sensations that are present. Don’t freak out – just be curious. What are you thinking? What is the energy behind the thoughts? What feelings and physical sensations are present? These questions allow you to become familiar with how your habits work so they no longer control you.

3. Find the most loving place inside you – the soft spot that melts when you encounter puppies, babies, or those most dear to you. Pour this love into the tension and painful feelings. This is the healing balm that untangles the knot.

4. Rinse and repeat every time you are struggling.

5. Move forward in a way that supports your clarity, happiness, and well being.

Example #1: Holding a Grudge

Say that you have been carrying around a grudge for a decade or two. To keep this grudge alive, you must be telling yourself a story about what should and shouldn’t have happened. You feel churned up inside, and your reaction is activated every time you face a person or situation that triggers the memories. This is no way to live.

Your thoughts about what happened are keeping you stuck. Release yourself by letting go of the story and feeling right into the pain. Break it down into its elements – thoughts and physical sensations. This is the experience that’s been plaguing you all along. Love those tender feelings, then go forth with fresh eyes.

This process doesn’t condone what happened, and it has nothing to do with the other person. It’s a choice you make for your peace and happiness.

Example #2: Relationship Problems

How many of us blame the other person for struggles in our relationships? We get caught in the trap of “if only” – if only the other would change, then I will feel more peaceful. This mindset will never solve the problem because you are making your peace dependent on something you can’t control – what other people say and do.

If your relationships bring you stress, make peace with your own reactions. Turn your attention inward to lovingly meet the frustration, disappointment, or fear that is triggered in you. Even though you may not like what you realize, when you accept things as they are, you are at peace. And seeing your role in the problem unlocks the possibility of experimenting with new and compassionate solutions.

Example #3: Habits and Addictions

Maybe you engage in a compulsive pattern that involves your actions, thoughts, or feelings. All challenging habits mask an unexplored emotion, usually fear or sadness.

Do you want to bring ease to your inner world? Stop, breathe, and move your kind attention into the feeling you’ve been avoiding. Love it every time it arises. Then follow Leo’s advice on changing habits, and you are well on your way to freeing yourself.

Can you see the value of becoming aware? Any inner knot can be untangled when you pay attention to it. Start with whatever is troubling you right now, and know that every moment of awareness simplifies.

The process of becoming aware is not a panacea that instantly cures all your ills. But you will notice some changes – space, ease, and, a depth of peace you never knew was possible.

Gail Brenner, Ph.D. is a psychologist who blogs at A Flourishing Life. 

into the blue

I finally returned to my community pool, after an unfortunately long absence. No wonder I never used my gym membership (finally quit), the tiny, neglected pools are disgusting compared to the clean, blue waters of my deep community center pool! Tall, bright windows on 2 walls, the sunset bringing refracted light into the waters as I reach and pull, kick and flip. Truly there is nothing more cathartic to me than swimming. Even with my super awesome new shoes I can't drag myself out to run on the pavement. But I am planning a super awesome sunny hike for Sunday (if the weather man is correct, and the rains give us a break!)

As I was searching for swimming images for this post, I naturally had to click on the one above. It brought me to an article about lap swim etiquette, which usually is a real bother. Thursday nights at my pool are evidently, one of the worst nights for lap swimmers. Swim Lessons take over one lane, 2 separate aquarobic classes take over 2-3 lanes, leaving us with 2 lanes. Which means the slow paced people have to share with the kick boarders, and the fast speedo dudes have to pace with the medium swimmers. One guy even busted out his kickboard in the fast lane! I gracefully took my kickboard over to the slow lane, and returned when finished with the set.

However, since it has been so long since I hit the pool, I was euphoric just to be there. Nothing could bring me down while floating around, care and gravity free.

After every lap swim, I take off my goggles, remove my swim cap, and dolphin dive down the lane for a few laps. Fortunately, the crowd had cleared out by the time I was ready to go, so I didn't disturb anyone with my childlike nonsense. In the deep end, I flip a few times, bob from the pool floor up to the top with enthusiasm. I feel my hair float and relish the blind sensations of underwater gracefulness. Underwater I am a ballerina, a world-class gymnast, an enchanted mermaid. When I leave the pool, I am a new woman.


images: {1  2}

pip pip!

*ahem*
Warning, self-congratulations follow soon!

Well, some boyfriend praising, too... this morning Travis and I actually got up (turned on the light) when the first alarm went off. Then the second alarm went off, and we really did hop up! And went for a walk! Huzzah!

Although we bike to work each morning, I feel guilty when tabulating my daily cardio count as 45 minutes of cycling, due to the fact that bike commuting involves alot of coasting, stop and go, and slow rolling. Which is good for not arriving to work a sweaty, red faced hot mess (unlike post-spin class). So I am determined to start working on my Chi Walk/Running (Darth Vader breathing anyone?) one step at a time. We walked, then I sprinted home.

So, here is my reward, a day of Julie Doiron on grooveshark. She is playing tomorrow night at one of my most favorite music venues, Mississippi Studios.

dirty dozen

{*}

I know its hard to spend the bucks on organic produce, but more research has come to light, demonstrating that small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can cause lasting damage to human health.

Fortunately, many sites are educating the masses on which produce you should attempt to by organic, and which ones can get by without.

{download here!}

Alternatively, spend $3 on a bell pepper start from your farmer's market, stick it in a bucket of dirt, and you'll reap the rewards all summer!

ninja training

{kameralek.blogg.no} via we heart it

Growing up a tomboy, my best friends and I tore around the neighborhood on bikes, climbing trees, hunting for treasure buried in yard sales, climbing trees and splashing through as many creeks as we could find.  I even once was mistaken for a boy (granted my long blonde hair was stuffed up into my baseball cap), though the appeal of looking like my best boy pals wore off as junior high, and other things hit (or didn't!) Seems like a natural progression, flinging from one extreme to another, from the frilly, tutu wearing girly identity phase of pre-k personality development, or as my mother called it, my Madonna phase (1980s kids!) and then rejecting all the frills for torn jeans and T-shirts to go faster on my bike and climb higher on trees.

I was also an expert lizard catcher! They adored my mom's chemical-free garden with thick, southern ivy, native flowers and herbs, and big flat rocks and boulders to sun themselves on in the afternoon.

Looking for a new way to enhance my adventures and fitness, this weekend, I tried on a pair of Vibram's Five-Finger MultiSport Shoes.

Pretty odd looking huh?! {REI.com}

I've been reading about the marvels of these new types of shoes, how the minimalist shoe enahnces the mid-foot strike, thereby reducing stress to the knees. Mark from Mark's Daily Apple is a big fan:

"They provide the physiological benefits of going barefoot with the advantage of having some level of armor against the elements. You don’t have to worry about stubbing your toe, or cutting your feet on glass or other sharp objects you are bound to come across in your travels. And you also don’t have to fret over the damage years of sneaker wearing would invariably do to your feet." {Read more about flat feet and shoe damage!}

I don't expect to see these on any fashion spreads any time soon, but after reading about some of the damage just regular shoes can cause, (not to mention high heels... I can't even deal with those anymore) I think I'll start paying a little more attention to my health below the knees. They are crazy popular, and out of stock in my local store, even the website is on backorder. But they will be mine... eventually!