Kumbh Mela 2013

Kumbh Mela 2013 is one of the biggest Hindu Pilgrimage and festival in Hinduism from January 14 - February 3rd.  Pilgrims gather at the sacred river to bathe and purify their souls, and cleanse from sins.  It happens every 12 years.  The last Festival had an estimated 70 million participants and this current one is expected to have over 100 million participants.  People come from all over the world, to bathe in the sacred rivers, to witness the Sadhus (dressed in orange), naga baba's (naked as symbol complete aparigrapha), yogis,  and other devotees immerse themselves in this sacred ritual to cleanse their souls and purify from any negative energy.

The river Ganga-Yamuna and mythical Saraswati are said to hold the necatar from the Kumbh (pitcher) of the Gods after the seas were churned.  Aside from witnessing the mass baptismal like purification of Hindu devotees, people who participate enjoy spiritual discourses, devotional kirtan, and feeding of many people (holy people and poor).

I Heart Chia Seeds

For many people who were around in the 80's the popular commercial on Television was for Chia Pets.  The concept of spreading wet seeds on the pottery animal figure only to watch it grow was a novelty gift.  Today the same Chia Seeds also called Salvia Hispanica L are being embraced as the best super food around.  For those of us who are determined to embrace a healthier lifestyle this new year, we need options with optimal benefits.  There are many people who question how to ensure protein or calcium levels when eating a plant based diet, and need options.  This article is about one of my favorite options which is loaded with health benefits and has a recommended daily intake of only 1 TBS a day.  Be sure to drink plenty of water as they are high in fibre.

I Love Chia Seeds and here is my TOP 10 reasons why you should too!

1. It is 20% protein and a complete protein with all 8 essential amino acids.
2. It is super high in fibre which aids in digestion
3. It has 20% Omega ALA great for brain and heart health (8 times more than Salmon)
4. It is loaded with antioxidants (4 times more than blueberries)
5. It is high in Iron (3 times more than in spinach)
6. It balances blood glucose levels (therefore great for diabetics)
7. It is Gluten Free (for those conscious about the GMO Wheat or those with wheat intolerance)
8. It is high in potassium (2 times more than in a banana) 
9. It is high in Calcium and Magnesium (5 times the amount found in milk along with boron for absorption)
10. It is high in vitamin C (7 times more than found in oranges)

BONUS BENEFITS

1. Vegans can use as an egg replaces by adding water (Ratio is 3 Tbs Water, 1 Tbs Chia Seeds = 1 Egg)
2. Tapioca Fans can use it for that Tapioca Pudding Treat Fix they crave (1/4 cup Chia Seeds, 1 cup almond/coconut milk add your cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg, 4 dates for sweetness, blend together, let sit for 90 minutes in the fridge and VOILA!!!)
3. You can add to your daily smoothie for added sweetness
4. You can sprinkle onto your cereal or oatmeal
5. You can sprinkle onto your yogurt for a nice crunch

You can sprinkle Chia Seeds onto most of your foods for the healthy benefits, and texture.  Also it is great to note that Chia seeds are excellent for healthy hair, skin and nails.  Cha Cha Cha Chia!!!

Happy New Year 2013

Happy New Year, welcoming the year of the snake, 2013, the age of aquarius.  I cannot enter this new year without gratitude for 2012.  The previous year brought me so many adventures all over India, Canada, USA (LA, NYC) to share Yoga Teacher Training as a guest teacher or a host, to inspire & be inspired.  I have so much gratitude to the students, and co-teachers who shared in these amazing experiences.  The previous year also brought me challenges for which I am grateful for the opportunity to grow and learn.

We made it passed the Maayan Apocolypse and have entered a new chapter.  While most gyms and yoga studios are busy promoting packages for a healthy start to the new year, individuals are setting goals to trim the waistline, and people all over and hopeful for a better year, commitment to the plan is key.  Whether your goal is better health, better relationships, better job, better travel, better spiritual evolution, all goals require a purpose, a plan, and a positive outlook.  While I would recommend daily asana, pranayama, and a healthy diet which includes more vegetables & fruits and less sugar and processed or GMO products, no adjustments should ever be approached with the mental process of deprivation, but instead JOY.  In fact we should enjoy the process and focus on the benefits.  Regardless of your resolution this new year, enjoy the process and have an attitude of gratitude.

TOP 10 Ways to Begin an AMAZING 2013:

1. With a heart of Gratitude: Be thankful as often as possible, to people, to your faith, to your blessings and lessons/challenges.
2. With a Dream Board: Creating a Picture Board with dreams and aspirations to help motivate you to maintain focus on making dreams come true.
3. Clean your space: Make your space sacred and recognize the direct impact our surroundings have on our mental and emotional body, so get rid of the clutter.
4. Clean your Heart: Sometimes you cannot get rid of the clutter of people that surround you, but you can adjust the amount of attention you give to negative people/situations, focus on the roses in your life rather than thorns.  Ignore the haters and wish them well.
5. With Healthy Dietary Intake: While some may view dieting as a means of deprivation, instead commit to increasing water intake to maintain hydration, and increasing healthy items at meal times.  Eventually the glowing skin, healthy energy and weight loss will inspire a lifestyle change that is commited to healthy dietary habits.
6. With a Quiet Mind: Quiet the Noise, commit to at least 10 minutes a day away from noise, either in prayer or meditation.  No gadgets, no requirements, except stillness and deep breaths.
7. With Affirmation: Our word/mantra have a direct effect on our lives, so consciously choose your words.
8. Give: Spend some time in Karma Yoga, or Volunteering.  Give back to the community, to an individual, donate clothes, donate time.....give and only then does the Universe give back.
9. With movement:  While stillness is wonderful, our body is meant to move.  Choose to walk, ride a bike, dance, run, or challenge yourself in your asana practice, take a group fitness class, pole dance class, zumba class....whatever inspires you to move and get your heart rate up.  Also move your mind by enjoying music, reading, and taking courses/classes like Yoga Teacher Training, Reiki, Meditation etc., to evolve your being.
10. LOVE: Love yourself, celebrate yourself, and Love the world around you.  The grumpy people might be annoyed by your zest for life, but soon enough your LOVE may soften their heart.

Wishing everyone an amazing 2013 with love, peace, joy, adventure, prosperity, health, and many opportunities to give thanks.  Thank you all for sharing in the journey. Namaste

Yoga for Better Digestion

While the tail end of the year is considered Holiday Season with Thanksgiving, Diwali, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza etc., it is a time when many people enjoy lavish meals.  Lately, I have been getting so many emails from my students who want to know How Yoga can help Digestion Problems.  The first thing each of us should examine is our food consumption because this is the initial cause of digestive problems. 

With many leading Western Doctors like Dr. Max Gerson (creator of Gerson Theraphy Treatment), Dr Fuhrman (author of Eat to Live), Dr. William Davis (author of Wheat Belly) stirring controversy by advocating the "Food is Medicine Theory", it is unanimous that dietary adjustments can lead to improved health and disease prevention.  Dr. Gerson's Treatment has helped many people cure and eliminate cancer and various other diseases with specific juicing and dietary changes.  Dr. Fuhrman has helped patients lose weight, lose psoriosis, lower blood sugar, lower blood pressure, lose migraines, and increase energy and encourages patients to use food as medicine.  Dr. Davis believes cutting out all wheat products will result in better health, weight loss, and disease prevention due to the GMO wheat that contains a protein complex that leaves people hungry and with increased insulin.  All three doctors have had incredible success stories, and only spark controversy in the Western World because of promoting food rather than pharmacy.

In the ancient practice of yoga, the sister science of Ayurveda examines the individuals unique constitution and first offers dietary adjustments for improved health.  This concept of consuming foods that improve your digestion like Vegetables, Roots, Legumes, Fruits, Seeds etc has been around for centuries.  Therefore, this new found research has ancient years of Ayurveda study to back it up.

Is it easy to adjust your diet?  Ultimately it is up to the individual.  Obesity, Disease and Dimentia was not as rampant decades ago, and if we analyze the food intake there is direct correlation.  Some will say that we all die anyways, but dietary changes is not for death prevention but rather for overall health & quality of life improvement.  These dietary changes provide the superficial benefits of a sexy body, glowing youthful skin, but also have proven to lead to reduction and prevention of today's leading diseases.

With regard to Yoga Asana, the best poses to help digestion are twists.  Often times twists are the yoga poses that help to "ring out the internal organs" and help the detoxification process.  One Beautiful Yoga Asana that is wonderful for digestion is Revolved Triangle Pose (Parvritta Trikonasana). 

Revolved Triangle Pose (Parvritta Trikonasana) with Ulrike and Ambria giving the Adjustment in Kerala, India.

Start your twist on the right side first. 

1. Step or jump out to the right on your yoga mat.  With 3 feet distance between your feet.
2. Point your right toes to the back of your mat, and angle your left foot 45 degrees.
3. Keep both points of your hips pointing to the parallel side of your mat
4. Turn to your back foot, right hand on hip and left hand high to the sky
5. Root down in your back foot with a slight lift of the inner arch & engage * uddiyana bandah.
6. Inhale, and as you exhale hinge forward at the waist with your left hand reaching down
7. Depending on range of motion (beginner to advance) allow your left hand to float to the outside of your shin on a block, or flat on the floor on the outside of your foot.
8. Inhale and continue to lengthen through the crown of the head, keeping the spine long.
9. Exhale and extend the right hand up to the sky with the gaze on the right hand.
10. Every inhalation lengthen, every exhalation twist a little deeper, allow breath to initiate movement.  Breathe comfortably. Lift the Corners of your lips (SMILE).
11. To exit the pose, exhale and gaze to your foot, inhale and slowly rise up extending both arms out to the side, exhale hands to the hips.
12. Step to the front of your mat and repeat on the other side.

Happy Thanksgiving Yogis

This is the time of year many families and friends across North America get together and eat till they sleep.  This is one of the busiest times at American Airports.  Many yogis engage in Pot-lucks at their yoga studios.  Some studios who embrace the practice of yoga with Ahimsa, encourage students to eat vegan/vegetarian Thanksgiving.

For many years I used to volunteer at the Missionaries of Charity in NYC, and the past few years I invited yoga students to join me for serving food on Thanksgiving at the shelter, as it was a bigger event and required more volunteers than weekly meals.

Volunteering at Missionaries of Charity, BX, NYC with some Amazing Yoga Students.

While many people view thanksgiving as a chance to consume ridiculously large amounts of foods that leave us in a food coma, or nothing more than a mass slaughtering of turkeys, or a celebration of the genocide that took place years ago, it still is a HUGE north American Holiday.  Regardless of what we eat, it is important to take the time to reflect & give thanks.  Truly, giving thanks and celebrating our loved ones should be done on a regular basis for an abundant life and not just annually.   Some folks may say I cannot think of things to be thankful for, so perhaps you should start with a list of 5 things.  Sadly our consumer driven society leaves many people in a feeling of "lack" or "dissatisfaction" when we truly have more than most people in other parts of the world.  If only we take a moment to reflect with gratitude, only then will more blessings out pour.

List for ways to make thanksgiving more than just a annual event of eating.

1.  Give thanks at every meal, acknowledging mother nature/God, the hands that made the food, and the people you share the meal with.
2. Adopt a turkey from Farm Sanctuary's Adopt a Turkey Project.
3. Volunteer at a local shelter to give food to people who otherwise would have nothing or donate canned goods.
4. Volunteer at a local hospital or animal shelter.
5. Make your yoga practice, every breath an inhalation of gratitude, every asana an offering of thanks.
6. Keep a daily meditation practice of gratitude
7. Keep a daily journal and list all the blessings in your life.
8. Be Thankful for the people in your life always, and make sure they feel your gratitude and love.
9. Add some detoxification yoga asana and foods to your life, so that you can be kind to your digestive system.
10. Smile and Say Thank at every chance you get!

Wishing you all a wonderful day filled with love, peace, joy and thanksgiving! ~ Namaste

New Moon in Scorpio and Happy Diwali

Tuesday November 13th at 5pm EST marks the New Moon in Scorpio.  The New Moon is all about new beginnings, and Scorpio is the water sign for transformation, abundance, and elimination.  It is also the sign for passion, financial gain, and prosperity.  This is a powerful time for new romance, or end to relationships that no longer serve you.  Being that Scorpio is a sign associated with passion, it is wonderful to give focus to the Swadhisthana Chakra in our yoga practice, which governs the reproductive system, passion, and creativity.  The Farmers Almanac, ancient civilization all watch the patterns of the new moon to prepare for harvest.  Some suggest to create a list of wishes or affirmations during this powerful period of cleansing as Scorpio is the sign that says "I Desire".  With Mercury in Retrograde a lot of emotions and chaos may stir up in lines of communication and it is a chance for us to better ourselves.  Just remember regardless of your belief, when we let go of anger, grudges and negative thoughts we only make room in our hearts for good things and better health.  

 This incredible New Moon in Scorpio is also falling on a Solar Eclipse, and the start of Diwali or Deepavali (The Festival of Lights).  This festival of lights celebrates Laksmi the Goddess of Love & Abundance, and the lights signify the triumph of Good over Evil.

 This is a time of sweets, celebration and lights to illuminate the hearts of all people.  Oil Lamps, lanterns illuminate the homes of millions of Hindus all over the world.  Wishing all my Hindu friends, brothers and sisters all over the world a Happy Diwali.

Regardless of religious beliefs, we should always embrace the chance to shine light in our heart and dispel darkness, to celebrate life with love and eradicate negative thoughts, to wish for prosperity and joy by sharing prosperity and joy with all the people we encounter.  We will only find this abundance of light and love in our external world when we have it in our own heart ~ Namaste

You Can Heal Your Life

Most people who practice yoga can attest to the healing benefits they have experienced with yoga.  People have healed both their body and their mind with yoga.  One of the biggest aspects of this healing is the breath.  Taking the time to connect with the breath, allow the body to flow with deep breaths, and quiet all the clutter/memories in the subconscious mind (chitta).

What I have noticed from true devotees of the practice is the ability to live with compassion, to take responsibility for their own lives, the ability to forgive themselves and others, and most importantly the ability to live with JOY.  When I say "true devotees", I mean the folks who look beyond asana, who look beyond labels and accolades, and really shine with radiant light & compassion in their eyes that light in their eyes which only comes from embracing the 8 Limbed practice of yoga. 

What is the most repeated concept in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali?  Cheerfulness and JOY.  Some would say, how can we have joy when others are so mean, or when we had to endure this trauma, or when this always happens to me?  Sadly some Yoga Enthusiasts may say only when I can perfect that asana, or when I can make it past the Ashtanga Primary Series......Very interesting mantras.

What about changing those mantras to positive affirmations like.... kind and loving people are always attracted to me, I am strong enough to forgive, understand and be grateful for all experiences, and amazing things always happen to me.  What about evolving past perfecting an asana, and embracing the chance to be present with your breath without judgement or expectation, knowing full well that nothing is ever perfect?  What about being fine with making it through Surya Namaskar A & B devoid of the expectation of anything more than connecting to your breath?

From my experience, teaching, studies and observations I have learned we are truly creatures of habit both on and off the yoga mat.  Patterns, unconscious and conscious that have everything to do with the patterns established in our childhood, belief systems.  It is easy to blame someone else, feel apathy, or say it is karma.  While things may well be our destiny or past life karma, our choice and our evolution comes from how we react, how we recognize the things we allow & enable, and how we establish our self worth and most importantly how we forgive and let go.  This comes from an  unbiased analysis of relationship patterns established from our formative years.

The Vedas began hinting at Dharma, Karma, then Yoga Sutras outlined the "handbook" to conscious living towards enlightenment, Jesus enlightened people in the Bible on power of faith & forgiveness, The Buddah asked for us to see how all is one, Transcendental Meditation elaborated or power of silence, and modern western gurus have elaborated with studies of NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming), therapy, hypnosis etc.

Today we have people like Tony Robbins, Louise Hay, Wayne Dyer, Deepak Chopra, Prema Chodron, and many more encouraging people to change their belief systems, or Yoga Teachers elaborating on the Bhagavad Gita & Yoga Sutras to help people take control of their life.  I am one of those teachers who emphasizes the importance of the Yoga Sutras so Yoga can be embraced as a path to enlightenment along with the benefit of a slimmer waist. 

Generally the message of positive affirmations is agreed upon by both ancient Eastern and Modern Western Gurus.  This notion that we create our journey, that everything is our creation, or a reflection of us.  This idea that what makes us mad is actually not the other person, our job, our achievements or lack their of but a deeper pattern behavior or vrittis (misconceptions).  Recognizing that every aspect of this Universe, every relationship is truly a reflection of our deepest belief systems that we control.

योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः ॥२॥
yogaś-citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ ||2||
When you are in a state of yoga, all misconceptions (vrittis) that can exist in the mutable aspect of human beings (chitta) disappear. ||2||

But like the phrase goes, when you point one finger - 3 are pointing back.  I recognized that I myself still need to apply some of the precepts of this practice into my own life and yoga practice.  Hence why Yoga is a practice and why in life we repeat lessons, until they are learned.  The Modern Western Guru who I referred to, to help many students worldwide is Louise Hay.  Her story, and her outline of affirmations to change our body, relationships and environment with affirmation, breathe and conscious living, is nothing short of brilliant.  While I love the Holy Bible, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, and the Bhagavad Gita...I think Louise writes an easy to read, easy to relate text, and modern version to self healing & enlightenment.  

If you are a Yoga Teacher or student this is a book you should invest in for your self healing and to understand behavior patterns to help others.  If you are a person who struggles in relationships, with finances, with health, or anything.....this is the book for you.  If you are a person who thinks you know best, and yet you struggle with physical illness or job issues.....then this is especially the book for you.  Life is too short to waste time with negative energy, so keep your thoughts, environment and heart shinning with love ~ Namaste