Traveling

Hi Everyone!

I am heading to Maine this morning and probably won't have internet for several days.  Next time you hear from me I should be all moved into my new place!  Talk to you soon!

Namaste

The Chakras

Last Friday we discussed the cosmic vibration, Aum.  In that post I promised to talk about the chakras, so here we go!

Image from www.angels-earth-and-energy.com

Chakras are energy centers in the astral body.  They each have a corresponding center in the spinal cord and nerve plexuses in the physical body.  Swami Satyananda Saraswati describes the chakras as "vortices of pranic energy at specific areas in the body which control the circulation of prana permeating the entire human structure. Each chakra is a switch which turns on or opens up patterns of behavior, thought or emotional reactions which may have been unconscious in our everyday life."


There are seven major chakras:


1. Muladhara Chakra
Location: Lower end of the spinal column, corresponding to the sacral plexus
Presiding Deity: Brahma
Resonating Sound: Lam
Element: Earth
Sense: Smell
Behavior: Basic needs


2. Swadhisthana Chakra
Location: Genital organs, corresponding to the prostatic/vaginal plexus
Presiding Deity: Vishnu
Resonating Sound: Vam
Element: Water
Sense: Taste
Behavior: Positive/negative thoughts, physiological needs


3. Manipura Chakra
Location: Navel, corresponding to the solar plexus
Presiding Deity: Rudra
Resonating Sound: Ram
Element: Fire
Sense: Sight
Behavior: Motivation/Ego


4. Anahata Chakra 
Location: Heart, corresponding to the cardiac plexus
Presiding Deity: Isha
Resonating Sound: Yam
Element: Air
Sense: Touch
Behavior: Cosmic love


5. Vishuddha Chakra
Location: Throat, corresponding to the pharyngeal plexus
Presiding Deity: Sadasiva
Resonating Sound: Ham
Element: Ether
Sense: Hearing
Behavior: Power of speach, the ability to make people hear and understand you


6. Ajan Chakra
Location: Between the eyebrows, corresponding to the cavernous plexus
Presiding Deity: Paramasiva
Resonating Sound: Om
Element: Avyakta (primordial cloud of undifferentiated energy and matter)
Behavior: Liberation and intuition based knowledge


7. Sahasrara
Location: Above the crown of the head
Presiding Deity: Siva
Behavior: Pure consciousness

Summer Sweet Tooth

I found this great recipe on the Vegetarian Times website!  Super delicious!


Raspberry Oatmeal Bars

Vegetarian Times Issue: July 1, 2008   p.72 

Feel free to try this recipe with different jams (blueberry and apricot work well). You can also add 1/2 cup nuts to the batter for extra protein and energy on long hikes.

Ingredient List

Makes 16 bars

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, divided
• 1 cup raspberry jam

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 9-inch-square baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Sift together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in large bowl.
3. Cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla and almond extracts until smooth. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; mix until combined. Stir in 13/4 cups oats. Spread 2/3 of batter on bottom of prepared baking dish. Spread raspberry jam over the batter with back of spoon.
4. Add remaining 1/4 cup oats to remaining batter. Crumble over top of raspberry jam. Bake 30 minutes, or until golden. Cool, then cut into bars.

Rain, Rain, Go Away

I personally like rain, but after two weeks of nothing but gray skies and drizzle the weather is starting to get me down. Although yoga teaches us to be content regardless of outside influences, I think we all start feeling the lethargy inherent in endless days of rain. So how do we step out of the gloom when even the sun doesn't want to come out?  It's all about individual balance.  To get started, we should take a look at Ayurveda to better understand our change in energy. 

There are three doshas, or mind/body types, in Ayurveda; Vata (air), Pitta (fire/water), and Kapha (earth/water). (If you have some extra time you can take this quiz to find out what your dominant dosha is: http://www.whatsyourdosha.com/quiz/) Although everyone has a dominant dosha, they are constantly changing within you.  Ayurvedic medicine and treatments seek to balance all three for optimal health. The following is a simple breakdown of the energy of each dosha when it is out of balance:

Vata (air) - Flighty, anxious

Pitta (fire/water) - Irritable, prickly

Kapha (earth/water) - Lethargic, stubborn, prone to overeating 

With the sun hiding behind the clouds, and the weather lingering between warm and cold, most people will experience an imbalance in Kapha. Knowing this, there are simple things we can do to pick ourselves up and regain balance:

1. Get moving! Even though you really don't want to, get some exercise. Feel the burn as you enhance Pitta.

2. Drink lots of warm water infused with warming spices such as turmeric, dried ginger, and black pepper.

3. Go to bed early and get up early, before sunrise. 

There is a great website with recommendations for balancing all of the doshas.  I used it as a source for the above information and strongly recommend everyone read it! http://www.ayurbalance.com/exploreindex.htm

Hopefully this rain will let up soon and we can all get a little sunshine!

Aum

'Aum' is a sound we've all heard, whether in a yoga class, a meditation course, or just joking around about yoga. But what is 'aum'?  Why this sound?

Aum is the cosmic vibration uniting matter and spirit. 

Yeah, ok Stephanie, what the heck does that mean?   'Pranava, the sound of the creative Aum vibration, is the mother of all sounds.' I do not want this in any way to become a religious discussion, but being raised with biblical stories I am going to use a bible verse to illustrate, in a hopefully relatable way, what is meant by creative sound. Something I believe everyone has heard, from Genesis, "God said, 'Let there be light' and there was light." This is the Aum, the creative vibration present in all things.

In meditation, the meditator hears specific vibratory sounds emanating from each of the spinal chakra centers (which we will discuss later). Aum is the basis for all sound.

In the microcosmic universe of the body of man, the Aum vibration works through the vital activities in the astral spinal centers of life with their creative vibratory elements of earth, water, fire, air, and ether. Through these, man's body is created, enlivened, and sustained. These vibrations emit characteristic variations of Pranava as they operate. The devotee whose consciousness becomes attuned to these inner astral sounds finds himself gradually ascending to higher states of realization. (Paramahansa Yogananda)

Celebrate the creative sound of Aum this weekend!  In the space you practice yoga, meditation, relaxation, whatever it is, sing the sounds of Aum. As loud as you can (this is a celebration!) repeat the "AH" sound 9 times. Then the "OH" sound 9 times. And the "MM" sound 9 times.  Done in any space this practice will lighten the energy of the room. 

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

AUM! and Namaste

Ujjayi Pranayama - Sleep Soundly

Ujjayi pranayama is traditionally practiced throughout an entire Ashtanga Vinyasa practice due to its heating effect on the body.  When performed alone, it soothes the nervous system and calms the mind. It is relaxing at both the physical and psychic levels, making it ideal for those suffering from insomnia.

• Sit comfortably, or lay in savasana
• Begin taking even, steady breaths (always through the nose)
• Bring your concentration to the back of the throat
• Gently contract the glottis to make a soft snoring sound, similar to the sound you hear when placing your ear against a conch shell
• Inhalation and exhalation should be slow, steady, and even in length, producing the sound throughout
• Begin with 5 minutes, gradually increasing to 20 minutes

Some have trouble understanding the sound that should be produced in Ujjayi pranamaya. The book, Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha, by Swami Satyananda Saraswati describes the technique as follows:

Feel or imagine that the breath is being drawn in and out through the throat and not through the nostrils, as if it is taking place through a small hole in the throat.

Ujjayi pranayama can be practiced as often as you like.  For those using it to help with insomnia, it can be practiced while lying in bed before sleep.

Self-Reflection

We talk about self-reflection a lot in yoga. Most understand that it's a good practice, but it can be a bit daunting at first.  Adding a little structure to the process can help.  Yesterday, I read about keeping a reflective journal. I think it's an excellent idea that can help train you to think and solve problems more effectively.

From the Communication Skills Manual of Childbirth International:

Reflection is a process through which we look not only at what happened in a situation, but why. Reflection enables us to go beyond the surface of our experiences and to explore the reasons why we and others acted in certain ways, what influenced us, what choices we made, and whether those choices supported our goals. With reflection, we are able to see a whole range of alternatives we may not have identified at the time of the event in question, and can examine why we did not identify and/or choose any of those alternatives. Reflection helps us to be aware of our own power, even if at times we realize that we didn't use our power.

Once you've worked through some simple daily trials in reflection, you can apply the technique to bigger events in your past. The purpose of this isn't to dwell on the past - we know that yoga is about living in the now - but learning from your actions and the actions of others in order to avoid future conflict. 

Handling the Unexpected

This weekend was evidently a rough one for some Blogger staff members. Some form of 'technical difficulty' occurred, resulting in a LOT of missing posts, worldwide. As far as my blog goes, Wednesday's post on old memories and Thursday's post on back pain disappeared. Thursday's post has been restored, but Wednesday's is still missing. While it is rather frustrating to have lost my work, the situation has presented a great subject for today's blog - dealing with the unexpected.

I am a very firm believer that everything happens for a reason (see Karma's a Bleep!). At the very least, we are constantly presented with opportunities to learn. Taking that viewpoint when things don't go your way can change your perspective on your entire life. Remember, experiences are neither good, nor bad; they are simply opportunities to clear our karma.

So, the next time your plans fall through, or you meet an unexpected setback, take a minute before you freak out. Don't move a muscle. Don't breath, don't blink, don't think. Let your emotions come, and experience them, but don't act. After that wave has passed you will be able to step back and see the truth and value behind what happened.

For whatever reason Wednesday's post is gone. That's ok. Maybe it wasn't the right time to write about old memories. Someday it will be and I can repost then.  Until such time, I appreciate the work done by Blogger's staff and I know I wouldn't have this great platform for sharing without them.

Namaste

Testing 1, 2, 3

Hi Everyone!

There were evidently some difficulties over the weekend with Blogger.  I'm still missing Wednesday's post, so today's is just going to be a trial to see if things are running properly again.  Hopefully I can get back to some real writing again shortly!

Have a great Monday!

Twist Away Your Sore Back

Most people suffer from some form of back pain; especially those who spend their days working at a desk. While many try to relieve this pain by arching their backs, there is a more effective method, Parivrtta Sukhasana or revolved easy pose.

Parivrtta Sukhasana

Sit with your legs crossed comfortably, your spine straight, head neutral.  You may sit on a folded blanket or cushion if your hips are not flexible enough to sit comfortably on the floor. 

• Place your left hand on your right knee, and your right hand behind your hips.
• As you inhale, elongate your spine, reaching your head towards the ceiling (be sure to keep your chin level with the floor - reaching up with the spine, not the face).
• Exhale and gently twist to the right. 
• Hold the twist for five breaths, elongating your spine on the inhale and twisting deeper on the exhale.
• Inhale to release.

Repeat on the other side. 

After completing the twist, lay your torso forward over your legs in a modified Baddha Konasana. 

Baddha Konasana (modified)

Open the Floodgates!

I had such a great day yesterday! I checked off my ENTIRE checklist!  This checklist has been running for nearly a year now. Having this weight off my shoulders I expected to have a great practice this morning and a well focused meditation. Surprise! My mind was going a million miles an hour, and still is. It would appear that the items on my checklist were occupying so much of my mind that they were serving as a sort of floodgate. Yoga Sutra I.2 says, "yoga is the cessation of the movements in the consciousness". Yoga gives us the tools to naturally settle these movements, but in order for that to happen your thoughts must be faced. You cannot still what isn't before you.

I am the queen of procrastination.  I always thought it worked pretty well for me though. I was always very productive and often came up with some of my best work when it was done under pressure.  This is the first time I've seen the real consequences of putting things off. The Bhagavad Gita warns that "actionlessness is not attained simply by avoiding action. By forsaking work no one reaches perfection" (III:4).  Lesson learned!

Get on that checklist! Finish up everything that's hanging over your head. Soon the rush of thoughts following the release of the floodgates will settle and any small ripples flowing your way in the future will be easily dispersed.

Crazy Good Salad

Ok - so I'm fairly certain this doesn't count as "cooking" per se, but I had a totally amazing salad this weekend and I had to share!  It's a super easy prepackaged Dole salad.  It's baby spinach, blue cheese crumbles, dried cherries, sliced roasted almonds, and a white balsamic vinaigrette. Yum!

Now, I did actually do a little cooking to add some protein.  I added tempeh, cooked in olive oil, and it was delicious!

Stopping Time

Yesterday we discussed samyama, when 3 hours feels like 10 minutes. Today we are going to look into why this happens and how it relates to reaching samadhi.

Yoga Sutra III.53 says, "By samyama on moment and on the continuous flow of moments, the yogi gains exalted knowledge, free from the limitations of time and space."  

Let's start with a nice logic based preface; Einstein’s theories of relativity, specifically the concept of time dilation. This theory explains that the passage of time depends on the motion of the observer. The example often given to illustrate this theory is of an astronaut traveling near the speed of light then returning to Earth to find that more time had passed there than he had observed on his journey. In a similar way, when engaged in meditation, or samyama, an hour can pass by in what seems like a few minutes. In samyama, the ‘motion’ of the mind has come to a stand-still, thus arresting time in the gross world and allowing the consciousness (the observer) to ‘travel at light speed’ through the subtle world. 

Sutra IV.13 further discusses time; "The three phases of time (past, present, and future) intermingle rhythmically and interweave with the qualities of nature. They change the composition of nature's properties into gross and subtle."  (For a review of the qualities of nature see Sattvic Diet, April 28)

A single moment is pure. As it moves into the next moment, creating a chain of moments reaching into the past and the future, it is affected by the gunas and time takes on the qualities of sattva, rajas, and tamas. Consider the quiet calm of an impending storm, when the whole world seems to stand perfectly still.  In that moment of stillness there is purity and the potential for anything. It is only when that moment goes into motion and moves into the future that the clouds suddenly break lose taking on the rajasic and tamasic qualities of a thunderstorm. 

Any moment has the capacity to absorb any combination of the qualities of nature, but will only do so when put into the movement of time. This relationship links the three phases of time and the three qualities of nature eternally. 

By samyama, the yogi can learn to live only in the pure moment of the present, the calm before the storm, unaffected by the past and the future and thus unaffected by the qualities of nature. No longer limited by time and space, the yogi attains samadhi. 

Samyama - Meditation Your Way

Samyama is the combination of the last three limbs of ashtanga yoga, dharana, dyana, and samadhi. 

So you're probably thinking, "Great. I can barely even do dharana (concentration), how am I supposed to do all three together?!" Well, guess what? You already know how to do this one! Everyone has activities that they lose themselves in.  You start getting into it and before you know it 3 hours have passed and it felt like 10 minutes.  That is samyama!  And it is a great step towards uniting your soul with the Universal. Eventually you will be able to reach that same state in a traditional 'meditation', but for now just be yourself! 

This weekend go out and do whatever your samyama activity is.  It can literally be anything (so long as it isn't going against any of our yamas and niyamas). Mine is dancing - yay! 

Zucchini-Tomato Gratin

It's been a long time since I posted a recipe!  Coming off a new moon fast, I decided it would be appropriate.  I got this recipe from Vegetarian Times online. This is a GREAT website.  Some of my favorite features include the ingredient sub list, produce storage guide, and of course the seemingly endless supply of awesome recipes!

Vegetarian Times Issue: July 1, 2009   p. 64

For a light entrée on a summer night, this dish is just the ticket. Salting and draining the zucchini and tomatoes before baking prevents them from releasing excess moisture as they bake, so the gratin stays firm, not soggy.

Ingredient List  (Serves 4)

• 1 1/2 lb. tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 2 medium zucchini (1 lb.), cut into 1/8-inch-thick diagonal slices
• 1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. olive oil, divided
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 Tbs. roughly chopped kalamata olives
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced basil leaves
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (1 1/2 oz.), divided

Directions

1. Drape tomato slices over colander, sprinkle with salt, and let drain 45 minutes.
2. Spread zucchini on baking sheet, and sprinkle with salt. Let stand 30 minutes to sweat out excess moisture. Rinse well, and pat dry.
3. Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat 1 tsp. oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté zucchini 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden. Transfer to plate. Do this in 2 batches if necessary, adding more oil between batches.
4. Layer half of zucchini slices in 8-inch-square baking pan. Top with half of tomatoes. Sprinkle with half of garlic, 1 Tbs. olives, half of basil, and ı/4 cup Parmesan cheese; season with freshly ground black pepper. Repeat with remaining zucchini, tomatoes, garlic, olives, and basil. Drizzle top with 1 Tbs. oil, and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Cover with foil, and bake 10 minutes. Remove foil, and bake 20 minutes more, or until cheese is melted and gratin is bubbling. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Learning from Idiots

I had an encounter this morning with one of those people who feels the need to point out every mistake anyone makes, who demeans anyone expressing an opposing opinion to theirs, and generally must put everyone down to make themselves feel good. It's challenging sometimes to ignore people like this. But, every interaction gives us an opportunity to learn. If you recall from our conversation on swadhyaya, the study of sacred texts includes studying people.

Imagine the state of this person's mind. Constantly seeking out other's faults must be exhausting! This kind of person is continuously feeding their ego and in return is cultivating an increasingly negative attitude. As their negative attitude grows, so does their desire to bring others down to their level. Do not engage with these people! "Forget the shortcomings of other people and work to improve yourself first." Even when you know you're right! =)

The moral of this story - take this kind of interaction as a chance to learn about and improve yourself. Do not try to improve them, that's their job.

Quotation from Tirisula Yoga, Yoga Philosophy Manual.

God Bless America

With the news of the death of Osama bin Laden has come a torrent of celebration. In the loving nature of yoga I present you with the following quote in hopes of creating thoughts of a higher nature than revenge:

Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.   -Martin Luther King, Jr.

There was another line attributed to Martin Luther King, Jr. in today's frenzy which I posted on my facebook. After further research, I couldn't find the true composer of these potent words:

I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy.  -Unknown

God Bless Us All
Namaste

Moon Days

In traditional Ashtanga Yoga, asanas are not practiced during the full moon and the new moon. Much like planet Earth, our bodies are roughly 70% water (depending on body size).  As such, we are affected by the gravitational pull of the moon. Tim Miller, the first American certified to teach Ashtanga Yoga by Pattabhi Jois, explains it beautifully:

The full moon energy corresponds to the end of inhalation when the force of prana is greatest.  This is an expansive, upward moving force that makes us feel energetic and emotional, but not well grounded. The Upanishads state that the main prana lives in the head. During the full moon we tend to be more headstrong.  

The new moon energy corresponds to the end of exhalation when the force of apana is greatest. Apana is a contracting, downward moving force that makes us feel calm and grounded, but dense and disinclined towards physical exertion.

Under the effect of these energy extremes, we are more likely to suffer injuries on these days - either from over-exertion or fatigue. 

This may seem a bit hokey at first, but as your practice continues and becomes more regular you will begin to recognize the many ways our bodies correspond with the rhythms of nature.

Tomorrow is a new moon. Take the day off from asanas and just observe how you feel in comparison to the remainder of the week.