Yogamint In Depth

Darkness Brings the Dawn

Sun, 23 Sep 2012 07:00:00 GMT

Human beings naturally prefer the light over the dark, including in your emotions. You want everything to work out and to live “happily ever after.” But to believe life can be all up with no down is to expect tomorrow to dawn without the night. The good news is that you don’t have to be afraid of the dark.

In life, there can be a higher purpose to despair and depression. This emotion arises when you think something is impossible and you feel incapable of finding your way out. When you can’t get what you need and you start to lose hope, that’s when despair, depression and even apathy can arise to help you find new power.

Surrendering to “what is” in a situation can bring release, relaxation and a needed change of focus. By accepting a failure or setback (and the fact that you did everything you could to try and avert it) requires an unusual kind of courage—and that acknowledgment can be empowering in itself.

When depression strikes—work WITH it. Neither resist, block or deny it, nor indulge and wallow in it. Know that this emotion wants to help you by offering a “back door” approach to healing. Welcome apathy by allowing yourself to go through the intimidating pit of powerlessness and enjoy the rest and relief it brings.

Energetically, apathy’s lethargy also gives distance and rest from the battering of failure. When used wisely, a timeout regroups your resources and renews strength for a “comeback” later in a new winnable game. Take time to nurture your body, mind and spirit through yoga, meditation, exercise and diet. You’ll find greater power through depression’s required surrender of the old, and discover that your power was never missing, just misused.

Sometimes it’s natural and necessary to stop, pull inward and let go of everything. Hope and energy will return to reset your priorities and strategies. Look for the balancing effect of your dark times, and use their hidden power to find a way through every block.

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GuruMeher Singh Khalsa
Yogic Trainer and Life Coach
www.sensesofthesoul.com

Recommended: Self-Coaching – The Powerful Program to Beat Anxiety and Depression by Joseph J. Luciani and Dealing with Depression Naturally by Syd Baumel

Coming of a Soul

Sun, 16 Sep 2012 07:00:00 GMT

The coming of a new baby is a joyous time full of hope and promise. Each culture finds ways to celebrate this event. In the Kundalini Yoga tradition, the 120th day of pregnancy is a time of significance and celebration. It is believed that at this time the soul enters the body of the child forming in the womb.

On the 120th day after conception, a woman is honored as she begins the journey to motherhood, the baby's soul is welcomed and the family is held in loving support by their community. A beautiful celebration sets the tone during this time as a way to prepare the mother and family for this time of transition. Celebration for this special day is focused around the mother, as she is taking on the responsibility and blessing of carrying and birthing the child into being.

At a typical 120th day celebration (akin to a Navajo blessingway initiation for a mother-to-be), the father or partner, friends, family and community come together to honor her. Food is shared, the environment is made beautiful with flowers and music and often a meditation is done. Chants like Adi Shakti or Pootaa Maataa Kee Aasees are popular choices. The Adi Shakti mantra connects the mother to her innate, primal power as the feminine vessel of creation. Pootaa Maataa Kee Aasees invokes a sense of prayer and protection for the child.

Often the mother is gifted with presents that serve to uplift and nurture her specifically. This gifting is different than a baby shower with gifts for the baby; these offerings are meant to recognize the mother and shower her with appreciation. She is surrounded by prayers and wishes for her physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being—as through her this child will learn about the world even before birth.

The 120th day after conception not only marks the arrival of the child's soul, it acknowledges the making of a mother. As Yogi Bhajan said, "Mother becomes mother at the 120th day when she starts nursing the soul." We nurture and love the mother, who in turn nurtures and loves the child, co-creating a more loving and peaceful future for us all.

Adi Shakti Mantra by Snatam Kaur

Kewal K. Khalsa
Mother, Midwifery Assistant, Yoga Teacher
YogaAndBirth

Soul Connection

Sun, 09 Sep 2012 07:00:00 GMT

Among the many wonderful blessings of mantra, including upliftment, healing and protection, one of the most beautiful experiences is the way mantras can connect you with a particular guardian angel, guru or the consciousness of any spiritual being whose life you have found especially inspiring.

One of the most beloved mantras used in Kundalini Yoga is Guru Guru Wahe Guru, Guru Ram Das Guru, which creates a direct connection with Guru Ram Das, the fourth in the line of ten Sikh Gurus. I feel a special affinity with this mantra because I've done a lot of studying of the life of Guru Ram Das. He is known for his humility, healing and teachings about service.

Guru Ram Das was the temporal and spiritual leader of the Sikhs five centuries ago. Among his many gifts, he would wash the feet of the lepers and "untouchables" in order to minister to their needs and demonstrate compassion. So there's an amazing consciousness that prevails through him. When you chant Guru Guru Wahe Guru, Guru Ram Das Guru, you will feel like you are connecting with his spirit—the spirit that prevailed through him when he was on the earth.

I believe that the saints and sages don't really die. They're still here, and you can connect with them through the mantras. A powerful Kundalini mantra, Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo, connects you to Kundalini Yoga Master Yogi Bhajan. He instructed his students to recite this mantra before our daily yoga practice, including when we teach Kundalini yoga. This mantra connects Kundalini Yoga practitioners with a lineage of spiritual guides known as the “Golden Chain.” Ong Namo is known to be a powerful mantra for protection.

If a particular mantra has been transmitted to you by a spiritual teacher, chanting or reciting it will bring you close to that teacher, even if he or she isn't physically present. The same is true even if you discovered it in a book by or heard it on a CD. If a mantra resonates with you at a particular time, it can powerfully connect your soul through the vibration of the sacred sound current.

Healing the Heart – Celestial Communication with Adarsh

GuruGanesha Singh
Musician, Yogi, Founder of Spirit Voyage Records
www.GuruGanesha.com

Recommended: Joy is Now (CD) by Guruganesha Singh and Sikh Spiritual Practice by Siri Kirpal Kaur Khalsa

Gluten: The Road Blocker

Sun, 02 Sep 2012 07:00:00 GMT

In solving the riddle of inflammation, one of the keys is the gluten connection. Gluten is a group of proteins commonly found in grains such as wheat and barley. Gluten is an ingredient in pastas, breads and crackers, often used as a thickening agent in soups, sauces, and dressings. Most boxed and canned foods have some form of gluten. Without knowing it, you are likely to consume a certain amount of gluten every day.

Because gluten binds starches together, your body has difficulty breaking it down. This in turn creates swelling in your digestive tract. The swelling overcomes small hair-like follicles, called villi, whose jobs are to facilitate digestion and absorption. When your digestion is inflamed, your body has difficulty breaking down food, blocking the ability to assimilate and absorb nutrients.

Gluten-caused inflammation is correlated with many symptoms, such as bloating, weakened immune system, poor focus, joint pain and difficulty losing weight. It is actually an auto-immune disease, with wide-ranging effects throughout the body. One of the most common symptoms is constipation. Without the villi pushing food through your intestines, it stagnates and ferments. This increases the toxic load in your body that gets stored in your fat tissues and organs.

If you think you may have a gluten allergy, there are a few steps that you can take to further evaluate. You can get an allergy test from your doctor. Since 1 in 22 people suffering from a gluten allergy have a relative who is gluten sensitive, consider asking close relatives if they have an allergy or sensitivity to gluten. You can also try an elimination diet, eliminating all gluten products for two to four weeks to see how you feel.

Whether you are are mildly gluten sensitive or have full-blown celiac disease (gluten intolerance), there are many delicious foods for you to eat. Brown rice and quinoa are common grains that are gluten-free. Vegetables, fruits and animal protein have no gluten. Many restaurants and snack manufacturers are catching a ride on the gluten-free wave, so you have lots of tasty options to keep you healthy and inflammation free.

Try this Gluten-Free Vegan Mac ‘n Cheese recipe from Yogamint's Food & Flow

Skylor Powell
Health Coach and Yoga Instructor
Sprout Health Lifestyle

Recommended: Namaste Gluten-Free Waffle and Pancake Mix and The Almond Flour Gluten-Free Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam

Balance and Bliss

Sun, 26 Aug 2012 07:00:00 GMT

There is no doubt that yoga classes are an inspiring and supportive way to practice this ancient healing modality. Whether you are in need of healing the heart or the body, the end result is balance and bliss or unfortunately, if you are not safe—injury.

With over 20 million Americans practicing yoga, it’s crucial to understand the foundation of a safe, nurturing practice. Who better to provide tips for a safe yoga practice than one of my favorite teachers and Los Angeles’s top yoga therapists, Larry Payne PhD.

According to Dr. Payne, common culprits causing injuries in a group yoga classes vary from women to men. Most injuries occur when practicing the inverted postures such as headstand, full shoulder stand (without blankets) and forward folds for men.

Payne’s top three rules for avoiding injury in group classes are:

Avoid “extreme” yoga classes. The recommended time for holding a posture is 30 seconds to 1 minute to achieve a good stretch; anything longer can result in injury. Extreme yoga classes can wear out joints and do extensive damage over time.

No matter what the teacher says…back off! The yoga that came to the West from India was originally designed for young men. As we age, our bodies change. Moderating postures or resting is an essential part of protecting yourself from injury. If your intuition tells you to back off, listen to it. Find an instructor who makes you feel safe and supported.

Yoga is not a competition. This is a simple philosophy, but hard to implement. It is tempting to want to “copy” or do the exact pose as your neighbor. The key is to find a safe, strong way to do your asana. Look for strength in your postures, not “appearance.” Remember, no two bodies are designed the same, and the body changes each day and with the time of day. It doesn’t make you better at yoga if you can do the same postures as your neighbor. Be true to yourself and your form will support your practice.

Heidi Rayden
Yoga Therapist, Media Producer
Free Your Soul TV
Samata International/Yoga RX

Recommended: Yoga RX: A Step-by-Step Program to Promote Health, Wellness, and Healing for Common Ailments by Larry Payne Ph.D and Yoga for Dummies by Larry Payne

Menopause Matters

Sun, 19 Aug 2012 07:00:00 GMT

Suffering from hot flashes? The combination of Ayurveda and Chinese medicine offers many natural benefits for women going through menopause by promoting a state of balance for your entire being. Both these traditions treat the root of imbalance and not just the symptoms. With Ayurveda, herbs and acupuncture, your entire body benefits from having your energy regulated, your Yin and Yang balanced, and your internal fire calmed down naturally.

To cool the Pitta fires, Ayurveda recommends avoiding spicy, greasy and acidic foods like tomatoes, onions, garlic, chiles, red wine, sour oranges and grapefruits, fried foods, and white sugar. Focus your diet on cooling foods like cucumbers, mint, cilantro, coconut, watermelon, fennel, legumes, fresh dairy products and leafy greens.

Exercise is important, as long as it is a type of workout that is nourishing and not too heating (include swimming but avoid hot yoga). Ayurvedic herbs like shatavari and brahmi oil cool the system and balance the hormones. Applying brahmi oil to the scalp, especially in summer, brings more cooling energy into the body. Following these Ayurvedic guidelines will actually reduce the fire element in the body so that the hot flashes decrease naturally.

Acupuncture is very effective at nourishing Yin through targeted points that are described as Yin tonifiers in the ancient Chinese medical texts. The root of Yin and Yang in the body is the kidneys, and the kidneys can be directly addressed with specific points. There are even acupuncture points to reduce sweating and hot flashes.

Chinese herbal medicine offers many herbs and formulas that are very effective at nourishing Yin, reducing heat and sweating, tonifying the kidneys and calming the spirit. It is important to have a licensed acupuncturist make a correct diagnosis for you to confirm which pattern is the root cause of your symptoms, and which herbs are best for your type.

Health is in your hands, as you learn how to use the ancient healing arts of Ayurveda and Chinese medicine to naturally balance your body through all the phases of your life.

Dr. Sharada Hall
Doctor of Oriental Medicine
Bodhimed.com

Recommended: The Ageless Woman: Natural Health and Beauty After Forty with Maharishi Ayurveda and Brahmi Oil by Banyan Botanicals

The Voice Within

Sun, 12 Aug 2012 07:00:00 GMT

The voice within is an elusive voice, shy and reluctant to come into the open. Sometimes trying to hear it feels like chasing a mirage, listening for something that isn’t there. You may hear silence or a cacophony of voices (the voices that you use, for instance, in your roles as parent or spouse, sibling or friend) or the harsh, critical voices from your past telling you things you don’t necessarily want to hear, like “Find another job! You aren’t good enough! Give up your dreams!”

This multitude of voices can assail you throughout the day, sowing confusion, as well as fostering resentment and frustration. However, the moment you step onto your yoga mat, these voices grow still. In the silence of your practice, you can begin to detect the first stirrings of your own inner voice, the voice that reminds you of who you truly are. Each time you bend or twist or stretch, your muscles and bones support you in your effort to detect the sound of your own unique voice.

Practicing yoga and keeping a journal can guide you to your inner voice residing deep within you that is normally hidden by the static and distractions of daily life. As you practice your poses, notice the voices that arise. Instead of holding onto these voices, just listen. If the voice suggests that something is impossible, just listen. If it encourages you to take a risk, just listen. In time, you will be able to hear your own voice telling you what you need to know.

Before you begin your practice, take a moment to listen to the voices jabbering away in your ear. Open your journal and write down what you hear. Can you hear your voice? Is it shy or bold, forceful or restrained? Try to describe your voice and how you feel about it. If you can’t hear your voice yet, what might keep you from hearing it? Allow your spiritual practice and your journal to help you listen more closely so you can find the words waiting to be heard in your heart.

Bruce Black
Writer, Editor, Teacher, Yogi Writing
Yoga with Bruce Black
Author, Writing Yoga: A Guide to Keeping a Practice Journal (Rodmell Press)

Recommended: The Wisdom of Yoga: A Seeker’s Guide to Extraordinary Living by Stephen Cope and Writing Down Your Soul by Janet Conner

Exercise Your Mind

Sun, 05 Aug 2012 07:00:00 GMT

One of the myths of aging is the inevitability of losing your mental prowess. The good news is that there are there are a variety of things you can do to create a long-term positive effect on the health of your mind and memory. In this article I’ve outlined just a few of the ways to yogically strengthen your brain.

Get out and about: A strong mind comes from having a life of rich complexity and diversity. Your brain creates new neural pathways to compensate for dying brain cells, as long as you keep learning and doing new things. Known as neuroplasticity, the brain, given the right environment, can evolve and change throughout your entire life.

Tip—Walk backwards. This exercise boosts the brain and burns more calories than walking forward. Since walking backward is a “neurobic” activity, it can cause new neural connections to grow in the brain. So, take a backward walk!

Get brain fit: There’s even more good news—it’s called neurogenesis. Neurogenesis is the process whereby the brain produces new nerve cells in some of the areas of the brain that relate to memory. Research indicates that exercise stimulates neurogenesis. Studies suggest that regular exercise delivers more oxygen-rich blood to the brain, along with a chemical called “brain-derived neurotrophic factor,” to enhance memory.

Tip—Do yoga sets that include hand movements whenever possible. In yoga, these movements are called mudras. These movements directly map to areas of the brain governing functions that relate to cognitive ability. Yoga sets that include mudras give you a double-dose of brain fitness.

Nutrition: The brain accounts for two percent of your body weight, but demands approximately 20% of your daily calories. Your brain requires a constant supply of glucose, mostly obtained from carbohydrates like fruits, vegetables, and grains. The healthier your diet, the better your brain!

Tip—Eat brain-supporting legumes, kidney-beans, soybeans, lentils, and chickpeas.

Learning, exercising and good nutrition all help to keep your brain young, vital and resilient. Use these tools to stay sharp-witted throughout your life.

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Lola Scarborough (Sat Avtar)
Yoga Lola Studios

Recommended: SuperBrain Yoga by Master Choa Kok Sui and Change Your Brain, Change Your Body by Daniel G. Amen M.D.

Self-Esteem is Everything

Sun, 29 Jul 2012 07:00:00 GMT

Self-esteem is the window through which you see yourself in relation to everything. Through your perceived value, you judge what you think you deserve and expect, which creates your experience and success. In your vital search for Self, there are three sources of self-esteem: external, internal, and universal.

External validation is how you first come to define yourself. Early environments form your initial self-concept. How you relate to others and what seems possible is based on that self-image. However, when the needs and moods of others are your only source of self-esteem, you may find yourself conforming to earn acceptance. You can never please everyone, and you never get to enjoy being your Self.

Internal validation must emerge next for healthy personality development. Your self-determination may begin through either encouragement or defiance. Even if your goals are still defined by others, you now take charge of life by defining and creating your own value. You need a healthy mix of external input as a reality check; otherwise the ego can become distorted in self-delusion.

Universal validation is the ability to identify with the highest values. While accepting human frailty, you choose to relate to the noble and sublime within yourself. It requires sensitivity to discover who you truly are, rather than efforts to assert some concept of who you think you are. Your affirmation becomes, “I am, I am.” You merge your individual value into a macro-identity by relating to all that is esteemed as sacred. These virtues find ever truer expression through you, without your ego having to prove or possess them.

Here are a few ways to balance all three sources of self-esteem:

• Seek out supportive interactions for encouragement and correction.
• Make peace with yourself and learn to trust the guidance of your heart.
• Establish a consistent relationship with higher virtues and qualities.

The joy and success that come from simply and fully being you fulfills your destiny and reminds you, in the words of the Desiderata: that you are “a child of the Universe, no less than the trees and stars.”

Gurumeher Singh Khalsa
Yogic Trainer and Life Coach
SensesOfTheSoul.com

Recommended: Desiderata Print by Max Ehrmann and Self-Esteem by Matthew McKay Ph.D

Practice the Practice

Sun, 22 Jul 2012 07:00:00 GMT

Yoga has officially hit the mainstream. Everywhere you look it seems there is a plethora of new styles of yoga from which to choose. While it is fun, challenging and wise to experience new ways of doing your practice, remember that the heart and home of your practice is you.

Ponder Einstein’s quote: “All religions are branches of the same Tree.” The same applies to yoga. Your practice is personal and speaks to your heart. What appeals to you may do nothing for another. Therefore, all practices of yoga are branches of the same Tree.

Practice with awareness of your physical, mental, and spiritual balance. Balance is a verb. You must constantly make adjustments to maintain it. Physical poses are one source of balance; however, how you choose to experience your practice is another. Practice practicing. It sounds redundant, but this is how yoga (and life) work.

Each subtle adjustment you make by reaching a bit higher or breathing a bit deeper makes a difference. Whether you are moving fast or slow from pose to pose, it is simply a practice. Catch yourself if your ego starts to compare your “progress” to others.

Don’t pursue perfection. Perfection in anything is a mental illusion and leaves no room for growth which leads to boredom. Boredom puts many on edge. In fact, release the pursuit of “edges.” Enough people are on edge as it is. Instead, replace the concept of edges with pursuits of a new horizon. Even changing one word in your mindset can alter the experience.

Imagine your practice to be like watching a magnificent sunset or sunrise, each taking their time in transitioning and revealing their beauty. Magically, they portray a slightly different vision of the horizon each time. It is the same sun each day, yet it shares a vision for eyes ready to see. When you open your heart and mind, you will also see the beauty of your yoga practice as it expands your world.

Breathe and Balance (meditation video)

Valerie Goodman
E-RYT Instructor and owner of Yoga Revelation

Recommended reading: Yoga Beyond Belief by Ganga White and Practicing the Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle

Getting Juicy

Sun, 15 Jul 2012 07:00:00 GMT

For couples longing to conceive, fertility is a juicy topic. Yoga offers many tools that can help you prepare mentally, physically and emotionally for the journey to parenthood. Here are some yogic tips for finessing fertility:

Yoga Postures
In Kundalini Yoga, many yoga sets help balance creative energy, increase radiance and open the heart. Poses that open the groin, lower body and hips can be beneficial. Any relaxing yoga practice can support stress release and acceptance. Try individual yoga poses such as:

• Reclining Bound Angle (supta baddha konasana) to free the energy flow in the pelvic area
• Legs Up the Wall (viparita karani) to soothe the kidneys and adrenals and encourage hormonal balance
• Bridge Pose (setu bandhasana) for therapeutic effects on the reproductive system

Meditation & Mantra
Meditation facilitates more conscious conception, pregnancy and parenthood. Prior to conceiving, meditation can help you feel more at ease, receptive and openhearted. Mantra chanting is beneficial in the fertility process as well. Some women enjoy visualizing the sounds or vibrations moving into their womb, making the space receptive and welcoming motherhood through intention. Try chanting or playing mantras that inspire connection to the sacred feminine, like Adi Shakti or an expression of ecstasy such as Wahe Guru.

Relaxation
Relaxation is a vital component for soothing the nervous system, creating emotional and mental calm, releasing stress and opening yourself to parenthood. If conception is a challenge, shift the majority of your yoga practice to restorative poses to cool the body. This is an important principle for enhancing fertility from the perspectives of Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine. Avoid heated, vigorous yoga practice and exercise that raises the heart rate above 110 beats per minute.

As you prepare to welcome a soul into your family, treat yourself well. Eat nutritious foods, get rest and embrace practices that keep you feeling relaxed, receptive and at ease. Create in yourself an open, loving, healthy home to bring forth the next generation in joy and peace.

Connect to your feminine energy with Say Saraswati Shakti Celestial Communication

Kewal K. Khalsa
Mother, Birth Doula, & Yoga Teacher
www.YogaAndBirth.com

Recommended: Fully Fertile: A Holistic 12-Week Plan for Optimal Fertility by Tamara Quinn and Fertility Yoga with Monica Morell, Ph.D

411 on Inflammation

Sun, 08 Jul 2012 07:00:00 GMT

Each person has a unique set of muscle cells, sleep patterns and hobbies. Some of us are runners, yogis, surfers, skiers, writers or travelers. Why would we all eat the same food? Your body successfully digests certain foods based on your blood type, ethnicity, childhood eating habits and your digestive strength. These factors also shape what foods you cannot break down due to food sensitivities and dietary issues caused by chronic inflammation.

More and more, people are becoming aware of the impact of inflammation and food allergies. In this series we will explore the impact of various foods on your body. My goal is to provide you with tools, tips and guidelines to identify and minimize food sensitivities. You can learn to keep chronic inflammation at bay and, in turn, feel strong and healthy each day.

Undigested food causes inflammation. The small intestines swell, protecting your blood stream and organs from toxins. Sugar also causes inflammation; when it enters the bloodstream, insulin (the sugar regulator) causes a release of inflammatory agents to the digestive tract. This slows down sugar absorption.

Chronic inflammation, correlated with consistent sensitivity to gluten, soy, wheat, dairy and sugar, disrupts natural bowel movements and prevents your body from absorbing the necessary nutrients to keep you healthy.

Here’s an example of a healthy meal that may contain hidden inflammatory foods. For lunch, you enjoy a baked tofu sandwich with honey mustard, tomatoes and bean sprouts on a whole wheat bun. The sandwich contains protein from the tofu, vitamin A and K from the tomato, and folic acid, iron and zinc from bean sprouts. Unfortunately, you may not be aware that you have a gluten sensitivity or that there are 16 grams of sugar in the honey mustard.

If you eat this way on a regular basis, you subject your digestive tract to chronic inflammation and your body is not able to fully absorb the key nutrients in your sandwich. The good news is that you can make adjustments to your diet to support your body’s dietary needs and reduce inflammation.

Try this healthy, anti-inflammation Asparagus and Cucumber Salad with Vegan Lemon-Ginger Dressing—it is sure to brighten up your lunchtime plate!

Skylor Powell
Health Coach and Yoga Instructor
Sprout Health Lifestyle

Recommended: The Anti-Inflammation Diet and Recipe Book by Jessica K. Black and Yogi Tea – Stomach Ease

Mantra for the Heart

Sun, 01 Jul 2012 07:00:00 GMT

Mantra means "projection of the mind." In the book Raja Yoga, Swami Vivekananda speaks about how the entire universe is made up of mind waves or vibration. Through the technology of sound current using sacred mantras, it is possible to affect the universe. When you chant a mantra with the intention of healing yourself and others, you create a powerful vibration of love and devotion, which can uplift the entire planet.

As a musician and singer in the genre of world sacred music, it is my great blessing to work very closely with mantras and to witness their wonderful, transformative power. My own introduction to mantra took place at my first Kundalini yoga class in Boston during the early '70s. At the end of class, a young man with an orange turban pulled out a nylon string guitar and began to sing the mantra Guru Guru, Wahe Guru, Guru Ram Das Guru.

I had no understanding of what the mantra meant or what the words were. But as soon as he began to sing, tears poured out of me. I had no idea why. Somehow this sound current connected to something inside of me that I had never experienced before; it opened my heart. I think they call those kinds of tears the nectar of devotion. That's what got me started on the spiritual path.

Mantras enrich your daily yoga practice. When you've finished your asana practice and meditation, sit quietly or relax in Shivasana while you listen to devotional music.

One of my favorite practices is to immerse myself in the mantra Sat Nam, which can be translated as "true name." It works very well with long, deep breathing. On the inhale, mentally chant the syllable "saaat." And then on the exhale, mentally chant "naaam." You don't have to chant out loud. It's enough just to sound it in your mind. If you catch your mind wandering, gently bring it back to the mantra. It will help keep your mind focused and firm.

GuruGanesha Singh
Musician, Yogi, Founder of Spirit Voyage Records
www.GuruGanesha.com

Recommended: Power Mantras by GuruGanesha Singh and Mantra Yoga and Primal Sound by David Frawley

Hit the High Road

Sun, 24 Jun 2012 07:00:00 GMT

Air travel may be one of modern society’s greatest inventions, but like many new-age technologies, high-speed travel can cause subtle health imbalances. Travel, by definition, aggravates Vata dosha, the wind principal in Ayurvedic medicine.

Travel is movement; air travel in particular (with radiation exposure and high-speed travel through space) severely increases Vata. The dry, recirculated air in the cabin of the plane wreaks havoc on the Vata dosha as well. Here are several handy tips that will keep you feeling firmly grounded, no matter what your Ayurvedic constitution, even at 30,000 feet.

Ayurvedic Massage Before You Leave Home
Prepare for travel before leaving your house. This is the perfect time for abhyanga—warm oil self-massage. Heat up some lovely sesame oil, or a specific Vata oil, and work it all over the body before stepping into a warm shower or bath. Warm oil is a fantastic Vata antidote. The warm, heavy, viscous qualities counteract the dry and windy Vata dosha. Not only does this practice feel great, it also grounds the nervous system and moisturizes the skin.

Ayurvedic Foods For Grounding
It’s very important to have a solid meal before traveling. Warm, whole grains, cooked root vegetables and ghee are perfect for nourishing Vata. Bring plenty of water and snacks for the trip. Drink lots of water throughout the entire trip. Your Vata and your skin will thank you later. Try to skip the caffeine as well -- it’s dehydrating, so it increases Vata.

At the airport, the only innocuous foods you might find are unsalted nuts, fruit and vegetable soup. On the flight, if offered snacks, it’s best to refuse; salt, sugar and MSG are all serious Vata aggravators.

In-Flight Yoga
Try to take a nap on the plane. Not only does the time fly by more quickly, but it also allows your nervous system to be refreshed. Practice yogic breathing…just focusing on your breath for 10-15 minutes does wonders for keeping the prana in the body smoothly flowing.

Listen to meditation music or inspirational talks on your mP3 during the flight. When the seat belt sign goes off, take the opportunity to do a little stretching in the back of the plane. You can practice mountain and tree poses without taking up much room; or do some shoulder shrugs in your seat. By the time you arrive at your destination, you’ll feel connected, grounded and inspired.

Sharada Hall
Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Ayurvedic Practitioner
Bodhimed.com
Ayurveda and Vata Dosha

For a few yogic travel tips watch the Food & Flow video Get Outta Town.

Recommended: The Indian Spa - Ayurveda Yoga Wellness Beauty by Kim Inglis

Summer Splendor

Sun, 17 Jun 2012 07:00:00 GMT

Berries are the quintessential summer food. Their bright colors and lovely sweet flavors make them seem like Mother Nature’s candy. Unlike candy, though, berries are good for you. They are low in calories and contain good doses of both Vitamin C and fiber.

When fresh berries are in season in your area, you can freeze them to savor their natural sweetness all year long. To keep them from sticking together, place gently washed berries on a baking sheet in the freezer for a couple of hours. Once they are frozen, transfer them to freezer bags for storage.

Six delicious ways to enjoy berries:

Top hot or cold cereal with fresh berries for a breakfast treat
Blend berries with almond milk, honey (or agave nectar), and a small handful of spinach for a healthy and delicious smoothie
Layer fresh berries with yogurt and granola for a light parfait
Top whole grain pancakes or waffles with berries (fresh or warmed with a little orange juice for a light sauce)
Bake berries into muffins or quick-breads for healthy snacking
Make cobbler!

This vegan blackberry cobbler is low in sugar, making it a light dessert or even a delightful breakfast treat served with yogurt.

Vegan Blackberry Cobbler
4-5 C fresh blackberries
1 T cornstarch or arrowroot powder
1/2 C organic sugar, divided
1 tsp orange zest
1 C whole-wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 C non-hydrogenated margarine (or butter), melted
1 C non-dairy milk
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Gently combine blackberries, ¼ C sugar, cornstarch or arrowroot powder and orange zest; set aside. In another bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Whisk to combine well but don't over-mix.

Lightly grease an 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 baking dish (or deep dish pie or casserole dish). Pour batter into prepared pan, then pour the berries over the top (do not stir—the cake will puff up around the berries as it bakes). Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Allison Brewer
Mother of two, writer, vegetarian, and aspiring triathlete
Getnatured.com

Recommended: Seasonal Fruit Desserts: From Orchard, Farm, and Market by Deborah Madison

Seeking Serenity

Sun, 10 Jun 2012 07:00:00 GMT

When I first started practicing yoga, I had to learn how to set a strong foundation in each pose, otherwise I’d flail and flounder, tipping one way, then another, unable to stay in the pose (even when seated) for very long. Once I was able to set a strong foundation, I found I could reach higher, bend deeper, sit longer and open my heart wider.

What does it mean to set a strong foundation? It’s a reminder to prepare mindfully for your practice. A tool for setting your foundation in yoga (and life) is to use a journal to cultivate this mindfulness. Writing lets you see the pose in your mind’s eye, revealing what you need to know to reach your full potential. With the help of a journal, each pose becomes a doorway into your innermost self and brings to light any fears, doubts, and inhibitions about moving through that doorway.

Use a journal as part of your yoga practice to help you discover a deeper awareness of how to find balance mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Here are some questions you might like to journal about as you bring your writing to the mat:

Am I too rigid in a pose, too impatient in a relationship?
Am I taking my work and my life too seriously?
How can I live each day to its fullest?

Try this fun journal practice (write on each topic for 5 minutes):

Stand in Mountain Pose and notice where you place your hands, shoulders, hips, feet. What happens if you shift your weight, move your knee, or turn your head? How does your foundation change? What do you need to do to create a strong foundation?

Consider a relationship in your life, or a situation at work or a hobby. Notice your foundation or lack of foundation. Where is there passion? What is out of balance? How can you set a strong foundation so that your relationships, your hobby and your work feels more stable, more secure?

These are the kinds of questions that your journal (and your poses) can help you answer so that you feel securely rooted on your mat and in your life.

Bruce Black
Writer, Editor, Teacher, Yogi
Writing Yoga with Bruce Black
Author, Writing Yoga: A Guide to Keeping a Practice Journal (Rodmell Press)

About Face

Sun, 03 Jun 2012 07:00:00 GMT

What’s the largest organ of the body? It’s your skin, which makes up about 16% of your total body weight. Your skin performs many key protective functions, regulating temperature, serving as an infection barrier and promoting internal cleansing through perspiration.

The skin also tells the story about the condition of your health; lack of proper sleep, poor diet, stress, recreational drug use or regular excess of any kind shows up as wear and tear on your skin that is easily visible to the naked eye.

Rough skin, blotches, spots, age-inappropriate sagging and wrinkles are indicators of lifestyle issues. The opposite is also true. When you have radiant health, your complexion is clear, the skin is age-appropriate firm and lined, the color is excellent and your skin seems to glow.

So, how do you get that glow? Here are some practices to add to your routine to support healthy skin:

Nutrition: Eat organic, unprocessed food whenever possible. Load up your plate with nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables. Eat foods that naturally help your body to detoxify from environmental pollutants.

Tip—Anti-aging foods that benefit skin include tomatoes, oranges, cucumbers, carrots, grapes, lemons and pineapple.

Yoga: Radiant skin and exercise go hand in hand. Yoga increases circulation, contributes to a healthy glow and can help reduce acne. Additionally, stress release through movement relaxes you, giving a softer, smoother appearance all over.

Tip—Practice Kundalini Yoga several times a week for young, radiant skin. It’s important to sweat every day, so get moving!

Rest: Although the amount of sleep needed varies by person, it is critical for skin vitality. Make sure you get enough sleep, including “power naps” during the day to rejuvenate and heal.

Tip—Turn off the TV and avoid stimulating foods or activities at least one hour before bedtime. Do a few minutes of long, deep breathing before going to bed to improve your chances for deep, peaceful sleep.

Let these tips about great food, proper exercise and plenty of rest help you keep your skin radiant and glowing, making it an organ of great beauty.

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Lola Scarborough (Sat Avtar)
Yoga Lola Studios

Recommended: Naturally Healthy Skin – Tips for Radiant Skin by Stephanie Tourles and The Skin Commandments by Dr. Tony Nakhla

Playing with Fire

Sun, 27 May 2012 07:00:00 GMT

Anger is one of Nature’s ways of keeping you safe —yogically speaking, anger (agni) is the fire element that converts food into energy. Anger isn’t good or bad, it’s all in how you use it. Let’s study the uses of anger/power in your daily life in three forms: weakness, force and flow.

Weakness: Repressed Anger
Without the energy of anger, you’ll feel weak, incapable, helpless, victimized and hopeless, even though the life force of agni is always present. When repressed, anger emerges as resentment, passive aggression and self-defeating behavior.

The good news is you can safely access anger/power by strengthening your navel center with yoga, martial arts and exercise. Befriend your power in therapy and meditation. Use it to express needs, make requests and set healthy boundaries. Power and protection lie in using your voice, making choices and taking action.

Force: Expressed Anger
From the first emphatic “No!” in the “terrible two’s” you begin to learn about the use (and abuse) of anger. Expressed as rage and violence, force damages and destroys. Harnessed as determination and drive, this primal energy motivates effective action and accomplishment. By trial and error we learn that anger channeled into empowerment brings protection and peace. Learn to process anger consciously by understanding what is bothering you, discovering what you need and taking positive action to handle it.

Flow: Higher Power
Conscious use of power brings high levels of well-being, contentment, and generosity to serve others. Gratitude and humility follow, leading to the experience that the power is not yours, but moves through you. Allowing the universe to take care of you brings access to the power that moves the galaxies. This power cannot be gained by force, but is awakened by acceptance and trust in life’s flow.

Harnessing the energy of anger brings the ability to thrive within life’s challenges and enhances the opportunity to fulfill your life’s purpose. That freedom is the magnificent gift of anger. Use it wisely!

Gurumeher Singh Khalsa
Yogic Trainer and Life Coach
SensesOfTheSoul.com

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All Kundalini Video: Fists of Anger

Recommended: Power vs. Force by David R. Hawkins and The Gift of Anger by Marcia Cannon PhD

Dare to Dream

Sun, 20 May 2012 07:00:00 GMT

When you are a child, it’s easy to dream big about what you might accomplish someday. It doesn’t cross the beginner’s mind to dwell on the necessary efforts, or fear of possible failure when pursuing big goals. In the young mind’s eye, the mission is complete. As you grow up, “reality” steps in and dreaming often fades. It is easy for the logical mind to override the dreamer’s mind. In my experience, yoga can re-open that space for dreams.

Just think—you needed a conscious will (and a little curiosity) in order to step on the yoga mat for the first time. Undoubtedly, the benefits became evident fairly quickly. You began training your mind through breathing and then linked the breath to movement—all taking conscious effort. Off the mat, you can use this strengthening of your conscious effort to be able to take the necessary steps to manifest your dreams.

T.K.V. Desikachar said: “In stages, the impossible becomes possible.” Flexibility of the body contributes to a more flexible mind. Pursue flexibility in your dreams to regain a child’s mindset of possible goals. The “edges” are much further! Start the journey toward your life dreams by writing them down. Start simple and get ready for the list to expand. Use your practice to “make the impossible become possible.”

Dream of skydiving? Practice Warrior 3 as if you are balancing in flight. Dream of traveling to a special place? Practice Boat as if you are on your way to your destination. You might find yourself engaging your core or sense your arms reaching out a bit further. Dream of learning a new skill? Stay in a pose longer and really feel what is going on within you. Notice details of engaged muscles, the heart beat, or subtle sensations when adjusting in micro-units. Increased perception of details reminds the mind it can learn more.

Breathe in courage to pursue, while you exhale doubts. Ignite your imagination to use a pose as a source to manifest “the impossible.”

Responsibilities and dreams can co-exist. Balance and determination are key practices to experience both. You’re never too old to practice yoga and the same applies to dreams. Some of the greatest achievements happen in your later years. Walt Disney said: “All of our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” May all your dreams come true!

Valerie Goodman
E-RYT, Owner of Yoga Revelation

Recommended: Jivamukuti Yoga - Practices for Liberating Body and Soul by Sharon Gannon and David Life and The Heart of Yoga: Developing a Personal Practice by T.K.V. Desikachar

Path of the Empath

Sun, 13 May 2012 07:00:00 GMT

The Greeks coined the term empatheia to describe the concept of suffering with another’s pain. A person who is deeply sensitive to the emotions of those around them is often called an “empath.” Empaths are warm, kind people who, as children, may have been considered “overly sensitive" and told to "toughen up."

Entering into the Aquarian age we are becoming multi-sensory beings; being emapthic is one of the senses many are awakening within themselves or have had since birth. As an empath, I have had an intense journey towards understanding the gift I have been given. I want to offer new ways for acknowledging and working with the challenges involved, while honoring the courage it takes to walk the path of the empath.

Over the years, I have tried many techniques to shield, cleanse, release and protect myself against unwanted energies. I realized I was making the world my enemy, intensely judging everything as right and wrong, good versus evil. On the other hand, being an empath has been an amazing tool as a healer. Being empathic has opened the way for me to help others and to recognize the common bonds with those who come to me for healing.

After deep contemplation, I discovered some techniques that help me on a daily basis to honor my journey. I recommend this for anyone who is sensitive or when you want to remove negativity from your day. First, clear yourself with a sea salt mineral bath. Use the unscented salts so you don’t overload your sensory organs. Take time as you soak to decompress and release with long deep breaths. Follow the soak with a nourishing lotion and pamper yourself.

Daily yoga and meditation will keep you centered, and allow you to “own” your emotional life and physical sensations. Free yourself of judgment, in concert with a universal shift from duality into unity consciousness. Instead of judging, which creates an emotional charge, use your awareness to help you understand where healing is needed. This also helps you to set your own boundaries.

The way out of judgment flows through the heart—practicing yoga and meditation opens both your physical and energetic heart centers. Living from the sacred space of your heart activates and strengthens you; this field of light surrounds and protects you, allowing you to live from a space of love. May you use your empathic gifts to love, nurture and heal!

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Aad Guray Nameh Meditation for Protection

Narayan
Founder, Narayan Sacred Healing Beauty
Lose Your Mind Find Your Heart Workshop

Spring in Your Step

Sun, 06 May 2012 07:00:00 GMT

Spring has sprung and after a long, cold winter your metabolism might be in need of a little boost. Most folks spend the winter hunkered down eating heavier, fattier foods. Since the holidays fall in the middle of winter, it’s usually an excuse to let our healthy eating go out the window.

Well, the sun is shining again and it’s time to dust off your juicer, hit the farmers’ markets and take advantage of all the delicious spring produce that is in full bloom. Some of my favorite springtime foods are snap peas, artichokes and asparagus.

All of these foods are great for cleansing, especially for your hard-working liver and kidneys—two of the main detox organs in our body. According to Chinese Medicine, these are the organs that are related to the season of spring.

Asparagus is an anti-inflammatory, protecting against cancer with its high folate content and aiding in detoxifying the body. Artichokes are loaded with fiber—great for lowering cholesterol. A naturally occurring chemical in artichokes may be responsible for lowering blood fats and is a great food to add to your diet.

Lastly, snap peas, which are also high in fiber, add some sweet, juicy crunch to a stir-fry or salad. They are a good source of immune-boosting Vitamin C, as well as Vitamin K, to help retain calcium in your bones.

It’s time to head to your fresh produce market to add these spring beauties to your diet—and nourish your body back to life!

Black Sesame Garlic Snap Peas
½ lb. sugar snap peas, ends trimmed and strings removed
1 T toasted sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 T black sesame seeds (or white unhulled)
Sea salt, to taste

In a large sauté pan, heat sesame oil over medium heat and sauté garlic and red pepper flakes until garlic is soft. Add snap peas and sauté for about 4-5 minutes until starting to soften, but still crispy and bright green. Do not overcook. Toss in sesame seeds and season with sea salt. Serve immediately.

Melissa Costello
Healthy Food Chef, Founder of Karma Chow, Author of The Karma Chow Ultimate Cookbook: 125+ Delectable Plant-Based Vegan Recipes for a Fit, Happy, Healthy You
Yogamint Food & Flow Chef
Yogamint videos on Healthy Eating

Recommended: 1,000 Vegan Recipes by Robin Robertson

Accepting Interruptions

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 07:00:00 GMT

Having forgotten to bring his usual background music, our yoga teacher decides to use the CD that happens to be in the player. “Surya Namaskar A,” he instructs. Soft sounds of nature flow from the speakers, accompanying us through our first sun salutation. As we move through the series, a gentle breeze rustles through late-summer grass.

“Surya Namaskar B,” he says. Water laps against a boat, or possibly a dock, as we began the second sun salutation. As he calls “Trichonasa” (triangle pose), a duck, somewhere in the distance, calls in response. More birds serenade us as we turn to the second side. One arm down, one arm up, quack, quack, lengthen the torso, lengthen the spine, quack, quack, quack.

“Prasarita Padottanasana.” We turn sideways for wide-legged forward bend. Our heads reach toward the floor; dozens of ducks flap, squawk, and squabble above.

As we lift out of the pose, an unmistakable CRACK! and a rush of frenzied wings and frantic squawks shatters our familiar rhythm. We stand, dazed. A shotgun? A shotgun in yoga class?

The unruffled voice of our teacher resumes. “Dead duck pose,” he says. “Dead duck pose.”

The erupting laughter brings us together in an entirely new and unexpected way. Though we’ve been practicing as a group for months, we’ve never felt closer than at this instant—and the wisdom of accepting exactly what the moment is bringing and incorporating it into whatever we’re doing has never been clearer.

In a yoga class, as in all of life, this wisdom might take the form of viewing all interruptions as reminders to sink more deeply into your body rather than reacting to the disturbance outside. Instead of becoming irritated when someone opens the door during class or a cell phone breaks the silence, you can learn to experience appreciation for the reminder to be “present” in each moment.

When you notice that your body isn’t as flexible as last week, you can use that observation as your reminder to honor exactly where you are right now. And if the music is not quite what you expect or prefer, bless it as a reminder to be grateful for the luxury of being right here, right now.

Mali Apple and Joe Dunn
Authors, The Soulmate Experience: A Practical Guide to Creating Extraordinary Relationships and Sensory Walk: A Guided Meditation
www.TheSoulmateExperience.com

Recommended: A Simple Act of Gratitude by John Kralick

The Way of Plants

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 07:00:00 GMT

In times of confusion, when you feel you are lacking guidance or when you think “I must have it NOW,” how do you practice having patience? One way that is known to be effective for many people is through the use of patience-promoting herbs.

Traditionally used as a digestive aid to ease nausea and stomach aches, mint is also a rejuvenating plant. Mint cools the body and lessens excessive heat that may be clouding your ability to receive nourishment or to see with a clear perceptive. When your digestion is running smoothly, your outlook is clearer, which promotes patience.

To remove mental and sexual fatigue, try a diet of tomato and mint eaten three times a day for a week. Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water just long enough to remove skins. Sprinkle tomatoes with crushed dried mint leaves and soy sauce to taste. (Recipe from Foods for Health and Healing by Yogi Bhajan Ph.D.)

Another wonderful herb for patience is Tulsi (Holy Basil), an Ayurvedic herb that works as an adaptagen (meaning it aids in your ability to adapt to internal or external stressors). Tulsi can help normalize blood sugar and blood pressure imbalances. By improving your resistance to stress and strain, Tulsi takes the edge off nervous tension and helps you handle yourself in a calmer manner.

When you experience stress headaches, nervous cramping belly or feel fatigued, Skullcap is a good choice. It is wonderful for reducing stress that manifests as pain in the body. Skullcap strengthens the response of the nervous system as it sedates pain, releases spasms and eases stress-induced thoughts.

One of the most well known herbs, lavender, has the ability to calm your over-exerted mind. Lavender aids in relieving tension, stress and insomnia, so that you can have the peace of mind and relaxation needed to keep moving forward.

Another Ayurvedic herb, Ashwagandha, can help to increase stamina and build up energy. It is known to improve fatigue, lack of concentration and adrenal burnout. This herb works to restore chi, energy and prana while improving clarity, strength, determination and circulation.

Embrace patience…“and may all the peace, peaceful environments and prosperity approach you forever.”—Yogi Bhajan

Siri Baldeep Kaur
Herbalist, Kundalini Yogi
Angelic Herbs For Vibrant Health

Recommended: The Way of Herbs by Michael Tierra and Peppermint Essential Oil by Plantlife

All Hail Asaparagus

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 07:00:00 GMT

Asparagus is thought to have originated in the Eastern Mediterranean region, but now grows—both wild and cultivated—all over the world. Enjoyed by humans for thousands of years, asparagus has been used in medicine for its diuretic properties. Emperor Augustus was said to have reserved a fleet for shipping asparagus and King Louis XIV of France had a greenhouse built for growing it, calling it “The King of Vegetables.”

Spring is the perfect time to find fresh asparagus at the grocer. Look for smooth, rich green stalks that are firm with tightly closed tips as these are the freshest and will have the best flavor.

Enjoy your asparagus right away as it becomes more wood-like as it loses its freshness. Cut or break off the fibrous ends to enjoy the tasty spears. To preserve the nutritional value of your asparagus, avoid over-cooking. Try steaming lightly or roasting it and seasoning it with garlic, olive oil, sea salt or lemon.

This vegan asparagus tart looks fancy, but is a quick-and-easy recipe to prepare and delicious as an appetizer or as a main course served alongside a leafy green salad. In place of heavy cheese, frequently used in similar recipes, this tart has a lovely savory layer of cashew-based vegan ricotta “cheese.” It’s fancy enough for company so gather with friends and toast to the sunny spring days. You won’t be able to get enough of this tasty dish!

Vegan Asparagus Tart with Cashew “Ricotta”
1 sheet of prepared puff pastry, thawed as directed
1 batch of cashew ricotta (see recipe below)
1½ pounds of fresh asparagus, washed
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Roll out the puff pastry sheet into a large rectangle on top of a piece of parchment paper; then transfer to a baking sheet along with the parchment. Trim or fold over uneven edges and pierce the pastry in several places with a fork. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes.

Remove the pastry from the oven and spread with an even layer of cashew ricotta. Arrange the asparagus in an even layer over the ricotta, alternating ends and tips. Lightly brush the asparagus with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Return to oven and bake until asparagus is tender, about 20-24 minutes.

Meyer Lemon Cashew “Ricotta”
1½ C raw cashews, soaked 2 hours or up to overnight in water then drained
¼ C water
2 t Meyer lemon juice
½ t Meyer lemon zest
2 T nutritional yeast
½ t sea salt

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Add more water, if necessary, to adjust consistency. As it rests it will thicken.

Allison Brewer
Mother of two, writer, vegetarian, and aspiring triathlete
GetNatured.com

Recommended: Local Flavors - Cooking and Eating from America's Farmers' Markets by Deborah Madison

Yoga as Therapy

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 07:00:00 GMT

Waking up early, meditating and practicing yoga is an essential way to start the day. I love my asana practice. But what happens when your body changes and your treasured asana practice becomes unhealthy for your body? A few years ago, I developed an acute condition, which prompted me to delve into the study of yoga therapy. Diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my cervical spine, I finally had an explanation for the chronic stiffness and pain I regularly felt in my neck.

Becoming increasingly popular in the West, yoga therapy has been used as a holistic treatment for illness in India for thousands of years. Countless scientific studies at the Krishnamacharya Healing and Yoga Foundation in India provide proof of the benefits of yoga therapy.

Yoga therapists apply classical applications of asana (postures) to help treat common alignments and conditions. Generally offered one-on-one to individuals who are not able to participate in a group class due to specific health problems, the structure of a yoga therapy session is very different from a regular group yoga practice or working out with yoga DVDs.

For starters, yoga therapists often work in conjunction with referring doctors. Some of the many ailments successfully treated with yoga therapy include arthritis, lower and upper back problems, hypertension, heart disease, asthma and diabetes.

Group yoga classes are wonderful if you are in good condition, however, if you have a chronic health issue, regular yoga classes could exacerbate an existing condition. For example, rounding your spine is not an appropriate posture for someone with a lumbar herniated disc as it exaggerates the symptoms and increases pain.

Working one-on-one with a yoga therapist, you would learn to modify standard postures allowing you to accommodate and improve your condition. A good yoga therapist provides you with a tailored asana practice so you can work on your own healing each and every day!

I may have had to say “farewell” to my beloved yoga headstands, however I now structure my practice for optimal health and balance. This works well for my body—and guess what—my neck rarely hurts anymore!

Heidi Rayden
Certified Yoga Therapist, Media Producer
freeyoursoultv.com
Yoga Therapy Program (Loyola Marymount University)
Krishnamacharya Healing & Yoga Foundation

Recommended: Yoga As Medicine by Timothy McCall

Off the Mat, On the Page

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 07:00:00 GMT

The process of writing, like the process of asanas, lets you connect with an invisible source of energy that supports your efforts. Your journal, like your yoga mat, is a tool of self-awareness you can use in your practice to help open yourself to the possibilities in your life. I have found that journaling, like yoga, helps me to find the light within that illuminates the path that I am meant to follow.

A few years ago, my yoga teacher, Rita Knorr, handed me a blank journal as a gift. “See where it will take you,” she said. You might also like to use a journal to explore the possibilities of your life. Just open it now and begin.

An empty page can sometimes be intimidating. “What should I write?” you might ask. But try to remember that writing in your journal isn’t about what you should do. It’s about discovering who you truly are, deep down, and what you want to do. It’s an exploration of you in relationship to yourself, through the journey of your yoga practice.

Use your journal the way you might use a secret box. You can place anything that you want—hopes, fears, dreams, desires—in the box. Explore your emotions or thoughts without worrying about what anyone will say. You don’t have to share what you write with anyone unless you choose to do so. Only you have the power to open the box.

To start, make a list of the things that you love about your yoga practice. Why did you start practicing? What keeps you returning to the mat? Who or what inspires you to practice?

Once you’ve made a list, turn to a blank page and write for 10 minutes about what your yoga practice helps you discover about yourself. Can you see in Mountain Pose how your sturdy resolution might help you reach for what you want? Can you use the balance you experience in Tree Pose to find the balance you might need to navigate a new job or a new relationship in your life?

Each time you open your journal, you open yourself to the possibility of discovering something you didn’t know before you began writing. What will you learn about yourself today?

Bruce Black
Writer, Editor, Teacher, Yogi
Writing Yoga with Bruce Black
Author, Writing Yoga: A Guide to Keeping a Practice Journal (Rodmell Press)

Recommended: Mindful Yoga, Mindful Life: A Guide for Everyday Practice by Charlotte Bell

Fear is Your Friend

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 07:00:00 GMT

Everyone wants to be comfortable, safe and happy. Yet many people spend time struggling with worry and anxiety over uncertainty. These emotions are all forms of fear, which create stress. Yoga offers many tools to calm the body, mind and emotions. Another way to go beyond merely managing stress is by sitting down and talking to your fears.

As uncomfortable as tense muscles and churning thoughts can be, they are not the problem. Anxiety is a wise friend, bringing your attention to a problem. Ignoring anxiety—or trying to merely cope with it—keeps you from seeing what has disturbed your well-being. Whether that is immediate physical danger, the memory of a past trauma, or the anticipation of future harm, fear gives you access to the wisdom and inner-guidance needed to bring you to peace.

Ready to spend some quality time in the counsel of this wise friend Anxiety? The next time you feel anxious:

Sit still and breathe deeply.

Let all bothersome worries and concerns come forth. Calmly feel it all.

Ask the feelings about the exact nature of the threat you are experiencing. Ask again until it is specific and clear.

Ask your inner wisdom how it will resolve this issue for you. Listen deeply.

Follow through with any actions that will help resolve your fears (forgiveness, talking or writing out your concerns, etc.)

This simple process of working with your fears usually brings immediate relief, just by paying attention to the sensations. You may discover stress-releasing truths such as, “I see that actually everything is just fine right now.” You may come to understand that your fear is leftover from an old incident or merely a habitual “knee-jerk” response to stress. You may also sense some action you need to take to handle a threat and create your safety.

Permanent peace requires that you continue to be present to any anxious discomfort, which always brings updated information on whatever you need to know or do to feel safe. Use this soul-sensing meditation as a regular practice to stay in touch with your emotions, and let the wisdom guide you daily.

Human life will always bring challenge and change. Consciously use your natural fear response as a message to come back to experience a deep peace called Soul. Listening and responding to your fear will help you resolve much of the small stuff. From the vast perspective of Soul, it’s all small stuff!

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GuruMeher Singh Khalsa
Yogic Trainer and Life Coach
www.sensesofthesoul.com

Recommended: Healing Through the Dark Emotions – The Wisdom of Grief, Fear and Despair by Miriam Greenspan

From Chaos to Calm

Sun, 18 Mar 2012 07:00:00 GMT

Feeling scattered mentally creates an inner world of chaos and prevents peace. I often hear from my yoga students and friends that they need to get focused and clear. The good news is that regardless of your outer circumstances—no matter how chaotic things may appear—you can still find inner peace and calm.

The definition of “yoga” means union. To unite the breath with the mind and body creates a one-pointedness to reduce the fluctuations of the mind. The key to a meditative mind is cultivating a slow deep breath.

Meditation is a simple tool for inner calmness, without needing a specific environment or level of health and fitness to practice. In fact, the busier the mind and the more stress one may feel, the more reason to try meditation, right here and right now. Studies show that meditating for 20 minutes a day cuts the risk of heart attacks by fifty percent. Experience, however, is the real indicator. So, try it for yourself!

Start with these simple steps to meditation, sitting tall on the floor or in a chair. Close your eyes and take a deep inhale as you sit taller, then exhale to relax into your seat. Feel your body; sense your feet as they touch the floor. Observe your belly and torso move as you breathe. Pay attention to where you hold tension. Soften your eyes and relax the jaw. After this “body scan” observe only the breath. Then observe the thoughts without holding on to any one thought.

Even if the mind continues to be busy, you still will still reap the benefits by helping your mind to focus and concentrate. You may notice that you are more effective and relaxed when you open your eyes to return to your day. Try this for a minute a day for a week, then build up to 3 minutes, then 5 minutes or more. In no time, you will have a daily meditation practice to ground and center your mind in the busy world.

Stacie Dooreck (Saraswati)
Certified Sivananda and Kundalini Yoga Instructor
Author, SunLight Chair Yoga by Stacie-Saraswati Dooreck
www.sunlightchairyoga.com

Recommended: The Sivananda Companion to Meditation by Sivananda Yoga Centers

Postpartum Palate

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 08:00:00 GMT

Following one of the most amazing, exhausting, and transformational life events a woman can experience, a new mother is in special need of highly nutritious, healing foods. She is recovering from birth, adjusting to less sleep, giving constant care and nourishment to the newborn, and processing a whole new way of life. This is a woman who needs to be well fed!

Helpful Foods — Simple, whole foods with high nutritional value are ideal choices for new mothers. Fruits, vegetables, milk (dairy or almond), nuts and grains are basic foods to include. There are several yogic foods that are suggested especially for postpartum healing, including Ginger Curry, as well as Mung Beans and Rice loaded with fresh vegetables to provide easy-to-digest protein and nutrition.

Homemade tapioca pudding is a yummy treat that aids digestion and healing as well. Unpeeled, fresh almonds sautéed in ghee and eaten with a touch of honey before breakfast help the uterus heal. Easy snacks like smoothies and trail mix are great to have on hand. New mothers should also drink plenty of water and Yogi Tea.

Foods to Avoid — In addition to refraining from unhealthy, processed or fast foods, it is important for mothers who are breastfeeding to avoid foods that can be gas-producing in the sensitive system of the infant. Hot spices, raw onions and garlic, cabbage, beans and chocolate are all common culprits for causing gas in babies.

Care and Feeding of New Mothers — In the 40 days postpartum, it is recommended that a mother rest, heal and simply be with her baby. It is a wonderful service for friends and family to prepare meals for the new parents and to make sure those needs are covered.

Special Nursing Drink — This recipe is a delicious Kundalini Yoga recipe to support breastfeeding and postpartum recovery. It can be taken daily during the 40 days postpartum.

Blend the following:
6 oz. Milk (dairy or almond)
6-8 blanched almonds (soaked and peeled)
2 T ghee
1-2 tsp honey

Eat well, be well and enjoy this blissful time of new motherhood!

Kewal K. Khalsa
Mother, Birth Doula, & Yoga Teacher
www.YogaAndBirth.com

Young at Heart

Sun, 04 Mar 2012 08:00:00 GMT

To a large degree, you can control how quickly—or slowly—your body ages. Whether you are 17 or 71, you choose what happens to your body by how you think, live and react to stress. So how can you keep a spring in your step and a sparkle in your eyes? My top choices for agelessness are: Nutrition, Exercise, and Deep Heart Connection. These big three cover the mind-body-spirit connection vital to prolonging youthfulness.

Nutrition: You are what you eat, so to look and feel good, start with clean and nutritious foods. You must also eat properly for your body type. Consult an Ayurvedic practitioner and learn what foods are best suited to your constitution. Let your body type help define your diet in order to maximize the benefits of the food you eat.

Tip—Each day, drink 8 ounces of tart cherry juice for its powerful anti-inflammatory benefits to help the body recover quickly from workouts or inflammation.

Exercise: A strong, hardy body is a youthful one. Exercise does a body good and keeps disease and stress away. Remember, aging is less about chronology and more about condition.

Tip—Practice the Kundalini Yoga Basic Spinal Energy series several times a week to keep your spine flexible. You are as young as your spine is flexible!

Deep Heart Connection: Maintaining a deep heart connection between you and the world keeps you young! Medical studies confirm that helping others does a heart good, so getting out in the world and doing service assists others and keeps you healthy in the process. What a win/win!

Tip—Feed people. A great place to go is to the Hunger Site. A click a day on their website provides food to the hungry at no cost to you. What a wonderful way to start the day!

Let’s stay forever young! Good food, proper exercise and a lot of love in your heart can help you live each and every moment with a flexible body, mind and spirit.

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Lola Scarborough (Sat Avtar)
Yoga Lola Studios

Recommended: The Way of Ayurvedic Herbs: A Contemporary Introduction and Useful Manual for the World's Oldest Healing System by Michael Tierra and Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa and You: Staying Young by Michael Roizen

Trans-Form with Awareness

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

The expansion of inner self-awareness via a physical practice done with conscious intention—this is how I define “Yoga Revelation.” A yoga practice has the power to ignite unlimited revelations, beyond the physical experience, giving you access to knowledge that enhances and supports your total wellness. In this series, we will explore how yoga “reveals” the mind-body-spirit connection.

I encourage my students to develop self-awareness through a slow yoga practice, by setting an intention to feel the breath moving into every part of the body. An excellent pose to help develop breath awareness is Dangling Forward Fold (Uttanasana).

As you exhale forward, breathe slowly and with surrender. Stay in this pose for 10 deep breaths. The secret is to feel the deep inhale expand your skin and muscles while slightly lifting the body; then, let the air leave your body with a conscious exhale. This practice of conscious breathing and feeling what is happening is a great habit to master.

Every day your patience is tested. You may lose your work when the computer crashes. Sometimes you have to stand in line at the bank or grocery store—a hassle when trying to do errands on your lunch break. The truth is, you cannot control what happens to you; but yoga reveals to you how you can control your response to stress.

Use this breathing technique during a challenging time—such as standing in the bank line. Inhale deeply and slightly shift your weight onto one foot. On the exhale, shift the weight to the other side. Notice a change in your energy as you begin to calm down. Conscious breathing alters the release of chemicals that ignite tension and stress. Yoga will instill this truth into your cellular structure with practice.

Visualize your breathing as water flowing through the tightest crevices. Use your practice to open the crevices wider each time. You will come to realize that your physical being is more expansive than you perceived. Bring your awareness to your practice and enjoy the subtle and (not so subtle) understanding that yoga magically brings! I hope you will share your yoga revelations with me….

Valerie Goodman
Yoga instructor and owner of Yoga Revelation

Recommended Reading: The Book of Secrets: Unlocking the Hidden Dimensions of Your Life by Deepak Chopra

Be My Valentine

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

In what areas of your life would you and your partner like to grow or stretch? In partner yoga, creating new poses together encourages sensitivity to your mutual needs and limitations. Doing yoga together is a deeply intimate process that strengthens communication (verbal and physical), enhances your connection and deepens trust.

Just as you find ways to support each other to stretch and grow when doing partner yoga, so working together as partners in life can bring these same benefits into other aspects of your relationship. Finding ways to blend your desires and expand together can be a fun challenge—all it takes is a little creativity.

One way to “partner” in your life is to discover mutual pursuits that allow you to each encompass your individual needs. Suppose your partner is trying to come out of their “shell” and be more at ease in social situations, while you’re feeling sedentary and craving more physical activity. You might take a salsa or contra dance class together, join a walking or hiking group, or try out an activity like bocce ball or swimming that involves both physical exercise and social interaction.

Perhaps you are looking to express your creativity and broaden your palate, while your partner is seeking intellectual stimulation and has a desire to learn about other cultures—you could enroll in an Indian cooking class and take a conversational language class together. Get creative—your partner will love you for it. If you haven't experienced actual partner yoga, Valentine's Day is the perfect excuse for you both to get out your mats and enjoy some quality time!

Relationship yoga unites your two beings into one spirit. Simply seek a way to combine your desires and support one another in the process, and you'll be experiencing this divine union in your everyday life.

Mali Apple and Joe Dunn
www.TheSoulmateExperience.com
Authors, The Soulmate Experience: A Practical Guide to Creating Extraordinary Relationships

Recommended: The Joy of Partner Yoga by Mishabae Edmond and Yoga Two-gether™ (DVD) by Coffey Video Productions

Tangerine Dream

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

Tangerines, mandarins and other citrus are such a treat in the colder months. Not only do these little bits of sunshine make your taste buds smile, but the Vitamin C they contain can help bolster your immune system. It’s always a good idea to keep a variety of citrus fruits on hand for tasty lunch box snacks or a mid-afternoon work break.

It’s important to fuel the body with whole foods and foods that are as close to a natural state as possible—especially for your first meal of the day. Eating naturally is a great way to supply your body with the vitamins, minerals and nutrients you need to maintain radiant health and energy.

Whether winter chills make you crave some Vitamin C-filled citrus fruit—or if you’re looking for something novel for breakfast—this lovely low-sugar tangerine cake might be just the ticket to pick up your spirits.

The combination of fruit, nuts and flaxseed adds the health-promoting properties of flavonoids with some protein and fiber in a tasty alternative to oatmeal or cold cereal. Enjoy with a mug of spirit-warming Yogi Tea to start your morning!

Tangerine Breakfast Cake

4 fresh seedless mandarin oranges (tangerines, clementines)
1/2 t almond extract
1/3 C sugar (raw or sugar-alternative)
1/4 C olive oil
1/2 C plain, unsweetened non-dairy milk (soy, rice, almond, hemp, etc.)
2 T ground flaxseed (flax meal)
1 1/2 C whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 C ground almonds (almond meal)
2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
Powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350°. Oil a cake or bundt pan (or line with parchment paper). Zest the mandarins then peel and puree them in the blender. This should give you 1/2 - 3/4 cup of puree and 2-3 tablespoons of zest.

Combine the zest and pureed oranges in a small bowl with the almond extract, sugar, oil, milk and flaxseed and set aside.

Combine the flour, ground almonds, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Add the wet ingredients and gently stir until combined, but don't over-mix. Add more milk if the batter is super thick (it should be thick but not cookie-dough thick).

Pour the batter into prepared pan and bake for about 25 minutes or until the cake is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan until it is cool enough to handle then turn it out onto a baking rack to cool completely. Serve on a plate and dust with powdered sugar.

Allison Brewer
Mother of two, writer, vegetarian and aspiring triathlete
Get Natured Blog

Recommended: Thrive - The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports and Life by Brendan Brazier and Everyday Happy Herbivore by Lindsay S. Nixon

Dealing with Feeling

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT

Happiness depends on feeling good. Your well-being requires peaceful thoughts and flourishing emotions. Yogis know that every thought generates a feeling. That’s a lot of emotions!

After years of yoga practice and working as a Life Coach, I have come to understand that the emotions are vital body-mind-spirit sensory equipment. Just as your five physical senses serve to navigate your body, emotions help you to explore how life is going for you on earth. Your emotions are guides, leading you toward feeling Divine amidst the challenges life brings.

Skillfully navigating the sometimes dark, yet rich world of feelings can bring freedom from early trauma, unresolved issues, confusion, anxiety and frustration. With awareness, you can gain control over what you are feeling and learn what you need to be happy. Think of emotions as the Senses of the Soul, serving your spirit to flourish.

In this series of articles we will help you discover the profound benefits of relating skillfully to your emotions. You can start right now to build your relationship to them by spending quality time through attention and communication.

Sit comfortably and set a timer for 11 minutes. Close your eyes, breathing deeply and slowly. Feel supported by the earth below, and vast and expansive through your mental/spiritual self above. Shift your attention to emotional sensations. Let your feelings flow through your body without resisting or trying to make anything happen. Be in rapport. You will discover that difficult feelings ease up when you allow them to just “be.” Equally allow positive feelings. Play with evoking all kinds of emotional sensations by calling on thoughts and memories.

Don’t be surprised if you feel uncomfortable. Keep breathing as you work with your emotions until peace comes. Ask them what they want you to know. Ask if there is something you can do to feel better. Take note of answers, which may be more of a feeling than a thought. Inhale deeply, and finish your session with uplifting thoughts and feelings.

Mastery comes with small steps and repetition. Practice this exercise daily and watch how your life improves. Know that you have taken the first step on the road to a deeper understanding of your emotions and their relationship to your soul.

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GuruMeher Singh Khalsa
Yogic Trainer and Life Coach
www.sensesofthesoul.com

Facing the Unknown

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT

“What do I do now?” Whether it is unexpected job changes, ending a relationship, or simply embarking on a new journey, everyone faces the unknown at some point. Sometimes the course of action is clear; but when life really flips you upside down, it can be overwhelming and scary.

As challenging as change can be, it can also be a huge blessing, because in that place of not knowing, magnificent transformation becomes possible. But what do you do in the midst of it?

Ask for Help
Don't go through it alone. Tell a friend that you need support or call on your guardian angels. The humility that comes in times of crisis can bring deeper connection to others. Utilize the power of prayer. In Kundalini Yoga, we have a prayer that calls for a miracle: Dhan Dhan Ram Das Guru. It brings peace when you need it most. Chant it once or repeat for 31 minutes. Whatever your approach, take this opportunity to be present with your humanity and allow others the blessing of being there for you.

Feel It
When life is intense, the first response is often to avoid your feelings. However, that intensity is the magic spot, pushing the edge and opening the heart in new ways. Allowing yourself to feel the emotion is vital in the healing process and is a meditation in itself. Long deep breathing can be helpful for moving through emotion with presence.

Take Care
Self-care becomes extra important in times of personal crisis. Eat healthy food, drink more water, exercise regularly and make sure you get the sleep you need. This may require that other non-essential duties be set aside for the time being. Make it a priority to support your body in assimilating the vast changes that are coming your way.

Facing the unknown is not comfortable, but it is an important part of growth and change. You will move through it day by day (or maybe even minute by minute.) Things will shift. Clarity will come. Be gentle with yourself and embrace the wild ride of this human life.
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Kewal K. Khalsa
Mother, Birth Doula, & Yoga Teacher
www.YogaAndBirth.com

Recommended: When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times by Pema Chodron

Raise Your Voice

Sun, 15 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT

Thursday, 9 a.m. – It’s time for Chorus in the classroom. Please come into the Music Room and take a seat with the other students. To warm up your voice, we’ll begin with deep breathing and stretching your body, especially the facial, neck and shoulder muscles. (This is how I introduce my students to the practice of yoga in the schools.)

Here’s a great breath—it’s called Ocean Breath. Breathe in through your nose slowly and deeply; then, let your breath out with a whispered “haaah.” Your breath will sound like an ocean wave. When you breathe in, bring both hands towards your middle, like a wave coming in. When you breathe out, push your hands out, like a wave going back out to sea.

Next, roll your shoulders backward in a circle, then forward. Stretch your head and neck to one side, keeping the shoulders down, then stretch to the other side. Put your chin on your chest, then look up to the sun. Now, let’s do Sun Breath – we reach our arms up, one at a time, saying: “Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!”

Stand up, reach for the sun, and then do a forward bend. Put hands on your knees, then on your waist, then on your shoulders. Reach up again, this time placing one hand on your waist, the other arm remaining up high, and bending to the left. Now try it on the other side. Twist back and forth, like a washing machine. Now, have a seat.

This is how we begin Junior and Senior Chorus classes at the school where I teach. By this time, all of the students are very focused, quiet and ready to begin warming up their voices, which have been allowed to open up with the breath work and yoga stretches.

Many students have expressed how much they enjoy these warm-ups and how they make them feel great afterward. I invite you to share your love of yoga, breathing and song in your teen’s classroom or with anyone who loves to sing. Our students are so grateful and we love sharing yoga with young people!

Linda Lara
Teacher, Creator of Musical Yoga Adventures with Suzy Frank
www.musicalyogaadventures.com

Recommended: Musical Yoga Adventures:World Journey and Shanti Generation: Yoga for Youth by Abby Wills

Green Plate Special

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT

"Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances of survival of life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet." - Albert Einstein

Many people are going “green” to save resources and sustain the planet. Shifting to a plant-based diet supports your personal health as well as the health of our Mother Earth. As yogis, there is a long tradition of living in harmony with the earth and its inhabitants.

Ahimsa is the Sanskrit term for “non-violence.” Living as a yogi, it makes sense to shift to a vegetarian lifestyle. This way of being embraces the concept of not harming ourselves, our bodies, the earth we live on or the animals, both wild and domesticated. In addition to feeling more energy, vitality and lightness of the body when practicing yoga, you help “green” the earth by reducing or abstaining from eating meat—one bite at a time!

A vegetarian diet helps heal the planet by conserving fossil fuels—it takes significantly more energy to produce meat products than to grow plant foods. We are all learning how critical it is to reduce our carbon “footprint.” We help the planet when we buy organic and locally-grown produce as well, since we reduce transportation impacts and help with soil conservation.

There are so many reasons why a plant-based diet is an effective and easy way to “go green”—by eating in a healthy way for yourself and the planet. You will improve your personal health, support your yoga practice and do your part to heal the planet every time you sit down to a meal. Make a New Years’ resolution to learn more about your connection to the food you eat. Go “green” to get healthier and bless the earth in 2012.

Sunflower Seed Salad Dressing
This is the most popular salad dressing in the Sivananda Ashrams and centers worldwide. Try some on your leafy greens!

Blend 1 C oil, 1/2 C tamari, 1/2 C lemon juice and 1 to 2 C sunflower seeds until you get a smooth and creamy consistency. If the consistency is too thick, add some water; if too thin, add more sunflower seeds. To this mixture, you can add any herb or spice you prefer. Taste and adjust. Makes 4-5 cups.

Stacie Dooreck (Saraswati)
Certified Sivananda and Kundalini Yoga Instructor
www.sunlightyoga.com

Recommended: The Yoga Cookbook: Vegetarian Food for Body and Mind and Diet for a New America by John Robbins

Make Room for Love

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT

Yoga is about making space. Some yoga postures create spaciousness in the spine; others make room for your organs, not to mention yoga practices to open up your heart chakra. You consciously use your breath to expand internally. Even the practice of going to yoga class is about giving yourself the freedom to focus on personal time.

Like your body, relationships require space—both physical and emotional—in order to stay healthy and balanced. Just as your yoga practice helps your body heal from injury, respond to stress and adapt to shifting circumstances, building flexibility and freedom of movement in your relationships allows you to respond more gracefully to the changes and challenges that you may face.

The beginning of a new year offers a natural time to evaluate how much spaciousness exists in your love relationship. It is a perfect time to create an intention to expand in those places that feel tight or constricted.

Start by looking inside. Are there areas where judgment, criticism, blame, guilt or regret creep into your relationship? Just bringing your awareness to them will reduce their influence and give you space to reflect. Are there things you need to lovingly and honestly communicate to your partner? Is it time to find ways to release old issues (which require precious life energy to maintain) and create room for some new ways of relating to each other?

Another way to create space in a relationship is to take a look at your routines. Are there activities you could let go of to open up more free time to be together? What about social obligations—do you habitually over-commit? You may find yourself connected to so many people and with multiple demands for your attention. Bringing more awareness to your time commitments—and graciously declining at times—will leave more space for spontaneity in your love relationship.

Experiment with ways to make space for some “quality” time with your love. Turn off your phones during dinner. Take a long walk together or a bike ride instead of seeing a movie. Instead of watching television, go outside with your love, cuddle up and watch the stars. Now that’s a feeling of spaciousness!

Mali Apple and Joe Dunn
Authors, The Soulmate Experience: A Practical Guide to Creating Extraordinary Relationships
The Soulmate Experience

Recommended: Breathing Room: Creating Space to Be a Couple by Elayne Savage Ph.D

Nerves of Steel IV

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 08:00:00 GMT

We started this series on Nerves of Steel working on the power of the breath to become super-hero yogis. What’s a super-hero without a shield? Just like Captain America’s shield, your auric field protects you from negativity, psychic disturbance and illness, plus gives you a magnetic, radiant, healing presence.

All living beings have an electro-magnetic field. According to both yogis and scientists, your aura is a protective, egg-shaped bubble that extends from a few inches up to nine feet all around your body. A weakened aura has trouble fighting off negative thoughts and creates greater risk for physical illness.

Many things can weaken your aura, including illness, grief or trauma. When dramatic change occurs, your energy field alters, affecting the chemistry in your brain and body. Even environmental factors, such as an earthquake, can affect your auric field. Expanding your aura enhances your nervous system, which is why strengthening the aura is part of the Nerves of Steel toolkit.

Practice yoga to energize your aura. Other aura-builders include wearing all-natural, white clothing, doing breath of fire and practicing selfless service to open your heart. Prayer, meditation and martial arts all strengthen the outer shell of your auric field.

Turbo-charge your aura with Lion’s Paw Kriya. I recommend doing this exercise daily for 40 days to discover the positive difference it makes in your life. By building your aura, you’ll become happier and healthier. A strong aura makes you magnetic and charismatic—and life is definitely sweeter when you have the ability to attract to you what you want and need to live a healthy, happy life.

For demonstration of meditation watch Food & Flow video: Celebrate!:Vegan Eggnog & Lion's Paw Kriya
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Lola Scarborough
Yoga Lola Studios

Recommended: Waves of Healing by Siri Atma Singh MD and Kundalini Yoga for Beginners & Beyond by Ana Brett and Ravi Singh

Yoga Expands Everything

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 08:00:00 GMT

"Self-knowledge is the beginning of self-improvement." - Spanish proverb

The practice of yoga changes your life. Being a teacher of yoga, I've been graciously blessed to witness the powerful shifts that emerge over time for the people I guide. Yoga is more than getting to "advanced" poses or being able to stay balanced longer. It is a practice that surreptitiously ingrains itself in your mind and heart.

Yoga ignites an inner calmness with conscious breathing. As the exterior gets stronger, strength and flexibility goes beyond the flesh. Nature's beauty dominates your vision. Passion for what speaks to your heart is ignited. Purpose of life extends beyond paying the bills. Life falls into place in a magical way full of synchronicity. Life is a dance of moves, choices, challenges, and unexpected gifts. Yoga can help you keep dancing when you don't hear the music.

A beautiful experience of synchronicity manifested at a recent yoga class. I brought a collection of various stones that serve different purposes to class for each student. They each picked one that appealed to them (I told them not to think about it, but just feel which one "spoke" to them). Each student selected their stone and held it during the entire class. When the class was over, I had them read about the purpose of the stone.

As the students read about their stone's purpose, their jaws dropped. A few people had tears well up in their eyes. Not only did each stone coincide with the emotional needs of the person, but the physical needs of each person were in the stone they chose. Each one had felt something inexplicable flow through them during the practice. This class had never been exposed to the spiritual quality of gemstones. Yet, each innately selected exactly what they needed. Nothing happens by accident. Timing is everything.

Expand your expectations. Expand your awareness. Let your practice of yoga open revelations of what resides deep within your cellular structure. It will do its magic, like the stones, and give you exactly what you need when the time is right.

Valerie Goodman
Yoga Teacher (E-RYT), Writer
www.yogarevelation.com

Recommended: The Book of Stones: Who They Are & What They Teach by Robert Simmons and Naisha Ahsian and Living Your Yoga by Judith Lasater

Finding Comfort

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 08:00:00 GMT

What makes food comforting? Nurturing yourself after a long day with a well-prepared meal brings comfort to yourself and joy to those partaking in it. Food that has been prepared with intention tastes even better with love as the main ingredient.

What does it mean to cook with intention? When you are preparing a meal, think about each individual component as you work. Combine ingredients with purpose, thinking about how the meal will nourish your loved ones. Putting love into the process of cooking makes the experience more gratifying. Intentional cooking feels very meditative. Put on some beautiful background music as you infuse the food with nurturing vibrations.

On cool evenings, meals that warm the body also nourish the soul. Perhaps you have favorite dishes that remind you of being cared for as a child that you enjoy for their flavors and textures. These are your comfort foods.

Comfort foods tend to be warm, rich, creamy and—quite often—loaded with calories. With a few changes to your favorite recipes, you can create new versions that are both comforting and healthy. For example, what is more perfect on a cold evening than a creamy and hearty gratin made with healthy ingredients?

Gratins (like this Creamy Vegan Cauliflower recipe) typically contain rich ingredients such as butter and heavy cream. This vegan version contains no cream or butter, but instead uses the natural sweetness of oven-roasted cauliflower to create a rich and savory flavor.

Eat with intention, cook with love and enjoy the comfort of foods prepared for your heart and soul!

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Sweet Potato Hummus – nurture your body with Food & Flow

Allison Brewer
Mother of two, writer, vegetarian, and aspiring triathlete
getnatured.com

Recommended: Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison

Bless the Children

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 08:00:00 GMT

In the realm of cosmic lessons, nothing more clearly teaches, “You’re not the doer” quite like motherhood. You can instill values, set schedules, pack the lunches and kiss boo-boos, but even with the most careful planning, parenting brings with it countless experiences beyond your control.

Ultimately, children travel their own paths, intermingled with, yet independent of your journey. Like all human beings, they will face challenges and disappointments. Mothers have a host of tools to support their children, even from afar. In fact, mothers have been given a most powerful tool: Prayer.

The prayer of the mother is considered to be the most powerful prayer of all. Yogi Bhajan, in his teachings for women, said, “The prayer of the mother is the most powerful tool. Once you give birth to a child, give him (her) the highest gift: pray for that child…giving birth to a child and not adding prayer to that child is just like building a house without any foundation."

When you pray for your children, you project out to the universe all your hopes and wishes for your child. It is said that a mother's prayer for her child is so powerful that it can change their destiny. A mother’s prayer protects, heals, nurtures and guides the soul of their child (even into adulthood). In many traditions, mothers pray before conception and during the pregnancy for the highest soul to incarnate, and there are also wonderful “blessingway” ceremonies to bless mother and child during pregnancy.

There are as many ways to pray as there are mothers. In Kundalini Yoga, we have prayers that use mantra to uplift and nurture our children. Pootaa Mataa Kee Aasees is for the protection and blessing of a child. It can be recited daily or on a child's birthday. Jewish families share a special blessing for their children during the Friday night Sabbath. A beautiful Baha’i prayer for children asks God to “shine forth” through each child as a light in the world.

The approach to prayer is up to you – listen to your heart and speak, sing, visualize or call out in the prayer that springs forth from your love. From the pure prayer of the mother's love, you bless your children and, in the process, you bless yourself.

Kewal K. Khalsa Mother
Birth Doula, & Yoga Teacher
www.YogaAndBirth.com

Recommended: Mother's Blessing (CD) by Prabhu Nam Kaur & Snatam Kaur and Blessingways: Celebrating Pregnancy, Birth, and Motherhood by Shari Maser

Little Party Animals

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Want to do something unique for your child’s next birthday party? How about a yoga party? A yoga-themed party gives your child (and the birthday guests) a fun way to get exercise, practice breathing, do routines to music, work together as a group or with partners, have relaxation time and make some healthy drinks to go along with the yoga theme.

Incorporate your child’s favorite activities into their yoga party—have them pick a theme such as animals (lion pose, cat/cow, crow pose, frog pose), outer space (sun, half moon, star, spaceships, etc.), a travel theme (bicycle, boat, airplane, bridge), or a nature theme (tree, river, flower, bee). Take pictures of the yogis doing their favorite yoga poses. Use the photos as part of a thank note or email.

Guests should wear loose fitting clothing and bring a yoga mat (or you can supply a few). You may want to purchase some children’s yoga cards with both individual and partner poses. This will allow the kids to choose which pose they would like to do and to bring partners together for poses. You may also want to purchase kids’ yoga /music CDs, or download kids’ yoga music tracks for a yoga “musical chairs” or Simon Says game.

Another fun way to celebrate the birthday/yoga theme: Have the kids do candle pose (shoulder stand) and allow the birthday person to “blow out” each candle by blowing on friends’ upward feet. Everyone can try blowing up balloons, or blowing bubbles to create a festive mood, while learning to practice yoga breathing.

For relaxation, have the children lay on their mats with calm music playing in the background. The adult leader can create a guided imagery which correlates with the party theme and include how the adult enjoyed seeing each person (and naming them), while mentioning any positive behaviors that were observed.

After relaxation, bring the kids to the kitchen to help make a tasty fruit smoothie. Serve healthy snacks, and don’t forget the birthday cake decorated according to the theme. The possibilities for a kids’ yoga party are endless!

Kids love Bug Yoga!

Linda Lara
Creator of Musical Yoga Adventures CD (with Suzy Frank)
www.musicalyogaadventures.com

Recommended: Yoga Kids: Keeping Busy Kids Fit and Relaxed by Kirsten Hall and Yoga Pretzels (Yoga Cards) and by Tara Lynda Guber

Love Connection

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Just as yoga helps you tune in and stretch yourself mentally and physically, as well as heal you on a deep level, in a yogic relationship it’s essential to stay connected with your partner on a soul level in order to keep love vital and healthy. Nurturing the love connection—that’s part of the “yoga of relationships.”

While we stay busy with our careers, family, personal pursuits and health issues, it is important to invest some time and energy into the relationships with the people we cherish. It’s easy to slowly drift apart among the “stuff” that continually flows in and out of our busy lives.

Even though a special date night or weekend away can give you precious space to really enjoy being together again, those times may not come on a regular basis. So how can you “work out” the kinks in-between those special times together? Is there a way to maintain your ease at reconnecting with each other—just as your body stays flexible when you stretch between yoga classes?

Acknowledging and experiencing the deep bond you share while in the midst of your daily activities keeps your connection vibrant. Savor the opportunities for a few moments of intimacy. Enjoy a full-body hug before rolling out of bed in the morning. Share a morning shower together, hold hands while running errands, or offer one another an unexpected neck or foot massage.

Immerse yourselves in a real embrace—relish the feeling of holding your partner and being held while you allow the rhythm of your breathing to synchronize. Or, try eye gazing—looking deeply into each other’s eyes with a willingness to see and be seen.

Mentally let go of all the accumulated “stuff” in your lives and any thoughts that arise as you soak up that sweet feeling of being two people in love. If you only have 20 seconds, how about a passionate 20-second kiss?

Celebrating your connection between date nights brings that divine quality of true intimacy into all aspects of your life. Because, at its heart, a relationship isn’t about what you do together. It’s about who you are together.

Recommended: Alchemy of Love Relationships by Joseph Michael Levry

Mali Apple and Joe Dunn
Authors, The Soulmate Experience: A Practical Guide to Creating Extraordinary Relationships
The Soulmate Experience on Facebook

Coming of Age

Sun, 06 Nov 2011 07:00:00 GMT

"We enter the Age of Aquarius on Nov. 11, 2011. It will be a new time, [as] the entire psyche is changing. You must purify the mind, body and soul to be real, innocent and sattvic (pure). Elevate yourself to be angelic. This age you will serve is an age of awareness and experience." -Yogi Bhajan

We are living in a magnificent, awe-inspiring time, bearing witness to and experiencing the monumental shift of the ages where mass consciousness transitions from polarity to unity. This unprecedented transformation, brought about by divine will, through the energetic showering of light from the heart of the cosmos, is raising human consciousness to the pinnacle of truth.

Our true selves are merging into our human experience. The thousand-petaled lotus of our consciousness is beautifully unfurling. We are healing the separation of soul and God from self that has previously ruled the ages.

November 11, 2011 presents an opportunity to harness the power of transformation and transcendence that will uplift us all into the new age. The number 11 carries with it the inspirational energy of intuition, peace and spirituality; it is the number of mastery, represented by the light-bearing teacher of wisdom (the Guru in yogic tradition, who takes you out of darkness into the light of truth).

The 11.11.11 numerological portal of transcendental energy, together with the cumulative power of the triple 11’s that represent soul consciousness, creates a bridge to the divine self. Human is merged with divine and the Guru comes into our presence.

The Age of Aquarius is an age of heart and intuition where the power of knowledge of self and spirit brings peace. Humanity is awakening, compassion is succeeding over greed, the ego of the planet is crumbling under the waves of light that are cleansing the earth’s shores, liberating the cells of our consciousness from our long-held limited perspective.

Now is the time to meditate and clear your mind of subconscious blocks, creating a space of love and peace within your heart, getting your daily worries out of the way, setting expansive, loving intentions and elevating yourself to connect to the infinite.

Aiding in the fulfillment of your deepest heart-felt soul desires, the divine supports you as you step into this new age of Truth where you claim your spiritual inheritance and master yourself so that you can live in harmony with your soul, in love and reverence with all others and at peace with nature.

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Sat Avtar
Musician, Artist, Healer, Writer and Yogi

Special Events Celebrating 11.11.11

11-11-11 Welcome the Change of the Age – An Event by 3HO & Kundalini Research Institute

Spirit Voyage and Golden Bridge Yoga 11.11.11 Celebration in Rishikesh, India

11.11.11 Yoga West Los Angeles

Yoga At The Ashram, Millis, MA 11.11.11 Celebration

Ch-ch-ch-Chia!

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 07:00:00 GMT

The key to good nutrition, given the stresses of today's modern lifestyle, is to to take advantage of “superfoods.” Superfood is a term used to describe foods that are extremely nutrient-dense. Superfoods have been used throughout time by most cultures around the world to increase energy, vitality and endurance.

Some of the exotic superfoods you may have heard of include acai, goji berries, maca root, mangosteen, amalaki, hemp and blue-green algae. Many common fruits and vegetables are also super-nutritious, like blueberries, kale and pomegranate.

The great thing about superfoods is that a meal composed of these nutrient-dense items supplies your body’s cells with high-quality, readily-available nutrition. Your body gets nourished and you don’t get as hungry as often. Cravings for empty, processed foods decrease. When you look at all the foods in your typical meal, how many of them are nutrient-dense, and how many are relatively, or totally, empty?

One of my favorite superfoods is chia seeds. Aztec warriors ate chia seeds for their “running fuel” because they provide unrivaled nutrition, energy and hydration. Check out these numbers—a 16-ounce bag of chia seeds provides the equivalent of the omega-3 oil in 10 pounds of salmon. Chia provides the magnesium in 15 pounds of broccoli, the protein in 3 pounds of tofu, the fiber in 4 pounds of oatmeal, the antioxidants in 2 pounds of blueberries and the calcium in a gallon of 1% milk.

The high omega ratio means you get great cardiovascular and joint health benefits. The fiber is excellent for weight loss and digestion issues. Chia’s high antioxidant quotient makes it invaluable for preventing diseases associated with aging and stress. When you soak chia seeds in any liquid, they absorb 10 times their weight in water, allowing them to provide excellent sustained hydration. You can soak them in coconut water, almond milk, hemp milk or water. I love delicious Chia Pudding for breakfast—add some to your daily meal planning and notice the difference in your energy and vitality!

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Cheers for Chia (video)

Dr. Sharada Hall
Doctor of Oriental Medicine
Bodhimed.com

Embraced by Yoga

Sun, 23 Oct 2011 07:00:00 GMT

At an Anatomy of Yoga workshop I recently attended, I saw a picture of all the abdominal muscles wrapped around the torso of the body, from the hip bones to the rib bones to the spine. It looked like someone was wrapped in several ace bandages, crisscrossing front to back, side to side, up and down, all along the torso.

The image was somewhat comforting to me. It made me think of what it must be like to be swaddled as a baby, embraced, held, nurtured, supported. Then it hit me. This is what yoga teachers mean when they talk about Uddiyana Bhanda.

Bhanda means lock and it is meant to close off the senses as a means of turning within. The Uddiyana Bhanda in its fullest form is a deep pulling in of the abdominal wall as a massage of the internal organs, like the lock of a canal to filter the flow of energy in its purest form.

In modern day yoga, the deepest forms of the practice have been adapted for the Western mind and non-Indian bodies. The modern yogis refer to Uddiyana Bhanda as a slight pulling in and lifting up of the abdominal muscles, an action that should ideally be held throughout the entirety of the vinyasa flow practice.

I have practiced yoga for 12 years, taught for seven. In all those years, referring to the bhanda as a lock made it feel like something that was hard, cold, blocking and solid. The word just carries that connotation. It wasn't until I saw the ace-bandage wrap of the abdominal muscles that I understood it to be an embrace rather than a lock.

The torso (between the lower ribs and the hips) is the home to the manipura chakra, the energy center for identity, purpose, power, passion and individuality. To think of uddiyana bhanda as an embrace of this energy center is to actually hold yourself, your identity, your purpose, your power, your passion and your individuality in a swaddling embrace. How cool is that?

Teri Leigh
Author, Yoga Teacher, Consultant
Article originally published in the Prana Pages
(used with author's permission)

Recommended: Yoga Anatomy by Leslie Kaminoff

Soup it Up

Sun, 16 Oct 2011 07:00:00 GMT

As the air turns crisp and the trees don shades of gold and orange, warm comforting meals are made for the season. Just as berries refresh on a hot summer day, homemade soup warms and fuels your body on a crisp fall evening.

Soups can be simple or complex, creamy or clear, savory or sweet. Soup recipes are incredibly versatile and can be adapted based on what you have on hand or what you find at your local farmers’ market.

Here are some tips for making a simple soup into a hearty meal:

• Add lentils or beans for extra iron, protein, and fiber. Puree white beans into creamy soups for a delightfully thick texture without cream.

• Serve soup over a hearty grain like bulgur wheat, brown rice or farro (an ancient, healthy grain available at your health food or specialty store) for a satisfying meal.

• Add pureed or finely chopped greens or other veggies to create a thicker base and increase the nutritional value of your soup.

• Serve soup with warm bread or in a bread bowl for a truly soul-satisfying meal.

• Consider creating a “panade” or baked soup with leftover creamy soup to create a completely new meal! Toast and tear a few slices of bread into pieces and place into a lightly-oiled casserole or gratin dish. Pour the leftover soup over the top and bake at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes or until golden and bubbly on top.

I created this “Something-Out-of-Nothing Broccoli Soup” on an evening when I was craving comfort food but hadn’t been to the grocery store. I rummaged around in the fridge and created this beautiful soup out of just a few basic ingredients.

Something-Out-of-Nothing Broccoli Soup - Serves about 4

2 C plain soymilk
2 bay leaves
Several sprigs of fresh thyme
Fresh cracked pepper
5 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 T olive oil
2 C of water
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 lg. pkg. frozen broccoli (or 1 bunch fresh)
1 15 oz. can cannellini or other white beans, thoroughly rinsed

Place the unpeeled garlic cloves on a piece of foil and drizzle with olive oil. Loosely wrap the garlic in the foil and place on a tray in a toaster oven (or regular oven) heated to 350°. Roast until fragrant and soft, about 20-30 minutes. While the garlic is roasting, combine the soymilk, bay leaves, thyme and pepper in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. When the milk reaches a simmer, add the water, salt, onion, celery, broccoli and beans. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium and cook until the broccoli is tender.

When the garlic is ready, pour off the olive oil into the soup. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their peel into the soup. Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Puree the soup with a stick blender (or in a blender, in batches) until smooth-ish (not completely smooth- leave it a little chunky). Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.

Remember, where soup is concerned, the possibilities are endless…Bon Apetit!

Allison Brewer
Mother of two, writer, vegetarian and aspiring triathlete
getnatured.com

Recommended: Vegetable Soups from Deborah Madison's Kitchen by Deborah Madison

A Minute to Win It

Sun, 09 Oct 2011 07:00:00 GMT

Meditation is a time-tested tool for stress reduction, calming the mind, gaining clarity and increasing intuition and concentration. Growing up, I saw my father meditate daily and heard his advice through my teenage years: "know the inner self and meditate." Until I began a daily practice I didn’t understand what this meant and why it is so crucial as we go through the ups and downs of life.

When you meditate consistently, you access a deep well of joy and peace. Often my yoga students tell me that they (or their minds) are too busy to meditate. Paradoxically, this is exactly why you need to meditate. The discipline of stilling the mind teaches you that you are the master of your own mind. Who is the silent witness and knower of all your thoughts? Let's check it out in one short, sweet minute!

Find a quiet place. Sit in a comfortable position with spine tall, but not tense. If a chair is more comfortable, you can sit tall with feet on the floor. Support the low back with a pillow if needed. Close your eyes. Bring yourself into the present moment. Become aware of your body and surroundings.

Take a few deep sighs. Observe, and then regulate your breath by rhythmic, deep, slow inhales and exhales. Allow the mind to wander at first. Focus at the brow point, the navel or the heart center where the mind can rest. When the mind drifts, bring it back to the breath, which brings you into the present moment.

Start with this practice for one minute a day for a week. Even if your mind isn't calm during the meditation, notice the effects after a daily practice. Increase this simple practice to 3 minutes and then 5 minutes and keep going! Stay patient and consistent and you will find you will anchor your life with a daily meditation practice. Living in the moment only takes a moment!

One Moment Meditation Video and Breath Awareness Exercise

Stacie Dooreck (Saraswati)
Certified Sivananda and Kundalini Yoga Instructor
www.sunlightyoga.com

Recommended: Meditation Secrets: Ultimate Beginner's Guide by Matt Le Tutla and The Sivananda Companion to Yoga by Sivananda Yoga Center

Go for the Greens

Sun, 02 Oct 2011 07:00:00 GMT

Green means go—and not just at the traffic light. The energy of the color signifies a positive action, as well as freshness, growth and abundance. Think about the earth, Mother Nature, green trees, green grass…the color green is rarely linked to anything that is not good for us. The word “green” is closely related to the old English verb, growan, which means “to grow.” Therefore, eating greens is one of the most important things you can do nutritionally for your body.

When I say greens, I mean leafy ones…kale, spinach, chard, collards, baby greens…all those fluffy, cholorphyll-filled beauties that we often use as a simple garnish. But greens are so much more than just a filler salad. Combined with whole grains and legumes, greens bring color, energy and fiber to a vegetarian or vegan diet. Greens pack a real nutritional punch!

Consider this: Dr. Joel Furhman, author of Eat to Live, created a way to measure the nutritional value of food, called the Aggregated Nutrient Density Index (ANDI). Developed and implemented by Whole Foods, this index rates the nutrient density of all the foods we consume. At the top of the list are kale and most dark greens, such as collards, bok choy, spinach, arugula, and romaine. In fact, kale rates a whopping 1,000, which means it is the most nutrient-dense of all foods.

Greens are versatile and easy to incorporate into almost every meal. I love blending fresh spinach in my morning smoothie. Raw leafy green salads become a meal…just add steamed beets, garbanzo beans and some feta cheese. Sauté bok choy with arugula and chard and add spinach or parsley to your fresh juice. I love to stir fry greens or blend them into a rich, winter soup.

Whatever you have to do to get these amazing, healing viridescent beauties into your diet, do it! Greens give you vitality and energy as well as help to protect your body from disease. Get creative, go for the greens and do your body a kindness by giving it such high-nutrient food!

Curried Kale w/Caramelized Shallots & Agave

3 shallots, thinly sliced
1 T coconut oil
1 T curry powder
1 T agave nectar
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 bunch kale (about 4 oz), stems removed and chopped into large pieces
2 T tamari or nama shoyu
2 T water

Heat oil over medium heat, add shallots and sauté until dark brown and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Stir in curry powder, agave and lemon juice. Add kale, soy sauce and water. Cover and steam for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until kale is still chewy but tender. Do not overcook.

Video: Creamy Tahini Kale with Yogamint’s Food and Flow team

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Melissa Costello
Karma Chow, Author of The Karma Chow Ultimate Cookbook: 125+ Delectable Plant-Based Vegan Recipes for a Fit, Happy, Healthy You
Recipe photo by Erika Kerekes

Tip of Your Tongue

Sun, 25 Sep 2011 07:00:00 GMT

Humanity today enjoys great technological ability that could be used to solve world problems. However, many people are full of fear during these times. The Internet and a global culture have brought our world closer in many ways—but at a cost. Your mind is receiving more daily input than ever before in the history of human existence. Luckily, there’s an ancient technology to help sift through all this information.

At the tip of your tongue is a simple way to move out of survival mode, utilizing the unlimited power of your mind through the science of sound, mantra and meditation. A daily mantra practice is one way to align with the power of the creative Universe, helping you to tune in to your own being, while interrelating with this increasingly complex world.

Mantra means mind (man), projection (trang). It is an ancient sacred technology that utilizes breath, sound, mudra (hand position) and sometimes a body posture to give you access to the unlimited power of the Creative Mind. Mantra, as a meditation, will clear your mind of the overwhelming informational input from the world and provide the opportunity to focus inward, so you can become aware of your purpose for being on earth.

Sacred music turns un-productive thoughts and emotions into opportunities to heal, evolve and love. Mantra helps your mind navigate through challenging situations, like “mantra medicine.” Take a few minutes out of your busy day to do this powerful mantra to heal yourself, your loved ones—even the entire planet!

Ra Ma Da Sa, Sa Say So Hung (as taught by Yogi Bhajan)

Ra – Sun
Ma – Moon
Da – Earth
Sa - Impersonal Infinity
Sa Say - Totality of Infinity
So - Personal sense of merger and identity
Hung - The infinite, vibrating and real

This is one of many mantras that will focus your mind and allow you to project the highest aspect of yourself into Creation. The response of the Universe will be to supply your every need and desire so you are able to live the life you love.

Akahdahmah
Harmonic Healing Minister, Kundalini Yoga Teacher, Herbalist, Musician
www.aykanna.com
Ra Ma Da Sa Mantra on Aykanna's Livelight CD

Recommended: The Music of Life by Hazrat Inayat Khan

Keep Love Edgy

Sun, 18 Sep 2011 07:00:00 GMT

In a yoga stretch, you tune into your body and become aware of your edge—that place where you open up and challenge your muscles, without overstretching or pushing into pain. In every pose, you always have an edge, even if you’ve been practicing for years. Once you’ve found your edge, you breathe into it to expand those muscles a little more. As you continue to breathe and relax, your body opens up to new possibilities and you feel energized and alive.

How does this relate to relationships? Recent research into long-term relationships confirms that novelty is essential for keeping romance alive. New experiences cause the body to produce the same exhilarating hormones that are activated when we fall in love. So, to expand in your relationship, as in yoga, learn to play at your edges together. Continually expanding your relationship, even in small ways, stimulates your connection with the energy of life.

Experiment with unfamiliar activities with your partner—especially if they make you a little nervous or apprehensive! Expand your comfort zones with hula hooping, rock climbing or a hip-hop yoga class. Join in a drum circle, climb a tree, or volunteer at a homeless shelter. Or, consider taking an excursion where each of you walks sightless for a while. If you’re being led, put your trust in your partner and your attention on your senses. Describe the sounds, smells, and sensations you’re noticing. If you're leading, guide your partner into the experience by asking, “What are you feeling? What do you hear? How does the air feel on your skin?”

By intentionally playing at your edges with your partner, you create opportunities to move into that sweet, rich place of deeper connection. As an added bonus, when you try new experiences together, you can’t help but have a new experience of each other!

Mali Apple and Joe Dunn
Authors, The Soulmate Experience: A Practical Guide to Creating Extraordinary Relationships
The Soulmate Experience on Facebook

Peaceful Pregnancy

Sun, 11 Sep 2011 07:00:00 GMT

It has long been known by yogis—and science now agrees—that the length and quality of time babies spend in utero is highly influential, not just in terms of the obvious physical development but in emotional and mental well-being for both mother and child.

Before birth, babies feel and experience life through the filter of the mother, whose joys, fears, peace and stress all prepare the unborn child for the world that awaits. As mothers (and the families and communities that support them), we have the blessing and responsibility to encourage a relaxed and nurturing pregnancy for both mother and baby.

Rest and Relax
In addition to eating well and getting good sleep, it is important to practice the art of relaxation. Because sleep at night can be difficult in pregnancy, learn to take naps and practice deep relaxation. Not only will this increase the peace during pregnancy but these skills can be used during labor and in life with a newborn.

Get Moving
Walking daily builds muscles, reduces stress, and balances the brain. Make it a walking meditation by mentally chanting Sat Nam as you step with your left foot and Wahe Guru with the right. Three to five miles a day is a great preparation for birth – but any amount will help. Explore prenatal yoga, swimming, pregnancy water aerobics or even belly dancing!

Gather Support
Friendships are vital in the transition to motherhood. Find your tribe – other mothers with whom you can share the delights and the challenges. Kundalini Yoga has a tradition of honoring pregnant mothers on the 120th day of pregnancy (when the child’s soul is believed to enter its physical body). The community gathers to chant, meditate and uplift the mother, showering her with love and support.

Be sure to interview and carefully select your midwife or obstetrician. Investigate your options, consider what is important to you and find a care provider who will honor your birthing plans. If you are able, make arrangements for a 40-day postpartum “lying-in” with a doula or caretaker, to enjoy the special bonding that takes place during that time immediately after birth.

Enjoy the blessings
Pregnancy is an amazing and precious time. Keep sight of the blessings. Honor the life inside you and teach your child right from the beginning that they are loved and welcomed by this world. Nurturing your pregnancy will heal the world!

Watch Yogamint's All Kundalini video, Pregnancy Yoga with Akal Kaur

Kewal K. Khalsa
Mother, Birth Doula, & Yoga Teacher
www.YogaAndBirth.com

Balancing Sexual Energy

Sun, 04 Sep 2011 07:00:00 GMT

Can yoga channel the strongest biochemical energy in our bodies? Yes, yoga can actually serve men (and women) to redirect sexual energy into creativity, thus strengthening and balancing the connection between the physical sexual sensation, the mental thought and the ultimate action. Sexual energy may take over a man's consciousness due to many reasons: two primary areas are food and lack of exercise. We’ll look at the food category now and explore exercise in an upcoming article.

Yogic teaching divides food into three categories according to their effects on the body, mind and emotions. This system of dietary teachings comes from Ayurveda, the ancient Indian science of life. The categories are Sattvic, Rajassic and Tamasic.

Sattvic eating is comprised of a yogic diet based on foods which, according to Ayurveda, lead to clarity and balance of mind while also being beneficial to the body. Examples of sattvic foods or liquids are water, whole cereal grains, beans, vegetables, fruits, nuts, milk and milk derivatives like ghee. They leave the body light and prepared for meditation and elevated consciousness.

Rajassic foods are known as stimulating: hot, spicy, and salty. Some of these foods are garlic, onion, ginger, hot peppers and caffeine. These foods generally agitate the mind. If one is doing yoga that raises the sexual energy, such as Sat Kriya or exercises that draw the energy to the higher chakras, some stimulating foods can be helpful.

Tamasic foods such as dark meats and cheese cause sluggishness.

When feeling sexually charged, try eating more sattvic foods. When you lack sexual energy (or want to improve overall potency in your life), then eating some Rajassic food may help. There are also some specific yogic foods that are very helpful to men for balancing in this area.

Learn more about Ayurveda to help in food selections and use your own body, mind, and emotions to determine which foods will bring contentment and balance since we all have different needs. Eating to elevate your spirit—there’s some food for thought!

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Simeon Darwick / Satmukh
Health Counselor
Joyfulness for Fitness
Laughter Yoga

Recommended: The Ayurvedic Cookbook by Amadea Morningstar

Universal Life Energy

Sun, 28 Aug 2011 07:00:00 GMT

What is Reiki? One of the most common translations of this Japanese word is “universal life energy.” So, what does that mean? All around us and within us there is a flow of energy. If you are a yoga practitioner, you call this energy prana. If you are a student of the martial arts or other Chinese or Japanese studies you might know this as chi or ki. Perhaps the concept of energy in the body is a new idea to you…if so, then read on!

Sometimes the energy in your body gets stuck or blocked. It’s how you feel when you have a headache or upset stomach or you’re stressed or anxious. These are all signs that the energy is not flowing freely. Reiki helps promote the natural healing capabilities within you; it also releases physical and emotional blockages and assists in promoting an overall sense of well-being and happiness.

If you are familiar with chakras, you know they relate to the energy centers in your body (running along the central energy channel or Sushumna alongside the spine). You have seven major chakra centers and if your chakras are in balance, you probably feel happy, energetic and open. However, if any of the chakras are blocked or weak, you can have a poor energy flow, which affects you both spiritually and physically.

A Reiki practitioner helps facilitate the flow of energy to the part of you that needs it the most. This facilitation is typically done with the Reiki practitioner placing his or her hands on or above your body with some of the traditional hand positions being directly in contact with your chakras. You are fully clothed while lying down or sitting comfortably. Most people find they are very relaxed by the end of the session.

If you are interested in having a Reiki session or perhaps even becoming a Reiki Practitioner, ask for recommendations at your yoga classes, new age stores, massage therapists and from friends. Experience the ability of this ancient hands-on healing technique to energize and balance your life.

Cindy Noren
RM/T, RYT Reiki Master/Teacher and Yoga Instructor (200 hrs)
knittedyogini.blogspot.com

Recommended: The Power of Reiki: An Ancient Hands-On Healing Technique by Tanmaya Honervogt

Mapping the Face

Sun, 21 Aug 2011 07:00:00 GMT

Foot reflexology maps 72,000 nerve endings and pressure points on the bottom of the feet that, when correctly pressurized and stimulated, have the capacity to heal all parts of the body. Did you know that the face holds the other end of these nerves and pressure points?

Facial reflexology, also known as Dien Chan, maps 503 facial pressure points on the face that correlate to the mind, body organs, nervous system, skeletal and muscular systems, as well as the chakras along the Chinese meridian lines. Stimulating these points allows blocked energy to flow.

You can experience whole-body healing through the face resulting in facial rejuvenation and acne treatment as well as releasing stuck energy through the body, mind and spirit. You will feel refreshed, uplifted and radiant from the inside out! Here are a few areas you can stimulate with a gentle tapping using the tips of your fingers to release the tension and emotions stored in the face, as well as release blocked energy in the body.

Gently tap the eyebrow area to relieve tension in the neck and shoulders and help release lines that form and age your face as a result of focusing too intently on the computer and squinting.
Gently tap your cheek area where the energy of the “social mask” is stored. While tapping, see what social crutches and issues you can release and replace with a positive affirmation or mantra.
Gently tapping the soft tissue around the eyes stimulates a sluggish digestion.
Finally, tapping the area around the mouth works on pressure points related to the ovaries and uterus. Stimulating this area can relieve cramping and bring balance to an “off” menstrual cycle.

You display who you are on your face, word by word, action by action, thought by thought. Try some face reflexology today and be kind and gentle to yourself from the outside in!

Narayan
Narayan Sacred Healing Beauty
Founder of Faceology Holistic Facial Treatment

Recommended: Facial Reflexology: A Self-Care Manual by Marie-France Muller ND. N.D. Ph.D.

Food for Thought

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 07:00:00 GMT

Inspiring your loved ones to eat healthy foods can be challenging. Children can be resistant to trying new things, particularly veggies or multi-ingredient recipes.

Adults tend to respond to their favorite foods based on past experiences associated with a special memory. Eating warm cookies is about more than just the pleasure of gooey chocolate chips. Certain foods form a sensory experience that have a direct link to memories and feelings of comfort that nurture you emotionally. So how do you influence those around you to try new and healthful foods?

As a food coach for a women’s fitness and triathlon training program, I am frequently asked about how to integrate one’s new-found healthy ways into a family environment filled with old habits. People also want to know how to support their children, spouses and other family members to adopt healthier ways.

There are a number of books out there that provide recipes and ideas for how to trick your kids into eating more veggies. I am not a huge fan of this approach, as I believe that kids need to know what they are eating in order to intentionally choose to eat it again. Instead, as a “food coach” for your loved ones, start by preparing and sharing the foods that you enjoy the most.

Food-Coaching Tips:

Focus on what you are adding or introducing instead of what must be given up (fat, sugar, etc.). Prepare and share your favorite recipes.
Choose foods that are colorful, flavorful and easy to prepare. Invite others (including children) to help with food preparation. If you are using homegrown produce, picking your own veggies from the garden or the farmer’s market can add some fun for kids and adults alike.
Cook “comfort foods” using healthy ingredients (try this Vegan Healthy Mac and Cheese recipe—a favorite at our house!).

Finally, don’t forget about your own exploration. Challenge yourself to try a new fruit, veggie, or something from the bulk-food section of the supermarket (whole grains, legumes, etc.) each week. Start some new, fun traditions around the family table and “coach” your way to healthier eating.

Allison Brewer
Mother of two, writer, vegetarian, and aspiring triathlete
Getnatured.com

Recommended: Color Me Vegan by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau

Close Your Eyes

Sun, 07 Aug 2011 07:00:00 GMT

Do you sometimes have a hard time relaxing in your yoga class? Is it hard for you to walk away from the stress of your day and leave it all behind? Do you want to get all the benefits of yoga? If you want to get into a better state during yoga class, try closing your eyes. I’m totally serious! For most poses, except balancing poses, I love the feeling of closing my eyes, focusing on the breath, and really getting into the pose.

If you are new to yoga, it’s not always recommended that you close your eyes, but now that I’m a veteran of yoga class, I know most of the poses and can follow the instructor’s flow without watching her. I really find it helps remove the clutter from my mind and get fully into the yoga zone.

When your eyes are closed, you are not fixating on the flexibility of the person next to you or checking out your body in the mirror. All those distractions can really hold you back, and before you know it, you’re focusing on something non-essential like your shopping list. By closing your eyes, you focus on how your body feels in the pose, how to take yourself to your edge in the pose, and on receiving all the benefits of yoga.

As you progress with your yoga practice, you are also likely to learn some specific eye focus techniques (called drishti). Focusing at your brow point (third eye), the tip of your nose or practicing Tratakam meditation (focusing on an object) can be very powerful for healing your eyes and opening your intuition. Yoga class is a perfect place to practice developing your inner vision— so next time you are in class, give it a try. Just close your eyes and enter the yoga zone.

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Maria Santoferraro
Blogger, Yogi
The Daily Downward Dog

Recommended: Eye Yoga - How You See is How You Think by Dr. Jan Rigney Battenberg

Nerves of Steel III

Sun, 31 Jul 2011 07:00:00 GMT

I found Kundalini Yoga just in time. A two-pack-a-day smoker of 20-plus years, I medicated my unhappiness and exhaustion through extensive use of nicotine and caffeine, forcing my way through my days. After many years of living as a Type-A personality, I found a lifestyle that helped me slowly rebuild my nervous system.

One vital practice that allowed me to deal with stress is mul bandha (root lock). Mul bandha works with the earth element. Just as the earth is foundational for life on this planet, the root lock is foundational for a strong yoga practice. It’s one exercise that I always recommend to my students, because it is vital to creating a strong nervous system.

Root lock is often included as a part of a kriya or meditation, such as Sat Kriya. In addition to emotional centering, root lock serves as a pelvic and lower back stabilizer in conjunction with virtually any asana or yoga posture. Root lock supports prostate health for men and pelvic floor strength (including helping with menstrual issues*) for women.

In addition to the wonderful health benefits of this lock, mul bandha also raises the energy from the lower chakras (responsible for our primal instincts) to the higher centers associated with spirituality and higher consciousness. According to Rolf Sovik, PsyD, yogi, author, and President of the Himalayan Institute, practicing root lock unites the downward-moving energies located in the root chakra with the upward-moving energies located at the heart chakra, leading to the expansion of awareness.

To practice the root lock, use a three-wave motion. Begin by gently pulling up and inward on the anal sphincter muscles. Holding the lift, continue the wave to lift the sex organs. Still holding, lift the lower abdominal muscles and fold the navel in toward the spine. Your entire lower body should feel supported.

Mul bandha has many subtle aspects, including improved digestion, enhanced energy and self-esteem. As you become more adept, investigate this wonderful lock further to learn how to enhance your yoga practice. Be sure to take a few minutes each day to continue to build those nerves of steel!

*Do not practice root lock during your menstrual flow. Menses-energy needs to flow downward, not upward. Some yogic experts also recommend against practicing this lock during pregnancy. Root lock should never be practiced by prepubescent children.

Lola Scarborough
Yoga Lola Studios

Recommended: Maya Fiennes Kundalini Yoga: A Journey through the Chakras (DVD)

Get Past the Past

Sun, 24 Jul 2011 07:00:00 GMT

Life presents opportunities to forgive others, as well as yourself, for mistakes made in the past. Everyone has been hurt by others. Maybe a teacher criticized you at a sensitive time in your life. Parents often get angry and say hurtful things to their children. In the heat of emotion, you may have made a bad choice that still haunts you. Finding a way to “let bygones be bygones” can lead to healing, inner peace and a sense of resolution. You can let go and forgive.

The gift of resolving issues that have never been forgiven is that it often releases energy that you can use to realize your true potential. Unforgiven issues often prevent wonderful things in your life from coming to fruition. I have found real healing doing this powerful, three-part meditation to release the past and embrace the gift of NOW. Meditate for 10 to 15 minutes a day for at least 40 days.

Forgiving yourself: Sit comfortably and begin the heart breath. Inhale deeply and bring the breath into your belly. As you exhale, imagine that the breath is leaving through your heart. As you inhale, bring in light and love from the universe. As you exhale through the heart center, say to yourself, “I forgive myself.” Immediately after saying this, imagine that you are being showered with blessings from the head down and mentally say, “I am forgiven.” Inhale again, bringing in positive energy, and repeat these two phrases as you exhale. Continue for 5 to 11 minutes.

Forgiving the past: Picture a person from your past who you may be holding resentment towards. Picture him/her, in front of you, inhale as above, and then as you exhale, mentally say, “I forgive you _________” and fill in the blank with the name of the person. Probably the most important people to forgive are your parents, but it can be anyone from your past. Continue this with each person until you feel complete for the time being. You will need to do this daily until it feels like you have released this past negativity completely.

Forgiving the present: Picture someone in your life with whom you are challenged. Repeat the breath as above and mentally say, “I forgive you _____________.” Continue this with each person you have challenges with in the present until you feel complete in the moment. Do this daily until you do not feel challenged by this person. You will feel lighter and more able to forgive yourself and others as you go through your life with love.

Santokh Singh Khalsa
Doctor of Chiropractic, Kundalini Yoga Teacher
Khalsa Chiropractic

Recommended: Healing Life's Hurts: Healing Memories through the Five Stages of Forgiveness by Dennis Linn and Matthew Linn

Picnic with Tempeh

Sun, 17 Jul 2011 07:00:00 GMT

Practicing yoga is sure to make you more aware of what you think, do, say and eat. For many (including myself), teaching yogic lifestyle and meditation includes sharing the benefits of a healthful vegetarian diet. Many people think going meatless involves foods that are boring and flavorless. Even long-time vegetarians can find themselves in a creative cooking rut, so it’s always fun to explore new foods and recipes.

Yogis choose to be meatless for various reasons. You may find it makes your body lighter and your yoga practice easier. Perhaps doing yoga is helping you to develop a new respect for animals, through understanding ahimsa or non-violence (Paul McCartney said he does not eat meat so that he can walk by any animal with a clear conscience.) One goal of yoga asana is to help your body purify itself of toxins and be as clean and healthy as possible. A vegetarian diet can help you reach this goal. Going vegetarian also helps “green” the environment by lowering your carbon footprint.

This recipe will whet your appetite for meatless dishes and features a lovely “barbeque” sauce to marinate the fermented soy patties (tempeh). Enjoy tempeh on a whole-wheat bun with fresh-roasted corn-on-the-cob and egg-free potato salad for a vegetarian summer feast!

Tempting Tempeh (from the Sewall House Yoga Retreat Recipe Book)

Two 8 oz. packages tempeh, cut in squares

Marinade:
½ C olive oil
2 t sesame oil
2 T organic ketchup
2 t Tamari ¼ t rice vinegar
1 t Cajun seasoning
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 t maple syrup
½ t salt

Marinate tempeh for two hours, then bake on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Tempting and tasty!

Donna Amrita Davidge
Kundalini Yoga Teacher, Writer
Sewall House Yoga Retreat

Recommended: The Tempeh Cookbook by Dorothy R. Bates

Supernova Mantra

Sun, 10 Jul 2011 07:00:00 GMT

Supernova: In the explosive death of a star, new life becomes possible. It is only because of this annihilation that our planet, elements and life forms exist at all. It is only through an ending that something new can be born. These days, I see supernovas all around: the dying stars of relationships, identities, habits and thought patterns as we enter a new age of consciousness. Death is abundant and because of that, so is new life. Death is transformation.

Yoga and meditation are excellent tools for transformation. Kirtan Kriya is an especially potent meditation for creating balance and facilitating change by means of mudra (hand posture) and mantra (sound vibration) that describes and honors the ever-changing evolution of existence:

Sa – Infinity or beginning Ta – Life Na – Death or transformation Ma – Rebirth

To do this meditation:
• Sit in a cross-legged position on the floor (or, if necessary, in a chair with the feet firmly on the ground)
• Rest your hands on your knees, palms up
• Softly close the eyes and relax your face
• Press the thumbs and tips of the index fingers together as you say “Sa”
• Press the thumbs and tips of the middle fingers together as you say “Ta”
• Press the thumbs and tips of the ring fingers together as you say “Na”
• Press the thumbs and tips of the little (pinky) fingers together as you say “Ma”

Kirtan Kriya may be practiced for 31 minutes. Chant the mantra out loud in a normal voice (human voice) for 5 minutes, whispered (voice of the lover) for 5 minutes, silently (mentally in the voice of the Divine) for 10 minutes, whispered again for 5 minutes, and finally chanted in a normal voice for the last 5 minutes. Sit quietly and meditate on the sound for 1 minute. Then inhale and exhale deeply. Stretch the arms overhead, spread your fingers wide and take several powerful breaths. Relax. (To practice for a shorter time, cut each section equally, with the mental part twice as long as the loud and whisper.)

Use this meditation in these times of change. It is the gift of the supernova to bring forth creation from destruction, to let go of what is no longer needed, and to welcome the opportunity of new life.

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Kewal K. Khalsa
Writer, Yoga Teacher & Birth Doula

Recommended CD: Sa Ta Na Ma by Snatam Kaur

Recommended: Meditation As Medicine: Activate the Power of Your Natural Healing Force by Dharma Singh Khalsa MD

Fad-Free Detox

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 07:00:00 GMT

The key to successful cleansing is to understand why you eat, what you eat and when you eat. This knowledge helps you build a new awareness around food. Eating consciously is a lifestyle and not a diet. Cleansing is long-term process of eating whole foods over a significant period of time and even a lifetime. To a lot of folks, this may not sound like cleansing compared to some of the “quick fixes” out there.

It’s possible that you have heard about cleansing or have tried one or two. Maybe you embarked on the famous "lemonade diet" hoping you would lose weight, feel great and clean your system up in a mere 7-10 days. Even if these things happened, they may not have lasted. Did you keep the weight off or did it creep back on? Did that good feeling you had stay with you? Did you learn how to eat properly to keep your body balanced and happy?

If you want to keep your system in check and purring like a well-oiled machine, kick-start your system with a vegan cleanse. Free of everyday toxins like caffeine, sugar and alcohol, your body will begin to heal, regulate and find its natural energy and weight.

Some cleansing tips:
• Eat less animal products
• Reduce caffeine intake and drink herbal tea or grain beverages
• Drink lots of water (at least 1 liter per 50 lbs. of body weight per day)
• Cut back on sugary foods and find alternative sweeteners
• Eat raw, leafy greens like kale or swiss chard to help clean out your intestinal tract
• Exercise and break a sweat every day to release toxins through the skin
• Listen to what your body needs, not what your cravings want
• Practice regular deep breathing

In order to experience optimal health, these few small daily changes will set you up for bigger changes down the road. I love to use the term "baby steps" because we all had to crawl before we walked. Eventually, these little steps will lead up to a big run and positive habits will be formed over a lifetime of good eating. Salud!

Melissa Costello
Certified Wellness Coach, Certified Wellness Coach, Healthy Food Chef, Founder of Karma Chow, Author of The Karma Chow Ultimate Cookbook: 125+ Delectable Plant-Based Vegan Recipes for a Fit, Happy, Healthy You
Yogamint Food & Flow Chef
Karma Chow Cleanse

Your Knowing Breath

Sun, 26 Jun 2011 07:00:00 GMT

My first yoga instructor taught me that you can’t hold fear in your body and breathe long and deep at the same time. When someone asks me how to develop their intuition, I tell them to breathe. When your breath becomes shallow it is usually because you are afraid. This can show up as anxiety, worry, concern, stress, and any number of descriptors for the same thing: fear. When you are afraid you do not hear the voice of your intuition.

The breath controls the mind and the mind controls the body. Slowing the breath to 6-8 breaths per minute, the mind slows down and you start to relax. Through this state of relaxation your inner knowing can be heard. It’s not always easy to do. When I’m really in a state of anxiety I have to do some vigorous exercise to get my body and my mind to relax. I like to walk down by the river where I live. Water stills the mind and is a great conductor of intuitive energy. I can gaze out over the water and a natural stillness comes over me.

If you do not have easy access to a natural body of water try this meditation. Fill up your bathtub and place a few drops of lavender oil in the water. Light a candle. The warm water will relax your body and the lavender oil will relax your mind. Start breathing long and deep. You can close your eyes or look lightly at the burning candle. Gently bring forward a question into your conscious mind as you seek inner guidance. Imagine that you are watching the answer come to you on the movie screen of your mind. Relax and watch the movie.

If an answer does not come to you at this time, trust that guidance will come over the course of the next few days. Once you ask a question, the Universe will find the right time and place to show you what you need to know. The key is trusting. For now, just breathe your knowing breath and listen to your heart.

Take It In with this All Kundalini video on the power of the breath

Della McGee
Intuitive Reader, Hands-On Healer, Certified Kundalini Yoga Instructor
Inner Peace Movement Studio

Recommended: Developing Intuition Deck: Practical Guidance for Daily Life by Shakti Gawain

A Captive Audience

Sun, 19 Jun 2011 07:00:00 GMT

My journey teaching incarcerated teens started with an experience at a Yoga Journal conference. I was attending a guided meditation workshop when a voice in my head said: “You must teach yoga to kids in jail.” I was startled and took a pause and then resumed my guided practice. As the workshop continued, again the voice was loud and clear repeating the same phrase. Thus my adventure as a yoga teacher to teen boys in the prison system began.

The class is a "volunteer” class, which means the boys have a choice whether or not to participate. I bring my mP3 player and sometimes a gong. We practice for about 1-1/2 to 2 hours. My dress is always as a professional Kundalini Yoga teacher, with my head covered, wearing white or light colors of a respectful, graceful design.

Our time together is rich, rewarding, fun and exhilarating. I mentally chant the Mangala Charan mantra to prepare for class, so I am relaxed and comfortable in the sterile environment. The boys in class are bright-eyed and eager to learn about yoga practice and fully participate in both the yoga and meditation portions of the session.

Our classes focus on self-regulation through the breath, as well as mental and vocal mantra projection. I teach them the concept of connecting mantra with breath (inhale “Sat” – Truth, exhale “Nam” – Identity). Philosophically, I share about how to deal with life and to take responsibility for the choices you make. My favorite Kundalini yoga exercises for this population include Sat Kriya and Awakening Your Ten Bodies.

It is not important to me why these boys are there. We have all made mistakes. I’ve shared with my students my own past struggles with addictive behavior patterns and how I’ve successfully and victoriously released those patterns and developed positive behaviors that have allowed me to make quantum leaps in my personal growth and awareness.

My hope, as I write this article, is that my story will inspire a few yogis out there to explore this avenue of service in their communities. Our youth need teachers and positive role models to guide them and support them. Take the time to explore and create a unique venue for teaching Kundalini Yoga and meditation— for me it has been an amazing way to create my “personal altitude.”

Mandeep Kaur/Melanie Abderrahman
Yoga Instructor, Owner of Sage Hills Yoga & Retreat Center

Recommended: Hey, Yoga Man!: Yoga Practices for Everyday Life from a Prison Yoga Practice By Shiva Steve Ordog

Simply Vegetarian

Sun, 12 Jun 2011 07:00:00 GMT

Shifting to, or maintaining, a vegetarian diet to create a healthier body and a more peaceful mind can be a very simple process. Just as you brush your teeth and shower to keep your outside body clean, you can also eat foods that keep your insides clean and well nourished. In the process, you can practice ahimsa by not harming animals. (Ahimsa is a Sanskrit term for non-violence, which is the basis of yoga philosophy.)

As a lifelong vegetarian, raised by parents who shifted to a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet (no meat, fish or chicken) before I was born, I didn’t have to give this diet much thought. When others ask, "What do you eat?" My answer is simply, “Everything but the meat.” It is simply not in my consciousness that animals are food. For those of you who do see meat as food, if you increase your daily intake of vegetables, nuts, grains and fruits, you may decrease your desire to consume meat, as you feel better overall.

Yogic diet is typically one in which vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains and some dairy (yogurt, ghee or non-dairy substitutes) are eaten in balance to create optimal health and vitality for the body and to support a peaceful mind to meditate on your spiritual self.

With proper balance of the protein and nutrients your body needs, you can shift to or maintain a vegetarian diet with ease. Keep it simple, not eating too much or too little protein and balancing meals with vegetables and grains while making it appealing to your taste buds. Let your dietary habits support “an easeful body, peaceful mind and useful life,” as Swami Sachidananda taught as the goal of all yoga.

Enjoy this recipe from the Sivananda cookbook for a protein-filled main dish:

Baked Tofu (serves 4)
1 lb. firm tofu
Organic butter (melted) or sesame oil
2-3 T tamari
Shaved fresh ginger (optional)
Nutritional yeast flakes

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Slice the tofu* into 10-12 pieces. Mix melted butter or sesame oil with tamari. Lay the tofu flat on a cookie sheet or glass baking pan. Pour or brush the tamari mixture on top. Sprinkle some yeast and ginger (if you like) on top of the tofu and bake in the oven for 20 minutes until the tofu is lightly roasted and slightly crispy. Enjoy with steamed rice or your favorite vegetable dish…it’s simply vegetarian.

*Tofu may be marinated or prepared with lemon juice to assist in ease of digestion.

Enjoy this Creamy Tahini Kale with your Baked Tofu

Stacie Dooreck
Certified Gentle Integral and Chair Yoga Instructor
www.sunlightchairyoga.com

Recommended: The Yoga Cookbook: Vegetarian Food for Body and Mind by The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers

Attune to Intimacy

Sun, 05 Jun 2011 07:00:00 GMT

Your second chakra is home to your most intimate feelings and thoughts. Located between the sacrum and reproductive organs, this energy center supports your ability to express feelings of intimacy, self-love, passion and the physical aspect of sensual expression. Ruled by water, this chakra is most closely attuned with your emotions and also guides reproduction, enthusiasm and creativity of the soul.

While your second chakra is closely related to the throat chakra and expression, on an emotional level it deeply connects to your heart chakra. When you feel heartbreak, particularly with a loved one, you may tend to withdraw your intimacy. One of my favorite poses to balance the sacral chakra is Supta Baddha Konasana (reclined bound angle pose or Goddess Pose). This pose activates the sacrum, while opening the heart to expansion and forgiveness.

A wonderful way to balance your second chakra is to use some aromatherapy with Goddess Pose. Set out a clear glass bowl of water and add a few drops of the following essential oils: neroli for enthusiasm and intimacy, clary sage for emotional expression and sandalwood for sensual expression. Light a few candles and set them around the bowl to create a dance of light through the water.

Sitting upright on the floor with an elevated bolster or sturdy pillow behind you, lean back, bend your knees and relax them down to each side while bringing the soles of your feet together. You should feel a gentle stretch in the groin and hip area. If there is too much of a stretch, put a folded blanket under each knee. Lay your arms at your sides, palms up.

As you relax, take a deep breath, engaging your diaphragm. Open your heart and expand your breath into your shoulders. As you exhale, relax your face and shoulders as you pull your feet a little closer into your groin. Continue breathing deeply as you imagine water flowing through your body, bathing you in the divine ability to express and protect your feelings. Repeat the following: “I love all aspects of myself. I delight in the creation of all that is in my life.” Let the goddess in you be healed and uplifted!

Jess Lewis-Peltier
Naturopathic practitioner, writer, lecturer and yoga teacher
Holistic Yogini
www.chakrabalm.com

Video demonstration: Goddess Pose

Recommended: The Fragrant Mind: Aromatherapy for Personality, Mind, Mood and Emotion by Valerie Ann Worwood

My Aching Back

Sun, 29 May 2011 07:00:00 GMT

Like most people who work at a computer all day, I have very tight neck and shoulder muscles and frequently experience pain in my lower back. To help relieve my back pain I practice yoga. Yoga strengthens the muscles supporting the spine, as well as lengthens it. My back pain did not go away overnight; it has taken some time for the benefits of my yoga practice to take effect, and it has been so worth it.

Recently, I have been directing my breathing into my lower back and problem areas during yoga class, primarily during savasana. Since starting this breathing practice I’ve noticed a huge difference. My back has never felt better and the tightness and pain in my shoulders are diminishing.

I started to wonder if it wasn’t all in my head (or maybe that’s exactly where the healing begins). I did a little research on the phenomenon and got excited to learn that during meditation, if you allow your mind to focus on a particular part of the body, the blood flow to that area increases, providing an abundance of oxygen and other nutrients into those cells.

This focused breathing is having a positive impact on my overall well-being as well as my back pain. I’ve been flooding my aching back with natural healing ingredients fueled by the gift of my breath. This deep breathing also leaves me in a calmer state and reduces my stress levels. Do you have aches and pains in your body? Give yourself a gift and the next time you practice yoga, breathe into those trouble areas and let the healing begin. It may just be the best gift you receive this year.

Maria Santoferraro
Blogger, Yogi
The Daily Downward Dog
Yoga for Back Pain

Try some simple yoga for back pain with this Rock Your Spine video

Recommended: Max Strom: Learn to Breathe (DVD) by Max Strom

An Ounce of Prevention

Sun, 22 May 2011 07:00:00 GMT

Along with pink ribbons, walks for breast cancer awareness and advances in research, another important aspect of women's breast health is the growing awareness of maintaining good breast health. There’s a lot you can do to support your body, mind and spirit for healthy breasts.

Besides cultivating a positive attitude and eating a healthy plant-based diet, one of the best ways to support breast health is to activate the lymphatic system. The lymph system moves excess fluid and potentially harmful materials out of the body’s tissues and cells. Two important keys to lymph health are movement and breath. Lymphatic flow depends on muscle contraction to massage the outside of the lymphatic vessels, so exercise is vital. Deep breathing serves as the “pump” for moving and cleansing the lymph in your body, just as the heart keeps the blood circulating.

Try these 10 tips for maintaining healthy breasts:

Daily deep breathing and breath of fire. Yoga/exercise (see attached list of yoga for lymph care).
Massage breasts and armpit area and dry brush massage from feet upward.
Take cold showers with massage or alternate hot and cold showers.
Use a rebounder to jump, jog, dance and move your arms.
Eat organic and plant-based foods, including broccoli and cauliflower.
Avoid products with pesticides, aluminum and environmental toxins.
Wear unrestrictive bras and avoid under underwires (have some bra-less time each day).
Meditate for emotional balance and positive attitude toward self and others.

Healthy breast care begins with a healthy lymphatic system. Your attitude also counts for a lot—finding the good in your life as often as you can infuses energy into every cell!

Shakta Kaur Khalsa
Kundalini Yoga Instructor and Author
Creator, Women’s Yoga and Wellness (DVD)

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Recommended Read: Yoga for Women by Shakta Kaur Khalsa

Take-Along Treats

Sun, 15 May 2011 07:00:00 GMT

As the afternoons begin to warm up, it’s hard to resist the urge to get out and soak up the springtime sun. While the weather entices you outdoors, you may also find yourself eating away from home more frequently. With a little creative thought and preparation, picnics and vacations don’t have to mean a break from your healthy ways.

Don’t leave your tummy high-and-dry. Before you leave home, stock up your picnic basket, backpack, or purse with nutritious snacks. Some delicious and healthy take-along foods include granola bars, nuts or trail mix, muffins, and healthy cookies. Don’t forget that fresh fruit comes pre-wrapped courtesy of Mother Nature. Experiment with some new “fun foods” that can be packed for on-the-go adventures to the mall or the mountains!

These quick and easy granola bars are a healthy and delicious treat that can easily be slipped into a purse, backpack, or picnic basket and this recipe makes enough to share. Make this a family-friendly cooking project—the kids will enjoy eating something they made from scratch.

Quick and Easy Granola Bars (makes about 12 bars)

1/2 cup slivered or chopped almonds (or other nuts)
1/2 cup sunflower or other seeds
1/2 cup raisins, dried cranberries, or other dried fruit (or a combo)
2 tbsp hemp or other seeds
1/4 cup raw cacao nibs (or chocolate pieces)
2 cups rolled (old-fashioned) oats
2 cups toasted brown rice cereal
1/2 cup nut or seed butter (cashew, almond, etc.)
1/2 cup brown rice syrup
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla

Combine the first seven ingredients (almonds through rice cereal) in a large bowl and set aside. Combine the nut butter, rice syrup, maple syrup, and vanilla in a microwave safe bowl. Warm in the microwave (or double boiler) until pourable. Drizzle over the dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Firmly press the mixture into a 9x13 inch pan lined with parchment paper and pop in the freezer. When cooled and hardened, remove from the pan by lifting it out by the parchment paper and place on a cutting board. Cut into bars and individually wrap.

For 12 bars: 287 calories, 9g protein, 16g fat, 37g carbohydrates, 15g sugar

Allison Brewer
Mother of two, writer, vegetarian, and aspiring triathlete
Author, Get Natured Blog

Recommended: Vive le Vegan!: Simple, Delectable Recipes for the Everyday Vegan Family by Dreena Burton

Hit the Road Yogis

Sun, 08 May 2011 07:00:00 GMT

Fun…adventure…and sometimes a little bit of crazy. When you travel with kids, chances are you’ll experience it all at some point. Whether you are embarking on a short trek or an international journey, there are plenty of fun ways to engage young minds and keep everyone happy while en route.

Yogic tools like breath of fire and stretch pose can help keep you, the parent, centered and energized. Try alternate nostril breathing for balance and calming. Use airport layovers or gas fill-ups as a chance to stretch, do yoga (try some frog pose!) and explore. These are good opportunities for adults and kids alike to get their wiggles out. While new landscapes might engage kids for a while, it is helpful to plan ahead and have things available to entertain and comfort. Here are a few travel tips to consider:

Snacks galore: Brings your child’s favorite healthy snacks and add in a few new granola bars or dried fruits. Remember napkins or wet wipes for clean up.

Books: Pack books that your child has not read before. Get a stack from the library or purchase from a used bookstore.

Games: Travel games like “I Spy” have long entertained kids on road trips. When kids need independent play, consider small projects like coloring, magnet mosaics or paper dolls.

Rest: Encourage rest by playing relaxing music and offering a favorite stuffed animal or blanket. If possible, honor nap schedules.

Songs: Pop on some kid-friendly music and sing along for uplifting fun.

Preparation: Pack band-aids for unexpected ouches and any homeopathics or remedies that your family relies on if sickness strikes. Boost Vitamin C (we like Emergen-C packets) to support your immune system. If you have any sensitive stomachs in your group, reuse small paper bags by lining with plastic produce bags – they can be used in a pinch for motion sickness or simply as trash bags.

Sense of humor: Don’t leave home without it!

Ask around and see what other parents have to suggest. Friends can be a wealth of wisdom and creativity. Share your ideas and make your own traditions. Adventure awaits!

Kewal K. Khalsa
Mother, Birth Doula, & Yoga Teacher
www.yogaandbirth.com

Recommended: Feeling Good Today! (CD) by Snatam Kaur and 100 Things for Little Children to Do on a Trip (Activity Cards) by Catriona Clarke

Teach Them Well

Sun, 01 May 2011 07:00:00 GMT

As a parent of three children, I have faced the challenge of guiding my children in so many ways. Watching my two daughters move through their teen years of self-discovery, I believe that their spiritual upbringing helped inform their choices about post-secondary education. Attending Roman Catholic schools they learned how to write a gratitude journal at an early age and how to be still, at least in church.

Within our family we encouraged a strong appreciation of nature by being outdoors as much as possible. When we went through difficult times, like dividing our family, we added energy work and meditation to soothe our irritation. Where many teens struggle with the decisions of what they want to do, I am quite sure that my daughters knew how to self reflect and make choices by drawing on their eclectic spiritual practices.

When it came to choosing careers, both of my daughters needed to know that they would make the right decisions and that it was okay to try anything they desired. To bolster confidence, I encouraged my business-oriented daughter to develop a portfolio and model in commercials. She learned about the fashion industry and how to manage the attention that her beauty attracts. She is finishing her third year of a business degree, majoring in fashion. I am confident that her attitude of compassion will enhance her work in the fashion world.

I took my art-oriented daughter to see one of the best Canadian universities, traveling over 4,000 miles in one weekend. We met with no one from the school; instead we walked the streets, rode on bike paths and sat by the ocean, to get a sense of place. She is finishing her first year of study in her new home.

One inspiration to me during my parenting years is the short readings of Vimala McClure. Her thoughts on motherhood resonated with me from the time my daughters were infants through their teen years, causing me to step back and reflect. With a son still to go through the process of career selection I know I am not done with Vimala yet,as I continue to discover that motherhood is a wonderful, ongoing journey of teaching, loving and letting go.

Charlene Cratt
Mother, Writer and Speech-Language Pathologist
Recommended Read: The Tao of Motherhood by Vimala McClure

Nerves of Steel II

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 07:00:00 GMT

Now that you’ve mastered the breathing practices shared in our previous Yogamint video about pranayama and you can blow gale force winds like Superman with that breath-power of yours, let’s move on to our second nerves-of-steel practice: Sat Kriya. Yogi Bhajan, advanced Kundalini yogi, is reputed to have said that Sat Kriya is the most powerful of all kriyas. I can tell you from my personal experience that this practice changes you from the inside out.

This deceptively simple asana is really a super-powered yogic practice in disguise. Sat Kriya aids digestion through use of Rock Pose (sitting on the heels) and navel pumping. By engaging Mulbandh (root lock), the stomach, intestines and digestive tract are stimulated. Mulbandh, combined with navel pumping, helps redistribute sexual energy throughout the body. As such, it helps unblock energy channels as the energy ascends through the chakras.

Got too much mojo? Too little? Not any more! Sat Kriya balances sex drive and removes sexual phobias. This practice also stimulates the endocrine system to help remove toxins, strengthens the heart and helps practitioners develop endurance, courage and will-power. Sat Kriya naturally helps develop nerves of steel via strengthening the nervous system.

As a teacher, healer and life coach, Sat Kriya holds my highest regard. I have recommended this practice to many clients and students with excellent results. It is a wonderful, natural way to overcome phobias, inertia, sexual disturbances, infertility, weight imbalance and anxiety. Best of all, it can be done by almost anyone, because it can be done sitting on the heels in Rock Pose, in Easy Pose or even lying down.

Start slowly and build up. Begin with 3 minutes of Sat Kriya followed by 3 minutes of relaxation. Double the practice and relaxation times until you are able to do 31 minutes a day. Commit to a 40-day practice and you will bring the body, mind, and spirit into healthy alignment very quickly.

Video demonstration with Lola: Raise the Energy Up

Lola Scarborough
Yoga Lola Studios
BodyBuddies Acupressure Products

Recommended: The Kundalini Yoga Experience: Bringing Body, Mind, and Spirit Together by Dharam Singh Khalsa and Darryl O'Keeffe

Five Steps to Health

Sun, 17 Apr 2011 07:00:00 GMT

Spring cleansing can do wonders for your body and spirit, helping to rid the body of accumulated toxins (ama) produced by improper digestion. According to Ayurveda, the buildup of ama is the root cause of all disease. The traditional method for removing deep-seated ama is a seasonal cleanse called panchakarma.

Panchakarma refers to five Ayurvedic detoxification procedures, including the use of oil (internal and external) for releasing toxins, as well as purgative herbs and medicated enemas. The purification is traditionally followed by an herbal formula for rejuvenation. Panchakarma is not recommended during pregnancy, menstruation, or in certain medical conditions. (Please consult your practitioner before doing any type of detoxification program.)

The five steps include:

Drinking 3 oz. of ghee on the first three mornings of your cleanse. Ghee provides the lubrication necessary to bring toxins from the deep tissues to the digestive tract, where they will be eliminated using purgative herbs.
Using nasya oil daily to lubricate your sinus cavities. This oil balances prana, clears the mind and relieves stress in the head and neck.
Massaging your body with warm sesame oil before bathing. This abhyanga calms the nervous system, increases circulation and encourages the release of internal toxins.
Removing old toxins from the GI tract by taking the Ayurvedic herbal formula, triphala. Triphala is a mild, yet effective laxative for cleaning out the intestinal tract. Flushing and nourishing the colon with medicated enemas using the Ayurvedic herb dashamula.
After a cleanse it is important to rejuvenate. Rasayanas are herbal formulas used to build a new, strong foundation from which to move forward. (Ed. Note: For specifics on Ayurvedic cleansing, we recommend you consult a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner. )

During an Ayurvedic home cleanse, you will enjoy a mono-diet of the traditional cleansing dish called kitchari. Kitchari is a wholesome meal of basmati rice and split yellow mung beans cooked with spices and ghee. Kitchari digests easily, allowing your body to focus on burning off old toxins. Try this age-old technology to feel rejuvenated, revitalized and restored!

Dr. Sharada Hall
Doctor of Oriental Medicine
Bodhimed Ayurvedic Cleanse
Recommended Read: Ayurveda and Panchakarma: The Science of Healing and Rejuvenation by Dr. Sunhil, M.D. Joshi

Dream On!

Sun, 10 Apr 2011 07:00:00 GMT

The first step in manifesting your dream is commitment. Pick up your dream with both hands, try it on for size, fall in love with it and know that you can stick with it through thick and thin. Wake up each day knowing that you are one step closer to your dreams and decide what steps you will take to bring your dream to fruition.

Start with small steps—as you move closer to your dream your pace will quicken and your stride will grow. Reaffirm your commitment and the Universe will answer back with unique opportunities and situations that will align you perfectly with each step toward realizing your passion.

Your dream has been growing inside of you since you were a young child, waiting for you to nurture it and shower it with love. Give your dream a voice, tell your friends about it, journal about it, identify the resources you need to make your dream come true.

If you have always wanted to be a photographer, then go out in the world taking pictures. Let your heart tell you what inspires you and begs to be captured by your eye. If you have dreamed of being a singer, then belt out your favorite lyrics in the shower and when you’re all dry and squeaky clean, go out and sign up for a local theater audition.

Your dream belongs to you for a reason. You have been given the innate ability and talent to make it happen. Just let the universe know that your dream is here to stay and that you have made space for it in your life…then pinch yourself and realize that your dreams are coming true!

Jennifer Parker Houghton
Creator, A Little Lift on Facebook
www.tylerryangroup.com
Recommended Read: Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach and The Cosmic Ordering Service: A Guide to Realizing Your Dreams by Barbel Mohr

Where's the Protein

Sun, 03 Apr 2011 07:00:00 GMT

Veganism is a word that often scares people and why wouldn't it? Most people think a vegan diet is bland, lacking flavor, variety and, most importantly, protein! But these thoughts couldn't be further from the truth. Being a vegetarian for many years, and a vegan off and on, my diet consists of a multitude of foods, including fruits, veggies, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds and healthy fats. So you ask, where do I get my protein?

Whole grains, especially quinoa, amaranth and millet are perfect proteins as well as containing loads of vitamins and minerals. They are a nutrient-dense food and easy to digest. Secondly, vegetables with their high amino acid content are a great source of protein. Protein is comprised of amino acids and when you ingest amino acids, they turn to protein in the body. Legumes, nuts and seeds are all sources of high levels of protein.

Although it is true that we need protein to survive, Americans especially have taken protein to an unhealthy level. We are eating above and beyond what our bodies need to survive, grow and heal, which can lead to an acidic environment, arthritis, digestive problems and a whole slew of other ailments. Studies have shown that plant protein allows for the slow-yet-steady synthesis of new proteins in the body, which is the healthiest way to acquire protein.

So how can you transition to a vegan or vegetarian diet? It does take some planning and a level of commitment, but it's worth it. You will feel healthier, look better and possibly live longer. Remember your body is like a bank account and you are making an investment in your health. So give it a try, give up meat maybe once or twice a week, and “cash in” on the vast bounty of vegan and vegetarian choices.

Keep the Love of Your Life

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 07:00:00 GMT

Once you meet a potential partner, what happens next? It’s just as important to keep working on yourself when you are in a relationship as it is when you are hoping to find the “perfect match.” Especially for women, there is a tendency to focus all of your energy on your partner. However, it is of utmost importance to keep focused on yourself and all the important things in your life. This is a critical time, and you will need all of your resources to to handle the emotional ups and downs of courtship. By staying clear on your needs as well as your partner's, you will be able to use your intuition and discernment to protect yourself from anyone who is not worthy of your love. Learn to trust your instincts before becoming emotionally or physically intimate.

It’s also important to maintain a commitment—to yourself and to your future partner—that you will act with integrity, truth and grace. In this way, it will be revealed whether this person is your life partner or not, and those who are not (or who are not ready), will be revealed as well. If this is not the one, you will be one step closer to the love of your life because you have worked on yourself, your half of true love, and you have practiced being a good partner.

Take the steps of due diligence to understand your new partner’s past issues, present concerns and future goals. Before there is marriage or children or other things that cannot be undone, review each other’s finances (credit scores, debt, bank accounts), understand your past relationships and what did and didn’t work and talk about future expectations. Take enough time that you can see who this person truly is (and who you are in this relationship) so that you will make a choice with your mind, body, heart and soul, and not just one of these parts of you.

Then, let all things unfold naturally. As my spiritual teacher, Yogi Bhajan, said to me, “Slow and steady wins the race, especially with love and marriage.” Do not force the process of love; as with everything, it is a journey. Once you have met your true love, nurture the affection and trust you both share. Eat together, play together and pray together. Make your life about “we” rather than just “me.” Enjoy the challenges and the victories. Be grateful and rejoice!

Part 1 of this series: Find the Love of Your Life

Adarsh Kaur Khalsa
Kundalini Yoga Teacher and Businesswoman
Celestial Communication with Adarsh

Recommended Read: What Smart Couples Know: The Secret to a Happy Relationship by Patricia Covalt Ph.D

Strike a Peaceful Pose

Sun, 20 Mar 2011 07:00:00 GMT

One of my favorite yoga postures is savasana, or corpse pose. This exercise requires you to lie still, breathe, and go into a meditative state. It’s basically a mini-nap, and how cool is it that you get to take a nap at the end of a workout? I never have the time to take naps on my own, so savasana, to me, is a guilty pleasure and unexpected delight.

In actuality, savasana is so much more than a nap and really one of the most important asanas in your yoga practice. It is the time when your body takes in all the benefits of the previous postures as they soak into your internal organs and seal in the benefits of your practice. In many cases, savasana is the only part of my day where I fully de-stress and let go. It’s important not to rush through savasana, and to take the time to relax, breathe, and let the deep relaxation do its work.

I recently went to a Vinyasa yoga class and got a great yoga workout. The instructor did an incredible job of taking the class through the relaxation process during savasana. It was wonderful listening to his calming voice and following his directions to experience a deeper state of relaxation. As we came out of savasana, the instructor asked us all to remember the place of calm we were in, to take that harmonious feeling throughout our day and to come back to it whenever we encountered stressful or unpleasant situations. I was feeling rather blissful at the time and I do my best to remember that experience so I can visit it whenever I need to feel at peace.

Next time you strike the savasana pose, take a mental picture of your tranquil, relaxed state and store it away for future enjoyment. We all have a lot going on in our minds and many tasks to remember each day, so be sure to set aside a little extra storage space in your brain to capture this important and pleasurable image. It’s like looking back at vacation pictures that always bring a smile to your face. So strike a pose for inner peace!

Maria Santoferraro
Blogger, Yogi
The Daily Downward Dog
CD Recommendation: Yoga Revolution featuring various artists including Krishna Das, Wah!, Ziggy Marley and Snatam Kaur

Easy Being Green

Sun, 13 Mar 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Why go green? A great way to think about this “hot” topic is to look at the basic needs of human beings: shelter, fire, water and food. For example, the concept of reuse and recycle plays out not just with paper, plastic and glass. You can also “green” your wardrobe by buying clothing made from organic renewable resources such as hemp or by re-purposing old clothes into rags or wearing them for gardening or exercise clothes. Consider trading outfits with a friend for a new wardrobe (hold a clothing swap with a group of friends). You can also give clothing away to your local thrift shop or charity. Reuse, recycle and redistribute.

How can you green your home? Shopping-in-the-green begins by looking at the infrastructure of your dwelling place. Where does the energy to power your house come from? Here are some options for a greener home: Look into investing in solar paneling; switch over to LED lights (they last longer and conserve more energy). Insulate your pipes for better heat retention. How about your bathroom or kitchen? It is intrinsically linked to the third element in the hierarchy of needs—water. Water is a sacred commodity on our planet. This “blue gold” calls for serious attention to conserve this precious element. Some options: Buy a low-flush toilet or have two buttons installed; one for liquid and one for solids. Get a water filter for your tap. Reduce consumption of bottled water.

Finally…to food (and all the personal products you consume). Naturally, growing a garden is a great way to go green. Patronize your local farmer’s market (bring your own bags) and consider the consumption of personal hygiene and cleaning products. Do some research on products and businesses to see who is innovating and making it possible to use healthy products that are earth-friendly. Consider using cloth menstrual pads and make your own cleaning products from lemon juice, vinegar and baking soda. Shopping green means choosing products that nourish your inner and outer environments. Shop green for your body, your family and your home, and recognize how your shopping decisions directly and indirectly affect our planet and those who inhabit it. Go Green!

Simeon Darwick / Satmukh
Health Counselor
Joyfulness for Fitness
Laughter Yoga
Recommended Read: The Locavore Way: Discover and Enjoy the Pleasures of Locally Grown Food by Amy Cotler

Primal Instincts

Sun, 06 Mar 2011 08:00:00 GMT

In the yogic system of energy centers or “chakras,” the root chakra is fundamental to experiencing your inner security and personal power. Balancing your root chakra is key to unlocking your fullest potential. In yoga, we often strive to “ground” or connect ourselves with the earth, but do we really know what that means or why it is so critical? The Muladhara or root chakra, located at the base of your spine, controls the balance and grounding of the most primal and basic of needs. It governs your right to “deserve,” extending to money, stability, home, food and water, even sex. Without these basic needs, you don’t feel stable or grounded and worry enters your mind.

Here are a few of my favorite and practical ways to balance and heal your root chakra through affirmation, yoga and aromatherapy:

First, address your basic needs and what must be done to balance them. Make a list of your financial, family and to-do commitments even if it seems stressful. Once you’ve identified your needs, you’ll feel more grounded and in control. Knowing that you have a plan is half the battle.

To ground yourself with yoga, start with asanas (yoga poses) that help you connect and feel the earth fully beneath you. Do some Goddess squats (legs more than shoulder width apart and arms outstretched) while you tune into the earth and imagine yourself as a part of the pulsing energy that exists around you. Chant “Om” with each descent closer to the earth, which will connect you to the deep vibration within your planet home. Feel your power!

Finally, you can ground yourself with some essential oils that target the root chakra. Scents to consider include sandalwood, vetiver, patchouli, melissa and cedar. Sandalwood is one of the easiest and deepest grounding oils to work with. Add it to your mala beads or your forehead during meditation, or use a bit on your mat during practice. Take it with you in your bag for an instant grounding session whenever you need to know you are supported by the whole, wide world!

Jess Lewis-Peltier
Naturopathic practitioner, writer, lecturer and yoga teacher
Holistic Yogini
www.chakrabalm.com
Recommended Resource: Aura Cacia Aromatherapy Precious Essential Oils, Sandalwood .5 fl oz (15 ml) by Aura Cacia
Recommended Read: Chakras for Beginners: A Guide to Balancing Your Chakra Energies by David Pond

Dragonflies vs. Butterflies

Sun, 27 Feb 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Yoga is about balance in our bodies and our lives. The yin and yang of yoga is the softness, the receptivity coupled with the focus and the projective energy. In my role as a trainer for children’s yoga, I’ve observed hundreds of adult students teach children’s yoga. For the most part, their creations contain a plethora of sweet and relaxing images: butterfly yoga, swaying trees, stretching to greet the sun. In the back of my mind a question would arise: What about children who relate to stronger imagery? What would the boys think of this? Would they even do it?”

One day, my 7-year old godson said to me, “I don’t want to be a butterfly. I want to be a dragonfly!” With that he flew around the room, buzzing intensely. I got it. He was telling me something about balance. Another time, he was playing with his favorite toy and said, “Look,” as he held up a contorted action figure, “He’s doing Bow Pose!” Immediately my brain lit up and the two of us began the inspired planning of a set of Yoga Warrior cards, a yoga game in which Transformers demonstrate poses with names that any young warrior can relate to: Frozen Iron (front platform), Crouching Tiger (Squats), Skyscraper (Tree) and Starship (Extended Lotus). All poses can be done with Dragon Breath (strong breathing through mouth or nose).

In sharing yoga with children, it’s always good to let their bodies show you what they need—maybe it’s a bit of running around to settle the nervous system in order to focus. Perhaps they need to make booming and crashing noises. Doing Dragon Breath may help them to engage with the yoga. Contrast the soft, slow “peace and love” yoga with the focused warrior spirit (this works for both boys and girls). Incorporate Archer, Warrior, Down Dog to Up Dog, Front and Back Platform, Bow and Wheel pose. Life calls for both yin and yang. When you balance the yoga scales, you let the fun begin!

Shakta Khalsa
Founder of Radiant Child Yoga teacher training, Author, E-RYT 500
www.childrensyoga.com
Rockin' Yogis Video
Yoga Warrior Cards

Recommended Read: Fly Like A Butterfly: Yoga for Children by Shakta Kaur Khalsa

ABC's of Ear Aches

Sun, 20 Feb 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Every year, countless children suffer from recurring ear infections. The antibiotics children are prescribed don’t seem to be working any more. So what is a parent to do when their two-year old has taken three courses of antibiotics and the ear infection is still not going away? The first thing to consider is your child’s diet. Changing a child’s dietary habits can help prevent reoccurring ear infections and upper respiratory problems. One option would be to substitute soy or almond milk products for dairy to reduce phlegm.

Homeopathy provides a powerful tool for improving the constitutional health of babies and children with ear problems and can work fast and effectively. Keep on hand these three “ABC” remedies for ear aches:

Aconite napellus: Use when the external ear is hot and red; children may report stinging and cutting pains in the ears. Often a child will get sick after being exposed to wet weather, or hot or cold winds.

Belladonna: Use for a sudden onset of ear ache with high fever; the child can be in a delirium, or hot to the touch and lethargic.

Chamomilla vulgaris: When the child has an ear ache and becomes very irritable and feels better when carried or rocked. This remedy is good for ear aches when a child is simultaneously teething.

Other helpful ear ache remedies to consider, based upon your child’s symptoms:

-Pulsatilla nigricans (whiney, moody and clingy, with right ear pain).

-Hepar sulfuris calcareum (sensitive to cold and touch, with discharge in nose and ears, throat pain).

-Kali muriaticum (white or greenish yellow nasal discharge, enlarged tonsils, and a stuffy sensation in the ear with some hearing loss).

-Kali sulfuricum (thin, yellow, sticky discharge, noises in the ears of older children, plus itching ears and evening pain).

-Mercurius solubilis Hahnemanni (sensitive to hot and cold with sweating and salivation).

The above are suggestions and may work if the child’s constitution is matched with the corresponding remedies. The most successful way to treat ear aches is to look at the whole person. Consult with your local homeopathic doctor to find the remedies that are just right for your particular child’s needs.

Avghi Constantinides
D.Hom HMC MA Homeopath, Founder of Centre for Life
Co-Founder & Director, Los Angeles School of Homeopathy
www.homeopathyforlife.com
Recommended Read: Impossible Cure: The Promise of Homeopathy by Amy L. Lansky

Kid-Proof Meals

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Feeding children healthy meals can be overwhelming at times. After all, what you place in front of them now is what will help their bodies and brains grow and develop into healthy adults. Nutritious and nourishing foods can ward off illness, provide energy, increase mental focus, and grow strong bodies. The trick can be in getting our little ones to eat what we provide.

I am not completely comfortable with the popular idea of sneaking veggies into our kids’ food. I believe that we should feed our children how we want them to feed themselves later in life. If they know what they are eating, it will be far easier for them to choose to eat that again. I have found that with just a few changes it is possible to get more nutrition onto their plates while they are young and learning.

When building a meal or snack for my kids, I start with a “vehicle” that I know they will recognize. Some favorites in our house include pancakes, muffins, smoothies, pizza, and cookies. From there, I can be creative with healthy ingredients. Pancakes, muffins, and cookies are portable and freeze well. I make large batches of those so that we have “grab-and-go” meals on hand.

Here are a few healthy ideas for add-ons to your meals:

Add grated or pureed veggies such as carrots, zucchini, or yams to muffins, pancakes, and cookies.

Reduce the sugar by 50% in baked goods and replace half of the oil or fat with mashed bananas or unsweetened applesauce.

Bake with whole-wheat flour instead of white and replace up to 1/3 with protein powder.

Use whole grain pita bread as pizza crust and top it with tomato sauce, very finely chopped spinach or other veggies (or puree the veggies and add them to the sauce), and your choice of toppings and cheese.

Add a small handful of spinach to fruit smoothies. You won’t taste it, I promise!

When the pre-dinner munchies set in, set out a plate of kid-size carrots, broccoli, bell peppers, etc. with some dip (like hummus).

By shopping for healthy alternatives to processed foods and creating recipes that kids will recognize and enjoy, you are helping your family to start a lifetime habit of good eating and health!

Allison Brewer
Mother of two, writer, vegetarian, and aspiring triathlete
GetNatured.com
Recommended Read: Better Than Peanut Butter & Jelly: Quick Vegetarian Meals Your Kids Will Love! Revised Edition by Marty Mattare and Wendy Muldawer

Postpartum Cocoon

Sun, 06 Feb 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Few things in life redefine a woman as intensely and rapidly as having a baby. Not only does birth bring a child, sensitive and new, into the world, but it also marks a rebirth for the mother, who is becoming a new person in her own right. This profound adjustment continues most significantly for the first 40 days after birth.

Yogically, the 40 days after birth is considered a sacred opportunity for building a strong foundation for the new family. You’ll want to plan for this time to be cozy, restful and protected. Priorities during the 40 days postpartum are care of the baby and mother, adjustment for the family, rest and bonding. Cover the basics and save the rest for later. This precious time will never come again.

With mother and baby both going through tremendous change, rest is vital. Frequent waking in the night makes it extra important for mother to nap when baby naps, whenever possible. Resist the urge to get back to work or household duties right away. Welcome carefully selected help for support and assistance. Accepting help from a close friend, family member, or a Postpartum Doula (professional support) can relieve the parents and be a blessing for everyone involved. However, guests are best saved for later if they aren't a positive and helpful addition. The bottom line is that baby and mom need this time together, snuggling close, relaxing and connecting. The job of everyone else is to facilitate this experience.

Nourishing foods are important during this time. Mom's diet should include fresh fruits, vegetables, healthy proteins and whole grains. She should drink lots of water and yogi tea. The perfect food for baby comes from the mother. If there are concerns or difficulties with breastfeeding, guidance from a professional Lactation Consultant can make a huge difference in helping to get things off to a good start.

Preparing in advance for the 40 days to be protected and honored yields great reward for the whole family. Give baby the gift of a peaceful transition into life on Earth and soak up the blessings.

Kewal K. Khalsa
Writer, Yoga Teacher & Birth Doula
www.YogaAndBirth.com
Recommended books: Conscious Pregnancy: The Gift of Giving Life by Tarn Taran Kaur Khalsa and Bountiful, Beautiful, Blissful: Experience the Natural Power of Pregnancy and Birth with Kundalini Yoga and Meditationby Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa

Please Remain Seated

Sun, 30 Jan 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Have you heard someone say this? "I can't do yoga until I feel better (or can get to yoga class)." Injury or illness, age or other limitations (including working all day at your desk) may prevent you from getting on a yoga mat on the floor or into a standing position to do certain postures. However, with some creativity and modifications you can almost always do yoga. "If you can breathe you can do yoga," says Krishnamacharya.

Maintaining a straight spine while in a relaxed posture is the key to many meditation postures and breathing exercises, so sitting tall in a chair is a great place to begin. If you can't do any physical asana (posture) you can always observe your breath (try inhaling slowly for three counts, then exhaling for three counts, working up to longer breaths.)

You can adapt chair yoga versions of many yoga postures to increase mobility, vitality and flexibility, including sun salutation, forward bends, back bends, spinal twists, sitting mountain pose, eye exercises (relieves computer strain) and breathing exercises to calm or energize yourself at work and to increase concentration.

At your desk, in a wheelchair, or wherever you are sitting now, take a two-minute re-energizing yoga break. Inhale as you lift your arms up over your head, then exhale as you lower them back down. Repeat 5-10 times and see how you feel. A wonderful Basic Spinal Energy Series taught by Yogi Bhajan can be done from a chair. I've seen great shifts in posture and energy from my senior citizen chair yoga classes practicing this yoga kriya.

Many yoga studios and senior centers offer chair yoga classes that involve standing postures using a chair for support, but there is plenty of yoga you can do without getting up or down from a chair. (Try the accompanying basic sequence of gentle chair yoga.) Yoga is for everyone…so go ahead and stay seated and do some chair yoga. You can sit tall, breathe and enjoy the benefits right now.

Stacie Dooreck
Certified Gentle Integral and Chair Yoga Instructor
www.sunlightchairyoga.com
Recommended Read: Yoga for the Young at Heart by Susan Ward

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Find the Love of Your Life

Sun, 23 Jan 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Have you met the love of your life? Is there a secret to finding the person with whom you are madly in love and can live with every day? If you are in a relationship, how can you revitalize some of the energy of courtship and nurture the bond your soul has attracted? There are a few ways to engage yourself to be the person most likely to find and keep "the love of your life."

First, you must work on yourself on all levels. Develop your career and talents, serve your community, and create a strong network of friends and family. In every relationship, you are always half of a whole and you are the part that you can control. Develop awareness about who you attract, how you react and what you say and do. No matter how wonderful the other person is, all can be lost if you are not able to hold up your half of the bargain.

Have you ever noticed that similar issues arise for you in your significant relationships? Do you commonly feel jealousy or insecurity? Do you seem to attract partners who aren’t loyal or don’t treat you right? Dig deep inside and shine a light on your relationship issues. Understand whether you are attracting the wrong kind of person or if you tend to repeat a fear cycle when your relationships reach a certain point that is scary for you on some level.

You can also draw insight from Mother Nature. In your relationships, are you typically the “flower” or the “bee?” Do you make the first move and initiate actions or are you more passive, using your subtle communication and physical presence to attract others? One way to “mix things up” (even in a long-term relationship that needs a little re-energizing) is to try a new approach. Observe yourself in your relationships and be willing to take steps outside of your comfort zone. See who suddenly appears or even discover who has been there for you all along!

Adarsh Kaur Khalsa
Kundalini Yoga Teacher and Businesswoman
Celestial Communication with Adarsh
Recommended Read: If the Buddha Dated: A Handbook for Finding Love on a Spiritual Path by Charlotte Kasl

Men on the Mat

Sun, 16 Jan 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Yoga classes are generally unequally proportioned between men and women. Why is this? What is it about yoga that doesn’t draw men more readily to the practice? Some may say it’s because there is no competitive edge to yoga. Others say it’s because the movements aren’t engaging enough for a man. Whatever the reason, it seems as if there is something about the current yoga scene that doesn’t captivate many men’s attention.

Here’s a common question men ask: “Why should I spend time doing yoga, if I could be at the gym, playing sports or doing other cardiovascular activities, especially when I have such limited time?” The answer is that yoga’s ultimate benefits have the potential to improve performance, cut down on injuries, as well as increase enjoyment and ease in recreation, exercise and in the rest of life.

Let’s talk nuts and bolts. There are certain asanas (yoga postures) that inspire men to do yoga, and others that may strike fear, frustration, or boredom. An “alive” yoga practice may involve more standing asanas (postures) that strengthen, such as the warrior series. You might focus on opening hips and increasing flexibility through postures like pigeon or runner’s pose, or try back bends to energize.

A key point: A man’s practice must fit his needs. Here are some considerations: What are your stress levels? What do you want to improve in your life? What type of work do you do? Start with the aches and pains to help choose a focus for the day. Practice daily inversions to calm your mind. If you have an active lifestyle, you may benefit from some seated twists and backs bends for spinal flexibility. Whatever you need, set a goal and find a teacher who can help you progress towards that goal.

Finally, as a man it is a blessing to relax and let go of the “do” mechanism that drives many men, even in their yoga practice. It’s clear that there is a pressure on men to do, project and provide. But the greatness of yoga comes into play when a forward bend or an inversion like shoulder stand turns your world upside down, allowing you to be a human “being” and not a human “doing.”

Simeon Darwick / Satmukh
Health Counselor
Joyfulness for Fitness
Laughter Yoga
Recommended Read: Yoga for Men: Postures for Healthy, Stress-Free Living by Thomas Claire

Nerves of Steel

Sun, 09 Jan 2011 08:00:00 GMT

What would it take to be a super-hero – in other words unflappable and unstoppable? Wouldn’t it be great to be unbeatable and undefeatable, never losing control in real life? To be a super-yogi all you need is a strong nervous system. Short of becoming a super-hero, there’s a lot you can do to steady your nerves and stay in your center when things shake you up, making it more natural for you to act instead of react, to make sounder decisions when under fire. Sounds great, doesn’t it?

In the accompanying video, Breathe Like a Champ, you will experience three centuries-old breath techniques, including Long Deep Breathing, Alternate Nostril Breathing and magical Sitali, to assist you in developing extraordinary steadiness. Since breathing is the first thing you do when you are born, and the last thing you do before you leave, breath is the very essence of life. So, first things first – let’s start by learning to maximize breath’s benefits.

Example: It’s Monday morning and Alice has her annual performance review. Anxiety and fear begin. Breathing speeds up, becoming shallow. Body tenses. Central nervous system engages. Chemicals flood the bloodstream. Fight or flight mode has arrived. Fortunately, Alice realizes what is happening. She begins long deep breathing. Her nervous system relaxes as her breath slows. Within minutes, she is centered. By noon her review is over. She sailed through it, feeling great!

In my video, you will learn how each breath technique works with your body, mind and emotions. In upcoming articles, I will share powerful yogic techniques as we explore how to create Nerves of Steel in 2011. Leading you through a series of yogic practices that I have used successfully in my classes, you will become more calm and centered. I encourage my yoga students to make make it a priority to include a daily dose of pranayama, yoga, meditation, and mantra.

Will you become the next super-hero? Maybe. Will you become stronger and steadier? Absolutely!

Lola Scarborough
Yoga Teacher, Life Coach, Healer, Acupressure Mat Distributor
Yoga Lola Studios and Body Buddies Acupressure Mats
Photo credit: Jennifer Reynolds
Recommended CD: Shanti by Snatam Kaur Khalsa
Recommended Read: Breathwalk: Breathing Your Way to a Revitalized Body, Mind and Spirit by Gurucharan Singh Khalsa and Yogi Bhajan

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Picture Perfect

Sun, 02 Jan 2011 08:00:00 GMT

A picture is worth a thousand words, right? But did you know that you can improve the quality of your life just by taking control of some of the visual stimuli that constantly surrounds you? Every day you see thousands of images on the Internet, not to mention on the television, magazines, billboards and even your cell phone. These images have been carefully designed to make you think and act a certain way—mostly to get you to buy stuff! In addition to this daily feast of designed imagery you also continually absorb the almost infinite sights of normal waking life. You process a truly phenomenal amount of information daily.

Now for the good news—your brain is an extremely fast processor of information. For example, in two seconds you can learn more by looking at a picture than anyone could possibly describe to you verbally in a few minutes. Chances are you could write a whole book based upon the information gleaned from just that one image. The best part is that your brain is so fast and so amazing that you don't even have to be conscious of the image to absorb its meaning. All advertisers know this, so you should know it too!

Recognizing all this, how can you use the power of imagery to your advantage? It is as simple as surrounding yourself with visual stimuli that inspires you. Collect images from old books and magazines that make you feel good. Sort through your favorite photos and have a few of them enlarged at the local copy shop. When you've got a nice collection of images, start to fill your walls and your life with them. Tape a picture of your dream destination inside the medicine cabinet. Place a relaxing photo on your car dashboard or group images with similar colors together in clusters. Fill up an entire wall with images that turn you on. The only rule—just have fun as you begin to notice the subtle empowering effect of surrounding yourself with uplifting imagery of your own choosing.

Jamila Tazewell
Entrepreneur, Artist, Yogini
www.eleveneleven.net
Recommended Read: Co-Creation (The Ringing Cedars, Book 4) by Vladimir Megre

Ten Steps to Vitality

Sun, 26 Dec 2010 08:00:00 GMT

One of the healthiest things you can do for yourself is establish a daily routine that aligns with your particular constitution and with the forces of nature. According to Ayurveda, dinacharya – your daily routine – is essential to good health because it awakens and cleanses the vital functions that sustain you throughout the day. Try these 10 easy Ayurvedic steps to support your natural good health and well-being!

Upon waking drink a cup of warm water to flush the kidneys and digestive tract, and to stimulate peristalsis.
Scrape your tongue and brush your teeth. Tongue scraping removes bacteria and stimulates the reflex centers of the internal organs located on the surface of the tongue.
Apply 3-5 drops of nasya oil into each nostril. Nasya is an herbal oil that lubricates the sinuses, reduces inflammation, relaxes head and neck tension, and balances incoming prana (vital life force in oxygen).
Before bathing, massage warm oil onto your entire body. This abhyanga (self-massage) moisturizes the skin, brings fluidity to the muscles, joints, and connective tissue, and calms the nervous system by reducing Vata, the wind principle. Follow with a hot shower or bath to help the oil penetrate to the deeper tissues.
Meditation and pranayama (breathing exercises) are important steps in your daily routine to cleanse and awaken the mind and the subtle energy channels. Sitting quietly and observing the breath brings a profound sense of calm that will benefit your entire day.
Early morning is the ideal time of day for yoga and exercise. Movement is necessary to wake up the muscles and internal organs for more sustained energy throughout the day.
Kickstart your digestion with a spoonful of the Ayurvedic rejuvenative jam, Chyavanprash. This herbal tonic strengthens digestion, immunity and vitality.
The ideal breakfast is a hot, whole grain porridge using grains appropriate to your Ayurvedic constitution. This porridge kindles agni, your central fire, thereby improving metabolism and assimilation.
Make lunch your largest meal of the day and dinner your smallest. Ayurveda teaches that agni is strongest when the sun is highest in the sky, so we digest more efficiently midday and less well at night.
Take Triphala herb one hour before bedtime to eliminate toxins from the GI tract and nourish the intestines.

Incorporating the above elements into your daily routine will promote vitality and balance throughout your lifetime.

Sharada Hall
Doctor of Oriental Medicine
www.bodhimed.com
Banyan Botanicals (a source of Ayurvedic oils and herbs)
Recommended Read: Ayurveda: A Practical Guide: The Science of Self Healing by Dr. Vasant Lad

Good Vibrations

Sun, 19 Dec 2010 08:00:00 GMT

It's not always possible to strike a pose or break into mantra when you’re running at life’s frenetic pace. Your chakras (energy centers) house the most important essences of the human experience. With so many daily influences and interruptions in energy flow, your chakras can often become unbalanced or stagnant. Essential oils can help balance your chakras in a practical, deeply effective way.

Each chakra has a unique vibration, with at least one essential oil as its vibrational “match.” In addition, essential oils carry micro-droplets of their volatile compounds that bypass the thinking brain, allowing you to experience the effect of the oils directly through the emotional brain (limbic system). To harmonize your chakras, use these various oils that correspond with each of the seven chakras for some “chakraromatherapy” inspiration:

Root (Muladhara): Sandalwood, vetiver, patchouli, melissa, cedar
Sacral (Svadhisthana): Jasmine, neroli, rose, rosewood
Solar Plexus (Mani Pura): Peppermint, black pepper, lemon, ginger, fennel, bergamot
Heart (Anahata): Rose geranium, palmarosa, ylang ylang, cajuput
Throat (Vishuddha): Frankincense, elemi, sandalwood, neroli
Third Eye (Ajna): Clary sage, geranium, rosemary
Crown (Sahasrara): Galbanum, vetiver, myrhh

A great way to carry essential oils without the risk of a spill is to mix a few drops of the essential oils with Epsom salts (enough oil to scent the salts without making them too wet). Place the mixture in a small container for your chakra-balancing smelling salts. Breathe in the aroma, breathe out stress, finding more balance with each inhale and exhale.

For balancing with oil during your yoga practice, combine at least one of each chakra oil with a light carrier oil like grape seed. Find a quiet place for your moving meditation and set your intention as you rub some of this oil on each chakra. Start the first of seven rounds of sun salutations (or any set of poses with which you feel a connection), focusing your attention on each chakra starting with the root. Use long, deep breaths for each asana (pose), becoming aware of the energy passing through each chakra as you flow through each set. Bask in the energy of healing and light.

Jess Lewis-Peltier
Naturopathic practitioner, writer, lecturer and yoga teacher
Holistic Yogini
www.chakrabalm.com
Recommended reading: Chakra Balancing by Judith Anodea

Perks on Your Period

Sun, 12 Dec 2010 08:00:00 GMT

Your moon cycle is a time of month to be honored, revered and respected, even though many women dread the bleeding part of their period. Rather than face this time with feelings of shame, embarrassment or annoyance, you can celebrate—or at least find the “up side” of this monthly occurrence. Here’s a great way to start: Enjoy these three “perks” to help you experience your menstrual flow in a new way. You might actually find yourself looking forward to your monthly period!

Perk #1—Yogically, a cold shower is the ultimate hydrotherapy; it’s one of the best and simplest ways to stay young and healthy. (Yogi Bhajan recommends this practice as a way to flush the blood from your inner organs, open and stimulate your capillaries, and balance your entire glandular system.) Braving the cold water is never an easy thing to do – especially first thing in the morning, but during menstruation you get to take a break from it, as this practice is not recommended for pregnant or menstruating women.

Perk #2—Want a tasty and healthful treat when you are menstruating? Saute a small handful of raw almonds (with the skins on) in a spoonful of ghee on low heat. Cook slowly, gently stirring the nuts until the almonds are lightly toasted. Place almonds in a bowl with a tablespoon of honey. The almonds give your body the energy, protein, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, folic acid and vitamin E that it craves during this sensitive time of the month; the tannins in the almond skins provide an astringent for your uterus.

Perk #3— During the few days of your menstrual flow, take some time for a little extra-special pampering. Being in the flow of your monthly cycle adds an extra incentive to relax and put on the brakes. Get cozy with a book and a cup of warm ginger tea (great for menstrual cramps). Nurture and care for your body by saying “no” to extra commitments or involvements that may heighten your stress levels. Avoid lifting heavy objects or engaging in any activities that may put strain on the lower back. Slow down and go inward. Honor your privacy and enjoy being in silence with yourself and a special prayer. Take it easy and go with the flow!

Japa Kaur
Astrology, Tarot, Intuitive Healing
JapaKaur.com
Book Recommendation: A Woman's Book of Yoga by Machelle Seibel and Hari Kaur Khalsa

Plugging In

Sun, 05 Dec 2010 08:00:00 GMT

As we approach this holiday season, it’s easy to get caught up in all the activity and lose focus both on and off the yoga mat. My yoga instructor must have caught on to this, because last night she asked the class to plug in. She wasn’t talking about plugging in our holiday decorations; she wanted us to plug our minds into our yoga practice. We were being asked to commit to our breathing, to listen to what our bodies were telling us, to plug in to the present and fully embrace the yoga experience.

When I try to plug in during yoga class my internal surge protector sometimes fails me, leaving my mind to plug in to other things, like making sure I remember to pick up some nutmeg at the store for my holiday cooking or the gift I need to buy my yoga instructor or why my favorite pair of black stretchy pants are feeling so tight today (it couldn’t be all those holiday cookies I ate).

I think I may just draw a picture of an electrical socket on the top of my yoga mat to serve as a mental reminder to fully plug in at yoga class. When I do plug in, I can feel the prana (life force) generated by my breath and movement coursing through my muscles and spine like an electrical current. I’m not focusing on how much time I have left to finish my holiday shopping, but focusing instead on my breath, the graceful and purposeful movement of every pose, perfectly choreographed as I tune in to a blissful state of mind.

The cool thing about plugging in to your yoga practice is that you don’t need to worry about conserving energy or having an expensive utility bill if you leave the lights on. The more you plug in, the more amazing your yoga practice becomes. During this busy holiday season, take the time to plug in to your yoga practice; it is one of the best gifts you can give yourself.

Maria Santoferraro
Yoga for Back Pain
dailydownwarddog.com
Book Recommendation: Meditations from the Mat: Daily Reflections on the Path of Yoga by Rolf Gates and Katrina Kenison

Pressure Point a Day

Sun, 28 Nov 2010 08:00:00 GMT

Winter ushers in happy events. Friends, family, excursions, exchanging gifts, cooking and decorating are some of the ways we experience the season’s richness. Warmth, delicious food and loving relationships are all around us. So, with all this good cheer, why do so many of us feel grumpy, irritable and out of sorts?

Feeling “blue” around the holiday season is common -- much more than at any other time of the year. Since this season brings additional socializing, eating, extreme expectations, drinking and spending, we tend to stress more than usual. Our lives, lived at an already frenetic pace, go even faster. Hangovers, weight gain, depression, loneliness and financial strain arrive as unwanted guests at our festive tables. Not surprisingly, the central nervous system begins to wear down. Our joy ebbs away even though we want our winter celebration to be happy.

So what can you do to minimize those holiday blues? My favorite form of self-help is acupressure. Did you know there are pressure points to relieve anger, depression, feelings of emptiness, fear, longing, to name a few? Easily and quickly done, acupressure is a technique that I frequently use myself and recommend to clients, family and friends.

Acupressure’s fundamental principle is that there are distinct places in the body that connect with the organs, such as the heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, stomach, large intestine, small intestine, urinary bladder and gall bladder, among others. The health of the body is enhanced or restored by pressing on targeted points to transport fresh energy, blood and fluid to specific places within the body. This allows any disturbances associated with a blockage to begin to normalize.

Here are three different methods for bringing the magic of acupressure into your life:

Products: Acupressure mats treat the entire body at once. These mats contain small points that press into the skin, releasing endorphins to generate healing.
Targeted Points: To do a point-by-point treatment for specific problem, find a pencil with an unused eraser on top to apply pressure to that spot.
Professional Treatment: Have an expert do it for you. Search the phone directory or internet for a practitioner near you. Check with local massage therapists, chiropractors and acupuncture clinics.

May your holidays be happy and bright!

Lola Scarborough
www.bodybuddiesyogalola.com (acupressure mats)
Eclectic Energies (guide to acupressure points)
Recommended Reading:Acupressure for Emotional Healing: A Self-Care Guide for Trauma, Stress, & Common Emotional Imbalances by Michael Reed Gach & Beth Ann Henning

Favorite Things

Sun, 21 Nov 2010 08:00:00 GMT

You’ve made it through the seasonal transitions; your body is adjusting to colder weather. Why not take advantage of this lull-before-the-storm of the holiday season to form some new eating habits? It’s a great time to include a high fiber breakfast cereal as part of your permanent routine, or perhaps wean yourself from coffee to tea or “half-caff.” How about finding a new lunch routine using romaine lettuce in place of bread for sandwiches and wraps? Try adding healthy fillings of your choice like roasted veggies, hummus, turkey, goat cheese, sprouts with a splash of mustard.

By keeping on hand the foods that sustain you and ones that you enjoy, you will be in a position to make healthier eating choices. By forming new habits now, you’ll be free to sample the delicacies of the seasonal parties without remorse, because your base habits keep you healthy.

The key to making healthy eating choices is discovering which foods help you feel sustained, cared for and fulfilled. You want to approach your food choices with a true attitude of abundance, not scarcity. When you find foods that help you feel this way, you are afforded more flexibility, which also feels like abundance – the abundance of choice.

One quick and easy meal is miso soup, a warm and nourishing "comfort food" that is great for breakfast on cold mornings or as a light and filling dinner.

Miso Soup with Vegetables (1-2 servings)

1/2 teaspoon olive or canola oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 small onion, chopped

4 baby carrots or 1 full sized carrot, sliced

1/4 cup cauliflower, diced (or any favorite seasonal vegetables)

1/2 cup kale, cut to 1.5" squares (kelp or chard work well too)

1/4 cup fresh green beans, snapped to 1” pieces

2 cups water

1 teaspoon miso paste

Heat oil in a sturdy pot over medium heat and add minced garlic, stirring for 30 seconds. Add onion and cook 5-7 minutes, until edges start to brown. Add vegetables and cook 3 minutes. Add water and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes or more. Mix miso paste with a small amount of the hot broth and then add to the pot. Season as desired and enjoy!

E.B. Ferdig
Yoga Therapist, Integrated Movement Therapy
www.ebyogatherapy.com
www.bigyogayoga.com
Book Recommendation: Mindful Eating: A Guide to Rediscovering a Healthy and Joyful Relationship with Food by Jan Chozen Bays

Face Forward

Sun, 14 Nov 2010 08:00:00 GMT

Acne comes and goes through various times in life. Identifying its cause is multi-layered. As a facial reflexologist, I start by looking at the client’s emotional life. With teenagers, acne’s most common causes are low self-esteem, the fear of not being accepted for who you are and the inability to fully express yourself at what feels like the most crucial time in your life.

Adult acne is usually brought on by stress, including thinking you should be somewhere other than where you are right now. Stress throws the body into “fight or flight,” releasing hormones affecting the natural balance of oils in the skin.

I also take a look at where the breakouts occur (i.e. a “map” of the acne). Acne below the bottom lip at the corners of the mouth indicates the digestion points on the face. Cheek bones correlate to the solar plexus, relating to fear of self-expression, causing tension in the jaw area. Acne on the left and right side of the chin is usually PMS-related. Acne along the brow and forehead indicates anger, frustration and over-thinking.

Poor digestion or an abundance of yeast in the digestive tract can all contribute to acne. Eliminating yeast-causing foods such as breads, pastas and dairy, plus taking oregano oil capsules can calm the acne in a short time. Along with l-tyrosine amino acids, this combo of supplements works on both teenage and adult acne. Drinking 8 glasses of water daily and herbal digestion teas can bring the acne to a minimum in just a couple of weeks.

Essential oils are great for treating acne in its various causes, working on the emotional, physical/topical and spirit level. Clove oil calms the muscles of the face and is anti-acne and anti-aging. Grapefruit essential oil is cleansing, purifying and uplifts the spirit.

See the attached PDF file for some of my easy-to-make home recipes for an acne face wash and herbal spot paste.
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Narayan
Creator and Founder of Narayan Sacred Healing Beauty
www.narayanbeauty.com

Fun for Kids

Sun, 07 Nov 2010 07:00:00 GMT

If you have been thinking about doing yoga with your kids, or kids in general, now is the time to start. Yoga is a great activity for parents and children to do together, with the child motivating the parent as much as the parent motivating the child. If you are a teacher, yoga provides a nice break during the school day, giving kids a chance to relieve stress and excess energy. Engage them in taking deep breaths, chanting and elongating some sounds, and doing a few poses that don’t require a mat.

Yoga meets us where we are. For kids, this is one avenue where they can be non-competitive. It allows them the freedom to express themselves, with no pressure. It allows them to be unique; by starting young, this gift can inspire them throughout their lives.

To adapt to short attention spans and allow kids to love yoga, try using stuffed animals that coordinate with their yoga poses; put a small stuffed animal on your child’s tummy while she is lying down. Then tell her to take deep breaths, and she can move the animal up and down while practicing her breathing. Use a bendable action figure to help “teach” a yoga pose to the child. Find books or tell stories related to the themes and poses you and your child are practicing.

Finally, music is so important in making the adventure more meaningful, and related props add to the fun. Sing a song about the sun and use a hanging sun and sun glasses. Celebrate nature with colored leaves, flowers and snowflakes, animal masks and costumes, butterfly wings and antennae, scarves and ribbons, and musical instruments. Let out your own inner child as you share your love with children. Take a yoga break and enjoy some kid time!

Linda Lara
Teacher, Creator of Musical Yoga Adventures (CD) with Suzy Frank
Musical Yoga Adventures

Book recommendation: Peaceful Piggy Meditation by Kerry Lee MacLean

CD Recommendation: I Grow With Yoga by Sammie Haynes and Lisa Flynn

A Gut Feeling

Sun, 31 Oct 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Auto-immune conditions are a relatively new diagnosis in the past 50 years. Many people suffer unnecessarily from pain and inflammation. The good news is that improving the health of the digestive system can mitigate autoimmune symptoms and help relieve depression associated with “leaky gut syndrome.”

In my clinical practice, I have seen a direct parallel between autoimmune disease and the health of the gut. Most of the time, there is a certain level of permeability, causing microscopic particles of food to escape the gut, thus lowering the immune system. I recommend the amino acid l-glutamine combined with licorice and aloe vera to naturally support the intestinal lining. It is also important to work on any food allergies and sensitivities you may have. Then, add powerhouse foods like local bee pollen, medicinal mushrooms (like shitake and maitake), as well as oregano and garlic. Foods high in zinc, such as alfalfa sprouts, asparagus, yogurt and kelp are important as well.

Another reason to improve digestive health is that over 80% of serotonin is produced in the gut. When serotonin, the “feel-good” neurotransmitter, is considerably low, you can experience depression and lethargy. You may also notice sweet and carbohydrate cravings and digestive disturbances. To improve serotonin levels, feed the body foods high in tryptophan. Fantastic food-based sources of tryptophan are baked potatoes with the skin, bananas, beans, eggs, fish, hazelnuts, hummus, lentils, kelp, brown rice and roasted pumpkin seeds.

Lifestyle choices are key when it comes to autoimmune diseases and depression. Mind-body practices like yoga and tai chi move the lymphatic fluid throughout the body so it does not remain stagnant. Walking and light strength training also help reduce symptoms. It’s time to reclaim your vitality and health by boosting your immune system!

Christa Orecchio
The Whole Journey
Recommended Read: Digestive Wellness: How to Strengthen the Immune System and Prevent Disease Through Healthy Digestion by Elizabeth Lipski

Get Clove Savvy

Sun, 24 Oct 2010 07:00:00 GMT

The spectacular beauty of fall often brings an unwelcome guest. You know it when it hits you—fever, stuffy nose, weakness—it’s a cold. As the season shifts from summer to fall, your body metabolism begins to shift in preparation for a slower time biologically. Although modern day innovations allow you to function at the same pace year-round, continuing to be just as active as you were during the summer can tax your immune system, making you a prime target for a cold or the flu.

Aside from immune-boosting foods, essential oils are a favorite preemptive remedy for combating an opportunistic bug invading the seasonally-challenged body. One essential oil is always present in my seasonal arsenal – clove oil. Clove oil is antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antimicrobial and antiseptic. From ancient sacred vessels to mulling spices to pomanders worn by royalty (notably Elizabeth I) to ward off disease, these tiny dried flowers have been part of our alternative medical history for over 3500 years.

Here are a few modern ways to use this powerful oil to help you during this cold season:

For a multi-surface spray, combine 20 drops of clove oil into 16 oz. of witch hazel (be sure it’s alcohol-free) in a spray bottle. Use on surfaces, hands or anywhere else you need to clean off icky germs.
Use clove oil with an aromatherapy diffuser to create a protective shield throughout your home. This sends tiny droplets of clove oil-infused vapor into the air, chasing off airborne viruses and bacteria.
Create a homemade nasal inhaler by placing a few drops of clove and eucalyptus oils onto a cotton ball and inhale deeply (avoid direct contact of oils with skin). Micro-droplets of oil travel up the nasal passages kicking out any germs you may have encountered throughout the day. Incorporate this ancient medicinal oil into your aromatherapy arsenal for a superior chance of avoiding the change-of-season side effects. Combat your colds with a clove-savvy strategy!

Jess Lewis-Peltier
Naturopathic practitioner, writer, lecturer and yoga teacher
Holistic Yogini

Recommended: The Aromatherapy Encyclopedia: A Concise Guide to over 385 Plant Oils

Draw It, Heal It

Sun, 17 Oct 2010 07:00:00 GMT

The word health originates from Old English and Germanic origin, meaning: wholeness, being whole, sound or well. Art therapy and wholeness go hand in hand, as author Lucia Capacchione, Ph.D, notes in her book, "Healing Your Life with Art." Healing through creative expression, she says, “invites you to love and understand your whole self – body, mind and spirit.”

The connection between art and mental health was first recognized in the late 1800’s. A book, entitled "The Artistry of the Mentally Ill," aroused interest in the subject and caused the medical community to realize that art might be valuable for rehabilitating patients with mental illness. In the 1940’s, ideas from psychoanalysis and art were combined to develop art as a tool to help release unconscious thoughts. In 1969, the American Art Therapy Association was formed to set standards for art therapists. Art therapy offers positive healing results in burn recovery, eating disorders, emotional impulses of young children, reading performance, grief, depression, addiction, pain control, post-traumatic stress syndrome and social function.

Here is a simple technique you can use to work on a challenge you may be having in your life: Begin with a blank sheet of paper and a box of crayons, colored magic markers or ink pens. Sit with a straight spine, hands on your thighs. Relax your shoulders, close your eyes, mentally focus at your forehead and visualize your challenge or concern as though you are the observer, watching from outside yourself. Take long, slow deep breaths through your nose for one minute. Then, briefly hold in the breath for 3 seconds. Exhale, hold the breath out 3 seconds. Inhale again, holding the breath 3 seconds, then exhale. Next, grab a crayon and start to draw without judgment or thinking. If inclined, change colors or grab another page. There’s no time limit.

When you finish drawing, repeat the breath and visualization process. Notice if anything has changed in the visualization of your challenge. If you like, draw a second picture to compare with the first. Save the art or dispose of it, with the intention of clearing the mind. Do this twice a week for a month – and discover that healing truly does begin from within.

Hari Bhajan Singh Khalsa, D.C.
Khalsa Health Care
Recommended Read: Art Heals: How Creativity Cures the Soul by Shaun McNiff