It’s always interesting to discover that you’re a member of a new target demographic you didn’t realize you’d joined. I refer to the term “Lohasian.” I first came across it in an online search about sustainable living, and later in Spirituality and Health magazine. It comes from the acronym l-o-h-a-s, standing for “lifestyles of health and sustainability.” Most of the people I know in the holistic spirituality community fall into this category; it’s all about being conscious of one’s impact on the environment and making an effort to live in a healthy, fully sustainable manner.

When we poison Gaia, she has no choice but to poison us in turn. It is not her intention to do so (she’s a life-giver), but there are only so many toxins she can absorb before they begin to redound upon their sources (us). The poisons we pump into the air, the water and the soil find their way back to us: we breathe in pollutants, we drink tainted water; we eat food grown in toxic soil.

It can be frustrating–even depressing–to ponder how little power we have over the world’s patterns of consumption. This is particularly true in the United States, where our energy consumption and resulting pollution levels are higher than in any other country (although China and India are currently in a race to join us). Can our efforts to conserve energy and limit our carbon footprints compete with a worldwide policy of burning fossil fuels? With presidential candidates advocating “personhood” for corporations whose only concern is profit, how can our efforts to recycle and limit our energy consumption have any real impact?
I submit that the situation is considerably less bleak than it may seem. Yes, global warming has already reached dangerous levels and continues to increase. However, until a few decades ago, pollution was hardly talked about at all.  The Environmental Protection Agency is a scant four decades old; the terms “global warming” and “climate change” were virtually unknown outside scientific circles until the 1990s. Today, “going green” is one of the most pervasive topics in the global lexicon. New companies are making a point of being environmentally conscious from the start; even manufacturers of plastic trash bags try to find a way to make their products (or at least their advertising) more environmentally-friendly! The point is that it takes time to raise global awareness of an issue; but once it is raised, the purchasing power of ordinary people often causes corporations to do the right thing. And young people raised in a culture in which environmental concern is a given are much more likely to make environmentally sound decisions once they reach positions of influence in business and politics.

Meditation (something that most of us “Lohasians” do regularly) is all about awareness—awareness of what’s going on within you and in your environment. If you sit with awareness of your carbon footprint in meditation for twenty minutes, you’ll arise knowing exactly what changes you need to make. Here are some of the changes our environmental meditations have led us to make in our household:

• Limiting water use. Simply turning off the water when we’re brushing our teeth or shaving saves gallons of water. Since that water is usually heated when we’re shaving, it’s even more important to do it then.
• Avoiding driving when possible. We try to walk or ride a bike whenever it’s feasible. We share rides and recently joined a carpool. We’ve resolved to take public transportation more frequently.
• We’ve resolved to drive smaller, more energy-efficient vehicles. When we buy a new car, we plan to choose a hybrid model. In the meantime, we’re finding out where hybrid fuels (fuels which mix gasoline with ethanol) are sold and filling up there whenever possible.
• We’ve been recycling for years; we want to improve in the areas of reusing, repairing, and re-purposing.
• We now bring our own reusable bags to the grocery and drug store. We’re trying to avoid plastic bags when we can.
• We’ll soon be buying a water filter for the tap and reusable water containers to take the place of hundreds of plastic water bottles.
• In cold weather, we’re wearing extra layers of clothing at home, so we can comfortably turn down the thermostat. During spring and autumn, we’ll be opening the windows as often as possible, using heat and air conditioning as seldom as the weather allows. In summer, we try to set our air conditioning no lower than 77 degrees. It’s really cool enough for comfort; we’ve found that we don’t need to chill our home to unseasonably cool temperatures to be comfortable. We plan to set our thermostat on a timer so it isn’t pumping out heat or air conditioning when no one’s around.
• We’ve switched to low-wattage bulbs and we’re trying to get into the habit of turning off the lights when they’re not in use.
• Eventually, we’ll be installing solar panels in our home. We have an appointment with a contractor to check and maintain the insulation.

These are just a few changes we’ve made; it feels great to be kind to Gaia! Your own sustainability meditation will no doubt yield even more ideas for reducing your impact on the environment. Thich Nhat Hahn recently promoted a worldwide “No Car Day” – choosing one day each week to not use an automobile–as a way of reducing emissions. If even a small percent of the world’s population were to join him in this project, the reduction in greenhouse gases would be highly significant. Don’t worry; we’ll be switching to renewable energy sources soon—the fossils are running out! (Isn’t it madness that we power the whole planet on dead dinosaurs? If ever there were a more obviously finite resource, petroleum products have to be it!) Hybrid and fully electric cars are becoming more affordable and mainstream; solar power, wind turbines, and other sane energy sources are in their ascendancy.

“Lifestyles of health and sustainability” can be more than a target demographic; we can make them the new “normal.” Gaia will thank us by giving us clean air to breathe, pure water to drink, and fully non-toxic foods to eat.

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Google the word “yoga” and a million different sites will pop up for your perusal. In fact, it quickly becomes difficult to discern the credible from the crazy, and you could easily waste hours of your time trying to to research one small detail of your practice. As a former military logistics officer, whose job it was to be the penultimate of organized, the mass of information overwhelms and exhausts me.

So you can imagine my excitement to come across websites like Yoga Vancouver and Yoga Toronto. Want to see what classes are running and at which studios? Want to connect with other yogis? Want to find a specific teacher or read about upcoming yoga-related events? These websites let you do all of these things and answer of all these questions with a quick click of your mouse button. In a matter of 15 seconds, I was able to wade through the slew of offered classes and instead, pare them down by a variety of different categories; which class was running next, which studio is closest to me, and what type of yoga was being taught. Brilliant. Organized. Right up my alley.

These sites have some really great features to them, all of which didn’t take me long to navigate. There is a classifieds sections where users can easily access anything from yoga items to massage practitioners to wellness books. There is a whole section dedicated to yoga instructors, with information on everything from insurance to finding studio space. But perhaps my favourite part of the site was the Social Yogis link, which instantly takes you to a site that allows you to connect with other yoga lovers, watch instructional videos and participate in forums. I felt I was being given intimate insight into the daily practices of the site members, giving me new ideas for expanding and developing my own routine. Websites like these, along with Yogaflavouredlife.com, make deepening your practice that much easier, because they allow easy access to information, by collecting sources from a variety of places and delivering it to you all in one nice and tidy package.

So if, like me, you enjoy a little organization with your warrior pose, these websites are for you. With oodles of information at your fingertips, at the very least, these sites are worth checking out.

Kelly

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Me after my knee surgery in 2010

It would be the understatement of the century for me to say that I am a bit of a doctor connoisseur. In the last eight years, you name it, I’ve seen it. And this is due either to my knee injury or as of late, my Grave’s disease. So in the last few years, I’ve met varying types of doctors and specialists; general practitioners, acupuncturists, physiotherapists, pain specialists, endocrinologists, radiologists and orthopedic surgeons. And in that range of doctors, I’ve met the ones who were filled with compassion and the ones that should have left their medical licenses at the front door or in the hands of a monkey. And when I leave the latter variety, I’m often left thinking, “Why would you get into the business of healing if you don’t care about the patient?”

My Grave’s Disease was diagnosed in a rather strange way. I found myself sleeping through my alarm over several months, my heart raced while I lay in bed, and I felt such extreme exhaustion that it was nearly inexplicable. I complained to my doctor several times but since I always appeared upbeat and otherwise healthy, no investigative work was done until months later, I refused to leave the office until someone took some blood and completed some lab work. I should say that I’ve been quite lucky during my time in the military, as we have excellent, and free, medical care. So with my recent medical release from the forces, I was worried about where my medical treatment would pick up, especially considering I was in the middle of coping with my Grave’s disease. So as I left the military release office, I realized that now that I have a choice, I want a different kind of medical treatment, in which my diagnoses extended beyond my typical symptoms and instead, looked at my body and its potential to heal as a whole. I found that in the Bridge Health Clinic.

The Bridge Health Clinic, located in Vancouver, BC, was recommended to me by Georgina (lovingly called Georgie by most) Durcan, who is the reiki master, intuitive healer and wellness coach at the clinic. I had the pleasure of being introduced to the wonderful Mrs. Durcan by a friend of mine and we’ve become fast friends who bonded instantly. So when she heard about my health problems, she told me that I simply must come to the clinic and meet Divi.

Dr. Divi Chandra, an MD and medical intuitive, spearheaded the fantastic Bridge Health that uses both eastern and western medicines, approaching healing holistically, vice just treating symptoms without investigating the root cause of illnesses. They also run monthly seminars, dedicated to teaching patients to be active participants in their own health plans, and helping people to realize that our stress levels and other daily routines can contribute greatly to our wellness. There’s even a re-connective healer, empowerment coach and hypnotherapist on staff. Just what I need!

I made my first appointment and…okay, that’s a lie right there. I didn’t even make my appointment…they called ME! And to make it even more exciting, they called me and said, “Would you like to come in tomorrow or the next day to meet the doctor?” What? Really?!? My mom just booked her annual physical with her doctor and couldn’t get in until January. Seriously. These people must be Gods. So when I finally met Dr. Chandra (who was gloriously on time, by the way), I was stunned by the compassion and care with which she handled my case. After explaining my medical history, she reached out, touched my arm and said, “Wow! So you’ve been through a lot!” Isn’t that just nice to hear? To have someone acknowledge that life is tough sometimes and that hey, you’ve done alright in surviving it? I nearly reached across the room and hugged her.

Just last week, a friend of mine complained that she was worried something was wrong with her medically, but her doctor brushed her off and refused to pursue it. My response was almost automatic. “Go see the Bridge Health Clinic.” I rattled off the address and phone number and my friend walked away excited to get some answers and to get to the bottom of just “not feeling quite right.”

So although it may seem like it is, this post isn’t in whole a pitch of the Bridge Health Clinic, but rather, a push for readers to approach their health in a way that goes beyond what we can see in the mirror. Any person can overcome their maladies for an evening and come across happy and well, but soon, symptoms will get the better of us and find different ways to manifest themselves. And personally, I know that my stress level has contributed greatly to the way my symptoms have presented themselves, a sure sign that I need to delve a bit deeper into my yoga and meditation practices.

So don’t take no for an answer. Approach your doctor about alternative healing methods and how they might work with your current medical practice, or for that matter, how they may contradict your current plan. Take control of your own health. It’s your body, after all.

Kelly

Related posts:

1. Healing Cancer with Yoga
2. The Emotional Healing Powers of Yoga
3. Illumination: The Shaman’s Way of Healing

Do you have a “sacred space” devoted to your times of meditation? Most practitioners do. Of course, any place can be deemed sacred by the meditation practitioner; it doesn’t have any specific physical requirements. The picture below…

…shows my outdoor space of choice (see the bench at the top of the waterfall?). My indoor space looks like this:

May I give you a brief tour? I love genuine antiques, especially those that have deep meanings for their owners. We acquired the gorgeous Asian display case above at a privately-owned antique shop; from the moment I laid eyes on it, I knew it wanted to come home with me to help define my meditative space. I enjoy lighting candles before beginning to meditate, hence the four candles you see on the left and center. (I would gladly light incense as well, but my wife is terribly allergic!) On the left to the rear sits a little statue of the Goddess Gaia, a depiction of divinity as the Spirit of the Earth. Center right, I have flowers that are constantly being replaced. My Sensei taught me that flowers are always on their way to becoming trash, and trash is always on its way to becoming flowers. If we learn to “compost” the unpleasant things that come into our lives, we can plant them and enjoy the beauty of the flowers that grow in their place.

Finally, to the right, I have a Tibetan Bell. It’s the genuine article, given to me by my daughter, and one of my most prized possessions. In Mindfulness Meditation, we open and close our sitting meditation by “inviting the bell to sound.” On the in-breath, we say silently, “Listen! Listen!” and on the out–breath, we silently recite, “That wonderful sound brings me back to my true self.” Then I sit on my mat in a half-lotus position (the full lotus strains my muscles) and spend about twenty minutes repeating a mantra silently on my in- and out-breaths. It’s very beautiful, and a most effective way to center and focus the mind.

Meditation as I understand it is about bringing mind, body and spirit together in a perfectly unified whole through conscious breathing. I sometimes use the Sanskrit mantra, Om Nama Shivaya, (“I bow to the divine within.”) At other times I repeat one of the beautiful mantras taught by the Vietnamese Zen Master Thich Naht Hahn. The simplest of these is this:

Breathing in, I know I am breathing in;

Breathing out, I know I am breathing out.

Simple awareness of breathing is magical. Thich Naht Hahn teaches that, while our minds and bodies are often in different places, conscious breathing brings them together again, allowing us to be fully present. Simple breathing, if guided by deep awareness, has the power to unite disparate parts of our being.

Closing the meditation, I blow out the candles, remembering to inwardly extinguish the poisons of hatred, greed, and ignorance. Then I invite the bell to sound once more, and allow its reminder of “coming back to my true self” into the day.

Best regards,
William K Ferro

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Welcome back to our beloved readers!  I hope you have had the opportunity to put the “power of three” to the test, or are at least becoming more aware of it in your daily life…  We’ve all had those days when despite our Tapas, (the flame of conscious, directed effort) life seems determined to undermine our intent and our time for our (hopefully) regular Yoga session.  Rather than allow disappointment, self flagellation, or any other negative response to arise, find a spare fifteen minutes and enjoy the peace and tranquility that a quick Emergency Yoga routine can offer.

As a wise man once said…”some Yoga is better than no Yoga.”

Relax!

On days that I cannot find the time for my regular full session, this routine keeps me limber and allows me to relax both physically and mentally.  Some Yoga is better than no Yoga, and fifteen minutes of peace and harmony always trumps feeling down for doing no Yoga at all.  As the routine is quite short, I recommend taking a minute or two and relax and focus through some Ujjayi breathing while in Savasana first…

During this short Ujjayi breathing period, close your eyes and see in your mind’s eye..:

A warm, loving and healing energy of purest white fills your lungs as you inhale, spreading from within to every cell, every strand of DNA, and every particle of your being.

As you exhale, envision all sickness, negativity, worry, and stress leaving in a dark cloud, dispersing into nothingness.

Over the two minute period, see the dark cloud gradually grow lighter and brighter with each exhale as the loving, healing energy purifies your being and reunites you mind, body and spirit – until your last few breaths are just as pure as during your inhale.

Open your eyes, take one deep breath, retain it for two seconds, then exhale without effort and SMILE J…

The Routine

There are a small number of simple postures/exercises to complete, with each one given twenty to thirty seconds in each posture before moving on to the next.  Don’t worry about the time; you’ll be on your feet and feeling great in only another dozen minutes or so!

You’re done!

That’s it!  Fifteen minutes or so ago, the missed full session of Yoga was causing all sorts of negative effects on your body, your mind, and your energy levels.  How do you feel now?  For myself, I use this as an end of day routine in case I cannot find time for a regular session; its primary goal is to relieve stress, calm the mind, and rejuvenate the body without too much of a workout.  Feel free to design your own ‘Emergency Yoga’ short practice for either morning or evening (or whenever you may fit it in).  You may want to have a few Emergency Yoga routines – one for morning, one for evening, or maybe one for a coffee break at work.

Until next we meet, Namaste, my friends…

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Welcome back!  Have you ever wondered why (aside from genetic disposition) some find it easier to stretch than others?  One of the many factors within our control when it comes to muscle and tendon elasticity is our diet, and although we’ve talked about supplements that improve joint lubrication, we have yet to cover the vitamins that play a primary role in our Yoga body.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is a group of compounds that play an important role in bone growth, reproduction, cell division, eyesight, and cell differentiation. Vitamin A helps regulate the immune system which works to prevent infections by making white blood cells that destroy harmful bacteria and viruses. Vitamin A promotes healthy surface linings of the eyes and the respiratory, urinary, and intestinal tract while helping the skin and mucous membranes function as a barrier to bacteria and viruses. Vitamin A also assists lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) to fight infections more effectively.

Vitamin A essentially comes in two forms:  Retinol (vitamin A from animals) and carotenoids (from plant matter).  Foods that are high in vitamin A include liver, beef, chicken, eggs, and many fortified products such as milk and cheese.  Although Retinol is a more active form of vitamin A, carotenoids from plants are equally valuable and can be obtained from sources including: carrots, spinach, kale, cantaloupe, peas, papaya, oatmeal and apricots.

Toxicity

We all know the phrase; “Too much of a good thing…” There is significant correlation between over-consumption of vitamin A in the form of Retinol (vitamin A from animal sources) and increased bone density loss in post-menopausal women.  Women over the age of eighteen need no more than 700mcg or roughly 2300 IU of vitamin A in the form of Retinol on average.  When possible, obtaining vitamin A from carotenoids (plant sources) is preferable as there is no evidence to suggest bone density loss due to over-consumption from this source. (Yay plants!)

Vitamin B

The B vitamin complex (includes B1, B2, B3, B6, B12) is responsible for assisting the body in myriad ways.  Vitamin B12 keeps the nerve and blood cells healthy as well as promoting new DNA.  Vitamin B6 is a real workhorse:  There are over one hundred enzymes involved in protein metabolization that cannot function without it.  The human body needs vitamin B6 to make hemoglobin, and both the nervous and immune system depend upon it to function properly.

Good sources for the B vitamin complex include clams, fish, poultry, milk products, and eggs.  Various breakfast cereals and meal replacements offer B12 or B – complex fortified varieties as well, as do some soy products. When it comes to vitamins B1 through B6, the list of good sources is much longer and seems geared for veggie-lovers.  Tomatoes, wheat bran, lima beans, sunflower seeds, spinach, avocado, potatoes, bananas, garbanzo beans…they all make the grade when it comes to essential Yoga vitamins – never mind the fiber!

B – complex and flexibility

The B vitamin complex offers benefits for those with limited flexibility (especially when due to arthritic inflammation) as well as those seeking to regain their natural range of motion through such practices as yoga.  This vitamin group works together to increase blood flow to muscles, ligaments and tendons by dilating veins and arteries, and reduces swelling in muscle tissue.  The B – complex is also thought to help maintain the myelin sheath on nerve endings, properly shielding them from false signals while strengthening signal conductivity.

Vitamin C

Also known as ascorbic acid, vitamin C is a water-soluble nutrient found in certain foods.  In the body, vitamin C’s primary responsibility is that of an antioxidant; scavenging free radicals that can damage the body’s cells.  Vitamin C is also responsible for aiding in the production of collagen, a protein required to help heal wounds. In addition, vitamin C improves the absorption of iron from plant-based foods and aids in the proper function of the immune system.  Recent studies show that vitamin C slows down the degeneration of the joints, thereby aiding in maintaining their flexibility.  Vitamin C is also responsible bone growth and the maintenance of the body’s musculature.

The best sources of vitamin C are fruit and vegetables including: citrus fruits, red or green peppers, kiwis, broccoli, brussel sprouts, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes, and one of my favorites – radishes!  The vitamin C content of food may be reduced by long-term storage or cooking, so where possible eat fresh uncooked sources and try to avoid allowing the produce to ‘wrinkle’ in the fridge or on the counter before consumption.

Smoker’s warning:

Smoking leeches vitamin C directly from the blood supply.  If you are a regular smoker, your vitamin C intake should be approximately one and one half times the RDA.  A long-term lack of vitamin C can lead to joint pain, poor wound healing, fatigue and eventually scurvy, which if left untreated is fatal.  Incidentally, the leeching of vitamin C from the body due to smoking and poor collagen production in the facial area due to second-hand smoke exposure goes a long way in explaining why a smoker appears to age so rapidly.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is present in very few foods naturally.  It is also created endogenously when ultraviolet rays from sunlight strike the skin and trigger vitamin D production. Vitamin D is biologically inert and must undergo two processes within the liver and kidneys for activation.  Without sufficient quantities of vitamin D, bones can become brittle, thin, and exhibit malformation over time.  Vitamin D is very important for calcium absorption as well as controlling cell growth, maintaining neuromuscular and immune function, and reducing swelling.

As far as the few food sources offering vitamin D, salmon, mackerel, and tuna rank as the best.  Interestingly, certain varieties of mushroom also provide vitamin D, with ‘enhanced’ varieties offering higher amounts of vitamin D through controlled ultraviolet light exposure. In North America, fortified milk, orange juice, yogurt, and ready-to-eat cereals rank as the number one sources of vitamin D, with a mandatory quantity added to all infant formula as well.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is another important vitamin for joint flexibility. This vitamin, found in sweet potatoes, eggs, wheat germ, liver, green vegetables, nuts, and many other sources – is a powerful antioxidant that prevents the joints from becoming damaged by free radicals. Vitamin E also promotes joint mobility by strengthening the ligaments and tendons.

The final word on vitamins

Vitamin E is a fine example that applies to all vitamins:  Nature does it best. The amount of lab produced vitamin E through supplements such as a daily multivitamin should be 1.5 to 2 x the RDA in order to receive a sufficient quantity.  Where possible, especially in light of Yoga and achieving higher levels of spiritual growth; eat as many fresh fruits, nuts, grains, and vegetables of varying colors in order to insure you are getting a sufficient vitamin supply.  When necessary due to diet restrictions or unavailability of some foods, use supplements to make up any shortfall.

Until next week, my friends…Namaste.

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If you have ever been interested in Yoga or are an active participant, you have been exposed to this ancient sacred language.  Literally; “refined speech,” Sanskrit represents one of the oldest of the Indo-European languages – with the pre-classical Sanskrit of the RigVeda and other ancient texts dating back roughly 4500 years to 5500 years ago.  Considered the ‘cultured’ language, Sanskrit is still used today and is one of the twenty-two official languages of India.

Scholars often distinguish Vedic Sanskrit and Classical Sanskrit as separate dialects. Though they are quite similar, they differ in a number of essential points of phonology, vocabulary, grammar and syntax. Vedic Sanskrit is the language of the Vedas, a large collection of hymns, Samhitas, theological, and philosophical discussions in the Brahmanas and Upanishads. Modern linguists consider the metrical hymns of the RigVeda Samhita to be the earliest; composed by many authors over several centuries of oral tradition. The end of the Vedic period is marked by the composition of the Upanishads, which form the concluding part of the Vedic body of work in the traditional view; however the early Sutras are Vedic too, both in language and content…Around the mid first millennium BCE, Vedic Sanskrit began the transition from a first language to a second language of religion and academia.

Why learn Sanskrit?

I can still remember my first exposure to Sanskrit years ago in India where I attended my very first Yoga class. “Mumble-mumble-asana,” What?  I looked around and tried to mimic the rest of the students who instantly assumed the correct posture.  The Yoga was confusing enough that first day without the language difficulties to boot.  In my usual bull-headed fashion, I dropped all interest in the original Sanskrit terms and focused on the postures instead.  Years later, I realized that my stubbornness was causing me to miss out on an important benefit of traditional Yoga and its use of Sanskrit.

Rick Briggs, a NASA researcher once wrote this in regards to Sanskrit:

“In ancient India the intention to discover truth was so consuming, that in the process, they discovered perhaps the most perfect tool for fulfilling such a search that the world has ever known — the Sanskrit language. There is at least one language, Sanskrit, which for the duration of almost 1000 years was a living spoken language with a considerable literature of its own. Besides works of literary value, there was a long philosophical and grammatical tradition that has continued to exist with undiminished vigor until the present century. Among the accomplishments of the grammarians can be reckoned a method for paraphrasing Sanskrit in a manner that is identical not only in essence but in form with current work in Artificial Intelligence. This article demonstrates that a natural language can serve as an artificial language also, and that much work in AI has been reinventing a millennia old wheel.  The discovery is of monumental significance. It is mind-boggling to consider that we have available to us a language which has been spoken for 4-7000 years that appears to be in every respect a perfect language designed for enlightened communication.”

A spiritual language rooted in science

“But the most stunning aspect of the discovery is this: NASA the most advanced research center in the world for cutting edge technology has discovered that Sanskrit, the world’s oldest spiritual language is the only unambiguous spoken language on the planet. Considering Sanskrit’s status as a spiritual language, a further implication of this discovery is that the age old dichotomy between religion and science is an entirely unjustified one.  It is also relevant to note that in the last decade physicists have begun to comment on the striking similarities between their own discoveries and the discoveries made thousands of years ago in India which went on to form the basis of most Eastern religions.”

When we learn the Sanskrit words and meanings as related to our Yoga, we are re-establishing a connection with the vibrations of millions upon millions of Yoga followers both past and present; as well as reconnecting ourselves to the ancient wisdom and spiritual knowledge that is contained within the vast works of Eastern history.  We are speaking the same words of Patanjali and so many others – carrying on (almost unconsciously) a profound history of inquiry into the natural and spiritual world which is rivaled by no other culture on our planet.  No other language in earth’s history has been designed to work with Creation and follow the resonances of the universe and Nature itself as with Sanskrit.  Truly, the more we learn of this language, the more direct wisdom and knowledge we are able to access.

Where to learn Sanskrit

For the purposes of Yoga alone, you have probably absorbed quite a few Sanskrit words and their definitions if you are a practitioner of a traditional Yoga form.  If you wish to improve your pronunciation and vocabulary, I have found a few free resources which are very helpful:

Sanskrit simplified pronunciation guide

http://www.selfdiscoveryportal.com/cmSanskritPron.htm

Online dictionary and utilities

http://sanskritdocuments.org/dict/

For those more serious about this ancient and spiritual language, you may download a complete course with lessons, tests and answers here:

Sanskrit Course

Namaste, my friends…

Related posts:

1. The Language of Yoga: Nicolai Bachman

photo credit: Axel Bührmann

Just a quick point before we begin:  Why “Teacher” as opposed to “instructor?”  In my own view, the word “Teacher” carries with it thousands of years of honorable and deeply spiritual meaning.  “Instruct” fails to convey the deeper values and meaning of Teacher…and I don’t like the way it sounds either!

I am far from being a good teacher, which is why I offer free Yoga sessions Sunday mornings at a local park…I wouldn’t feel the students were getting the value for the money if I charged anything more than a smile, or even a half-conscious grumbled “good morning.”  It is not that my heart isn’t in the right place, but I still struggle with patience and frustration when someone just can’t “get it,” no matter how I try to explain.  The sacred position of a teacher is not something I accept lightly, and I worry I might sully the field somehow through my inept efforts.  I leave the true teaching to those more deserving the role – Yoga or otherwise.

To teach anything to others is a holy and deeply spiritual calling – even if you are an atheist with no beliefs whatsoever.  Teachers participate in the same process that the whole of creation is here for:  To teach.  To teach or desire to teach Yoga is similar in my view to joining the priesthood, or becoming ordained as a minister; you are answering a higher calling not based on financial reward or physical gain, but an honest desire to share with others what you have learned and introduce others to the path of Yoga and its transformative qualities.  Let’s face it, when it comes to teaching Yoga, few make a full living wage without supplementing their income with regular or part-time work!

To be a great teacher

What does it mean to be a great teacher?  Why not just a good teacher?  From my narrow point of view, all teachers are inherently good through the very act of desiring to teach, and my respect for you knows no ends…The qualities of a great teacher are more than just qualities confined to teaching, they are many of the same qualities that we need to build upon to communicate effectively and enjoy meaningful relations with those around us.  All teachers are good teachers, as I have said before – but to be great:

You can explain anything to anyone – It is a real skill to be able to explain something to someone who knows nothing of the subject, or very little.  The true art of helping someone understand what you are teaching lies in your own ability to discern how that individual views what you are explaining, how they learn, and how best to present the material from their point of view. (One of my personal stumbling blocks…)

Temper, temper – There will be times when stresses in your own life and environment bring you to a point that you want to yell at those you teach, or at the very least yank some of your own hair out.

A sense of ‘ha-ha’ - Students find learning much more enjoyable if the teacher has a sense of humor.  This can be very valuable as a Yoga instructor, especially when you overbalance and collapse in a tangled heap of arms and limbs in front of your entire class while demonstrating an asana.  Humor allows you to participate in the laughter that follows, lighten the mood and energize the room, and use the incident as a valuable teaching tool instead of turning red with embarrassment and reacting poorly.

Common sense – A great teacher possesses common sense, which appears to be a rather uncommon quality as of late…perhaps it is time to ‘re-coin’ the term “uncommon sense” to replace it.  A great teacher is practical, and can size up developing situations and react appropriately in a seamless manner – dispelling issues before they truly arise, calmly acting upon as opposed to reacting.

You live what you teach – Students have an uncanny ability to intuit when their teacher has no belief or interest in what they are teaching.  As I have said, teaching is a higher calling – your own conviction and faith in what you teach will determine the conviction and faith you are able to generate in the classroom.

Both leader and follower – One of the best gifts from a student when in the role of a teacher is to have the student teach you something.  An openness to accept the position of follower in your own classroom or Yoga studio may be difficult at times…but no teacher is greater than those who can become a student as well.  Through this deeply meaningful experience of being taught by the student, the teacher is given the opportunity to grow and enrich every lesson they teach with the new knowledge the have been open enough to receive.

Tough skin – There are going to be times in every teacher’s career when circumstances in the studio or classroom leave you drained, feeling unappreciated, or even in despair over the events.  To teach is to interact with others in a difficult and often demanding environment where the same personality conflicts and other social issues can often be magnified.  Forbearance and a willingness to examine yourself without blame are important for your own mental and emotional health, as well as your attitude towards the students in your class.

Yoga Teacher

In my humble opinion, teaching Yoga is one of the highest teaching pursuits one can aspire to.  To teach Yoga is to help keep the doors open to ancient wisdom that is as current and true today as it was thousands of years ago.  As a teacher of Yoga, you are charged with guiding not only the physical and mental state of your students, but are also responsible for enriching your students’ own spirituality.  Yoga is an entire discipline and lifestyle built around a singular goal:  To exist in a state of knowing harmony with The Divine and all of Creation.  To try to play down or ignore this underlying component of Yoga is to do your students and yourself a great disservice.  To teach Yoga requires an additional component which is most often missing from other classrooms:  Deep spiritual conviction and faith.

Conviction and Faith

When we speak of “spiritual” in this case, we are speaking of the connection that Yoga has helped to forge deep in our being with our higher self. (Perhaps more correctly said: Yoga reveals the connection we have always had…)  That is one of the most profound powers of Yoga practice – you don’t have to have any faith at all, just follow the instructions.  The faith and the spirituality grow by virtue of nature.  Our natural state of existence is one of perfect harmony with our environment, ourselves, and all forms of sentient life.  Yoga is a science that brings about a spiritual result – the physical and mental benefits are more “side-effects” than they are meant to be goals.

As a teacher, you have already been affected at a deep and profound level by all the Yoga that brought you to where you are right now:  At the front off your class, with all eyes watching expectantly.  Some of those eyes are judgmental, some eyes may ridicule, others may convey boredom, and hopefully most of those eyes left over are glowing with attentive anticipation.  Each of your students is there for unique reasons, and each brings their present life-state with them.  It can be very easy as a teacher of any sort to find oneself overwhelmed with the problems students are having on personal levels, and this is where faith and conviction as a Yoga teacher are a must.

You have conviction regarding Yoga and its benefits, or you would not be standing where you are now.  Have faith that you are an instrument of Yoga whose honorable purpose is to teach what you have learned to others.  You don’t have to solve all the problems, and you will rarely if ever be able to meet all your students’ expectations or requests.  Have faith that in the same way Yoga began to make more and more positive changes in your life, it will in your students too.

Final Advice

For someone who feels he is unworthy of the role of teacher, it occurred to me that giving advice may be the worst thing I could do, but that is the great thing about advice – you as the reader don’t need to follow it!  If I could offer a few final words that may be have benefit:  Don’t teach Yoga, teach the love of Yoga…and don’t teach your students how to stretch, teach them how to relax…and finally, teach from the heart, not the manual.

Namaste my friends, my deepest respect to all of those we call Teacher.

Related posts:

1. What makes a good yoga teacher?

Another week has gone by…and I have radishes!  One of the ultimate joys of working towards a vegetarian lifestyle is committing to grow some of your own food for your own health.  I am fortunate to rent from an owner who could be convinced to allow me a fifteen by ten foot plot to garden, but there were lots of alternatives.  The helpless little seeds I sowed last week and carefully covered in plastic have now turned into beautiful little shoots of green, welling up through the damp earth and breaking out into the light of early spring.

Working with your own hands in the earth and participating in the growth and care of your own vegetable plants engenders a healthy respect for Nature and for the effort it takes – but there is something more magical that occurs:  The love and care you put into your vegetable garden returns to you directly via the food you grow.  There is a quality about something grown by ourselves that is absent from the food we buy off the store shelves;  it is present in the way our own vegetables and other produce tastes, in its nutritional value, its natural ripeness, and in the way it reacts with our body once ingested.

Animal vs. Plant

There is a common mistaken viewpoint that the best source of protein for the human body comes from meat, and that to deprive ourselves from it is to deprive ourselves of essential amino acids and a critical muscle-building source.  The truth of the matter is that no nutrient or energy source for the human body that is not readily available in its finest forms in the plant kingdom (or the vegetable aisle at a good grocery store). As one of the biggest obstacles to the vegetarian path, let’s clear a few things up regarding protein, how much is really needed, and what your body does with it.

Amino Acids

The cells of our body use amino acids to build muscle and repair tissue damaged through use.  Every amino acid the human body needs either originates from a plant source, or is synthesized by our bodies from other amino acid combinations.  There are three distinct disadvantages to obtaining protein from meat as opposed to plants:  In meat-based diets, too much fat and cholesterol accompany the bulk of the protein intake.  Two; the protein is “secondary source,” as opposed to directly from plants, and three; risk of coronary disease is directly linked to dietary cholesterol and saturated fats – both of which are nearly non-existent in a good vegetarian diet.

How much is enough?

How much protein is required by the human body to maintain optimal health?  The amount varies according to our age, body mass, and also in the quality of our intake.  People recovering from extreme illness will require more protein; as do professional athletes, especially during mass-building phases of their training.  Keep in mind the RDA or recommended daily allowance of protein has been formulated with considerable room for error due to differences in metabolism, absorption, and protein quality.  Below is a small sampling of the RDA table based on bodyweight for daily protein intake:

Please note; these values are assuming that the individual is receiving the necessary calories and food variety to insure adequate carbohydrates to be used as energy for the body.  A typical sedentary “nine-to-fiver” whose intake follows this guideline will in truth be a little protein heavy…

Plant Power

How easy is it to get great protein from plants?  Maybe I am being a little unfair, but let’s look at the quintessential hamburger – a typical “quarter pounder,” which provides sixteen to twenty grams of protein…I won’t horrify you with the rest of this hamburger’s nutritional data!  Here are three plant solutions:

• One cup of cooked mixed beans or lentils provides sixteen to eighteen grams of protein
• One cup of cooked soybeans provides twenty-five to thirty grams of protein
• A half of a cup of peanuts provides fifteen to seventeen grams of protein

Aside from the protein, all of these plant sources provide a plethora of fibers, minerals, and vitamins.  Remember the hamburger?  Its greatest gift to you is found in saturated fats, cholesterol, and a third of your daily sodium (salt) intake.  Suddenly that juicy little burger is beginning to look that apple we were told not to eat…Sure, it looks good – but there are lasting consequences!

Recipes!

In my personal quest towards vegetarianism, my time commitments and lifestyle have led me to eating a mostly raw, uncooked diet.  There are benefits to this as far as receiving the best nutrient value from my intake, as various cooking methods can remove a percentage of a food’s value; but I virtually live off of a variety of “sandwiches” with sides of additional vegetables, fruits and lentils or beans.  For those who need a livelier menu, here are some great recipes that are meat-free, easy to prepare, and loaded with vegetarian goodness!

Best morning muesli

¾ cup rolled oats or other grain flake
2 tbsp raisins, currants, or dried cranberries
2 tbsp chopped walnuts, almonds, or other nuts
¼ tsp cinnamon
1 cup fortified soy or rice milk, “moo milk”, or fruit juice
1 apple, grated or finely chopped

In a medium bowl, combine flakes, raisins, nuts, cinnamon, milk, and apple. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Alternatively, the apple may be stirred in just before serving. Serve with or without added milk or juice. This recipe is great for breakfast, and will leave enough over for an evening snack!

Per one cup: calories 333, protein 10 g, fat 9 g, carbohydrate 56 g, dietary fiber 6 g, calcium 192 mg, iron 2.9 mg, magnesium 99 mg, sodium 73 mg, zinc 1.6 mg, folate 77 mcg, riboflavin 0.1 mg, vitamin B12 1.5 mcg, vitamin C 28 mg, vitamin E 3.2 mg, omega-3 fatty acids 0.7 g.

Black bean soup

1 cup diced carrot
1 cup diced celery
½ onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cups cooked or canned black turtle beans or black beans
4 cups vegetable stock
¼ cup tomato paste
1½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp lime juice, salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, sauté diced carrot, celery, onion, and minced garlic over medium heat for five minutes. Stir in beans, stock, tomato paste, cumin, oregano, and thyme. Cover and simmer for twenty minutes or until vegetables are cooked. Just before serving, stir in lime juice. Add salt and pepper and adjust the seasoning.  Reducing the liquid will turn this soup into a heartier stew, and it makes enough to serve a family of four!

Per one and a half cup serving:  calories 256, protein 13 g, fat 4 g, carbohydrate 44 g, dietary fiber 10 g, calcium 131 mg, iron 6 mg, magnesium 90 mg, sodium 217 mg, zinc 1.4 mg, folate 140 mcg, riboflavin 0.2 mg, vitamin B12 0 mcg, vitamin C 14 mg, vitamin E 2 mg, omega-3 fatty acids 0.1 g.  Percentage calories from: protein 19%, fat 15%, carbohydrate 66%.

Beans have the means…

One of the best lessons I have learned in my own quest towards a fully vegan lifestyle is to never underestimate the power of the lowly little bean.  Beans of most varieties can be found cheap, in bulk, and with minimal preparation yield some of the highest nutritional value versus weight (quality versus quantity) that you can get.  With a little experimentation, I have found easy ways to make my own flavorful ‘meat replacement spread’ at about a fifth of the cost of the equivalent in actual meat.

Veggie Boy still craves a steak!

Below you will find a few websites that offer hundreds of vegetarian recipes at no cost, as well as a very good book available through Amazon to help speed you on your way.  My final advice to those who consider or choose to follow a vegan lifestyle or incarnation thereof:  Some individuals are very fortunate to be genetically predisposed to vegetarianism, while others like me really love our meat at that same base level.  If you find that you are opposed to the idea or are having a hard time giving meat up – take it slow and do not be hard on yourself.  Breaking a lifelong habit of eating meat should be done slowly, comfortably and with no stress.  Little changes will make big differences over the course of the next year…

Resources

• VegWeb
• Vegetarian Living – Peta
• VeggieVixen
  (I know…my first thoughts were “sexy vegetables?”  Have no fear!)

And a great book…

Canadian Living: The Vegetarian Collection: Creative Meat-Free Dishes That Nourish and Inspire

Namaste, my friends…

Related posts:

1. Vegetarian for Life and Yoga – Part I

photo credit: SummerTomato

The thinking man must oppose all cruel customs no matter
how deeply rooted in tradition and surrounded by a halo.
When we have a choice, we must avoid bringing torment and
injury into the life of another, even the lowliest creature; to do
so is to renounce our manhood(womanhood) and shoulder a guilt which
nothing justifies…Dr. Albert Schweitzer

Why vegetarianism?
Trust me; working towards living a vegetarian lifestyle can be difficult – especially if you have been a habitual meat eater for as many years as I have. I’m down to eating meat ‘only by chance,’ and in my once-in-a-blue-moon Chinese food treat (sometimes there is a blue moon twice in the same month!) Over the last year or so, my renewed dedication to Yoga and my deepening spiritual practices have brought me to a fairly stable lacto-ovo vegetarian, and I am slowly working towards the day when I will be a true vegan…but why? Why give up that summer grilled steak, or beach barbecued hamburgers and hotdogs?

The quick answer
The short answer from the perspective of Yoga alone is that you will never manage to obtain all the benefits of Yoga, both physical and spiritual – unless you are willing to consider and implement a vegetarian lifestyle. This is an irrefutable point that every Yoga master has agreed upon since the dawn of time itself. The slightly longer and possibly more persuasive argument (if Yoga alone is not enough) is best viewed from two categories: The physical benefits and the mind-spirit benefits. Before we go into detail, I think a few definitions to keep us all on the same page is in order.

What is a vegetarian?
A vegetarian is defined as someone who does not eat any animal or fish products. The two most common classes of vegetarian are lacto-ovo and vegan. Within the two main categories of vegetarian, there are many variations depending on the motivation, experiences, and needs of the individual. When people become vegetarian in an effort to achieve better health, there may be some flexibility in their use of animal products but when the choice is made on the basis of ethics, philosophy or religion, there is a greater tendency toward adherence to the lifestyle.

Lacto-ovo vegetarian – Lacto-ovo vegetarians avoid all animal flesh, but do use eggs (ovo) and dairy products (lacto). Some people are simply lacto-vegetarians, using dairy products but not eggs, and others are ovo-vegetarians, using eggs but not dairy products.
Vegan (pronounced vee-gun or vee-gan) – Vegans avoid all products of animal origin, including eggs, dairy foods, gelatin (made from the bones and connective tissue of animals), and honey Vegans avoid animal products not only in their diet but in every aspect of their lives. They may shun leather goods, wool and silk, tallow soaps, and other products made with animal ingredients.

Physical and spiritual benefits

The Physical
Physical health is the most common reason individuals will give when asked why they chose a vegetarian lifestyle. Most people now recognize that vegetarian diets are not only a healthy choice, but are proven to protect us against disease. The potential health advantages of vegetarian diets include the following (far from complete!)

Reduced obesity - Vegetarians are leaner than nonvegetarians, which often translate into better overall health in itself.

Less risk of chronic disease - Vegetarians enjoy fewer instances of type II diabetes, heart disease, hypertension or high blood pressure, and also certain forms of cancer. Vegetarians suffer less from gallbladder and renal diseases, and there is mounting evidence that even rheumatoid arthritis may be added to this list.

Longevity - Vegetarians live an estimated seven to nine years longer than nonvegetarians and more often than not enjoy healthier more productive senior years.

Food-related diseases - There is a significantly reduced risk of contracting Listeria, E. Coli, salmonella and other food-carried pathogens for those living a vegetarian lifestyle.

Reduced buildup of environmental contaminants - Substances like heavy metals, PCB’s, insecticides and other forms of environmental contamination are generally found in greatest concentrations father down the food chain (meat). This is especially true in fully organic vegetarian lifestyles where there is less risk of accumulated contaminants.

Food intake is more efficient – A vegetarian lifestyle provides a better balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fat on average. Plant based diets also provide reduced cholesterol and saturated fats, while providing higher amounts of crucial vitamins including E and C, fiber, plant sterols and essential minerals such as magnesium.

The Spiritual
One of the most profound effects of a vegetarian lifestyle from a less tangible point of view is its ability to infuse us with compassion and respect for all living things. When we make decisions in our lives that promote our own health and well-being, the benefits radiate outward from us and have the capacity to influence the planet. From the Yoga viewpoint, living in harmony with the environment and the purification it brings are an essential component of Yoga mastery. In eating meat and using animal products, we are indirectly supporting and agreeing with the concept that the life of any animal is invalid in the face of our hunger for its flesh. We also therefore are party to the cruelty, fear, and torture that many of these animals go through to feed us our summer barbecue. The sanctity of all sentient life is the cornerstone of almost all the major religions and philosophical belief systems, and yet it tends to be ‘logic-ed away’ or forgotten altogether when it comes to our desires for meat.

From the spiritual viewpoint, vegetarianism is natural – eating meat or other animal products is not. Don’t be too hard on yourself; I am no better than any of you. I still love a good steak – although it has been a while now…Most of us were brought up eating meat, and many of us, myself included, find it difficult to find substitute enough plant-based proteins to make up for the meat we miss. Vegetarianism should be seen as a lifestyle, not a diet (we all know what “diet” means.) As with any lifestyle change, it is something we often must work towards, sometimes in very tiny steps. To help you, our valued reader (and me), I hope you can join us next week when I outline food substitution ideas, some great vegetarian recipes, and a few great hints to make the path to a vegetarian lifestyle a little easier.

Until then…Namaste, my friends.

Related posts:

1. Vegetarian for Life and Yoga – Part II