Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on Dec 24, 2009
Amongst the Winter Solstice and deeper into the cold, the dry aspects of the season create the risk of the doshas Vata and Kapha to run the risk of becoming unbalanced. The festive time of the holiday season can increase this propensity as we are faced with the challenge of limiting our consumption of sugar, dairy, alcohol and rich food. Being mindful 364 days of the year is best, however it is often during the holidays when people become more or less aware of their habits.
One great way to start the season off right is to limit your own holiday baking. Instead of making several different cookies and cakes choose a few favorites and keep them stored in the freezer until you want to put them out. Also by selecting treats that have warming spices like cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg you will be able to enhance your digestive fire while you enjoy your delicacies.
Keep yourself warm by sipping hot beverages throughout the day. Plain hot water is one of the best ways to stay hydrated and create a gentle cleanse. Add sliced ginger, lemon or fennel for and added benefit. Eating warm moist foods with a bit of extra spice is the way to go this holiday season. This will keep the internal fires burning strong and prevent the build up of ama and helps ward off the flu or cold.
Nasal cleansing or neti pot is another way to keep the mucous membranes clean and moist. This is what you want for optimal breathing and the natural removal of irritants. Oiling both the nose and ears is a good idea this season especially if you are having temperatures below zero. Remember to wait several hours after doing neti before you oil your nose to allow for the proper and complete drainage of mucous.
Lastly, if you really want to boost your immune system this time of year and there are two Ayurvedic formulas I would recommend. Chyawanprash or Ayurvedic jam is filled with herbs, fruit and spices and is an ideal daily supplement for adults and children throughout the winter months. An equal combination of turmeric and Ashwagandha with a pinch of black pepper is good for so many things. Recently this combination has been shown to help with cancer (specifically colon), Alzheimer’s, and the common cold and flu.
And most importantly enjoy your time with family and friends, remember to count your blessings, laugh a lot and take every chance to dance.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on Sep 30, 2009
It is quite common for me to receive phone calls or emails after an Immersion or a Level 1 Teacher Training of people doubting their ability and skill or if they are up to the challenge of continuing with their training and moving on to teach. Similarly, I had a friend call me recently, in the beginning stages of an intimate relationship, the time when it is incredibly new and fun. The feelings were moving fast, and the fear of whether or not she was up to the challenge was becoming overwhelming. It is an interesting paradox, so many times we want, desire, pray for something big to come, to point us in a new, fun and exciting direction. We ask for teachings, new learning, new skills, new inspiration and I can speak from my own experience, that those times come and this fear inevitably moves in. Whether it be laced with self-doubt, lack of faith, different expectations than what is appearing, or who knows, the phenomena is enough to address.
There was a time when i genuinely thought I wanted to quit teaching, I didn’t like it, it took a life of it’s own, and was different than I had “expected” it to be as a profession. There have been intimate relationships that have moved fast and I feared the sides of me that were showing up. I have had numerous occasions in the backcountry skiing when I have been so scared I wanted a helicopter to come lift me out and to never ski again - but from these, and many other experiences, I also know the times when I feel such overwhelming fear and a desire to “run” has continually been that point when I am on the brink of something huge. For me it means that I am about to do something, overcome something and move forward in a subtle or big shift towards my full potential, or my fuller potential. I never let myself back down, I let others back down, but I never back down. I truly feel that that has made a firm statement to my heart and spirit, a thousand times, that I am up for the challenge presented, regardless of how I feel I’ll fair. Most times, the idea that I might be scared of my full potential, who I am, what love is and what it can do to me both good and bad, actually creates a stronger commitment to face the challenge.
Letting go into a void, a place of pure clouded mystery, where we don’t know if we will come out on top, “successful”, or even alive, to me is one of the primary points of life. As a general rule for safety, I try to put a reign on my emotions, which are runaway horses at the best of times, but attempt to keep all reigns away from my heart. Unbridled willingness. An old partner once told me, if you’re not falling, you’re not learning. I draw upon that wisdom on a daily basis. Wherever this blog finds you at your journey - trust deeply, not only in what is presented in your life, but in your ability to be bigger, grander, and more luminescent than you could ever dream.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on Jul 21, 2009
Just finished level II teacher training in Calgary. What a great feeling. Now I am back in Lethbridge preparing for the heat of the summer which is upon us. I am making lemonade to have at the ready and this is how I make it. Use 3/4 cup of boiling water and pour over a whole lemon which you’ve cut up into chunks - skin and all. Pulverize it for a while using a wooden spoon. Remove the largest chunks of the lemon and add honey to taste. Add cold water and place in the fridge until thirsty. You only need a small glass to quench. I am heading off to South Country Fair this weekend where my family and I will require mucho hydration.
Theresa Spender
Posted by Sonja Logtenberg on May 13, 2009
I’d love to share a really simple contemplative practice that I’ve learned through the Radiant Mind course. Before I learned this simple practice of “just sitting”, I was pretty sure that seated mediation was not my bag. While I really enjoyed (or at least appreciated 
the practice of sitting, I found it damn near impossible to sit regularly. The notion of a regular contemplative practice seemed unnatural to my restless nature. I reasoned that a moving practice, such as dance and asana, were more in line with my shakti spirit. Truth be told, this was my well crafted excuse to not sit still.
And then I learned the practice of “just sitting” - a minimal contemplative practice that’s designed to lead to the experience of natural meditation, where meditation happens all by itself. The practice is so easy, that it’s hard to find a reason to not do it. It creates the optimal conditions for resting in unconditioned awareness free of all effort and ambition.
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Posted by Sonja Logtenberg on May 07, 2009
Check out this comprehensive article from AnmolMehta.Com on teaching a Kundalini yoga class. Even if you’re not a Kundalini teacher, this article has lots of thoughtful tips for leading a class.
I really appreciate the notes on “Tuning In”:
Always start a class with tuning in. Yoga is not just a physical science. It is a spiritual science and without spirit, you may as well be doing aerobics or something. In yoga, whether you have been explained it or not, you are dealing with cosmic energies, you are dealing with Kundalini & Prana. Such energies should be approached with respect, and the purpose of tuning in is ask your Higher Self and the Universe for Protection, Guidance and Inspiration. This ensures the energies do not harm you, you are guided correctly and you are provided ample inspiration to see the journey all the way back to the Source.
Enjoy!
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on Apr 21, 2009
A seasonal chart of tri-doshic foods and herbs to follow for optimal health this Spring.
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Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on Apr 17, 2009
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A quick but effective overview of simple adjustments a teacher can offer a student to create a positive response while utilizing hands-on enhancements.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on Apr 17, 2009
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Subscribe to the Gaiatri Om Studio Podcast
In this Podcast, learn Bhastrika Pranayama, an incredibly powerful, toning and deeply effective breath technique to increase cardiovascular health, immunity, and overall vitality.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on Apr 16, 2009
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Subscribe to the Gaiatri Chit Chat Podcast
From food to herbs to proper body care Anna Colin offers spring time tips from an Ayurvedic practitioner’s point of view. Cleanse, shed, and get ready for a season of growth and expansion.
