Celery, Beet and Carrot Spring Detox Juice

This brightly colored drink offers the sweetness of beets and carrots, the saltiness of celery, and the peppery overtones of radishes, garlic, and black pepper. Parsley adds a refreshing touch of green.

Spring is nature’s detoxification and cleanse season. The sweet cheesecake, buttery pecan pie, and rich food we ate from early winter through New Year’s reflect a natural need to insulate against the cold. These foods might still be lingering in your fat tissue, just as gooey, thick, and heavy in the body as they were on your plate. Now that the sun is returning, our body prepares for springtime by releasing the excess fats and sugars, making spring a perfect time to shed those holiday pounds.

As holiday excesses melt away the toxins trapped in our fat tissue enter the bloodstream. The appetite wanes for cheesecake,
pecan pie, and holiday roasts, which might seem off-putting or even nauseating by mid-January. While our appetite could easily accommodate two to three slices of cheesecake mid-December, a sliver of cheesecake mid-February leaves behind an awful aftertaste on the tongue, post-nasal drip, and a buildup of mucus masqueraing as the flu.

Detox juice is designed to assist the body in this process of releasing these fats, sugars, and toxins. Each of the components of this recipe work together to neutralize the symptoms of detoxification that you may be experiencing now and also set a good foundation for springtime.

Beets, radish, and garlic cleanse the liver and gall bladder, organs and tissues that are working hard to breakdown stored fats, oils, and sugars. The pigment that gives beets their bright color helps to neutralize the toxins from alcoholand spicy appetizers, balancing blood chemistry. The beta carotene in carrots cools the blood, noticeable as a cooling effect in the eyes which can feel inflamed, itchy, and irritated when the body releases fats. Beta carotene is also an important nutrient to counteract seasonal depression as it helps the skin to absorb the most from the limited sunlight during winter.

One of the quickest ways to deliver nutrients to these important organs in one simple recipe is through freshly prepared vegetable juices. Vegetable juices are easy to digest because grinding and straining removes all fiber content.

JOHN JOSEPH IMMEL has a clinical practice focused on healthy digestion and digestive tract pathology and is available by phone for appointments. He is the director of:joyfulbelly.com

Ingredients

1 Carrot
1/4 Cup celery stalk
1/4 Teaspoon black pepper
1 Cup beets
2 Tablespoons radishes (raw)
1/4 Cup fresh parsley
1 Glove garlic (Raw)

Preparation

If you don’t have a vegetable juicer, chop the ingredients and puree them in a blender with four cups of water. Strain.

Otherwise, follow these instructions to receive the greatest benefits (and most juice) from this recipe. Organic ingredients are especially important in juicing recipes because the juice is potent and highly concentrated.

• Scrub and wash the carrots, radishes and beets well, discard their leafy tops and do not peel them.
• Start with the parsley (since parsley is the driest ingredient on the list, beginning with it and then following with celery with a high water content will extract the most juice). Roll the parsley tightly in a ball to place in the juicer.
• Follow with watery celery to facilitate the extraction of juice.
• Then add the peeled garlic, carrot, radish, and beet.
• Once the juice is poured, finish with fresh ground black pepper.
• Freshly squeezed juices lose their potency after about 20 minutes. Prepare individual portions and drink immediately, preferably on an empty stomach.
• This detoxification juice can generally be taken once a day for a week or as directed.

Pay attention to any sensations in the abdomen and heart rate after drinking. Then adjust the amount as appropriate for your body.

  Green Immune Soup

Through the use of foods that are rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants, we can support a healthy immune system. This system relies on good nutrition to keep the cells and organs in a state of balance. Ayurveda recommends a diet full of variety along with a positive life-style, herbal therapies, Yoga, and meditation to maintain a strong immune system.

  Ingredients (serves 8-10)

10 – 15 cups water
1/2 head broccoli, chopped well
1/2 head cauliflower, chopped
5 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 celery root (celeriac), chopped
1/2 cup green onions (green tops only), chopped
6 large leaves and stems of curly kale, chopped
1 cup cilantro, chopped
2 sheets kombu, cut in small pieces
1/2 bulb fennel, chopped (do not use the stalks for this soup, only the bulb)
1 thumb-size piece of turmeric root, chopped
1 thumb-size piece of ginger root, chopped
6 pieces of astragalus root (resembles tongue depressors)8 medium size (about three inches)
sulfur-free ashwangandha root
Four-inch piece of burdock root, chopped
1 tablespoon ajwan seeds (if you cannot find ajwan, celery seeds can be substituted in a pinch but they are a different seed)
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons ghee (for a vegan soup, use one tablespoon coconut oil and one tablespoon sesame oil)
1 tablespoon miso (add this just at the end before serving so as not to destroy the enzymes in miso by cooking)
Add Bragg’s liquid aminos at the end to taste.

Directions

• In a large soup pot, bring the pure water and hardy vegetables and herb roots (including astragalus, burdock, ashwagandha, ginger, and turmeric) to a boil and then turn to a simmer. Let these simmer together until they soften.
• Add lighter vegetables in seaweed.
• Saute the spice seeds in ghee or oil briefly and then add to the pot while cooking.
• Cook until all the vegetables are soft and flavors are merged. Puree as desired.
• Serve warm.

DR. LIGHT MILLER travels throughout the world teaching aromatherapy, Ayurveda, herbology, tantra, and related workshops. Together with her husband, Dr. Bryan Miller, she has written Ayurveda & Aromatherapy, Ayurvedic Remedies for the Whole Family, and Ayurvedic Curative Cuisine for Everyone. ayurvedichealers.com

This recipe is adapted from Ayurvedic Curative Cuisine for Everyone with permission from the author.

By John Joseph Immel, & Dr. Light Miller

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Santa Monica’s newest Yoga studio, KIDSREVOLVING, hosts a unique schedule of classes exclusively for children and teens. Customized by age level, the classes help strengthen visual, auditory, spatial, and kinesthetic awareness by engaging kids in a way their growing bodies and minds can relate to receiving and processing information.

Studio director and founder Tiffany Craft says, “kidsrevolving gives me an opportunity to inspire youth to connect with their bodies and create with their minds, so they discover a foundation of empowerment that helps them to live the best lives possible.”

At kidsrevolving, no two classes are the same, but all sessions share a common goal of balancing the body, mind and spirit. While the kids explore a series of asanas based on themes inspired by cultures from around the world, they gain creativity, self-appreciation and cultivate an awareness of other cultures. “kidsrevolving is a place for kids of all ages to be themselves, learn about themselves and ultimately feel good about themselves,” says Tiffany. kidsrevolving, 1657 12th Street, Suite B Santa Monica, CA 90404. kidsrevolving.com

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Of particular interest is John Cottingham on what constitutes a meaningful life. He claims that a life worth living is one motivated by our individual goals and projects, but also modulated by the awareness that, at any time, the realization of those projects may be thwarted by random events outside our control. Consequently, to invest our lives with meaning, we must rise above this radical uncertainty in the face of life and simultaneously cultivate a hopeful attitude. As Cottingham points out, spirituality is more about practice than passive belief.

Barry Smith’s discussion of wine raises interesting questions such as: When I drink a wine and describe it as “smooth, with lots of tannins and hints of licorice and black pepper,” am I describing objective qualities of the wine, which anyone should be able to taste, or do I somehow contribute to the taste of the wine and, if I think that the wine is good, should everyone agree with me, or is it just a question of subjective preference? Smith also points out that drinking wine is a deep aesthetic experience, most important is the pleasure we get from it and from discussing it and sharing it with others. So wine appreciation can enhance and enrich our lives.

Keith Ward’s discussion of idealism is fascinating. He parses idealism as “the idea that fundamental reality is spiritual and the universe is an expression of a conscious reality.” Such a view may be widely accepted in the Yoga world, but it is highly controversial among philosophers. Ward discusses Vedantin philosophy, in particular Shankara, in a way that is accessible and clear; making this piece particularly relevant to yogis who are embracing the path of Jnana, or union through philosophical enquiry.

–– Reviewed by Dearbhla Kelly, M.A., who is a Yoga teacher, philosopher and writer: durgayoga.com

Freedom is a state of mind. We have all had the experience of being a slave to our desires and disempowering thoughts.

Bound to be Free is primarily a compilation of the talks of Swami Satchidananda, beloved teacher and founder of Integral Yoga, given to inmates in jails and prisons across the U.S. Through his inspiring stories and parables, he teaches the inmates how to transcend their negative thoughts and reform themselves through Yoga, meditation and mantra. He shares that how they perceive their incarceration is in their minds and that they have the opportunity to think of prison as a spiritual place or ashram.

The book also shares heart-opening stories of prisoners deeply touched by the Swami’s teachings and used their time behind bars to connect more deeply to their spirit, inspiring fellow prisoners to do the same. Free also highlights numerous nonprofits dedicated to serving the spirits of the incarcerated. Particularly inspiring is a thought-provoking interview with the most well-known proponent of Yoga in prison, Bo Lozoff, founder of The Human Kindness Foundation. Lozoff is also the author of We’re All Doing Time, and A Guide for Getting Free.

Free speaks to all who are on a path of growth and spiritual reform. While prison and jail are a physical reality for many, they are a symbolic reality for all. True freedom is a peaceful heart and mind. Swami Satchidananda speaks to the practices that make this possible. He reminds us that we have the power to see the divine in all situations, including those that seem the darkest. Heaven is everywhere we choose to see it – even behind bars.

–– Reviewed by Larisa Stow, founder and lead singer of Larisa Stow & Shakti Tribe, and co-founder of The Shakti Tribe Foundation, which travels to prisons, jails, halfway houses and institutions to help raise consciousness through musical transformances and inspirational dialogue. She is a co-founder of Sacred Sounds Radio and a transformational life coach.Shaktitribe.com; LarisaStowcoaching.com

More than yet another Yoga book, A Life Worth Breathing is a heartfelt and comprehensive handbook to living a more joyful, inspired life. This book implores us to risk everything to be inspired – to breathe in the greater joys of life.

Max Strom establishes an instant connection with the reader by exposing his own self-transformation, a process that began within his first year of his Yoga practic. As his body opened and relaxed, so did his mind and heart. As his mind cleared and heart started to open, his relationships and perspective of the world changed for the better.

He attributes this largely to his breathing practice. By working with the breath, Strom says, there is hope to liberate ourselves from the major syndromes of modern life: stress, anxiety, depression, rage and fear.

Life lays out a clear trajectory for personal transformation through steady even steps rather than through loud or dramatic leaps. He outlines this through personal narrative and parables that ground spiritual loftiness and decode philosophical jargon. Stories are combined with simple exercises, including meditations, postures, writing assignments and breathing techniques.

Life breaks down the walls of intimidation for new students with its sound advice on beginning a practice. It also provides a foundation for connecting to the deeper meaning of our lives, particularly since Strom’s teaching contains a genuine respect for people in every part of the human process. Quoting from all major spiritual traditions, A Life Worth Breathing has a universal appeal for people of all faiths; he encourages the reader to live by an ethical code and emphasizes forgiveness and gratitude.

Reading Life sparks the realization that each moment is an opportunity to connect to the Joy that is as close to us as our own breath.

–– Reviewed by Kyra Haglund who teaches at Santa Monica Yoga and Exhale in Venice. She integrates her background of cultural studies, dance and somatic experiencing with Yoga. Kyra has been gifting many copies of Life Worth Breathing: kyrahaglund.com

Love or fear. Many of the decisions in our lives come down to this critical crossroads: How are we making the choice between love and fear? This question is one of the basic premises of A Course in Miracles, it is a query Williamson often addresses in her provocative Tuesday night talks in Los Angeles. It’s also one of the core teachings in the Yoga tradition.

In A Course in Weight Loss, Williamson skillfully applies this concept to the relationship with our bodies. If we are not living with a healthy weight, Williamson says that is a symptom rooted in a deeper fear. All the dieting and exercise will not be enough, unless we are able to address the core issue of living in a way in which we truly love our bodies.

The concept meshes well with the view of health and wellness espoused in Yoga psychology where the root cause of disease is our fear. This is not to say that we bring disease upon ourselves, but confirms Williamson’s guiding principles here – that we must dive beneath our autopilot-driven desires for comfort and peer past the intellectual mechanizations and justifications of the busy mind to shift the deepest spiritual relationship we have with our body to operate from love. When we love ourselves, our bodies will reflect that love. Then food becomes our friend, rather than our enemy, a bargaining tool or a means to shut ourselves down.

Williamson compassionately guides the reader through twenty-one spiritual lessons. She asks the reader to write about hidden compulsions and to consider new points of view. These are valuable, for it is not just by thinking about something that we change, it is by being bold enough to become vulnerable and to fall in love with ourselves, that we claim our power and place.

February 11 – 13, Williamson is facilitating a retreat based on these principles. For more information, visit: Marianne.com.

–– Reviewed by Felicia M. Tomasko, RN

Brian Chance

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Magic and Grace reveals the artist’s exploration of Nada Yoga – the practice of the transformational power of sound healing. He has studied with noted pioneers in the field Sylvia Nakkach, Jonathan Goldman and Dr. John Beaulieu (author of Music and Sound in the Healing Arts). Franchini combines this with the deep effects of years of meditation and Yoga practice and the synergistic combination of knowledge and experience to share his alchemical creations with magic and grace.

The healing power of the music is in the subtleties. Proponents of Nada Yoga emphasize the importance of the perfect fifth, the musical interval that harmonizes the right and left lobes of the brain. The sustained tones also incorporated here are scientifically shown to increase oxygen exchange and the subtle percussion and layered instrumentals have a profound effect on calming the nervous system.

Each of the eight tracks melds into the next for a soothing sonic soundscape closing with a gorgeous “Repose.” While largely instrumental, the gorgeous vocal stylings of yogi and musician Donna De Lory grace “Shakti Blue” and “Reverie.” This album is thus a perfect accompaniment to Yoga practice, housecleaning, meditation and an overall soundtrack to life. In “Kama’s Spell,” the opening rhythmic guitar harmonizing with the percussion and cello is particularly hypnotic.

Franchini’s musical alchemy is also seen in projects such as Blues Divine and his collaborations with David Newman and Franchini makes a soulful appearance in the “Stay Strong” project. He will be offering workshops in Musical Alchemy while on tour worldwide, including appearances at Bhakti Fest in Joshua Tree. magicandgracemusic.com

–– Reviewed by Felicia M. Tomasko, RN

If the nonprofit group of activists Off The Mat, Into The World® hasn’t inspired you to move more in the name of seva, then this compilation might do the trick. Sounds of Seva features a selection of artists known for their tuned-in sounds, and this expertly produced collection flows like a classical vinyasa class. Although the music itself is far from classical, as it utilizes modern renditions with electronic beats and synthesized vocals, it has its roots settled nicely in devotional mantras.

Donna De Lory’s voice infuses the first track with an upbeat wake-up remix of Hey Ma Durga. Soul-soothing bass lines carry you forward from one track to the next with contributions by Suzanne Sterling, Desert Dwellers, Rara Avis, Shaman’s Dream, Alex Theory, Manose, Brenda McMorrow and Ben Leinbach. The energy reaches its zenith with an energetic remix of Krishna Love by MC Yogi. With every peak asana comes relief and recognition of the process – this is also true with these songs, which slowly return the listener to your center. The compilation mirrors Yoga sequencing and concludes with a sweet savasana lullaby by Shaman’s Dream: flowing water sounds and gentle notes to sing out all your stress.

Who knew that seva could sound so good? It sounds even better knowing that a portion of the proceeds benefit Off The Mat, Into The World® to support their mission “to inspire conscious, sustainable activism and ignite grassroots social change through the power of Yoga.” This collection curated by Shaman’s Dream and YogiTunes cofounder Craig Kohland is a sonic compliment for the practice of the conscious yogi who knows that every dollar spent is a vote for the kind of world in which we wish to live.

–– Reviewed by Michael Blahut, who recently returned from Fiji as a Peace Corps Volunteer. He is currently a student at the Shiatsu Massage School of California, and a friendly face behind the desk at Exhale Center for Sacred Movement.

This is fun audio collage art. Sweet beats with a cohesive, melodic sensibility. Smooth grooves in no hurry to get anywhere. In between the trance rhythms is where the seasoning is found. The sounds, instrumentation and voices of the East are swimming in a thick soup of western grooves. The spices are added with the art of several good producers. But it’s better just to feel it. Or as Hunter S. Thompson would say, “Buy the ticket. Take the ride.”

Like most albums of this genre, it’s much like a DJ set that runs a straight line, never straying from the one groove. A mass transit to the no mind – not to be confused with the know mind – straight through the escape hatch to oblivion. A modern and musical take on mother’s little helper, minus the chemical side effects or the jones for more.

Desert Phase was inspired by the time Seb Taylor and Natasha Chamberlain spent in some of the world’s deserts. Desert Phase Remixes is thirteen tracks from the Desert Phase album, each remixed by different “remixers”/producers representing a dizzying array of sub-genres from dubstep, breaks, glitch hop, techno and drum’n’bass.

From New Zealand and Australia, Opiuo, Oblique Industries and Interpulse bring their skills to the tracks “23 Towers” and “Desert Child.” US-based producers Bluetech, EarthRise SoundSystem and Liquid Stranger take on cuts “Vijaya,” “Sundown” and “Dust Devil.” UK-based producers Tripswitch, Gaudi, Eat Static and 100th Monkey round out the track list with filtering, audio dissection and reconstruction of the original album.

What’s impressive is that these producers, scattered across three continents, somehow manage to stay cohesive and on the same page, like some kind of archetypal consciousness. Or as my grandmother might say, “They all sound the same.”

–– Reviewed by Daniel Overberger, an LA-based Yoga teacher, the author of Leaving Stress Behind and founder of alt-kirtan group, Dharma Gypsys. leavingstressbehind.com

SRI Kirtan is Sruti Ram (on harmonium and vocals) and Ishwari (on vocals and acoustic guitar), a duo based in Woodstock, New York They’ve united their talents and their decades of experience in chanting (everything from Sanskrit-based kirtan to chants of the Gregorian variety) and musical styles ranging from opera to folk, punk and electronica. It’s a powerful combination that creates a potent kirtan experience both in person and in recording. On their new album, Live Your Love, they’re joined by such master musicians as flautist Steve Gorn along with Curtis Bahn (dilruba and sitar) Charlie “Govind” Burnham (violin), Noah Hoffeld (cello) and Kyle Esposito (bass and electric guitar).

In Live Your Love, you are transported straight to the Ganga River in India. Their fluid, celebratory sound is heard in “Ganga Ma,” a track that supports an awakening of joy in your heart chakra. Whether you’re new to kirtan or a kirtan wallah yourself, you cannot help but move to the vibrations of the healing sounds on “Govinda”, which is a mega-mix of the “Maha Mantra.” This version even has a strong rap interlude that brings the hip-hop element to an already very modern take on classical bhajans.

The album’s title, and the title track, reflects the bhav or spiritual emotion inherent in the kirtan tradition. “Live Your Love” includes English phrases such as, “Flowers showered from heaven, the world drenched in bliss… overflowing with nectar, for this I wish.” These phrases are consistently and seamlessly woven throughout many songs.

Bottom line: don’t be surprised if, while listening to SRI Kirtan’s Live Your Love, you feel an explosive burst of energy and find yourself moving – make that skipping – through your day, blessed-out and blessed-out and chanting their catchy melodies.

–– Reviewed by Ashley Wynn, RYT, a kirtan wallah who teaches at Bhakti Yoga Shala: bhaktiyogashala.com.

Fortunately, I’ve had the honor of being in classes where Ena Vie shares her lyrical, heartfelt voice and collaborations with musical partner Howard Lipp. I’ve even been lucky enough to have her sing when I’ve taught. I’ve also seen her with a full band on a Friday night in the bar scene where her conscious take on the singer-songwriter genre shines a light amidst the pool tables and pints of beer. Her musical talent combines years of developing skillful singer-songwriter chops with an attitude of love and exploration. In her singer-songwriter infused album From Within, tunes like “Down that Road” combine a catchy melody with inviting lyrics that ask us to question what we’re seeking and how we’re finding it. She sings, “You’ve been down that road; you know where it ends; that’s not where you want to be and now it all depends on you to accept the lead…Take my hand and we’ll discover more.”

Ena Vie delivers on this promise. By taking her hand through selecting her tunes for your playlist, you’ll discover your own inner heart of devotion.

Her new album, Heart of Devotion, has gorgeous vocal layering of Ena Vie’s unique take on traditional Sanskrit chants, such as her lush rendition of the poetic Loka samasta sukhino bhavantu (may everyone everywhere be happy and free) in “Loka” and her lyrical invocation to the remover of obstacles in “Ganesha.” The repetition of shanti, the Sanskrit word for peace, is featured in “Od Yaro.”

This isn’t a kirtan album, per se, but it will appeal to lovers of the kirtan genre as well as those unfamiliar with the form who will be drawn in by Ena Vie’s expressive and melodic voice. Her delivery of the mantras reveals her years of musical and meditative and Yogic practice in the deep expressive love inherent in her music.

Join Ena Vie and her band (including Lipp) on February 26 at Bhakti Yoga Shala (bhaktiyogashala.com) for their album release party for Heart of Devotion. enavie.com.

–– Reviewed by Felicia M. Tomasko, RN

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Stop and breathe and listen

to what’s going on inside

Pause and feel and smile

from deep within your soul

Search and find and follow

the path that calls your name

Do nothing

Be everything

Stop moving

just …

STOP.

*2007 Word Is Born

Dylan Barmmer is a writer, poet, performance artist and yogi living, laughing and playing in the stunning San Diego surf enclave of Cardiff-by-the-Sea. Dylan also serves as Raconteur for creative copywriting consortium Word Is Born (wordisborn.net) and outlaw oratorial outfit Random Acts of Poetry (youtube.com/wordisborntv), and authors the Mad Yogi Poet blog on ElephantJournal.com (elephantjournal.com/author/dylan-barmmer). Motivated by creativity, driven by passion and defined by heart, Dylan has often been called “a real piece of work.”@wordisborn

By Dylan Barmmer

Brian Chance

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In the details of our days, it’s easy to lose sight of the meaning behind the moments. It’s easy to forget the truth that giving, at its essence, is a creative activity and that every day holds abundant opportunities to surrender to the instincts of the heart.

Not long after I had moved into a new home, I learned that lesson from an unexpected source. That summer day, my almost five-year-old neighbor Sophie cautiously peeked through the trees separating her backyard from mine and introduced herself. After she and I had exchanged some important facts about each other, like how old she and her sister were and the names of my kitties, she suddenly asked, “What’s your favorite color?”

“Well, I like yellow,” I replied. In an instant, she was off, disappearing around the side of her house and calling behind her shoulder, “Stay right there; stay right there!” When she returned, she came bearing gifts. “Here’s a flower from our garden,” she announced, “a yellow flower.” With a smile big enough for the both of us, she stretched her arm toward me. She was carefully holding between her fingers a perfect yellow pansy.

It’s been a few years since Sophie graced me with her pansy and I’m sure she’s forgotten all about it. But I’ll never forget her gift – and the generous smile that leapt from her heart and landed smack in the middle of mine. Sophie knew instinctively what the beloved classic of India, the Bhagavad Gita, has taught for millennia: “He who offers to me [God] with devotion only a leaf, or a flower, or a fruit, or even a little water, this I accept from that yearning soul, because with a pure heart it was offered with love.” Sophie reminded me that it’s not just what we give but how we give that makes all the difference. It’s not the size of the gift but the size of our heart.

Better than Bigger

Today, more than ever, we are showered with media messages vying to convince us that gift-giving is all about buying more and buying bigger. I’ll never forget the sobs that came from a niece of mine one Christmas morning when she had finished unwrapping the two gifts my husband and I had given her, only to see that her sister had an extra package from us to open. She felt cheated, even though we had carefully spent equal amounts of money on them both. As adults, we may still pull out the measuring stick when it’s time to exchange gifts. Not only that, but we tend to think that “giving” happens when we hand over something that is wrapped and tied with a bow and ribbon.

Yet take a moment and think about the times, as a child or adult, when you felt most happy, joyful, or at peace. Were those special times in your life really defined by how much money someone spent on you? Or was it the attention you received or the intimacy and connection you experienced that made you feel exuberant? The wiser we become in the ways of the heart, the more we realize that the biggest and most expensive gifts aren’t necessarily the best ones. Better than bigger is the gift of the heart.

Likewise, the most touching and meaningful gifts are often the ones that come unexpectedly, not just on birthdays or anniversaries or holidays. “It is well to give when asked,” wrote the poet Kahlil Gibran, “but it is better to give unasked, through understanding.”

How often do you stop to appreciate another’s heart and give spontaneously – perhaps a bunch of flowers to celebrate a project well done, a special book to thank someone for her kindness, or a beautiful card with a personal message to cheer up a troubled friend or partner? And, in the midst of an argument, when everything within you wants to shut down, are you willing to open your heart and find out what the person pushing your buttons needs from you?

The people in our lives most need our gifts when they are experiencing difficulty, but, paradoxically, that’s when we are most tempted to withhold them. We take their churlish complaints or temper tantrums personally, when they are really SOS calls for support. Instead of “What’s wrong with you?” they are secretly longing to hear “Why are you hurting, and what can I do to help you?”

In the language of the heart, giving translates as offering a part of yourself to someone who, at that moment, needs it more than you do. By giving in this way, you not only honor others. You also honor yourself because you are allowing your heart to do what it was made to do – to give and receive love.

Surrendering to the Instincts of the Heart

A wonderful story from the Vedanta tradition teaches about giving from the heart to meet another’s unspoken need. A young seeker was severely scolded by his spiritual teacher for failing to complete an errand properly, and he saw the harshness of the reprimand as undeserved. A more advanced student noticed the young man’s dismay and explained to him what was happening. There are three classes of students, he told him. The third-class student merely obeys his teacher’s bidding. The second-class student doesn’t have to be instructed to do something; he intuits his teacher’s need as soon as the thought arises in the teacher’s mind. The first-class student, however, acts even before the teacher has had time to think of his or her need.

Just as an athletic coach pushes his players beyond their comfort zone so that they will become strong and excel at their sport, so the stern teacher in this story was pushing his young pupil to become not only an average giver but a first-class one. He wanted him to learn how essential it is in all relationships to open our hearts and anticipate the gift that others need from us.

Life calls each of us to surrender to that same instinct of the heart; to become so highly attuned to another’s need that we are ready instruments of healing and comfort. These aren’t lofty, unreachable goals. In your own way, you will always have something to give, whether a generous smile of encouragement, words of appreciation, a helping hand, a special perspective or skill, or simply a willingness to listen.

Every one of us has a particular wisdom, too, that we have garnered through our life experiences. You may not realize it, but drawing from your well of wisdom and compassion to help others can be like offering a cool cup of water to someone who has been suffering from a long, agonizing thirst. If you don’t know where to start, think about a challenging experience that taught you a valuable lesson or an insight you gained from reading something new that spurred a transformational moment for you. Look around and you will find someone who needs what you have to share.

You have a unique role to play and a valuable gift to give within your sphere of influence, and your heart will show you what to give, how to give, and when to give. You just have to listen.

Patricia Spadaro is the author of the award-winning book Honor Yourself: The Inner Art of Giving and Receiving. She has coauthored several other books on personal growth, spirituality and world traditions. For more inspiration on giving and receiving and on how to live more fully, deeply and authentically every day, visit Patricia Spadaro at:HowToHonorYourself.com

By Patricia Spadaro

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By uniting the powerful dietary principles of Ayurveda and fresh vegan ingredients, cuisine becomes more than a meal. It becomes great tasting, medicinal and tonic for the soul. By choosing ingredients that are in synchronicity with the Earth’s seasons and in balance with your individual body’s constitution (dosha), catering to the tastes your body desires (rasa). This simple combination forms a very powerful synergy to nourish your body, bringing about new sensitivity, clarity and consciousness within yourself and your natural surroundings.

Caramel is a rich holiday treat, and in its original sugar-laden form, it leaves something to be desired when it comes to meeting the criteria of promoting Ayurvedic principles of diet and wellness. This recipe offers a vegan version that builds ojas (vitality). It can be used as a dip for apples (per the directions below), spread, pie accompaniment or topping for Coconut Bliss or other desserts.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup dates (pitted)

2 tbsp cacao powder

1 tsp carob powder

2 tbsp coconut butter

1 pinch salt

1 tsp vanilla extract or powder

2/3 cup cashews

1 1/2 cup water

3-4 cups sliced fruits

Directions:

Soak the dates in 1/4 cup water for a few minutes. In a blender blend the cashews and water to create cashew cream. Add the dates, cacao powder, carob powder, coconut butter, vanilla powder and salt and blend into a smooth paste.

Dip the fruits in the caramel sauce and arrange in a platter. Refrigerate until 15-20 minutes before ready to serve. Or serve the fruits and dip separately in a platter. This goes well with apples, cantaloupe, pears or bananas that are not too ripe.

This dip is in harmony with vata (air/ether) and pitta (fire element) inclined constitutions; since it increases the kapha dosha, it can be enjoyed by those who are kapha inclined, in very small portions.

Makes 2 cups

Preparation time: 35 minutes

Darshana Thacker: Darshana teaches the traditional Ayurvedic technique of simple spice combining and food preparation. Her intimate, kitchen-based classes illustrate the simple preparation of well-balanced meals planned according to season. Most often the dishes are vegan variations of traditional recipes from all parts of India. New students receive a sample kit of organic spices. View the 2011 schedule at: vapikaspirit.com.

By Darshana Thacker

Brian Chance

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Dr. Susan Smalley, Founder and Director of UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center (MARC), and Diana Winston, MARC’s Director of Mindfulness Education, have coauthored a groundbreaking book investigating the means by which mindfulness can affect change for the better. Fully Present: The Science, Art, and Practice of Mindfulness brilliantly merges scientific and experiential perspectives. Each chapter addresses mindfulness in the context of a particular life issue, such as stress, health and immunity, dealing with negative emotions, cultivating happiness, and improving concentration. Chapter sections describing “The Science,” “The Art,” and “The Practice” provide a multifaceted investigation extolling how mindfulness can impact our lives, and how we might go about implementing it.

The distinct voices of Dr. Smalley, a behavioral geneticist and psychiatric researcher at UCLA, and Diana Winston, an accomplished mindfulness teacher, balance a thorough review of empirical and practical explanations for the transformational power of mindfulness. The honest scientific discussions and flexible behavioral recommendations detailed here raise awareness and motivate without invoking fanaticism. A compassionate consideration of how mindfulness can benefit multiple body types, personalities and life circumstances emphasizes the accessibility of mindfulness to everyone. Real-life testimonials give readers something to aspire to on their journeys. Fully Present is a highly informative and approachable book – a must-read for any yogi wanting to take his or her practice to the next level.

–– Dr. Christine Marie Tipper is a cognitive neuroscientist at UCSB’s Brain Imaging Center, conducting research into the brain processes underlying perceptual and social awareness:tipper@psych.ucsb.edu.

In American Veda, Phillip Goldberg has, in essence, written a love story: A story of a love of philosophy, through story-telling that traces the interchange across continents and ages – ideas from India that have inexorably shaped American culture. Goldberg admits his own love in Veda’s first few pages, when he states that he began this book in 1967, enchanted by Indian philosophy. This turned passion into profession since Veda is Goldberg’s nineteenth book. He’s not the only one who has entered a love affair with the multifaceted gem of Indian spirituality – the pages of Veda document many in America’s history beginning from Emerson and Thoreau to numerous present-day voices (famous, infamous and anonymous) who have found solace or inspiration in the epics of the East.

Veda is one of many recent explorations of the history of all things Yoga or Yoga-adjacent. The fact that works ranging from investigations into the history of asana (Yoga Body, by Dr. Mark Singleton) to a survey of Yoga practice in America (The Subtle Body by Stephanie Snyder) to a story of an eclectic character who helped pave the way for today’s pervasive Yoga-studio-on-every-corner demographic (The Great Oom by Robert Love), says something about the interest in the subject today that stretches beyond the quest for the perfect downward facing dog.

What sets apart Goldberg’s contribution to the discussion is that he is looking specifically at the influence of philosophy and spirituality (and more than merely the postural practice) emerging from the vast subcontinent of India on American life through the personalities who have flirted with the texts and traditions. Goldberg’s chapters are campfire classics, dinner conversation, trivia facts that ignite and excite. He is telling a tale that is part epic melodrama, part detective novel and – of course – part love story. And for a reader (like myself) who was sparked by reading Emerson and Thoreau in high school, entranced by George Harrison’s use of the sitar in Beatles albums, well, American Veda is a must-read.

–– Reviewed by Felicia M. Tomasko, RN

Thrive Inside provides an alchemical mix of wisdom molded from some well-renowned shamans, gurus and holy people. Eager’s elixir is just in time as this immersion of insight speaks directly to the situations we are confronting today – from a disconnect with Mother Earth as witness in rampant pollution to a disconnect with ourselves as witness through the rise in rates of depression diagnoses and mental health issues. Thrive offers direct ways of nourishing ourselves individually and as a collective to help combat these issues through guided meditations, intention setting and breathing techniques.

Bill Eager’s understanding of alternative health care and holistic living dives deep – through this book, his knowledge surfaces. As a certified Yoga instructor, Yoga Nidra facilitator, Reiki practitioner and energy healer, Eager knows that disconnecting with our body means disconnecting from our soul. From chakras, to doshas, to prana, to Ayurveda, to the four worlds, Thrive Inside covers a number of mediums of understanding both the self and our place in the universe.

Eager’s path has crossed with great teachers including Yogi Amrit Desai, Ram Dass, B.K.S. Iyengar and the Dalai Lama. What he has learned along this path is transmitted into this storyline, which will inspire readers to laugh, cry, love, meditate, and maybe even dance – all things that make the heart beat.

Through the borrowed knowledge from all the respective traditions and cultures, you’ll come out of this book with a strong sense of nondual awareness and desire to move in sync with the global community. Life is short and weren’t put on this Earth to fight one another or to worry about the future or to be consumers, but to live in order and harmony with ourselves, with each other and with the source of it all.

–– Vanessa Harris is grateful for the friends, teachers and gurus in her life that have shared the sweet nectar of life, including Sara Eaglewoman of Golden Bridge Yoga whose grace has inspired so many to “thrive inside” by seeing and speaking from the heart.

Yoga Groove Entertainment

Brian Chance

The post Book/DVD Reviews appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

“There are many ancient prophecies among Native American peoples concerning the times in which we are living. The indigenous tribes were not surprised when the black, white, and yellow peoples arrived on their shores, because their prophets had spoken of the coming of races. They knew that the new tribes would overwhelm the ancient cultures of the land they called Turtle Island, until the spirit of the Indian would almost disappear. In our time, the spirit of the Indians will be born anew into all of the races that have gathered in this land. A portion of each of the different races of the rainbow colors will see that we are all one family. They are called the “Warriors of the Rainbow.” This new community of mixed races and cultures will recognize that other humans are all their relations. The Rainbow People are not called warrioresses and warriors because they are waging war on other tribes, rather they are making war on the parts of themselves and their culture that are out of balance. In discovering the balance of the self, they will find harmony with all life. The Warriors of the Rainbow will bring with them a new time of living in harmony with our environment and with all peoples.”

By Beth Thomas

Brian Chance

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Thanks to Sara Ivanhoe, we announced an essay contest in the October issue of LA YOGA asking readers to write about the difference between doing Yoga and being a yogi. Thanks to everyone for their thoughtful submissions and we hope you enjoy copies of Sara’s gorgeous DVD Yoga on the Edge. For more information on Yoga on the Edge, visit:yoganation.com. Congratulations to Susan O’Connor, whose submission was accepted for publication!

Brian Chance

The post Yoga: Hobby Or Lifestyle appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

We could say that practice occurs outside of any place, that there is nothing we need; we could practice in a cave, in the dark, by moving aside the living room coffee table. But we all know that the place in which we practice offers an added sense of inspiration. As do the people with whom we share the room, the space, the community, call it what you will – sangha, kula, classroom, or our fellow yogis. This is why we love going to the studio, going on retreat, or packing for a festival. And each experience offers its unique alchemy, sense of time and place and magic.

For 2011, the Telluride Yoga Festival celebrates four years of bringing a joyful weekend intensive practice in this high altitude mountain haven known for its plethora of summer festivals that include everything from films to bluegrass.

Festival director and Jivamukti trained teacher Aubrey Hackman sees the festival as an embodiment of Karma Yoga, selfless service, giving back. It’s an attitude that manifests in the zero waste approach, the free classes and lectures offered throughout the weekend as part of the festival schedule, the partnerships with local nonprofits (including the Telluride chapter of the Nature Conservancy) and the dedication to offering the teachings.

When I arrived in the dark in the mountain town this past summer, for the third annual event, the spectacular scenery had yet to reveal itself. In the light of day, the crisp cool air, the peaks, the yogis toting mats were a welcome respite from everyday life in LA and the proof of why this Yoga festival has become a destination to add to a yogi’s summer calendar.

Favorite Moments of the Telluride Yoga Festival 2010

• Riding the gondola with Wah! above the trees, facing my fear of heights.
• Chanting to Shiva with Sean Johnson and the Wild Lotus Band…and Shyamdas…and Wah! all in one night, beneath the Bhakti Fest banner.
• Practicing Yin Yoga and meditation with Chandra Easton in an art gallery with the sound of the stream dancing in the background, accompanying the practice.
• Dashing between raindrops as the mid-afternoon sun threatened to peer out from the clouds, to catch Waylon Lewis MC the Walk the Talk show while teachers discussed practice on and off the mat.
• Having the vegetarian lunch buffet out on the patio of Capella Telluride, laughing with friends old (Kasey Luber) and new (many cool yogis, including Aubrey Hackman).
• Cookies and tea and the friendly staff at the Inn at Lost Creek, where I stayed and I could walk to every Yoga class, or stroll to the gondola and ride down the mountain to town.
• Catching a glimpse of the mountain view through the windows as Tias Little’s calm and grounded presence provided a living embodiment of why practice.
• Running into Mark Whitwell, Aadil Palkhivala, Richard Freeman, walking through the streets of Telluride and being reminded that their very carriage and walk, and presence, offers up an inspiring example of the full practice of Yoga.
• Practicing in the mountains, and with teachers like Alanna Kaivalya and Karl Straub, whose humor rarely makes it to LA.

The dates for 2011 Telluride Yoga Festival are July 14 – 17, 2011. Registration opens December 1. For more information, visit: tellurideyogafestival.com.

By Felicia M. Tomasko, RN

Brian Chance

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San Fernando Valley dwellers can finally practice their favorite asanas at YOGA WORKS’s newest location in Tarzana. In response to a large volume of customer requests, Yoga Works paves way to a home in Tarzana, says Terri Seiden, Marketing Director of Yoga Works. This locale debuts with YW-X, a new cross training program that utilizes TR-X bands, providing a full-body workout and complimenting Yogaworks’s already stimulating Yoga classes, with rapid cardio-inducing exercises performed barefoot. Valley yogis can also enjoy their favorite Yoga Works class closer to home. The studio offers Yoga styles including Iyengar, Yoga blend and Vinyasa flow for all levels. Don’t forget about other challenging classes such as mat Pilates, BarWorks and SculptWorks. This Tarzana location features four spacious practice rooms, locker rooms with showers, complimentary towel service and a community lounge with wireless internet. Purposely and conveniently located next to Whole Foods, yogis can get a healthy Yoga fix and shop without even having to move their car. Tarzana Yoga Works, 18700 Ventura Blvd. Suite 210 Tarzana, CA 91356. yogaworks.com

Vegan Manicure and Pedicure in NoHo

Now vegans can enjoy a completely eco-conscious manicure and pedicure in a classy and chic nail oasis in the heart of North Hollywood. Mani-Kir Royale Nail & Beauty Lounge, which reopened last May under new ownership, launched their vegan manicure and pedicure services. “I know there are a lot of people in L.A. who would be interested in a vegan manicure and pedicure,” says salon owner Debby Escalante. “It gives them (vegans) the option to keep that lifestyle,” Escalante says. Most of Mani-Kir Royale’s already popular nail services can be vegan upon request. The full-service beauty bar uses Shel Pink’s SpaRitual, a vegan line of holistic beauty products. All Pink’s products used at Mani-Kir Royale are biodegradable and free of synthetic fragrances, dyes, oils and parabens. Choose from twelve vegan nail colors and enjoy SpaRitual’s scented products including the affirming scrub masque formulated with Indonesian ginger essential oils and micro-algae as well as a callus remover scrub made with Japanese green tea. Mani-Kir Royale’s vegan manis and pedis are one of a kind. Sit back. Be green, and toast to your vegan nails with a glass of fruity champagne. Selected vegan spa treatment products by SpaRitual are also available for purchase. Mani-Kir Royale Nail & Beauty Lounge, 11008 Magnolia Blvd. North Hollywood, CA 91601. manikirroyale.com

Yoga in West Covina

As a native of West Covina, it was only natural for Antoinette Contreras to open a Yoga studio in her hometown. “I know and understand the community of West Covina and the local cities (and) Yoga can be intimidating (so) I’m here to make sure that it’s not,” Contreras says. YOGANETTE made its debut with Yoga classes for all levels featuring a variety of teaching styles including prenatal and kids Yoga. Beginner classes instill the fundamentals of Yoga focusing on alignment and proper posture at a slower pace. All levels classes work on balance, strength, flexibility and stamina while exploring deeper into the asanas. “I opened a Yoga studio because not only does it give me the opportunity to share the benefits of Yoga, it also gives me a chance to help others and share my experiences and love with natural healing, healthy eating and living,” says Contreras. At Yoganette, feel free to make yourself at home because this “family-oriented” studio is always comforting and welcoming to new and returning yogis. Yoganette, 2360 S. Azusa Rd. Suite C West Covina, CA 91792.yoganette.com

–– By Melissa Chua, who has a degree in journalism from CSU-Northridge: m.chua13@gmail.com

Brian Chance

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What have I been put here to do? It’s a question I asked after recently seeing Wayne Dyer speak. It has become clear that I am here to inspire and to heal, through teaching Yoga, and even more importantly, through giving back. Through seva.

My sister wrote the following piece (excerpted below) about her son who has Prader Willi Syndrome. As soon as I read it, I knew. I would start teaching free Yoga to kids with special needs. I would provide gifts and miracles everyday to these children who are gifts and miracles themselves: G.A.M.E. Yoga.

I was deeply moved by the idea that a challenge in your life can be turned into a miracle.

It is exactly one year ago today that my angel received his diagnosis of Prader Willi Syndrome (PWS), a rare genetic disorder affecting the 15th chromosome, marked with a host of medical complications. The most notable being that my son would always be hungry, never having the ability to feel full. Most would find it odd to celebrate such a day. If you asked me 365 days ago if I would celebrate today, I would have laughed.

Today I celebrate.

When that call came in, I thought my world had ended. I collapsed to the ground and sobbed harder than I had ever before. I thought losing my father was the hardest thing in my life. You will never be prepared for the sadness that comes with your child having an incurable condition. The deepest part of your soul aches, your heart burns; the whole body goes numb.

I never held Blaise so close as I did that day, and amidst my sadness I promised him that I would be there to champion him, to support him and to help find a cure. Through my tears I picked up the phone, contacted Prader-Willi Association.

By the end of day one I had found that two friends had loved ones with PWS and by day two, I had spoken to both of them on the phone.

I was going to find the courage to go on. I would grieve but I would move forward.

I spent the first two weeks crying. I am not sure what I was crying for: Lost dreams, his pain or my fear of the future?

I cried for it all: I couldn’t handle the thought of what our lives would be like, but, I moved on, I forged ahead. Blaise needed me to be strong and I wasn’t going to let him down.

He gave me the strength. His determination, his will, and most of all, his smile gave me all the courage I needed to go on.

Now it is a year later. We have come so far. My son is my superhero. No matter what the day holds for him he wears a smile on his face. The love that he has in his heart is unmatched by anybody I have ever met.

We always think that we are here to teach our children about the world. I believe otherwise. My son has taught me more than I could ever imagine. I have learned patience, compassion, trust, and, unconditional love from Blaise.

Blaise has come so far in the last year, surpassing all of the expectations of all his doctors. If I knew one year ago today what life is like now I wouldn’t have been so sad. Yes, life can be challenging. Yes, I still cry (but not so often). I have learned to love life, love individuality and most of all, I have learned to play the hand that was dealt. One year ago I asked: Why me? Why him? Why us? I don’t ask anymore. We have work to do and we certainly got busy doing it.

Why is it a celebration that he received his diagnosis? The diagnosis has allowed my son to live the most amazing life and to grow beyond belief. The freedom of knowing the diagnosis allowed us to grow as a family. Blaise is a much healthier and happier soul knowing what he has to face; we are better parents for knowing how to provide for him. To watch Blaise blossom over the last year is nothing short of a miracle.

I am excited by this project. Already, a mother who has a son with cerebral palsy called me. He is in a wheelchair yet he surfs; if he can surf, he can do Yoga. It may not be what someone else can do, but Yoga is so all encompassing that it does not matter.

I keep returning to Wayne Dyer’s question: How may I serve? Ask yourself.

Jennifer is currently looking for other volunteers to help with the program. Contact her at: (310) 926 – 0172 or join her at the launch Thursday, December 9, at the Beverly Hills lululemon.

If your child or someone you know has special needs, and would like to play in the G.A.M.E. of Yoga (Gifts and Miracles Everyday), please contact Jennifer Pastiloff:jenniferpastiloff.com; Jennifer.pastiloff@verizon.net.

By Jennifer Pastiloff

Brian Chance

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Brian Chance

The post CD Reviews appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

The Yoga Place is a quaint and humble oasis that offers classes of all levels featuring Vinyasa, Power Yoga and basics sessions introducing the fundamental asanas in a light Vinyasa. If you’re looking for more of a challenge, The Yoga Place’s evening classes allow yogis to practice deeper with advanced modifications. Afternoon classes are meant to challenge and invigorate you to refocus and motivate you for the rest of the day.

The Yoga Place stresses that Yoga is available for everyone with affordable classes at $10 and discounted packages in order to cater to everyone’s economical needs. “I don’t believe taking care of yourself should be a choice of whether or not you can afford it,” says Waling. Enjoy your first class on the studio. The Yoga Place is a space with good energy where you can go into and feel comfortable being in, Waling says. The Yoga Place, 110 E. 9th St. #C374 Los Angeles, CA 90079. theyogaplacela.com

–– By Melissa Chua, who has a degree in journalism from CSU-Northridge: m.chua13@gmail.com

Eastside Sanctuary Adds Yoga
A trip through Northern Thailand where massage and Yoga are integrated into everyday life, and a tranquil experience of receiving a massage by a monk on a bamboo slab next to the ocean that could not be replicated in LA, gave Barry Walker the inspiration to create THE RAVEN SPA in Silverlake.

The spirited and intelligent raven is a much revered symbol in Native American lore. Its reverence has transferred to its namesake; Raven Spa has received numerous accolades for its skilled therapists and soulful environment that transports visitors to the forest retreat of Walker’s dreams. The Raven has spread its wings with a new 2,000-foot Yoga studio in the space, fully intertwining the connected disciplines of massage and Yoga. As Walker says, “there’s nothing like a really good massage after Yoga class.” The Raven delivers on this promise, with style, serenity and selection, and Thai massage, other bodywork modalities and full spa services, including Ayurvedic facials and acupuncture.

The Raven’s Yoga schedule includes Kundalini, Anusara, kids Yoga classes and a wide array of weekly seminars and spiritual events, creating a vibrant hub for the Silverlake community and beyond.The Raven Spa, 2910 Rowena Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90039. (323) 644 – 0240; theravenspa.com

By Felicia M. Tomasko, RN

Brian Chance

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In this innovative evening, LYFE Yoga Center in Hermosa Beach is hosting a variety of artists – photographers, sculptors, painters, musicians, dancers and more in an attempt to make accessible the intangible. The Art of Human Experience features Mia Bosna, Tina Brogi, Jeff Charbonneau and Eliza French, Chuck Gardner, Nina Paley, Victoria Sebanz, Guastavo Alberto Garcia Vaca and Todd Williamson.

The Art of Human Experience, Thursday, October 7, 7:00 – 9:00 P.M. LYFE Yoga Center, 1310 Pacific Coast Highway, 2nd Floor, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254. RSVP (310) 374 – 5933 or email: events@LYFEyogacenter.com. lyfeyogacenter.com

Brian Chance

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Yoga offers guidelines along the path to increase healthy body awareness, intuitive eating, nutritional wisdom and food consciousness.

We face a number of modern challenges in how we relate to food, health and our ability to nourish ourselves: population-wide increases in obesity and degenerative disease, increased amounts of processed food and reduced access to many wholesome organic options, a feeling of overall disconnection from our intuition and inner wisdom and copious amounts of self-judgment when it comes to how and what we eat. In light of this, we can ask ourselves how we can use our Yoga practice and the philosophical teachings to cultivate more self-love, abide by nutritional wisdom, compassion and learn to listen to our inner truth when it comes to our relationship with food.

Ahimsa is the first of the yamas, in turn the first of the eight limbs of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. Ahimsa is the practice of compassion toward oneself and others, a practice that speaks directly to the intersection between Yoga and food. The lack of compassion and the lack nutritional wisdom in our lives is a source of stress and inner conflict for many. Some of us use food as comfort, some as punishment, some of us have compulsive eating patterns and some of us remain disconnected to how we sustain ourselves on multiple levels, including the actual source of our food. Related to this, many of us struggle with body image issues, weight management difficulties and eating disorders that all can leave us lacking in self-acceptance, self-love and self-nourishment. While our relationship with food (like many relationships) can be fraught with challenges and struggles, it can also be a potent area for our growth.

The niyamas are known as the observances in numerous scriptures including the Upanishads, Hatha Yoga Pradipika and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali; in the latter text they are described as the second of the eight limbs. The practices that the niyamas offer are said to be the most intimate and personal of the eight, reflecting our personal attitudes, intentions and soulful relationship to ourselves, our habits and our life’s journey. When we apply the niyamic teachings to well-being, they offer a self-empowering approach that proves both healing and joyful.

The niyamas are: saucha (purity), svadhyaya (self-study), tapas (discipline), Isvarapranidhana (recognition of the sacred) and santosa (contentment).

Saucha (purity or purification): Applying natural principles of eating
Eating a whole food diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, high quality lean protein, nuts, seeds and good oils such as coconut, olive, hemp and flax, is the first step to resetting our systems, purifying our bodies and promoting compassion within ourselves and within our communities.

A whole food is one found in nature, without an ingredient list and without even a package. Additionally, the more local and seasonal we can buy our food, the better. Eating whole foods provide a foundation for our diets that is both nutrient-dense and detoxifying. Cravings diminish, authentic tastes return and our bodies’ natural sense of satiation will be more easily understood. This original method of eating keeps us in tune with the seasonal fluctuations of the world we inhabit. By eating whole foods, we also meet the true needs of our bodies for nourishment, needs that are often unsatisfied in the modern diet filled with fast, processed or manufactured food that only bears a passing resemblance to the food found in nature.

Svadhyaya (self-study): Know your body
Through scientific metabolic type testing, Ayurvedic evaluation or working with an experienced nutritionist, we can learn how to best choose how to eat to stay healthy, nourished and at our individual ideal body composition. Metabolic type testing provides personalized results through blood testing or an elaborate questionnaire based on the endocrine and the neurological systems. As with any practice, some styles, philosophies or practitioners are a better fit for you than others.

Tapas (Disciplined use of our energy): Practice Intuitive Eating
Once we understand how saucha and svadhyaya relate to traditional dietary principles and specific individual needs, we can deepen the intuition divinely in place in each of us. Without this foundation, we are asking our intuition to reach outside of our current map of inner knowing and experience.

Intuitive eating is strengthened over time as we pay attention to what works and what doesn’t work. Ideas like Eating when you are hungry; eating what your body is hungry for; and stopping when your body is full, are simple in concept, but challenging in practice.

Your body is designed to tell you what it needs, but when we eat more processed foods that are infused with additives, preservatives and strong flavors such as salt, sugar and refined oils, our inherent wisdom can be blocked and our intuitive map can be askew. As we apply saucha and svadhyaya, our bodies become purified, our true needs met at a metabolic level, we learn to distinguish intuitive information from habit and emotional cravings, and then our intuition is reset to tune into our bodies’ true needs in order to feel completely nourished.

Isvarapranidhana (celebration of the spiritual): Conscious Eating
Our constant rush, high-stress and fast-paced lifestyles may prevent many of us from slowing down enough to prepare and enjoy our food. For the sake of convenience, we may eat on the run, in our cars, standing up over the sink, at the computer or even in the occasional drive through the fast food joint. We may complain that we don’t have time to eat consciously, yet when take the time to do so, it pays off by satisfying our deeper yearning for health, happiness and nourishment. When we slow down, feel gratitude for our food, breathe mindfully, say a prayer and stay present to the moment loving ourselves as we eat, we prepare ourselves to listen to the experience of eating and experience satisfaction. Doing this means creating mealby times free from media (including the television or computer), that are free from distraction, anxiety-producing relations or conversation, and away from the car. This is self-nourishment as a meditation, prayer or mindfulness practice.

Santosa (contentment/bliss): Applying the Pleasure Principle
At a special event, gathering, or party we find joy in eating and sharing food prepared with attention to its effect on the senses, including visuals, aroma, flavor and texture. Food served in this way adds beauty to a lifestyle of health, community, celebration and consciousness. Through food, we can find sustainable joy and celebration, and this pleasure can permeate into other areas of our lives. Coming home to a spiritual practice around food is a manifestation of ahimsa and even more profoundly, of self-love. We are inherently designed to use our intuition and instincts and remember what it means to nourish ourselves on all levels, to live close to nature, and open to more and more joy. Through the practice of ahimsa, and by implementing the niyamas via purification, self-study, intuition, presence and joy, we can walk the yogic path home to our own truth, connection and the freedom that we so deserve.

Sue Van Raes is a passionate Nutritional Therapist, Yoga Instructor, and founder of Boulder Nutrition in Boulder, Colorado. She is committed to educating people based on principles of whole body health, balanced and intentional living, through education, life coaching, nutrition and cleansing. She leads wellness retreats, cleanses, and groups nationally and internationally: bouldernutrition.com.

5 steps to Food and Freedom with the Niyamas:

Saucha (purification): Eat a whole food, local, organic diet.

Svadhyaya (self-study): Learn your individual needs.

Tapas (Disciplined use of our energy): Practice intuitive eating and listening to what satisfies you fully, not just your transient cravings.

Isvarapranidhana (celebration of the spiritual): Allow the practice of conscious to be a mediation.

Santosa (contentment; bliss): Celebrating and connecting with others to enhance the senses, community, and celebration.

By Sue Van Raes

Brian Chance

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Brian Chance

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CorePower Yoga in Sherman Oaks

As the first of the CorePower family in L.A., the Sherman Oaks staff consists of talented performing artists who have added Yoga to their lives, says studio manager Brigette Dunn Korpela. “We’re going to be able to connect with people in the entertainment industry. We are the bridge between those two worlds (entertainment and Yoga),” Korpela says. CorePower Yoga strives to increase awareness and widespread adoption of Yoga by making it accessible to everyone providing a challenging practice for every level of yogi and yogini.

This location houses two Yoga rooms as well as a range of amenities including changing rooms with showers and private lockers. CorePower Yoga Sherman Oaks, 13920 Ventura Blvd. Sherman Oaks, CA 91423. corepoweryoga.com

Healing Movement Yoga in Burbank
Downtown Burbank welcomes a new Yoga venue, MIND IN BODY. The studio focuses on Linda Lack’s The Thinking Body-The Feeling Mind® technique, which aims to explore the mind, body and breath connection incorporating Hatha Yoga, alignment and circular moving sequences. “It is a wonderful tool that can help reduce pain and minimize movement limitations,” says studio owner Molly Hagan. “The intent is to meet the student where they are in their development and help them to realize their full movement potential in a respectful, non-injurious way.” Molly previously taught at a wellness center in Glendale. “(But) I wanted the freedom to teach more classes and to create a small space where people could always get individual attention,” Molly says. She moved nearby, so she could still accommodate her existing clientele. Mind In Body is the ideal setting for a personalized practice that hosts a smaller-class size and private instruction. Mind In Body, 2313 Olive Ave. Burbank, CA 91506. mindinbody.net

By Melissa Chua

Molly Hagan

Brian Chance

The post New Doors appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Gabriel Hall

Spiritual Or Secular? Or Both?

It was winter, and the darkness was urban – moonlight trumped by streetlamps and cars. I made way to the studio. When I entered Yoga World in Long Beach, a bust of Buddha met me at the bottom of the stairwell. I climbed to the second floor in time for Gabriel Hall’s Basic Level class.

“You’ll need two blankets, a strap, and a ball…maybe a block,” he announced. We made our way to the wall, emptied the shelves of their contents and returned to our mats; our arms were loaded with props.

Gabriel stood at the front of the class and demonstrated blanket folding. It was Mexican origami. One folded twice like a sheet of puff pastry. The other rolled into a cinnamon bun. We rested our bodies on our life-sized lengths of dough – a room full of the living now acting as if we were dead. He turned the lights off. The space was coolly contemplative.

Gabriel chanted in Sanskrit. (Later he told me it was the invocation of Patanjali.) His words were paced evenly, a bass line encouraging our egos to listen rather than blather on about the day’s events, life after class and other off-key melodies of the monkey mind.

Then we all lay still. “This teacher isn’t afraid of silence,” I thought to myself. I was a year into Yoga, and I had my share of various instructors. Based on the steady flow of their voices that filled the room, it seemed like most were as uncomfortable with silence as I. But for Gabriel, it was clear that the space between words was just as important as whatever was said.

We remained in savasana (relaxation pose) for longer than I had yet experienced in a class. I was so relaxed that I felt as if I could have maintained my dead state for the next hour. But the lights turned up and it was time to practice. At the end of the sequence of postures, the final savasana inspired equal amounts of contemplation. If there were one word I’d use to describe Gabriel’s class it would be spiritual. If I were allowed two, I’d say, really spiritual.

“A secular humanist…you mean you’re an atheist?” I ask. Gabriel and I are chatting one day after his Basic Class.

“Yes,” he says.

Wikipedia defines cognitive dissonance as an uncomfortable feeling caused by holding contradictory ideas simultaneously. I am uncomfortable. Everything about his class screams spiritual. Not in an ostentatious, pop-culture sorta way but with low-key earnestness. The Buddha that greets me at the entrance, the invocation of Patanjali, the darkness and the extended savasana all convince me that Gabriel is unrelentingly spiritual. How can someone who seems to embrace a higher power be an atheist?

When I disclose my cognitive dissonance, Gabriel quotes from evolutionary biologist, Richard Dawkins: “We are all atheists about most gods…Some of us just go one god further.” Gabriel adds that the sciences and many modern philosophies agree that there is no separate, immaterial soul. “We can safely say that concept is dead,” he says. And this runs counter to the reigning belief of classical Yoga, which teaches that the body needs to be animated by a spirit, or prana. For Gabriel what remains are soul and spirit as metaphor. We can be connected to goodness, compassion, morality, and appreciation of the universe; this is the kind of soul that he accepts. His scientific approach extends into his asana as well.

“The guru may say, “You must do chair pose like this!” But if exercise physiologists agree that there is a better way to elicit a muscular response that’s also safer, then I’ll have to go with science,” Gabriel says.

Before founding Yoga World Studios in 1994, Gabriel’s initial practice was rooted deeply in the Iyengar tradition. He eventually began integrating other Yoga schools as well. For instance, he was drawn to Gary Kraftsow’s Viniyoga, appreciating how it adapted to the needs of the person. In certain traditions of Yoga, the asana is set. Kraftsow, however, emphasizes the functionality of the posture and not just the form. “I remember watching heated debates between Kraftsow and YogaWorks former co-owner Chuck Miller about the correct way to do forward fold,” he recalls.

How does Gabriel’s style play out in his class? We regularly practice chair pose holding medicine balls. The static state may have the appearance of calm, but the sweat trickling down our faces reveals otherwise. Or sometimes we jump rope before plunging into asana.

“Now grab your ball, balance it under your foot like this, and roll it around,” I recall him saying one evening. The fist-sized rubber ball aches under me. I look forward to moving it to another area, only to realize that its new location hurts just as much. “That probably means that you need to do this more often,” he tells me.

He maintains that he is a Hatha Yoga instructor. At the same time, he asks himself questions such as, “Am I a teacher of classically named asanas, or an integrator of relaxation, meditation and movement for my students?” and “If there’s a productive and sound movement pattern that hasn’t made its way into the classic lexicon of Yoga, does that still make it Yoga?” He answers that question with an emphatic, “Yes.”

I ask him how he reconciles his atheism with his deep respect of the interior practice of Yoga. For him it’s a non-issue. He’s done silent retreats with Jack Kornfield and Krishna Das. “My good friend, Saul David Raye, regularly hosts workshops at our studio where he leads kirtan, meditation and teacher training,” he says.

Gabriel acknowledges that being a secular humanist may put him in the minority in the world of Yoga teachers, let alone Yoga studio founders. But he believes that he represents a growing number of people who are atheists, but are also drawn to the practice. “To get beneficial movement, effective meditative techniques, and inner peace doesn’t require bringing anything supernatural into the picture,” he says.

I see Gabriel’s instruction as one of the trained artist; Yoga rooted in tradition yet unrestrained by dogma. It’s a practice that balances movement and stillness and encourages me to embrace the present moment as it unfolds within.

Gabriel Hall can be found at Yoga World Studios in Long Beach: yogaworldstudio.com

Lawrence Ineno is a Los Angeles-based freelance ghostwriter who isn’t used to seeing his name appear as a byline: mightyprose.com.

By Lawrence Ineno

Brian Chance

The post Teacher Profile: Gabriel Hall appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Paramahansa Yogananda (1893 – 1952) is widely revered as one of the pre-eminent spiritual figures of our time. Born in northern India, he arrived in the United States in 1920, where for more than 30 years he taught the ancient science of yoga meditation and the art of balanced spiritual living. His landmark Autobiography of a Yogi, along with his many other books, has inspired millions of readers. Today his spiritual and humanitarian work continues to be carried on by Self-Realization Fellowship, the international society Yogananda founded in 1920 to disseminate his teachings to the world. For information about Sri Yogananda’s teachings, visit yogananda-srf.org.

The new Spanish-language edition of The Yoga of the Bhagavad Gita: An Introduction to India’s Universal Science of God-Realization by Paramahansa Yogananda is an inspiring introduction to the spiritual truths of India’s most beloved scripture, and features selections from Yogananda’s two-volume translation of and commentary on the Bhagavad Gita (God Talks With Arjuna). The book reveals the deeper meaning of the Gita’s hidden symbology and explains how the step-by-step methods of yoga meditation and right action enable us to achieve union with Spirit and ultimate liberation.

Following is an excerpt from The Yoga of the Bhagavad Gita: An Introduction to India’s Universal Science of God-Realization (©2007), Self-Realization Fellowship, Los Angeles, CA).

Activating the Soul’s Powers Through Meditation
The pure discriminative powers [are] symbolically represented as the five divine sons of Pandu….The five Pandavas are the central heroic figures of the Gita analogy, controlling the armies of consciousness and energy (prana) in the five subtle centers of the spine. They represent the qualities and powers acquired by the devotee whose deep meditation is attuned to the astral and causal centers of life and divine consciousness. In ascending order, the significance of the five Pandavas is as follows:

Sahadeva: Restraint, Power to Stay Away From Evil (Dama, the active power of resistance, tenacity, by which restless outer sense organs can be controlled); and the vibratory earth element in the coccyx center, or muladhara chakra.

Nakula: Adherence, Power to Obey Good Rules (Sama, the positive or absorbing power, attention, by which mental tendencies can be controlled); and the vibrating water element in the sacral center, or svadhishthana chakra.

Arjuna: Self-Control; and the vibratory fire element in the lumbar center. This center, the manipura chakra, bestows the fire-force of mental and bodily strength to fight against the vast onslaught of the sense soldiers. It is the reinforcer of good habits and actions; the habit trainer. It holds the body upright, and causes purification of the body and mind, and makes deep meditation possible.

We see further why this center allegorically represents Arjuna, the most skilled of all the Pandava army, when we consider its dual function. It is the pivotal or turning point of the devotee’s life from gross materialism to finer spiritual qualities. From the lumbar to the sacral and coccygeal centers life and consciousness flow downward and outward to materialistic, sense-bound body consciousness. But in meditation, when the devotee assists the life and consciousness to be attracted to the magnetic pull in the higher or dorsal center, the power of this fiery lumbar center dissociates itself from material concerns and upholds the spiritual work of the devotee through the powers in the higher centers….

When Arjuna, the power of self-control in the lumbar center, rouses the fire of meditation and spiritual patience and determination, he draws upward the life and consciousness that was flowing downward and outward through the lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal centers, and thereby gives the meditating yogi the necessary mental and bodily strength to pursue the course of deep meditation leading to Self-realization. Without this fire and self-control, no spiritual progress is possible. Thus Arjuna, more literally, also represents the devotee of self-control, patience, and determination within whom the battle of Kurukshetra is taking place. He is the chief devotee and disciple of the Lord, Bhagavan Krishna, who in the Gita dialogue is being shown by Krishna the way to victory.

The remaining two Pandavas are:

Bhima: Power of Vitality, soul-controlled life force (prana); and the vibratory creative air (or prana) element in the dorsal center, or anahata chakra. The power of this center aids the devotee in the practice of the right techniques of pranayama to calm the breath and control the mind and sensory onslaughts. It is the power to still the internal and external organs and thus destroy the invasion of any passion (as of sex, greed, or anger). It is the destroyer of disease and doubt. It is the center of divine love and spiritual creativity.

Yudhisthira: Divine Calmness; and the creative vibratory ether element in the cervical center, or vishuddha chakra. Yudhisthira, the eldest of the five offspring of Pandu (buddhi, or pure intellect) is fittingly portrayed as the king of all discriminative faculties, for calmness is the principal factor necessary for any expression of right discernment…. The Pandavas’ chief counsellor and support is the Lord Himself, who, in the form of Krishna, represents variously the Spirit, the soul, or intuition as manifested in the states of superconsciousness, Kutastha or Christ consciousness, and cosmic consciousness in the medulla, Christ center, and thousand-petaled lotus; or as the guru instructing his disciple, the devotee Arjuna. Within the devotee, Lord Krishna is thus the guiding Divine Intelligence speaking to the lower self that has gone astray in the entanglements of sensory consciousness. This Higher Intelligence is the master and teacher, and the lower mental intellect is the disciple; the Higher Intelligence advises the lower vitiated self on how to uplift itself in accord with the eternal verities, and in fulfillment of its inherent God-given duty.

By Paramahansa Yogananda

Brian Chance

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