Suffering through the Holidays

I'm back at the studio after our Thanksgiving holiday and expected to see tons of excited energy as people come off of their long weekend of celebration and begin to plan for Christmas. I didn't see that. I saw lots of people suffering.

Holidays are tough. I can honestly say that because I'm one of the happiest people that I know and I too woke up on Turkey Day a little blue. I had intended to wake up with a big smile and thoughts of gratitude, but when I opened my eyes, I felt sad. I went through my whole bag of yogi tricks. I meditated. I prayed. I ran through a whole list of things to be grateful for. I went to a yoga class. I was still blue.

My plans for a family dinner had fallen through so I invited myself to a friends. It just wasn't the same...and there's the "aha moment"....it wasn't the same. I have to pause and ask, "the same as what?" That question is actually the answer. There is no same. Everything is always changing, but for some insane reason at the holidays, we want some sense of sameness. The need for sameness causes our suffering.

I grew up in a typical house where we piled in the car and drove to grandma's for dinner. After my parents divorced, it tended to just be my mom and I which was very sad. I vetoed the holidays for a very long time, but then I got married and had kids and once again we would pile in the car to grandma's. Of course, I then got divorced and now find myself establishing new traditions AGAIN. I also find myself worried about my children and what traditions they are or are not growing up with. I can't find a single sameness in these past 40 turkey days.

I know that my inner core is happy. I know that my unhappiness stems from expectations based in memories of the past and desires based in future needs. I know that everything is always changing and I know to embrace that. I know to wake up each day and ask for more uncertainty than the day before. I do know these things. I haven't quite figured out how to reconcile my knowing and being, but I do have a plan to get through December happily:

My Plan:

• Meditation Daily.
• Positive Affirmation: December is my month of fun and joy!
• Lots of Karma Yoga: selfless service to others
• Stick to my eating/sleeping routine during the week...have a total blast on the weekends.
• Eat whatever I want when I am out celebrating and worry about it in January.
• Give and receive lots of hugs.
• Plan for 2010...work on those Intentions and Desires I'm always talking about.
• Embrace Uncertainty with the certainty that my life is just how it should be.
  

Please feel free to make my plan your plan. If you find yourself on your own or sad come to yoga or just hang out at the studio! It really does make you happy to surround yourself with good energy and people.

Happy Holidays!

Probiatics and digestion

When preventative medicine fails, you find yourself in a situation where Western Medicine is the only way to go. Yesterday I had a root canal. It could have been prevented, but I probably would have needed to know a little more at a very young age when I developed a cavity in that tooth. The cavity led to a filling which led to teeth grinding which led to a crown which ended in the root canal. Some metaphysicist somewhere would probably tell me it started in my emotional body and I need to release something, but I will tell you that at that very young age when I got that cavity, I didn't know about the emotional body either.

It wasn't all bad. Lots of numbing medicine and 38 minutes later I was free and at the pharmacy filling a prescription for antibiotics. Having a passion for holistic medicine, I was struck by the absolute necessity for taking this broad spectrum antibiotic that will not only kill the bacteria settled in the bone of my jaw, but also all the other "good" bacteria in my body. Back to prevention, I realize I need to add some probiotics into my diet to keep my digestion strong. I would have simply just grabbed some yogurt, but I ran across the table below which I found very interesting. Apparently, there are different probiotics for different things. I hope you find it helpful too.

I guess the lesson is that when prevention fails, you need to go to your doctor. When he prescribes medicine, educate yourself about the side effects and make some decisions on diet, routine and supplements that can facilitate your recovery and minimize side effects.

This Information was gathered from Health.com

Name	Helps fight	Dosage	Purchase info
Culturelle supplements	Antibiotic stomach upset, colds and flu, maybe eczema	One capsule a day	$22.99 for a 1-month supply; drugstores
Florastor supplements	Antibiotic stomach upset, traveler’s diarrhea	Two capsules a day	$35.99 for 50 capsules; drugstore.com
Digestive Advantage and Sustenex supplements	Antibiotic stomach upset	One capsule a day	$10.49–$15.99 for a 1-month supply; drugstores and natural-products stores
Fem-Dophilus or RepHresh Pro-B supplements	Vaginal and urinary infections	One capsule a day	$17.49–$31 for a 1-month supply; drugstores and natural-products stores
DanActive dairy drink	Colds and flu	One (3.3-ounce) bottle a day	$2.69 for a 4-pack; supermarkets
Attune bars	Colds and flu	One (80- to 170-calorie) bar a day	$1.60–$2.10 per bar; supermarkets and natural-products stores
Align supplements	Irritable bowel	One capsule a day	$29.99 for a 1-month supply; select drugstores
Good Belly probiotic fruit drink	Irritable bowel	One (2.7-ounce) bottle a day	$4.49 for a 4-pack; select supermarkets and natural-products stores
Stonyfield organic yogurt	Eczema	One cup a day	$1.99 for a 4-pack; supermarkets and natural-foods stores

Holiday tips to stay healthy

The holidays tend to be a time when our bodies and minds drift out of balance. We tend to eat too much, drink too much and adjust our routines to accommodate travel, family and friends. This is all really good stuff. When you are having fun and feeling joyful...stay with it. As you begin to close your holiday, however, you may feel symptoms of imbalance including poor digestion, lethargy and interrupted sleep. Pull yourself back to balance quickly (or avoid going out of balance all together) by incorporating the following tips into your holiday.

Tips to prevent or cure holiday imbalance:

Walk each day.
Be Silent each day.
Be Alone some of each day.
Speak kindly to yourself and others each day.
Be thankful each day.
Add lots of ginger tea to your routine to facilitate digestion.

Two Days of Silence

After days of feasting, fast.

After days of sleeping, stay awake

one night. After these times of bitter storytelling, joking, and serious considerations, we should give ourselves two days between layers of baklava in the quiet seclusion where soul sweetens and thrives more than with language.

-----Rumi

Plants

I love my plants. I don't have many because I have much fear and guilt due to past experiences that left many dead. I'm sorry guys.

I love these creatures because they communicate so clearly. When they need attention, nourishment and love, they simply droop in the most dramatic sad way. When I continue to not meet their needs they turn brown and lose body parts. The past has shown that if left ignored, they will leave me.

I wish humans were so clear in their communication. Honestly, I can figure it out in another human, but I wish I personally had the opportunity to simply droop when I need attention, nourishment and love. I hope that I wouldn't need to go further and actually turn brown and lose body parts, but it would attention. I can confirm that the plants and I share the same habit of leaving when ignored.

We are trained to put on our happy faces and just go out in the world. Grief is a badge of shame. Anger is a shunned emotion. Sadness may be contagious and those showing it should be avoided. Perhaps these are all just subtle or not so subtle displays of drooping. What is going on behind the happy faces?

I'm going to start thinking of humans as plants. When their heads are down, when their eyes don't meet mine, when their voice is enthusiastic in a false tone, when they answer that they are "fine", I'm going to pay attention. I'm going to nourish and love them through kind words, kind deeds, compassionate listening and hugs. Please do the same for my inner plant.

Namaste.

Do only that which you do not regret

The theme of "boundaries" continues to come up. I've been reluctant to address this theme as I don't really understand it. For me, boundaries seem instinctive and I truly haven't felt the need to put too much thought or time into them. When I was younger, I had none. Now that I have been through some of life, I feel that I probably do have some. I did a little research and found out that most psychologists would categorize the following as healthy boundaries:

• You are not responsible for others.
• You do not take on the moods and feelings of others.
• You do not please others.
• You are not a Victim.
• You say No.
• You express your wants and needs.

Ouch. It appears to me that in different situations or with different people, I have different boundaries. It also comes to me that establishing boundaries that are healthy means putting effort into every situation and every person that I encounter. This is work. This means detangling myself from needy people, distancing myself from total grumps and energy suckers, being myself, being strong and confident, saying no without guilt, KNOWING what I want and need and finally finding my voice to communicate to the other what my needs are. This also seems like a fluid process in that I am constantly changing. What does this mean from a yogic perspective?

Psychological Boundaries	Yogi Thoughts
You are not responsible for others.	Practice non-attachment. The best thing you can do for a person is to be kind, compassionate and understanding. Listen, but know that you can never fix another person's problem. The soul's journey is singular.
You do not take on the moods and feelings of others.	Assume that the entire universe is conspiring for your success. Surround yourself with supportive and loving friends and family. (Yes, that means some people in your life will go away).
You do not please others.	Listen to your body. If something doesn't feel right, then it isn't. Only do what resonates in your heart.
You are not a Victim.	Take responsibility for your life. Every choice you have made to this date has put you in this moment. If you don't like this moment, then change it by making better choices today. Always ask: Does this bring myself and others happiness? If the answer is yes, it is the right choice.
You say No.	Say No.
You express your wants and needs.	Work on your intentions and desires. Know what you want. Love yourself enough to know that if you express yourself and the other person can't honor it, then you don't need that person in your life.

Good luck yogis. We will be working together on this one!

Elemental OM and Leela!

Yogis,

You hear me say it all the time...

The ONLY reason that we exist is for leela...to play!

We are having so much fun playing at the Elemental OM studio. Please join us for any of the following:

• I am being interviewed this afternoon between 3:30 and 5 pm on WAIF radio 88.3. Tune in if you would like to hear a little discussion about Ayurveda!

• I am presenting at YogahOMe on this Thursday, November 19th at 7:30 pm on the same topic. The lecture is FREE. You will learn about the origins of Ayurveda, take dosha quizzes, take balance quizzes and learn a little bit about the Elemental Immersion (our Ayurvedic cleanse). I will be running the Immersion at YogahOMe in January. If you are closer to Oakley than Lebanon, you may want to consider this. It will be Sundays at 5:30 for 4 weeks beginning January 24th.

• I am presenting at the Victory of Light Festival on Saturday, November 20th at 3 pm. It's a big deal for me, EOM and Lebanon! We are actually listed 3rd on their website which will drive awareness! It is $12 to get into the Festival. All the lectures are FREE and there are a ton to choose from.

• Lisa Pratt is "playing" this Wednesday at noon and Thursday at 7 pm with you guys. Ralph Dehner is "playing" Reiki with you on Friday and Saturday!

EOM would like to thank all of you for your support over the past year! You are the reason that we are here. When I say that this studio is your studio and not mine, I truly mean it. I have been visiting a lot of studios lately and we really do have something magical going on in Lebanon!

Shanti,

Pamela

Your Emotional Body

shopping

Lessons attributed to the Dalai Lama for 2008 Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk. When you lose, don't lose the lesson Follow the three R's: Respect for self, Respect for others and Responsibility for all your actions. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly. Don't let a little dispute injure a great relationship. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it. Spend some time alone every day. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past. Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality. Be gentle with the earth. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exeeds your need for each other. Judge your success by what you had to give up to get it. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

Water, the Emotional Body Apa in Sanskrit Ayurveda recognizes 5 great elements that combine to make the 3 Elements or body types, Wind, Fire and Earth The 5 great elements are space, air, fire, water and earth. Space and air combine to create THE WIND Fire and a little bit of water combine to make THE FIRE Earth and water combine to make THE EARTH All things have a little bit of water in them along with the other elements. In Ayurvedic terms, the Element Water is the force of cohesion. It is what makes everything stick together. It is the “love” factor. Balancing Water in Your Body At elementalOM, we believe Water has a special role in creating a life of balance. Water is viewed as your emotional body. It is the experience of love. Without love, you cannot experience health. Follow the links below to explore the element Water in your life. Emotional Clearing Formula True Love Soul Profile Intentions and Desires Hugging Manifestation The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga Meditation Affirmations & Prayers Water facts and environmental concerns Each person on earth is created from 45% - 75% water. Each person on earth would die within 3 days of not receiving water. We are in the mists of a global water crises. Take action in your home with these easy steps......CLICK HERE Fun sources for environmentally friendly products preserveproducts.com Recycline makes Preserve®– a line of stylish, high performance, eco-friendly products for your home. As a company, we strive to combine socially and environmentally responsible business practices with groundbreaking design to create products that people feel good about having in their homes. We believe that choosing eco-friendly products doesn’t mean having to sacrifice quality, price, or performance. We believe they should make you feel good.

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"Water and air, the two essential fluids on which all life depends, have become global garbage cans" - Jacques Cousteau Facts from Global Citizen Corps: The industrialized nations of this planet have contributed disporportionately to global warming which has grossly affected the water supply of developing countries: more than 1 billion people – about one in six people in this world – have no access to clean and safe drinking water while over 2 billion lack access to adequate sanitation. If we continue to follow the current trend, by the year 2025 two thirds of the people in this world will not have sufficient access to clean water. The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that 1.8 million children die every year as a result of diseases caused by unclean water and poor sanitation. That’s one death every eight seconds.

Conserving Water What you do with water in your developed country DOES affect those most impoverished in this world. Choose to make a difference in your own home. We can save the planet one Yogi at a time. In the kitchen Never let the water run when you are washing dishes by hand. Use the dishwasher, it saves water. Soak pots and pans instead of scraping under running water. Run your dishwasher and clotheswasher when you have a full load only. Put a pitcher of cold water in your fridge. That way, you don't have to let the sink run to cool the water. Buy an organic vegetable cleaner and soak your veggies and fruits to clean instead of running water over them. Collect the water that you use to rinse fruit and veggies and use it to water houseplants. When buying new appliances, consider those that offer cycle and load size adjustments. They're more water and energy efficient. Look for Energy Star certifications Designate one water glass as yours each day. If you have more than one member in your family, color code your glasses. Install an instant water heater near your kitchen sink. If you have a newer dishwasher, don't bother to rinse your dishes. Just scrape clean and load. When washing dishes by hand, fill the sink and rinse when all of the dishes have been soaped and scrubbed. In the yard Make sure your sprinklers in your yard are adjusted so that only the yard is watered. Turn off your system when the yard doesn't need watering. It's okay to let the grass go a little brown. It always comes back. Consider ground cover instead of grass. Buy a compost bin and don't use the garbage disposal. If you are planting trees and shrubs, choose to plant in fall. You won't have to water them so much. Water you lawn and garden in the morning or late evening. This saves evaporation. If water runs off your lawn easily, split your watering time into shorter periods to allow for better absorption. Use mulch, it holds the water on your plants. Adjust your lawn mower to a higher setting. A taller lawn shades roots and holds soil moisture better than if it is closely clipped. Let the lower branches of your shrubs and trees grow. This keeps the ground cool and limits water evaporation. Use sprinklers for large areas of grass. Water small patches by hand to avoid waste. Collect water from your roof in a rainbarrel to water your garden Install a rain sensor on your irrigation controller so your system won't run when it's raining. Use drip irrigation for shrubs and trees. Reduce the amount of lawn in your yard by planting shrubs and ground cover. Never water your lawn on windy days. Water your plants deeply but less frequently to encourage deep root growth and drought tolerance. Group plants with the same watering needs together to avoid overwatering some while underwatering others. Use a layer of organic material on the surface of your planting beds to minimize weed growth that competes for water. Trickling or cascading fountains lose less water to evaporation than those spraying water into the air. Next time you add or replace a flower or shrub, choose a low water use plant for year-round landscape color and save up to 550 gallons each year. Let your lawn go dormant during the summer. Dormant grass only needs to be watered every three weeks or less if it rains. In the Bathroom Replace the showerhead with a water-efficient model. Shorten your shower by only 1 or 2 minutes and you could save 150 gallons a month Wash your face and brush your teeth while in the shower. If your toilet was installed before 1992, reduce the amount of water used for each flush by inserting a displacement device in the tank. When running a bath, plug the tub before turning the water on, then adjust the temperature as the tub fills up. Use a water-efficient showerhead. They're inexpensive, easy to install, and can save you up to 750 gallons a month. Turn off the water while brushing your teeth and save 25 gallons a month. Turn off the water while you shave and save up to 300 gallons a month. Turn off the water while you wash your hair to save up to 150 gallons a month. Keep a bucket in the shower to catch water as it warms up or runs. Use this water to flush toilets or water plants. Never let the water run while washing your hands. Other Ideas When cleaning out fish tanks, give the nutrient-rich water to your plants. Use a commercial car wash that recycles water. Avoid recreational water toys that require a constant flow of water. Teach your children to turn off faucets. Know where your master water shut-off valve is located. Bathe your young children together. Use a hose nozzle or turn off the water while you wash your car. You'll save up to 100 gallons every time. Washing dark clothes in cold water saves both on water and energy. Fixing a leak can save 300 gallons a month or more. Re-use the water left over from cooked or steamed foods as a broth for soups. Wash your pets outdoors in an area of your lawn that needs water. When shopping for a new clothes washer, compare resource savings among Energy Star models. Some of these can save up to 20 gallons per load, and energy too. When you give your pet fresh water, don't throw the old water down the drain. Use it to water your trees or shrubs. Reuse your towels.

Our minds in love...

All minds seem to be on love this day. Why do we love? Why do we seek another to find fulfillment? What is this driving need to be so intimately connected to another human? Having divorced and gone through that journey, I have sought this answer for years. This is my journey:

My first answer came from Marianne Williamson in her book "Enchanted Love". She explains that love is the process of being "chosen" by another. Oddly, you can choose another and that person you choose will have an experience of love. If they do not choose you in return, however, you will not have an experience of love.

That led to my second question...what is it to be chosen? This led to my next teacher, Thich Nhat Hahn. In his book, "True Love: A Practice for Awakening the Heart", he defines the elements of love. The elements are Goodness, Understanding, Compassion, Joy and Freedom.


Goodness
• The desire to make someone happy
• The desire to bring joy to a person
• The ability to bring joy and happiness to the person you love

Understanding
• To be there
• To be attentive
• To observe

Compassion
• The desire to ease the pain of another
• The ability to ease the pain of another

Joy
• If there is not joy in love, then you can be sure it is not true love
• If you are suffering, if you cry all the time, this is not love
• If the person you love is suffering or cries all the time, this is not love

Freedom
• In true love, you attain freedom
• When you love a person, you bring them freedom.
• If this is not true, it is not love
• You must give a person space in their heart

Thich Nhat Hahn taught me how to love and how to choose someone.

My current teacher is Osho. He's pretty hard-core and not for the meek. He has taught me the difference between being lonely and being alone. When you are lonely, you seek someone to fill you up. When you are alone, you are happy and fulfilled. You then realize that you are so filled up, you are overflowing. You want to take your excess and give this gift to another.

Yoga has taught me to sit in the present moment and enjoy the one that I love. It has also taught me to embrace the uncertainty of the future. If you can enjoy every single moment with the person you are with, then in each moment you love eternally.

Enjoy the journey. Love yourself first. The rest will simply fall into place.

Dairy and Calcium

Dairy................is it necessary?

United States Department of Agriculture, facts:

The United States Department of Agriculture suggests daily allowances for vitamins and minerals based on the "average American". What this means is that some people will need that amount and some will not. Ayurveda believes each person to be unique, not average. The Wind and The Fire can consume the most dairy as it is sweet and cooling. The Earth should not consume dairy. If you are experiencing an Earth imbalance, give up the milk!

USDA Requirements for Calcium Consumption

Age		Milligrams
4 - 8		800
9 - 18		1300
19 - 50		1000
50+		1500

By simply consuming one glass of fortified OJ, one glass of fortified soymilk and one tablespoon of Sesame Seeds to your diet each day, you can reach 948 milligrams of calcium. Add to that some beans and leafy greens and you are well taken care of!!

Ayurveda and Milk Consumption

Dairy holds a special place in Ayurveda. Cows are considered to be sacred animals. The milk from a cow that has been well-loved and well-cared for rejuvenates tissues and nourishes the body. Unfortunately, these cows are few and far between in the West.

If you are the Earth, you can and should avoid all dairy.

Elemental OM believes that most Elements thrive without DAILY dairy. If you choose to consume dairy on a regular basis, buy whole, organic, non-homogenized, and much loved products.

Milk is Sweet and is to be combined with other Sweet tastes. However, it is never to be combined with meat or fish.

Milk should never be drank cold. Bring it to a boil first and then turn down and let it slowly boil for 5 or 10 minutes. This changes the molecular structure of the milk and makes it easier to digest.

Think of milk as a snack or a digestive aid. You can replace breakfast with warm milk adding a little bit of nutmeg, cinnamon, honey and almonds. Warm milk taken 30 minutes before bedtime will aid in sleep. Warm milk and ghee taken prior to bedtime will aid with constipation.

Dairy facts for our Western Culture:

A high protein diet, especially proteins from animals, causes CALCIUM LOSS in the Body. The proteins in cow's milk actually inhibit absorbtion!

75% of adults show some degree of lactase activity (lactose intolerance) worldwide. Interestingly, countries consuming the most amount of milk which are largely in the West show lower intolerance. Eastern countries where milk is not consumed as an adult show the highest percentage of intolerance.

Jersey (small, honey-brown, friendly) cows provide the highest quality milk, however 85% of the milk produced in the United States is provided by Holstein cows (typical black and white cow).

Cows are typically milked up to 3 times per day and given hormoses such as bsT to boost milk production.

Organically produced milk does use up to 80% more land. That's because the cows are actually getting out and enjoying life a little. If you are worried about the environment, drink less milk overall. As a matter of fact, just consume less of everything!!

The Common Cold

Neti Pot: Add a little ginger powder to your neti pot to treat mild colds and congestions. This is wonderful if you are experiencing the first stages of a head cold. Add the following spices: Ginger Licorice Basil Cloves Mint Ginger

Common Cold The viruses that create colds are always present. Sometimes, if your elements are out of balance, your body becomes weakened and you can no longer destroy the viruses effectively. The result is the common cold. Prevention is best by following the diet and routine for your element. Take the Element Quiz to find out your element or dosha. Once cold symptoms appear, follow the routine below. As soon as you feel a cold coming on, you should begin to rest and follow the Wind Reducing Body Plan. Taking the time to rest at the first signs of a cold instead of waiting until you are bedridden will actually save you time in the end. Keep yourself warm and keep your face covered with a scarf if you are going outside. Wearing a shawl or scarf indoors is also a good idea. Your diet should be simple, easy to digest and served warm. Lemon and Ginger are your best friends especially in hot water. Diet Day 1 Fast. Fasting can include hot herbal teas and heated broth. Teas Fresh ginger and honey Fresh lemon and honey Cinnamon tea with ½ tsp. of powdered turmeric added Day 2 - 7 Eat a bland diet of easily digestible foods. Avoid Salt Avoid Raw Foods Routine Rest Dress warmly Open the windows and let fresh air in, unless it is very cold outside Go for a slow walk outside Soak your feet in hot water while covered with a blanket before bedtime Follow your elemental routine Herbal Therapy Trikatu combo of black pepper and dry ginger with pippali (three spices) Ginger Add fresh ginger to hot water If you are taking Ashwagandha, ginseng or shatavari then stop taking these herbs until your cold is healed. Yoga Pose Sirsasana Balasana or Child's Pose Sarvangasana or shoulderstand Uttanasana or hand to foot pose Paschimottanasana or seated forward fold Kurmasana or tortoise pose Ujjayi Pranayama with inhalation retention Legs up the Wall Pose or Vipariti Karani

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Insomnia and Ayurveda

Insomnia

It is estimated that 20% of the population of the United Sates or 50 to 70 million people suffer from Insomnia either chronically or temporarily. Stress, poor digestion, lack of routine and overall poor health result create sleeping disorders. Insomnia is a disorder of the Wind Element or Vata in your body and your mind

Diet and Lifestyle

Follow the Wind Reducing Body Plan

Follow the Wind Reducing Mind Plan

ROUTINE IS CRITICAL

	Go to bed at the same time each day and get up at the same time each day. For a Wind disorder such as Insomnia, it is most beneficial to go to bed by 10:00 pm and arise by 6:00 am
	Exercise more vigorously during the day
	Before you go to bed at night, perform some mild and gentle yoga.
	Create a bedtime routine. This can be a nightly bath or simply washing your face and hands with a special scent before bedtime. Rubbing the soles of your feet with Sesame Oil before bedtime induces sound sleep.
	Eat 3 meals a day around the same time each day. Do not eat within 3 hours of bedtime.

CREATE PEACE IN YOUR BEDROOM

	Do not watch tv or listen to music in bed. Choose something pleasant to read instead.
	Clear clutter. All clothing should be put away. Keep only those items which you use regularly by your bed....book, lotion, etc. Elimate extra pillows and bedding. Replace busy patterns with white sheets and coverlets.
	Burn incense of Lavendar in your room during waking hours so that your bedroom will have a beautiful healing smell at night.
	Eliminate overhead lighting
	Eliminate mirrors
	Your room should be dark

THE COMPLETE BREATH

If you wake in the middle of the night, practice a Complete breath until sleepiness returns. To practice the complete breath, simply imagine that there is a balloon in your belly and fill the baloon all the way up with air, pull the air into your lungs and let it out through your shoulders.

Herbal Therapy

Many people choose sleep aids to help them get rest. Unfortunely there are side effects to all medications, not to mention that medically induced sleep does not allow your body to receive the healing benefits of natural REM sleep.

If you currently take a sleep aid, consider substituting the following for 30 days while your body adjusts. These herbs can also be taken intermittently:

HERBAL THERAPY

HERB	ACTS AS	BEST FOR
Valerian	sleep aid	The Wind and The Earth
Kava Kava	sleep aid	The Fire
Ashwagandha	adaptogen or tonic to nerves	Balancing to all

Massage

Perform a daily Sesame Oil Massage.

Other Therapy

When you go to bed each night, it is a very powerful practice to witness your day. This is a simple process of laying in bed, relaxing and running through the events of the day quickly. Simply start at the beginning of your day....."I got up, I brushed my teeth, I put on my red sweater".......When you get to the part of your day where there was conflict or stress, let your body react and feel it. You will notice that your body does not have the same intense reaction as when you were in the moment. This is a clue to your brain that your body has already let the situation go and so can your mind.

Yoga

BENEFICIAL YOGA POSES

Sirsasana		Headstand
Sarvangasana		Shoulder Stand
Paschimottanasana		Seated Forward Fold
Uttanasana		Standing Forward Fold
Savasana		Relaxation Pose

BREATHING MODALITIES

Dhurga Breath		Complete Breath
Nadi Sodhana		Alternate Nostril Breathing
Suryabhedana		right nostril inhales, left nostril exhale, repeat
Performing Pranayama		Do not retain your breath

Meditation

A meditation practice can help you manage manage stress and healing. Consider establishing a basic 10 or 20 minute practice. This is truly sacred time to be set aside for yourself to heal.

Lovers

In the studio, subjects tend to appear for short periods of time and play in each class. We have been doing a lot of yin yoga which is getting into the root and sacral chakra. Naturally, the questions have turned to love and sex. It appears that people are craving much more intimacy than they are actually realizing. No one appears "unhappy", but clearly a little more lovemaking would add to the play in life.

Why are we avoiding sex? Why are we treating it like a chore to be done at the end of our exhausting days? Lovemaking is one of the easiest ways to achieve a meditative state. You are completely lost in movement, your senses are drawn inward, you are totally focused on sensation...you are thinking of nothing but sensual pleasure.

If you have a meditation practice, you will notice that sometimes you set it aside and it is difficult to get back to it. You have to start the habit over by scheduling a time of day to sit down and do it. It feels like a chore. After awhile, you begin to crave your meditation and happily go to it. If you miss the meditation, you become a little stressed and grumpy. Look at your lovemaking that way. Just begin the practice of lovemaking. Set aside a little time each day and get back to it. It may feel like a chore. After awhile, you will begin to crave it and you will happily take the time to do it. Don't miss it. You may become stressed and a little grumpy.

Below is a beautiful poem that was sent to me by coincidence this week. Read it for inspiration.

The Lover's Touch
Diana Daffner

The Lover asked: How would you like me to touch you?

The Lover answered: Woman with sensual red lips and white rose

I would like you to touch me as if you were going away tomorrow, far far away,
and you wanted to remember the feel of my body, the texture of my skin, the
hills and valleys that make up the landscape of who I am...

I would like you to touch me as if you were blind, knowing that you love me, but
unable to see me. Touch my face, my breasts, my belly, my toes... learn what I
"look" like, imagine me in your mind as your hands explore my shape.

I would like you to touch me as if your hands were healing hands, radiating love
energy with every stroke. Feel the energy penetrating through skin, through
flesh, entering into the cells of my body.

I would like you to touch me as if you gained your nourishment through your
hands. Feed on me, drink deeply and draw from your touch the love that I hold
for you.

I would like you to touch me as if you were feeding me through your hands, as if
by your touch I am nourished and sustained. Every inch of me cries out for your
touch, yearns to be fed.

I would like you to touch me as if your hand were a feather, lightly caressing
the edge of my being.

I would like you to touch me as if your hands were paintbrushes, and as you
caress me, you are coloring me in brilliant, sparkling, dazzling hues.

I would like you to touch me as if you were erasing the outer me, allowing me to
reveal my inner self to you.

I would like you to touch me as if you had carved a sculpture, and were now
feeling its finish, smoothing out any rough areas, enjoying the finished
product.

I would like you to touch me as if your hands were fire, burning away the dross
and leaving only the pure gold of my soul.

I would like you to touch me as if your hands were sponges, soaking up the
essence of my being.

I would like you to caress me as if I were made of dry clay, and by dampening my
skin you enliven my spirit.

I would like you to touch me as if my skin were soft velvet.

I would like you to touch me as if you were a musician, and your touch brought
forth different sounds from different parts of me.

I would like you to touch me as if I were a rare jewel, precious and valuable.

I would like you to touch me as if I were your Lover.

The Meaning of Life

The great ancient sages of India sat in meditation pondering their existence. They asked the same questions of Spirit that we ask...Why am I here? What is my purpose? What is the meaning of life? Thousands of years later we continue to ask the same questions.

Its actually not that hard to find the answer to your life's meaning. The problem is once you've decided upon the answer, you have closed yourself off from possibility. All of life's problems are solved. Life becomes easy...tedious. You create dullness by choosing the answer.

Learn to enjoy the question itself. The continuous enjoyment of the journey that you have undertaken in this lifetime gets you closer and closer to your purpose. It gets you closer and closer to the meaning of your life. If you find yourself bored or unhappy, then you are not close to the meaning. If you find yourself excited and enthusiastic, then you are close to the meaning.

“Live your questions now, and perhaps even without knowing it, you will live along some distant day into your answers.” Rainer Maria Rilke

Hugging

Hugging is good medicine. It transfers energy, and gives the person hugged an emotional boost. You need four hugs a day for survival, eight for maintenance, and twelve for growth. A hug makes you feel good. The skin is the largest organ we have and it needs a great deal of care. A hug can cover a lot of skin and gives the message that you care. It is also a form of communication. It can say things you don't have words for. The nicest thing about a hug is that you usually can't give one without getting one.~ Author Unknown

Hugging and touching are essential for good health and happiness. When skin is stimulated through touch, it releases an abundance of healing chemicals that have health-promoting effects on the body and mind. Regular massage therapy detoxify the body's tissues and calm the mind which enhances immune function. If you haven't been hugged or touched lately, then hug yourself. Self-massage has the same healing benefits. Consider performing a daily massage with Sesame Oil to ground the Vata energy on your skin and promote, not only skin health, but emotional health as well.

FROM "The Hug Therapy Book" by Kathleen Keating Schloessinger.

In a world that has grown more complicated, more fierce in the demands made upon our hearts and pocket books, there is one easy, free gift left. The power of touch. Don’t turn away from the elderly, disabled, terminally ill or long term care residents because their needs seem beyond your ability to give. The one thing they need the most is the most simple, yet profound gift you have to give. Your kind hand holding theirs and a hug from your heart. The gift of touch is the most powerful healing you can offer another, and it is the most powerful healing you can give yourself. Give generously and watch yourself grow rich in what matters the most. Hug often, hug well... I embrace your spirit.