Food, the art of nourishment

Yoga means union. So if for some reason you have to skip yoga asana practise, it doesnt mean you cannot do yoga. Food is a great way to practise.

The art of eating is given great importance & rightly so. Food is nourishing our body, sustaining our outer being. Naturally its very important. There is a "right" way to eating, so let me detail it out here.

Firstly, timing is crucial. The first meal of the day, breakfast needs to be had as early as possible. Before 8 30 am. Lunch, the heaviest meal, should be when the sun is hottest. About 12 to 1 pm.
An evening snack at 4 or 5 pm. Dinner, the lightest meal, should be around sunset & surely before 8 pm.

Next comes quantity. The ideal way is that fill half stomach with solid food, one fourth with liquid & one fourth empty meaning air space. Over eating is strongly discouraged.

Now comes quality of food. The food should be procured locally as this will in harmony to the environment of the area where you are located. The local produce will reflect the need of the environment. Thats why in hot places one can find water intense, alkaline fruits & vegetable. Likewise, in cold climates one gets a lot of earthy, root vegetables. Tea grows in moist places as it is astringent or drying in nature.
Also, quality implies the freshness of food. A meal needs to be eating soon after it is prepared as it begins to lose energy, nutrients & vitality. We all know that fruits & vegetables loose their crispness & deacy on storage. Eating such food will not be nourishing.

The next important factor is the attitude or the mental state whilst eating. One needs to eat in a clean space, thanking Providence for the food & focussing entirely on the act of eating. If you do so you will notice the variety of flavours, smell & definitely enjoy the meal much more. On the other hand if you eat while watching TV
or talking, the food will be virtually tasteless.
Its important that you eat in a happy mood en joying the meal. This will certainly translate into perfect digestion resulting in good health & well being. Also, when you eat mindfully your stomach will signal you when it is full & you can avoid overeating.

These are just a few pointers, try them in the yoga sadhana!!

What is love

Once there was a young crocodile. He was lying on a log in a river, basking in the sun. He had a very serious look on his face - it’s a very intense business, being a crocodile! Crocodiles have a long history to live up to - as carnivorous predators, cold-blooded assassins, and direct descendants of the dinosaurs. This crocodile was pondering his great responsibility when all of a sudden, a beautiful red butterfly landed on his nose.

At first, he was indignant. Couldn’t she see that he was deep in thought, that he was contemplating serious matters? But she seemed oblivious, and every time he breathed, she would float up in the air and then gently return, caressing his nose with her velvet-soft wings. Then he’d breathe again, and up she’d go, and then gently she’d come back.

This became like a meditation for the crocodile, and the energy changed completely. He was mesmerized by the butterfly’s beauty and softness, and the energy of love began to grow between them. A happiness spread through his being. He was no longer a crocodile, and she was no longer a butterfly. They were one, in the union of love.

When humanity puts away its differences and comes back to the perfection of union, we will experience harmony and peace on this planet. But first, it must begin with our own hearts.

The ideal world is found within. There is nothing to change outside - we need only to heal ourselves.

Adapted from: Why Walk When You Can Fly, by Isha (New World Library, 2008).

Marvellous nature

These Bridges are not built - they're grown !!

In the depths of northeastern India, in one of the wettest places on earth, bridges aren't built -- they're grown.
Grown from the roots of a rubber tree, the Khasis people of Cherapunjee use betel-tree trunks, sliced down the middle and hollowed out, to create "root-guidance systems." When they reach the other side of the river, they're allowed to take root in the soil. Given enough time a sturdy, living bridge is produced.
The root bridges, some of which are over a hundred feet long, take ten to fifteen years to become fully functional, but they're extraordinarily strong. Some can support the weight of 50 or more people at once.

One of the most unique root structures of Cherrapunjee is known as the "Umshiang Double-Decker Root Bridge." It consists of two bridges stacked one over the other!

Japan too has such awesome creations............

Tickle yourself

Laughter is the GPS system of the soul, Sparks says. “Humor offers a revolutionary yet simple spiritual paradigm. If you can laugh at yourself, you can forgive yourself. And if you can forgive yourself, you can forgive others. Laughter heals and grounds us in a place of hope. It fosters intimacy and honesty in our relationships with each other and with God.
And isn’t that what grace is all about?”

From Ode Magazine

Freedom, beauty

No matter how old you get, remember what it was like to be a nine-year old girl. Remember the feeling of freedom. If you’ve already forgotten, do a cartwheel. You can so still do one. Savior that feeling. Wake up with it every day. You’ll stay young until the day you die.

In the same vein, cut or potted flowers are never a waste of money. Because every time we glance at them, they remind us how much beauty there can be in the world.