Breathing excercise for boosting immunity

Focus on breathing deeply for two more minutes. Gently control your respiratory system, making each breath grow longer and deeper than the last one. Breathe out any tensions you feel restricting your lungs from moving fully and naturally. Feel your mind clear with each breath. Notice the resistance Your mind creates: the worries and judgments it comes up against. Take several deep breaths and dissolve these barriers. Breathe deeply and gently; remember, you are breathing in life itself.

Hold the breath at the top of the exhalation for a moment, feeling its fullness. Then exhale smoothly, letting your hands drift down into your lap, and relax, feeling the vitality of the breath circulate throughout your body.

Richie rich

Richness is not earning more...
spending more....
or saving more...
Richness is when you need "No More"

I love this. It speaks of freedom. Freedom & faith. Freedom from thoughts about money. That you need it. That you need to get it. How will it come to me. when. ....

faith. faith that the universe will always provide me when in need. This really requires a great faith in God Almighty, Universal consciousness, The power that may be, or whatever that you have faith in. And for the ones who have no faith.. well honestly i dont kno how you manage. Cant imagine not having belief of a supreme power that runs the show.

5 Ways to a new you

1. Know that the world “out there” reflects your reality “in here.” The people you react to most strongly, whether with love or hate, are projections of your inner world. What you most love is what you most wish for in yourself. Use the mirror of relationships to guide your evolution. The goal is total self-knowledge. When you achieve that, what you most want will automatically be there, and what you most dislike will disappear.

2. Shed the burden of judgment – you will feel much lighter. Judgment imposes right and wrong on situations that just are. Everything can be understood and forgiven, but when you judge, you cut off understanding and shut down the process of learning to love. In judging others, you reflect your lack of self-acceptance. Remember that every person you forgive adds to your self-love.

3. Don’t contaminate your body with toxins, either through food , drink, or toxic emotions. Your body is more than a life-support system. It is the vehicle that will carry you on the journey of your evolution. The health of every cell directly contributes to your state of well-being, because every cell is a point of awareness within the field of awareness that is you.

4. Replace fear-motivated behavior with love-motivated behavior. Fear is the product of memory, which dwells in the past. Trying to impose the past on the present will never wipe out the threat of being hurt. That happens only when you find the security of your own being, which is love. Motivated by the truth inside you, you can face any threat because your inner strength is invulnerable to fear.

5. Understand that the physical world is just a mirror of a deeper intelligence. Intelligence is the invisible organizer of all matter and energy, and since a portion of this intelligence resides in you, you share in the organizing power of the cosmos. Because you are inseparably linked to everything, you cannot afford to foul the planet’s air and water. But at a deeper level, you cannot afford to live with a toxic mind, because every thought makes an impression on the whole field of intelligence. Living in balance and purity is the highest good for you and the Earth.

Adapted from Ageless Body, Timeless Mind, by Deepak Chopra (Three Rivers Press, 1998).

What is meditation

The mind is a great servant but a terrible master - Dr Jaydeva Yogendra


I have struggled to figure this one out. Years ago when I really needed to sort myself out, I thought of meditation. Naturally, books were bought & read. Yet this didnt clear my understanding. The variety of methods of meditation - breath purifying, divine light, chakra, mantra, yantra, mala, soham ... endless!! It just confused me. I just get caught up in all this mumbo jumbo & there was np meditation being done. It was more like a struggle, a fight with the mind.

Confused & disheartened, i scrapped meditation from my practise, sticking to asana, pranayama & breath awareness. Little did i kno that this simple method is the most effective base for meditation. Breath awareness -just observing the natural way the breath comes in & goes out- is such a calming, relaxing practise. Its what comes most naturally, if you remain in a relaxed way. Thats meditation - simply keeping your mind on one thing. The key here is to remain an observer. If any emotion arises, watch it, dont get caught up in it. Let it pass & return to keeping mind on your chosen object. If other thoughts come, which they do, dont indulge them, dont talk to them, let them pass.

Meditation is moment to moment awareness of what the mind id doing. Your actually telling the mind to observe the breath & then you are watching the mind. If other thoughts come, you are aware that this or that thought has come. If emotions arise, acknowledge them. But do not dwell on them. Return to your task of watching the breath. Do all this without any tension. If the mind gets tense, confused or tired be aware that my mind is getting tired, relax with a slow long breath & resume breath awareness. You will be amazed how light your body will feel afterwards. Also, a sense of joy will arise. The body may tire if your not used to sitting straight. Plod on, your body learns real fast. like everything in life, train the body to sit upright for 10 minutes at a stretch. Daily asana practise works wonders - opens up the body making it supple & flexible.

All this easier said than done. Ask any practitioner, they all struggle to hold the mind in one spot. In yoga this is dhyana - the 7th step of Ashtanga Yoga. What can be done is create an area of focus. Like, if your watching the breath - observe the way the breath enters the nostril, how it feels, the pace, the tempreture, the areas within the nose, throat that the air touches. All this awareness takes us inward & focusses the mind, creating a roaming space for our mind. We have managed to limit the area the mind flutters around. This is dharana - 6th step of Ashtanga Yoga. This too requires a lot of discipling & training. The key is how often you practise. If youe serious about gaining control over your mind & your life, start with short spells - 10 m inutes of focussing. do it twice, thrice a day.Fix time where you parctise daily and do not miss it. The mind will gradually come around. Then, perhaps after couple of months,extend the time to 15 minutes. In this way, the mind will be disciplined. All the best , cheers!!

Constantly hungry??

I found this article posted by Dr. Frank Lipman.Ive added the yogic techniques :)

This is a complaint I hear fairly frequently, especially when people are on a detox or a particular diet. Here are my thoughts/responses/tips:

1. Make sure you are actually hungry. Many people misinterpret the feeling of thirst for a sensation of hunger. They are actually dehydrated without knowing it because they don’t drink enough water and because they consume so many caffeinated beverages – sodas, coffee, tea, chocolate, etc. which have a diuretic effect.

2. Look for emotional triggers to eating….many people eat when they are angry or frustrated, need to relieve stress or comfort an emotional wound without even realizing it. Many times when people deal with the reasons they are angry, frustrated or fearful, their hunger resolves.

3. You may not be getting enough good nutrients in your food, even if you are eating a predominantly organic diet. Everyone needs trace nutrients – things like selenium, boron, copper, manganese, cobalt, chromium, germanium, molybdenum, and many others. The body will register a lack of nutrients as hunger no matter how much food is eaten. In other words, you could be “full” but your hunger not satisfied.

4. Not getting enough good nutrients in your food may also be from a digestive imbalance. The problem of feeling hungry is not always due to inadequate food intake, but poor absorption of nutrients from the digestive system. If you are not getting enough nutrients, your body will still send you messages that say it is still hungry.

5. Rule out parasites. Parasites are an epidemic (in NY anyway) and these parasites can feed off the nutrients that we eat and leave us hungry.

6. Many people are chronically tired and hungry because they have an hormonal imbalance. (This is not something that always shows up on a blood test) For instance, when people have significant drops in their blood sugar, it leaves them feeling ravenously hungry, exhausted and highly anxious

Yogic tips:

1. Breath breath breath Inhale, exhale deeply with your hand at your navel,when the need to eat arises. This will calm down your mind, clear your anxiety. The hand at the navel allows you to connect with your body, assuring it that your listening to all its needs. If its a genuine hunger call, make sure you listen carefully to what it is that your body really wants & then give it!!

2. Yoga asanas work very well in balancing the blood sugar levels, restoring calm in the body. Sarvangasana (shoulderstand) is excellent for bringing the body metabolism back to normalcy as it works on the thyriod & parathyroid glands.Thyroid manages protien synthesis, growth of muscles & bones. The chin pressing into the chest creates a lock (jalandhara bandha) which regulates the heart, reducing high blood pressure & slows breathing. This calms the mind, restoring balance.This lock also regulates the calcuim levels (parathyroid function).

2. Parasites are managed by the practise of Mayurasana (Peacock). if you cant do it, dont worry. Try getting into the posture by resting chin & toes on the floor. The elbows tucked into the stomach powerfully massages the internal organs, giving you the benefits of the pose :)

3. Forward bends like Paschimottanasana or Yoga mudra regulate the blood sugar levels preventing hypoglycemia & diabetes. Also, these poses reduce body fat by allowing you to let go of your fears. These are the "anti anger" postures as well.

4. Hormonal imbalances are mostly a result of stress & faulty eating habits. Reduce your sugar & refined starches intake as this really messes your blood sugar levels, making you crave for more of it.

5. Practise conscious chewing, focus on the food completely, taking in the colours, textures, taste. Avoid talking too much, TV viewing or any other distractions while eating. Remember that food is the nourishment of your body, so pay attention & enjoy every morsel !!

Office yoga - Breathing

Pranayama

Keep your eyes closed, focusing on the breath

1. Abdominal breathing
Place right palm on navel. Become aware of the way the abdomen rises on inhalation & falls on exhalation.
Start counting. Equalise your breath. Inhale for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds
Do 10 rounds.

2. Anuloma Viloma
1. Ready fingers for closing nostrils, thumb for right, forefinger or last finger for left.
2. Close left nostril, inhale from right for 3 seconds.
3. Close right nostril, exhale from left for 3 seconds.
4. Inhale from left for 3 seconds.
5. Close left, exhale from right for 3 seconds.
This is 1 round. Do 10 rounds.

Benefits:
1. Clears the nasal passages
2. Harmonises both the brain hemispheres
3. Creates mental equlibrium, calming the mind & induces tranquility

Office Yoga

Parvatasana

A yoga routine for complete spinal movements. 3 rounds of complete set.

1. Sit on a chair with back straight, away from the back support.
2. Arms on side, palms towards ceiling.
3. Inhaling raise arms up, palms together, elbows straight.
4. Stay there for one complete exhalation & inhalation
5. Exhaling, turn palms outward & bring arms down in start position.
This is the basic pose. From arms raised up, palms together continue. Stay there for one complete breath in each pose :
6. Inhaling bend to the right, Exhaling come to centre. Same on the left
7. From centre, inhaling look up, stretching chest & arching back
8. Exhaling bend forward, arms straight parallel to ground
9. Inhaling to centre, exhaling twist from waist to right & then left.
10. Exhaling bring arms down to start position.

Benefits
1. Stretches, strengthens spine, neck, shoulders, arms & hips.
2. Removes any kind of back, muscular pains
3. Helps frozen shoulders
4. Increases alertness & energy level

Office yoga - Neck & shoulders

Neck exercises

1. Inhaling, look up, chin towards the ceiling. Exhaling, look down, try touching chin to chest
2. Inhaling, to centre. Exhaling, turn your chin towards the right shoulder, looking behind. Inhaling, to centre. Same on left side.
3. Inhaling, to centre. Exhaling, drop your ear to the right shoulder. Inhaling, to centre. Same on left side.
4. Gently rotate chin from the right shoulder to chest to left shoulder. Same way left to right.
5. Gently rotate chin from the right shoulder towards the ceiling to left shoulder. Same way left to right.
6. Rotate in circular motion clockwise & anti clockwise.

Shoulder exercises (5 rounds)

1. Inhaling,lift shoulders to ears. Exhaling, drop them down
2. Extend arms straight ahead at shoulder level. Bend elbows & place hands on shoulders, elbows touching. Rotate them upwards, behind, down, back to centre. This is 1 round. Similarly, do in reverse.
3. Inhaling, stretch your arms wide out. Exhaling, cross your arms around chest, hands on shoulders. Hug yourself tightly.
4. Stretch your arms wide apart at shoulder level. Turn palms backward & push back.

Office yoga

Office yoga for people doing a lot computer work

Please keep listening to your body. This allows you to stretch within your current flexibility range, avoiding straining or over stretching

All excercises to be done 3 to 5 times
These are to be done sitting, with back straight.

1.Palming

Rub your palms together, generate heat in them.
Slightly cup your palm & place them on the eyes, feeling the darkness & warmth
The eye should be within the palm. Fingers on the forehead.
Hold this pose for a minute.

Benefits : Refreshes, energizes tired eyes.Calms the mind.

2. Eye exercises – 3 rounds each
Keeping the back & neck straight, without turning the neck.
1. look to the right & left (sides)
2. look towards the ceiling & down to the floor (vertical)
3. Look top right corner & down left corner (diagonal)
4. Look top left corner & down right corner (diagonal)
5. Imagine a giant clock & rotate eyes clock wise & anti clockwise
Make sure you do palming in between, resting the eyes.

Nishpandbhava

Nishpandabhava is a beautiful practise.
folow this link for "how to" http://www.theyogainstitute.org/nispandabhava.htm
It is a wonderful way of quietening the mind, discipling it with a lot of relaxation. There are so many techniques shown by yoga, as each one of us is different. So each one has to experiment & figure out which technique are you most inclined towards. In my case, i simply love nishpandbhava, as its message is very useful. I tend to have a very flighty mind, thinking way too much, jumping from one topic to another. After doing this practise i feel that i can listen people better. Actually hear what they are saying. Another great benefit is that in noisy places i can simply choose to listen to the sounds rather then get troubled by it. But be warned - you need to practise this regularly for training your mind.
Happy practising :)

Just a thought . . .

I found a new way to tackle my monkey mind. Every time it gets agitated, irritated or desires something, I tell myself to watch it & say "Its just another thought". The hitch is that you gotta see this irritation, desire soon enough before it gathers too much of my attention & energy. The times that i manage to do so, its pretty interesting. It then seems that its just a thought like so many others, a passing thing. Im saved from anger or losing my self to a want. Im saved from harming myself or someone else. It feels like a small step towards discipline. It feels good :)

Calm mind, cheerful mind

Though surrounded by pleasurable or painful objects to disturb your equilibrium of mind, remain immovable as a rock, receiving all things with equanimity. Be always cheerful. Laugh and smile. How can a mind that is gloomy and dull think of God? Try to be happy always. Happiness is your very nature. This is termed cheerfulness. This spirit of cheerfulness must be cultivated by all aspirants.

Keep the mind in a state of moderation or happy, golden mean. Never let it run to excesses. People die of shock from extreme depression as well as from extreme joy. Do not allow Uddharsha to crop up in the mind. It is excessive merriment. Mind always runs to extremes, either to extreme depression or extreme joy. Extremes meet. Extremes bring about reaction. Mind can never be calm in excessive joy. Let the mind be cheerful, but calm.

This world is a mere appearance. Mind and the senses are deceiving you every moment. You have mistaken pain for pleasure. There is not even an iota of happiness in this sense-universe. Abandon these selfish struggles and schemes for amassing wealth. March directly to that wire-puller who is moving these toys of fleshy human bodies, who is keeping up this big show, who is behind this show. In Him only you will find lasting happiness and perennial joy. Merge in Him by practicing daily meditation and Japa.

Excerpted from Bliss Divine, a collection of Swami Sivananda’s writings.

My ATTC discovery

Like a balloon, you can be light, joyful and buoyant. Your happiness has nothing to do with the world outside.

A friend posted this & it felt a perfect way to describe my experience at Netala. Its a very empowering feeling ... come what may i know a way to happiness, keep my engine chugging on :)

Funniest skin tip !!

Expensive moisturisers are not always the best. Sometimes simple products containing things like jojoba or other oils are very effective. One of the first cosmetic ingredients was lanolin, which is an oil from sheep fleece. There is a story that Australian sheep shearers used to roll on their shearing tables at the end of the day in order to make their skin soft and supple. The mind boggles at the thought.



More tips ..........
chop half an union and squash 3 clovers of garlic. then blend it and add some normal moistriser. This is optinal but it will make the cream that little bit better. Add the seeds of a small pumpkin into the mixture and your all set for a life with smooth skin.
p.s it doesnt really work it just makes you smell funny!!!