Welcome to the Living Practice – September 2002

 

Editor’s Letter with Megan McCarver

Yoga Is For Men by Sam Dworkis

Uncovering Your Dharma by Lorane Gordan

Aunt Sara’s “Stretch and Grow” Baby Massage by Megan McCarver

Suffering? by John C. Kimbrough

Ayurvedic Perspective on the Menopausal Stage of Men by Vijay Kumar

Six Taste Soup Recipe by Christine Machiraju

Music Review by Megan McCarver

Website Review by Dr. KEV

Featured Yoga Teacher: Trudy from Dominica, the Nature Isle of the Caribbean

A Note From YogaEverywhere

Yoga Classified

Past Issues of the Living Practice

 

Dear Lovely viewers,

It has been an interesting month full of joy and sadness. I was fortunate enough to truly vacation (a leisurely filled restful period of time) for two weeks with my family in the hills of Pennsylvania. Last month also brought me the loss of two great teachers in my world, my Aunt Sara and Swami Satichananda, both were very abundant souls truly over-flowing with wisdom and loving-kindness. 

 

Aunt Sara was my mother’s oldest sister, a pioneer in the woman’s movement, striving toward education, career and independence as a teenager in the late 30’s. Aunt Sara was also a wonderful cook, always feeding family, known for her stuffed cabbage and blintzes. She taught me how important it is to bless or toast every person at every gathering and baby massage called “Stretch and Grow”. I love Aunt Sara and will miss her physical presence on earth.

 

Guru Dev Swami Satchidananda also played a very important role in my life. My father visited at his ashram, Yogaville, in 1996 for a month or so after the death of my step mom, Peggy Browning. I visited Dad at Yogaville for a week. My memory of Guru Dev is that of a tall gentle man with huge hands and feet. One night after dinner, we all gathered and chanted Kirtan. The children from the ashram naturally sat by Swami Satchidananda, resting calmly at his feet and by his side. With a baby in his arms, he shared his loving presence with each one of us in the room. He individually cradled us with his warm eyes and open loving heart like the baby in his arms. That night I learned from Swami Satchidananda how to practice unconditional love that can be shared by direct eye contact to each individual in a crowded room. I love Swami Satchidananda and he will be greatly missed. www.yogaville.org/ and learn more about Swami Satchidananda and his ashram in West Virginia.

 

With loss, comes memories and teaching to fill my heart and share them with others. The Living Practice and YogaEverywhere continues to grow with new writers, exciting yoga products and vacation opportunities to keep it free and expanding. Thank you for your loving attention and support.

 

with love,

Megan McCarver

 

Yoga Is For Men by Sam Dworkis, MS, LMT

(Another in a series of articles to be shared with your non-yoga practicing friends and relatives)

 

Why is it men think yoga is just for women? Is it because you have to be flexible and you have to force your body into unattainable cross-legged positions? Is it that you have to sit quietly in meditation? These are things men usually can’t or don’t want to do. If they are going to exercise, they want to move and sweat. They want to compete. Men believe in “no pain, no gain.”  Heck, they’d rather go shopping than do yoga. Men think yoga is boring. Right?

 

Wrong. I’m here to tell the guys that when done appropriately, yoga is one of the most demanding and physically challenging activities there is. Let’s take a closer look at what it really is. “Yoga” literally means “balance” or “union.” This means that in order to become proficient with yoga; he needs to work on developing his strength and endurance as well as his flexibility. In other words, yoga is about creating physical balance, which is incredibly harder than he might think.

 

I’m also here to tell him that after the initial learning curve is achieved, an appropriate yoga class can challenge him in ways he never thought possible; and paradoxically, it can reduce the potential for injury when he plays his favorite sports. In fact, yoga may actually help repair a man’s body of its many past injuries.

 

Everyone knows that “weekend warriors” are highly susceptible to injury. But if he maintains a regular yoga practice (even if it’s only a few minutes a day), he will be more competitive and will be less susceptible to injury. The other major benefit of a regular yoga practice is that he can better manage the stress of everyday life, including the way he responds to the pressures of business and family. There’s no magic as to why: science has proven that guys who practice yoga improve both body and brain function, which reduces both physical and emotional stress.

 

Sam Dworkis, MA, LMT, is author of ExTension (Simon & Schuster 1994) and Recovery Yoga (Random House 1997). He teaches individuals and small groups in Wellington Florida and conducts yoga seminars nationwide. He may be reached through his yoga educational website, www.extensionyoga.com.

 

Uncovering Your Dharma by Lorane Gordan
During a three-day retreat I conducted in Santa Barbara recently, I noticed a common denominator among the participants. Everyone wanted to know what his or her purpose was: "What am I supposed to be doing this lifetime? Why am I here? Am I being directed and if so, how can I receive the messages in a clearer way?"

A long time ago I was taking a walk and listening to a "self help" tape. I was asked a question, and the truth of my purpose came from my answer. It wasn¹t clear until many years later, but now I know how important it was for me to answer that question. Now I ask it of you.

Close your eyes and go deep into yourself. Take a breath and quiet your mind.  Now ask yourself, "What is it I love to do? If money was no object, how would I spend my time?"

If you are a visual person, you may see yourself in a particular activity. If you are an auditory type, you may hear the words. If you don¹t get anything right away, don¹t worry. Just ask yourself this question from time to time in a genuine way and you will get an answer. Like my good friend Betty Mehling likes to say, "You will get an inner Nudging."  Listen to your inner “Nudge”!

 

Lorane Gordon is a wife, a mother, a teacher, and a seeker. After many years of spiritual practice, Lorane found herself with a following of her own.  Her natural abilities as a teacher became obvious, not only to her students, but to her own teachers.  In fact, of her teaching ability, Deepak Chopra was moved to write: "Lorane is a teacher of infinite possibilities." Please visit her site to learn more, www.JourneyIntoNow.com

 

Aunt Sara’s Stretch and Grow Baby Massage by Megan McCarver

Best time to do this massage is any time. However, incorporating it into your evening bath routine simplifies matters. Make sure your room is warm and cozy. Use your favorite baby lotion. Optional, add a baby portion of high quality lavender oil to your lotion and play soothing music to relax you and your babe. Be sure to practice mindful breaths to model for your child of any age.

 

Lay your love child on their back. Inhale deep and lightly place your hands on their shoulders and slowly sweep down their body softly saying “streeeetch”. Inhale deeply and guide your hands slowly in prayer pose to their tiny chest. Slowly open your hands over their chest, out to their arm; their palms face up saying “aaaand grow”.

 

Always begin with stretch vertically stoking from head to toes. Do it as many times as the baby wants. Pay attention to your baby’s eye contact for non-verbal babes. They will let you know if they like it or not. At first only do it a few times. Integrating “Stretch and Grow” into a daily routine, eventually your love child will look forward to it. To this day, Rose, almost four, and I, still enjoy “Stretch and Grow”. We both are very grateful for the teaching from Aunt Sara. Thank you for sharing it with us.

 

Megan is the founder and creator of www.YogaEverywhere.com. She presently teaches yoga privately to students in the LA area and is available to teach yoga for corporate seminars. Her specialty is introducing people to the yoga community in a gentle and kind fashion and working with the senior spiritually matured population.

 

Suffering? by John C. Kimbrough

Bangkok, Thailand, August 3rd, 2002

For the last three weeks I have had the opportunity to visit Sri Lanka; I was also here about ten years ago. It has not changed so much. A nice country, quite poor, with many problems. You can see suffering in some form on a daily basis. Living in the richer, industrialized countries of the west, there is also suffering, sometimes hard to see in our daily lives, though we look with horror, not believing what people do.

 

With joy comes suffering. We do not need to travel outside our homes or country to experience suffering. It can be subtle in it's manifestations, or overt, chronic and or acute. So many people seem confused about their marriage, their wife, their husband, or being alone, with no partner in their life. We search to better understand our suffering, “get a grip on it”, to overcome it, and escape from it.

 

What I have found, living in the U.S.A. and then living and traveling from time to time in Asia over the last 15 years, is that suffering is everywhere. Sure, much of it can be brought about by the environment, our culture, society, racial hatreds, conflicts, and poor political practices. It is interesting and sad to see in so many places how the government of the people is the one that hurts them the most, and their own fears stemming from greed.

 

Suffering, in it's various forms, can keep us from seeing the various gifts, abilities and things that we have already, to be thankful for, that we have and possess already. Sadly, when it overwhelms us in feelings of worthlessness, isolation, and loneliness, we cannot always see how we can cultivate new thoughts and states of mind, which are of a joyful nature to others and ourselves.

 

Suffering can be better understood and embraced or weakened and perhaps alleviated to some degree, through a practice of sharing, guidance, acceptance and the assistance of a spiritual friend. This does not mean blind surrender to any teacher or guru. It simply means a honest and trustworthy sharing with someone on the same path. Unfortunately, our suffering can make us less open to other's existence, feelings and needs, making it difficult to be a light unto ourselves, let alone others.

 

The working of a path, is beneficial in alleviating suffering...there are spiritual ways and means out there. It interests me how many people are looking for a teacher who can do “super things”, or things (that temporarily make one feel good in a sensual or emotional way), but not really looking at a path, a set of guidelines (not rules) that facilitate results. We always have to recognized that meditation practice can bring benefits. Not only the mental training of meditation, but the moral and ethical training of the mind and body also.... and for some, a training of the body, mind and breath, for example, Hatha Yoga.

 

We become aware of the path, then we study, we understand, and practice.

 

I recommend to people who are suffering to begin to practice a regime of Hatha Yoga postures, breathings, and cleansing techniques. They do not have to be difficult, advanced or dangerous. With that in mind, investigate the paths of Astanga Yoga (The Yoga of the Eight Limbs) or Ariyya Antangika Magga (The Noble Eightfold Path).

 

John C. Kimbrough is a 52-year-old American man, living in Bangkok, Thailand. He has been teaching Yoga for the last ten years, and is interested in the practice of The Eight Limbs of Yoga (Classical Astanga Yoga) and Ariya Antangikka Magga (The Noble Eightfold Path). He has lived in Asia for the last 16 years.

 

Ayurvedic Perspective on the Menopausal Stage of Men by Vijay Kumar
From the last few decades scientists have studied the impact of aging on the body of females and males with many conclusion. As women reach menopause with passage of time, similarly men also reach a stage that has many ill effects in their behavior and health.

 

According to the studies, after the age of forty, the production of male sex hormones (testosterone) starts decreasing, often causing problems of poor sexual desire, irritability, loss of appetite, tension, anxiety, pain in the bones, joints or increased weight gain. Though these symptoms are similar with female menopause, sexual virility remains up to age of sixty, seventy or beyond.

The production of testosterone decreases by heavy smoking and obesity. Decreased production of male hormones is responsible for poor bone strength, loss of memory, poor memory, anxiety and loss of sexual ability. Testosterone is directly linked with the memory and our daily activity. Again, science is still not sure about the exact difference between menopause in women and the changes that occur in men after the age of 40. It is critical to know that this is not the beginning of old age (that’s all in your head!) only a deficiency in hormones that can often be manage with ayurvedic herbal dietary supplement without using synthetics.

www.herbsforever.com One of the worlds oldest ayurvedic herbal companies. HerbsForever is devoted to the wellness and happiness of mankind by providing well- balanced herbal formulas since 1932. Note: if you want to buy any product click on “buy” and get an introductory price automatically, which is 50% off.

 

Six Taste Soup Recipe by Christine Machiraju 

The science of Ayurveda - the science of life from India lists six tastes and six seasons. Each of the tastes corresponds to a season and should be eaten during its corresponding season to enhance health.

 

The six tastes are: bitter, astringent, sweet, sour, salty and pungent.

 

We are now entering into fall, during the fall; the element of air is dominant. The qualities of air are dry, subtle, mobile, light dry and rough. During the fall season the body may acquire some of these qualities of dryness and roughness as the water element in the body begins to become congested. We can help to counter some of the effects of the air element with the foods we eat. The following is soup that can help to counter the air element.

 

The dominant flavors to help balance air are sweet, salty and sour. The soup should include all six tastes with the focus being on these three tastes.  

 

Seasonal vegetables include potatoes, squash, zucchini, carrots and beets. It is a good idea to try and use vegetables that are seasonal to help balance the air element.

 

Sour: Tomatoes, Tamarind, Lemon, Cucumber (one, or all of these can be added to the soup)

 

Sweet: Pumpkin, peas, carrots or beets

 

Bitter: Fenugreek as seasoning

 

Pungent: Ginger, garlic and onion are good choices for fall.  Excess pungent is not recommended in the fall as it further dries the body and aggravates the air element.

 

Astringent: Squash, potato,

 

Salty: Salt to taste

 

Method of Preparation: Simply boil all of the vegetables together and when they are cooked add whatever spices suit your taste.

 

Spices for Vata or air element: Season the soup with cumin, ginger, coriander and garlic to help warm and cleanse the body.

 

If you would like to try using tamarind, it is available in a paste form, which is easy to use, one spoon for a small pot of soup and two spoons for a large pot of soup would be sufficient.  Tamarind also comes in a dried form, this tamarind can be soaked and then squeezed to remove juice from it then the juice can be added to the soup. During the fall a little butter can be added to the soup to help encourage digestion and to help keep the body moist to prevent arthritis, cracking skin and colds.

 

Christine and Venkat teach vegetarian cooking classes and create herb and spice mixtures designed for balancing the body throughout the seasons.  They have also written several cookbooks on the subject of vegetarian and Ayurvedic cooking. It is their hope that as each individual finds peace the world to will become a place of peace.

 

Music Review by Megan McCarver

Appropriate music during your yoga practice should not demand your attention nor should it distract you from your breath. Music to enhance your practice should stabilize your attention and support your breath. Here is this month’s pick for your yoga practice music collection.

 

“Drala” has an eastern essence with a modern jazz backbeat featuring guitar, flute, soprano sax and clarinet with chanting and soul. The music seems to intuitively kindle movement and breath during private practice and student’s needs during class. (If you own a yoga studio, … buy two, one for your personal practice and one for your studio.) Also great for everyday use outside of asana as I listen to it and edit this eNewsletter now!

 

Name of CD: Drala

By: David Nichtern and Steve Gorn’s

 

“Drala” is two thumbs up for your yoga practice, teaching music and ongoing listening.

 

Featured Yoga Teacher: Trudy from Dominica, the Nature Isle of the Caribbean
Maintaining YogaEverywhere and the Living Practice always stretches my mind to new exciting locations beyond my daily wing span. The purpose of YE site was to connect with old and new friends that are yoga community. Below is our featured yoga instructor of the month. Yoga is everywhere! Let us hear about you. This eMail is from Trudy in Dominica, a small island in the Caribbean.

”Thank you for listing my information on YogaEverywhere.com. Having my listing on your web page is one of the few ways I can tell everyone yoga is in Dominica. Dominica is a special place, with awesome healing sites, rainbows, rivers, mountains, the Caribbean, the Atlantic and lots of rainforest. The food is amazing, with fresh flavorful fruits and vegetables available year round. Dominica has produced and attracted a wide variety of people from around the world knowledgeable in healthy living, massage, neuro linguistic programming, reflexology, polarity, herbal medicine, centenarian lifestyles, clay therapies, ayurvedic healing, fasting, meditation, sports therapy, aroma massage, aromatology, and shiatsu.

 

We are renowned for the longevity of our citizens with over 20 centenarians on this small isle,
including Ma Pampo, the world's oldest living person. Checkout the following web page on Dominica. www.avirtualdominica.com/

To assist people here to try out different styles of yoga and learn new things about healthy/sustainable living I am offering a program where yoga instructors and other healing arts professionals or sustainable living experts stay in an extra room I have in Rainbow Yoga Center/house in barter for a donation to center and a class or workshop for local people. The room is large with private balcony looking out over the Caribbean and bath with solar hot water.

Come to Dominica. Practice yoga in the "Isle of Nature".

Trudy has a monthly eNewsletter called Rainbow Review.