Yoga

JOYFUL L IVING

Y

OGA

Gazing Inward: Yoga for Your Eyes

Breathe Easy

20 Ways to Heal Allergies

Restorative Yoga

Real Hope for Chronic Pain

In Food We Trust

Beyond Local and Organic

A Conversation with Rod Stryker

Enlightened Ego

Identity in Meditation

Tantra’s Essential Practice

Sacred Body

for more information, visit www.advaita.org.uk

Professor John Langdon, widely credited as the founder of the contemporary ambigrammic art form and whose name and work have been used by Dan Brown in his bestselling novels, has devised an ambigram representing the concept of advaita or

non-duality.

Effectively meaning ‘not two’, advaita reveals that the nature of both ourselves and the universe is essentially One.

The Book of One by Dennis Waite, from which Professor Langdon drew his inspiration,

is essential reading for those wanting to investigate the ancient wisdom of advaita. Utilizing both classical and contemporary sources, The Book of One provides a

comprehensive overview of this teaching.

Dennis Waite is a distinguished writer in the field of advaita. His previous work, Back to the Truth: 5000 Years of Advaita, is already a modern-day classic.

Professor Langdon

Unveils A New Symbol

The extensively revised, 2nd _{edition of}

The Book of One

_{is available to buy from Amazon}

SPRING 10

CONTENTS

YOGA+JOYFUL LIVING MAGAZINE . ISSUE 109

Cover: Yoga teacher Katrina Amato

photographed by Jasper Johal ©2010 jasperphoto.com

Sacred Body, Fearless Mind:

Living Tantra (Part 2)

Harness prana shakti—the inner divinity—with a potent tantric practice that will charge your mind with vitality, insight, and the power to heal. By Pandit Rajmani Tigunait

In Food We Trust

Industrialized food harms the earth and our bodies. Thankfully, there’s a wave of passionate innovators who are growing a healthier food culture, one radish at a time. By Jake Miller

Untying Our Wings:

The Way of Non-Attachment

Through the practice of dispassion, we can loosen the knots that keep us earthbound—and soar to new spiritual heights. By Eknath Easwaran

+DEPARTMENTS

JOYFUL LIVING

9Yoga Threads

Your guide to eco-shopping, local banking, and springtime ayurveda; plus Rod Stryker on his practice

16From Our Kitchen

Delightful Dhokla

By Jon Janaka

26Total Health

Natural Allergy Relief

By Carrie Demers, MD

30

36

42

Himalayan Institute

MEMBER SERVICES

6HI View President’s Letter 70HI Bulletin

News for Members

73Program Guide

March–July 2010

Yoga and meditation seminars, retreats, teacher training, and more

YOGA IN ACTION

5A Yogi’s Legacy

Remembering Swami Satyananda Saraswati (1923–2009) 54Skillful Action Confessions of a Meditator By Irene Petryszak

ETC.

4Editor’s Note 7Mailbox 64Books & Media

CONSCIOUSNESS

18Points of Practice

The Enlightened Ego

By Rolf Sovik

48Yoga Sutra 2.15

Original Pain

Translation and commentary by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait

96From the Sages

Isha Upanishad (verse 1)

Translation and commentary by Swami Rama

PRACTICE

22Heart of Hatha

Apana Vayu: The Anchoring Breath

By Sandra Anderson

52In Practice

Gazing Inward: Yoga for Your Eyes

By Jennifer Allen Logosso

58Asana Solutions

Yoga for Chronic Pain

By Kelly McGonigal

+FEATURES

4

y o g a +joyful living spring 2010 yogaplus.org

From the inner city

to the White House, from the farm stand to the kitchen table, Americans are adding a healthy serving of mindfulness to their meals. Last year’s lauded documentary Food, Inc. showed scores of viewers the darker side of agribusiness, while First Lady Michelle Obama promoted healthy eating on Iron Chef and planted a high-profile organic garden on the South Lawn. She had plenty of company—43 million vegetable gardens sprouted across the country last spring, up 19 percent in just one year. More and more, we’re looking at the food on our plates and in our shopping carts and contemplating how it affects our health, environment, and society.

I snapped out of my own food coma four years ago. For longer than I care to admit, I’d been an unconscious vegetarian, subsisting almost exclusively on frozen vegetables and imitation meat products. But when I found myself working in the organic garden at the Himalayan Institute, my relationship to food was turned on its wilting ear.

Early spring kicked off my schooling in the art of growing and connecting with what we eat. We tilled rye and other cover crops into the soil as “green compost.” We seeded Lincoln leeks and Cipollini onions in the greenhouse and transplanted them into nutrient-rich beds. We dug up parsnips that had wintered over, and watched asparagus shoot up through the earth. After weeks of anticipation, we harvested armloads of Royal Oak Leaf lettuce and Italian Wild arugula.

But what truly awakened my appreciation for nature’s bounty was communing with friends and fellow seekers—praising a new salad dressing or discussing the miracle of mycorrhizal fungi—while eating this fresh wholesome food in our din-ing hall. This experience of shardin-ing, of builddin-ing community around food, is the thread connecting the five visionary food advocates profiled in Jake Miller’s feature (page 36). Whether they’re crusaders of food justice or farmers on a spiritual mis-sion, these voices of the edible revolution are united in their effort to nurture a food culture as healthy as biodynamic bok choy.

For us aspiring yogis, the collective shift toward health and sustainability for-tifies our own awareness of how intimately food connects us to the web of life. When we eat food close to its source—fresh, unprocessed, locally and sustainably grown when we can get it—the richness of its prana, its life force, is palpable. And as Pandit Rajmani Tigunait illustrates in his feature (page 30), increasing and con-centrating prana in our bodies is the key to a fruitful practice of tantra.

Speaking of fruitfulness, Yoga+ recently won a Folio Eddie award for the third year in a row—a gold one at that—so you can be sure there are plenty more seeds of authentic knowledge in this issue for you to sow in your own practice and share with a community of fellow seekers. Bon appétit! ■

Natalya Podgorny, Editor

[email protected]

EDITOR’S

NOTE

Kathryn LeSoine founder Swami Rama editor Natalya Podgorny editor at large Shannon Sexton { editorial board }

Rolf Sovik, PsyD Rod Stryker Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD

Deborah Willoughby

managing editor Crystal Ketterhagen

senior editorsSandra Anderson, Irene Petryszak

assistant editor Jancy Langley

editorial assistantKathryn Heagberg

contributing editorsAnna Dubrovsky, Linda Johnsen, Doug Keller, Carrie Demers, MD

{ art }

creative director Jeanette Robertson

art director Barbara Gerhardt

senior designer Jacqueline Bogdan

design associate Darlene Clark

contributing designerStephanie Lora

production coordinatorVincent Tedeschi

photo editorLoreda Everett

photographersJagati, Maureen Cassidy, Andrea Killam

{ business office }

executive directorMatthew Douzart

marketing directorTodd Wolfenberg

business managerZachary Ketterhagen

circulation managerLaura Brownell

advertising coordinatorJennifer Wood { patrons }

Dada Doulatram Boolchand Ramesh Daryanani Harshadbhai Desai Beverly Foit-Albert Indru Malkani Manu Sawilani { advertising }

Goodfellow Publishers’ Reps. 510-548-1680

Deena E. Brown, ext. 305

E-mail [email protected]

Geoff Goldstein, ext. 302

E-mail [email protected] Marketplace and Classifieds

Liz Dalbianco, ext. 301

E-mail [email protected]

{ subscriptions }

Phone 800-253-6243 ext. 4 E-mail [email protected]

yogaplus.org/subscribe Published by the Himalayan Institute

spring 2010 issue 109

Yoga

+

Courtesy of Bihar School of Y

oga

It is with great respectthat we observe the passing of Swami Satyananda Saraswati, a renowned spiritual teacher and the founder of the Bihar School of Yoga in northeast India, who left his body at midnight on December 5.

Though Swami Satyananda lived and taught in India for much of his life, his influence and scholarship has reached around the world. His many books—Four Chapters on Freedom: Commentary on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Sure Ways to Self-Realization, and Kundalini Tantra, among others—have been anchors on the bookshelves of devout practitioners since he be-gan publishing nearly 40 years ago.

Born in 1923 to landowners in Almora, India—a small city near the northern Nepali border—Swami Satyananda began practicing yoga at the age of 15; at 19, he found his way to Rishikesh, where he met his guru, Swami Sivananda Saraswati. After 12 years of sanyas training, Swami Satyananda began trav-eling extensively throughout India as a parivrajaka.

Following Swami Sivananda’s death in 1963, Swami Sat-yananda established his headquarters in Munger, and put his travels and studies to use as a teacher and a leader. He

founded the influential Bihar School of Yoga—an ashram and teaching facility well known for publishing translations and commentaries of tra-ditional texts—and Sivananda Math, a philanthropic organization that pro-vides scholarships, infrastructural

de-velopment, and food aid in rural India. It was during this pe-riod that Swami Satyananda wrote and translated prolifically before retreating to a life of meditative seclusion as a parama-hamsa in 1988, where he remained until his passing.

As his disciples report, Swami Satyananda took maha samadhi, the final great union with undifferentiated Con-sciousness, while doing japa, or mantra meditation, with a smile on his face. To commemorate this occasion, followers and friends performed a shodashi puja—a 16-day ritual wor-ship. Though Swami Satyananda Saraswati’s physical pres-ence has left the world, his devotion to yoga philosophy, prac-tice, and education leaves an enduring legacy for which we are profoundly grateful.■

A

YOGI’S

LEGACY

Swami Satyananda Saraswati (1923–2009)

Transforming Lives

6DWFKLGDQDQGD $VKUDP¥<RJDYLOOH

® Buckingham, Virginia (150 mi. SW of Washington DC)



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Tune into

Your

6

y o g a +joyful living spring 2010 yogaplus.org

HI

VIEW

Here in the foothills of the Poconos,

the sun’s crossing of the celestial equator—the beginning of spring—brings dramatic changes. As March gives way to April, refreshing rains and soft breezes herald winter’s end. Water cascades down sloping fields, cleansing everything in its path. The debris is carried into the streams, and sediment gradually settles, revealing sparkling clear water and brightly hued vegetation.

In ancient cultures, these springtime events contributed to a rich mythology. The Greeks told of Persephone, who was carried off to the underworld for half the year, but whose reemergence brought forth new life and abundance. The Romans celebrated the goddess Flora, a name that now signifies plant life. The Teutonic celebration of the deity Eastre (a name related to Easter as well as to the hormone estrogen) signified renewal and fertility. And the ancient Persians worshipped the sun god Mithra at the vernal equinox, hoping for redemption.

While some of this mythology is preserved in current religions, much has vanished—and seems unlikely to return. Historically, myth was commonly interwoven with superstition, sometimes resulting in fanaticism and bigotry. Worse, myth was taken for science and governed people’s lives at the expense of common sense.

But myth also acted—and continues to act—as a bridge to a higher reality. It connects us with personal spiritual truth. In this sense, the advent of spring is a metaphor for purification, redemption, renewal, and growth.

Encased in a climate-controlled office, it’s easy to lose touch with the grand passage of spring. Becoming oblivious to nature’s rhy-thms is as great a misfortune as being too wed-ded to the mythology about them. Spring is a benediction. During its passage, purification and renewal surround and infuse us, bringing the promise of transformation.

Here at the Institute, the great themes of spring are already at work. For some, the no-tion of purificano-tion means spring-cleaning, both within and without. For others, this is a time for the renewal of rituals and practices that winter has dulled or buried. And for still others, there is redemption in the air—atone-ment for unwise actions and the opportunity to cast off unproductive habits.

Here’s hoping that you will find time for a leisurely walk in the full radiance of spring light; that the sun’s rays will warm your spirit; and that in one mythi-cal way or another, spring will blossom in your mind and heart.■

Rolf Sovik

President, Himalayan Institute

Andr

ea Killam

“When women leave Sierra’s workshop at Omega, their

transformation is absolutely visible!”

—Carla Goldstein, Director of the Women’s Leadership Center at the

Omega Institute

RECLAIM

y o u r

P OW E R

In Goddess to the Core, Sierra Bender offers a unique method of healing from the inside out that breaks the cycle of stress and disempowerment by devel-oping all four bodies—spiritual, mental, emotional, and physi-cal—to help women reclaim, restore, and rejoice in their beautiful and powerful feminine spirit.

“Sierra Bender is a force of nature, an inspired teacher who has created an astonishing

technique of transformation certain to reveal the goddess

within.”

—Wade Davis, bestselling author of The Serpent and the Rainbow

1-800-THE-MOON www.llewellyn.com

Safer Backbends? Though the article “Safer Backbends” by Doug Keller mainly focused on how to align and support the pel-vis during backbends, for tadasana he recommended that “the pelvis be locked into a stable, unmoving posi-tion at the sacroiliac joints... by slightly scooping the tail-bone down and forward.”

However, in a teacher-training session, Judith Lasater once demonstrated how tucking the tailbone in tadasana actually weakens our standing posture. She did a simple experiment that I did with my students after reading your article: I asked one of my students to stand with the tailbone tucked down and forward (counter-nutated). I stood behind her, pulled down on her shoul-ders, and her knees buckled. Then I asked her to stand with her tailbone pushing back and her pubic bone moving downward (nutated). I pulled down on her

shoul-ders, adding more of my weight than previously, and couldn’t budge her. If such a simple experiment can prove that standing in tadasana with the pelvis nutated adds to the body’s physical strength, why are many of us still teaching our students to stand with the tailbone tucked down?

Cecilia Micallef Brighton, Queensland, Australia Keep in mind that nutation and counternutation refer to the sub-tle action of the sacrum, not a gross movement of the pelvis. To isolate and position the sacrum, the practitioner needs to engage the actions of mula bandha, as described in the article. Since the sacrum is nutated when neutral, a slight counternutation (or “scooping of the tailbone”) is appropriate to stabilize the sacrum in tadasana and provide support for an upright spine. If, however, one dramatically tucks the tailbone down and forward, thereby tipping the top of the pel-vis back, it will result—as you

rightly pointed out—in a de-stabilized posture.

Doug Keller Hands-on Assists

Thank you, Katherine Pew, for your article, “A Yoga Teacher’s Guide to Adjust-ments.” I have been teach-ing yoga regularly for almost two years and I am still re-luctant to physically assist my students. My training included many assisting techniques that have helped with my own practice, so I know I have the skills to give hands-on adjustments. With every class I become better able to read students’ bodies. Thank you for shar-ing the insight of a skilled teacher and inspiring me to take my teaching one step further and become more hands-on.

Cherie Ebert Idaho Springs, Colorado Eco-Mat Awareness Thanks for the well-orga-nized piece on greener yoga

mats (Yoga Threads)—I just gave up on my old one and was having trouble making sense of all the new options. It would have been nice to know a little more about where each mat was made and the emissions involved in the process; maybe as more yoga prac-titioners and prop compa-nies realize the importance of sustainable manufactur-ing, more information will become available. Until then, keep us in the loop!■

Gael Naly Montecino, California

From asana questions to green suggestions, readers respond to our winter issue.

MAIL

BOX

Deborah Willoughby’s article, “Pilgrim’s Progress,” left me glowing; I felt as though

I genuinely connected with her experience. I, too, have struggled as a spiritual

pil-grim—often impatient and restless with my practice, striving for a peace that

seemed elusive. That peace has come to me slowly, in stages. Ms. Willoughby’s

richly articulated article rang true: pilgrimage to sacred sites may connect us to the

Divine; but in the end, when the pilgrim is ready, she can realize the sacred

any-where—be it halfway across the globe or in her own backyard.

Shirley Lindbergh, New Haven, Connecticut

We love hearing from you! To prove it, we’ll send you a free relaxation CD if we print your letter. E-mail us at [email protected] or send your comments to Mail-box, 952 Bethany Turnpike, Honesdale, PA 18431. Please include your full name, address, and phone number. We may edit your letter for length and clarity.

Yoga teacher Rod Stryker doesn’t stay in one place (like his home in the mountains of Colorado) for very long—he keeps his body moving, from Miami to Maryland, Seattle to Charlotte, and everywhere in be-tween. But seated in a sunlit room on a fall day in Pennsylvania, it’s clear from his steady blue eyes that, despite the geo-graphic staccato of his teaching schedule— his mind remains still and calm.

“I’ve always had a sense of what was waiting for me,” says Stryker, who, at the age of 19 began an ambitious homespun practice that quickly became a life calling. He spent several months struggling alone with B.K.S. Iyengar’s Light on Yoga before finding himself, for the next 17 years, learn-ing and teachlearn-ing with Mani and Alan Fin-ger in L.A., where he discovered something that has sustained his practice all these years: the “germ,” he calls it—that driving force to follow the yogic path. “It was the biggest gift they gave me.”

After that seed was planted—then nour-ished by travel abroad and 15 more years

The Seeker’s Gift

Deepen your practice, inspire your life

YOGA

THREADS

practice

Living Yoga

How to Nap like a Yogi

When travel (or everyday life) wears you down, a simple variation of yoga nidra (yogic sleep) taught by Swami Rama can help you restore your energy. This practice helps you settle into a profound state of rest while remaining alert at a deeper level of consciousness. By drawing your attention to your heart center, you will become a silent witness to your sleeping body and mind.

1

Choose a room where you will not be disturbed. Sit on the floor against a wall, stretching your legs out and crossing one ankle over the other. Cup your palms in your lap and, with your eyes closed, either allow your head to hang forward or to rest against the wall.

2

Feel the relaxed movement of your breath, letting it flow easily and smoothly. Then observe 3 to 5 breaths at the nostrils, to center your mind.

3

Next, one by one, rest your awareness (and breath) at the eyebrow center, then at the throat center, and finally the heart center.

4

Keeping your awareness at the heart center, quietly resolve to let your body and mind sleep for a specified length of time (say, 10 minutes). Trust your mind to awaken you when that time has elapsed.

5

As you sleep, continue to be aware of the merest sensation of the breath (but no mantra). You are simply letting your body sleep, with awareness.

6

Stay in this state until your mind wakes you up. Then slowly shift your head and stretch your body. Draw your attention out-ward, opening your eyes into your hands and then to the room around you.

—Rolf Sovik of study with Pandit Rajmani

Tigu-nait, the teacher who he says catalyzed his spiritual progress—Stryker ma-tured as a practitioner and as a teacher in his own right. Along the way, he’s seen the popularization of yoga; the birth of four children (two sets of twins!); and the genesis of ParaYoga— his own integrative, scripturally based style of teaching that combines yoga, meditation, ayurveda, and tantra. His students, numbering in the thousands, work diligently to weave ParaYoga practices into their own lives all over the country. “Some day,” he reflects, “I would like to look back and think that I helped seat something of significance in the West.”

But even if years have passed and his name and legacy have become ubiq-uitous in the American yoga commu-nity, it’s easy to discern the precocious 19-year-old in Stryker: his steady reso-nant voice, the fierce determination in his eyes—the essence of a spiritual seeker, still making his journey. —Jancy Langley

Listen to Rod Styker’s advice for new yoga teachers and watch a slideshow of his Art of Asana series at yogaplus.org/stryker.

10

y o g a +joyful living

The Seeker’s Gift (continued)

>>

Pr

evious page: Crystal Ketterhagen; This page: Andr

ea Killam; Model: Stacey Galloway; T

op by Lily Lotus

⁄≤Æ ˚Ÿ

Nidra means “sleep.” The prefix

ni- indicates restraint, downward motion, and the collection of things spread out. When we

sleep we settle down, draw the mind away from the senses, and rest our focus inside. Yoga nidra is sleep infused with awareness.

In Sanskrit

Nidra

Our Classic Collection

Now in Organic Cotton

www.mariewright.com 800.217.0006

organic

designs

YOGA

THREADS

wellness

Everyday Ayurveda

The 12-Hour Fast

According to ayurveda, the body is programmed to direct its energy to-ward cleansing and assimilation in the hours just before midnight, when agni (digestive fire) is weakest. To support this process, ayurvedic physicians rec-ommend refraining from late-night snacks and going to bed around 10 p.m. By fasting for 12 hours every night—between dinner and breakfast (7 p.m. to 7 a.m., for example)—you free your body from the burdens of meal-related digestion so it can con-duct mental, emotional, and cellular cleansing in a more concentrated way.

The 12-hour fast also respects agni’s daily waxing and waning cycle which, according to ayurveda, corre-sponds to the rising and setting of the sun. That’s why it is wise to eat a healthy breakfast in the morning, eat your largest meal at noon when the sun is the strongest, eat a lighter din-ner as the sun is waning, and then al-low your stomach to rest until the sun comes up the following day. This fast supports metabolism, prevents accu-mulation of ama, normalizes weight, and combats kapha imbalances (which are common in the spring).

—Shannon Sexton

To Your Health

Homemade Ginger Ale

Tired of ginger tea? Try this tasty soda recipe. The pungent heating qualities of ginger can help keep spring colds at bay.

Combine1/2cup of freshly grated ginger, 1 cup of cane sugar, and 4 cups of water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer for 9 minutes. Cool and strain.

To serve,add about a 1

/3cup of this ginger syrupto a chilled glass. Top with seltzer waterand garnish with lime. Adjust proportions to taste. Serves 4 to 6. Refrigerate leftover syrup for later; the flavor intensifies.

Variations:To create extra zing, cook ginger with 1_{/2teaspoon of ground cardamom,} or a few cloves. Adding 1/2teaspoon of vanilla extractto the cooking ginger imparts

a subtle earthy flavor. A splash of cream before serving makes it dreamy. —Ruby Wells

In the Pantry

Ginger

Spicy, soothing, and invigorating, gin-ger is something of a miracle. This rhizome has kapha-balancing properties that have long been appreciated by ayurvedic practitioners. Recent studies have validated its most common use— treating nausea. But ginger has many

more facets: it is believed to aid diges-tion, assuage rheumatoid arthritis, help clear ama (toxins), lower blood sugar, reduce cholesterol, and improve

circulation. It is known in ayurveda

as “the universal medicine.” —R.W. Clock on plate: Glenn Frank / iStockphoto.com; Ginger: Julie T

oy / Getty Images

12

Conscious Consumer

Eco-Seals for Eco-Deals

These days, discriminating between greenwashed and genuinely green goods can be tough. That’s where certifications come in handy—experts create standards that we all understand. You may have heard of the basics (USDA Organic for food, LEED for building materials, Fair Trade Certified for imports); here are some lesser-known certifications to aid your eco-choices at the checkout line:

FSC The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certifies that all wood-derived product parts start life in a sustainably managed, socially responsible forest. Watch for their logo on paper, furniture, plywood, guitars, and more in stores from Staples to Sam’s Club, or check their list of retailers at fscus.org.

Cradle to Cradle These standards evaluate a product’s materials from birth to death and back, including what economists call “externalities”— often hidden public costs like energy and water. Look up products—like Aveda shampoo or Greenweave recycled polyester—at c2ccertified.com.

EPEAT If there’s one thing our society depends on, it’s the PC—and it’s made of harmful stuff. EPEAT is a system designed to monitor computer manufacturers and encourage them to build more sustainable, less toxic ma-chines. Search and compare the gamut of make and model at epeat.net; look for their Gold, Silver, or Bronze certification when you’re ready to shop.

Design for the Environment This EPA program carefully reviews each ingredient in chemical-based products for household and

en-vironmental safety—think paint, ink, detergent, solvents, and car-care items. Find products they’ve analyzed at epa.gov/dfe and watch for their seal of ap-proval when you hit the hardware store.

EcoLogo Oh, Canada! You’ve

brought us McIntosh red ap-ples, Mounties, and a simple user-friendly eco-certified product database at terrachoice-certified.com. EcoLogo’s life cycle assessments consider a balance of environmen-tal criteria, and label everything from area rugs to engine oils. —J.L.

14

y o g a +joyful living spring 2010 yogaplus.org

YOGA

THREADS

one world

Spirituality in Action

A Better Bank

for Your Buck

With all the buzz about the global eco-nomic slump, getting a local perspective on your own financial footprint can feel hopelessly complicated. Looking for a way to get more involved and learn more about your money, where it goes, and what it does?

Join the wave of people rediscovering a different kind of bank, often complete with financial classes and even a

commu-nity cause: the local credit union— where you (the customer) are also

the shareholder (or “member”). Established by President

Roo-sevelt in 1934 to “promote thrift and thwart usury,” credit unions are coming back in style, thanks to their nonprofit cooperative structure, focus on local finance, and often lower interest rates and higher returns. Since 2006, mem-bership has increased by

4 million people, and capital—the amount

of money available for lending—has risen 22%.

Want to give co-operative banking a try? Find a credit union near you at culookup.com.

—J.L.

FSC symbol: ©1996 FSC A.C.; Cradle to Cradle Certified

cm

is a certification mark of MBDC; W

oman:

Events

Spring 2010

YOGA PILATES CONFERENCE & SHOW: March 25–28, Toronto, Canada; theyogaconference.com

Get moving, dancing, and singing! Take workshops, attend lectures, and watch demonstrations by dy-namic yoga teachers, authors, and music and movement artists like Seane Corn, Rodney Yee, and Wah!.

YOGA JOURNAL BOSTON CON-FERENCE: April 6–11, Boston, MA; yjevents.com/boston

From tantra to yantra, hatha to heal-ing, this conference zooms in on all the most compelling topics in yoga today. Along with yoga classes, teachers and studio owners will ap-preciate handy workshops like “Greening Your Business” and “Stu-dio Ownership 101.”

GREEN FESTIVALS: April 10–11, San Francisco, CA; May 22–23, Chicago, IL; greenfestivals.org

This bustling sustainability confer-ence gets greener—and bigger— every year. Come celebrate and learn about new eco-products; hear from activists and authors working for so-cial and environmental justice; and sample the best in vegetarian and or-ganic cuisine with over 350 vendors, 125 speakers, and plenty of musi-cians, filmmakers, and more.

AYURVEDA: COMPLEMENTARY GLOBAL MEDICINE: April 15–18, San Mateo, CA; ayurveda -nama.org

The National Ayurvedic Medical As-sociation’s annual conference helps experienced and aspiring health practitioners network with their peers and catch up on news in the field through panel discussions, prac-ticums, and product and research demonstrations. ■

eed a little spice in your life? Try dhokla—a soft, spongy, savory treat from the west coast of India. You can cook this golden delicacy in about 40 minutes and serve it as an appetizer, a teatime snack, or a light but nourishing meal. Some of the ingredients are unusual, and it might take you a few tries to master the recipe, but trust me—it’s worth the effort. You’ve never tasted anything like dhokla before.

From an ayurvedic point of view, dhokla is a kapha-pacifying dish that can keep you warm and invigorated on a rainy spring day. The mustard oil and hot pungent spices stoke agni (digestive fire), which tends to dampen with the change of weather. The besan flour and yogurt are ex-cellent sources of protein, the latter serving as a complete protein—im-portant in any vegetarian’s diet.

Like other baked goods made with yogurt, dhokla has a short shelf life. Serve it warm or at room temperature within a few hours of cooking, and store leftovers in the fridge for up to three days.

This tangy melt-in-your-mouth snack is packed with

protein and spiced perfectly for spring.

By Jon Janaka

Jagati

FROM

OUR

KITCHEN

Delightful Dhokla

N

The Batter

Yield: 8 servings

13/4cup + 1 tablespoon besan (chickpea) flour

3_{/4cup plain yogurt}

1 cup hot water

1_{/2teaspoon turmeric}

1 teaspoon salt

2_{/3teaspoon baking soda}

1Set up a 5- to 6-quart pot for steaming that will accommodate a 9-inch pie pan, using a lid that allows a little steam to escape. Add 3 to 4 cups of water, using a trivet to elevate the pan above the wa-terline (about 11_{/4inches). Turn the}

burner on high heat and prepare the batter as the water comes to a boil. 2Sift the besan flour into a large bowl.

3In a medium bowl, combine the tur-meric, salt, yogurt, and hot water. Stir. 4Add the flour and whisk until thick and well mixed.

5Lightly oil the pie pan.

6When the water in the steam pot is boiling, add the baking soda to the bat-ter and whisk until the mixture is foamy and bubbly.

7Pour the batter into the pie pan and carefully lower it into the steamer. Steam for about 20 minutes at medium heat. Test it with a toothpick—if it comes out clean, the dhokla is finished.

8Remove the pan from the steamer. Place a serving plate upside down over the top of the dhokla; quickly invert the pan and lift it so the dhokla falls onto the plate. Cool for 10 minutes while making the tangy sauce.

The cilantro garnish pacifies the heating mustard seeds and oil.

Jon Janakahas worked in the Himalayan Institute kitchen for the past five years.

The traditional method of preparing dhokla involves a night of fermentation to make the batter bubbly and light. We speed up the process by using baking soda, as if it were a quick bread. But if you want the “slow food” experience, omit the baking soda and let your batter sit, covered, in a warm spot overnight.■

The Sauce

Variation

Finishing Touches

1 teaspoon brown or black mustard seeds 3 tablespoons 100% pure mustard oil 18 fresh curry leaves

1_{/3cup fresh lemon juice}

21/2cups water 2 tablespoons sugar 21/2teaspoons salt

1In a small saucepan (with a tight-fitting lid nearby), heat the mustard oil on high until it smokes for about 1minute and the color changes from golden to almost clear. Take the pan off the heat and let it cool for 30 to 60 seconds. (Other-wise, the hot oil will scorch the remaining ingredients, creat-ing a bitter taste.)

2Add the mustard seeds and quickly lid the pan while they begin to pop. (Tip: If the oil has cooled too much for the seeds to pop, remove the lid, turn the heat to medium, and wait until the seeds turn gray—they’ll still release their flavor.) 3When the seeds have settled down or turned gray, add the curry leaves. There should be just enough heat left in the pot to darken their color.

4Add the lemon juice, water, salt, and sugar. Bring up the heat and boil for 3 minutes, then set the pan aside.

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

1_{/2red pepper, thinly sliced}

1Cut the dhokla into pie-style slices or small squares, and pull the pieces apart slightly, so that the dhokla has room to expand as it absorbs the sauce.

2Pour the sauce in 1_{/4cup measures over every inch of the}

bread. Don’t worry if there is extra liquid at the base of the plate; the dhokla will continue to soak it up.

Yogic scriptures reveal that there’s infinitely more to us than body,

personality, and accumulated possessions. Meditation introduces us

to that which is beyond them all.

By Rolf Sovik

joSon / Getty Images

POINTS

OF

PRACTICE

The Enlightened Ego

mysterious and powerful instru-ment of awareness lies hidden within us: the mind. Over the past several issues, we’ve been ex-ploring the nature of the mind in medita-tion. It is said to have four principle func-tions: manas, buddhi, chitta, and aham-kara. For a brief recap of the first three, see “A Yogic Map of the Mind” (page 21). Here we’ll explore the last function: ahamkara—the individual self, or ego. To begin, let’s examine what we mean by self-identity, and then look closer at how it is influenced by meditation.

Who Is the Self?

When we refer to ourselves we use words such as “I,” “me,” and “mine.” These

words play a number of roles. They reg-ister a sense of self-identity, mark the sep-arateness of one person from another, and signify our possession of things— the effort to extend ourselves into the surrounding world (this is “my car”). The familiar sense of self supplied by the mind at each moment is labeled ahamkara in Sanskrit. It’s a term con-structed from two words: aham (“I”) and kara (“maker” or “doer”). The mind, as ahamkara, is the maker of an “I.” With every action, it proclaims: “I am the doer” and “These actions are mine.” Thus, when we use the word “I,” we imply an identity constructed within the mind itself. Your “I” is the identity of a particular body, a particular person-ality, particular patterns of thinking, and a particular life.

Rarely do we inspect our own iden-tities very closely. We simply are the player of roles (parent, teacher, tennis player) and the owner of qualities (at-tractive, articulate). Thus, when we ask ourselves the question “who am I?” with sincerity, it can arouse curiosity and fur-ther inquiry: “Is fur-there some aspect of

myself that I have not considered? Am I other than who I seem to be?”

The perception that one’s identity is both something less and something more than it seems is a paradox that’s at the core of yoga philosophy. Con-sider this passage from the Bhagavad Gita (6.6), one of countless such scrip-tural references to the nature of iden-tity: “The Self is the friend of that self by whose Self the very self is con-quered.” Translators have attempted to sort out the ambiguity around the term “self” (or atman) by leaving refer-ences to the individual self in lowercase and capitalizing references to the Self that represents transcendental reality. On the lesser side, we cling to a limited self—we grasp onto our ego and the things with which it identifies. Yet each of us is also a manifestation of some-thing more enduring than we appear to be. Just as a wave on the surface of the ocean remains part of a vast underlying

A

Find more scriptural references to the Self, and listen to these verses in Sanskrit, at yogaplus.org/popsanskrit.

DISTURBANCES AND FALSE IDENTITIES ARE GRADUALLY DISSOLVED

expanse of water, each of us is part of a vast field of pure consciousness, or Self.

The Nature of Identity

According to the Sankhya tradition, a dualist school of classical Indian philos-ophy, each person’s identity is an assem-blage. You are the construct of a con-scious Self (the subject or knower of experience, purusha), and an uncon-scious body/mind (which serves both as an instrument of awareness and an ob-ject of experience, prakriti). You have a body, but your body is not the entirety of you. You think, but your thoughts are also not the whole of you. Within each of us lies a pure inner witness—the knower, or consciousness.

The mind, acting like a highly pol-ished mirror, receives the light of con-sciousness, reflects it in its innermost surface, and takes on a likeness of con-sciousness itself. According to the sage Vyasa, we thus perceive our thoughts to be “the same as consciousness” because of their proximity to it. This process is designated by the unique Sanskrit term asmita, literally “I am-ness,” a semblance of true awareness. The term implies a false sense of identity, one that is mis-taken. It is mistaken because, once re-flected in the mind, consciousness no longer knows itself in its pure nature. What is otherwise unlimited, blissful, and eternal, through the confusion of asmita, gives the mind the appearance of consciousness. Then, through the agency of ahamkara, the mind supplies us with a limited sense of “I.” Until we

know ourselves deeply, we cling to the finite identities created within the mind by ahamkara.

Unfortunately, there is a great deal of pain in this. Over the course of time, we must learn to address the unpleasant re-alities of life that result from identifying with a body: health is unreliable, the ag-ing process creeps steadily along, and death is a certainty.

Does life offer an alternative to the suffering that comes with false identifica-tion? The answer to this question lies at the heart of yoga. Despite our deeply in-grained patterns of misidentification, something in life calls to us, whispering that there is more to be known. This is the call of meditation.

The Self in Meditation

Meditation, say the sages, gradually dis-pels the falseness of self-identity and re-veals a deep and true Self. This requires a process of purifying the ego.

Scriptures recommend two comple-mentary strategies for refining ahamkara during meditation: First, soften your grip on the limited self by contemplating such statements as “I am not merely a body” or “I am not governed only by mundane desires.” Second, rest your mind in the presence of the Infinite by focusing the mind on a mantra.

The Bhagavad Gita (6.25) says: Slowly, slowly, one should turn away (from desire), quieted by a steady dis-cernment. Actively establishing the mind in the Self, one should think of nothing else.

The Yoga Vasishtha (5.59) similarly affirms:

Abandon that which is knowable— the object. What now remains is the pure consciousness which is free from doubt. I am the infinite Self, for there is no limit to this Self. It is the beauty in all, it is the light of all. Through the implementation of these two strategies, meditation can lead you to an expanded self. Gradually, it

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minishes the notion that your “I” will find permanent happiness in any of the limited identities you have assumed, and it allows you to trustfully abide in the presence of pure consciousness.

But despite the encouragement of the scriptures, a fear may persist. You might wonder, “What will happen to me if I truly relax in meditation? Will ‘I’ vanish? Lose the self that I seem to be?”

In fact, meditation helps us realize that our true identity simply cannot be lost. Consciousness is the unperturbed subject of awareness, not its fleeting ob-ject. In meditation, the self senses the fullness of Self. Disturbances and false

identities are gradually dissolved, so that there can be a restoration of whole-ness—not a loss, but a filling in of your identity.

The essence of meditation, then, is the expansion of self. It is a process in which the narrow confines of limited identity are gradually transcended in fa-vor of what the Bhagavad Gita calls “the boundless happiness” of Self. To medi-tate is to dwell in that deep and joyful nature. Then, manas, the lower mind, rests in its focus; buddhi awakens to its role as the inner observer; impressions in chitta from previous meditations come forward for inner support; and the identities created by ahamkara increas-ingly relax into a higher sense of Self. This is the nature of meditation—a mind coordinated in the effort to rest in one’s own Being. ■

Rolf Sovik, PsyD,is the author of Moving Inward:

The Journey to Meditation. He is the president of

the Himalayan Institute, and serves as the co-director of the Institute’s branch center in Buffalo, New York.

A Yogic Map of the Mind

Here’s a brief review of the first three aspects of the mind we examined in previous issues, and the influence of meditation on each of them.

Manas, the everyday mind, is the coordinator of the senses and the mental screen on which thoughts and images occur. In meditation, manas is calmed. Its ener-gies are collected rather than allowed to shift about. Sense activities quiet, mean-dering thoughts settle down, and attention becomes focused.

As manas is calmed, a more discerning dimension of the mind, the buddhi, awakens. The buddhi assigns meaning and value to experience. Through the practice of meditation, the buddhi witnesses mental activity, lending a sense of dispassion to inner life. When it is purified, the buddhi provides a refined reflec-tion of consciousness itself.

The chitta is the unconscious storehouse of past thoughts and experiences— the bed of memory. It accumulates impressions and blends them with current mental imagery to give understanding and richness to experience. Stored impres-sions are propelled back onto manas in the form of

habitual behaviors or desires. In meditation this can take the form of a fantasy, a distracting thought, a simple desire, or a powerful emo-tional urge. However, the process of medita-tion deposits impressions of peace and con-centration in the chitta. These provide support during future periods of meditation.

Ahamkara (self-identity) Manas (everyday mind) Buddhi (silent mental witness) Chitta (unconscious mind)

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To learn more about the four aspects of the mind, go to yogaplus.org/mind.

On the subtle level, apana eliminates not only physical wastes but anything unde-sirable or threatening to good health. It sup-ports the immune system and helps keep the mind free of destructive forces. When apana is weak, the integrity of the mind-body com-plex is also weakened, and we become sus-ceptible to illness, fear, doubt, confusion, insecurity, and loss of purpose; when it is strong and balanced, apana roots and grounds us, providing the foundation for a healthy body and a flexible positive outlook on life.

For most of us, however, the constant downward drain of apana necessary for proper eliminative functioning can also de-plete us, leading us away from the inward unity that is the goal of yoga. The prac-tices of hatha yoga train apana to work effi-ciently—they help us conserve and redirect this energy so we can access deeper planes of awareness. By repurposing apana, we build a foundation from which we can awaken and intensify our inner spiritual fire.

Apana Vayu in Asana

With a little practice and awareness, almost all of the classical asanas can be done in a way that provides access to apana vayu; in-deed, mobilizing apana in the pelvis and then redistributing it is one of the main goals of asana work. This engagement of apana is the intention behind mula bandha, the root lock—a practice which is often misunder-stood as a clenching of the sphincters of the pelvic floor, but which, when properly acti-vated, can awaken and enliven asana. Ini-tially, you can in fact approach mula bandha by contracting the muscles of the pelvic floor between the pubis and the tailbone (includ-ing both the urogenital and the anal sphinc-ters). But in order to work with apana effec-tively in asana, you will need to engage a subtler, more complex aspect of mula bandha. On the muscular level, this means initiating and activating each pose from deep within the lower belly; this way you stabilize at the root without clenching, and ease the flow of apana into the structure of

Activate and direct downward-flowing energy for

confidence, strength, and a grounded sense of purpose.

By Sandra Anderson

Apana Vayu: The Anchoring Breath

ll yoga practices ultimately engage the movement of prana—the innate

life force. In the last issue, we discussed prana vayu, the first of the five

vayus, or subdivisions of the life force. Now we turn our attention to apana vayu—

of equal importance in the practice of hatha yoga. While prana vayu governs

the intake functions, apana, which is most active in the pelvis and lower

ab-domen, governs the eliminative functions (excretion, urination,

menstru-ation) and the downward and outward flow of energy in the body.

A

the pose. (It is important to note that, traditionally, mula bandha is discour-aged during menstruation—if you suc-ceed in catching hold of apana at that time, you may inhibit or even stop the flow of menses.)

The following selection of poses ex-plores how apana vayu can be activated across several classes of asana and vari-ous pelvic alignments. Standing poses use the activation in the legs to energeti-cally integrate the pelvis with the torso and the extremities, rooting us deeper into the pose and directing apana into the architecture of the asana. Sitting postures, which are intrinsically stabil-izing, provide an ideal opportunity to strongly engage apana. In twists and for-ward- and backfor-ward-bending poses, the activation of apana anchors the body and allows for a smooth flow of energy from the root up through the spine.

In the poses below, focus on the posi-tion of the pelvis, the engagement of the lower belly, and the activation of the legs. With even, full breathing and re-laxed but conscious engagement, you can harness the powerful force of apana to effortlessly stabilize and energize your postures.

1. Prasarita padottanasana (spread-legged standing forward bend) Notice how the pelvis is inverted here, drawing attention to the lower belly and pelvic floor. To start, step your feet wide apart with the toes pointed inward

slightly (the feet should be close enough to feel stable in the pose). Keep your weight evenly spread across the sole of each foot and fold forward from the hip creases. Use your feet to help awaken the pelvic floor and apana vayu: Ground the big toes, lift the arches, and bend the knees slightly. Then press the feet down and away from each other, as

if you were pulling the mat apart, or if you ski, executing a snowplow. Lift the sit bones and draw the pubic bones back between the inner thighs; then lift the pelvic floor and contract and hollow out the lower belly. Allow this energetic acti-vation to draw you deeper into the pose. 2. Vrikshasana (tree pose)

The legs and sacrum work together to stabilize this pose and awaken and redi-rect apana. Start with both feet parallel under the hip joints and evenly pressed into the floor. Rotate one thigh open and bring the foot to the top of the groin (or inner thigh if half lotus is hard on your knees). Hold the pose in place by staying engaged through the lower belly, the muscles around the sacrum, and the inner thigh of the standing leg. Draw up through the standing foot, press the bent knee back, and draw the tailbone toward the floor. (If you have the foot to the inner thigh, press the thigh against the foot to lift up off the standing leg.) Then draw up through the front of the spine as well as the center of the chest, throat, and head. Keep your focus on the engagement in the lower belly and refine the breath, softening in the lower rib cage and the back of the waist. With this engagement of apana, you’ll feel taller and stiller in the pose. 3. Ardha padma janu shirshasana (bound half lotus head-to-knee pose) This seated forward bend combines ele-ments of both the standing poses just described. In the bound version, the heel presses deep into the lower belly as you fold forward. Start sitting up straight with the legs directly in front of you. Use a prop and/or bend the knees if needed to bring the pelvis into a neutral position. Rotate one thigh open, bring-ing the foot to either the inner thigh or the top of the groin. If your leg is in half lotus position, wrap the arm on the same side behind the waist and catch the toes if they are available; otherwise leave the hand on the floor beside the thigh. Press the bent knee down, then

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1

3

4

2

5

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Learn more about the practice of mula bandha: yogaplus.org/rootlock. Download a podcast and read about prana vayu at yogaplus.org/vayus.

Photography by Kathryn LeSoine; Model: Sandra Anderson; W

ar

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hinge the pelvis forward from the hip joints and draw the pubic bones down and back. To deepen the connection with apana, exhale and engage the lower belly and pelvic floor; inhale by expand-ing the upper belly only. The contrac-tion just above the pubic bone deep in the abdomen provides a platform and support for the breath. The flywheel of the breath, in turn, generates energy in the body and absorbs and contains this energy at a deeper level.

4. Baddha konasana (bound angle pose) The inner thighs, lower back, and pelvic floor are intimately related to, and gov-erned by, apana. Because bound angle pose activates these regions, it is one of the most powerful postures for awaken-ing and directawaken-ing apana. To begin, sit with the pelvis in a neutral position; if necessary, sit on the edge of a folded blanket to maintain the natural curve in the lower back. Then press the knees down and feel the pelvic floor lift. Tilt forward, reaching the pubic bones down and back and lengthening the lumbar spine. Continue drawing forward from

the lower belly; activate the inner thighs to bring the thighs down and out away from the pelvis. Then draw the shoulder blades toward the waist and soften the jaw and the eyes. Breathe easily without releasing the action of the pose, and no-tice the energetic connection between the pelvic floor, the entire length of the spine, and the crown of the head. 5. Shalabhasana (locust pose)

With strong energetic and muscular en-gagement in the pelvis, shalabhasana powerfully activates apana and strength-ens the whole backside of the pelvis, legs, and lumbar spine. You may need to start with one leg at a time to build strength; keep the pelvis on the floor in the single-leg version. For full locust, po-sition your arms straight on the floor un-der the body so that you have maximum leverage to lift the pelvis up off the floor: interlace the fingers, or rest the upper thighs or groin on the little-finger side of your fists; if the elbows feel strained, try a different hand position. Consciously draw the pelvic floor in and up. Press the arms and the chest down and lift the legs and pelvis away from the floor. Keep reaching the legs back and up, and engage the inner thighs to secure the femurs in the center of the hip

sock-ets. After releasing the pose, rest with your head to one side and notice the en-ergy circulating from the pelvis through the whole body.

Pranayama for Apana Vayu Kapalabhati

Kapalabhati is a pranayama practice as well as a shat kriya—one of the six cleansing actions of hatha yoga. With its emphasis on the exhalation, kapalabhati enhances elimination of volatile meta-bolic wastes and dispels sluggishness and congestion, while engaging the seat of apana in the lower belly.

The defining characteristic of kapal-abhati is a sharp, forceful exhalation from the abdomen, followed immedi-ately by a passive, relaxed inhalation. The inhalation and the exhalation are asymmetrical—the exhalation feels like a staccato note, and the inhalation is on the rebound. Therefore, it’s important to quickly and completely relax after the exhalation.

A daily beginning practice consists of one to three rounds of 7 to 11 breaths at one breath every two seconds, resting between rounds. Add 5 to 10 breaths per round each week to increase your capacity, and gradually pick up speed to about one breath per second. Eventu-ally you may practice for one to three minutes at this speed. If you feel dizzy or light-headed, feel a stitch in your side, or lose the rhythm, rest with normal breathing, and next time try fewer breaths, or consult a teacher to refine your technique.

In the beginning, focus your attention at the lower belly. Work to stabilize the body while keeping your exhalations deep and rhythmic. Then refine your practice with a one-pointed inner mental focus at the eyebrow center. The name kapalabhati means “illuminated skull”— promising a halo when the purification of body and mind is complete! ■ Vayu Area of Body Function

Prana Chest, head Governs intake, inspiration, propulsion, forward momentum

Apana Pelvis Governs elimination, downward and outward movement

Samana Navel Governs assimilation, discernment, inner absorption, consolidation Udana Throat Governs growth, speech, expression,

ascension, upward movement Vyana Whole body Governs circulation on all levels,

expansiveness, pervasiveness

A Quick Look at the Five Prana Vayus

Our life force, prana, divides itself into five vayus, each governing different functions and aspects of being.

Yoga+ senior editor Sandra Anderson is co-author of Yoga: Mastering the Basics and has taught yoga and meditation for over 25 years.

Watch the author demonstrate this pranayama at yogaplus.org/kapalabhati.

Q

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I’ve come to dread spring because of my hay fever. As soon as the sea-son is in bloom, I start sneezing, my eyes get red and watery, and I feel fatigued for weeks—sometimes even months. I’ve tried antihistamines but they dehydrate me. Are there natural treatments that can help?

Yes. Natural systems of medicine— ayurveda, homeopathy, naturopathy, and herbalism, to name a few—recom-mend a variety of herbs, supplements, and lifestyle adjustments that can not only relieve your symptoms but begin to address the root causes of allergies from a holistic perspective. I can suggest easy everyday strategies that will guide you toward a sniffle-free spring. But first, let’s look at how allergies begin.

Physiologically, an allergic reaction occurs when your immune system

over-responds to a non-harmful substance (such as pollen, dust, or dander) and at-tacks it as if it were a dangerous invader. Rather than protecting the body, this faulty immune response creates a set of symptoms that becomes a disease state.

You have many common allergic re-sponses: congestion, sneezing, eye irrita-tion, and fatigue. Other symptoms in-clude coughing, wheezing, headache, itching, and hives. Substances that pro-voke these reactions are called allergens. In the spring, the most common aller-gens are pollens released from trees, grasses, and other plants. Allergens trig-ger the release of the compound hista-mine which binds to histahista-mine recep-tors, stimulating the immune response that leads to allergy symptoms. Most al-lopathic treatments are anti-histamines (such as Benadryl, Claritin, Allegra, and Zyrtec) which block histamine from

cre-ating allergic reactions. These medica-tions control symptoms but they often come with side effects like drowsiness, headache, dry mouth, loss of appetite, dizziness, and fatigue—and they do not heal the allergic state.

Addressing the Roots of the Problem Agni, Ama, and Immunity

Several holistic systems of medicine ar-gue that folks develop allergies due to three factors: a compromised immune system, a weak digestive system, and toxic overload. As a result, natural treat-ments generally focus on strengthening these systems and clearing toxins. In the parlance of ayurveda, our agni (di-gestive fire) supports immunity. But when agni is weak, our digestion is

in-Holistic health expert Carrie Demers,

MD, answers your questions about the

causes—and prevention—of allergies.

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y o g a +joyful living spring 2010 yogaplus.org

TOTAL

HEALTH

Natural Allergy Relief

Natural Histamine Blockers

If you really feel like you need an antihistamine,try the all-natural bioflavonoid Quercitin. It is best used preventa-tively (starting six to eight weeks before allergy season begins) but can also reduce existing allergy symptoms. Take 400 to 600 mg one to three times a day, adjusting your dose according to need.

Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) has been used as an anti-allergy herb for centuries. In one randomized placebo-controlled study published in Planta Medica, the leading international journal in the field of medicinal plants, 60 percent of the par-ticipants found nettles to be effective in reducing their allergy symptoms, and nearly half (48 percent) stated that nettles were at least as effective as their allergy medications. The recommended dosage is 300 to 350 mg of freeze-dried extract in capsule form one to three times a day. However, I’ve worked with patients who have reported marked improvement in their symptoms from simply drinking two to three cups of nettle tea daily.

In addition, many scientific studies have shown that vitamin C reduces blood levels of histamine in the laboratory, and a few more studies have shown the same in humans. Recommended dosing is 1 to 3 grams two to four times a day during al-lergy seasons (spring, summer, and fall); reduce dose if it causes loose stool.

Kathryn LeSoine

Listen to a Q&A with Dr. Carrie Demers at yogaplus.org/allergies.

complete, and the residue (or ama) of that unfinished processing becomes toxic waste in the body.

Yoga and ayurveda advise keeping your solar plexus and abdominal mus-cles strong to enkindle agni, reduce ama, and boost immunity. I recommend prac-ticing leg lifts, stomach crunches, and a cleansing kriya yoga technique called agni sara—a breathing practice that acti-vates the deep abdominal muscles and the pelvic floor. A beginner version of agni sara is to contract the abdominal wall, drawing the navel into the spine on the exhale, and smoothly relax on the in-hale. (You can watch an instructional video at yogaplus.org/agnisara.)

You can also take cleansing and/or immune-building supplements:

•Chyawanprash: This rejuvenative

ayurvedic preparation is made from amla berry, which is cooked into a jam with over 30 tonifying herbs and fruits. It’s high in vitamin C and strengthens agni and immunity. Take one teaspoon once or twice a day with a warm drink (milk or herbal tea) through the winter months to support your immune system.

•Astragalus_(Astragalus

membrana-ceous): This Chinese herb is best taken for a month before allergy season to strengthen immunity and fortify your constitution. Take one teaspoon of pow-dered root as a tea, or 500 mg in tablet form, three times a day.

•Echinacea, goldenseal, burdock,

and/or red clover: Take these

blood-cleansing herbs two to three times a day in tincture or capsule form, both before and during allergy season. Follow the dose on the package.

Excess Kapha

According to ayurveda, kapha, the ele-mental energy of earth and water, rises throughout winter and early spring. You can see the cold, heavy, damp qualities of kapha in the changing weather as the snow melts, the rain begins to fall, and the earth becomes heavy with moisture. The kapha within us also begins to liq-uefy, and we struggle with colds,

aller-6 Homeopathic Remedies

ine

You can also treat allergies with homeopathy, a natural system of medicine that supports the body’s intrinsic healing capacity on a subtle level. It is in-expensive, and when prescribed according to individual needs by a qualified homeopath, it can be highly effective.

Homeopathy is based on the paradoxical theory that “like cures like.” A substance (such as coffee) that causes a particular set of symptoms (such as insomnia, restlessness, and irritability) in a large dose can relieve those symptoms in an extremely diluted dose.

Below are common homeopathic remedies for allergies. Find the one that describes your dominant symptoms, and take a low-potency dosage (be-tween 6x and 30c) two to three times a day for two weeks. If you notice that you’re feeling better, continue taking it through the allergy season or until you are symptom-free. If not, work with a qualified homeopath to find the right remedy.

Remedy | Symptoms

Allium cepa Nasal mucus irritates the nose or upper lip; eyes are runny but the discharge is bland and non-irri-tating. Worse from warm rooms, better in open air.

Arsenicum album Stuffiness and copious watery nasal discharge that burns the lips; a burning sensation in the eyes, nose, and/or throat (often right-sided); sneezing upon waking, often with a tickle in the nose; anxiety and restlessness; symptoms are better from warmth (hot drinks, warm baths).

Euphrasia officinalis Symptoms are centered in the eyes: profuse tear-ing that is acrid and burntear-ing in nature; bland, non-irritating nasal discharge. Respiratory symptoms (runny nose, cough) are worse on rising in the morning; symptoms are better in open air and in the dark.

Natrum muriaticum Watery or egg-white-like nasal discharge; parox-ysms of sneezing; chapped lips and cracks at the corners of the mouth; dark circles under the eyes; headaches.

Sabadilla Itchy nose; violent, debilitating sneezing; runny eyes that become worse in cold outdoor air and from flower pollen; symptoms are better from warm drinks and warm rooms.

Wyethia Extreme itching in the throat and palate that can extend to the ears; sore throat with hoarseness. Most health food stores carry homeopathic remedies, as well as combina-tion remedies, which mix several remedies together into one “allergy relief” tablet. Although the latter approach sacrifices the precision of individual-ized prescribing, many allergy sufferers still find relief from their symptoms.

gies, and bronchitis, along with other kapha-related issues such as lethargy, weight gain, and depression. You can quell kapha with ayur vedic treatments that are heating, drying, and invig-orating to balance kapha’s cool, moist, heavy qualities.

• Exercise vigorously for 30 minutes a day until sweat forms along your spine and under your arms.

• Treat yourself to a sauna.

• Eat a kapha-pacifying diet of light non-glutinous grains like quinoa and millet, plenty of vegetables (except roots and squashes), and warm, cooked, spicy, dry foods. You may also benefit from avoiding heavy and/or oily foods like wheat and dairy (especially ice cream).

• Learn a cleansing yoga practice called gaja karani (a ther-apeutic vomiting technique also known as the “upper wash”). It’s not the most popular anti-kapha remedy, but it’s highly effective for treating allergies. The upper wash involves chug-ging two quarts of mildly salty water when you wake up in the morning, then promptly regurgitating it. (To learn the practice, visit yogaplus.org/upperwash.) It rinses excess mu-cus from the stomach and draws mumu-cus from the nose and bronchi, reducing congestion, building heat, and quelling ka -pha. (This practice is contraindicated for people with hiatal hernia, acid reflux, hypertension, and heart disease.)

• Practice vigorous pranayamas like kapalabhati to strengthen your inner fire—melting excess kapha and, hence, mucus. Kapalabhati is best done preventatively;

don’t practice it if you have nasal and/or sinus congestion. See page 25 to learn the technique.

I recommend doing these kapha-pacifying therapies throughout the winter so that, when allergy season hits, there is little accumulated kapha to create the familiar symptoms. When you add some of the herbs, supplements, and strategies for reducing ama and strengthening agni and immunity, you can begin to eliminate the root causes of al-lergies—and enjoy spring in all its glory. ■

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Minimize the Triggers

If you’re susceptible to hay fever, allergists rec-ommend staying indoors with the windows closed on dry windy days, washing your linens and clothing often, and running air purifiers in your house to re-move molecules of pollen. Use a neti pot to rinse your nasal passages of dirt, germs, pollen, and excess mu-cus with a soothing saline solution; for best results, re-peat this nasal wash several times a day. (Learn more about the practice at yogaplus.org/neti.)

Board-certified in internal medicine, Carrie Demers, MD,is the director of the Himalayan Institute Total Health Center.

time to

This spring, take a leap into full expression of who you are through experiential programs that ignite your passions. You’ll return home

ready for whatever

the world brings.

Kim Eng • Kali Ray • David Swenson Bo Forbes • Krishna Das • Rodney Yee Elena Brower • Erich Schiffmann Stephen Cope • Dharma Mittra Bryan Kest • Amy Weintraub Swami Nirmalananda Saraswati Priti Robyn Ross • Aadil Palkhivala Sylvia Boorstein • Snatam Kaur Pandit Rajmani Tigunait • SARK Julia Cameron • Alberto Villoldo Tara Brach • Caroline Myss Daniel J. Siegel • Emilie Conrad John Demartini • Robert Thurman Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen Sarah Powers • Noah Levine SPECIAL EVENTS 2010 Yoga Therapy Intensive with Gary Kraftsow, Bo Forbes, Judith Hanson Lasater, and others

Yoga Fusion with Claire Este-McDonald, Alicia Orr, Mahan Kirn Kaur Khalsa, , and others

30

y o g a +joyful living spring 2010 yogaplus.org

Harness prana shakti—the inner divinity—with a potent tantric practice that will c

Tantra ignites your innate power to grow and blossom in every aspect of your life.

Let’s begin by

reminding ourselves of the distinctive nature of

tantra as encapsulated at the end of my last article:

For ages people have been fighting an unending war—the war of good and

bad, right and wrong, virtue and sin, heaven and hell, sacred and mundane,

freedom and bondage. Everyone caught in this war—monks and householders,

clergy and laymen, politicians and philosophers, men and women, poor and

rich, businessmen and those fully committed to inner life—are equally

miser-able. Tantra has a remedy for this misery. This remedy works because a tantric

seeks freedom in the world, not from the world. In tantra, the sacred and the

mundane are held together in harmonious balance. Worldly success and

spiri-tual development go hand in hand. This is a joy-driven path, a path of active

participation in life. It is not a path for those who seek salvation after death but

a path for those who seek health, wealth, peace, and happiness here and now.

Living Tantra

(

PART

2)

ll charge your mind with vitality, insight, and the power to heal.

By Pandit Rajmani Tigunait