That’s why good anatomy references and books are essential to me… and anatomy related to movement is fascinating!

I’m sharing here the main references I’ve been consulting again and again, and constantly coming back to through the years – to better understand the dynamics of the body in the yoga asanas, as well as postural issues in daily life:

Yoga Anatomy by Leslie Kaminoff

http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=y054c-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=1450400248&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr

Anatomy of Movement by Blandine Calais

http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=y054c-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0939616572&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr

Anatomy of Hatha Yoga: A Manual for Students, Teachers, and Practitioners by David H. Coulter

http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=y054c-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=097070061X&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr

If you are like me, this is definitely not your favorite time of the year! Where’s the warm weather? Should I fly to Mexico…? Let’s stop dreaming a little too much, to avoid getting lost in the thought process… Back to Vata and winter, for all of us living in geographical areas with noticeable changes of season, weather changes can disturb our body, mind and mood.

We can neither change the weather nor switch right away to our favorite season, but what we can do is make some diet and daily routine adjustments to help us adapting and making friend with the season. Then we might even appreciate every season through its manifestation in nature and the change of weather, as we flow harmoniously along!

For Dallas/Fort Worth area residents, this upcoming Sunday, december 18th, I’ll be sharing insights and tips for a winter routine and yoga practice to pamper and nurture yourself, and counteract the potential aggravating effects of Vata on your body.

More info at: YY Winter Pampering Flyer or  http://www.tsadayogadallas.com/WinterPampering.html

There’s a looooot to talk about on this topic, and I promise to come back soon with more, but for now I’ll leave you today with Dr Siva Mohan “Top 10 balancing tips for Vata Season”:

1. Oil every orifice! (I’m serious.) We are oil-pulling (mouth); doing nasya (nose and ears), and basti (colorectum) in my house. Vata is dry, dry, dry. We may notice drier nasal passages and lips, but we don’t do anything about it. In ayurveda, oiling helps to fortify the epithelium that lines the orifices and prevents against vata imbalance in these areas (e.g. prevents upper respiratory infections, earaches/tinnitis/infections, constipation/diverticuli, etc.)

2. Oil your skin. This is the largest organ of the body, and a digestive organ. Medicinal oils are so important this time of year. Although traditional abhyangha (daily self massage) is recommended before bathing, I recommend oiling yourself after bathing in place of a lotion or sheabutter. 20 minutes on your skin is all it takes for something to be seen in your blood stream! So medicinal oils are a great way to take in herbs that are balancing and reduce dryness from the outside in.

3. Cook with ghee. Ghee, to me, is clarified life-force from breastmilk–minus the lactose sugars and waxes/debris in butter that clog arteries. It nourishes all tissues, is known to help rejuvenate deeper tissues, and pacifies vata and pitta. Ghee reduces dryness and increasing the quality of tissues from the inside-out. On this note, avoid dry and cold foods!

4. Lock into some kind of routine. Routine is rhythm and that rhythm is what our internal clocks (e.g. circadian rhythms) will set to. With routine to anchor your mind and body, there is greater harmony amongst the millions of processes taking place inside your miraculous self. This synchrony helps prevent against imbalance.

5. Spend quality time with supportive people in your life. AKA bring in healthy kapha. Really plug into the people that ground you. Maybe instead of going to get a drink in a noisy bar, you go for a walk together; instead of watching a movie, prepare a meal together. You get the idea, it’s about feeling present during your time together.

6. Move around less (that means stay at home more) Constant movement is the hallmark of vata. Stay still. Leave space in your schedule. Lie on the floor, stare at the trees out of the window, meditate…just be. After all, we are human BEings, not human DOings.

7. Go to bed before 9pm. I know, that is a G rated bedtime…and almost impossible during holiday festivities. But really, this is when vata time of night really kicks in, so as many days as possible that you can accomplish this (or closer to this than you are now), you will reduce the vata you take in.

8. Spend less time around electronics. All EMR is movement–TV and laptops screens are moving so fast. And that movement is stimulating to our brains. Less stimulation=less vata.

9.Get massaged (with oil of course). Human touch is grounding. Massages reduce tension, and soften the body. Soft, supple, warm and oily are all qualities that balance vata.

10.Flame-gaze. This is so great when you are feeling scattered and having trouble focusing. So many holidays this time of year incorporate candles and light (Hannukah, Diwali, Kwanza…), so take advantage. Just stare at the flickering flame and allow yourself to become fully immersed in it’s dance and nature. That’s it! It also calms the nervous system.

As we enter the yoga world, most of the time through a physical practice guided by a teacher, we progressively start feeling other benefits than just physical wellbeing from our group practice… But lot of times that peace, wellbeing, serenity, joy that we experienced on the mat, soon vanishes when we leave the class. How do we extend the effects of yoga into our daily life…? How do we learn to systematically apply the same attitude we have on the mat, outside the mat, into our daily life, into the world…? As anything else, it is a learning process. And the best way to learn is to practice!

But realistically, when we look at all aspects of our lives, we all are experiencing different events at work, with our families, in our relationships, in our understanding of the world, that make us unique individuals. So one recipe cannot match and fit all. There are certainly tools that are universal wisdom, practical for all of us at various levels and through different variations or expressions. It’s just a matter of finding which one(s) work specifically for you, at this stage of your life.

Then my favorite recipe is probably not yours… This is what Sadhana is about. Exploring, discovering, searching for tools that speak to you and bringing them together to help you grow in your own life.

Yoga teacher Iyengar defines Sadhana as follows:
Sādhana is a discipline undertaken in the pursuit of a goal. Abhyāsa is repeated practice performed with observation and reflection. Kriyā, or action, also implies perfect execution with study and investigation. Therefore, sādhana, abhyāsa, and kriyā all mean one and the same thing. A sādhaka, or practitioner, is one who skillfully applies…mind and intelligence in practice towards a spiritual goal.

At large, my understanding of Sadhana is “personal practice”… Bring together a few simple elements or tools – cooking healthy foods, starting a yoga asana practice at home, meditating, spending quality time reading and/or feeding your mind and spirit with positive “fuel”, etc. Establish a sacred daily routine for yourself as if you were putting together a recipe. By implementing and practicing that little self-established routine, you’ll connect with awareness to your Inner Creator and discover the power of life and happiness you already have within you.

Dedicating time to yourself as a sacred appointment with yourself, even if it’s just a few minutes at a time to start with, will bring you peace, clarity of mind, confidence, faith, and a positive attitude towards your life to make wiser decisions, to grow healthier and stronger relationships, to release fears and to embrace life as a wonderful treasure.

Growing within us, and our experiences, feelings and emotions, we’ve trying hard – too hard – to force it and make it happen as a solution to all troubles and pains. We idealize it through what we feel for others, and we get frustrated and feel abandoned when we think we lost it… But It is here, there, around and within us, powerfully eternal, with no limit of space and time, and constantly expanding to feed all of us… We breath it at all times without even noticing…

It’s not a tool to manipulate, to assess, to reward, to change, to build, to create, to discriminate, to anticipate, to expect, to rationalize, to explain – the list never ends on the perceptions and definitions of It… Love is.

What an Oprah “AHHHHH” moment when you come to realize, it’s always been there and will always be there. And it’s not what you thought it was! Or at least not totally… Of course Love manifests in what I feel for my mom, MF, for my grand-mother Coco, for my sister Mari, for Laura my life partner in so many aspects, for all of YOU my friends, my students, my teachers, for the sea that surrounds this island, for most simple things in life…. for myself, for Him. And Love shows with different expressions, flavors and colors, it comes straight from the unlimited reservoir of my Heart… I love to love.

Though, it’s not an action, not a verb, not a word, not a concept, not a recipe… Love is unlimited, boundless, free, constantly flowing and pulsating like a vast and strong river feeding an Ocean of Creation beyond what the Mind can imagine, but here for everyone and anyone to be simply felt. Voila! so easy right…?

It’s not about you, it’s not about me… IT IS! Oh my God, do you realize then what kind of  things can happen, the possibilities that suddenly open to you!? All kind of synchronicities and blessings coming to you, to us, to All…? Unlimited!!! And you don’t even need a credit card to have access to it!

It’s not rare, it’s not extinct, it’s not exclusive, it’s not fancy, it doesn’t deplenish, it’s never out of batteries, it’s not lost in yesterday, neither hiding from tomorrow, it’s  low in calories – but more energetic than anything else! You can have it NOW, Love is already in you and outside of you, you just need to consciously tap into it like you open a door.

Watch closely because the Gateway to Love is already at your reach, in your Heart and in everything else… Release all Fear, surrender to the Universe and en-JOY.

A special “Thank you” to my teachers, too many to name but a few to write down: Ro Chapa (gracias por todo), Ty and Matt and the Heart Metaphysical School (I think I’ve finally passed the end of course exam, hahaha), to Aji (I’ve learned so much from our relationship), to Yoga and all teachers and Gurus Ive come across and still am.

A special “Thank you” to you Laura, for the most beautiful business partnership I could ever dream of and for being such a dear and true friend.

A special “Thank you” to Mari, my sister – even though we don’t share the same blood, I couldn’t have a better sister than you.

A VERY special “Merci” to the very expression of Love on Earth in my world, you who brought me to this Life, my sweetest little mom with a HUGE heart: “Maman je t’aime très très fort!” To my dad, to Coco and all my ancestors.

And so many thank you to Chris, Aleida, Mari Carmen, Kirk, all my friends, Tsada family, my students (Michelle, take a share please, Ive learned a lot from you too) ALL of YOU who read this message, and those you don’t, who have been and are to be part of my Life.

And thank you to my Gateway, Ray.

When temperatures rise, and rise and stay at a high top around the 100s, life can become even more stressful as we become irritable, moody, tired, lazy, some rashes might pop-up, sleep becomes difficult, digestion troubles might occur, etc… and much more depending on our own constitution or personality. It can affect some of us less than others (lucky those) but to some extent it does disturb everyone. We can’t control the weather, neither we can’t stop functioning and just lay in a tub filled up with water and ice cubes all day! So what can we do…?

MINT! You probably think I lost it, because of the heat. In fact, mint has incredible cooling properties that makes it the perfect partner in crime for the summer. Most of you have probably eaten some time a fresh and minty tabouleh:

Summer Tabouleh

Ingredients*: Serves 4 people

1-1/2 cup of cooked quinoa, couscous, or bulgur (cracked wheat)

1 big or two small tomatoes

1 cucumber

1 big grated carrot (or 2 small)

Sliced green onion or chives

Optional: One small grated beet

*Use all fresh organic produce if possible, to avoid adding pesticides and other chemicals to your food – including your mint!

Dressing:

1 – 1 1/2 lemon juice (depending on the lemon size)

3 – 4 tbsp cold pressed olive oil

Rock salt (sea salt is heating) or Braggs (liquid aminoacids)

A pinch of pepper

A handful (my hand is small, so yours might translate into half a hand) of fresh peppermint leaves, finely sliced to release all its cooling flavor

Aromatherapy: a few drops go a long way!

Homemade mint spray recipe

6 oz glass spray bottle (essential oils can damage plastic)

20 drops of peppermint essential oil

6 oz filtered or distilled water

Mix water with essential oil drops in the spray bottle, and SHAKE it well each time before spraying your arms, neck and legs with it. I’d suggest you first test it on a small area of our skin, to discard any allergy reaction. You can also use it as a room spray!

What about sipping on a cold mint tea or mint-infused water? And chewing on some mint leaves? Using an aromatherapy diffuser to spread some mint smell in the house or at the office…?

These are just a few of suggestions, but you can be creative with mint – including using Dr Bronner peppermint soap that leaves a wonderfully refreshing tingling on the skin…. ahhhh I immediately feel a looooot cooler just writing about Mint.

Be minty cool, be minty happy!

PS: And remember that a cooling nap is always welcome, “it’s actually mandatory! “meows The Cat:

Ressources:

Aromatherapy Nebulizer - http://www.chiactivate.com/products/aromatherapy/aromatherapydiffuser.shtml (I highly recommend this kind of diffuser over the ones with a tea candle, to avoid burning the essential oils)

Essential Oils:
I usually recommend high-quality therapeutic grade oils, but in the case of peppermint AuraCacia and Now brands – that you can find at Whole Foods or any health store – will do the cooling job.
Aura Cacia – http://www.auracacia.com/auracacia/acproducts/acessoils.html

In Ayurveda, Summer is Pitta season. It’s made of the elements of Fire and Water, and Pitta individuals tend to be aggravated by the sour, pungent and salty flavors. Nonetheless, we are all made of the three doshas (Pitta, Vata and Kapha) to varying degrees, so we all benefit from following mostly a Pitta diet in the summer. To pacifying the fire and heat, we need to favor foods with sweet, bitter, astringent flavors and cold, heavy, oily qualities.

Here are some foods to favor:

• Vegetables – asparagus, bell peppers, broccoli, cabbage, celery, cilantro, leafy greens, seaweed, snow peas, lettuce, and summer squash
• Fruits - fresh ripe berries, melons, watermelon, apricots, grapes, peaches, pears, avocado and ripe plums

Sweet berries and peaches

• Try drinking cool or room temperature water infused with cucumber slices or peppermint leaves to stay fresh and hydrated.
• If you are not vegetarian, favor chicken or freshwater fish instead of red meat.
• Add cooling spices and herbs to your meals, such as peppermint, saffron, cardamom, cumin, fennel, turmeric. Those will also help your digestion. A mint Lassi (diluted yogurt drink) can also be the perfect digestion helper after a heavy meal: 1/3 cup of organic plain yogurt, 2/3 cup of water, mint leaves, and 1/2 – 1 tsp of agave syrup.
• Avoid caffeinated and/or carbonated drinks, as well as alcohol which is highly heating.
• Avoid any spicy hot food such as chile based sauces or salsas. Sorry my dear Mexican and Asian friends, but trust me in Texas you are better off without chiles in the summer! If you can’t live without jalapeños and other chiles, move to Alaska or the South Pole for the summer…

Personalize Your Workout | by the Himalayan Institute

We are all unique and one thing, one food or one exercise routine can do wonders to one person and get another individual out of balance. The Ayurveda science and preventive medicine system can help us and guide us to make better choices in the way we eat, we exercise, and we handle daily life in general.

This article highlights the features of a general exercise routine based on our predominant dosha (ayurvedic profile). If you don’t know what your own doshic profile is, there are various online quiz to determine yours.

Here are a couple of recommended links:

Life Spa website (Dr. John Douillard official page) - http://www.lifespa.com/body_type_quiz.aspx

Joyful Belly – http://www.joyfulbelly.com/Ayurveda/assessment/Dosha

Get to know yourself to better tailor your needs, and bring balance to your life.

Sarva mangalam!*

*Sanscrit translation: Happiness to everyone.

I haven’t been able to share insights with you in quite a bit of time, and I truly apologize for this… I’ve thought about it many times, especially right before falling asleep – the intention has popped up, and the subjects and words along have followed… and got stuck and lost into my dream world!

Too bad there’s not a device yet to read my creative mind as I fall asleep, that would transcribe all my “speech” and postings into a word processor format. Then it would be easy to just export the material and post it in YANA (my new blog name, it used to be YAN… I need to post about this update too) as I wake up in the morning! Ok, that’s called laziness or maybe lack of time, or not setting the right priorities…? Pick and choose, most probably it’s a bit of all and my Vata scattered mind doesn’t always focus well.

Hearing about allergies around me (and a little bit within me too) as the trees show their new bright green leaves, and the wind blows and spreads pollens in all directions, I’d like to share some tips and advice on the Kapha season and how to help body and mind go through the seasonal transition of Winter to Spring.

Thanks to John Joseph Immel and Joyful Belly website (www.joyfulbelly.com) for its excellent content, tips, recipes, free conferences, consultations and much more! En-JOY!!!

Leafy greens are good for Kapha

***This article is courtesy of Joyful Belly ***

Melting Fat & Shedding Dogs: Late Winter & Early Spring in Ayurveda

An Ideal Season for Weight Loss

January is traditionally the coldest month of the year in North America. Ayurvedically, January is a month of transition from Vata to Kapha season. Vata season is characterized by the body scrambling to protect itself from ever dropping temperatures (see Fall/Early Winter). As soon as temperatures bottom out and begin to rise, the pattern shifts from building to releasing. Literally the body melts fat much as a dog sheds fur. Late winter & early spring are thus ideal seasons for begining a new diet and losing weight (see Spring Diet). Spring fasting, the traditional time of year for many Native American cultures, helps cleanse the blood after a long winter of fatty, heavy foods.

Useful Products for Losing Weight and Managing Cravings

Gymnema Sylvestre – Destroys the taste and craving for sugar, regulates blood sugar levels

Weight Away – Helpful with weight loss and cleansing

Trikatu – Improves metabolism and destroys Kapha

Triphala – Cleansing action supports weight loss

Triphala Guggulu – Aids fat metabolism and detoxification

Neem – Destroys sweet cravings

Ginger – Improves digestion, circulation and metabolism

Cardamom – Refreshes the palate and destroys cravings

A Season of Transition

Late winter and early spring is a kapha watery season of warming temperatures lasting from February to mid-May. Outside, snow melts making the rivers full and muddy. Warm temperatures encourage tender young sprouts and sweet sap to run in the vasculature of maple trees. Our internal landscape reflects mother nature’s. Spring is a time of cleansing and renewal. Kapha fat along with toxins melt away from tissues and into the blood, making the blood sweet. Blood plasma and toxins are our metaphorical maple syrup and muddy river, releasing a flood of mucus in allergy season.

Rich Blood

Late winter & early spring is Kapha season. Melting fat enriches the blood provoking Kapha dosha. Liver heat is responsible for moving the blood and metabolizing it. However, blood that is too rich and thick clogs circulation and the liver. Clinically, the symptoms of spring Kapha are stiff muscles, arterial plaque buildup, mucus & hay fever. Allergy season is a sign of aggravated Kapha. Turmeric is a powerful blood mover that restores circulation, cleanses the liver and re-ignites metabolism (via rasa dhatu agni). Spring is the season of bitters. Bitter cholagogues such as turmeric and dandelion root aid the cleansing process by draining the excess fats from the blood and depositing them, in the form of bile, into the digestion tract.

Spring Diet

Eat a dry kapha pacifying diet favoring bitters.

Include drying grains, for example, like barley and corn, warming spices that open the blood like ginger and turmeric, and warming bitters like dandelion and arugula. Take triphala to keep bowels clear and aid the cleansing process. Avoid heavy, oily, sweet and salty foods such as red meat and dairy.

Location: Remedy Spa

Address: 1810 N Prairie Ave – Dallas,TX 75204

Event Time: 7:00 to 10 pm

Couples, Friends, Family and Neighbors… Come and celebrate Universal Love with us!

This is the initial Soirée Program:

7 – 8 pm: Yoga from the Heart with Douchka, and the angelical voice and live music of Shanti Webb (http://www.myspace.com/shantimichellemusic)
8 – 10 pm:
- Astrology and Love Compatibility readings by Ty
- Valentine Shakeology Chocolate and Red Berries tasting
- Vegetable wax based candles for sale by Tim
- Special Raffle for Remedy Spa massage services

- And more!

All activities will be donation based. Stay tuned to check for updates and added activities☺

Bring your loved one(s) and enjoy the energy, the music and the company sipping on warm tea and coffee on the veranda.

Whether you already have plans for a romantic dinner, or not, swing by and get fully connected and charged with Loving Energy to go on with your evening afterwards…

Peace and Love

…. And talking about Love, here are a couple of insightful perspectives over Love:

1) A buddhist approach – posting by Thais Campos :

What is Real Love – Buddhism and Unconditional Love

Buddhist philosophy teaches that true love is free from attachment and emotional dependence. Love is unconditional, the need of reciprocity is mere passion

Loving and being loved is not as easy as it may seem. Building a strong relationship involves commitment and patience, and still, most people have at least once in life suffered because of a broken heart. Falling in love brings joy and tenderness as well as fear of loss, jealousy and insecurity. Is it impossible to love without suffering? Before delving into the reasons why people suffer for love, it’s necessary to answer one essential question: what is real love?

What Buddhism Says About Love

According to Buddhism, to love is an action. It’s that force that motivates people to become better, to improve themselves in order to reach eternity and happiness. Love brings out the best in people, as when they love, the target is not themselves but the beloved ones. This wish to serve others is said to be a reflection of an innate knowledge that everybody is connected through the same principle, and therefore, it is an illusion to believe that one can achieve true happiness while those around haven’t attained it . So, love is the action that makes people step out of their own ego and work in favour of the whole in a search for fulfillment.

In fact, Buddha said that he would not enter nirvana until the last person had reached enlightenment, and this is the main principle of the Mahayana school, which teaches that true love is the wish that every living creature achieves wisdom and pure joy. So, those who love, work to lead the beloved ones towards enlightenment.

Read more at Suite101: What is Real Love – Buddhism and Unconditional Love http://www.suite101.com/content/what-is-real-love–buddhism-and-unconditional-love-a272411#ixzz1DxXczrVs

2) On relationships and Love by DailyOM (http://www.dailyom.com/articles/2010/22991.html) published on April 19, 2010, to remind us what true love should be about:

The Real Thing
Love Should Feel Good

Love should feel good. Relationships that leave you feeling depleted, sad and making excuses are not based in love.

Often in our lives, we fall prey to the idea of a thing rather than actually experiencing the thing itself. We see this at play in our love lives and in the love lives of our friends, our family, and even fictional characters. The conceptualizing, depiction, and pursuit of true love are multimillion-dollar industries in the modern world. However, very little of what is offered actually leads us to an authentic experience of love. Moreover, as we grasp for what we think we want and fail to find it, we may suffer and bring suffering to others. When this is the case, when we suffer more than we feel healed, we can be fairly certain that what we have found is not love but something else.

When we feel anxious, excited, nervous, and thrilled, we are probably experiencing romance, not love. Romance can be a lot of fun as long as we do not try to make too much of it. If we try to make more of it than it is, the romance then becomes painful. Romance may lead to love, but it may also fade without blossoming into anything more than a flirtation. If we cling to it and try to make it more, we might find ourselves pining for a fantasy, or worse, stuck in a relationship that was never meant to last.

Real love is identifiable by the way it makes us feel. Love should feel good. There is a peaceful quality to an authentic experience of love that penetrates to our core, touching a part of ourselves that has always been there. True love activates this inner being, filling us with warmth and light. An authentic experience of love does not ask us to look a certain way, drive a certain car, or have a certain job. It takes us as we are, no changes required. When people truly love us, their love for us awakens our love for ourselves. They remind us that what we seek outside of ourselves is a mirror image of the lover within. In this way, true love never makes us feel needy or lacking or anxious. Instead, true love empowers us with its implicit message that we are, always have been, and always will be, made of love.

Let’s give a good start to a new day by following some good tips  - so you don’t even think or doubt about it anymore, read My Yoga Journal insights about a morning routine, and try it out! Let me know how it works for you:

“On these cold, dark winter mornings it can be difficult to crawl out of a warm and cozy bed earlier than absolutely necessary. How many times have you thought about waking up early for a sweet asana or meditation session, only to repeatedly hit the snooze button on your alarm when morning actually arrives? Early morning, however, in the peace of dawn and before the day’s distractions can take hold, is the very best time to practice yoga. Extensive practice, while beneficial, is not necessary—a mere 10-minute meditation before you start your day can make all the difference in the world (…)“

Complete article: My Yoga Journal — Good Mornings.