Winter Yoga Guide

The calm, dark and quiet nature of the winter can seem… how do I say this?  Oppressive!  The combination of the winter season and the stress of the times can leave us feeling weighed down, stagnant, or uninspired. 

Here is the BIG Ayurveda tip to counteract this:  double down your commitment to yoga.  

An invigorating and expansive yoga practice during winter can be surprisingly supportive of your overall well-being.   Below are some specific recommendations to practice yoga during winter.

Here are the go-to yoga poses to bring vigor to your life this winter: 

• Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar)

• Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)

• Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)

• Reverse Warrior (Viparita Virabhadrasana)

Forward bends and bacbends are also recommended, as are postures that stimulate metabolism like:

• Cobra (Bhujangasana)

• Bow (Dhanurasana)

• Side Plank (Vasisthasana)

• Supine twists like Revolved Abdomen Variation (Jathara Parivartanasana Variation)

Of course you can adapt your practice on a daily basis to work with your local climate (as you know and your internal needs.  For example if you feel stressed and depleted (Vata imbalance), move at a slower and gentler pace.  Or if you feel unmotivated and lethargic (Kapha imbalance), move at a faster pace, allowing your breath to quicken and your inner heat to intensify.  I know this makes total sense but sometimes you need to read it somewhere.

However you practice, PRACTICE.   Practice with an expansive heart and hold your poses long enough to feel challenged.

In addition to your yoga practice, cultivate a  supportive winter-season diet and lifestyle.  These  may look quite different from one person to the next, but each of us has a great deal to gain from honoring and aligning ourselves with the rhythms of nature.  

You are what you do. #habits

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle

Hmm? So what is Aristotle talking about? Let’s go there, habits are the small actions you take and the decision you make every day.  Research by Duke University scientists suggests that habits account for about 40% of what we do on any given day.  I think the other 60% is driven by the MTA.  But seriously, your Dharma and/or your current life is essentially the sum of your habits.  In other words, your health or your malady is a result of your habits; your joy or fear is a result of your habits; your alignment with your Dharma or sense of failure is a result of your habits.

40%.

What you are repeatedly thinking about and doing each day creates the persona that you display to the world, your beliefs and who you are.  Everything I teach starts with better habits: my yoga teachings through abhyasa (repeated practice over a long period of time to obtain spiritual connectivity), my organization coaching through performing repetitive tasks to obtain productivity and my yoga health coaching through daily aligned routines.  All habits.  When you learn why you are doing what you are doing, you can learn to transform your habits and you can transform your life.

Best Habits Reads

• The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg – After seeing it on every subway rider under the age of 30, I gave in.  Totally worth it!!!
• Any Article by James Clear – my habit go to guru – he does all the research and his science base approach is nerdy galore.

To explore more and playfully engage into your personal prophesy, you can come or call in to the next DHARMA SESSIONS – a free workshop about clarity and practicality!   You’ll explore technologies like Yoga, Ayurveda, Professional Organization, A Course in Miracles and Yoga Health Coaching to design the lifestyle that will help you thrive in your career, creative endeavors and relationships.  
 

Spark Up Your Life (or is it time for a cleanse?)

No matter how much we work on staying at my optimal health, living in a big city and career obligations catch up with my body and mind.  That is what brought me to my first cleanse many years ago. I was feeling overwhelmed, overweight and overextended. As a yogi I can’t praise enough the practice of regular cleansing in the year to observe, pamper and thank my body.  

After studying and trying many ways to cleanse, this is what I know as a Yoga Health Coach, a good cleanse has to address both internal and external toxins. It has to deal with the toxins we eat, drink, breath and put on our bodies AND also with the internal toxicity created by the body as it performs its normal everyday functions.

I believe that cleansing isn’t about starving yourself or skipping meals.  Ayurveda offers a straightforward approach to detoxing and to me the most efficient and with long lasting results because Ayurveda encourages your body to do it’s thing.   

So how do you know if it’s time for you to try a cleanse?

YOU’RE FEELING SPENT, TIRED AND WANT MORE ENERGY

If you’re feeling lethargic and drained and don’t have the energy to live your daily life with vibrancy, your diet could be the culprit. A cleanse clears your system of any foods that are squashing your energy (the biggest culprits are usually sugar, dairy and caffeine) and gives your digestive system a reset.

YOU’RE CARRYING EXTRA WEIGHT, FEELING BLOATED OR PUFFY

If you want to lose weight in a way that nourishes your body and gets you on the right track for changing your habits for the long term, a cleanse can be a great place to start. By cutting out the foods that triggers weight gain and learning to find healthy replacements, you’ll be setting yourself up for sustainable weight loss.

YOU WANT TO CLEAN UP A SLUGGISH DIGESTION

If you often feel constipated, bloated, gassy, or have stomach aches and indigestion, it may be time to clean up your gut with a cleanse. A healthy digestion is one of the cornerstones of Ayurveda and an indication that you’re living optimally a cleanse can ignite your digestive fire.

YOU WANT CLEARER, GLOWING SKIN

Your skin is a mirror of the internal state of your body. If you’re having breakouts or other skin issues, it can be a sign that something on the inside isn’t right. Skin issues are often a result of inflammation in the body, so removing anti-inflammatory foods on a cleanse can result in your skin clearing up and having a healthy glow.

YOU’RE FEELING ADDICTED TO CERTAIN FOODS

We all know the feeling of being attached to foods – needing that coffee, glass of wine, cheese or chocolate. If you’re relying on certain things like caffeine and sugar to get through the day, a cleanse can help you reset, and begin to crave things that truly nourish you.

YOU WANT TO KICK-START A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE AND NEW HABITS FOR THE LONG TERM

Sometimes, being disciplined for a short period of time can help you find the middle way. If you want to create a lifestyle that is healthy, but you don’t even know where to start, a cleanse might be a great option. You’ll learn new healthy ideas, and reset your days to be more health-supportive.

WHEN SHOULD YOU NOT DO A CLEANSE?

If you’re feeling weak and run down, or your body is underweight, cleansing may not be the best choice for you.

Sally, there is never a good time for your wellness evolution!

Many times we know we want to spring into action and yet we’re stopped by our own inability to act.  Take for example my student and friend, let’s call her "Sally."  Just the other day, Sally was telling me how she knows she needs to make some changes in her life to evolve into the better woman she knows she can be for herself and for others.

I love you, Sally.  

Sally tells me that she even knows what strategies to put in place to become who she wants to be:  She’s gonna do a detox to give her body the space it needs, she's gonna start her days with yoga because she knows yoga works!, she's gonna start talking more with her live-in boyfriend to smooth out all of their communication kinks, and she's gonna revamp her career (or if necessary look for a new job).  Sally got plans and goals, that much is clear.  But then she tells me she's waiting for her life to settle.  You see, Sally has a lot going on, she got some family situation which may affect her traveling schedule in the near future, she has a new boss at work and you know how that goes, she is experiencing a stomach thing that she hasn’t figured out quite yet, and the boyfriend communication thing, you know, makes things at home a bit tense right now.  

Oh, Sally, my heart is heavy for you, because that's a lot, I've been there and I hear you, you're waiting for the right time.  The time when the yogic detox will go smoothly, because who want to do a half-ass detox? You’re waiting for genuine motivation to do your yoga first thing in the morning, because one needs to show up authentically to the mat, right? You’re waiting for the right words to say to the boyfriend, because presentation is everything when it comes to we-have-to-talk moments, isn’t that what your therapist says?  You’re waiting to get clear on what you want from a career because your Dharma deserves an auspicious space, because isn’t that how Dharma works?

Well, this is what I told Sally. There’s never a good time for your wellness evolution.  “Shift” is always hitting the fan, specially when you’re ready to implement your perfect evolutionary plans.  You either sit in peace while the “shift” drips down your walls, making your life feel like a total hot mess or you begin to thoroughly, imperfectly execute your perfect strategy.  

This is what I know to be true, the Universe will meet you right where you’re at, so where do you want the Universe to meet you at?  

If like Sally, you know you need a yogic cleanse to get you started, please join the community Reboot + Reset I'm leading at Abhaya Yoga- DUMBO, get a full description of the reboot and register HERE.   Let your potential emerge this Fall, if you have been waiting for the right cleanse for you, this is it. 

Caterpillar Soup or how a messy transition could be the path to a better you

“Through yoga, we’re not transforming into something we aspire to, we’re transforming into the very thing that we are innately: our best Self.”

— Rod Stryker

Did you know that when a caterpillar begins her transformation into a butterfly, she doesn’t just grow antennas and wings?  No, no, the caterpillar actually fully dissolves in some sort of cocoon-soup and it’s from this DNA-broth that the caterpillar’s cells will re-arrange into a butterfly.  

There is a clear message here, my friend, when things dissolve into a hot mess and it's hard to tell how things will re-arrange themselves, it's because a new, brighter, beginning is around the corner.

How many times have your life look like a hot butterfly soup?

I've had a few of those moments when everything around me had to liquefy to begin the metamorphosis of my better self.   One of those moments was when I moved to New York City.  I had to leave behind my very comfortable "young professional" lifestyle in the ever gorgeous Savannah, GA and listened to my soul call  towards a "soul-full hustler" lifestyle in NYC.  That was a rough lesson in what leisure is and  what disposable income means.  Through the few years of adjustment, when my mind was in agony and doubt, my surroundings and my heart opened in ways that I couldn't have imagined. How did I manage? Yoga helped, meditation helped, new friendships helped,  self-help books helped, it all helped!  

By the time my self-made lifestyle wings had emerged, I was a new man.  A more confident, kinder and more resourceful man emerged from that cocoon.

That's the thing with transformation, if we aren't practicing awareness, we'll miss the gorgeous colors of our new wings.  

I've learned to to recognize the signs and results of self evolution, to look with loving eyes those moments when things fall apart, and  to remember that when things fall apart is because they need a new foundation.  I’ve learned to LOVE these butterfly moments and, almost enjoy the effort it takes to unfold my new wings after each transformation. Yes, I'm saying almost because it feels like hell every time.

[ On a side note for those searching souls that want to quit it all and start anew:  Was my drastic lifestyle change useful in my Spiritual Evolution?  YES!  Was it necessary?  NO. There are less dramatic and less painful ways to grow new wings. If your caterpillar is feeling antsy, reach out for help.]  

*this content was inspired by a newsletter I sent in September 2015...a good example of how change is part of everything

Panama Blend (traveling green smoothie)

One of my favorite things about green smoothies is that they are the easiest way to diversity your intake of nutrients for breakfast.  This is even more relevant when traveling, when your body's wisdom craves the surrounding flora.  If there is a blender available, I don't waste the opportunity to visit the local markets (and yards) and feast on the regional chlorophyll. 

I was recently traveling through my homeland of Panama, where the local cuisine isn't rich in greens so I took it as challenge to find ingredients for what turned out to be a fabulous green smoothie.  So hoping that it will inspire you in your next "green" travelings, here is the recipe:

Ingredients (2 servings)

• 4 cups of spinach (not a lot of local greens available in the market, but watercress and spinach grow easily in most tropical regions)
• 1 banana (tons of fruits available, but I opted to keep it simple)
• a handful of local spearmint + wild cilantro (these I found in my mom's backyard...wild herbs taste so WILD, you can taste the Prana or life force on these local beauties)
• 1/2 an avocado (this is a gingo luxury! but I deserve it)
• 1/2 tsp of minced ginger
• 1/2 tsp of turmeric (no local turmeric roots available but I was craving some astringent flavors, local stores carry tons of spices so if fresh ingredients aren't available, improvise)
• 1/2 tsp of sea salt (local sea salt made this a fun ingredient to add)
• 1 Tbs of local eucalyptus honey (yummm!!!)
• 1/2 cup of water 

1.  Add all ingredients to a blender.  Blend!  I don't like cold smoothies but you can add either a frozen banana or ice instead of water.  Enjoy.

Archetypes Made Easy

We all wonder why we are attracted to certain stories, certain people and certain patterns.  This human inquisitiveness - regardless of culture, race or religious - about our own behavior, tendencies and thoughts drives us to create and to study guiding methods.  Archetype analysis is one those methods.  

I think of archetypes as our energy companions.  You know these archetypes very well, they are the characters you love or despise in fiction or real life. Since studying Joseph Campbell's work, this type of pattern analysis has resonated with me, and coupled with Yoga it has made a huge impact in how I use my intuition.  Archetypes are our stories in the quest for bliss.  According to Carolyn Myss, my go-to Archetype guru, 'we are continually scanning our world for patterns, particularly in people, because we know intuitively that if we understand someone’s behavior patterns we understand how she relates to herself, to her life, and to us. We understand a person better, for instance, if we know that she is essentially an Intellectual; that explains, for example, why she loves foreign films and biographies of great historic figures.' Ms. Myss calls Archetypes "the language of our soul."

Each one of us have archetypes idiosyncratic to our patterns of behavior.  These archetypes allow us to connect intuitively and on a deeper level to ourselves and to others.  Ms. Myss suggests that 'once we engage and begin to honor the language and patterns of our archetypes, a transformation begins not overnight but over time' (patience people, patience!).  She insists that by listening to our Archetypes we can step into our purpose, into a life more balanced, and friendships and relationships that fit with more ease and less effort. 

How do you get started?  Well there are tones of classical-psychology books on this subject, but If you want a fun way to ease yourself into this study, visit  Archetypes.com and take their quiz.  You can watch the video below to see if this is for you.

Warning! (don't resist warnings please, all tools come with them) when you embrace the language of archetypes you will immediately begin to notice patterns of synchronicity and coincidence appearing on a regular basis and sometimes dramatically so. 

Share your quiz results with me, I'll share mine.  

So, Deepak, what is Meditation anyway?

As we walk in our Yoga Practice inevitable we'll encounter the path of Meditation and even though I believe that no one can teach you  meditation; I do believe that there are tools that can help you  find it and that there are great teachers that can guide you with these tools.

In case you live under a rock, and that is my favorite place to live  sometimes, Deepak Chopra issued a 21 Days Meditation Challenge.  As an introduction to this program, Chopra defined some basic terms and I loved the way he was able to define and explain it so I am sharing with you.  You can find out more visiting the 21 Days Meditation Challenge site.

Disclaimer, I pasted my notes on it, so the words are Mr. Chopra's but I highlighted words that resonated with me.  Feel free to share which one resonate with you. 

"What is Meditation?

Deepak Defines Meditation – Everyone thinks that the purpose of meditation is to handle stress, to tune out, to get away from it all. While that's partially true, the real purpose of meditation is actually to tune in, not to get away from it all, but to get in touch with it all. Not to just de-stress, but to find that peace within, the peace that spiritual traditions talk about that passes all understanding. So, meditation is a way to get in the space between your thoughts. You have a thought here, a thought here, and there's little space between every thought.

According to wisdom traditions, this space between the thought is the window, is the corridor, is the vortex to the infinite mind – the mystery that some people call the spirit or God. We don't have to use those terms, but it's your core consciousness. And the more we learn about this space between thoughts, we find certain things to be true of it:

• It's a field of infinite possibilities – infinite possibilities, pure potentiality.
• Everything is connected to everything else.
• It's a space of infinite creativity, infinite imagination.
• It is a place where there is something called observer effect, or the power of intention, which means intention is very powerful when brought to this space and it orchestrates its own fulfillment – what people call the law of attraction – so those are wonderful qualities of your own spirit.

In meditation, we get into this space so we find ourselves infinite possibilities, infinite correlation, infinite creativity, infinite imagination, and infinite power of intention. That's what meditation is really about."

Como Una Ola - breathing meditation

"Like a wave, your love arrived in my life," the song goes, "like a wave of limitless force..."  Como Una Ola, in case you were not living in Spanish speaking country in the 1980's,  was a great hit by Rocio Jurado.  The song describes the stages of a love affair, from its surprising arrival, its monumental growth and to its recoiling end.  In recent weeks I was inspired by the song (blame youtube for this) to practice a breathing meditation with focus on the limitless healing power of breathing. You can practice this meditation whenever you feel that you need to connect to the grace of the universe, or a mini vacation from a tough day.  Just set a timer and surf the wave;

Lie flat on your back on a mat or blanket, with knees bend.  Let the inhalation come down into your back body like the trough of a wave.  Feel how it flattens the back against the floor.  Let the wave fill your body, let it grow in your front body from the belly to the top of your longs.  With the exhalation let your body follow the wave's crest as it withdraws into the back of your pelvis and out of your tailbone...let the whole wave dissolve back to the ocean of grace, knowing that there will be a new wave.  When you mind wants to move to a different task, just bring it back to the breath, like a wave, "como una ola," and repeat the wave cycle as many times as you like.

Namaste.