Yoga

It Starts With You

January 22, 2018

A few days ago a friend of mine showed me a video clip that she found inspiring.  It was about being interested in your goals vs. being committed to your goals.  The video was a montage of footage of a man talking about the pursuit of his goals and a people busy in physical pursuits.  As this man speaks about commitment we see a boxer practicing.  As he speaks of doing whatever it takes to achieve your goals, we see someone surveying the terrain, presumably to run through it.  As he talks about upgrading your knowledge, we see a someone running through the snow.

When the video finished I said that it’s quite interesting that they’ve used fitness to illustrate the main idea of the video.  There are many ways to depict smashing and achieving goals.  We can show people in a boardroom bagging a successful deal.  We can show an actor executing a scene perfectly.  We can also show a student getting an acceptance to a prestigious university.  So why is fitness the preferred approach to depict motivation and dedication?

Associating fitness with achievements in other aspects of life is not a coincidence.  Think about it, when you think of that friend of yours who works out regularly, is on track with the diet and exudes a sense of wellness, don’t you get a sense of awe?  If you’re not on the path yourself don’t you feel a tinge of jealousy or pride (depending on your relationship with said friend and the kind of person you are)?

A healthier lifestyle, a fitter body, a cleaner diet, more strength, more stamina, more flexibility, glowing skin, luscious hair, clear eyes – all these are more than skin deep.  These don’t translate only to a physically well-proportioned human being.  These translate to a human with a confident gait and an easy smile.  A person who wears their clothes and skin well.  A person who is involved daily in self improvement more than in passing judgment on others.

A person who works out daily depicts the wholesome personality that we all aspire to.  A person who is dedicated to making things happen.  A person who creates life, rather than one who responds to it.  A person who doesn’t sit in a corner crying about a missed opportunity, but someone who moves confidently towards the next challenge.  After all, you win some and you lose some.  Someone who lives rather than exists.

And taking care of your physical and mental health is the first step to demonstrating that you care.  That you can commit to changing yourself before you change an empire.  That you can first bring a revolution within yourself, before you revolutionize the world.  If you can commit to yourself, then you can commit to anything.  If you can change yourself, then you can change anything.

It starts with you.

And below is the video that got me thinking.

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Yoga

Fat Phobia is Ending – It’s Not the Fat That’s Making You Fat

January 13, 2018

Gympik is running a fitness contest and as I scanned the list of topics I casually dismissed them as too obvious to write about or not interesting enough.  But blog contest topics are finite and I had to choose one from what was available.  As someone who has fat phobia from time to time I thought it’s a good idea to revise why it’s not the fat that’s making us fat.  And that’s reason enough for us to stop obsessing over the fat.

The thing is, there are many reasons why you may have a few extra kilos, but fat is not one of them.  Here’s what I think.

  1. It’s easy for a lot of people to just blame it on the food. On the unavailability or inaccessibility of healthier options when it comes to food.  Maybe you are a frequent traveler, but that means it’s more important for you to devise ways that you can cook for yourself or ALWAYS go for the healthier option.  Maybe you don’t have time to cook a healthy meal for yourself in the morning before work.  Well then invest in your health and get a cook who can do it for you.  Can’t afford a cook and don’t know how to cook?  LEARN!
  2. Your lifestyle is making you fat. The most used excuse is, I don’t have time to work out.  Do you watch TV?  Cut that out and go work out.  Using the snooze button to stay in bed for half an hour longer?  Cut that out and go workout.  Plonk yourself in your chair post lunch and stare mindlessly at mails you don’t feel like responding to?  Cut that out and go for a walk.  If you have to sit all day because of your job then take frequent water breaks.  And that will ensure frequent pee breaks.  And that amounts to more movement.  If your idea of a good weekend is to sleep until noon to recover from the rigors of a seated job, or to get piss drunk to recover from the rigors of said job, then…there are a lot of variables that need changing.  Basically, it’s not the fat that’s making you fat, it’s your complacency about your lifestyle.
  3. You have a medical condition that makes it difficult to lose weight. Certain conditions are beyond our control.  But what is in our control is managing them.  If you have a medical condition then don’t compound the problem by eating crap and vegetating the entire day.  Above all, don’t use a medical condition as reasons to have a pity party for yourself when it comes to your weight.  Don’t allow yourself to feel that it’s OK to feel sorry for yourself.  It is an uphill climb, but do it so that you can feel better.  And eventually you will feel better.  No two ways about it.

And at the end of the day, fat is essential.  That is, good fat. So blaming your weight issues on fat is just wrong.  Good fats are important to keep your bones and joints strong.  Your skin supple and glowing and your hair vibrant.  Good fats result in a good, optimistic mood which is essential if you want to be happy, healthy and energetic.

[*Note:  This article is written as a part of Gympik Fit-A-Thon contest and should not be repurposed, republished or used otherwise.  The content herein is owned by the blogger.  Gympik is not responsible for any kind of infringement caused.]

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Yoga

5 Random Facts About Me

January 9, 2018
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Enjoying the cold weather at @ Hauz Khas Village.

Happy New Year!!!!

I hope 2018 is amazing for all of us and brings us only the best in health, wealth and happiness.  Actually, since wealth and happiness come from good health, I should ideally only wish that for you.  In any case, this blog will help you with all aspects of your health.

I thought the first blog of the year should be one through which you can get to know me a bit better. A lot of new people subscribed in the last couple of months, and they might not know me too well.  So below are a some random facts about me that will help you get to know me better.

1. I’ve lived in 6 different countries and visited three times that number so far in my life.

2. I’m actually a software engineer and even worked as one for 8 years.

3. As a kid I wanted to be Nancy Drew when I grew up.

4. I’ve been journaling extensively since second grade.

5. I never thought of myself as a cook.  But as and when I started looking for healthy recipes I realized that my friends actually like the taste of my experiments and that I’m actually a very good cook.

And now for a bonus random fact about me:

6. Kolhapuri chappals and Birkenstocks are my favorite shoes. This completely irrelevant fact is probably very typical of a yogi.

 

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A collage of pictures that hangs in my house in Delhi.  Can you spot me?

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Yoga

Year End Musings

December 28, 2017

 

Hello Friends/Subscribers/Yoga Enthusiasts/Family (virtual & otherwise)/Students!!!!

The year started with my hair dark, long and straight.  As the months went on I got bored and decided I wanted to add depth to otherwise staid hair.  I got some streaks put in.  After a couple of weeks I decided the streaks needed something more and I added fuschia (Manic Panic Hot Pink).  This is the perfect analogy for the year.  What started as another year of classes turned into much much more.

This year has been about immense growth both on and off the mat.  Two months in Pune were challenging and difficult.  The teachers remembered me from last year but that didn’t stop them from literally swatting me into correct alignment.  It’s true, there’s no success without a bit of hardship.

The Dengue fever which followed soon after was my first experience with illness.  The weeks after that recovering was a time full of experimentation, a bit of fear and slowly getting back on track.

My website went live and brought all my interests under one roof.  So if you want to read what I have to say you’ve only got to click on a link.  If you want information about classes, you can just scroll to that page and if you want to drop me a line, you can do that very conveniently too.  From blogging/vlogging with no clear plan, I started to look for a clear structure.  The task became easier with a friend of mine coming on board and encouraging me to use my grey cells to focus on growth.  All the new content on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube (which I hope you’re enjoying) is a result of that.

As students we’ve seen excess weight shed, clocking more running miles, making long term diet changes, instinctively making better food choices, taking ownership of your fitness, introspection, more meditation minutes.  Together we’ve done runs, 108 Suryanamaskars on chilly mornings, post class breakfasts.  We’ve done an amazing and one of a kind retreat away from the rigmarole of life deep in the heart of nature. We have inspired each other and been inspired by each other.  We have watched each other collapse on our mats and then also watched as we pushed ourselves up to move ahead.

This is my last blog for the year and I’m so grateful that we’ve made a connection/continued being in touch this year.  This past week has been about reviewing the year and making plans for the next year.  I hope 2018 brings lots of good health, positivity and abundance into your life.

See you next year!

 

 

 

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Travels

Three Offbeat Things I Did in Coonoor….

December 21, 2017

…and you should too.

I love the hills.  I love the weather, the vibe and the people in the hills.  I feel my skin takes on a special glow and my mind a rare calmness when I smell the hill air.

So it was only inevitable that I would take my parents for a vacation up in the hills.  Although we are from the Uttrakhand hills, I haven’t spent much time there.  But I’ve spent quite a bit of time in the Nilgris.  I was in Coonoor a couple of months ago to participate in a run.  This past weekend Coonoor was colder, quieter, prettier.

 

We didn’t have many days and I wanted my parents to love the place as much as I did. So I wanted to do something different and memorable.  Also, I have an affinity for all things weird, offbeat and quirky.  So, without further ado, here are three offbeat things to do in Coonoor.

  1. Hit up a local and badger them for information.  There’s no better way to really get the vibe of a place than by hanging out with a local.  You end up hearing fascinating personal anecdotes and hopefully getting an interesting story or two.  My favorite kind are the scary ones and I was #sorrynotsorry to find out that there aren’t any ghost stories in the hills around Coonoor.  In fact, the lone deserted house that I was so sure was haunted was only up for sale…and not because it was haunted.  We were lucky to meet Zubin Contractor, resident and Coonoor expert.  From tea factories to how Eucalyptus oil is extracted.  From the history of the five tribes of the Nilgris to scenic walks around town, Zubin had us covered.
  2. Visit Acres’ Wild, Mansoor Khan’s cheese making farm, complete with its own gowshala and geese in a pond.  I had been to this property years ago on a cold and foggy day.  This weekend it was nice and sunny and we were there to find out how cheese is made.  We were given facts and figures, shown the apparatus and the equipment and had our questions patiently answered.  We came away with a few packets of their delicious cheese.  (You know what you’ll be served if you drop in for a visit.)
  3. Visit the cemeteries.  We went to two cemeteries and they were beautiful.  An old one with centuries old tombstones and a beautiful statue of an angel.  The other one we visited had graves from World War 1 and was maintained by the Commonwealth Graves Commission.  Although slightly creepy, its in cemeteries that you get a sense of an era long gone.  Of the aesthetics and beliefs of the time.  You actually get a sense of the individuals that lived and walked in the same pathways centuries ago.  It brings history to life.

Also, we go on vacation to take a break from the frenzy of city life.  A cozy little nook helps. It is important to find a comfortable home away from home to stay in.  Coonoor has many options and when dusk falls all you feel  like doing is putting on some comfortable socks and crawling under a soft blanket with a good book.  Luckily, I had the home away from home, the socks and blankets, a good book and family.

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Food

You Really Wanna Drink That?

December 14, 2017
Healthy and hydrated.

Healthy and hydrated.

My parents have been visiting with me for the past couple of days and we’ve been going around sight seeing and exploring the Bangalore food scene. Before I leave the house I always double check that I’m carrying my water with me. You’ll never find me carrying those ridiculously small purses which can only hold a chapstick and a Rs. 5 coin. My bag needs to hold a large bottle full of water and stay hydrated.

We don’t know conclusively how long a person can survive without water, but we know that its less than the time without food.  You’re are likely to die of thirst before hunger.  I’m surprised when I find out that some students haven’t had a full glass of water by the time they show up to class.  Which is 8 am!

Tips to Stay Hydrated

  1. Start your day with a little warm water.  It kick starts your system, flushes out toxins and increases metabolism.  Hello weight loss!  Hello glowing skin!  Hello luscious hair!  Also warm water is easier to ingest so you will feel like drinking more of it.
  2. Add a little something to your water for a little zing.  You can add: mint, ginger, cinnamon, lemons/limes to your water to increase the immunity boosting properties.  Make the H2O really work for you.
  3. Now, make drinking this healthful, flavourful water a calm, meditative morning ritual.
  4. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink up.  Because when your body actively indicates thirst, it means that the water volume in our body has already fallen below a certain threshold.  Basically, you’ve already started to dehydrate.
  5. Have a sweet craving?  You might just be thirsty.  Down a glass of water.  Also consider trying this recipe.
  6. Absolutely do NOT use a plastic water bottle if you hope to imbibe healthful stuff.  Plastic in water bottles contains many chemicals and these chemicals seep into the water over time.  Eventually, these chemicals will interfere with your hormonal balance.
  7. Get a metal water bottle and never leave home without it.  I’m actually suggesting a good grade metal water bottle, not a bpa-free, environment friendly water bottle made of some-percent recycled plastic.  Get a metal water bottle.  I’ve been considering getting a copper water bottle myself.

Think About Your Bottle

The thing I see people defaulting on most?  It’s the water bottles.  It’s simply horrifying to see people chugging water from a ratty old plastic Bisleri bottle to quench their thirst.  Bottles that have been sitting in their car for days, with water of questionable integrity.  With all you do (or don’t do) for your health, do you really want to drink that?

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need a glass of water.

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Yoga

Spine Is a Metaphor for Life

December 6, 2017

In the Ashtanga system of yoga as propounded by Shri K. Pattabhi Jois, you practice backbending daily. In the closing series, you practice the Urdhva Dhanurasana followed by the Sarvangasana and Halasana.

If you’ve been following me on Instagram and Facebook, you know that I’m focusing on my backbends a lot these days. Backbends have always been challenging for me, and for this reason I favor forward bends in my practice. It’s easier to do the stuff that comes naturally to you.  But doing that which you know you’re not good at, now that requires real discipline.

I have forever intended to work on my backbends in my personal practice, but I never got around to it. But in Pune we devote an entire week of the month to backbends. So you see advanced practitioners doing the Urdhva Dhanurasana 108 times etc. There was one particular class that I feel changed my practice forever. My spine became accessible and I became open to the idea that I CAN do backbends in this lifetime. I resolved to continue the practice and I practice a back bending routine on most days. You can see a snapshot of a typical backbending practice in this video.

I often see students lamenting their inability to bend backwards (I’ve been there myself).  Over the years I’ve learned that when it comes to bending back, more doesn’t always mean better.

The flexibility of your spine can give you a clue about how you approach life.  Do you have a tendency to bend over backwards to accommodate people and situations ? Bending like you don’t have a spine can also be described as being ‘spineless’.  Conversely, are you unable to bend back at all?  Not able to be open to an uncomfortable situation or a different point of view?

In terms of yogasanas, a certain amount of resistance is necessary to execute the full expression of the asana.  A body which can fold easily at every single joint has to work hard to provide the counterforce to hold an asana steady.  So we see the inability to gauge the centre in Sirsasana and Natrajasana.  We see an inability to hold Parsvakonasana.

Being too flexible is not always a good thing.  Too flexible with your time, with your emotions, with your boundaries, with yourself…

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Yoga

Healthy Body, but Healthy Mind?

November 30, 2017

With the ongoing focus on mental health have you gauged the state of your mental health?

The only way yoga works for you on a physical level is by changing you at a mental level.  Daily practice actually changes neural pathways in your brain which rewires you to think differently.  Not only are you making a conscious connection between your body and mind, but you are also ensuring that vital hormones (which are responsible for your moods and feelings) are also secreted to your system in optimum amounts.  Too little or too much leads to conditions such as Thyroidism, PCOS/D, PMS, anxiety, depression etc.

Exercising and eating a wholesome diet are key to overall good health.  But there are a few easy guidelines you can follow to ensure your thoughts aren’t sabotaging your health.

  1. Audit your quality time.  Who are the 5 people you spend most of your time with?  Do they make you feel good about yourself?  Do they lift you up or ensure you’re always down?  When those around us respect and love us, we feel stronger and more confident.  This is because when you hang out with good friends chemicals called serotonin and oxytocin which cause feelings of well being, are released in your body.  So think about the 5 people you’re spending most of your time with and consider making some changes for the better, if required
  2. Journaling.  I’ve been a compulsive journal writer since I was in second grade.  You’ll still find stacks of my journals in my parents’ home.  I was journaling all the way to the time I started working for Infosys.  But as time went on and work got hectic, it took a back seat.  Until my birthday earlier this year when one of my students gave me The Five Minute Journal.  Sitting down to do this every day has actually had a positive impact on me.  Use journaling as a means to think through things, vent, gain clarity.  Write about whatever comes to your mind, even if its just a re-cap of your day.  It feels great to be able to express yourself in a forum where you won’t be judged, where there is no right or wrong.  Sometimes seeing your thoughts and feelings physically in front of you is just what you need to feel better.
  3. Affirmations.  I would actually club this under the umbrella of meditative practices.  Write a few statements (on your phone works just fine) and go back to them often throughout the day.  Statements should be positive such as ‘Everything happens for the best.’  Reading such statements often to yourself can change destructive deep seated thought patterns that you may be unconsciously holding on to.  Repeating positive affirmations to yourself is a simple way to re-boot your mind set.

These are a few of my go-to tools to stay centred when everything around me is off balance.  Like yoga, these tools will take some time and effort to work their magic.  But once they do, you’ll have a healthy mind in a healthy body.

 

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Food

Those Sneaky Sniffles

November 24, 2017
In the pink of health thanks to my home remedies.

In the pink of health thanks to my home remedies.

Towards the end of the year Bangalore is deliciously foggy and cold(ish).  Suddenly the filter coffee tastes better, and the post yoga breakfasts are to die for.  Everyone is motivated to fit into a little black dress and the energy is at an all time high.  But this is also the time when many miss classes because of the common cold, sore throat or fever.

It finally happened to me too.  The other night I got my yearly cold.  My eyes watered, my nostrils got sensitive to the smallest speck of dust and I started sneezing up a storm.  Regardless of how much I try and keep my immunity up, towards the end of the year those Sneaky Sniffles manage to get to me.

What to Do About Those Sneaky Sniffles

  1. Ginger.  I drink ginger infused water in earnest.  Water infused with herbs is a great, easy and cheap way to detox your system.  During the winters I stick to warm water with ginger.  I find all the other spices too ‘cold’ for my constitution.  If I’m out of ginger, I just stick to warm water.

    My special tea.

    My special tea.

  2. My special tea.  When my immunity is compromised I turn to my trusted organic black tea, although I’m actually a filter coffee person.  I brew all the spices I have with a vengeance.  Some of these spices are: cinnamon, black pepper, ginger and ajwain (curcumin seeds).  I found a forgotten jar in the back of my cabinet.  Although honey is high in calories, it feels great on a throat that feels like it’s lined with asphalt.  I throw in a few tea leaves as well.  Currently I use the Korakundah Black Tea (100% Organic, single estate).
  3. Brandy with hot water.  Most  people don’t believe it when I tell them my parents gave us a tiny dose of brandy and it worked like magic.  We slept well and woke up healthy.  This is a staple up in the hills, chilly evenings are better with a soothing glass of hot brandy between your hands.  Sometimes I spoon some honey into my glass.  The other night I found a bottle of Old Monk, but no brandy.  Good enough, I thought.  And it worked the magic of my childhood.

    Commonly used Indian spices have their unique health benefits. Here’s a blog I did about turmeric.

  4. Spicy food!  This is the time to have that really spicy curry/dal/sambhar.  I add lots of ginger, garlic, turmeric, chilli, hing (asafoetida) to whatever is cooking and viola! you have an awesome cure for the common cold.  Let food be thy medicine.
  5. Jal Neti.  Because when the sniffles come, nothing flushes away the irritants better than warm water with rock salt.  If you’re not doing Jal Neti, you don’t know what you’re missing.  Do yourself a favour and drain those sinuses.  You’ll end up preventing wrinkles too in the process.
  6. Sleep.  I broke into my liquor cabinet, brewed the different decoctions, imbibed everything … all by 8 pm.  I didn’t have the mind space to read or watch something.  All I wanted to do was snuggle under my warm blanket and wake up to a clear tomorrow.

 

…. and wake up to a clear tomorrow I did.  The hour was deliciously early, even the birds weren’t stirring yet.  I brewed another cup of tea, and rolled out my mat.  And all was well with the world again.

If this post helps your encounter with Those Sneaky Sniffles, let me know!

 

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RIMYI Experiences

Three Surprising Facts About Pune

November 17, 2017

At the Aga Khan palace, on a day we were free.

By Pune I mean the Ramamani Memorial Iyengar Yoga Institute (RIMYI).  For Iyengar practitioners ‘Pune’ is synonymous with ‘RIMYI’.  After studying for five years under my primary teacher here in Bangalore, I started going to Pune last year.  I’ve written about my time in Pune in previous blogs.  This blog is about the little known and surprising aspects of the RIMYI experience.

  1. RIMYI is the most famous institute for Iyengar yoga on the planet.  It is the epicentre of all Iyengar yoga related activities in the world.  There is a wait list to attend classes at the institute, and you may have to wait for up to a year or more to get a spot.  To even apply for a spot you need to be studying Iyengar yoga for at least 5 years under a certified teacher.  We reserve our seats and accommodation many months in advance.  Sometimes years in advance.
  2. Everyone cries.  Yes, RIMYI has a lot of grownups in tears.  Teachers at the institute aren’t known to mince their words or to bother about the political correctness of their words.  The experience can be intense and nerve wracking.  What’s interesting is that despite quaking with fear, dread and nervousness on our mats, we still return year after year!  I’ve broken down countless times.  The experience can be very cathartic and just goes to show that the path of yoga takes your blood, sweat and tears.
  3. Teachers hit you.  While we’re not being shoved into doors and walls, a sharp slap on the quads or the back of the knees to take our awareness to our ‘sleeping’ body parts is routine.  I’ve had teachers slap my quads, the back of my knees, the sides of my thighs…even had my toes flicked painfully because, ironically, they weren’t relaxed enough.  We joke that ‘BKS’ Iyengar stands for ‘Beat Kick Slap’ Iyengar!

So you see, studying at the best yoga school in the world is not a blissful-gentle-stretching-meditating-all-day experience.  It’s actually a tremendous achievement to make it through and back again the next year!

At the Osho Gardens. I had Dengue during this time!

Sundays looked like this. A joke we will never forget!

Weekends at a farm, amidst nature, never get old.

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