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Yoga

All About the Flax…

May 5, 2012

I can’t remember how I came across Flaxseeds. I think it was when I started a job at my new company and met a girl who was a workout fiend. The first week we met we bonded and started taking our breaks together. So she would bring Flaxseeds in a ‘Pass Pass’ box and some green tea bags and we would first munch on the seeds and then drink the tea. Eventually I also started going to the local ‘Nilgris’ and got my own stash of these wonder seeds. I keep them in a small container and carry it everywhere with me so that I can pop a coin-sized amount into my mouth even if I’m on the go.

Flaxseeds are also known as linseeds and are a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are “good” fats that your body actually needs. The body needs these fats to (among other things) produce substances which prevent the formation of blood clots and produce flexible cell membranes.

The health benefits of flaxseeds are numerous:

Flaxseeds contain Omega 3 fatty acids which help you lose weight and make you feel more energetic.
Lubricate muscles and reduce muscle soreness.
Alleviates depression.
Reduce threat of blood clots.
Relieve menopause and PMS symptoms.
Help to lower cholestrol and blood pressure.
Help to control blood sugar levels.
Help to reduce dry skin, eczema and psoriasis.
Strengthens the immune system.
Natural laxative so keeps your system clean.

In short, munch flaxseeds so that your skin glows, the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines gets delayed, you lose weight and don’t fall sick!

Below is my jar of flaxseeds. Find one of your own and experience the benefits of the flax….

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Yoga

Breaks

April 15, 2012

I’ve been on a looooong vacation now, and it’s taken me away from the mat and my practice. I’ve been on my feet for days rushing from one tourist destination to another and trying to take in overwhelming sites and sounds. It’s led to tremendous growth for me intellectually, but for the last couple of days I’ve started to miss the familiarity of the usual yoga routine. Once I get back home I know it will be a few days, perhaps weeks before I can bend that much further, or hold the pose for that much longer. And I have to admit there is a bit of anxiety because of this.

But if Yoga is a lifestyle then it never really leaves you. When you get tired of all the walking around you sit down, straighten your back and inhale deeply. When everything gets overwhelming you expel stale air from your lungs and et ready to inhale newness. When your anxiety gets the better of you, you close your eyes and once again inhale deeply and accept that all things in life are not in your control, but staying calm and steady in the face of anxiety is in your control.

So even if you are away from your mat for a couple of weeks, take in a deep breath and understand that Yoga is with you in every breath.

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Yoga Travels

Mudras at the Delhi Airport!

March 11, 2012

Mudras and More

As a yoga practitioner I’m very happy that the Indian government supports yoga and considers it a soft power. India is the land of yoga and I’m always delighted to find yoga mudras, asanas and even shlokas spread across this wonderful country. Which is why I love love love landing at the Delhi Airport and taking a moment to admire this beautiful wall.

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Yoga

Of Sex and Yoga….

March 1, 2012

Having been a practitioner for a long time, I’ve had my share of strange questions about yoga. Most of these are about sex. Everything ranging from yoga leading to impotence to yoga leading you to become a sex maniac. However, over the years Yoga has spread far and wide and a lot of misconceptions have been dealt with. Which is why yesterday I was caught by surprise.

I was hanging out at the library in the Bangalore Club waiting for the time for my massage appointment to arrive, and on the front page of the International Herald Tribune I read : Yoga and Sex Scandals: No Surprise Here. I flipped to page 12 and then read the most unbelievable article about the orgins of Yoga. Yes, Yoga and Sex do have a relationship, but that is limited to the effects of Yoga on your overall wellbeing, which in turn enhances your sexual health. However, according to this article, Hatha Yoga began as a branch of Tantra which in turn is steeped rites and rituals which include sex, having sex and everything else related to sex.

The ‘goal’ of Yoga (all kinds of Yoga) is NOT to increase your sexual appetite. Much the opposite, in fact. Yoga asanas were ‘discovered’ by sages in ancient India who had to sit for hours in meditation. Their bodies had to be supple and strong to be able to tolerate that kind of intense treatment. By doing asanas and pranayam, the sages were able to keep their bodies free from all diseases, and thereby free to meditate. And THAT was the real purpose of yogasanas, and it had nothing to do with increasing sexual energy. Quite the contrary, a lot of sages wanted to eliminate/decrease their sexual energy becuase it was a distraction from their sadhana.

William J Broad (the author of this article) went on to talk about B K S Iyengar played down the eorticism of yoga in ‘Light on Yoga’. And also that modern day practitioners have to be content with this ‘whitewashed’ version of Yoga. I call this pure hogwash.

Yoga has been practiced for millions of years by regular people who have experienced numerous benefits. From thyroid problems, to hypertension, to depression to obesity, studies have shown Yoga to have cured a lot of people of a lot of ailments. In fact, people experience better sex as a result of yoga but this is not because it gives you more sexual energy.

I think it is wrong to blame Yoga for an individual’s philandering ways. Yoga gurus who cheat let their fans down much as movie stars who cheat do. In fact, I would say that a person who has no self control is not a real yogi, regardless of how advanced their asana practice is. And that is a bigger tragedy than someone’s philandering lifestyle.

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Yoga

A Feast Like No Other…

February 23, 2012

To commemorate turning 30 I held a small get together for some of the lovely ladies I know. Age is just a number, yet I was turning 30, considered a milestone by many. I decided that since I had started the New Year by deepening my yoga practice, and have endeavored to live mindfully ever since, that I should have a gettogether to reflect this. So I brainstormed and came up with an Ayurvedic/Sattvic menu. I decided that instead of serving colas I would serve Watermelon juice (Watermelons are in season). Along with this juice I decided to serve lassi. For snacks I decided to have a salad comprised of cucumbers, tomatoes, corn, broccoli, pomegranate seeds, flaxseeds, masala and a dash of lemon. Another sald had boiled beans and paneer. Another comprised of sprouts and kalle channe. Multigrain sandwiches were also served along with a fruit salad. And to finish all of this there was Green Tea. This took care of our physical well being. For entertainment I decided that instead of sitting around and chatting we should play a game to relax. The game I chose was ‘Taboo’ and I’m glad everyone took to it and participated enthusiastically. For a few hours yetserday all of us nourished our bodies and minds with good clean fun.

Once in a week its a good idea to catch up with friends and do something we enjoy. Friends keep us rooted. They remind us of who we are and what we have the potential to be. They let us know that things might go from bad to worse but they will always be there to egg us on. It’s a good idea to make room for friends in your life. Pick up the phone and connect with one you haven’t connected with in a long time TODAY!

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