Thursday, June 21, 2012

The Yoga Diet

Photo: Whole Foods.com



I have seen many fad diets over the past 20 years, since picking up my first book on health, Fit for Life, at the age of 16.  Since then I have tried food combining, Eating for my blood type, and tried on even more labels, such as, Fruitatarian, Macrobiotic, Paleolithic, Raw Foodie, Vegan, Omnivore, Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Gluten and Casein Free.  It may also come as no shocker, that within this constellation of food experiments, paired with unhealthy self-esteem, that an eating disorder erupted to further the complicate this already complicated relationship I was in, with Food.  There are as many different diets out there as there are religions, and in a way our diet is like a religion.  There is always a new list of commandments you don’t do to be HEALTHY which equals GOOD. The popular diets and beliefs take over the consumer market.  Gluten is the newest EVIL in the religion of health.  And companies catch on quickly to line the shelves with products catering to our newest set of beliefs. If we ingest Gluten we are BAD or at least feel bad, as I have told myself for the past 2 years, but if we eat super foods we are GOOD and will feel super human.  On a recent trip to whole foods I happened to be in the aisle with a woman that was new to gluten free.  There were 3 employees, opening different packages of gluten free cookies and letting us sample them. (I love whole foods) Of course I tried every one they offered, because it was FREE. I left the store with a sugar hangover, wondering if it was really a good idea to eat all of these sugar-filled, refined foods just because the gluten free industry has found a way to make them taste even better than the real deal, in some instances.  I started to wonder what it is I was being fed, and if the information was true to me.
Through my years of practicing yoga I began the study of Ayurveda, a sister science to Yoga, that teaches us how to live life. Ayurveda told me exactly what I wanted to hear in a moment the pendulum was swinging from, “There is only One Way to be radiantly healthy to I am no longer putting a label on myself when it comes to my relationship with food!”  I no longer believed and believe there could be just ONE way for the complexity of our human bodies.  Ayurveda told me that it was ok to eat meat if I needed some grounding, something that the sister science of Yoga and other philosophies have claimed to be bad. It explained why I craved eating raw during the summer months.  It told me that there is not going to be one diet for every body or even one way for your body your whole life or even every season.  Now I am consumer and practitioner of science of Ayurveda.  Still, it is my yoga practice that has given me the most insight into myself and the world, and has healed the struggles I had in my early twenties with an eating disorder. Yoga has taught me to not be a consumer of fads and ever changing diets and beliefs, rather to believe in myself.  Food is a way to experience the moment, sensations, and mostly nurturing my RELATIONSHIP with myself and the earth. Ayurveda has taught me to keep my body like a smooth running machine so that if I eat a little gluten or dairy, I still feel good. Yoga has taught me, if I eat too many cookies in the whole foods gluten free aisle, I don’t have to run 10 miles to burn them off.  Many times when I am seeing students for nutritional counseling we end up working on forgiveness, self-esteem, and savoring their life.  What we eat is only part of the puzzle, because we are multi-dimensional beings.  It takes more than the perfect meal to make us feel nourished.  How is your relationship with food?  What is happening on the mental and emotional level? Are you feeling integrated and deeply connected with yourself, and with nature?  This is The Yoga Diet Mantra… “I Know that I am FULL and Happy and am not looking for anything outside of myself.”  In the words of my teacher David Frawley, “The consumer is consumed.”


Monday, June 4, 2012

Soul Mate (inspired by Venus transit)

I Gaze into the reflection of the window
My eyes
Reflecting off the pane of glass
The separation that sends a shiver of pain
Through me; into me
The crevices, distortions, haze and imperfections within the glass
They obscure me from seeing clearly
I soften to gaze deeper
and Awake to the reflection of you
I feel your gaze upon me, within me
Our hands meet
Our lips press
Against the glass; Smooth and Cold
Until the the heat from your soul meets mine.
As it intersects in the space between; The space where we are one
Our heat shatters the pane between us.
Shards of glass fall like rain drops; to the earth beneath us.
We gaze into the reflection of each other
One Love



Friday, May 11, 2012

How to Raise Spiritually Balance Kids


Having opened a yoga school 3 years ago, working day and nice with fierce passion, finally finding what feels like my dharma, up to this point anyway….a few things have been neglected. For example, romantic vacations with the hubby where we lay in the sand half naked and drinking margaritas all day. now involve me teaching yoga in tropical places,  having discussions on dharma, artha, kama, and moksa, and entertaining a group of yogis all week long.  Great stuff but can take a little of the spark away! Family vacations have also fallen to the wayside, and my 6 year old was starting to question this, reminding me, that we promised we would go back to Disney when she was 6 and her sister was 3, three years ago. She was right on schedule, and I wanted to be truthful to her, because to me, the number one rule in parenting, is to follow through with your word.  I looked up from my computer and told her to pray about it because we didn’t have enough money right now, but if she prayed and believed it would most likely work out. 
Less than a month later we have our room booked and we are driving to Disney next week. Wow, powerful manifestor, these little ones are. I want to teach her to have faith and that she is a co creator, but how do I make sure I do not cross the lines into the spiritual materialism many of us have encountered over the past decade. 
Other comments I have heard this week are “Me and God did this.”-Cool she sees herself as a co-creator!! And then… “Mom, some kids don’t know Jesus…. Or Santa Claus..”
STRIKE. There is was, the confusion that I knew would kick in at some point coming from a family of Yogi/Philosophers who are more spiritual than religious, having an evangelical Christian grandmother, and an Atheist Grandfather who was mocking me in my head since I heard the statement comparing Jesus to Santa Claus.
I went from teaching her to have faith and being a co-creator, to teaching that God is like Santa Claus, oh and by the way you will find out once day that all adults are big LIARS.  Even though my #1 parenting advice is truthfulness.  All I could in that moment, surrounded by the image of my family (in my mind) laughing, shaking their heads in disapproval of what a lousey mother I was, was to look her deep in the eyes, lump in my throat, and say,” well honey they are not really the same thing.”  Thankfully the comments stopped there, for now. 
I have since decided that all I can teach her is to be strong in her relationships. Her relationships with Faith, with God, and with the Gifts we receive. 
I paid off my car last week and received an overpayment check of .02 Cents. My husband laughed, and almost threw it away. To me it was important to make the trip to the bank and deposit that check because it represents my relationship with receiving gifts and abundance in my life.  We shouldn’t reject the gifts that come into our lives, we should go to the source of the gift with Gratitude weather it is from Santa, the Bank, or the Divine.   It always goes back to the Divine. I will continue to teach my daughters the Truth, and that is, when we are Grateful and Faithful we just may discover our strength and feel a glimpse of just how much we are Loved. As for the Santa Myth, I will deal with that later.


Friday, March 30, 2012

Learn Yoga and Become a Jedi!


I was having lunch at our local food co op the other day, and started having a conversation with a guy I had seen around a couple of times, about yoga. The topic of yoga usually comes up in conversations with me, with anyone willing to talk about it.  It is the topic of conversation that I have a tendency to light up at more than any other, begin a self proclaimed “asana addict”. Yet this person threw me a curve ball when he asked, “have you ever been illuminated,” after less than 5 minutes of conversation and no alcohol involved.  WTF!! When did this become typical conversation for a Thursday afternoon, with someone you just met?  I didn’t know if I should rejoice in that kind of spiritual interest or be pissed off.  I chose the latter.

My teachers warned me to not get caught up in the circus tricks of yoga, and my inner Guru teaches me to let go of results, so when I see students striving to attain siddhis, special powers, through the practice of yoga, I get discouraged. I feel like  they are missing the point, the same way the student coming just for the yoga butt, is missing the point.  I see the pendulum swing from one extreme to the other.
  
As Yogis, we should evolve into practices, just for the sake of the subtle bodies, because our subtle bodies are what govern our physical, mental, and emotional health, and to be a Yogi means to be rooted in Self.  But I do not care for any special Jedi tricks or powers, most of the time
Even if I have been illuminated it wouldn’t be something I would share, there, in our 5 minutes of getting to know each other.  This would only cause separation, unless of course he had a similar experience, and then I would think he was nuts.

The kundalini awakening that is sought after by many intrigued students of yoga, is often short lived and leaves the body completely wacked. In the past, if it happened and a student wasn’t ready, an Ayurvedic Practitioner could help in returning balance to the physical and mental bodies.

As I witness the shift of consciousness in the world from materialism to spirituality, I am sure we will have more conversations about this. A refreshing change from, “what teacher will give me the best workout.” However, we should make sure our intentions are pure, and that we don’t just swing to spiritual materialism.

Just as we should not compare the shapes of our postures, we should not compare the brightness of our souls.

 We come as spiritual seekers and each of our paths are as differently shaped as the bones in our bodies.  We all have the ability to become illuminated not from some special yoga mudra, pranayama, or vigorous asana practice, but by choosing faith, devotion, and connection.   A wise one once said, Once I became Enlightened I never met another person that wasn’t. 

Friday, March 16, 2012

My Irish Ode

When Saint Patrick’s day rolls around there are usually a few things on my mind:  Hanging with my dad, drinking Guinness, anniversary of when chris and I became “official”, green silk camis, and hanging with my sister on her 21st birthday because that was the first time we had met a full blooded Irishmen!! It was a bit of a disappointment when he claimed I was a FookIng disgrace for pouring a Guinness with bubbles, and claimed that I would be in trouble if I wasn’t married. (whatever that means)Little did he know I found him a prepubescent, pissin drunk boy. The only thing that made him cool in the slightest was that he was truly Irish. I am just a American half-ly Irish girl, and always have been.   Anyways, this unforgettable 21st birthday was the night when my sister and I coined the term  Hiya Paddy! Something that is only funny between sisters and after several cocktails , but comes up every st paddy’s day.
This year is different. All I can think about it my grandfather, who past away this February, and the best complement I ever received from anyone…

I sat by his side, as he was suffering and ending his long journey with cancer, and he said “You really are a beautiful Irish lass”  He was still a charmer and full of it, but anyone that knows me as Dani, not Vani, the teacher, knows that flattery will get you everywhere.
God knows I am not nearly as Irish as grandpa but I have learned a few things from him about being Irish. , and it really isn’t about Guinness, green silk camis, and Irish boys at all. 

I learned that to be Irish is to be resilient; To be emotional, there is no middle ground like there is in Yoga.  It is either lovin or fighten. The Irish love God and trust Him to do all the work because, well, he is God and we are human. So we can sit back, enjoy a beer, and screw up as much as we want.  I learned to go to church, and to make sure everyone else goes to church,  but to find God in nature. The Irish don’t need much to be happy; just a little log cabin, a dog, a beer, and family. But mostly, family. They are just a little bit mystic.  I remember grandpa calling Wisconsin God’s country as he would go for long walks and soak up the green.  He didn’t drink a ton(when I knew him), but he would drink a beer, and cheers to family, ritual, and calling one another out on their bullshit.  It is said that The Irish people are a fair folk, they never speak well of one another, but that wasn’t true. I will hold on to grandpa’s compliment forever, because like a true Irishman he knew how to exaggerate like the rest of them.  Most of all I learned that the Irish are loved and lovers.

 My Grandpa and Katie


I’ll leave you with a quote from the eminent Historian Carl Wittke on the Irish Temperament.
"The so-called Irish temperament is a mixture of flaming ego, hot temper, stubbornness, great personal charm and warmth, and a wit that shines through adversity. An irrepressible buoyancy, a vivacious spirit, a kindliness and tolerance for the common frailties of man and a feeling that 'it is time enough to bid the devil good morning when you meet him' are character traits which Americans have associated with their Irish neighbors for more than a century."

A Breeze of Consciousness


Have you ever caught a moment of pure bliss, it washes over as you are driving, maybe on a sunny afternoon? The moment is as sweet, as it is gone in a flash. Still something has shifted within you just from having had the experience of remembering. When captivated in this state of joy it is difficult to notice sensations in the body. It is an “other-worldly” experience. It is consciousness, our true essence that is joy.  We are continually chasing happiness using our senses to try to bring us closer to this state, but it exists beyond the senses. We long for this freedom, because it is the truth of who we are. And when we get glimpses through this window of meaning, it keeps us seeking.

As Seekers we dance with the idea of freedom as we kiss our lovers lips, indulge in our senses, or listen to our favorite song(I love music that makes me feel like I am flying).  How do we free ourselves of duality and fluctuations between consciousness and unconsciousness, and slide into Truth.
Like Surfers, we can only know how to ride theses waves of bliss. Knowing that there is no lover to be kissed except for the one truth we all share, no sense that can be indulged permanently, and the only song that goes on forever is the one playing in your soul.
We had our first warm day this week where i live in Indiana. Unusually warm, as it was 77 degrees in mid March. As most people drove with windows down, tops rolled back, or got their motorcycles and jogging strollers out; I wondered how many people were experiencing moments of bliss, or "flight", as their favorite song blasted through the speakers and wind blowed through their hair. 
Then I noticed a few scattered cars with their windows rolled up and I was pissed!!  How could they block themselves off from such a beautiful day. As my compassionate side tried to think up excuses for them,  I became more outraged. There is no excuse for such misconduct.  This was true scandal…not the usual blah blah drama that irritates us.
As humans we block ourselves from the light all of the time. We prevent our souls from taking flight like they were meant to.
We can’t fly if we are anchored down by Fear, Ego, Refusal, or Attachment, The four veils that color the truth of our souls, and are usually at play during any given moment of the day. 
The practice of yoga is to help us remove these veils that distort our true nature(joy) and wear our hearts on our sleeves.

A practice that I try to do each day, around these veils of illusion(avidya), that helps me to be more real and enjoy being ALIVE...

1.     Fear-Do something that scares you. Fear is just excitement without the breath.-Fritz Perls
2.     Ego-Be compassionate. Practice Non-Judgement. Know that if you were that person, with their past and karmas, you would be doing the same thing.
3.     Refusal-If my first reaction is a big NO to something I know to pause and think it through, most of the time it needs to be a YES to LIFE.  I am not speaking about the voice of intuition that tells us no, but the voice of denying transformation and living our dharma.
4.     Attachment-The spiritual practice is always about letting go. Deep breathing and softening help me to let things flow out of my life just knowing this is freeing me up for sweeter fruits.

A mind held too tightly is like a window rolled up on the most beautiful day of the year so far.
A mind held too relaxed is one that steers us out of control.  A mind held not to tightly or too relaxed is the way of yoga.  The shift is happening for us to move beyond yogic concepts to embodying this way of being, but you have to open some windows and let the breeze touch your spirit. 

Practice the above when you can, enjoy the waters of life, and maybe you will be set free to feel more ALIVE. 

We dive in and out of consciousness and we dive in and out of this world. Sometimes we meet here and sometimes we meet there. Today we are separate and tomorrow we are one. 

Here is a great playlist of  summertime music me and my loves put together. Enjoy next time you are driving with the window DOWN on these beautiful days..And let us know your favorite tune to listen to on a warm summer day.
Clocks - Coldplay                       
Sunrise - Norah Jones
Fallin’ For You  -Colbie Caillat                                   
Collide -Howie Day
Let Go -Frou Frou
Fireflies-Owl City
Brand New Day  -Joshua Radin          
Sugar Magnolia -Grateful Dead
The Boys of Summer-Don Henley                                                           
Flowers in the Window -Travis                                   
Caring is Creeping - The Shins.
It’s a Summer Night-Flash Cadillac
Beautiful World-Colin Hay

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Yoga, Shit, and the Practice of Ahimsa

Ahimsa(non-violence) is the first Yama. We know that Yoga means relationship, and Yama is the relationship that we have to everything in the world. Our relationship to the world is a mirror of our relationships to ourselves.  

"For a person who has experience his Buddha nature, he sees the Buddha nature in everyone. For a person who is full of shit, he sees everybody as a pile of shit." -Dharma Master Fo Yin in his conversation with the infamous poet Su Dong Po(A.D. 1037-1101)

 What does this mean to us? Maybe it gives us some insight on how to put up with that annoying co-worker and the person, or press, that keeps slamming the practice that has transformed our lives, maybe it means to just cut off those that challenge us? What the dharma master is saying is that yoga starts within. Yoga begins with awareness, and that awareness, has to start with ourselves.  It begins with our Yoga(relationship) to ourselves and from there will spill over into your other relationships. Lately yoga has gotten a lot of bad press. There have been books and articles written about the stress that yoga can put on our bodies, scandal within the yoga community exposing teachers' "dark sides."  First of all, How can Yoga wreck our body!? Yoga means relationship. Relationships can wreck us only if our intentions are not pure. Think again to that co-worker, when we try to change them and their actions we just strengthen that which is causing turmoil within us in the first place.  When we work on ourselves the co-worker doesn't change but our projections and needs for them to turn into someone else does.  Yoga is an internal practice and as a society growing in materialism, many of us have made it an external practice. We can't help ourselves, we're Americans! We have turned yoga teachers into rockstars and then we get mad at them for sleeping around! These things happen to wake us up, to get a conversation started, and to tear down our walls and expose our hearts(something that takes years of yoga practice to accomplish). Set the intention of love and kindness today, set the intention on your "inner guru" and intuition, and "Self-center" instead of being self-centered. Whatever we set our intention towards expands in our lives. When you come to your mat, set the intention for Ahimsa(non-harming), especially if you are a type A personality. Set the intention today to be kinder to yourself on your yoga mat, to listen to what your body, mind and Soul needs are, and to nurture your Self. These problems in the yoga community are not because of Yoga, it is because we are humans practicing yoga.  It is the reason we came to yoga in the first place!! As Bryan Kest says,"you can take what you learn on your mat and apply it to your life, or you can take what you do in life, and turn your yoga into shit!"  Turns out Bryan Kest and the Dharma master Fo Yin had a similar message. 


Ahimsa(non-violence/kindness) is the highest dharma(law). Ahimsa is the best tapas(austerity). Ahimsa is the greatest gift. Ahimsa is the highest self-control. Ahimsa is the highest sacrifice. Ahimsa is the highest power. Ahimsa is the highest friend. Ahimsa is the highest truth. Ahimsa is the highest teaching.--Mahabharata