What is freedom?

Is it the "freedom" to do whatever we want whenever we want?  To eat things we like, wear things that make us look a certain way, to say whatever is on our minds?

Is it the freedom to willingly suffer the consequences of our own bad decisions or do we really think freedom is avoiding consequences at all?

What if true freedom requires a bit of discipline and a lot of education and practice?

What if freedom evolves out of deep self-knowledge and long experience of what works for us and what doesn't work as well?

Then we can be free of serious disease even in the face of discomforts because our healthier dietary choices have improved our immunity.  We can be free of suffering in the face of pain and loss because we have done the hard work of cultivating emotional resilience.  We can be free of dependence on pharmaceuticals and surgeries to repair physical damage to our bodies because of our ability to observe how our exercise habits not only build strength and endurance but balance.

None of us are immune to aging, decline, or death but we can keep working to live the best lives possible.  It's not the years in our lives but the life in our years that counts.

​Have a wonderful day, and may the Fourth be with you!

I had spend a wonderful weekend with my colleagues, mentors, and MUIH cohort at the Symposium for Yoga Therapy and Research, emerging to find myself immersed into a local yoga festival right outside my hotel.  The weather was perfect, I felt calm and focused, ready to rededicate myself to helping my clients feel the same energy I cultivate every time I set my feet firmly into my personal practice.

The first thing I heard when I turned on my car radio was the sad news about the Orlando shooting.  One more deranged, mentally ill, fearful, hateful man somehow able to buy weapons and slaughter dozens of people just wanting to have a fun night on the town with friends.  We can agonize (and have) for years over how often this happens in our "civilized" nation, about how to keep guns away from those who should not have them, hear endless commentary attempting to make sense of the killer's state of mind and whether those who knew him (and it always seems to be a "him") noticed anything alarming without ever wondering what we can do for ourselves;  how can WE change ourselves to help build a better, saner, safer community?

I've been reading (finally) the groundbreaking book "The Body Keeps the Score" by Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk that lays out in clear language how trauma affects the brain, how the conscious mind may not be able to make sense of traumatic events while the tissues of the body record the memories in every cell.  Those at the Pulse may not remember what happened but their bodies will.  It is my sincere wish that they all find some way to process this horrific event - talk therapy, somatic therapy, gentle massage, yoga - so they can find some measure of peace.

But what about the shooter?  He died at the scene and so cannot tell us why he felt such hatred for gay people.  Was he a victim of early trauma that perhaps he did not consciously remember?  Was he gay and unable to accept himself as he was?  As details emerge about his often violent relationships with others we could perhaps speculate that in the past he must have been abused in some fashion by someone he trusted.

This book also notes that mindful movement like yoga and tai chi can help a traumatized person process their experiences without having to relive them, that their brains gradually rewire themselves away from the fight/flight/freeze center towards the rest/digest/restore areas.  While adults need to make the effort to heal it is increasingly possible to offer generalized yoga classes to children in their schools, to at-risk children in specially designed classes with trained teachers, and specialty classes in trauma-sensitive yoga for those who know they need help but haven't had much success with medication or other therapies.

We must do all we can to prevent acts of violence by helping create conditions that nurture and provide safety.  The first step is cultivating peace in ourselves.

As we age we show the effects of our bad habits over the years; slouching posture, too much sitting, carrying things over the same shoulder all cause the body to change form to follow the function we've come to inhabit. Illnesses and injuries take their toll and add to the ill effects of our unconscious habits.... 
Read the rest here:
​http://healthyayurveda.com/activity/

Once again we are confronted with horrific news of violence against innocents.  Guns, bombs, slaughter and emotional trauma abound.  As individuals we feel powerless against the machinations of evil doers but we are not in fact powerless.  While we may not be able to prevent someone else from acting out in violent ways we CAN prevent ourselves from reacting uncontrollably to their actions.  

We don't need to wait until we are personally confronted with personal loss or injury or the face of Death;  practice NOW how to breathe in deeply and fully, practice releasing the breath slowly and with control to access our physical body's ability to stay calm in the face of chaos.  Practice NOW how to move, stretch, and stand with conviction and inner strength so the body knows how to react in an instant to flee, fight, or stay in place not from a place of fear but with full awareness of our surroundings and confidence that we will act correctly.

We don't need to wait to teach our children, our patients, our clients, friends, and colleagues these same skills.  If we wish to find peace in the world we first must find it in ourselves.  If we wish to bring peace to others we must then learn to model peaceful behavior.   We need to practice thinking peace, speaking peace, living peace as much as we can knowing that we are not perfect and will make mistakes, but practice is required for the theory to become obvious.  Keep practicing and all is coming as the Ashtanga master Sri K. Pattabhi Jois was fond of saying.

OM Shanti, shanti, shanti (peace, peace, peace).

Ayurveda teaches us that we are all made up of the same Five Great Elements of Earth, Water, Fire, Air/Wind, and Space.  All of Creation is made up of infinitely variable combinations of these Elements, including Time, and each aspect of Creation interacts with other aspects to create even more combinations and effects.   Some of these effects are beneficial but others are not;  do we have the knowledge to adjust our diet, lifestyle, and exercise routines to balance these deleterious effects?

If you know you tend to gain weight over the winter months, Fall season is a good time prepare so you can avoid the sugar cravings and even the depression that can grow in the dark of Winter.  Focus on eating as much fresh produce as you can, cooking lightly and using flavorful spices like turmeric, coriander, cumin, fennel, black pepper, ginger, and any other herbs and spices you like (the more variety in your spices, the more subtle the flavors, so play with your food!).  Use a little ghee, sesame oil, or coconut oil to help bind the flavors together and to help give your body the ability to hold onto moisture. 

Remember that healthy fats are not your enemy and they won't make you fat, they make your food taste good and help you feel fuller sooner as well as provide LOTS of slow burning fuel that will keep your blood sugar from spiking and then falling (the way lots of sugar does).  If you do use some sugar in your food favor raw unprocessed sugars over highly refined (and nutrient depleted) white sugar, or add a little raw honey sparingly.  You can try using blackstrap molasses as a sweetener for your morning oatmeal for its trace minerals.

For more information about how Ayurveda can help you manage your weight go to this link:  http://www.banyanbotanicals.com/info/ayurvedic-living/living-ayurveda/health-guides/weight-management-guide
If you feel you need individualized personal attention request an appointment and we will together design a program that will fit you like a well designed glove!

Isn't yoga for women?  For flexible people?  For circus freaks?  Isn't "gentle yoga" or "restorative yoga" the same as yoga therapy?  Why is Ashtanga yoga's Primary Series called "yoga therapy" in Sanskrit when it's so tough?

Yoga Therapy is not the same as commercial yoga classes, although they may share some aspects like the poses (asanas) or breath techniques (pranayamas).  Many people (not just women) come to yoga classes as classes are an easy way to be introduced to what was originally a method for transforming oneself from an ordinary human being to one who is "enlightened", perfectly balanced and able to easily to become one with the universe.

The physical postures help with balancing the body - if your hamstrings are tight, your quadriceps may be weak;  if you abdominal muscles are weak you may experience back pain.  The breath practices help boost your energy levels by increasing your body's ability to bring in and utilize oxygen.  Once you have energy and your body is more balanced your mind will naturally be less distracted by aches and pains as well as more able to focus and concentrate.  It is impossible to "meditate" unless one can be freed of distractions.

Yoga classes are designed to help as many people as can attend the class and are usually designed to accommodate beginners in easier classes, more experienced practitioners in more vigorous classes, and highly adept yogis in very challenging classes.  Yoga Therapy sessions are designed to help a single individual with that person's unique issues whether they are physical, energetic, emotional, or a combination.

The advantage of a class is its cost - many studios offer community based classes that can be quite inexpensive.  The disadvantage is that if you have an injury the instructor may not be prepared to assist you or have the knowledge and training necessary to guide you properly while still taking care with students who are not working with pain.

A Yoga Therapist can design a yoga class around specific conditions, such as high blood pressure or knee pain, so that everyone in the class at least shares the same condition.  This ensures that everyone will learn something about their condition and how to work with it in a safe way.  This can be quite cost effective for those who have more experience with exercise in general or who have high self awareness.

A private Yoga Therapy session is a great way for someone who feels intimidated by group classes and begins with the therapist asking you to talk about your injury;  how did you become injured, how is it affecting your daily routine, what is the nature of the pain you experience, what other treatments have you tried, what helps and what doesn't?  Knowledge or experience with commercial yoga is not necessary, as your therapist will begin with what brings you into the office and design a home program that will gently and gradually guide you to the self knowledge necessary to practice mindfully so that you find healing even if your condition is chronic.  


This sense of finding healing in the face of an uncurable condition is what helps the yogi find peace in every moment, acceptance of what is, and gratitude for the opportunity to grow as a spiritual being in a physical body.

May you be happy, may you be healthy, may you find peace!