Ayurveda - Part 1

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“The food that is eaten is divided threefold.  

The gross part becomes excrement.  

The middle part becomes flesh.  

The subtle part becomes the mind.” 

                                  --Upanishads

 

Kichari is a staple dish in India.  
Ayurvedic practice recommends it be 
eaten as often as possible, especially 
after a fast.  It ranges from fluffy 
(as pictured above), to a more soupy,
porridge-like consistency.

Recently I attended a wonderful function centered on “ayurvedic cooking.”  A sign was posted on a beverage cannister pointing out that the beverage inside was “tridoshic,” and several people asked me what it meant.  Here’s a brief explanation of this term, and how it relates to ayurveda (and to the drink inside the cannister!).  This explanation is my simple take on this subject, in no way coming close to a scholarly treatise of any measure.  Bookstores and the internet have abundant literature about this topic, written by experts.  So search those places to dig deeper if you would like to learn more, or talk to an ayurveda doctor proper.

Doshas

This much I do know:  Ayurveda is an ancient East Indian system of health primarily incorporating what we eat and drink, as well as many other wellness and beauty practices (with the belief that inner and outer beauty both spring from wellness).   Dosha is Sanskrit for  “deviation.”  It indicates one of three main expressions of prana (life-force energy) found in both the physical and spiritual environments: vata dosha, pitta dosha or kapha (kap-hah) dosha.  These expressions are based on the ever-changing interplay of the five great elements (panchamahabhuta) within and around us: ether (akasha), air (vayu), earth (bhumi), water (jala), and fire (agni).

Panchakarma is an ayurvedic prac-
tice that incorporates massage and 
other modalities geared toward clean-
sing and detoxifying the body/mind.

Dosha could apply to a variety of things, such as the portion of the day it is at the moment, or the stage of one’s lifetime in which one finds oneself, or the primary constitution of one’s physical body and mind.  In terms of our body/minds then, the goal of ayurveda is to maintain a stasis between spirit (atma), mind (mana), emotions (indriya), and physical body (sharira).  Ayurveda uses what we eat and drink, and other health-maintenance practices, as "tools" for establishing and maintaining that stasis.

Yoga for Singers

        Singers might be interested in yogic breathing, pranayama (प्राणायाम).  Pranayama is an in-depth aspect of yoga practice.  Like yoga postures (yogasana), which most people are familiar with, it was intended as a preparation for meditation (dhyana), which is the true yoga.

        Teachers like B.K.S. Iyengar stress that traditionally, the teaching of pranamaya is that one should not attempt a serious practice of pranayama without the guidance and supervision of a qualified teacher.  But he does recommend that for good health, a very simple daily pranayama practice is beneficial for anyone.

        Two simple, but effective pranayam breathing exercises are the energizing kapalabhati, and the calming anuloma viloma.   Singers especially could benefit from these two practices, but they are helpful to everyone.

Why You Should Clean Your Aura Often!

by Josh Schultz

Guest Blogger

        You wouldn't go 10 years without cleaning your car would you? What about your bathroom sink or toilet? Imagine what it would look like if you didn't clean them for 10 years. Pretty disgusting huh? How about your socks and underwear? You wash and clean those regularly too right?  I certainly hope so!

         Well think about this now: when was the last time you got your aura, chakras, and meridians cleaned? The answer for most people is probably "never." And that is more or less equivalent to treating your energy body the same way as if you hadn't washed or repaired your car in 10 years. And people are baffled as to why they are in pain or having trouble accomplishing their goals in life. It is because, metaphorically speaking, their energy body looks something like this: