Recognize the Disguise: commitment or attachment?

Often wonder why one day you will be so motivated and excited about something and the next day it just fizzles out? There are many reasons I'm sure, and all are specific to you, but consider that one of the reasons is that what you thought you were committed to, you became attached to. There is a big difference between being committed to something and being attached, one that is often overlooked.

When we are attached to something we have an emotional response to the results of that thing. For example, I really want a raise at work. I feel like I deserve it, I work hard and I feel that I'm committed to the job and loyal to my boss. So I ask for a raise and my boss says no. I equate that 'no' to "I must not be a good worker" or "he thinks I'm stupid" or "I don't deserve it" or "I'm not good enough." I was so attached to the result that when it doesn't go the way I would have liked I feel angry, desperate, stressed, resentful, worried, oppressed and disappointed.

Being in a state of attachment to a result or to a project we are taking on, or to a job we do leaves us with a lack of passion, freedom, fun and fulfillment in our lives.

When we are attached to something it becomes like work. Sometimes we can still get things done and achieve the results we want, but we are only committed to the result.

When we are truly, and deeply committed to something we are always in action. Life is full of passion and freedom, fun and possibilities. The projects we take on seem less like work and more like fulfillment. We are open to people's points of view and we are in a space that is expansive, where we can grow. We don't get upset when things don't go our way. When my boss says no to my raise I don't take it personally, I take the answer for what it was, not what I think it might mean. I'm committed to getting a raise and it comes out in my outstanding work ethic and enthusiasm. When something is a commitment nothing can stop you from getting what you are committed to, because you're committed to the future.

So next time you have an issue with someone you care about, instead of going in fighting and attached to winning and getting them to see they are wrong, go in from your commitment. What are you committed to in the relationship. When you remember that you are committed to having a great relationship filled with love and joy, you will have a different outlook on the discussion, and it will have a more positive outcome. Remember that it's not just about the result of that discussion, it's about the future of the relationship.

We can recognize that attachment to things like material objects can bring about trouble, but attachment to other things in our lives is just as bad. So next time you're struggling to finish that project you were so excited about before, remember where it stems from. When you decided to take it on it was for a great reason, one that's important to you. Remember why your were committed to it in the first place, what you want it to help you achieve for your future, and you'll find the task a lot less daunting.

Namaste.

A Boost can beat the Bugs

If you’re prone to getting colds and flu, this year, start when you’re ahead. Here are some simple tips to beating the bugs.

Vitamin C and D (two Anti-oxidants on a mission)

Not only is Vitamin C a powerful antioxidant- which can help fight off disease- it does wonders for your immune system. This vitamin, found in a large variety of fruits and vegetables like red peppers, broccoli and strawberries, supports the immune system by helping the body fight off pathogens, and also decreases the severity of cold and flu symptoms. You can't overdose on this vitamin as it is water soluble, so a supplement of up to 10,000 milligrams a day can be taken when sick.

Vitamin D works to regulate immune function, helping the body to quickly produce what it needs when confronted by unwanted bugs. Food sources for this vitamin include a wide variety of fish, as well as eggs and mushrooms. In the summer we tend to get our daily recommended dose of 1000-3000 I.U daily from the sun, but in the winter taking a supplemental dose can help. It also regulates mood and can help people who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Unlike Vitamin C, Vitamin D is fat-soluble, so the body stores it and you can take too much so keep this in mind.

Echinacea and Oregano Oil (Two herbs ready to serve)

Echinacea is a flower that helps the body to produce white blood cells, which in turn fight off illness. Echinacea can help prevent bacterial infections and viruses, so it is very helpful during flu season. At the onset of symptoms, supplement with it 2-5 times a day.

Oregano Oil is a very concentrated form of the herb Oregano. It’s known as Nature’s natural anti-biotic, but it also fights off viruses, parasites and fungi, making it your best defense for whatever bug you have. In liquid form 2-4 drops under the tongue or in a little water three times a day should help, but beware, it has a very strong, spicy flavour. If the taste is too much it is available in capsules.

Namaste

Intense seated lateral stretch

Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana (par-ee-tah JAH-new-shear-SHAHS-anna) or Revolved Head to Knee Pose is a very intense posture to stretch the whole side of the body. It is classified as an intermediate twist because it requires a slightly more flexible body. But don't let that discourage you, the benefits of practicing this pose can be huge.
The leg that is outstretched should be flexed and this allows for the stretch to include calfs and hamstrings. The turned in leg will get these benefits as well, not to mention the extra stretch for the groin and hips. Shoulders, chest, and lateral back muscles and abs (latissimus dorsi, internal obliques, spinal extensors) as well as glutes are all working, making this one of the most comprehensive postures for toning. Keep both sit bones on the floor and ground down as you breathe. Drishti: up.

Variation: If the stretch to the foot is too far for you, just bring your arm to the inside of the outstretched leg with the palm facing up (right arm for right leg), and the opposite arm can bend, and the hand can be by the ear. Work on pointing that elbow to the sky and looking up and back to the elbow.

Gita Verse:

Chapter 5 verse 10

Sri Krishna:

Those who surrender to Brahman all selfish attachments are like the leaf of the lotus floating clean and dry in water. Sin can not touch them.

The title of this chapter is Renounce and Rejoice, and I think that says it all. A person who holds on to things, people and even ideas and fixed ways of being can never be enlightened. It is in the completle absolution of all our attachements that we can truly be free. Holding on to things keeps us here, and we can never move on when we are bogged down my grudges and selfish actions.

Namaste

Triangle

Trikonasana (trik-o-na-sana) or triangle pose is another bread and butter pose of Yoga. Triangle is a basic hip-opening standing posture that stretches laterally and involves balance and strength of arms, legs, hips, core muscles and much more. In this pose both legs and arms need to be straight and you want to imagine that you are in between two planes of glass, that's how aligned and straight your body needs to be here. Keeping the front leg straight will stretch the hamstrings, using the weight of the body to intensify the stretch. The back foot should be turned inwards at a 45 degree angle and the front foot is at 90 degrees. The Drishti here is at the thumb of the arm pointed to the sky (same arm as the back leg) and the other arm is simply resting on the inside of the front leg. Eventually with practice you will be able to touch the front foot or even the ground and have your torso parallel to the ground and your spine still straight. The general alignment here is heel to heel and fairly wide, but this can be adjusted for individual bodies. The key to this posture is stability and balance and the idea that everything is stacked, hand over hand, shoulder over shoulder and a perfectly straight spine. Try and hold the posture for five breaths.

Gita Verse

Chapter 2 verse 55-57

Sri Krishna: (about the enlightened ones)

They live in wisdom, who see themselves in all and all in them, who have renounced every selfish desire and sense craving tormenting the heart.
Neither aggravated by grief nor hankering after pleasure, they live free from lust and fear and anger. Established in meditation they are truly wise. Fettered no more by selfish attachments, they are neither elated by good fortune nor depressed by bad. Such are the seers.

I think this is a very significant couple of verses. First off, the selfish desires Krishna is referring to are fulfillments of personal desires at the cost of others, and the sense cravings are those that are negative. For example, one may think that buying a pair of shoes might make them happier about their troubles. And while it might for that day, it does not solve the problem, nor does it make the person have no more problems. It's a quick fix. Those who are enlightened can get to the root of the problem and fix it or simply let it go, they have no need for retail therapy. However, just because they can get rid of things faster does not mean that they do not feel. They are still human, and human emotions will rise up, they are simply able to control their emotions, and not have their emotions and mind control them. They are not attached to anyone or anything. Again, this does not mean they don't love. On the contrary, they love completely and unconditionally, in a way deeper than most people can imagine. But when they lose someone their grief is less because they are not attached. Usually we grieve for selfish reasons, because we miss the person and we feel sad, but there is no selfish attachment here, so once the emotions are released, there is a realization that there is no reason to grieve because what is pure, free, whole and complete- as all beings are- is never born, and can never die. It is constant and unchanging. Those who are enlightened don't give up their senses, they simply master them.

Namaste.

Bugs B Gone

B vitamins have many benefits in the body. They are great for hair, skin and nails, energy, cell division and growth, metabolism and a slew of other things we know about and I'm sure some that we don't. B vitamins work together in a group, and while you may be recommended to take only one for a certain issue (eg. vegetarians need more B12) you should start by taking a B complex that contains all of them, and take the separate one in higher doses. B vitamin supplements can be purchased at all health food stores.

But today I want to talk about vitamin B1 or Thiamin. In the body Thiamin has a direct correlation to energy. it helps the body metabolism by breaking down fats and carbs. However as essential as it is, the recommended dose is only about 1.5 mg daily, an amount that we can get easily from food.
But taking B1 in larger doses may have more benefits. Some nutritionists suggest taking 100mg daily this summer to keep away mosquitoes. Those pesky pests are apparently repelled by the sent that B1 leaves on your skin when you sweat it out. All B vitamins are water soluble, which means that they are used up as needed by the body and the extras are excreted from the body via sweat and urine (that's the part of your multivitamin that makes your pee bright yellow). The chemical compounds of Thiamin in your sweat have a swell that humans can't smell, but really irritates female mosquitoes, causing them to just stay away. It is recommended that you start taking 100mg of B1 (on top of a B complex or multivitamin) two weeks before a known outing where there will be mosquitoes, but since we have them even in the city, just talking it all summer would be best. You can not overdose on B vitamins, whatever your body doesn't need it just excretes (which is the whole point here) and you might even have shinier hair and more energy too!

Namaste

Tree

Balancing postures are some of the most challenging poses that exist. A lot of people struggle with calming their mind enough to maintain the balanced state that is required. Tree pose or Vrksasana (vrik-SHAHS-anna) is a basic asymmetrical standing balance.
Stand up tall with your spine lengthened and shoulders back and down. Begin to shift the weight of your body to one foot, letting the opposite one grow light. Find balance in the standing leg and when you feel ready move the foot with no weight and place in anywhere on the standing leg above or below the knee. The main thing here is not how high you place the foot but the state of balance that you create. The foot can be placed at the ankle so the toes still remain on the ground, or it can be placed as high up into the groin as possible. Do not place the foot on the knee, the added pressure is detrimental over time. You want to focus on bringing you bent knee out to the side, not in front of you, and close your eyes or focus them on something just ahead of you on the ground that is not moving. Focus on your breathing and hold the pose for as long as you can.

This posture works the entire lower body as well as chest muscles and arms depending on their position.

Gita Verse:
Chapter 3 Verse 17

Sri Krishna:

But those who realize the self are always satisfied. Having found the source of joy and fulfillment, they no longer seek happiness from the external world.

To me this means that once you realize that you are pure, free forever and nothing matters, you still need to eat, have a home, have clothes and possessions. And there is nothing wrong with that. Some people choose to sell their possessions and move to ashrams, and others continue with their regular lives. There is simply a realization from both that none of it matters. When you achieve a true state of happiness you no longer seek out happiness through attachment to people or objects, everything you need you already have.

Namaste.

Warrior 2

Virabhadrasana II (veer-ah-bah-DRAHS-anna) or Warrior 2 is one of the best postures for strengthening legs and opening up the hips. The front foot is at 90 degrees and the back foot is at 45 degrees, turned slightly inwards. A heel to heel or heel to arch foot alignment is best here. The importance here is to keep your torso straight, as if there is a rod through your spine. Make sure your bent knee is right over the ankle, many people struggle with this, it is very important, a knee that is too far over the ankle will cause strain, and a knee that is not bent enough will not allow the full benefit of the pose. Arms are up strong and at shoulder level, and the Drishti is at the thumb of the front hand. Pose is usually held for five breaths.

Muscles working: Gluteus minimus, medius and maximus. Hamstrings (back leg) and quads (front leg). Not to mention, triceps and biceps, shoulders, pecs, and neck muscles (scalenes).

Step it up: For more intensity here, have a wider stance, that will make front leg quads work harder, and hold 2-5 pound weights in your hands, this adds to the arm workout.

Gita Verse:

Chapter 4 Verse 14

Sri Krishna:
Actions do not cling to me because I am not attached to their results. Those who understand this and practice it live in freedom.

This is one of the biggest mistakes people make. We are going to a friend's house, someone who we always have fun with but who is very introverted, a night with him would mean watching a movie and keeping it low key. As we are about to leave another friend calls inviting us out to a party at his place, sure to be a good time. So what are the options. We can ditch the first friend, make up some excuse and go to the party, where we assume we will have more fun. Or we can not assume anything. We can keep our integrity intact and visit the friend we said we were going to and have the most fun that we can in that night. The fallacy here is that we don't know how much fun we could have had at the party because we didn't go. So why assume that it was more fun than what we choose to do? If we tell ourselves that we had a great night, then we did, but if we tell ourselves that the party would have been more fun we are disappointed. Either way, that doesn't change the outcome of our evening, and dwelling on the results will get us nowhere.

Namaste.