November is my least favorite month and always challenging. At this time of the year, pretty much like clockwork, I dip towards depression, my thoughts are scattered, and like many others, I tend to go through some sort of seasonal health adjustment (a.k.a. cold or flu). The circle of the year draws towards completion as Earth's energies are drawn on the inward journey to hibernation that must come before renewal. Staying in tune with this centripital force has been very helpful in combating the seasonal mood disorder I used to experience (don't even get me started on the "holidays"...) Eating more carefully, respecting my need for rest, lots of warm liquids, extra vitamin C, maybe a little Echinacea, contribute to wellness. And then there's pranayama - breathing practice.

It would seem that something as basic as breathing would be, well, basic. In fact, the act of respiration is under both autonomic and voluntary control; i.e., respiratory functions are regulated by the central nervous system but the depth, pace and rate of breathing can be altered by consciously controlling the breath. And therein lies one of Yoga's greatest tools.

I've been reading, and thoroughly enjoying, Richard Rosen's "The Yoga of Breath," and noticing my own breathing as a result. I maintain a (nearly) daily meditation and pranayama practice and have been (fairly) consistent with the breathing for about four years. But still there is so much to know! I've just become aware of how forced - or constricted - my breath is on the exhale.This kind of minute observation can be extremely enlightening, as the link between breath, emotion and mind is slowly revealed. For instance, my pattern of either holding my breath, or taking a large "gulp" of inhale, as if there will never be enough. Then a rather hard exhale, as if it could be dangerous to hold on to too much air. Then a sort of dribbling out of what remains of the exhale. Hmm. How interesting!

Noticing that pattern this morning, and applying as a remedy a simple technique recently learned in a "Yoga for Asthma" workshop, I managed to calm my mind enough to have a satisfactory meditation for the first time in weeks. While most pranayama practices really can't be learned from a book, this "single breath with a slight pause" can be done safely without a lot of training.

THE PRACTICE: Breathe in and out through the nose. Fill and empty the lungs as completely as possible, without forcing. Keep the posture erect but not stiff, and the chin parallel to the floor. If you become dizzy or lightheaded at any time, stop immediately and return the breath to normal.

Take a few normal breaths, then breathe in slowly, gently and deliberately. Pause. Breathe out, slowly and gently. Pause. Continue. Try to keep the breath even and steady. Notice any thoughts or feelings that arise. When this pattern feels comfortable, begin to count the breath: Inhale 1, 2, 3, 4, pause... Exhale 1, 2, 3, 4, pause. If this feels okay, again very gently increase the length of the exhalation until it is twice as long as the inhale. Inhale 1, 2, 3, 4, pause... Exhale 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, pause. Continue for only a few minutes to begin with. After the practice, take a few moments with the eyes closed to fully absorb the benefits. Notice how much calmer you feel. Carry this feeling within you for the rest of the day.

Try this delicious Ayuvedic-inspired soup if you are feeling run-down, out of balance, "fighting" off an illness, or to recover more quickly if you do happen to become sick. It is warming, nourishing, alkalizing, easy to digest and helps dispel mucous.
 


6 c water
1" fresh ginger, peeled & sliced
1/4 - 1/2 tsp fresh-ground black pepper
3 cloves
1/2 stick cinnamon
Pinch of cayenne pepper to taste (optional for Pitta)
1/4 tsp dried ginger (optional for Pitta)
1-6 cloves garlic, peeled & left whole (optional for Pitta)
2 dried shitake mushrooms (optional for Vata)
One 2-3" piece of wakame
1/3 c basmati rice
1 carrot, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 c shredded cabbage
Up to 1 c other veggies (squash, kale, brocolli, bok choy etc.)
tamari
honey
rice or apple cider vinegar

Bring water to a boil and add ginger. Lower heat to a simmer, wash & drain rice, add along with garlic, remaining spices, mushroom & wakame, and simmer while you chop the veggies. Raise heat to medium, add vegetables and cook til veggies & rice are done, 10-15 min. Remove from heat & spoon into bowls; add 1/4-1 tsp each of tamari, honey, and vinegar to taste to each serving.

More companies are waking up to the evils of stress and the ways yoga can help relieve it:  http://eba.benefitnews.com/news/yoga-can-help-employees-stretch-away-stress-anxiety-burnout-2671910-1.html

Q: "What's your take on yoga in America"

"Yoga in America is way too asana oriented. Ninety percent of yoga asana is a waste of time. The asana must be done to prepare the body to hold the light of the soul. Most people just want all of the stuff the ego likes: a firm body and ways to impress people. We should be striving to find a real connection with the Divine."      -- [Aadil Palkhivala interview in Yoga Journal]

To many people, Yoga means one thing - physical postures, or asana. In fact this is a very narrow, modern, and "American" way of looking at this ancient system of living, and is symptomatic of our culture's obsession with the body and the material plane of existence. Asana is actually the most recently added aspect of Yoga, and in classical times was considered the least important. I've been studying The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali on my own, somewhat sporadically, and yesterday travelled to Integral Yoga® Institute in NYC to take part I of an advanced Raja Yoga course – an in-depth study of the Sutras not covered in our basic Yoga teacher training. The Yoga Sutras are the basis for Raja Yoga, their brief and often cryptic passages presenting a complete guide to the purpose, study and practice of Yoga: to overcome mental obstacles, relieve suffering and know your true self. Kind of like a user's manual for being human. What is so fascinating about the Yoga Sutras is that they are just a framework, and need large amounts of explanation to make any sense at all. Originally the Sutras were verbal discourse, passed down orally from Master to student to Master over possibly thousands of years, added to and embellished, then finally re-condensed and codified by Patanjali – minus the explanations. Today there are over a dozen translations of the Yoga Sutras in print, and each translator/author expounds their own "take" on the material. Even then, there are massive amounts of background material referencing other ancient scriptures such as the Bhagavad Gita and Rig Vedas, esoteric anatomy and many other topics. Without this background, a complete picture is hard to grasp.