Tag Archive for: Teacher

Change of Pace: A New Routine

1. Good morning! Starting the day by looking at my hands, giving gratitude and/or praying has been the catalyst for positive thinking throughout the entire day to follow. Although I am not new to the practice of starting my mornings in this way, I found myself specifically working on giving gratitude and praying in different, intuitive, and creative ways. In addition, I found that these techniques didn’t just stop after I got out of bed in the morning. More and more, I am carrying more gratitude and reverence with me in my heart and soul all day. Some examples of what worked well for me are below:

• ”Today is my favorite day”- Winnie the Pooh from The Tao of Pooh- I love this quote! Winnie the Pooh replied with this answer when asked which day of the week was his favorite. This quote reminds me in a playful way to be in the moment, every moment of every day.

• “Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu”- (i.e. “may the entire universe be filled with peace, joy, love, and light”)- This Sanskrit mantra is my current favorite. Not only do your thoughts actively participate in the creation of your day, they participate in the manifestation of the lives of others. This quote reminds me to give selflessly for the highest good of all beings.

• Prayers- I often found myself praying to be used as a divine tool throughout my day. • Gratitude- I often gave gratitude for my snuggly cats, my aliveness (my awakeness!), my silly clients, and the unknown that had yet to populate my day.

2. Tongue scraping I had hoped to use my tongue as a diagnostic tool to examine my current health as well as any changes that occurred over the duration of the experiment. Upon first examining my tongue, I found that it was scalloped around the edges, denoting unabsorbed nutrients. I also noticed that there appeared to be a midline, signifying emotions in the spinal column. During the experiment, I kept a journal to record the appearance/feeling of my tongue. For the entirety of the experiment, the description of my tongue in my journal stayed the same. I continue to note that my tongue is scalloped along the edges with a profound midline. I have noted small changes though. The scalloped edges appear to be less distinct, indicating that I may be absorbing more nutrients than I was initially, and the amount of tongue scraping I do has decreased, indicating that I may have fewer toxins to remove from my body. I have a couple hypothesis about why changes to my tongue were not more profound. The first is that I may have needed to do an Ayurvedic detox to remove built up ama from my body. It is possible that from years of bad habits, this more intense method of purification may have been necessary for obtaining more visible results. My other hypothesis is in regards to my Pitta based diet. I mentioned in the introduction that I followed a primarily Pitta diet. I did and do continue to eat chocolate and some spicy food and enjoy eating out once a week. These foods are potentially keeping the appearance of my tongue steady.

3. Oil pulling This technique was very enjoyable for me. At times in the past I have noticed gum bleeding while brushing my teeth but this was not noted at any point during the experiment. I have a dentist appointment in one week and am curious about any observations by the dentist/dental hygienist.

4. Water I cut out coffee in the mornings and introduced water instead. I anticipated that this might be difficult but that was not the case at all. Even the first day was easy for me! The water had a similar effect of waking my body up. In the traditional Ayurvedic morning routine, one would drink their water from a copper cop. I drank mine from glass jar instead as I do not own a copper cup (note to self: obtain a copper cup!).

5. Meditation Meditation is my love. Meditation is and has been my link with myself and with the connectedness of all that is (you, me, copper cups, kitty cats, etc.). As a “list person”, meditation was usually an activity which I anticipated checking off my to-do list. Now, meditating before I even leave the house allows me to start my day mindfully and helps me to feel a sense of accomplishment before I even leave the house. I believe moving my practice to the morning has made my days feel more spacious and has assisted in removing that feeling of my mind working on catching up with my body in the mornings.

6. Work The effects of my morning routine have been most prominent in the workplace. I love working with children diagnosed with autism. I get to play all day! It is glorious! It can also be difficult in that I deal with challenging and demanding behaviors. I find myself coming back to the way in which I initially begin my morning and drawing upon some aspect of my morning (ex: the object of my prayer, the feeling of gratitude, my truest intention, in the moment awareness, etc.) for strength when things get tough.

7. Mindful dinner This aspect of my daily routine was the most difficult for me. I attempted to make the environment conducive but often my roommate was chatty, blaring music, or my mind sometimes (but less often!) became a distraction. I either took deep, thoughtful breaths, said a prayer while bowing my head in gratitude and acknowledgement of the amazing source of food, or gave my food Reiki to begin my meal. This part of my meal routine was the most thoughtful and significant but, during the rest of the Pitta based meal. I have a sensitive history with food and continue to work on my approach to food daily. I realize that changing habits can be difficult and am taking it day by day.

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Change of Pace: A New Experience

The results of my experiment have certainly had life altering effects. They have become aspects of my life that I do not plan to change. I look forward to waking up early for my daily routine. I enjoy the effects that these small changes have made on my days. I appreciate the positive changes and recognize the room that I still have to grow, specifically in terms of my eating habits. To close I will end with a quote from Sri Swami Satchidananda in regards to having a daily routine. This quote best summarizes how my perspective on my daily tasks has changed and why. I no longer overly anticipate checking off my daily practices from my to-do list, rather I spend more time experiencing the joy contained within each activity.

“Whatever job or practice you have been doing, do it on a regular basis. If you miss doing it daily, you will have to catch up on doing it the next day. The longer the gap, the more effort and time it will take to catch up. Even while trying to catch up you are putting pressure on yourself and you may start losing the joy of doing your project”- Sri Swami Satchidananda

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Honoring the World Within

One of the unique aspects of Axis Yoga Teacher Trainings is the inclusion of Ayurvedic study. Additionally, the students have the opportunity to apply the lessons of Ayurveda to their own lives. This student experimented with Ayurvedic recommendations to help alleviate fatigue which led to “a new lifestyle built upon awareness of healthy decisions and alignment between my body and mind.”

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Honoring the World Within: Structure

In an effort to formulate the structure of my experiment, I applied some fundamental principles of

ayurveda to my current life. Doing this gave me a new perspective on my everyday life and opened my eyes to different methods for staying healthy. I learned about vata imbalances and how they can be provoked by consistent movement, dry climates, and high altitudes, all of which I had been subjecting myself to on a regular basis. Therefore, I chose to base my personal experiment around developing a consistent morning routine accompanied by a dosha­specific diet. The dosha­specific diet included eating foods that would serve my constitution positively and spacing three meals by 2­3 hours.

 

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Honoring the World Within: Expectations

My lifestyle prior to conducting this experiment was not necessarily unhealthy, but rather unaware of the detriment some small actions had on my health. I was able to recognize everyday ailments, such as fatigue or allergies, but unable to identify their source. For instance, I have always been prone to snacking in between meals on the go. I did not realize the significance of eating slowly and consciously at specific points during the day. In addition, my food choices were not entirely beneficial to my body based on my doshic constitution. I was aware going into the experiment that eating only three set meals a day would be very difficult for me, however I had confidence in my decision. I believed that conforming to the guidelines of my experiment would result in less fatigue and increased general happiness.

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Honoring the World Within: Reflections

I began by first establishing my full morning routine and purchasing any necessary items for my experiment. I utilized the intellectual resources provided by my instructors as well as those found in the

Ayurvedic Home Remedies textbook. I began to understand the importance of dedicating my morning to promoting a healthy, happy day ahead. Using this knowledge, as well as additional intellect gathered through research, I began each morning by rising before 7:00 am with a prayer of gratitude prior to leaving bed. I had initially arranged to wake by 6:00 am each day but found that it was not beneficial for me at this time, or at least that’s how it felt. The next step was bodily evacuation, which I found easy to fall into a steady routine with. Following this process I proceeded to splash my face with lukewarm water and massage the lids of my eyes. I then blinked them seven times and looked steadily in all four directions to promote alertness. I then scraped my tongue of any excess ama using a small spoon and found it to be lightly­coated and white throughout the entirety of my experiment. After my tongue felt sufficiently cleared of ama I practiced oil pulling by swishing for 15­20 seconds. I chose to implement coconut oil for the purpose of my research based on its pitta­reducing qualities. I also considered sunflower oil due to its benefits towards both kapha and pitta types, which is my primary doshic constitution. To ensure that my mouth was clear of any excess oil containing, which can contain harmful toxins, I gargled water just after completing the pulling. I would typically boil water while waiting for the pulling process to be complete so that a warm cup of lemon water was readily available afterwards. After I became fully hydrated marks the time for my sadhana practice, which took place on my balcony seated upright with use of a block under my sit bones. I employed a variety of techniques to help with my home practice, including online guided meditations and breathing exercises. The typical duration for my morning meditation was roughly 20 minutes, which I hope to extend as my practice continues. The mental clarity provided to me through meditation carried over into the asana practice which followed. I explored surrounding studios offering a variety of classes and also worked on developing my personal home practice. Following the physical practice I honored my body with self­abhyanga prior to showering. I initially employed coconut oil for the massage due to its cooling qualities but found that it irritated my skin. I changed over to sunflower oil and found this to be much more beneficial for me. Breakfast concluded my morning routine and marked the start to a healthy day set with good intentions.

In terms of the foods consumed during my experiment, I researched what I believed would be the most beneficial for me based on my personal constitution. I found that dark green vegetables, sweet fruits, lean meats, and few grains were among the foods I should be including in my diet every day. I had intended on eliminating snacking but found that this did not serve me in a positive way at this time. My current lifestyle is very fast­paced and I am often eating while hiking or driving. Although I did make a tremendous effort to sit down and focus on the meal I was eating, I found that I got very hungry in between designated meal times. I conformed to three set meals for the first 2 days of the experiment before deciding that it was not working for me at this time. Despite the lack of three set meals each day, I still maintained a conscious awareness of my digestive processes and gave food time to digest before introducing more food. Eating for my doshic balance has proved to be very beneficial for me and is greatly enhanced by following a structured morning routine.

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Honoring the World Within: Results

Throughout this experimental process I have developed a new awareness of how my body functions and how I can help maintain my health through diet and lifestyle choices. Ayurveda has given me new tools through which to examine myself and the world around me, which has lead me further down the path towards discovering my higher ‘self’. I have found the morning routine to be extremely beneficial because it promotes honoring the world within myself before offering attention to the world around me. I find myself to be much more clear and focused when practiced regularly and my day is genuinely happier. Paired together with the ayurvedic diet I have noticed a remarkable difference in my energy levels, as I was quite lethargic in the weeks prior to experimentation. This ayurvedic assessment of myself has manifested into a new lifestyle built upon awareness of healthy decisions and alignment between my body and mind.

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”Gateway Drug to Awesomeness”: The Book

My personal experiment was to practice gratitude and complain less. My intention was to use gratitude as a focus for my meditation practice and to make a list of things I am grateful for in my journal. For the first week, I was journaling and meditating and everything was fine. Thankfully, my experiment took an interesting turn at the end of week one. I was listening to a podcast of a holistic health practitioner that I follow while I was walking my dog and he happened to be interviewing a writer and life coach named Jen Sincero. Jen had just written a book called You are a Badass and she was spreading it’s message of self-exploration and growth. I ended up listening to the podcast twice and immediately drove to Tattered Cover to buy her book. I sat in the book store and read the first 100 pages in a couple of hours. I bought it, took it home and proceeded to finish it in the following week.

If I were to summarize this book, I would say it’s a piece designed to help the reader be a better person, business owner, partner, employee, human being on this planet. It provides basic guidelines to follow in order to improve your life, make more money (in a non-greedy, non-gross, non-offensive kind of way) and be a better person while also providing witty, hilarious personal stories and insights.

 

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”Gateway Drug to Awesomeness”: The Message

Her whole message totally aligned with my personal experiment because a big message she sends is the importance, no…the absolute necessity that gratitude be a part of one’s life. In the chapter entitled: Gratitude: The Gateway Drug to Awesomeness, Jen explains that we not only have to be grateful for what we have that is great, but also the things that aren’t so great AND the things in our lives that we don’t even have yet! Crazy concept, right?!

 

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”Gateway Drug to Awesomeness”: The Experience

Halfway into my experiment, I was not only journaling but also creating vivid visualizations of the person I aspire to be in my life (career, relationship, family, spiritual…all aspects) and meditating on this. I also created a daily (more like hourly) ritual where I would spontaneously thank this Universe for what I have today and for giving me the life that I know I will have someday.

All of a sudden, I found this external gratitude seeping into my pores and touching me on a much deeper level. As I kept repeating these words of gratitude for all of my blessings, I really started to realize how amazing my life is and how many awesome possibilities I have in front of me (should have been pretty obvious, huh?).

Conversations with myself used to go like this: “I want to have a really successful nutrition/yoga practice someday where I can really make a difference in people’s lives and make some money so that I can take care of my parents…but that probably won’t happen because most new businesses fail and it seems like it might be really hard to do something like that…and I don’t really know how to make money because I’ve never really had money before. So I guess I’ll just keep not doing what I want to do because it’s probably easier.”

Now, I’m constantly telling myself things like this: “I’m going to have a successful, thriving nutrition therapy practice. I’m going have money so that I can help more people and take care of my family and I am so freaking grateful that the Universe has infinite love, support and resources to allow me to make this happen!”

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