"Striking
a balance between gravity and levity is a significant challenge for the
human spirit."
-E.L.
Being upside down is a very compelling experience. Everything that we know gets flipped and we see, at once, from a totally different and rare perspective. Practicing the yoga Headstand (Sirsasana) is one way to bring this unique view into our daily lives while also countering the dense, long-term effects of gravity on our minds, bodies and spirits. Sirsasana possesses many benefits to the whole of ourselves.
Mentally, this pose can be intensely soothing and calming, bringing a sense of peace amid the constant chaos of the world. This King of Asanas encourages a restful sleep and increases one's mental capacity while awake. Our brains are saturated with the flow of blood and energy and in return, reward us with a heightened capacity to concentrate, focus and envision beyond the ordinary.
Emotionally, balancing in this way boosts self-esteem, confidence and eliminates fear-based ways of thinking and acting in the world. Being upside down is, ironically, very centering and upon return to our normal axis of position, we find that we are more balanced, poised and even-keeled. Our Western so-called civilized tendency towards lethargy, depression and self-loathing is alleviated through daily Headstand practice. And as a result, our spiritual faculties are awakened. The pituitary gland is said to be stimulated by this pose to secrete more of the "happy hormone" endorphin. It's no wonder then that children feel so happy playing around with headstands.
Physically, we may see benefits as amazing as the reversal of gray hair and a reduction in wrinkles, as the head is given a rush of vital nutrients through being on the receiving in, for a change, of increased blood flow. According to yogavibes.com, Headstand pose provides us with a natural and organic facelift! The body is warmed, cleansed and revitalized by this asana. Our legs, neck and spine are strengthened while our lungs and heart are opened. We see relief from digestive, musculoskeletal and respiratory system disorders with continued practice of Sirsasana.
Having tight abs is a big draw these days, but many people are clueless about how to get them and keep them, healthfully. Among the countless health benefits of the Upward Facing Bow or Wheel Pose (Chakrasana) is a toning and strengthening of the abdominal muscles, along with those of the arms, wrists, legs, chest and shoulders. So if you do this pose regularly you can expect more definition in all these areas of your body, especially your abs.
Even more, the wheel pose has built in anti-aging benefits. It is commonplace for older folks to lose muscle elasticity and range of movement, leading to a slow, stiff gait and hunched stature. This does not have to be your norm, however. In practicing this pose daily, you can actually lengthen the vertebrae in your spine and increase its flexibility. Making you, in effect, grow younger every day!
For those with asthma or respiratory issues, Wheel Pose is an excellent therapy. Due to the immense stretch it creates in your ribcage, more oxygen reaches the lungs and hence, improves the functioning of this vital organ. Another benefit of this stretch is in increase in the hormone secretions necessary for proper functioning of the reproductive organs. So if you have infertility issues, try this pose as a way to balance your hormones and increase fertility.
A great pose to bring about harmony of the mind and spirit, this asana balances all the meridians of your body and vitalizes your chakras, especially the heart chakra. Wheel is the pose for fortune in love. It opens your heart physically and spiritually, by increasing blood flow and energy to this area. According to mindbodygreen.com, poses that are "heart openers are intended to
cure any broken hearts from our past, while allowing ourselves new
opportunities for love."
Natarajasana or Lord of the Dance Pose, whose name I've taken the liberty of broadening, is an excellent exercise for healing many conditions of the body and mind. Practicing this pose will help to alleviate mental stress, confusion and worry. Those suffering from depression or ADHD can utilize this yoga asana to deepen their concentration, calm their emotions and bring about an overall sense of calm.
Believe it or not, the King Pose can also help with weight loss. Due to the stretch it provides for your intestines and stomach, this movement strenghthens your digestive system, helping your body to better assimilate the food you eat. A great remedy for constipation or IBS, standing in this pose can provide relief in the most natural of ways.
Backaches and pains also fall by the wayside with continued mastery of King Pose as it serves to increase flexibility in your spine, build your core and improve your posture.
One of its lesser known but certainly not least important benefits is its ability to increase your sexual energy/potency. Because it opens up the groin area, more blood can flow to the reproductive organs which further nourishes and vitalizes them as you stretch rarely used muscles.
All in all, this is a great movement to add to your daily yoga repertoire.
There is a wonderful technique for freeing yourself from emotional baggage and it works so efficiently and effectively that you almost won't believe it. It involves tapping lightly with your fingertips on various acupuncture points, while verbalizing the mental chatter going through your mind about a particular issue. The reason this method works so well is that we store a lot of old traumas in our tissues and every time something in our lives trigger these memories, our internal energy flow is disrupted causing real physical, mental and emotional challenges. When we talk through a troublesome issue and the emotions behind it while tapping along the body's meridians, we in effect, re-write the scripts that programs our lives. In other words, we heal.
For instance, if you suffered a great loss of a loved one in the early years of your life, your mind and body probably developed a code to self-sabotage close relationships as a way to safeguard from the pain and grief of that experience. But, what this repeating subconscious message does for you as you grow and develop, having new experiences, is block you energetically from moving on, It systematically limits you from having new, rewarding and uplifting relationships. With Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), you begin to break the code and stall this over-reactive negative response based on your past, therefore reorganizing your mind/body to adapt higher solutions.
A basic EFT introduction to get you started goes as follows:
1st Phase - The Set Up - This is the statement you create based on your particular issue and repeat several times as you tap on your, 'side of hand' meridian. Let it be a clear and concise expression of the specific core problem. Give it a rating of severity from 1 to 10 with 1 being not so disturbing and 10, very disturbing.
Let's say your issue is a mistrust of close relationships, because of a tragic loss of a loved one. This could be your set-up statement:
Example:
Even though, I lost the love of my life, I still do love and accept myself fully and completely and I know that God loves and accepts me, too.
~
2nd Phase - Tapping through the Emotions/Beliefs - Many thoughts and feelings will be triggered as you do the first phase, here you can begin to verbally state these as they come up, while continuing to tap along various meridians as shown.
Example:
Losing love is so painful. Why did this have to happen to me? What did I do wrong? I don't deserve love. I never want to hurt like that again. Love ends, Love dies. This relationship failed. That relationship failed. I have no chance of love. I'm lonely and sad. I need some support. I want to be strong.
~
3rd Phase - The Resolution - As you're proceeding with the second phase you may find that intense, deeply stored emotional pain will surface; keep Tapping through this pain, remembering to verbally express what's coming up around the issue. Then, when you've gotten it all out, all the negatives, begin to tap on the ray of hope coming into view or any positive spin that is developing around the issue.
Example:
There are many other loved ones who are still here for me. Death is a part of life. Fearing it will only keep me stuck. I can allow myself to love again. My [deceased loved one] would want me to love fully again. I let it be easy to let go of the grief. I am ready to release the pain. It is time for me to move on. I love closeness and bonding and intimacy. I was made for love. I am safe now. I choose love.
When you are complete, make sure to rate the severity level of the issue on the 1-10 scale. You may have to revisit the issue again and again in future tapping sessions depending on how severe it is. However, you will see a marked lowering in disturbance level each time you do this process. The key is, through this process you never stop tapping on the meridian points, as this seemingly small act is what shifts your body/mind blocked energy flow around the issue. Many have reported immediate relief from phobias, allergies, environmental illness, addictions, long-standing money problems and the list goes on. Try this and see how wonderfully it works for you.
Are you tired all the time, with frequent headaches, foggy thinking and craving sugar? Do you suffer from bloating, food allergies or feelings of depression? Have you had an almost constant runny nose, cough or watery eyes? Are you hyper-sensitive to chemical smells, fumes or perfumes? If so, then you might have Candida, an overgrowth of yeast, naturally occurring in the body, that spiral out of control due to an unhealthy diet and stressful lifestyle. I talk about this in detail in the following video, Anti-Candida Arsenal Part 1:
When the good bacteria in your body get compromised due to the onslaught of toxins produced by fried foods, processed sugars, white flour products, coffee and alcohol, the bad bacteria, read: yeasts, then multiply and over-run your digestive system. If left unchecked or after a dose of antibiotics, these parasitic yeasts can take over your whole body. And once they are entrenched in colonies within you no amount of supplementation will suffice until they are starved of the food they feed off of.
So what does it feel like to be ruled by Candida? Well, it doesn't feel good. That is, unless you're overdosing on sugar, bread, alcohol or loads of sweetened, milk-laden lattes. The parasitic yeasts love these things and will feast happily on them, giving you a short break from the draining effects of the die-off toxins they emit.
And not only are these unfriendly bacteria thriving off of your bad food choices, they are literally causing you to crave these unhealthy fake eats. After they really begin to multiply, even healthy food becomes a problem, because the yeasts can feed on sugar of all kinds, simple and complex. That means fruit will incite them, as will beans, whole wheat bread, sweet vegetables and the list goes on!
When these unwanted guests proliferate and wreak havoc on your body they compromise your immune system to the nth degree and shake the very foundations of your physical and mental health. A lot of the mental illness popping up these days like ADD, OCD and Bi-polar disorders are being shown to have correlates with a candida infested body. MCS, environmental illness and gluten intolerance can also be traced to the overgrowth of parasitic organisms.
There is a simple experiment to find out where you stand with candida in relation to the good and friendly bacteria that should predominate in your system. Fill a glass with water and spit in it first thing in the morning before ingesting anything. Watch the glass for a half hour or so; and if you notice tendrils or 'legs' stretching down from the floating saliva and these tendrils remain for a time, then finally settle in a cloudy mass at the bottom of the glass, then you know Candida is out of control in your body and you need to take action.
Who wants to live with these critters inside, eating up all the food you ingest and causing all sorts of ailments as they flourish. No one!
So, here's what you do. Get lots of sun, do yoga, swim in the ocean...
And begin an anti-candida diet that starves the yeasts so that your healthy intestinal flora can thrive. Here is the most simple, clear plan for doing so~
Step 1
Eliminate all sugars, dairy and carbohydrates from your diet until your symptoms minimize. This means no cheese, bread, sweets, or fruit. Also, stay away from legumes, nuts, most grains, and all processed meats/pork.
Step 2
Flood your body with probiotics to repopulate it with good bacteria. Examples are organic plain, cultured goat milk yogurt, raw kombucha, organic kim chi or sauerkraut and high quality supplements like Flora Smart.
Step 3
Infuse your system with anti-fungal herbs like ginger, garlic, echinacea, black walnut, pau d'arco, cinnamon, cloves, cayenne, oregano oil and turmeric, so that the yeasts have nowhere to run and nowhere to hide.
Once you start feeling rejuvenated and you will; i.e, lots of energy, a clear mind, a peaceful spirit and little or no cravings for sugar or carbs, you can rest assured that your body is back in balance. To maintain this balance, omit processed sugary foods and drinks, fried foods, GMO foods and stay with a whole food, nutrient dense, immune-enhancing eating style for all the healthy, happy days to come. Check out my Heal Love Now Store for the full anti-candida arsenal.
A sample daily anti-candida diet may look like this initially, as you will want to maintain your strength as the Candida begin to die-off.:
Breakfast Avocado Salad w/ Arugula Chopped Avocado Chopped Heirloom Tomatoes Spritz of fresh organic Lemon Sprinkle of Himalayan Sea Salt Dash of dried Organic Oregano Chopped clove of Garlic Mix and place on a bed of Arugula Enjoy!
Lunch
Angeled Eggs w/ Celery 2 Boiled organic free-range Eggs, chopped (Use 1/2 cup pre-cooked lentils instead, as Veg option) 1 Tbls of organic cold pressed Sesame Oil Sprinkle of Himalayan Sea Salt Sprinkle of Cayenne Pepper 2 Ribs of organic Celery, cut in quarters Mix first 4 ingredients and use Celery to dip. Enjoy! Dinner
Grilled Wild Salmon w/ Quinoa
1 Wild Salmon Fillet (Use 1 cup Shiitake Mushrooms instead, as Vegetarian option) 1 Tbls Organic Lemon Juice 1 clove of chopped Garlic 1 Tsp Ground Ginger 1/2 Tbls Organic cold pressed Coconut Oil Sprinkle of Himalayan Sea Salt I cup cooked Quinoa 1 Tsp Turmeric
Marinate Salmon in next 5 ingredients for 20 minutes, then broil at 475 degrees for 12 minutes or until cooked through. Cook Quinoa with turmeric and a bit of sea salt and serve. Enjoy!
After your initial detox where you starve the candida yeasts of sugar and your system comes into more balance, try a 7 day water fast, which I chronicle here. Upon completing the fast, you can then switch things up, so the fungal form of candida doesn't rear its ugly head and is fully uprooted and cleansed from your body. A low fat regimen is the perfect way to mix it up, as candida can also feed on the sugar resulting from excess fat in the body. In this next phase you would focus on eating vegetables, low-glycemic fruits and little to no fat.
For more detailed information and guidelines, see my Candida Secrets article here and here. And Part 2 of my Anti-Candida Arsenal video goes into healing aids, in addition to diet, which rid the body of candida overgrowth.
Bicycling is my chosen form of transportation 90% of the time. But, for the other 10% when a car is absolutely necessary, my philosophy is: why not ride in classic style? I love old, antique quality cars with lots of history and intrigue. Imagine a classic ford built circa 1960, in pink!
And how about this black one! A 1955 Crown Imperial Limousine, spotted in St. Augustine, Fl, as the official house vehicle of the lovely Casa Monica hotel.
Another car that promises to make you crazy with glee while driving, is a restored roadster of the MG variety. I love this one in blue!
These cars were also born during the hippie revolution and have, not surprisingly, stood the test of time.
This powder blue one seems to be an MGA, one of the earlier models built for racing. There are several makes and models of these eclectic and stylish cars and, to be honest, I can't always tell the difference between them.
But the characteristic charm, grace and craftsmanship always set them apart. I believe this turquoise blue one is a 300SL by Mercedes which is known to have the world's fastest top speed.
Here is another iconic Mercedes SL. Popularized during the 80's in many a film. Any fans of bright red?
I was so pleased to be in Lake Placid last Spring during their MG car convention. What a pleasure to be up close and personal with so many varieties of this classic ride.
There was even a fixed-roof style, the GT hatchback design.
Even though it was equipped with a sun-roof, I still prefer the convertibles. The next best thing to getting around on a bike!
According to the Hemp Line Journal, hemp seeds are the most nutritionally complete food source in the world. "The seeds of the plant cannabis sativa contain all
the essential amino acids and essential fatty acids necessary to
maintain healthy human life. No other single plant source has
the essential amino acids in such an easily digestible form, nor
has the essential fatty acids in as perfect a ratio to meet human
nutritional needs."
With more respect being given to the medical value of marijuana, hemp has exploded in popularity in recent years. Many companies are now making and selling high quality hemp seeds and it's easier than ever to enjoy the benefits of this infamous plant. I really love the Hemp Hearts by Manitoba Harvest, the seeds are very crunchy, nutty and delicious.
You can use them to top salads. The texture and flavor are reminiscent of parmesan cheese.
The seeds are packed with essential fatty acids, so make a great substitute for fish oils if you're vegan. EFA's are lubricating for your internal organs and can alleviate conditions like arthritis, eczema, hormonal imbalance, migraines & high blood pressure. These seeds, rich in chlorophyll, fiber, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and
folic acid, can also be used to make these remarkably tasty and healthy, Hemp Balls!
Hemp Balls
1 cup raw almond butter 1/4 cup maple syrup 1 Tbls cacao powder Pinch of sea salt 1/2 cup raw hemp seeds (for rolling)
Mix all first 5 ingredients until you have a dough, then roll into balls and coat with hemp seeds. Refrigerate to keep firm. Enjoy!
In
a large bowl, mix together the sunflower seed butter, maple syrup,
cocoa powder, cinnamon, and salt until combined. Add the coconut,
cranberries, and sunflower seeds. Mix well.
Roll
the dough into 1-1/2 inch balls. (If the mixture is too soft to form
with your hands, refrigerate it for 30 minutes or so.) Roll the balls in
the hemp seeds to coat.
- See more at: http://www.dailybitesblog.com/2013/09/05/coconut-hemp-earth-balls/#sthash.UReLxc1N.dpuf
