Everyday Ayurveda

From Art of Sequencing – Volume Two – Seasonal Vinyasa

“Ayurveda is a Nature-based medical system centered on the conviction that physicians don’t heal the patient, Nature heals the patient. Ayurvedic physicians learn to tap into the ancient texts, recall wisdom passed down from their teachers’ teachers, cultivate a strong connection to their intuition, and experiment with plants, herbs, and foods before using them as medicine or suggesting them to others. Nothing in the natural world is labeled as good or bad in the world of Ayurveda, everything has the potential to be medicinal in the right dosage, and one person’s medicine is another person’s poison.

The philosophy of Ayurveda acknowledges each person as a soul, a one-of-a-kind expression of the divine. It is also believed that from the moment you are conceived, your unchanging Prakriti (yogic version of fixed DNA) is established. Despite the fact that we are all unique beings, we are each composed of the same maha bhutas (five elements: ether, air, fire, water, and earth). The elements will be arranged differently for each person, depending upon unique conditions like the physical health and well-being of your mother when you were conceived, and the karmas you’ve carried over from past lives into this life.

The more familiar you are with your Prakriti, the more you can prepare yourself for the physical and mental health issues that typically affect people with your constitution. For example, if your constitution is composed predominantly of ether and air, you would typically see health issues related to anxiety, nerve disorders, joint issues, or constipation. Knowing these strengths and weaknesses based on the elements, you might consider drinking less caffeine, consuming less sugar, eating more fiber, and booking regular massages to ward off the typical imbalances related to ether and air.

Prakritis with strong affiliation to fire and water will often experience heat-related imbalances such as skin rashes, diarrhea, digestive disorders, or high blood pressure. To help manage the fire and water elements, you might consider decreasing hot and spicy foods, meditating, and avoiding being outside in the hottest part of the day.

Earth- and water-based constitutions often discover swelling, depression, excess mucus, or challenges managing their weight and metabolism with a base Prakriti rooted in the heavy, wet elements. Often proper diet, nutrition, and exercise will keep the earth- and water-based constitutions healthy. Knowing your Prakriti and your physical and mental patterns—something you can learn by a consultation with an Ayurvedic practitioner—might inspire you to cultivate a more holistic lifestyle, one connected to Nature and her five elements.”

To read the more, order your copy today: www.melinameza.com

2010 Spring Vinyasa Class with Melina Meza from 8 Limbs Yoga Centers: www.youtube.com

Asato Ma Sat Gamaya Lead me from the unreal to the real,

Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya From darkness to light,

Mrityor Ma Amritham Gamaya From death to immortality.

Yoga Class on Modifications

Here's a sample of a class I taught at Breitenbush Hot Springs called Sequencing for Level 1, 2, 3. I hope this comes in handy when considering your asana class.

Learn more about sequencing and yoga philosophy on my next retreat or workshop:
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It's Spring!

The yogis and nutritionist both agree that it is never too late, or too early, to consider sequencing your life today for a healthier tomorrow. I think of sequencing as both an art form and a science that anyone can master. All you need is sincere focus and attention from the beginning to the end of your vision, and trust in your body’s innate wisdom to guide you through the beautiful moment-to-moment discovery of presence—of the now—which leads to the spontaneous, blissful experience we call yoga.

I believe the more you practice adapting to new routines and seasonally breaking the momentum of habits before they become addictions, the stronger, healthier, and more open you become as a person. Instead of your world feeling boxed in by your routine, the seasonal changes help you widen your gaze so you experience more in life, seeing new potentials and possibilities in your work, family, diet, adventures, and exercise routines that connect to the revolving world around you.

In the end, the practice of yoga—on the mat and off the mat—is really all about practice. Practice will lead you to your truth, to the essence of who you are.

Here are just a few of the spring practices from my new book, Art of Sequencing – Volume Two, to weave into your day, week, or monthly routines:

Drink hot lemon water with a little salt in the morning to stimulate elimination.

· Meditate for 5 to 30 minutes (on melting glaciers, the image of vibrant green plant life, or new intentions).

· Exercise outdoors or do a vigorous yoga practice to break a sweat every day, with no exception. In addition to physical workouts, a steam sauna or hot tub can help release toxins.

· Try an elimination diet for two weeks (see appendix).

· In general, spring is the time to decrease heavy, oily, cold, fat-rich foods such as meat, seafood, poultry, dairy products, and foods cooked in oil. Increase your intake of foods that are bitter (like arugula), spicy (like radish), and astringent (like grapefruit) to promote cleansing of the liver, digestive organs, and blood.

· With “spring fever” in the air, it’s a great time to start new projects, take classes, plant seeds, and travel, while the energy is there for the taking.

· Practice inversions to turn your world and organs upside down. Think of your body like a jug of orange juice. If it sits in one position—upright—for too long, the pulp ends up settling to the bottom of the container. The yogis believe the same thing happens in our bodies, particularly in the organs. The pulp in this case is undigested, inorganic matter that we ingest through the air we breathe or food we eat. By flipping your body upside down, you create a gentle cleanse, where toxins or waste products get pulled by gravity from deep inside your tissues towards the center of the body. With sufficient hydration and exercise, these toxins can move out through the skin (via perspiration), exhaled breaths, urination, and bowel movements.

Read more about seasonal practices in the Art of Sequencing - Volume Two

Early Spring Seasonal Vinyasa

In traditional Chinese medicine, the passing of winter is seen as a great time to start sending some extra love and attention to the liver and gallbladder, organs that tend to get overloaded with extra socializing, large meals, decreased exercise, inadequate rest, and other behaviors typically associated with that time of the year. These two organs are extremely beneficial: they filter toxins from the external environment and the food that we eat; aid in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fat, and protein; break down fats in the body; and, on a more bio-energetic level, process emotions like anger.

Breaking habits—something that both spring and cleansing call us to do—is not easy, but it can be done. I have found it incredibly useful in my practice to do regular habit checks to see if the habit is driving my life, or vice versa. Since changing old patterns and habits can often lead to feelings of frustration or irritation, I find it best to spend a little more time alone when cleansing; if possible, I like to go on a retreat and let others support me. The more time and energy you can devote to your spring intentions up front, the higher your success rate.

For starters, try incorporating an inversion into your daily routine (Examples: Headstand, Handstand, Downward Dog, Standing Forward Folds, Shoulderstand).

Here is one asana tip from my recent book, Art of Sequencing - Volume Two:

• Inversions to turn your world and organs upside down. Think of your body like a jug of orange juice. If it sits in one position—upright—for too long, the pulp ends up settling to the bottom of the container. The yogis believe the same thing happens in our bodies, particularly in the organs. The pulp in this case is undigested, inorganic matter that we ingest through the air we breathe or food we eat. By flipping your body upside down, you create a gentle cleanse, where toxins or waste products get pulled by gravity from deep inside your tissues towards the center of the body. With sufficient hydration and exercise, these toxins can move out through the skin (via perspiration), exhaled breaths, urination, and bowel movements.

If you are looking for Spring retreats, check out: www.melinameza.com

Spring Ayurveda

Within the art of Ayurveda, there will never be one remedy or one sequence that brings everyone or their dosha back into alignment. The response to every inquiry about your health should be “It depends,” as my teacher, Dr. Robert Svoboda, was so fond of saying. The mantra of “It depends” teaches you to see the interconnectedness between you and your lifestyle, how changing one facet of your routine will affect another. It’s a friendly reminder that humans in general are complex, and it’s wise to look at or diagnose the body/mind/soul from many angles.

To start early spring cleaning, consider adding the following pranayama practices from Art of Sequencing – Volume Two, to your daily routine:

· Kapala bhati—also known as “skull shining”—to reduce weight gain, bring heat to the chest, and to promote strong agni and mental alertness. (Do not do this if you are menstruating. Menstruation is considered a natural cleanse for women.)

· Agni sara, to prevent stagnation in the organs and promote blood circulation. From a standing position, separate your feet hip-distance apart, and bend your knees while resting your hands on the lower part of your thighs. Exhale completely to create Mula bandha (root lock) and Uddiyana bandha (upward flying, diaphragmic lift). After your exhale, quickly pull your pelvic floor muscles inward and upward towards your diaphragm until you feel your deep core muscles. Keep holding your breath while your diaphragm, abdominal organs, and pelvic floor pulse quickly back and forth away from your spine. Relax all of your muscles before you take your next breath.

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Early Spring Cleaning:

"Be like Michaelangelo and remove the unnecessary "marble" to expose the statue within. Take away distractions and impediments to find the "current of your life." Marc Lesser