These pirates replied to me with incredulity – the producer is an heir to Procter & Gamble (and therefore, wealthy, and able to give away this work for free), many people who “need” to see this film are poor and can’t afford to buy a copy (or any of the other merchandise associated with the film), and am I for real?

While it certainly helps in film production (particularly with high quality productions) having the money to put up helps, but as with any business if there’s no return on investment there won’t be more films or whatever the business owner is producing. This affects all the other people who work in that business (the lighting guys, the camera guys, the marketing people, the distributors, the people who feed the crew, etc etc etc). So maybe this wealthy heir can afford to lose his investment once and then he’s not wealthy anymore but does making him lose his money give US any more?

We have a right to be angry at “Wall Street” for tanking the world economy and making huge profits in the process (they haven’t learned a thing and are still at it). We have a right to question the wisdom of giving huge tax breaks to those most able to afford paying taxes while cutting services to those least able to survive without those services.

But if we really want to change how the world works we must embody the changes we wish to see and continuing the zero sum practice of harming others while helping ourselves is counterproductive. We must think about win-win, fair trade, mutually beneficial, symbiotic, co-operative methods of advancing humanity (and other species).

This is why the Eight Limbs of Patanjali are so important, why the first Limb (Ahimsa/non-harming, Satya/Truth, Asteya/non-stealing, Brahmacharya/moderation, Aparigraha/non-greed) is the most important Limb, and why Ahimsa is the most important of the branches of the first Limb.

In harming others, we harm ourselves – by stealing from one we feel is “too rich” we may harm ourselves by causing otherwise compassionate people to turn away and hoard their riches. Those on Wall Street will learn their lesson soon enough – as their behavior continues to destroy a once vibrant world economy they will lose their money. Those of us who are building a new economy based on other principles will win self-reliance and self-respect.

The transition may not be pretty but it will happen. Will you be a part of the problem or part of the solution?

http://thrivemovement.com/promote

winter wonderland

Happy New Year! Have you made any resolutions? Have you made them achievable?

So many have made promises to themselves to lose weight, exercise more, eat healthier food, quit smoking only to find that it takes longer than a week or a month. Only by making a lifelong commitment to healthy living can healthy living be achieved.

spring!

The philosophy of Ayurveda provides a framework for lasting health as well as remedies for existing illness. By establishing a regular daily routine rooted in the rhythms of Mother Nature and a diet grounded in the foods grown in the season one can more easily notice when things go out of balance and find their remedy at hand.

By resisting or moderating the often toxic influences of “modern” life (like cell phones, processed foods, and recreational drugs) we can find lasting energy, a clear mind, and stronger immunity. This can take time (a lifetime) but the journey is worth making. You will seem to age more slowly than others not on this path. You will teach your children the open secrets of living sustainably and in harmony with Natural Law. And perhaps, as others notice that you have found a better way, you will teach the world by your example.

stream at Gray Bear

looking for lunch

Humans have become so out of touch with the natural rhythms of life in symbiosis with other creatures. We seal our homes against the outside air, add preservatives to our food and refrigerate/freeze/nuke it into oblivion, blast our eyeballs with light when we should be in bed, eat food out of season, and insist that humans feed themselves with highly processed fake foods even when it sickens and eventually kills them.

Traditional cultures hunted, gathered, and cultivated anything that was nourishing. Some peoples ate mostly starchy vegetables supplemented with fish and fatty coconuts, others ate mostly fat from the northern animals; each group ate what was available and figured out methods for naturally preserving foods for lean times. All of them had abundant energy for activities unaided by machinery.

Today many people eat mostly processed foods and have suffered greatly from it. Not only have they lost an intimate connection to Nature’s rhythms they have lost the knowledge of what food is, how it’s grown, how it’s harvested and prepared, even how real foods taste. When children don’t recognize a fruit or vegetable or understand where milk comes from is it any wonder that they are becoming diabetic and obese at younger and younger ages?

Pure Indian Foods

Looking back over my life, I’ve noticed that at various times when my diet was less than optimal I would have “issues”: tooth decay (I admit I have always had a sweet tooth), headaches, sour moods. I always felt better physically and emotionally when my diet was cleaner. But something changed gradually over the years. Healthy eating began to have its definition redefined away from a variety of real foods that included whole fresh milk and other traditional foods and towards a more industrial and even pharmaceutical approach. It began to be said that it was impossible to get all of the required nutrients from food and we should add supplements. Traditional fats like lard and tallow, butter, whole milk, and even eggs began to be demonized.

Funny, the more I tried to eat from the new definition of “healthy” the fatter I got. Though I’ve never really been overweight (I was an aerobics instructor and lifted heavy weights during the week and rode my bike on weekends) I went from 105 pounds to 130 pounds in less than 10 years. I thought I was eating right, limiting my fat consumption and eating several small meals per day, eating protein bars full of soy because they were supposed to be good for me. Funnier still is that I began to shed the weight after becoming a dedicated yoga practitioner, giving up weight training and aerobics in favor of the Ashtanga method.

Once menopause hit my body went haywire: going off birth control pills (“you need to go through menopause ‘naturally’ ” said my gynecologist) allowed my body to tell me in no uncertain terms that it had no idea what ‘natural’ meant. Long story short, I ended up in surgery having my fibroids, endometriosis, and ovarian cysts removed. Embarking on a long quest to find out why I fell so far out of balance led me to the study of Ayurveda and the discovery of the powerful work of Dr. Weston A. Price, a 1930′s dentist who went looking for the answers to “why are all my patients so sick?”.

In a nutshell, it’s the diet. Independent research since at least the ’30′s shows that when people eat their traditional diets (whatever they are) and avoid processed “foods” they are healthy and happy people and rarely if ever fall prey to the diseases th which we have become accustomed. But when they begin eating a Westernized, processed, refined diet these same peoples fall prey to obesity, heart disease, mental illness, tooth decay, and more.

This is a reversible condition. Returning to natural foodways and relearning the wisdom traditions of following the cycles of sun and moon, getting to know the small family farmers and how our food crops and animals are raised will raise our consciousness about good food and lead us to remember the sacrifice of the living creatures that nourish us. We can taste with every bite the difference between the meat from a healthy animal raised humanely and allowed its natural behaviors and the meat from an unhealthy, unhappy animal raised in the cramped foul quarters of a factory “farm”.

And since we are what we eat, we can begin to understand the genesis of anger, greed, and discontent in the karmic fruit of our willful disobedience to the laws of Nature. In returning to our ancient traditions of honoring those we eat (from both animal and plant kingdoms) we will slowly relearn how to bring new life out of death.

Make a tea from the leaves to reduce tension headaches from high Vata (which manifests as anxiety) and congestive headaches from high Kapha (which manifests as excess mucus). Sweeten with honey to help with decongestion.

I was gifted a live Tulsi plant at my graduation from Kripalu School of Ayurveda – starting as a small (about 3″ tall) plant, it has grown to about a foot tall and bushed out considerably – I like to make a tea from a few of its leaves combined with mint that has taken over a corner of my yard and sometimes fresh grated ginger (sweetened with honey or raw sugar). Having moved it from its small pot to a larger one, it seems to be sprouting some babies (I have it outside, so I will have to observe if they are in fact baby Tulsi or some other seed that blew in). I hope I can keep this wonderful plant growing through Maryland’s winter so I can continue to enjoy its heavenly scent and divine flavor….

Watch TV pundits long enough and you’ll notice that many seem to shoot their mouths off first and learn the facts later. It makes for some wonderful entertainment but not so much for educated decision making or an enlightened populace. Americans seem to like this way of “learning” about the world and don’t seem to care how this makes us look to others.

All of the world’s wisdom traditions valued silence for its abilities to bring small details to the surface without conscious effort; they also honored their wise elders who had seen and experienced much during their years of life. Modern “civilization” seems to worship youth before wisdom, celebrating the brashness (not to mention the looks) of ever younger men and women while at the same time reveling in their inevitable mistakes.

There are many child prodigies, geniuses at math and science or phenomenally gifted at art or music who do incredible things at amazing ages but the older masters have their worldly experiences to make their work so much richer. The exuberance of youth ripens into a quieter, more contemplative and mature experience in the more experienced practitioner.

Even if you are not a prodigy or genius or gifted in the arts or sciences a steady practice of observance over a long time can yield insights into the self which can benefit your spiritual growth and allow you to bring your hidden gifts to the surface. As we age we tend to become more contemplative; the ancient traditions considered it one of the great transitions to gradually remove ourselves from the working world and spend more time in study, as well as teach the young from our deep well of experience. Instead of fearing the aging process we should embrace it, so long as we are examining our place in the universe and working to improve our interactions with others – we can be fearful and grasp at lost youth or reduce our attachment to the past and hope for our future to remain firmly and contentedly in the present moment.

fire!

Yet, all this cold doesn’t keep us cool when we go back outside in the heat and may even aggravate heat further. Pitta, nature’s fire, has its place in the universe and in us. The cycle of the seasons ensures continuation of the cycle of life. In our bodies pitta manifests as agni, the digestive fire. Too much as we become angry, hot-tempered, with acid indigestion or reflux, itchy skin eruptions, and rashes. Too little and we can’t fully digest our food. In nature, if it were winter all the time seeds could not germinate and grow. In us if our agni grows cold we will be unable to properly digest our food.

So how do we keep cool during hot summer months? By learning about the foods Mother Nature provides for us during the season that balance heat naturally – sweet, bitter, and astringent foods like all the fresh greens coming from our local organic farms, fruits (excepting sour ones), sweet grains like rice, oats, wheat, and corn; dairy (except for cultured dairy which can cause problems), and cooling spices like coriander, cumin, fennel, mint, and turmeric.

Now is a good time to eat more like a vegetarian as your digestive fire is better able to deal with raw or lightly cooked foods (save the heavy, difficult to digest meats for cooler weather and winter, when you need to build bulk). And protect your agni by avoiding ice cold food and drink. You can even use coconut oil as your massage oil or moisturizer, drink coconut water to rehydrate (better tasting than those nasty sports drinks), and spritz yourself with a rose water spray.

Keep agni protected (not too little, not too much) and you will be rewarded with a survivable summer. Let it go out and when winter comes the fire that should keep you warm won’t be there to protect you; build it too high with spicy foods and you may burn out!

What began as an innocent exchange on the comments section of a popular Ashtanga Yoga teacher’s YouTube video quickly turned sour as the original commenter began by denouncing the teacher’s documentation of her personal advanced level practice as a “bastardized version of traditional Yoga exercise” and quickly degenerated into base name calling and profanity. As he seemed to get more agitated with each post I decided to reply with a little Sanskrit which seemed to tone him down a little without deflating his ego one bit (and yet he said nothing useful on what he thought true Yoga is).

Using the exchange as a teaching tool in my morning class at a women’s health club I used my Sanskrit reply of “Tat tvam asi” as a launching pad for the concept of “Sat Chit Ananda” – we are that/Truth, Consciousness, Bliss – and the search for that calm center which watches our conscious mind wrestle with such agitations. The physical practice combined meditations on how the physical body moves and holds positions (via a SLOW sun salutation) as well as how it lets go (or not) of unnecessary held tensions which holds us back from effortless effort.

It’s amazing how much one can cram into a one hour class when you’re on a roll but watching myself teach somehow I had the feeling that I was no longer the one teaching the class. While feeling happy that the students were enjoying their practice I couldn’t really take credit for it; somehow the true teacher was this flaming asshole with a New Zealand email address who refused to hold an intelligent conversation about the nature of Yoga and meditation.

So wherever this jerk is I hope he continues to practice a little every day as his practice will subtly change him over time. May he feel safe and protected, may he feel happy, may he be healthy and strong, may he care for himself wisely.

Lokah samastaa sukhinoh bhavantu.

May all beings everywhere be happy.

Bitmap. my shelter kitty, asleep in her favorite spot

But every living thing must decline and pass with time, and my baby was no different; suffering from weight problems and kidney disease her joints weakened and stiffened, her bowel control became non-existent, she struggled to walk and even eat but still would purr for me whenever I brushed her wonderfully soft fur. When she developed an infection I had to take her to the emergency vet for several days; they worked valiantly to help her kidneys heal and to reduce her pain enough that I could bring her home, but she could not recover enough to walk or eat enough to stay with me. After one night and half a day at home with me spending as much time with her (spoiling her rotten) as possible, she suffered some sort of seizure and I had to say my goodbyes.

It is never easy to take a beloved companion to the place where she will breathe her last. I had always hoped that she would pass peacefully in her sleep but I couldn’t bear to see her suffer; I could tell that she felt miserable even though she didn’t want to leave any more than I wanted her to leave. The drive back to the emergency vet was short; she awakened long enough to look at me with awareness. The staff prepared her and I held her, stroked her fur, and told her how much I loved her as she was given the drugs that stilled her heart and freed her soul.

Bitmap now rests under my redbud tree in my front yard; I buried her with her favorite toy, which she used to carry around in her mouth while meowing her furry head off (she had claimed it as her own when I had intended it for a friend of mine). I still grieve for her, or perhaps I grieve for the companionship I miss.

The body decays, fertilizing the earth and becoming food for others so they might live.

OM Tryambakam yaja mahe sugandhim pushti vardhanam
Urdhva rukhamiva bandhanam
Mrityor mukshiya mamritat
OM Shanti, shanti, shantihi

The philosophy of Ayurveda teaches that it is important to your health to rise before dawn; when all is quiet outside, the mind can be quiet inside. Brahma Muhurta roughly translates as “time of Universal Consciousness (Brahma)”. It’s the best time for spiritual practices such as meditation, yoga and qigong. By practicing before you get caught up in your daily activities you can establish yourself in the calm and thus avoid allowing others’ agitation affect you.

Getting up early doesn’t have to be painful but does require getting to sleep early enough to allow for 7 – 9 hours of rest. You may have to Tivo your favorite late night shows or give up your attachment to them so you can keep your mind open to the new experience of getting in touch with your deepest self. Try adapting the following basic daily routine to your own needs for at least one month and then assess if your energy is increased, your mind is calmer, and your body more limber and balanced.

Awaken between 4 – 6 am. Eliminate wastes (ideally, you should have a bowel movement when you get up – within 1/2 hour of waking; if you don’t, you may have too much dryness in the colon or your routine is too chaotic, or your diet needs to be adjusted). If eliminating early is difficult, or if you see a thick whitish coating on your tongue, drink a cup of hot water to facilitate a bowel movement.

Brush your teeth, take your warm shower, and rub some warm sesame oil into your entire body (you may also rub the oil in before your shower, then brush teeth, etc, before showering off the excess – no soap! it’s supposed to be absorbed…); use your neti pot to rinse pollen and dirt out of your nose, and rub a little sesame oil in your nostrils to keep dirt and pollen out!

Do your spiritual practice, as long as you have to devote to it – as little as ten minutes per day can give you huge benefits over time!

Leave enough time to make yourself a warm, nourishing breakfast – some eggs poached over fresh veggies, cooked steel cut oats…. Concentrate on the sensations of your meal rather than watching TV or reading the paper. Avoid eating too fast or chewing too little – sit down and enjoy!

Have your lunch at midday – between 11 – 2 pm, when the sun is highest in the sky, or when you feel hungry. If you don’t have the time to make a healthful meal for yourself choose wisely from what is available commercially. Avoid highly processed “foods”. At the same time, don’t make the mistake of eating too little at lunch or you will eat too much at dinner or snack on whatever you can get your hands on in the afternoon. If you have time, you can take a short walk after eating so you assimilate your food better. Make a note if you start to feel sleepy after eating – you may have difficulty digesting some foods and the brain pulls energy from your waking mind when the body needs more energy to digest.

When you are ready for your dinner, again make it a warm nourishing one made from fresh ingredients. Meals do not have to be elaborate; simple ingredients prepared with love (and perhaps some wonderful spices like coriander, turmeric, and cumin to enhance flavor while improving digestion) can provide a wealth of nutrition in a short preparation time. Be sure to give yourself enough time to digest your meal fully before winding down for the evening. If you wish to get to bed between 10 – 11 pm give yourself 2 hours for digestion and one hour for winding down (that means turn off the TV, computer, music, etc that can agitate the mind and make it difficult to fall asleep easily).

If you need to eliminate a few unnecessary things in the process of building this new routine, do so – if you still miss them one month later you may be able to find a better time to fit them in (I like to watch The Daily Show, but no longer watch it at 11 pm – there are re-runs during the day and it’s available online anytime!). If these things you’ve eliminated give you a bit more time for more important things, great!

But most important is whether you notice this new routine increases your “happiness quotient” overall – give up something good to make room for something better and find that true contentment lies within you. Awaken it!