Interview: Robin and Michael Mastro

Today, it is an honor and a privilege to have Robin and Michael Mastro in my corner of the Internet! Robin and Michael Mastro are practitioners, educators and scholars of Vastu Shastra, the Vedic science of living in harmony with Nature. They have authored two award-winning, bestselling books on Vastu, Altars of Power & Grace ~ Create the Life You Desire and The Way of Vastu ~ Creating Prosperity Through the Power of the Vedas. These two books have transformed the lives of people worldwide. In their third bestselling book, Making Room for Mr. Right ~ How to Attract the Love of Your Life, they introduce powerful, ancient secrets and universal laws that improve and even attract loving relationships. The Mastros are experts at showing you how to create Sacred Space within you to magnetize and support harmonious, stress-free living which reduces the stress that stands in the way of better health, improved productivity, fulfilling relationships and career advancement. They show you how to unite mind, body, and spirit through this ancient science and experience greater peace and success in all areas of your life.

Michael Mastro recently recorded a soon to be aired segment on the Dr. Oz show and both, Robin and Michael have co-written blog posts on The Oz blog. On a personal note, we have had the privilege of Michael Mastro working his magic Vastu wand on our homes (our present home and the previous one) and work spaces. Michael and Robin took time out of their busy schedules to chat with us about the “health” of the environments that we inhabit on a daily basis and its effects on our wellbeing. Here are their sage words about harmonious living spaces, health and Vastu.

Tell us a bit about yourself, your background and your work.

I am an architect and Robin is an environmental designer.

What is Vastu?

Vastu is the science of designing stress-free environments that improve the quality of peoples’ lives, influencing their health, career, relationships and prosperity.

When and how did you first get interested in Vastu?

As a young architect, I met Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who was the Beatles Guru and he asked me to design some buildings in Rishikesh, India. I am very honored that he taught me the basic principles of this amazing science of architectural alignment that is in harmony with Nature.

In ancient India, the Vastu Purusha Mandala, a grid of nine squares, was used as the basis, a sort of energetic blueprint, for all architecture. The mandala represented the cosmos. I hope that I’m right. How does the Vastu Purusha Mandala hold relevance in our times?

The Vastu Purusha Mandala informs us how we can improve health, career, relationships and prosperity by freeing up energy that is blocked in certain areas of the grid. When the obstruction is eliminated, life appears to improve in almost astounding ways with grace and ease.

The idea of a Bramha- Sthanam, the central void in any space is highly resonant with me. I think of those central voids, whether they are in interior or exterior spaces as powerful energy centers. Charles Correa, the noted Indian architect says that the, “center signifies both shunya (the absolute void) as well as bindu (the world seed and the source of all energy).” What are your thoughts about the brahma-sthanam?

The idea of a Bramha-sthanam represents consciousness; the center of our awareness. The central area of our building supports our success if it is left open and there is a skylight or opening above it. Robin sees it as the place where Divine energy enters the home and brings blessings for those living in the home.

All of us seek peace, serenity casino online and harmony in the spaces we live. We seek spaces that go beyond the manifest world and speak to our soul. If an average person were to make just two tweaks in her/his interior environment, what would those be and why?

Add a fountain in the NE and a Himalayan Salt Lamp to the SE area of your home. Doing both of these things will support better health.

What are some of your favorite spaces?

The Greek Parthenon, the Roman Coliseum, the Egyptian and Mayan Pyramids as they all were created using the principals of Vastu

Can you describe one experience of Vastu’s impact on health, physical and psychological?

Without any remodeling, using Vastu rectification, we have helped thousands of people improve their health and quality of life. Most recently, we worked with a doctor with diabetes. He reported being able to get off the use of insulin over time since we did the Vastu.

This isn”t a question, but a comment made with heartfelt gratitude. I enjoyed reading your book, Altars of Power and Grace, and I frequently set up altars with specific intentions around my home. The pictures in the book are lovely and just holding the book in my hands brings me exquisite peace and joy.

We loved creating this book! It continues to inspire people all over the world to directly connect with the unlimited abundance and intelligence of Divine consciousness. We are glad you have found peace and joy with your altars!

My site HealthEdited is all about making small changes, edits if you will, to your lifestyle habits to create better health. What are you doing at present to ‘edit’ your health?

I do yoga, meditation, pranayama each day. Because I travel a great deal for work, I pay close attention to a balance of rest and activity when I am home. Additionally, we’ve added a water purification system in our home to make sure that the water we drink is good for us. Both Robin and I also spend some time each day at our altars.

 Any closing thoughts?

Three things affect health: your karma, reducing stress in your body, and reducing stress in your environment. If you are taking care of the body and your environment, you will then be able to move more gracefully through any karmic health challenges you may experience.

Friday Five: January 23rd, 2015

Today”s Friday Five guest writer is my daughter, Aditi Iyer. Aditi is 10 years old and cares deeply about the world around her. She is a fourth grader at Bellevue Children”s Academy and her favorite subject in school is English. Aditi takes a kinesthetic approach to make sense of the world around her, and so doing anything crafty like making jewelry, knitting (a passion these days), cutting, glueing, pasting, drawing, painting, helping me with cooking, repotting plants that don”t need to be repotted :-), pretty much rock her world. When she is not messing around with materials of different textures, she either has her nose buried in a book or is found singing or dancing to her beloved pet fish.

Knitting

I enjoy knitting these days. My school offered a knitting class as a part of their after-school program and I signed up immediately as I have always wanted to learn how to make scarves and sweaters, etc. I”m so glad that I joined the class. Here are four reasons that I like knitting.

  • You can make different patterns and things, not just scarves and sweaters, but purses, hats, hair ties, the list is endless!
  • It has a certain rhythm, knitting calms me down.
  • It feels wonderful to wear something made by you.
  • It doesn’t take too long, I have already made a few coasters and a scarf that I wear very often.

Books by Rick Riordan

After reading the Harry Potter series, I was looking for similar books and that is when I discovered books by Rick Riordan. After reading his Percy Jackson and the Olympians fiction series, I am reading The Heroes of Olympus series. I am immersed in reading the fifth book in the series, The Blood of Olympus. The books I have read so far have introduced me to Greek and Roman mythology. I love these books because the characters who are demigods face all kinds of challenges. I find the characters realistic and often I feel like, I am feeling what they are feeling. It is fun to get to know their personalities. I”m looking forward to reading The Kane Chronicles, which is based on Egyptian mythology after I”m done with this series.

Music Class

I enjoy my music class, on Saturday mornings very much! I learn Hindustani classical music from Shahana Akka. She is an excellent teacher, is really nice and explains everything really well! I love singing as it makes me feel free. I feel very good inside after my Saturday class. The melody of the music is beautiful and it makes me happy. I also like to understand the meaning of the lyrics of the songs I am learning.

Dance Class

Tuesday evenings are lovely because of my dance classes. I learn a dance form called Bharatanatyam, which is an Indian classical dance. My teacher Joyce maasi is an awesome teacher and she helps me understand stuff well and makes me feel good. Although dancing sometimes tires my arms and legs, it is fun. I like dancing because it looks so beautiful! It also exercises my body.

My Pet Fish

I love my pet fish! I have four pet fish and their names are Moonlight, Cuddles, Giggles and Chuckles. I”m going to give you four specific reasons why I love them so much!

  • I like having something to take care of.
  • My fish make me happy, very happy!
  • They calm me. I could look at them for hours!
  • They are awfully cute!

I hope that you found my Friday Five fun to read. Bye!

A Hug can Prevent the Flu!

We are in the thick of the flu season. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that the flu activity in the United States peaks between the months of December and February. According to health experts, this year’s flu vaccine was based on the A-H3N2 virus strain that originated in Texas. However a more resistant strain of flu that surfaced in Switzerland, a little later, began to spread across the world, rendering this year’s flu vaccine (in the United States) only 23 percent effective. The CDC, however says, “While some of the viruses spreading this season are different from those in the vaccine, vaccination can still provide protection and might reduce severe outcomes such as hospitalization and death.”

Whether you choose to take the flu shot or not, there is a more pleasant way to keep the flu at bay. It turns out that a simple hug, even just one hug a day, might keep the flu away. An aww-inducing December 2014 study done by researchers from Carnegie Mellon University discovered that hugs could help the participants in the study stay well, even when they were directly exposed to cold and flu viruses. The study was based on the premise that people experiencing ongoing conflicts were more susceptible to catching the cold and other viruses. The researchers chose to study hugs as a modality because they had a hunch that hugs packed a powerful anti-disease punch in two ways.

  1. Hugs indicated social support
  2. Hugs involved touch.

The study recruited 400 people and assessed their levels of social support based on their answers to a questionnaire. For two weeks the participants were asked two questions.

  1. Have you been hugged today?
  2. Are you experiencing conflict or tension with people in your life?

The researchers then arranged for a week-long hotel stay for the participants and gave them nasal drops that were dripping with either the flu or cold virus. They were monitored daily for symptoms during the hotel stay.

The results of the study showed that even though everyone in the study was exposed to one of the two viruses, only 78 percent of the participants got infected, and only 31 percent actually got sick and presented physical symptoms of the illness! And even among the one third of the participants who got sick, the ones who got hugged had less severe symptoms than the people that did not.

Commenting about the study results in a Time magazine write-up about the study, lead researcher Seldon Cohen said, “There’s a lot of evidence out there suggesting that touch might be really effective at protecting people from stressors,- it’s a communication to people that you care about them, and that you have a close intimate relationship with them.”

Previous studies have demonstrated that hugs have the ability to reduce anxiety and other psychological conditions. The Carnegie Mellon study is one of the first ones to show that hugs work on physiological conditions too. It has been said that hugs are universal medicine and that the effects of one last long after you let go. So go ahead, add hugs to your flu protection arsenal, along with washing your hands frequently, eating nourishing meals and exercising. I have a hunch that embracing hugs (pun intended) will do much more than protect you from the flu, whether it is the A-H3N2 strain or the deadly Switzerland strain or some other deadlier future strain. Hugs will not only not discriminate between flu strains, they will also help heal every malaise, past or present, real or perceived, physiological or psychological.

Sources:

  • CDC; What you should Know for the 2014-2015 Influenza Season
  • Mercury News; Deadly flu season spurs some Bay Area hospitals to restrict visitors
  • Time; Here’s How Hugs can Prevent the Flu
  • Association for Psychological Association; Hugs Help Protect Against Colds by Boosting Social Support
  • Quotegraden; Hugs
  • Image Credit; Freedigitalphots.net

Friday Five: January 16th, 2015

Friday Five is just a tad different today. Instead of a guest post or a personal exploration on what is currently working for me, I am offering you five approaches/trends/advice and encouragement from the wellness blogosphere that are striking a chord with me. Getting a glimpse of someone else’s carefully thought out health space is not just an exciting experience, but also a perspective widening one. I plan to try all of these ideas (I have already tried one) sometime in the near future. Clicking on the topic headings will link you with the respective posts. I hope that you find inspiration in these ideas too.

The Werewolf Way of Eating

If you are a moon enthusiast, for whatever reason, spirituality or plain old curiosity, you will resonate with this idea. Madonna and Demi Moore follow it and the lunar ‘diet’ claims to help you lose two to six pounds of weight in a single 24 hour period. Followers of this method use it not just to lose weight, but also for weight maintenance. The premise of the method is that, “the moon exerts the same influence on the water in your body as it does on the oceans and tides.” So by fasting or following a liquid only diet during the New Moon and Full Moon phases, you flush out more toxins and water from your body than you would on other days. I have an unwavering faith in the energy of the moon and I align with the idea of taking periodic breaks from solid food, and so I’m going to try the Werewolf Way for a few months and report back.

Go Ahead, Take a Selfie

Do you take selfies? I do and have often wondered if it is narcissistic to take them. Although I don’t take them often,  there have been moments of personal joy and celebration where I can’t help but take one. I love what Tara Stiles has to say about them, “When you are radiating so much light that it’s blinding, don’t be afraid to take a selfie and share that light with the world.” Selfies, when taken mindfully, are a form of practicing self-love and there is absolutely no room for guilt in taking or sharing them.

Natural Lipstick Roundup

Kris Carr (wellness activist and cancer thriver) and the Environmental Working Group teamed up to bring us a list of the best natural lipsticks in the market. I like this list because it not only has those famous EWG hazard ratings, but also has the price and a description of the color and finish of each lipstick. If you believe in ‘primping at leisure and putting on lipstick’ (thanks Audrey Hepburn) without chemicals, this is a handy-dandy list for you.

Child’s Pose

We often connect the mind-body benefits of yoga with postures like the shoulder-stand and the head-stand, but I have always found great peace in the repose of the child’s pose. I was delighted to see Dr. Andrew Weil make a case for the Child’s Pose this morning on his blog. He says, “The Child’s Pose, as the name suggests, can help you release the tension and cares of adult life. I use it to relax and regain my composure between yoga poses.” Immediately after reading his post, I pulled out my yoga mat and went into child’s pose. In the pose, I found that I could connect to my inner child and find answers to some of my pressing problems, from that child’s perspective. Always the least egocentric perspective, in my opinion.

An Ancient Ayurvedic Morning Ritual 

Many in my family gaze at their hands as soon as they wake up in the morning while reciting this Sanskrit prayer.

karAgre vasate lakShmI, kara-madhye saraswatI |

kara-moole sthitA gaurI, mangalaM kara-darshanaM ||

The Sanskrit words mean,  “Goddess Lakshmi resides in the finger tips, Saraswati on the palm. Shakti is situated in the wrist, It is auspicious to see the hands.”

A MindBodyGreen post this morning reminded me of this ritual, “ When we mindfully gaze at our hands each morning, we’re empowered to bless our own hands to act in ways that can most optimally benefit ourselves and others.”  I plan to incorporate this beautiful practice that reminds us that the divine rests in our own hands, starting tomorrow.

Sources:

  • Moon Connection; The Werewolf Diet
  • MindBodyGreen; 3 Ancient Ayurvedic Rituals to Rock your Mornings
  • Practical Sanskrit; The Force is in Your Hands
  • Tara Stiles; Selfie and Self Love
  • Kris Carr; The Ultimate Crazy Sexy Lipstick Roundup
  • Andrew Weil; Child’s Pose
  • Image Credit; Universe Today

Book Review: The True Power of Water

The True Power of Water: Healing and Discovering Ourselves, written by researcher Masaru Emoto, is an exploration of the healing properties and possibilities of water. In the book, the author proposes that the ubiquitous liquid that we take for granted has the potential to not just dramatically improve our individual health, but when its true power is harnessed, it can heal the earth and our environment. Water, according to Dr. Emoto, is highly perceptive and responsive. It can take on the ‘information’ that we send to it. With positive intent, we can transform water into a healing vehicle that in turn has the potential to transform us.

This is a gem of a slim book that everyone should read. Easy and quick to read, I finished the book in one sitting, but have re-read parts of it several times. I have also been going back to it to gaze at the water crystals, especially the crystal formed by the words, love and gratitude. It is a stunning piece of art, has a mesmerizing quality and is brimming with peace and ‘hado’.

Hado

We are introduced to the Japanese concept of hado in The True Power of Water. The Japanese word hado literally means wavelength, but in the spiritual and philosophical context of this book it means, “the subtle energy that exists in the universe..the intrinsic vibration of all matter.” While I have read other books in the same genre, and I am quite familiar with the concepts of vibration, chi, and prana, which are all similar to hado, the beautiful pictures of the water crystals are what set this book apart. They give me a glimpse of ‘hado in action’, validate and intensify my faith in the subtle energy of all matter.

I am especially fascinated with the section in the book that talks about the effects of music on water. Water when exposed to different types of music formed different types of crystals in Dr. Emoto’s experiments! That section also tells us about how the hado of each piece of music has a positive effect on different organs of the body, for example Bach’s ‘Toccata and Fugue’ in D Minor is supposed to help with lethargy. It sure did help me finish this book review in one sitting.

While Dr. Emoto’s research about water may seem far-fetched to many, consider suspending disbelief for now and rest your faith in the healing possibilities of water. To understand water is to understand ourselves as the human adult body is 70 percent water. To end, I will leave you with Herman Hesse’s words in Siddhartha,

“They both listened silently to the water, which to them was not just water, but the voice of life, the voice of Being, the voice of perpetual Becoming.”

Friday Five: January 9th, 2015

After 6 weeks of wonderful and insightful guest Friday Five posts, today”s Friday Five post is by me. Here are five thoughts/things/ideas that are currently bringing serendipity, courage, fragrance, sweetness and inspiration into my life. I hope that these five spark an idea and bring inspiration for you too. As always, thanks for reading.

A Serendipity Journal 

I gave myself this journal, as a gift for the holidays, to jot down all the “happy accidents” and “it must be a sign” moments in 2015. It has only been 9 days and I already have 5 entries in the journal! By recording all the serendipitous moments I encounter, I hope to invite, delight and marvel in more of them in 2015. Elizabeth Berg, author of The Year of Pleasures” said, “Sometimes serendipity is just intention unmasked.” I can’t wait to see all the events that unfold and how they relate to my intentions this year.

Life doesn’t Frighten me at All

This poem written for children by Maya Angelou is offering a new lense through which I see courage these days. It is a potent reminder of the innate courage that resides in all of us.

“I”ve got a magic charm

That I keep up my sleeve

I can walk the ocean floor

And never have to breathe. 

Life doesn”t frighten me at all

Not at all

Not at all.

Life doesn”t frighten me at all.”

Listen to the entire poem, read by Angelou herself here.

Frankincense Essential Oil

An ancient fragrance, Frankincense is often associated with religious ceremonies. Frankincense (along with gold and myrrh), in casino online resin form, was one of the original gifts given by the Magi to young Jesus, according to the Bible. Early texts from Yemen tell that the resin was used widely for warding off ‘evil’ forces, as an anti-anxiety agent, as chewing-gum to freshen the breath, and as an omnipotent anti-inflammatory medicine, for curing everything from arthritis to gingivitis. Modern studies report that the resin is useful in treating inflammatory bowel disease and has an ability to suppress cancer cells.

I’m researching frankincense in earnest and will write a full-length post about it soon. Although I don’t yet use the resin in oral form, I have been enjoying this ancient herb/spice/resin as an essential oil. Most scents, even essential oils, especially floral ones, give me headaches, but not this one. It is pleasant, calming and soul soothing. It smells like an illuminated church or a temple brimming with peace and love. I have been using a drop behind my ears.

Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Somewhere along the path of  becoming gluten free, I started eating too many nuts. My stomach went nutty (pun intended) and protested. Although nuts are great for you in moderation, they are heavy and hard to digest, if you eat too many of them. I have been looking for alternatives to almond flour (the ubiquitous favorite for gluten-free baking) and was excited when I came across this recipe for a single serve buckwheat-chocolate chip cookie on the Detoxinista website. Easy and quick to make, I only make four cookies at a time for dessert. It is delicious with a cup of tea or milk (whatever kind you prefer)! Here is the recipe.

4 Tablespoons of buckwheat flour

2 Tablespoons of coconut palm sugar

4 Teaspoons of coconut oil

A little water to form the dough

A splash of vanilla extract

Semi-sweet chocolate Chips

Bake for 8 minutes in a preheated oven at 350 F on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Friday Five on Design–Milk 

I love browsing and reading Friday Five lists, all over the Internet, particularly on Design-Milk. Every Friday a designer shares five objects they love or thoughts that inspire them. Whether you are a design enthusiast or not, you will find an abundance of ideas and inspiration in this column. Here is a link to their best Friday Fives of 2014.

Sources:

  • The New York Times; Frankincense Fit for a King (One, Anyway)
  • PubMed; Frankincense
  • Detoxinista; Single Serving Buckwheat Cookie
  • Goodreads; Elizabeth Berg
  • Design- Milk; Friday Five

Walking, Wordsworth and Creativity

Can walking turn you into a poet or an artist? Can it bring forth the innate creativity that lives in you? It just may, says a Stanford April 2014 study, published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition. The study was performed by recruiting 176 participants comprising of college students and other adults and was divided into four experiments. Led by researchers, Marily Oppezzo and Daniel Schwartz, the participants completed standard tests of creative thinking such as coming up with alternate uses for common objects and thinking of complex analogies for sentence prompts.

The four experiments took place in four different conditions. As a part of the first condition, participants walked indoors on a treadmill facing a blank wall. In the second, they sat indoors facing a blank wall. The third condition involved walking along a selected path in the Stanford campus. The fourth one included being pushed on a wheelchair (for a sense of visual movement) along the same selected path in the campus.

The study findings reported that participants were a whopping 60 percent more creative in ‘divergent thinking’ (in a test to come up with alternate uses for common objects), when they were walking as opposed to when they were sitting. In the experiment where participants had to come up with novel analogies, 100 percent of the walking participants were able to come up with at least one novel analogy as opposed to 50 percent of the sitting participants! Both indoor and outdoor walking worked equally well in this study and the effects of the walking lasted for a while after the activity stopped.

Commenting on the research conclusions, lead researcher Dr. Oppezzo, in an interview with the New York Times explained that walking may have a role in redirecting energy that would otherwise be spent on raining on one’s own creativity parade. Essentially, walking helps you get out of your own way and “may allow the brain to break through” some of its own, hyper-rational filters”, she said.

 Walking, the channel for William Wordsworth’s Transcendental Poetry

William Wordsworth is said to have walked around 175 thousand miles during his lifetime. Whether it was the epic twenty thousand miles he walked along with his class-fellow Robert Jones (instead of studying for his Cambridge University exams) to the Alps, or the daily 12 mile walk from Dove Cottage to the ‘post’, or the pacing back and forth in the premises of his own garden muttering the words “bum, bum, bum, stop” in his latter casino online years, walking was a way of being for the poet.

In a paper titled Poetwalker, author Polly Atkins writes that for Wordsworth, “the act of walking is indivisible from the act of making poetry. One begets the other.” His poems were a “rhythmical creation of beauty” (thanks Edgar Allan Poe) that he felt during his walks.

From The Prelude

“The earth was all before me. With a heart

Joyous, nor scared at its own liberty,

I look about; and should the chosen guide

Be nothing better than a wandering cloud,

I cannot miss my way.” 

From The Solitary Reaper

“I listened, motionless and still;

And, as I mounted up the hill,

The music in my heart I bore,

Long after it was heard no more.” – The Solitary Reaper

Wordsworth’s walking was integral to his poetry. Walking was poetry and poetry was walking for him.

What is Left to Say

To walk is to experience the sacred. To walk is to walk towards joy. To walk is to walk away from the cares of the world. To walk is to connect with the earth. To walk is to become a part of the landscape. To walk is to shed your identity. To walk is to feel oneness. To walk is to heal. To walk is to be. 

Sometime late last year I started going on long 6 mile walks on a nearby nature trail with my husband on Sunday mornings. When I look back on 2014, those long walks have been some of my most cherished times of the year, they were sometimes intense, sometimes serene, but always wonderful. I noticed that I wrote more during that time. Who would have thought that the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other would bring such joy, peace and creativity?

This is my first post in the New Year. I don’t make resolutions but this year I have a prayer, I pray for chances to walk more. Hikes, short strolls, long walks, slow walks, fast walks, challenging steep uphill walks, tumbling down the hill walks, and even pacing up and down my garden (or my living room) muttering, “bum, bum, bum, stop” will all be considered blessings.

Happy walking and creating. Have a wonderful 2015!

Further Resources:

Courageous Creativity; Walking as Creativity

Sources:

The New York Times; Want to be more Creative? Take a walk.

Stanford University; Stanford Study finds Walking improves Creativity

Brown University; The Legs of William Wordsworth

Academia; How Did Walking Serve as an Integrative Activity for Wordsworth?

Poemhunter; William Wordsworth

 

Friday Five: January 2nd, 2015

Today”s Friday Five guest post is by Dr. Indu Srinivasan Partha. Indu is an avid reader, writer and a clinician. For me, though, Indu has a certain “Indu-ness” that has inspired me many times over, “the ability to show  up and get to work” (thanks Chuck Close), no matter what the distractions or the circumstances are. Whether it is a discussion about a Bollywood flick or a blog post, she not only shows up, but also is completely present and gives it her all. Hope that you enjoy her Friday Five.

Let it Go 

Believe it or not, I am not referring to the song from “Frozen.” In fact, I am probably one of the few people who have never seen the movie! I am talking about letting go of baggage, both physical and psychological, that are weighing me down. Clothes are being purged and donated. Piles of clutter are being sorted and tossed. I am trying to learn how to let go of my need to be in control of everything (and unfortunately, everyone) around me. I have realized that control is overrated; more likely than not, the need for control will drive a wedge between two people and lead to an ongoing feeling of discontent when reality doesn’t meet expectations. I’ve made progress, but have a long way to go yet. I’ll keep fighting the good fight.

First Loves

No worries. No plans to leave my hubby! During my break from work, I have been fortunate to have some opportunities to rediscover my first love: writing. The time off between two jobs has been unexpectedly longer than anticipated. At first casino online I freaked out (see above: need for control). And then I saw it as a blessing. As a clinician, I don’t have many chances to write for work or for pleasure (charting doesn’t count, surely), so I have jumped at chances that have come my way to write as a guest blogger for family and friends. It is so important for all of us to remember who we once were, and what we once loved, before being burdened with the myriad of responsibilities that come with adulthood. I hope to keep up with my writing practice in the 2015, whether it be as a blogger, in a journal, or even writing letters to my daughter in college.

Making a Statement

I’ll admit it. I’m getting older. I realize that youth is no longer on my side when it comes to appearance. I love finding quick and easy ways to amp up my look, allowing me to be youthfully age-appropriate, if there is such a thing. Appearance is not the most important thing in life, but I daresay we all have a little more spring to our step when we know we are presenting our best self. My current go to moves for looking a bit more “together?” A great red lipstick (currently loving Maybelline Sensational “Very Cherry”), statement necklaces (J. Crew Factory on sale items), scarves, and knee high boots.

Be Firm

Exercise. I know I need to do it. I’ve never been a fan. I have more time on my hands now, and therefore, fewer excuses to be inactive. I have really been enjoying my classes at my local Pure Barre Studio. I’ve discovered muscle groups I didn’t know existed, and have enjoyed seeing the changes in my body slowly emerge. I now really understand the reasoning behind cross training. Walking and hiking alone were not enough to transform my body. I have benefitted from the resistance training in these classes, and love knowing that I am stronger than I have been before.

Seeing is Believing

Ready for the least profound favorite? It’s my discovery of NETFLIX. Yes, you read that right! I am not addicted, but let’s say that I enjoyed some wonderfully peaceful and pleasurable moments during my “Hart of Dixie” marathon, and that there is nothing like a Bollywood flick to help while away the time on the treadmill. A harmless, mindless, but totally rejuvenating use of time. In moderation, of course.

Image Credit; Fanpop 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday Five: December 19th, 2014

Today’s Friday Five guest post is by Dharini Vivek. Dharini is a poet, a student of classical music, and a nature lover. Here is her personal exploration of the five thoughts and ideas that are currently resonating with her. Her loving encouragement “simply to wake up to the very life we’re living” (thanks John Cage), whether it is through a handwritten note or a cup of warm water, is lovely and refreshing. I hope that you enjoy reading her Friday Five as much as I did.

Water

Yes, I am talking about H20. It kick starts my day. The first thing that goes into me after I wake up and freshen myself is a glass full of warm water. And I love it! Most of us start our mornings with a hot cup of coffee or tea to warm our bodies after getting out of bed. According to Ayurvedic medicine, regularly drinking very warm water, especially in the morning, can heal our bodies, providing digestive power and reducing metabolic waste that could have built up in our immune system. The usual tricky question is ‘how much to drink’, and trust me, you will find all sorts of answers when you search online ranging from 7 glasses per day to 11. Instead of trying for answers online, I feel the best way is to try asking your own body for answers. Drink enough water to keep yourself from dehydration, especially during winters when the need to drink water doesn’t arise often, but your body feels depleted due to the artificial heating sources that we surround ourselves with.

That’s about the water intake from a health perspective. But my love for this liquid goes beyond that – its presence in oceans, rain, streams, lake, ice, snow or tears! And to me, the most beautiful life lesson it teaches – Go with the flow.

Music

Music is my meditation. My vipassana. My Kriya. While I have always loved music since childhood I surprised myself when at the age of 30, I developed this sudden interest to learn classical music. While Bollywood, Sufi and Tamil melodies have ruled all my life – I was surprised when I suddenly took to classical music which I never understood hence never appreciated. I didn’t even know if I could sing. But today, a year old student of this beautiful art, as I learn and sing the notes – I am discovering a whole new world through my singing and practice. Increased awareness, keen listening skills, focus, multi-tasking ( Rhythm, Taalam, shruti, memorizing… all parts of your brain is engaged) and most importantly – pure enjoyment! Learning music has such healing effects that one almost doesn’t realize its power to transform you. The beautiful dance of the seven notes is a journey of self -discovery. And it heals. Yes, it does. No wonder then that the seven notes of the music corresponds to the seven chakras in our body! Trust me, it is never too late to discover music, and yourself through it. So for all you people who always wanted to learn singing but never could and feel its too late to start – I did it, so can you!

Plants/ Trees/ Nature

Oh my…. What do I say about these beauties! I only wish everyone looks at them through my eyes. My eternal love affair with nature, the palettes, the seasons with their moods, the mountains, oceans, sky, earth, mud, space – Yes, I can gaze, admire, lech at them for hours …sometimes much more than I would do for a Shahrukh or a Ranbir Kapoor.  To me nature is a symbol of creator’s aesthetic sense and it fascinates me. Trees, again in particular are one aspect of nature that I love. To me, it is symbolic of unconditional giving and strong rootedness. And yet how happy and graceful they look swaying to the music of the breeze. Yes, that’s why I repeat – you’ve got to look through my eyes. No wonder in ancient traditions or religions all over the world, there is always a sacred symbolism for trees. Wisdom with beauty – now wouldn’t we all wish to be perceived like that! I love tending to my plants (a recently developed love), getting my hands mixed with mud, dirt grounds me completely! So I recommend everyone to develop your relationship with nature or any aspect of it – and spend some time to bask in its presence. And trust me, no one will mind this healthy affair. 

Writing

In this day and age where everything happens at the click of something, the art of holding a pen and putting the ink to the paper is lost. I find writing incredibly charming. A persons handwriting has a unique touch of his/her personality and there is a sense of intimacy or closeness in a hand written note or letter or for that matter even a to do list! I always carry a pen and a note pad in my bag, my to do lists are handwritten on post its, I still write letters ( usually hand delivered), my poetry is first written in a book, and even at work I have a note pad to jot down during meetings and yes, I have a music book where I write all the songs/ notes that I am learning! Okay, before you roll your eyes on this one -Try this today – leave a note of love something’s , on a post it for a dear one at home or for a friend – And it is sure to make their day brighter; for pronounced effects try it on a cloudy/ rainy day.

A healthy dose of ‘Inspiration’, Play and Creativity

This tip is strictly for adults. While children have no trouble sourcing these happiness ingredients, it is very important for us to get a dose of this in our everyday life and higher the doses, the better! I feel we beat ourselves so much in so many ways each day that it has become a necessity for sanity and peace to find ways to stay inspired. And this doesn’t only mean you have to have a hobby, it means spending that little time with something which fuels the lightheartedness within you. Well, if this ever comes bottled as a pill or a herb I will surely recommend it – until then try sourcing it yourself. Just stay curious, healthy and spend at least a few minutes to unwind and get inspired.

Sources

Medical Daily; Health Benefits of Warm Water: 6 Ways Drinking Warm Water can Heal your Body

Curcumin, the Active Compound in Turmeric and its Potential to Heal PTSD Symptoms

There is yet another feather in turmeric’s heavily decorated healing potential cap. Along with Alzheimer’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, Crohn’s disease, depression, heart disease and mesothelioma, brand new, not yet published research reports that curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, helps relieve symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

In a study done in the Psychology Department of Hunter College, researchers reported that curcumin weakened the creation of fear memories after a traumatic event. In a press release Glen Schafe, a professor of psychology and the lead researcher of the study said that when rats were fed a curcumin-enriched diet they were less traumatized by memories of fear.

In addition, according to Dr. Schafe, curcumin not only inhibited fear memories that were newly acquired, but also memories of fear that had been reactivated. He said, “We also showed that rats with a pre-existing fear memory can lose that memory when it is recalled while they are eating a curcumin-enriched diet.” The researchers concluded that while this study was by no means definitive, it had, “important clinical implications for the treatment of disorders such as PTSD that are characterized by unusually strong and persistently reactivated fear memories.”

Turmeric: The Sacred Golden Goddess

Turmeric has long been revered in traditional Indian medicine and culture. Dr. David Frawely, founder and director of the American online casino Institute for Vedic Studies in Santa Fe, New Mexico says, “If I had only one single herb to depend upon for  all possible health and dietary needs, I would without much hesitation choose  the Indian spice Turmeric. There is little it cannot do in the realm of healing and much that no other herb is able to accomplish.” 
 

It may be an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cholesterol, anticancer and anti- fill in the blank any other disease in the research world, but for most Indians and people of many other Asian cultures it is the most beloved spice in their kitchen. It is also the most important, the most holy, the most gorgeous and the most healing one in their kitchen cabinets. A symbol of purity, fertility and prosperity, turmeric is a part of prayer and wedding rituals. In fact the Sanskrit names for the Goddess and for the spice are the same! Such is the communion and fellowship between nature’s most beautiful spice and the divine feminine that the names Kanchani and Gauri in Sanskrit are names for both, turmeric and goddess Parvati.

So inextricably is the spice tied with Indian food and culture, that we use clinical amounts of it in our everyday life. We buy it by the pound, we use it for prayer, we use it instead of Neosporin to heal cuts and burns (Band-aids in India come built-in with turmeric), we use it as a beautifying agent and we use it liberally in our cooking.

A lasting (at least until now) consequence of a traumatic event, PTSD is often characterized by reliving thoughts and memories of the event that caused the trauma. That turmeric (curcumin) is responsible for selective blocking, erasing or reframing memories of PTSD that no longer serve, is a matter for marveling. The ancients who declared the spice holy, did not have access to research labs or funds to conduct elaborate studies, but they intuitively knew that the spice had such astonishing abilities to heal that it was a blessing, that it was divine. They knew that the spice aligned us with a higher consciousness and allowed our innate and intense healing potential to surface when we cooked with it. These days, labs all over the world are busy proving that our ancients were right. Now that makes for some divine news, doesn’t it?

Sources:

  • Neuropsychopharmacology; A Diet Enriched With Curcumin ImpairsNewly Acquired and Reactivated Fear Memories
  • Medical Daily; Curcumin, Compound In Turmeric, Found To Impair Fear Memories And Ease PTSD Symptoms
  • Ratna Rajaiah; How the Banana Goes to Heaven
  • The Healthier Life; Revisiting the Benefits of Turmeric