consciousness – Page 2 – In Yoga Collective: Trauma Conscious Community

Reset & Let Go (+ Juice Recipe)

October 21, 2014 1 Comment

Two unlikely themes kept popping up in my conversations this past week: Juicing and Karma. This hardly seems like a compatible duo, but I was surprised (after closer consideration) that my conversations on both topics stemmed from the same concern: How can we get a fresh start? When we feel like our diets, our actions, or our temperament (mood swings, stress level, etc.) have spiraled out of control, how can we wipe the slate and move forward? Whether, the result of enduring a big life change or a big weekend out, letting go and hitting the “reset” button can be a welcome relief – and really, a necessity – to get you back on track, feeling better and more like yourself.

Karma-Juicing (verb): to enhance one’s actions by the process of purifying or resetting

I juice when I want to “reset.” Sometimes it’s after a few too many glasses of wine or slices of pizza, but other times it’s just when I’m feeling groggy and sluggish (or bloated). So, as you might guess, I like to juice most days – whenever I can. Because: a nutrient-packed [delicious] mug of green juice, when consumed semi-regularly (2-4x a week), helps give you more energy, boosts your immune system and cleans out your pipes 😉 So, food is digested easily and you feel lighter. And, as a result, when you do splurge on that pizza, the bloated sluggish feeling won’t stick around as long.

I still drink coffee, I’m learning to love tea, and I stock my fridge with pumpkin ale all season long. (Try Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Ale! So yummy.) Juicing doesn’t have to come solely as part of a “cleanse,” but it is still cleansing. Approaching juicing this way – drinking it when I want because of how it makes me feel, rather than how it could make me look – is empowering and effective, without being stressful or expensive. It’s nice to notice the difference in my body, to know how my body reacts to what I consume and how it likes to be treated. (Which really gives you more energy in the morning – coffee or fresh-made juice? You may be surprised…) Once you notice the difference it’s easy to eat healthily; you’ll do it because you feel better when you do. And, of course, because food is love and you, and your body, deserve only the best. There’s no limit to how often you can hit “reset.” (And it doesn’t have to be $10/day — see my recipe and recommendations below).

Resetting when applied to our daily lives can take on a different meaning. Have you ever wanted to just press a button and undo whatever you just said, or did (or wore)? Or even better, have you ever been confronted with a period of transition – a new job, a big move, a bad break-up, or settling into a new relationship – and just wanted to hit “reset” and reap the benefits of moving forward? I never paid much attention to this connection, or this urge, until a few recent conversations with friends, all of which centered on the same theme: Karma. More specifically, how karma – or our actions and behavior – is influenced by different periods in our lives, of light and dark.

*In this sense, “karma” is defined as one’s behavior or actions (versus the mainstream definition which is focused on the results or consequences of one’s actions); I also take “karma” to imply notions of one’s temperament, or general way of being. “Light and dark” can be thought of as life’s really high highs and really low lows, where you inevitably put forth your very best and very worst self (respectively).*

My friends and I discussed that, when you’re in a period of transition, you’re more vulnerable because your foundation has been disturbed or is suffering an imbalance. In daily life, this can take shape as a disruption at home, in relationships (family, love and friendships), and/or as general sense of stability and groundedness; in yogic and Ayurvedic terms, this refers more literally to Muladhara, or your root chakra. Regardless of the terminology, the resulting imbalance or turmoil while enduring periods of vulnerability and ‘darkness,’ directly affects our mindset, and thereby our actions on a daily basis. What you’re thinking and how you’re feeling (perhaps, in the broadest sense: anger, jealously, pride, love) determine your behavior and actions (whether you even apply for that job, move to that city, or can fall in love). When we feel our best and brightest, we live in that light and spread it to others. This way, periods of light and dark, or up’s and down’s, influence our daily behavior and way of being in the present moment – or our karma.

Sometimes, when we’re feeling like we’ve lost control, it would certainly be nice to hit reset. Luckily, yoga philosophy (namely in the Bhagavad Gita, a famously popular story and spiritual text) has an answer…In the Gita, Sri Krishna, cousin and charioteer to the heroic warrior, Arjuna, shares this advice before entering into battle. Among the many worthy take-away’s from this epic dialogue, he says:

“As the heat of a fire reduces wood to ashes, the fire of knowledge burns to ashes all karma.”

However eloquent, this statement – put simply – acknowledges the need to reset or let go of our past mistakes and hang-ups, and even offers a solution. Knowledge, specifically “self-knowledge” or striving to understand your Truth, is capable of burning away any negative lingering feelings – of anger, of jealousy, of pride – that stand in the way of moving forward. Dr. Chris Chapple describes this process of “burning karma” as putting your darkness on the table and asking [yourself] the hard questions. In yoga, detoxing can mean confronting your own feelings (often, on the mat) to purify, cleanse and reset your mindset and way of being, to move forward as – and ideally remain – a better person. All yoga practices (breath work or pranayama, asana postures, meditation and observing your own thoughts) prepare us and enable our efforts in this process; to reveal and confront whatever’s holding us back, hit reset (aka let go) and move forward as a stronger, happier, and more grounded person in our daily lives.

Hitting reset isn’t always the easy way, but – when it comes to our health and well-being – it is the only way. Bottling up negative emotions and bodily toxins has long-term effects on your overall wellness. Whether on your mat or at the juicer, I encourage you to make the investment – be it time, money or effort – to try resetting for yourself.

If, for you, this means taking the leap with at-home juicing, here’s my favorite recipe to get you started – full of warm, root vegetables, and simple Autumn goodness ❤

Autumn Spritzer
Makes about 16 oz.

1 Sweet Potato (= 1 small or ½ large)
1 Pear or Apple
1 Lime
2-3 Celery stalks
3-4 Carrots, whole
3-4 Kales leaves (or 1/4 bag, chopped)
Ginger root (~ 2-3 inches of root is plenty, less to taste)

*Try adding fresh Mint leaves and/or a dash of Cayenne pepper to reset and kick-start your metabolism

Remember, I urge you to use what you already have at home and make substitutions of similar ingredients to make it something you’ll enjoy! (i.e. lemon instead of lime, spinach instead or in addition to kale, [1] cucumber for [3-4] carrots, or take out sweet potato for a smoother consistency, to name a few…)

Preferably, drink in the sunshine, wearing a big cozy sweater (this is how I most enjoy it, anyway) – and drink through a straw, to avoid staining your teeth ❤

Now, that’s love. Enjoy!

With love,
Amy

Suggestion: If you are in the market for an at-home juicer, I would highly recommend a Fagor Slow Juicer. It was inexpensive among the high-quality brands (~$130 on Amazon) and has a 5-year warranty on all its parts. (Woo! Priceless…) If you’ve heard juicers are a pain to clean, you’d be right! But, just like anything, the more you do it, the faster you get and the easier it becomes. Some added incentive to rinse and repeat…

Discovering Your Genius(!)

October 8, 2014October 8, 2014 Amy7 Comments

“To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men – that is genius. Speak your latent [inner] conviction, and it shall be the universal sense [agreed upon by all].”

I have the pleasure – and honor – of crafting a comparison for my Foundations of Yoga Studies midterm essay, between Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay Self Reliance (introduction referenced above) and the Katha Upanishad,* one of the “principal thirteen” Upanishads which include many essays and poems written by ancient Vedic priests, and is one of the initial documented forms of yoga dating back to ~ 1^st century B.C.E. I chose this topic because, remembering an experience in middle school when I was first exposed to Emerson’s Self Reliance (or more accurately, an “Ah-ha” moment), I recall telling people afterwards that it was my “favorite book” (embarrassing) – But, to tell the truth, I don’t remember a thing about it. I’ve heard of comparisons between Vedic [ancient yogic] philosophy and Transcendentalism – i.e. 19th century C.E. Thoreau (Walden) and Emerson (Nature, Self-Reliance) – so why not take the opportunity to revisit an old favorite?

A favorite verse from Self-Reliance, and one that I think aptly captures the key similarities between Transcendental and Yogic philosophy, is:

“To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men – that is genius. Speak your latent conviction, and it shall be the universal sense.”

Although I have an obvious bias – really, more of a crush on – well-crafted rhetorical persuasion as a student of politics, something about these words resonates with me on a deep and profound level. And, as Emerson states above, he would bet that this resonance has the potential to strike everyone the same way, as “is true for all men,” we’re innately and equally capable of harnessing our inner “genius” (or in yoga philosophy: your personal truth or [big-S] Self). “Speak your latent conviction, and it shall be the universal sense.” I read this as a command – and think it should end with the proper exclamation(!). With Emerson toting a blue-ribboned ponytail and GW-type swag, balking back on his horse, I imagine him saying, perhaps with a megaphone: “Go forth! And be, unapologetically, you!” Trust your gut! He says. It sounds so simple, but its difficulty is revealed when we take a moment to sincerely consider how we are (what we think, do, say) on a daily basis. Going through the motions of work, school, homework, meetings and travel – it’s easy to get swept away with the current and fall into a routine. But, when you pay closer attention to your interactions and thoughts throughout the day, how many times do you say something or agree with something simply out of habit or ease? (When in truth, it may have been in opposition with your true “gut.” That’s alright, we all do it!) It’s easier, even habitual at times, to “just get through” the day. But if nothing else, it’s interesting to consider how we might be inadvertently stifling our own voice, and succumbing to negativity in this process. Emerson’s advice: Trust Thyself. Find your genius in the genuine. Or the modern adapted version: Go forth and be fabulous!

Our thoughts are powerful. Last week, I provided some insights into the “Yoga & Neuroscience” and want to share another related concept. For every negative thought we hear or think, it takes five positive thoughts to get back to normal/neutral from the resulting mood imbalance – just like momentary depression. This is scientifically proven as an evolutionary survival reflex, and is referred to as our innate “negativity bias.” (More on negativity bias here.) I mentioned last week, that thoughts – according to neuroscientists – are actually a group of connected neurons in the brain, that together form a single thought or idea. Repetition of the same idea or thought over-and-over strengthens this connection, so the more often we think (or say) something, the more likely we are to think it again. Considering this, and considering how much – scientifically speaking – a single negative thought brings us down, it’s apparent that its advantageous for our well-being to pay attention to what’s going on in our noggin. When we start to recognize our own internal “negativity bias,” we can begin to change our thoughts from a predominantly negative to a positive spin, or worldview. And, the good news is, just as negative thoughts strengthen and recur with repetition, so do positive thoughts. (All thoughts follow this rule – What have you been thinking about a lot lately?)

Trust yourself (and treat yourself)! Be open to hearing yourself out and making yourself heard. Stay positive, especially when it’s difficult, because you’re creating a path to follow in the future. And seeking what’s easy is understandable, but living your truth is genius! (Just sayin’…) This is also, living in yoga.

Emerson has inspired my week, having set the intention to live by his motto: “Trust thyself.” In recalling the negative thoughts which have occupied my mind lately, it’s clear that my own doubt and fear (the antithesis of trust) are most at fault. Once we get passed this depressing duo, or overcome our negativity bias, how many more positive thoughts will we think? How happy can we be? I intend to find out. What’s your intention this week?

With love,
Amy

———–

*Katha Upanishad (pronounced in Sanskrit: “Kat-a,” like Immanuel Kant without the “n”)

In case you want more on negativity bias:

– Dr. Rick Hanson discusses the neuropsychological basis for “Confronting the Negativity Bias” as an evolutionary survival tactic, and how to overcome it.

– Check out this NY Times article which discusses the importance and benefits of overcoming your “negativity bias,” and its impact at work and in your everyday life.

^ Excerpt: “The more you’re able to move your attention to what makes you feel good, the more capacity you’ll have to manage whatever was making you feel bad in the first place. Emotions are contagious, for better or worse. It’s your choice.”

Photo Credit: Personal photo of a surf(bill)board outside a cafe in the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica.

The Missing Link: Yoga & Neuroscience

September 29, 2014September 29, 2014 Amy2 Comments

This weekend, I found the “missing link.” As part of LMU’s Masters in Yoga Studies curriculum, there is a pre/co-requisite to enroll in one of several certificate programs. I was excited to enroll in the pilot year of “Yoga, Mindfulness and Social Change,” which features renowned speakers from all over the country with varying expertise within the field. This weekend’s topic was “Yoga & Neuroscience,” and although I’ve always been intrigued (perhaps hereditarily) by psychology and sociology, I was taken aback and truly blown away by the evidence modern neuroscience provides of the true benefits of yoga.

As you might remember, my hope and mission in this program is to discern the socioeconomic benefits of yoga, within a global context. This interest came about through years of courses and hands-on experience in sociology, communications, media relations, cultural studies and international affairs, through which I developed a deep-seated interest in what makes people think the way they do – both as individuals, and as a collective society. Academically speaking, my pursuit is an exploration of individual ideological formation (aka consciousness), as well as of institutionalized methodologies of ideological pervasion. While in college, I was blessed with unique opportunities: to study the pervasion of local culture through public and mainstream media in Australia; to explore (and publish a manuscript on) gender disparity in Latin America as it relates to pervading machismo attitudes and state-controlled transmission of democratic ideals (see “About Me”); and, after college, to work for several years in politics and government affairs for non-profit and private, small and large organizations – to better understand what makes us and others, especially those in “power,” think the way they do. And, (surprisingly to me as well) this journey has led me to yoga studies. Mounting evidence supports my personal belief that yoga, over all other modalities, has the greatest potential to positively reform individual and collective ideology – thereby helping us live happily and helping communities live peacefully, everywhere. Imagine that.

This weekend, I attended two five-hour lectures on “Yoga & Neuroscience” by leading neuroscientists in consciousness formation (see “Lecture Credit” below), and soon found that scientific evidence already supports that yoga, meditation and mindfulness practices stimulate and even grow the part of the brain responsible for processing feelings of compassion, empathy, altruism, interconnectedness and happiness – otherwise known as the “neocortex.” Specifically, I learned that practices such as yoga and meditation, as well as Tai Chi and nature activities, help stimulate the brain’s neuroplasticity, or its capability to grow and reshape itself through the movement and connection of neurons. (More simply, neuroplasticity states that the brain is not a fixed form, but is in fact adaptable.) As a result, these practices in particular have been proven to expand and increase activation of the neocortex and overall brain capacity, as well as physically enlarge areas that promote feelings of empathy, compassion and altruism – collectively called our “emphatic response.”

However nice this all sounds, it may feel a bit displaced, as our society currently embodies a paradigm – or pervading ideology – which disproportionately emphasizes the “reptilian” brain, or the part of the brain responsible for primal instincts, basic survival needs, ego and competition, rather than cooperation. Many practitioners and professionals (and scientists) who have been imparted with this knowledge also believe that we [the human race] are in the midst of an evolutionary shift towards global cooperation. More candidly, they articulate a resounding belief that mankind must either learn to cooperate and live harmoniously with one another and with Nature, or fall victim to the harsh realities of disconnectivity and competition (i.e. global warming) for generations to come. As such, we notice widespread discontentment and rebellion in the form of protests, political stalemate and corruption, and civil war around the world and in the States, at levels unprecedented since the last major paradigm shift occurred in the 17^th century (following the Industrial Revolution). It’s worthy to note my own belief on this issue is still evolving as I gather more information, and I encourage you also to ask the hard questions and think critically about this and all information you hear about the future of our planet. But, I do believe strongly in the agency and power of individuals to incite change in themselves, and in the world around them; be it on Capitol Hill, in the classroom, or on their yoga mat. And I hope to continue to explore the empirical evidence available now, and that yet to be discovered, which enables us to better understand how yoga, meditation and mindfulness practices benefit you and me, and (why not…) the rest of the world.

On that note, I’d like to dedicate a thought (or several) in recognition and gratitude of Mother Nature and the vast resources and opportunities she provides us: as humans, as Westerners, as yogis, as wilderness explorers, or from whatever perspective most resonates with you. It can be something as simple as a sunset, or as vast as the algorithms of consciousness and science we seek to understand. In solidarity, give thanks!

Peace – Shalom – Om Shanti,

Amy

Videos to Watch:

The Empathic Civilisation (10 minutes: 30 seconds)

How Meditation Works: For Beginners (2 minutes: 50 seconds)

Lecture Credit:

Dr. Jay Kumar (9/27/14)

Dr. Louis Cozolino (9/28/14)

Photo Credit:

Sunrise in the Outback, Alice Springs, Australia (Personal Photo, July 2009)