Moksha Yoga Peace, Power and Play Yoga

Transcription

Moksha Yoga
Peace, Power and Play
Yoga Retreat – Nosara, Costa Rica
Inside:
Open Heart Seminars with Lyse Lebeau & Duart Maclean
Good Mood Food with Margaret Durst
Festival OM Montreal - May 31st & June 1st, 2014
Always Green Never Glossy
Page 2
www.MontrealNatural.com
Montreal Natural
Only passions, great passions,
can elevate the soul to great things.
- Denis Diderot
Montreal Natural
Page 3
The Message
As Montreal Natural is a quarterly, this edition will cover February,
March and April.
Promoting Holistic Services & Events
While February may be the shortest month in days, mentally, to me,
it seems like the longest. I enjoy winter. I have the proper clothes
and I am warm enough when I go out. But it is a bit messy and cumbersome. Winter, the cold and snow have been around long enough
to have lost their newness and I am looking forward to the warmer
days of spring.
Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
Hyatt Saikin
[email protected]
514-400-6065
There is one very bright spot in February, Valentine’s Day. Besides
remembering my wife, I always remember my daughter on Valentine’s Day. She is
grown up and married now; she loved getting a card when she was younger, and while
I know I don’t have near the central role I once had, I think she still likes knowing her
dad thinks of her. And I don’t think her husband minds. Just for reminders, Valentine’s
Day is February 14th.
Already daylight is noticeably longer from the dark days of the Winter solstice.
It is a steady progression of more light until the burst of daylight when DST starts on
March 9th. I gladly give up the hour of sleep! If I were “Mr. Big”, I’d have it start two
weeks sooner and end two weeks later.
The Spring Equinox is March 20th; twelve hours of daylight and twelve hours of
darkness. Many of us were taught in History class and English Literature (Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar) that on March 15th in 44 B.C Julius Caesar was killed by a
group of assassins. The Romans were, at least, honest about it being a conspiracy.
There was no attempt to blame the killing on a ‘Lone Nut’ misfit named Leeius Harvius Oswaldius. Of course, if they had, maybe there would not have been the horrible
civil war the followed.
April gives us holidays. Passover 2014 begins in the evening of Monday, April
14 and ends in the evening of Tuesday, April 22. My wife and I usually attend a community Seder. Easter is Sunday April 20th. Easter is a moveable feast, not fixed in relation to the calendar. The First Council of Nicaea (325) established the date of Easter
as the first Sunday after the first full moon following the March equinox. (Now that
is a mouthful!) The date of Easter, therefore, varies between 22 March and 25 April.
This year, the Eastern and Western Churches both have Easter on the same day. Easter
usually finds my wife and at the Saturday evening Easter vigil. Leg of lamb dinner on
Sunday is traditional in many cultures. For a New Zealander, like my wife, it may be
mandatory!
The team at Montreal Natural really does take great pleasure in the production of
this magazine; we present it for your enjoyment.
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.
Live the life you have imagined.
- Henry David Thoreau
Page 4
Art Director/Designer
Adam Tupper
[email protected]
Chief Copy Editor/Billing
Susan McKevitt
[email protected]
Relationship Manager/
Advertising Inquiries
Josee Young
[email protected]
438-738-7878
Cover Photo:
Courtesy of Moksha Yoga
Printed at
Hebdo-Litho
Volume 2, Issue 3.
February/March 2014
NOTE:
Please
see
page
3
for
rates
and
deadlines.
Articles or Ads submitted past
this date must be camera-ready.
Every
effort
will
be
made
to
ensure
placement.
General Inquiries [email protected]
Montreal Natural Magazine welcomes submissions of
editorial content with these terms: all content if accepted
for publication - photographs, illustrations, written text
in electronic or hard copy format may be used by Montreal Natural and its affiliates or associates for editorial
purpose in any media (printed, electronic, internet, disc,
etc) without additional consent or payment of any kind.
All ads and articles must meet continuity standards. Any
statements made, expressed or implied within Montreal
Natural are solely those of the columnists or advertisers
and do not necessarily represent the editorial position
of the Editor or Publishers, who accept no responsibility
for such statements.
Montreal Natural is not liable for any damages or losses,
howsoever sustained, occuring based on information or
advice contained within this publication.
All photos, artwork and material printed in Montreal Natural are trademarked and © of their respective owners.
All contents ©2014 Montreal Natural Magazine.
Montreal Natural
Good Mood Food!
By
Margaret Durst
Many nutritional factors affect our mood. Mood is determined not only by what we think and feel, but by
physiological things such as blood sugar, food sensitivities, liver function and vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
Foods greatly influence the brain. Poor diets, particularly those with too much sugar, caffeine and junk food are
a common cause of depression and irritability. The brain produces serotonin, which is a relaxer, when fed plenty
of healthy food. However, the brain will produce stress hormones when we eat the wrong things.
Nutritional supplements can also help regulate our mood. If
you are tired or stressed, try a good B complex vitamin, an omega
oil supplement with omegas 3, 6, and 9 and magnesium. The first
two help feed your brain and nerves so that they can function better
and the magnesium helps to relax and calm you.
General irritability can be a sign of liver dysfunction. There
are good liver cleansing products that help decongest the liver.
A favourite is a Chinese formula that helps balance the liver and
really helps get rid of that irritability.
Tiredness affects our mood. Tiredness can be a symptom
of iron and/or B vitamin deficiency. There are now chelated
iron supplements that are not hard on the stomach and are not
constipating. Also try a good sublingual B12 supplement for an
Continued on Page 20
Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have
that awareness, you have good manners, no matter what fork you use.
- Emily Post
Montreal Natural
Page 5
Fear:
The Murder of Your Divinity
By
Bhuvaneswari Devi
Most people tend to relate to fear as an emotion that limits the unfolding of their core development. Today let’s
contemplate fear from different angles so you may gain perspective on the hidden slavery of fear.
Fear in the body arises when the element of air
increases in the organs and in the cells. The air, being
an element of space, tends to move in a cold way,
leaving you feeling ungrounded, agitated and restless.
The agitation can be so intense that you experience
anxiety, a change of heart beat and confusion in
the mind. When this type of “body fear” arises, the
only way to deal with it is with attunement in your
lifestyle. Ayurveda offers many suggestions to deal
with fear coming from the imbalance of the “Vatta
dosha.”
Let’s contemplate fear from the perceptive of an
inherited concept, where your mind has being directed
to move in time and make assumptions. We are told
to plan our future to make sure we save money and
have the right strategy for survival. We are told to fear
strangers, to use caution and be right in our decisions.
Those concepts remove you from trusting life
and your capabilities. You then tend to override the
natural sequence of inner development and your mind
is transported into the future. Once there, subtle forms
of fear appear: worry, concerns and tension. Yes, these
attitudes are forms of fear, coming from the distorted
perceptions about love, trust and surrendering.
You don’t trust nature. You divorced yourself
from it in many ways. You cannot see the fact that
you truly belong to Life and Life belongs to you.
Page 6
Montreal Natural
Montreal Natural
Page 7
Facing Anxiety
By
Melanie Richards
Anxiety and I go way back. The horrible, crippling feeling has followed me around like a shadow throughout
my life. On the nature side, anxiety runs in my family and on the nurture side, I’ve had my share of difficult
experiences.
Therefore, it is with great empathy and sensitivity that
I write on this topic. I know first-hand how it can sabotage
careers, destroy relationships, and ruin lives. I lived in isolation
with anxiety for years and still struggle with it, but along the
way I have found people and practices that have truly helped me
understand myself better and accept myself more.
There is no way I could navigate the muddy waters of
anxiety on my own - believe me I tried and failed miserably. One
of the first things I found that really helped me is yoga. In fact,
it benefited me so much that I changed my life path to become
a yoga teacher and then opened a yoga studio. Subsequently I
found meditation, prayer, a spiritual mentor and a therapist. I
also became more open with friends, family and colleagues about
what I was going through. All of these things have helped me
and I hope that by writing about them I can help other people in
return.
Anxiety has been the biggest roadblock to my happiness and
success. On countless occasions, it has caused me to freeze in my
tracks and doubt all of my abilities and plans. The self-doubt is so
unbearable that I have become an expert ‘number’ and ‘avoider’.
I’ve done my best to loosen the giant knot in my stomach by
dousing it with rich comfort food and drink. I’ve tried to quiet
the incessant critic in my brain with mind-numbing reality shows
Life is like an ever-shifting kaleidoscope - a slight change, and all patterns alter.
- Sharon Salzberg
Page 8
Montreal Natural
Montreal Natural
Page 9
Cover Story
Sara and Dina on
Moksha Yoga NDG
Peace, Power Play Yoga Retreat - Blue Spirit Resort - Nosara, Costa Rica, March 22-29, 2014
Moksha Yoga is a community of yoga studios across Canada and the United States who are committed to
teaching great yoga, raising awareness about the environment and also fundraising for charity. Dina and Sara
opened Moksha Studio in Montreal in June 2004. Since then, the girls have expanded into the NDG and West
Island communities.
The secret of genius is to carry the spirit of childhood into maturity
-Thomas Henry Huxley
Page 10
Montreal Natural
The studios are unique in the yoga community
and its yoga pass is good at any one of the three
locations. The physical practice is done in a
moderately-heated room that feels like a great big
hug! There are a variety of class options available,
depending on your experience and desired outcome.
The practices are guided by personal intentions.
“We have found the combination of a consciouslyled practice infused with a personal intention is a
transformative experience.”
Each studio has been built with the highest
regard for the environment. All office products and
advertising materials are sourced from recycled
products. All cleaning products are safe, nontoxic and biodegradable. The studios offset their
impact on the environment by contributing to Zero
Footprints.
Friday nights have been coined “Karma Night
in Canada”. These are Moksha classes offered to
the community for $5. All of the proceeds are given
to charity and the Montreal studios have raised over
$60,000 for charity in the last year. Each studio
offers their Karma funds to a local organization.
The Greater Moksha Community also works
together a few times a year to raise substantial
sums of money for larger organizations like the
David Suzuki Foundation, The Masai Wilderness
Foundation and Amnesty international.
The bi-annual yoga retreat grew out of the
transformation that happens at the studio. Sara
says, “I saw such amazing growth and personal
changes from a dedicated 60 or 90 minute practice.
Eventually I began wondering what growth could
be possible in a solid week supported by nature,
organic food, meditation and the physical practice
of yoga.” The results have been phenomenal.
People go home rejuvenated, filled with
inspiration, healthy and feeling amazing. Many of
the participants come back year after year.
Blue Spirit, the retreat centre in Nosara,
Costa Rica, on the Nicoya Peninsula, has been
environmentally designed and constructed to
protect the wildlife in one of the world’s five Blue
Zones. A Blue Zone is a place on earth where
people live measurably longer lives. One of the
reasons people live longer in these Blue Zones is
because they are happier. The Pura Vida attitude
and way of life is infectious! Dina and Sara have
been spending time all over Costa Rica since 2008.
Once they found Blue Spirit, they searched no
longer. The experience is life enhancing!
For more information on the studios or the
retreat, visit www.mokshayogandg.com
Montreal Natural
Roasted Ratatouille
From the kitchen of Josee Young
Serves 6
Ingredients:
500g (18oz) ripe organic tomatoes
1 large onion
4 garlic cloves
1 medium organic zucchini about 250g (9oz)
2 organic red peppers
3 large organic eggplants
Cold pressed organic olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper
Coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley to serve (optional)
Directions:
1. Skin and chop the tomatoes. Peel and chop the onion. Quarter and
thickly slice the zucchini, discarding the ends. Cut the peppers into
quarters and dice, discarding the seeds and core. Cut the egg plants
diagonally into slices about 1¼ in thick, reserving the eggplant ends
and dicing these separately. 2. Heat the oven to 350F and heat a ridged griddle over a medium heat
for several minutes. Brush the eggplant slices both sides with oil and
season all over. Grill in batches for 3-5 minutes each side until golden, then arrange in one or two roasting dishes.
3. Combine the diced eggplant ends, onion, zucchini and peppers in a
large bowl, and toss with 2 tablespoons of oil. Heat a large non-stick
frying pan over a high heat. Fry the vegetable mixture in three goes,
stirring frequently, for a few minutes until lightly coloured, adding
the garlic halfway through. Remove the cooked vegetables to a bowl
and stir in the diced tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of oil and some seasoning. Pile the veg mixture on top of the eggplant slices. Bake for 50-60
minutes until toasty and golden on top: the vegetables will reduce
considerably. Leave to cool for at least 15 minutes. Serve warm or at
room temperature scattered with parsley if wished. www.MontrealNatural.com
Page 11
Continued from Page 6
That sense of belonging creates trust, security and confidence. It
provides a deeper understanding of the function of nature with
you. This Loving trust becomes unshakable when you take your
place in life. You don’t overrule with your mind; you see the
facts of your lessons and you don’t go into the self-diminished
ego that works very hard to disempower you.
Fear arises only when we are not rooted in your centre,
when you are deluded by fears about the future, when you are
jealous of others, and when you manipulate your potential. Fear
arises as a threatening force that gives you visions of death.
Fear disappears only when you look at it straight in the eyes,
when you put things into perspective in any given situation, and
when you accept what is inevitable.
Collectively, our most rooted fear is about death, not only
about physical death but also about our survival, about the death
of an image, a status, or the death of a loved one. All these forms
of fear take shape as worries, preoccupations or attachments.
In the end you use fear to hide from your true voice. You
hide from life, depriving it of your full presence and courage.
You use fear to keep society in a mediocre stage, where inner
freedom is a utopia and not a moment-to-moment reality.
Fear uses you and you use fear. That partnership enslaves
humanity within limited norms that slowly strangle the vital
force of our evolution. That relationship with fear, based in
untruth concepts, affects your perception of yourself and
is fundamentally the source of your anger, resentment and
suffering.
From the shamanic perception, fear has become an identity
that devours your potential. It is a force that enslaves you into the
realms of hopelessness and helplessness. Fear becomes a social
murderer, a monster with many faces and many convincing
dialogues about how to keep you healthy prosperous and safe.
It corrupts you and makes you a social being that is easy to
manipulate.
To liberate oneself from fear, you need to confront fear. Your
mind needs to have equanimity, perspective and inner leadership.
You need a meditative mind, a feedback from someone who is
fearless, and a sense of inner belonging.
Spiritually, fear arises when you favour duality and
separation, when your choices are based in individuality, self
-centredness and self-gain. When you perceive yourself as alone:
you become the centre of the universe; you need to defend it; you
need to keep it alive; and you feel the need to negotiate with life,
and to impose your rules. Duality not only makes the journey
exhausting, but also perpetuates fear. If you live in fear OR if
fear limits your core development, know that service, genuine
concern for others, and knowledge about how small you are will
liberate you from it.
Fear is obsolete on the path of the seeker. It is the first
concept you need to face and is the corner stone of the rewarding
inner journey towards self -liberation.
Bhuvaneswari Devi is a mystic who stimulates the evolution of
human consciousness though teachings, conferences, retreats
and initiations. She is an internationally recognized spiritual
teacher, carrying her teachings to Canada, USA, Costa Rica,
Peru, Colombia, India, Korea, UK, Ecuador and Mexico. She is
the founder of Bhuvaneswari Teachings, Club Yoga for children
and Satya spices, and the author of “The Temple of Grace,”
“Be me be Here,” and “Guilt Free Motherhood”. Her library of
meditations, teachings and courses are extensive and available
on line. To learn about her work, retreats and her national and
international appearances: www.bhuvaneswari.ca
And who is so barbarous as not to
understand that the foot of a man is
nobler than his shoe, and his skin
nobler than that of the sheep with which
he is clothed, and not to be able to
estimate the worth and degree of each
thing accordingly?
- Michelangelo
Page 12
Montreal Natural
Montreal Natural
Page 13
Page 14
Montreal Natural
Montreal Natural
Page 15
Page 16
Montreal Natural
about people whose lives are more messed up than mine. The result? Anxiety-exacerbating weight gain and wasted time. The anxiety
can be dulled for a while, but then it comes back with a vengeance, usually (and most inconveniently) at 3:00 a.m. The lesson I learned
here is that avoiding pain only creates more pain.
What I learned from my spiritual mentor, Lisa Lajoie, is that my anxiety is there for a reason. It’s telling me I need to face the things
in my life that aren’t working and do something about them. As a result, I’m learning to be much more honest with myself and others,
and I’m taking responsibility for my feelings and actions. I’m finding ways to better manage my time and my priorities to make room for
yoga, meditation, exercise, plenty of sleep and home cooking. Anxiety also taught me that having fun and free time aren’t luxuries – they
are necessities.
With help and over time,
I have come to understand my
anxiety in a different light: not
as a roadblock but as a signpost.
My anxiety is actually a finetuned internal warning system
that is telling me – albeit in a
very unpleasant way – that I’m
out of alignment. It’s not telling
me to stop – it’s telling me I
need to switch gears or change
directions.
Now when I feel anxious,
I ask myself questions. What
have I fed my body, mind
and spirit recently? Is there
an action I need to take or a
conversation I need to have
that I’ve been avoiding? Do
I need to slow down or speed
up? Take rest or take initiative?
Or do I simply need to practice
self-acceptance? The answers
are always clear because the
anxiety dissipates as soon as I
pinpoint what actions I need to
take and it’s usually replaced
altogether by a feeling of calm
or enthusiasm once I take the
first corrective step.
I’m learning to manage
my anxiety and although it has
gotten better, I still have my
work cut out for me. I would like
to sincerely thank all the people
who have helped me along
the way; who have accepted
me for who I am even when I
couldn’t accept myself. Thank
you to my teachers, students,
mentors, employees, friends
and family who patiently love
me through all my mistakes and
imperfections. You know who
you are. Bless your beautiful
hearts.
Montreal Natural
Page 17
Mindfulness:
Its Benefits in Meeting the Challenges
of Contemporary Living
By
Gina Rubinsky
The pressures of contemporary society and the juggling between our many roles and commitments, coupled
by the ongoing barrage of technology we are exposed to, place significant demands upon us, both physically and
emotionally. Burnout is becoming increasingly prevalent. Stress levels continue to be on the rise and as a result,
our overall sense of well-being is suffering.
The prevalent tendency seems to be to define ourselves by
that which we accomplish and produce in the external world accompanied by a “forgetting” of who we are and of our intrinsic
worth simply as human beings and not only as `human doings’. Living our lives on automatic pilot, we may miss out on the
preciousness of every moment and the potential to live our lives
with greater vitality and personal purpose.
So how can mindfulness support us in facing every day
challenges with a sense of presence and centredness? Probably best to first explore what Mindfulness actually means. It involves waking up to our life exactly as it is. We bring a
non-judgmental attention to our moment to moment experience, aware of what is present in our bodies, our emotions, our
thoughts, reactions and interactions with the world around us.
This attention is very different from our usual way of paying
attention. So much of our thoughts are involved in assessing,
comparing, pushing away, clinging to, criticizing and evaluating, stuck in the past or fantasizing about the future. We tend
to get lost in the stories and dramas, the trance of the mind,
which only serves to distance us from meeting the moment with
clarity. Mindfulness invites us to pause, reground in present
time and respond to whatever is arising, whether pleasant or
unpleasant, with wisdom and compassion.
Essentially it is not the events, people or occurrences in
our lives that are the source of the stress and difficulty we
experience, but rather our perception of them. In perceiving an
event as harmful, an attack or a threat to survival, we enter fight,
flight or freeze mode which is activated by our sympathetic
Page 18
Montreal Natural
nervous system. It is this unconscious reactivity that adversely
affects the balance of our physical and emotional state if sustained
over a long period of time and can result in stress related health
conditions. This may initially occur to due to an injury, illness
or an emotional trauma or due to ongoing daily pressures during
which time there has been no respite. To regain our equilibrium
and homeostasis in the face of both daily stressors and more acute
triggers, our capacity to move out of harmful reactivity and enter
conscious response mode is of utmost importance.
Mindfulness Meditation:
Now all of the above, may seem easier said than done. And it
is! We all know how trying it can be to interrupt our old conditioned
ways of reacting and shift direction. In spite of all of our good
intentions, we may find ourselves still reacting in the same learned
ways that do not serve us. This is where a formal practice that
cultivates the mind`s capacity to return to the present moment can
be extremely beneficial. Just as we train the body through physical
exercise, in our meditation practice we are training the mind to be in
the present so that when a difficult situation does arise, we are able
to access this state of awareness in order to respond in such a way
that is effective and does not result in further wear and tear on our
mind or our body.
Research has shown that mindfulness meditation has significant benefits in decreasing our physical and emotional vulnerability
to the impact of life stressors. If practiced regularly, mindfulness
meditation can strengthen the immune system, balance the endocrine system, and produce a host of other medically valuable physiological changes such as lowered blood pressure, decreased cholesterol levels, decreased pain levels and improved sleep. Meditation
also has been shown to develop greater resiliency in coping with
stress, pain and illness in addition to fostering an enhanced sense of
well-being, inner peace and compassion.
Other research findings regarding the neuroplasticity of the
brain have indicated that mindfulness meditation may be associated
with areas of the brain, important for sensory processing and
emotional regulation, as more developed in comparison to non-
meditators. Meditators have also reported lower stress levels in
this comparison.
The Mindfulness Based Stress Management Program
(MBSR) offered by Living Arts is based on the Mindfulness
Based Stress Reduction Program designed by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn
of the University of Massachusetts Health Care Center, who is
the best-selling author of Full Catastrophe Living and Wherever
You Go, There You Are. The program has been featured in the
Bill Moyers’ PBS documentary Healing and The Mind, on NBC
Dateline, on ABC’s Chronicle as well as in various national print
media.
Participants in the program are instructed in the mindfulness practices of sitting and walking meditation, gentle yoga and
the body scan and are provided with guided mindfulness meditation cd`s to support them in their home practice. There is also a
weekly in depth exploration of how to integrate mindfulness into
daily life all of which provides a strong foundation for long term
self-care beyond the completion of the program.
This journey is an invitation to nourish and develop your own
inner resources that can support and empower you regardless of
the challenges that you face now or may face in the future. Every
moment is a new beginning, a fresh opportunity to heal, to grow
and to realize your potential to fully participate in your life, this
very one that awaits you.
Gina Rubinsky is a registered psychologist, mindfulness based
stress management facilitator and certified yoga teacher.
(514) 730-7882, email [email protected] or
www.living-arts.ca
There is only one world, the world
pressing against you at this minute.
There is only one minute in which you
are alive, this minute here and now.
The only way to live is by accepting each
minute as an unrepeatable miracle.
- Storm Jameson
Montreal Natural
Page 19
A Quote for all Instances:
Change your thoughts and
you change your world.
- Norman Vincent Peale
The most precious possession
that ever comes to a man in this
world is awoman’s heart.
- J. G. Holland
There are no whole truths;
all truths are half- truths.
It is trying to treat them as whole
truths that plays the devil.
- Alfred North Whitehead
Patterning your life around
other’s opinions is nothing
more than slavery.
- Lawana Blackwell
Nothing great was ever
achieved without enthusiasm.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
The ability to focus attention
on important things is a defining
characteristic of intelligence.
- Robert J. Shiller
Ultimately we know deeply that
the other side of every fear is freedom.
- Marilyn Ferguson
energy boost. Most people are deficient in
B12 – particularly if they have stomach
problems. A sublingual B vitamin is the next
best thing to a shot because it goes directly
into the bloodstream from the tissues in the
mouth.
Tiredness can also result from adrenal
fatigue or low thyroid hormone production.
There are some great natural products that
help balance glandular problems. These range
from ginseng to royal jelly to combination
products formulated specifically to address a
particular gland or glands.
Poor sleep can also make us snappy
and irritable. To sleep better, the same
things listed above apply. Mood swings are
associated with hormone imbalances brought
on by a combination of factors that can be
managed with nutritional supplements. The
stage of life that you are in determines the
products that can be used.
Depression is a major “mood” that
many deal with. There are many nutritional
supplements that help with depression.
The first to start with are a good natural B
vitamin, magnesium, and a high quality oil
supplement that includes omega’s 3, 6 and 9.
After B vitamins, there are some
anti-depressant supplements that work by
increasing serotonin in the brain, relieving
stress and making sleep more restful. St
John’s Wort, SAMe and 5-HTP all increase
serotonin levels. I also like magnolia bark,
which reduces cortisol, the stress hormone,
and also reduces blood sugar. A favorite
magnolia bark supplement is combined with
theanine, which is a relaxer that helps with
focus.
All of these supplements have quality
parameters that make a big difference in
effectiveness – in other words, if you want it
to work, do not by the cheapest one you can
find.
If you find yourself stressed and snappy,
eliminate the junk food from your diet,
cut both caffeine and sugar and try some
supplements to help your brain be less
stressed. When your brain is less stressed, it
is much easier to be in a good mood.
Margaret Durst has a blog,
www.naturalcowgirl.wordpress.com and an
on-line store - www.vitaminranch.com
Page 20
Montreal Natural
Emerging from Within and Beyond...
With GYROTONIC Exercise
®
By
Maryse Loranger
Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person’s physical, emotional and mental states. - Carol Welch
Have you heard of a new low-impact fitness method connecting movement with breath, and enhancing your range of motion and internal strength with fluidity and momentum? It’s the
GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® exercise method. Juliu
Horvath – swimmer, gymnast and professional ballet dancer
– created it 25 years ago following his personal struggle with
injury and chronic pain, and is constantly developing the system. Inspired by the philosophical and technical fundamentals
of Tai Chi, Yoga, gymnastics and swimming, this unique method
blends together vital principles that significantly impact global
health.
GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® are registered trademarks
of Gyrotonic Sales Corp. and are used with their permission.
Maryse Loranger is a Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis certified trainer
and has 25 years of teaching experience in Dance, Physical
Education and Fitness. www.kokyo8.ca (514) 831-2249
The Intention of one’s breath
In Gyrotonic, different breaths serve different purposes. For instance, longer and deeper breaths will send more
oxygen to the brain, relaxing the muscles and liberating tensions
and negative thoughts. A more percussive breath will enable
cardiovascular stimulation and increase the blood flow.
“Intention is the driving force that moves the body.” – Juliu
Horvath
The Movement: A Gyrotonic session is given one-onone because of its special equipment – the “Pulley tower” – and
the novelty of its motions. Being exceptionally body-friendly,
this equipment offers support and just enough resistance to
make you feel like you are moving through thick liquid, decompressing and creating space in the articulations.
A Gyrokinesis class, on the other hand, only requires
the use of a mat and chair and is performed in a group setting.
It works out the whole body, stimulating the internal organs
through gentle undulating and spiraling motions, leaving one
feeling light, awakened and rejuvenated.
“...being awakened energetically means that you can read the
movement when it is not movement yet...” –Juliu Horvath
In conclusion, both methods join together breath in
rhythm with movement. It is essential for one’s connection with
innate wisdom and can bring serenity, clarity and bliss in everyday life. Giving and receiving, inhaling and exhaling, expanding
and connecting.
Montreal Natural
Page 21
Ask The
Hypnotist
By
Ariel Sherker
CHT, NGH Hypnosis Instructor,
Hypnotic Entertainer
Q: I have a question about hypnosis for teenage boys. I am the mother of two boys, one is in CEGEP and the younger one is in
grade 10, an important year at high school. They are both pretty good students but I know that they are capable of doing so much
better, if only they would concentrate more on their school work. They have very active social lives and are both involved in
extracurricular sports, important aspects of their development. Could hypnosis help my sons perform better at school? --- Sally
Dear Sally, hypnosis has been shown to be very successful in
helping people achieve better performance in many areas of their
lives. When we talk about performance, whether at school, work
or play it is always important to address the way one concentrates.
Your observation is correct; your sons would certainly improve
their grades if they would only focus their concentration fully on
their tasks at hand.
Concentration is a process that happens deep within our thoughts;
in a place we call the subconscious mind. Our subconscious
thoughts are ones we don’t tend to be aware of, yet they really
do govern the ways we act in life. The reality of the typical mind
is that it is easily distracted, especially the mind of an active
teenager. The reason hypnosis is such a powerful tool used
towards increasing our level of concentration is that it deals
directly with the subconscious mind. The hypnotized subject is in
a state of focused awareness where their subconscious mind has
opened itself up to adopting positive suggestions that will in this
case, boost concentration.
Often, all it takes is just being told to concentrate and we can
instantly get on track with where our mind needs to be. As we get
older, it is very important to be self governed on this level because
no one is going to follow us around to keep us in tune with our
surroundings. Whether we are sitting in a classroom, reading our
homework or even throwing a ball, wouldn’t it be nice to always
be reminded to pay attention so that we could perform to our
maximum ability? This is exactly what hypnosis can create within
the mind, a constant flow of encouraging reminders that easily get
acted upon throughout the day.
Hypnosis has been making waves in work being done with ADD
and ADHD in both children and adults. These are disorders
that are characterized by a lack of concentration or an inability
to focus on one task at a time. With the use of hypnosis, I have
We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails. -- Bertha Calloway
Page 22
Montreal Natural
helped clients learn to cope with the symptoms of such disorders
and have put them in a position where they require much less
conventional medications in order to concentrate.
To answer your question specifically about teenage boys,
teenagers make great hypnosis subject. As a stage hypnotist, my
ideal crowd would be a group of teenagers who tend to have
vivid imaginations and are less inhibited than the average
population. In a clinical setting, as long as your sons want to
make these positive changes for themselves, you will be amazed
at just how quickly and effectively hypnosis works. As an added
bonus, I recommend that in the process you ask the hypnotist to
suggest to your sons just how great they feel each and every time
they pick up after themselves and do their chores.
Life loves to be taken by
the lapel and told:
“I’m with you kid. Let’s go.”
- Maya Angelou
Q: For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by
hypnosis and the power of the mind. I have read numerous
books on the topic and recently taught myself how to
hypnotize people. I have been trying out my new skills on
friends and family and it only seems to work occasionally. I
want to know if I am doing it correctly and if it is possible for
anyone to learn hypnosis through a book? ---Joe
Dear Joe, being a hypnotist is much like being an artist. For
some it is a skill that comes naturally and others need much
more practice in order to perfect their talent. Of course one can
gather a thorough understanding of the hypnotic process from a
book although not all will be able to apply it with the trust and
conviction that it needs to work effectively.
I was much like you and as a youth had learnt a method of
hypnosis that seemed to work on about 1 in every 5 people that
I tried it on. When I decided to become a certified hypnotist and
I enrolled in an in depth course, only then was I able to realize
what I was doing right and just how to apply this to the other 4 in
5 people. It took lots of hands on experience and good feedback
from the well qualified instructor I studied with.
What I realized is that there are many different types of subjects
and therefore it takes more than just the one method I knew. A
good hypnosis course teaches you just how to read your subjects
and how to build the proper rapport with them in order to work
successfully with everyone.
Send in your Ask the Hypnotist questions to
[email protected]
Ariel is a Clinical Hypnotherapist and is a Certified Hypnosis
Instructor with the National Guild of Hypnotists. She is the
founder of The Montreal Hypnosis Centre where she has her
professional practice and offers hypnosis training. She can be
reached by phone at (514)952-9431, by email at
[email protected] or by visiting her website at
www.arielhypnosis.ca
Montreal Natural
Page 23
Fun fact: the architect
Le Corbusier spent his
mornings painting in his
apartment, and then in
the afternoons, he’d go
to his office and practice
architecture. He said,
“Painting every morning
is what allows me to be
lucid every afternoon.”
But even though his
work as a painter fed
his work as an architect,
he took great care to
keep the identities separate.
He signed all his paintings
with his birth name,
Charles-Edouard Jeanneret.
Supposedly, a journalist
once knocked on his
apartment door during
painting hours and asked
for Le Corbusier. LC looked
him right in the eye
and said, “I’m sorry, he’s not in.”
- Via tumblr.austinkleon.com
(Austin Kleon is the best-selling
author behind the book,
“Steal like an Artist”)
Page 24
Montreal Natural
Samskaras, Intentions and Desires
By
Sheila Southon
Have you ever wondered why sometimes it’s so damned hard to change a bad habit? You know you should/
shouldn’t and yet suddenly there you are again…dammit. Then it’s easy to slip into self-recrimination, guilt,
shame and doubt. “What’s wrong with me!?” A depressing cycle that sometimes leads us to give up altogether.
Bad habits are, indeed, hard to break. In Buddhist
psychology “Samskaras” [sometimes ‘Sanskaras’] refers to
‘grooves in the mind’ which are tendencies we carry throughout
our lives that drive our choices and behaviours. Samsakras are
inextricably related with “Vasanas” which are the desires that
arise from tendencies that, in turn, drive our Karmic actions.
The Chopra Center refers to this as “Software of the Soul”: a
cycle of memories, desires and karma.
I’ve always found it fascinating that insights about
Samskaras “grooves in the mind” were taught millennia before
western science had the tools to see and trace neural pathways.
Only recently has neuroscience come to see too that “neurons
that fire together wire together”. But before we leap to the
conclusion that “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks”,
consider that both Buddhism and neurology say it IS possible to
change those tendencies. Neuropsychologist Dr. Rick Hanson
is also a practicing Buddhist meditator. He outlines the overlap
between neuroscience and contemplation or mindfulness in his
books and talks.
It is not only possible, but happening all the time that our
brains and neurological systems are changing. Hanson calls this
“Experience-Dependent Neuroplasticity” and goes on to say
that it’s up to us to identify the things that nourish ourSelves and
those that don’t. He guides us though that momentary pause
meditators know even OFF the cushion, when something is
happening that’s worth really taking in: that pause of attention
to fully sense and appreciate that compliment, success or gift
from your world at that moment.
Montreal Natural
Page 25
Page 26
Montreal Natural
It’s that pause that allows the neurons to
shift – the pause of full attention that shifts
the experience from short- to longer-term
memory. The “taking in” of experiences
we might be in the habit of brushing off as
irrelevant or undeserved; of those we might
have classified as mere co-incidence or not
to be trusted.
All of those habits of thought – the
way we’ve come to look at the world as
we reach for that third cup of coffee or
glass of alcohol… We’re simply unaware
of how we cut ourselves off from the
EXPERIENCES of something better:
Experiences of gratitude when the ego is
momentarily suspended and the doubter
temporarily silenced; Experiences that
have the potential to nourish us internally
instead of searching endlessly outside
ourselves.
Meditation is, of course, the practice
that helps us regain insights into our own
Samskaras. Cultivating restful awareness
awakens the witness to inner dialogue,
including assumptions and tendencies. At
the same time, the witness shows options
that might have been there all along.
Or maybe options that we call into
our experience. The Law of Intention and
Desire of perennial wisdom goes further
than neuroscience by saying that we don’t
just respond to circumstances and situations
that ‘happen to’ us.
It says instead, that consciousness
is primal – that it is our preconceived
assumptions of what life “is like” that
draw to us experiences that confirm those
assumptions. Understanding that thoughts
and feelings associated with deeply held
beliefs are waves or vibrations of energy
and information analogous to sound waves,
this law says we get back in experiences the
same kind of energy we send out. To many
people this is the basic understanding of the
term Karma.
Psychologically it is true that we tend
to notice things we’re thinking about. A
hungry man walks down the street and sees
anything edible; a woman who believes
she’s ugly sees every half-glance as
judgement on her appearance and as Baba
Hari Dass wrote “When a pickpocket meets
a saint, he sees only his pockets.”
Either way we interpret the Law of
Intention, we can experiment with our own
experiences and see what cultivating the
witness can do in our lives.
Meditation leading to the mindful
witness opens our eyes (and ears, sense of
touch, taste, smell and intuition) to other
options. We catch ourselves in mid-habit
instead of after, then as the tendency arises
BEFORE doing it; and gradually at each
stage we’re better able to make more
nourishing choices, and make them ‘stick’.
Understanding the Software of the Soul
and cultivating the witness is the most
efficient and far-reaching way to break bad
habits and cultivate a healthier YOU!
Bibliography:
1) The Ten Commitments Dr. David Simon (2006)
2) Shankara’s Crest-Jewel of Discrimination (1947, 1975) Viveka, Chudamani
3) How to Know God, The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali (1953, 1981, 2007)
Prabhavananda & Isherwood
4) The Secrets of Meditation (2012) Davidji
5) Buddha’s Brain (2009) and Hardwiring Happiness (2013) Dr. Rick Hanson
Your best shot at happiness, self-worth and
personal satisfaction - the things that constitute
real success - is not in earning as much as you can
but in performing as well as you can
something that you consider worthwhile.
-- William Raspberry
Montreal Natural
Page 27
Food Combinations
By François Farés PhD., N.D.
Improved digestion by simplifying meals
Everyone benefits by respecting the principle of food combinations, but some may draw greater benefits
than others. Several authors have dealt with the food combinations. In an effort to devise a diet destined to fight
digestive disorders, Dr. William Howard Hay, an American doctor (1866-1940), has spoken on the issue. This was
also the case of Dr. Daniel C. Munro, another doctor, who wrote about it in a book entitled ‘Man Alive, You’re
Half Dead.’ However, the one who spoke about it with the greatest accuracy was Dr. Herbert M. Shelton. He
really based the notions of food combinations on the principles of the physiology of digestion
Sequential eating
To avoid some of the complications related to bad food
combinations, one can apply the notion of sequential eating. This
practice does not solve all problems, but it decreases some of
them. By sequential eating we mean the introduction of certain
foods in the stomach at different times. For example, should we
eat dessert at the end of a meal or at the beginning of it? Since
sugars are not digested in the stomach and must quickly get passed
it, it would be wise to eat dessert at the beginning of the meal. You
can then wait fifteen minutes before introducing the rest of the
food into the stomach.
This example of sequential eating is only food for very simple
desserts. Slightly more elaborated desserts would not comply with
the principle of sequential eating. Apple pie, for example, would
require a much longer stay in the stomach before introducing the
rest of the food we want to eat. In this case, one might think that
we should give the body about 45 minutes to allow this dessert
to leave the stomach. Such a period of time would probably be
too long to be practical. It is clear, however, that the application
of this sequence of food would simplify the digestive processes.
Consumption of a dessert at the end of a meal can only complicate
digestion.
The issue of sequential eating generally applies to sugars
that must be consumed at the beginning of a meal. However, it
can also have other implications that have nothing to do with the
efficiency of digestion. Sequential eating can be used to lessen
At the worst, a house unkempt cannot be so distressing as a life unlived.
- Rose Macaulay
Page 28
Montreal Natural
Finding Your Balance
With Mantra Meditation Music and Chanting
With
Lea Longo
Lea Longo is a yogini, Kirtan recording artist, award-winning song-writer, Kundalini yoga teacher and founder of
the Montreal Kirtan Community and Montreal Chant
Festival.
www.montrealkirtan.com
Astrology
John Fyfe Vedic Astrology. Skype or phone
readings available. johnfyfevedicastrology.com
Body Being Heart
Release Emotional Blocks. Somatic Alchemy for
Healing & Spirit Let your Inner Light Shine. Call
Kyra 514-271-5941
Bookkeeping
Horst Business Services - For Peace of Mind
and the Freedom to Do What You Enjoy Most and
Do Best. Simply Accounting – QuickBooks –
AgExpert Osiah Horst [email protected]
Career Consultants
JOBJOY INC. Visit www.JobJoy.com for list of
FREE monthly seminars. George Dutch. Certified
Job & Career Transition Coach. Find the career
that matches you. Job search coaching. email
[email protected]
Dance
5Rhythms Movement classes. Awakening spirit
though Movement. “Put your mind in your feet
and your body in the beat” - Gabrielle Roth. Call
Erik Iversen 514-815-7787 [email protected]
Feng Shui Workshops
Practitioner/Facilitator Linda Therrien
from Life Health Healing Centre provides two
workshops. Introduction to Feng Shui with
compass and Advanced Feng Shui with crystals. Both include certificates. Let Feng Shui in your
home and in your life help you achieve Harmony,
Abundance, Happiness and more. Workshops
are held on the third Saturday or Sunday of each
month from 1 pm to 5 pm. Pre-registration
required. Linda is the founder and teacher of
Dimensional Meditation with crystals. www.
lifehealthhealing.com.
Meditation
Transcendental Meditation (TM) — A simple,
natural, completely effortless meditation technique
from the ancient Vedic tradition of knowledge.
TM provides deep physical rest, unfolds the full
potential of the brain, and is backed by hundreds of
published studies. See www.tm.org
Retreat Centres
Holistic Retreats in a natural setting! Your
invitation is waiting at www.awakeningnow.ca
Rolfing - Structual Integration
Erik Iversen Look and feel your best. Structural
Bodywork. Relieve pain. 30 years experience. 514815-7787
Yoga/Music Festivals
Canada’s own outdoor Yoga, Music, and Consciousliving festival. www.anandafest.org
Life Coach
Bryce Healey: Member International Coach
Federation (ICF) Coaching Certification, CCF
Master NLP Practitioner Certification bryce@
brycehealey.com www.brycehealey.com
Don’t cry over spilled milk. By this time tomorrow, it’ll be free yogurt. - Stephen Colbert
Montreal Natural
Page 29
the famous phenomenon of digestive leukocytosis that has been
discussed in The International Institute of Naturopathy course
on the great food systems (# 106).
It was seen that the consumption of raw vegetables does
not trigger digestive leukocytosis. If we choose to eat a green
salad at the beginning of a meal, it becomes possible to decrease
the digestive leukocytosis that would normally be caused by the
consumption of cooked foods that make-up the rest of the meal.
This practice can be very beneficial for the body. In this
case, it is not necessary to wait a long time to introduce in the
stomach the rest of the foods that make up the meal. However,
if the green salad consumed at the beginning of the meal is
accompanied by a certain amount of fat, it may be advantageous
to wait about ten minutes prior to the introduction of other foods
into the stomach in order to avoid those lipids inhibiting gastric
juices.
Let’s note here that many people begin their meal with a
soup. As the latter generally contains cooked foods, it cannot
prevent digestive leukocytosis. Of course, we could always
make a soup that would contain only raw vegetables. It would
simply require one to introduce such vegetables in somewhat
warm water, but not boiling water.
As one can see, the practical applications of sequential
eating are not very numerous. They can, nevertheless, be very
useful.
When to apply food combinations
People who are very health conscious and want their
digestion to be the best it can be can make the necessary effort to
implement food combinations. Of course, it is obvious that they
are aimed primarily at people who present digestive problems.
The more digestive problems a person has, the better it is for
that person to respect food combinations. If the person does it,
they will soon realize that they can digest food more easily.
It is not absolutely necessary to comply with all the food
combinations. We can be interested in those that can help us the
most. Here are some specific examples on the subject.
A person who bloats easily because they have gas should
especially watch combinations with sugar. If sugar ferments
in their digestive tract, it is because they are not digested
fast enough. Some food constituents negatively affect their
digestion. In such cases, one should not consume sugars with
other food constituents, especially starches and proteins.
Some people might find a viable solution in the simple act of
sequential eating. Others may need to avoid all foods containing
sugar at mealtimes. These people could also take small meals
containing sugars and not eat anything else thereafter, for at
least 90 minutes. This way, sugars would be well digested and
the bloating would disappear. The simplification of meals can
mean having five or six small meals per day, by avoiding food
combinations as much as possible. It is easier to digest five or six
small meals a day than three large meals.
Some people have no problem with the fermentation of sugar,
but are struggling with putrefaction problems. In their case, it is
the proteins that need to be monitored. They will, therefore, have
to avoid bad combinations of protein-rich foods.
Gases produced by the fermentation of sugars have no foul
or offensive smell. It is, however, not the case with putrefaction.
Thus, those who produce foul-smelling stools or gases would
be well advised to ensure a better digestion of their proteins.
People who, at the time of defecation, literally reek the air of the
entire washroom are certainly in this situation. In some cases,
simply reducing the protein intake may be sufficient to correct the
problem. However, in most cases, it is necessary to ensure a better
combination of protein-rich foods.
Some people might have problems digesting fats. In this
case, they will have to ensure a better combination of fatty foods.
It is up to everyone to make proper use of the notion of food
combinations, depending on their particular digestive situation.
The person who does not digest well and who wants nothing to
do with food combinations will be hard pressed to solve their
problem. The only advice we can give them then is to significantly
reduce their food consumption, while paying special attention to
their mastication. Frugality will possibly allow them to improve
their digestion. In addition, if while eating less, they also respect
certain food combinations, it is obvious that their digestive
problems would be greatly alleviated.
As for those who digest very well without ever respecting
food combinations, they need not worry about them. These people
have a great digestive capacity and can only rejoice!
Source: Institut de Formation Naturopathique
Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions.
Small people always do that, but the really great
make you feel that you, too, can become great.
- Mark Twain
Page 30
Montreal Natural
Montreal Natural
Page 31

Moksha Yoga Peace, Power and Play Yoga

Transcription

Similar documents

Meeting Package - InterContinental Montréal

at Mersey River Chalets

Yoga Retreat at Mersey River Chalets (near Keji

Haramara flyer

healing yoga for cancer survivors

History of Sun Life Financial

Journey Into Deeper Practice

Young Women`s Hebrew Association

Interested? - Blazing Wisdom Institute

Visit Montreal Part 3