Seva Yoga and Ayurveda

Change Is Inevitable with Adaptability Built In...

2021-07-08T00:27:00.001-07:00

Don't fear change because adaptability is also built into us.

There is a lot of talk about what life will look like after the lock down restrictions lift. A lot of people are very against the changes that are ahead of us and they want everything to go back to exactly the way they used to be pre-lock down expecting the world to hit rewind on all the growth and change it has experienced.

The word NORMAL seems to be the new buzzword with quite a bit of tension around it.

Normal in definition: noun

1.
the usual, typical, or expected state or condition.

Try considering it this way - Life naturally is a flowing body of experiences just like a river. There is a change in its body of movement at every moment. In the Vedas this body of moving life and its experiences is called Maya. Maya means illusory and temporary. These changes shake things up and create opportunities for growth, maturity and evolution. Somewhat our next chance at correcting Karma. Because what we did not know earlier we can learn about now and can possibly change the outcomes.

Of course this requires an interest in self-empowerment. And while dying to be free from control, the mass lack of interest in self-empowerment seems be the vicious cycle of experience we are all in. So when we wish for the old normal which has passed so we can act the same way we used to shows we did not learn anything at all. See the results in the experience we all created through lack of self-empowerment.

You know we are among the powerful and privileged if we are reading this article. It means we have access to technology, resources and choices in life to be contemplating the subject line. Unlike many others we hold the capacity to make choices. But we forget this.

At a molecular level we are always changing because with cells dying they are also regenerating. As we are natural beings made of the natural elements we are capable of changing just as fast as nature itself. While each microscopic change is not visible we still know they are happening by the way things manifest themselves into actuality. An example of how a seed grows into a plant and then tree.

There is a hell of a lot of adaptability built into the seedling's natural make up at every stage of it's growth for it to eventually grow into a sturdy tree. We humans are not devoid of the same ability.

A clairvoyant named Phil Good said "We are on a planet of Letting Go". It makes sense that if we did not let our identifications and expectations go it becomes hard to adapt in this earthly environment.

Hope this helps someone out there.

Yoga Prop Substitutes You Can Find At Home

2020-04-16T18:42:00.000-07:00

Hi!

I remember not buying myself yoga props until about 10 years into my yoga journey... Why? Simply because I did not feel the need to use them and because most of my teachers did not use them for our lessons. Some of the benefits of props are though that extra assistance with tightness, a bit of extra support when we feel unstable or wobbly and also to help go deeper. I have also seen through my clients and students that yoga props are helpful for managing healing injuries by not straining them while practicing and generally provide alternative ways to practice postures that might not feel within their range for the time being.

Okay so I have added a couple of links at the end of this article for you of places we buy yoga props from. But if you are like me, you can get creative till you get them delivered to your home. Here is a list of alternatives for Yoga props commonly used in a yoga class:

#1 The Yoga Bolster - You can substitute this prop by:

- Rolling up your quilt with a couple of yoga blocks between it.

- The back cushion of your couch if it can be dettached.

- Wrap a couple of cushions within a thick blanket to make a cylindrical structure that is firm and can take some weight.

#2 Yoga Blocks - The important thing with this one is to see how much weight it can handle:

- Full 1 litre tetra pack of anything
- Milk bottles
- Text Books
- Full Tissue Boxes
- Large Tin Cans

#3 Yoga Straps - You will want to use this mostly as extension of your arms or in tricky binds

- A long belt
- A long towel
- A strong long scarf
- A Thera band
- A Skipping Rope

#4 Yoga Blanket - If you have a couple of blankets at home that will suffice to make do for both blanket and a bolster to help you feel supported in those lovely restorative postures.

So do you think you can find these items around your home?

We don't get endorsed by any of these companies but here are a couple of places we buy props from and are satisfied with:

www.empind.com.au

www.iyogaprops.com.au

Their prices are wholesale prices but the postage might add a lot more to your purchase. So what I suggest is connect with a couple of your yogi friends and make a bulk order to share the cost of postage.

Did this article help you? Do you know of any other substitutes for any of the props above? If so, please share your ideas below so our readers can benefit.

Hari Om
Supriya Roy - Yoga Teacher Trainer & Ayurveda Practitioner

Creating a Yoga Space

2020-04-12T17:11:00.000-07:00

Don't be surprised to hear that you are NOT the only one struggling to feel comfortable to practice at home. And for many home is a shared space with other people, so privacy, solitude and social distancing is a huge challenge. I sympathize with you and want you to know that this is all too common a challenge for an urban yogi/ni and it's just a matter of following a few steps to create the space for you.

Step#1 Know that space is both a mental and physical thing - So what you find challenging is both a physical and mental challenge. The first thing people will quickly say is "I don't have enough space to practice Yoga at home". So I suggest you start with replacing this statement with "How can I create space to practice Yoga at home?" and instead of trying to figure it all out, let the answer come to you... but the main thing here is - first be welcoming of the question and detach yourself from the statement of "not enough-ness".

Step #2 Use designated spaces - Before owning a yoga studio I had to share spaces with many others at community halls, dance studios, conference rooms, people's lounge rooms and even backyards. And we did not share the same values when it came to organisation or presentation. So the one common agreement we came up with was that we will at least keep the space clutter free and ready to use for whatever purpose. Everyone sharing the space took this responsibility to put back all items to their designated spaces after use. And this process even got us to designate spaces for various items. Having grown up in cities, physical space has always been limited so for a very long time my bedroom was a multipurpose room. And if your bedroom is your only space then look at ways to designate spaces, use boxes, drawers and zip locked bags to store your belongings away to create as much visible space as possible.

Step #3 Use a dedicated candle and some incense- Before practice light a candle and some incense to create a physical anchor as a reminder that it is time to start your practice. Only use this candle or incense when you practice and once you are finished dispose of the debris or put the candle and holder away to a place you can locate it next time. Alternatively you can also diffuse essential oils of your choice at the time when you practice.

Step #4 Always clean up after use - Use some tea tree or eucalyptus oil and water to clean your yoga mat, or dust off dry skin / hair / dust particles off your mat, roll it up properly and put it away in its designated space. Just like you do at the studio.

Step #5 Allow time to set up - Plan to set up to practice at least 15 minutes before you start. Just like you allow yourself time to clean and chop your food before cooking, you would do the same for practice. Allow yourself time to set up the physical space. And know that your practice starts then, when you start preparing. Start with: Scanning your space for things on the floor (put them away), Light the candle / incense / switch on the diffuser. Roll out your mat and enjoy what you can see around you, smell and hear. If your household is noisy, put on some music to keep your attention within your area of the house. Let others know in the house during this time that you are not to be disturbed and to have them get whatever they need from your room / space before you start.

Now you are ready.

Know that the fight over space is an ancient problem that gets passed on from generation to generation. If you don't manage to get the space inside your current home, you can convert even your balcony, garden or any space you can sit in or stand in to create some space to practice in. It's a matter of prioritising and honoring your personal well being. You can even change your practice slightly to be a standing practice to transition to a chair based one to suit your own needs. The practice can always be adapted to you. But most importantly to come out of a lack of space state, consider asking a question like: "How can I ......" than a statement as "I don't have enough..." and see the magic of your mind unfold on how you create space for anything you want...

The science of Ayurveda and Yoga are both derived from Rg Veda which is the ancient and original text where these sciences were prescribed for healing the mind, body and spirit. There are subjects like Rituals discussed in great detail and a branch of Ayurveda called Vastu Shastra (Indian Feng Shui) also that goes into more detail on how to position everything in our living space to create optimum energy flow. In this day and the age of Corona Virus , while we are at home, creating a good living space, that allows everyone to live harmoniously is just a big a need as is everything else. To stay mentally healthy we can all learn ways to change our habits, and create the best out of situations that might not feel so great. Once our physical space shifts it automatically shifts us mentally, so consider creating a space for whatever holds a lot of meaning for you and your personal well being right away.

Hari Om

5 Steps To Keep Flowing With Life With a Home Yoga Practice

2020-03-23T18:33:00.000-07:00

All yoga practitioners know there will be obstacles on their meditation journey but the Yoga sutras of Patanjali have provided the solution for those obstacles. The main message in chapter one verse 30 to 32 is that there will be obstacles like illness, doubt, carelessness, laziness, dullness, attachment and dellusion. And the only solution to them are 2 things: Keep practicing with One-pointed focus and enthusiasm on the path and train the mind to stay focused. In other words it tells the yoga student to be like a river that can flow over, around or under the boulders and rocks along the way .... regardless of their size.

So now we are in self isolation to flatten the curve for the nation as a global team and while at home, we yogis must not forget our practice. So here are my 5 steps and tips to set up your Home Yoga Practice with alternative ideas for not so ideal situations:

1) Create a Space for your practice - even if it is your bedroom, this is a good time to clean up this space to place your yoga mat. The space for your practice must be clean and remind you of a special area away from all other clutter. Try to face South or North. And if you aren't able to minimize noise, put on some noise cancelling headphones or some headphones with soothing wordless music. Eg: sounds of the ocean, dolphins, wales, natural sounds.

2) Block out time and commit to your practice - It doesn't matter how long you get on your mat but commit to a time that you can allow regularly. But put aside a minimum of 15 mins. I even schedule this time into my planner daily, the night before so I know it will get done. If you are a Pitta Vata like me you might even enjoy this level of organisation. :)

3) Eliminate distractions - Tell family members not to call for you, switch off your mobile, your laptop, your smartwatches and the tv. To stream online yoga lessons you will use the internet and your laptop so make sure you switch off all notifications for the duration of your practice.

4) Plan the Practice - Knowing ahead of time what you will practice will help you organise yourself better. If its a Hatha vinyasa flow or a Restorative sequence, you can then set yourself up for your practice time beforehand. In my 200hour Yoga Teacher Training I teach a collection of 30 beginner level postures, 8 essential Pranayamas, basic Mindfulness, Mantras, Mudras, Bandhas and Philosophy. The course is 50% theory and 50% self-practice with guidance from me. The value is that the person takes the next step on their yoga journey integrate yoga in daily life.

5) Keep a Journal - Maintaining a journal has been an ancient practice of the sages and is an essential tool for a yogi in the modern time as well. If it weren't for the rishis keeping a journal we might not have access to the ancient instructions, hymns, realisations of the wisdom that is within. So I highly recommend you keep a practice journal. For more information see my article 5 Benefits of Keeping a Yoga Journal to access an example of what information you could record in it along with your own commentary.

With all this said, these times of self-isolation is going to strengthen you to stand in your power, learn to protect what is important to you, and align your actions, thoughts and feelings to what really matters most to you.

If you want to take your personal practice to a more self lead practice I recommend you take my 200 hour teacher training program. This course is the beginning of taking your practice home in an informed way and establish yourself in a steady foundation level practice. More training is provided to you after this phase via advanced teacher training for when you want to go out to be a teacher in the community. But first my advice to you is focus on yourself and invest in yourself for yourself.

>>>> The next intake for my 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training (delivered online) is in June 2020. Dates are to be confirmed. However you can apply through this website.

Supriya Roy - Ayurveda Practitioner & Registered Senior Teacher

5 Eastern Personal Hygiene Systems We in the West Should Adopt - For Sustainability!

2020-03-16T19:23:00.001-07:00

Me at Tanshikar Spice Farm
where we will host our
yoga retreat in March 2021

Why? Because the West has become a running joke for the toilet paper and drinking water fights... plus its time we made some collective resolves on reducing our use of unnecessary "necessities" that aren't actually promoting good health and hygiene anyway. While we were sold ways to maximise on time and to some using really nice toilet paper is a sign of wealth and comfort but it's actually NOT hygienic. And let's also consider how quickly we ran out of supplies and what kind of mayhem something so UNHYGIENIC caused among us mortals, convinced we are fighting for some great cause. (LOL!!!)

I wanted to share with you the BASICS of Hygiene in living a natural and sustainable lifestyle. Where you get to care about yourself and do it with care for the environment too. You will find some hyperlinks below to guide you to more information on what each practice is.

It's time to go back to the basics because they work really well and can give you a break from stressing over the small stuff.

#1 Excretory Organs -

Use water to wash and clean with a small vessel using non-dominant hand (the hand that you don't eat with)
and maintain a personal hand towel to dry body parts
Follow through with washing hands and nails as you would for 20 seconds at the least

#2 Digestive Organs Mouth -

Use herbal toothpaste,
Gargle with warm water and salt or Pre-soaked clove water,
Use a copper Tongue Scraper to scrape the surface of your tongue gently to remove the bacteria that comes up from the gut nightly.
Use warm sesame or coconut oil as mouth wash - coconut oil has antibacterial properties and is not harsh for the tissues inside mouth.

#3 Respiratory Organs -

#4 Social Etiquettes -

Wave a Hi / Bye, Smile and use endearing language to greet each other.
Optional to use Namaste honoring your personal space and spirit when greeting others.
Cough, Sneeze or burp onto your arm as always.
Clean up after yourself wherever you are.
Keep all living areas clean and dry (including bathroom floors).

#5 Hydration -

Use copper utensils for purifying drinking water.
Drink only warm water, always to aid with best digestion.

In all honesty my eastern friends and I have been laughing at the toilet paper fights while still soothing ourselves that we couldn't make it back to India this year. So this whole kerfuffle over toilet paper and bottled water wasn't all a waste of time... it did put a smile on everyone's dials, and a thousand odd memes were created to keep our spirits high.. But what say you now? Do you think you can manage the above?

Do you need help? I'm here to guide you. Write me an email at supriya@sevayoga.com.au

Supriya Roy- Ayurveda Practitioner & Senior Yoga Teacher

My 5 Tips For Urban Yogis Navigating Uncertainty - We are all in this together!

2020-03-16T04:01:00.003-07:00

image by: Balzinder Balz

1. Maintain a Seasonal Ayurvedic Diet - For Australians this is Autumn. Autumn being a very unstable season it is imperative to know how to manage digestion. In Ayurveda the immune system is dependent on the health of your stomach and heart. Energetically this is your solar plexus and heart plexus. You must eat right to maintaining a good gut and digestive fire. If you are having gut issues, now is the time to consult with an Ayurvedic practitioner that you know. You can get a consult with me online for a holistic diet and lifestyle plan tailored for this time in your life.

2. Prepare for deep sleep every night with gratitude- after practicing your night routine, write down 5 things you are grateful for right now. Gratitude is the antidote for all the sadness and heavy hearts you are sensing. Don't forget you are an empathic being, and most likely have a lot to be grateful for but you are forgetting this due to osmosis of the pandemic energy all around you. Please remember to spend at least 15 mins at the end of your day to acknowledge your blessings to stay connected to your soul's light.

3. Daily practice light stretching and simple Pranayama every hour of your waking life - reset yourself. More than likely you are practicing yoga regularly BUT I'm asking you to stay connected to your breath and muscles hourly, just for now. With the surrounding energy you must stay in the flow and just 1 hour of a flow class with 23 more of tension does not help. So stay in touch with your body and breath every hour. Acknowledge that you are a vessel through which energy must flow through on earth right now.

4. Stay connected with positive people in your life and understand those that distance themselves from you - nurture the friendships and relationships that keep you aligned to your values, beliefs and vision. Offer support only if you are feeling upto it otherwise know that everyone is going through the same situation right now and everyone has the opportunity to cultivate positive relationships with themselves and others. Don't take it away from anyone by being the rescuer. You are allowed to maintain your personal boundaries at this time to maintain your emotional and psychological hygiene.

5. Acknowledge your personal hardships - because you must be there for you, especially right now. Whatever the case, your story matters and no one is better or worse than yourself. You are allowed to feel jaded, broke, helpless, lost, unworthy, sad and everything else that is coming up. Use this as a chance to practice radical honesty with yourself to help you process your emotions. Daily, connect with yourself by placing your hands on your own heart and asking yourself - How are you feeling right now? What do you need help with? You can reach out to a mentor, a healer, an Ayurvedic practitioner, a Yoga teacher or a coach, a Therapist to book in some time online to navigate your thoughts, identify the direction you want to head toward in the next phase of your life (coming soon after this is all over).

I hope these tips help you out right now and keep you engaged to your personal growth during this time of greater uncertainty and a global shift everyone is a part of currently. We are all in this together and nothing outside of ourselves is within our control so this is ultimately the most important time to practice self-care and stay energised to hold a frequency of stability for all else around.

Let's admit it, nothing will ever be the same once this pandemic is all over and if we don't start to prepare for what is next now, we might struggle to catch the next wave of even bigger change.

My hope for us individually right now is that we learn to lean in, improve our relationships with ourselves and others and practice mindfulness and yoga (union) in all areas of life. This is not the time to close everything down, especially not our minds because it was the human mind that created this for its own evolution. So like it or not, we have to all learn how to individually embody the frequency it will require for us all to experience this shift in consciousness, together.

Let's remind each other that we can chose to place our focus on what we do want as well as acknowledge the stuff that is unpleasant. And whether this is apparent right now to everyone or not that is different but everyone is dealing with their stress differently, so my plea to you is not to get lost in being a rescuer rather be there for yourself and naturally remain fit for when your time comes to serve anyone at whatever time you are called.

If you are finding yourself sitting alone, quiet and aimless right now then receive this as a gift to recharge your spirit, reserve the energy for your next calling in the next phase... look after your mento-emotional-physical immunity at all cost.

Hari Om Tat Sat

Practical & Sustainable Yoga Mats & Clothes - Explained

2019-09-29T19:20:00.004-07:00

Best guidance for Hatha Vinyasa / Restorative Yoga / Meditation classes taught in an urban yoga studio.

NOTE: This advice is NOT from a HOT YOGA STUDIO.

CONSIDER THIS WHEN BUYING A SUITABLE YOGA MAT

The yoga mats we recommend are based on the type of practices we teach at Seva: Hatha Vinyasa, Restorative Yoga and Meditation.

Since the lessons focus on developing strong foundations from feet up, what this means is that your mat needs to offer a high level of steadiness while you are moving or standing still. Mats that are both sticky on the floor and under your feet or hands, work the best.

The next thing we value greatly is comfort when in floor postures, either on knees, hands, belly or back where it supports your body weight. You want the mat to offer just the right amount of thickness which can absorb your body weight without sinking to the floor.

So we recommend you consider a yoga mat with these specifications:

Note that sustainable materials will always be the most durable and eco-friendly
So choose one made of Natural Rubber / Jute / High grip rubber
4mm to 6mm Thickness
1-2.5kg in Weight
Minimum cost: $75 +

Here is a site with some reviews of the kind of mats that are quite popular with the above specs:

https://www.reviews.com/best-yoga-mat/

TIPS TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING YOGA CLOTHES:

There are many schools of thought on yoga clothing and at Seva we value practicality and sustainability most, when recommending the correct clothing for practice. This applies to both men and women and we recommend you consider the following tips;

#1 While there are many fitness clothing brands, chose the ones that fit well, are durable and promote comfort and confidence. Eg: if you feel that you get hot very easily, wear a singlet underneath your full sleeve top. And for ladies, you can opt to a crop top under your singlet / tshirt / long sleeve top. You are allowed to change out of and into whats right for you, in class. But over time, this fluctuation in body temperature will reduce, so you won't need to worry about this for too long.

#2 Always choose materials that are fitted and flexible which assist in feeling light and mobile.

#3 Choose natural fabrics that are suitable for the warm or cold season, ones that allow you and your skin to breathe.

#4 If you're attending a Restorative or Meditation class, chose clothing to support stability in your body temperature which will support your focus while still. Clothes that promote a natural warmth but not overheat or cool you.

#5 Avoid Synthetic and Polyester fabrics because they trap sweat and become breeding ground for bacteria on clothes and body.

Here is an article on fabrics used in fitness to consider before buying:

https://www.shape.com/fitness/clothes/10-fitness-fabrics-explained

Remember: You don't need much to practice yoga and the attire and props do not define you as a practitioner. However from a pragmatic sense, the correct attire and accessories do assist and support, should you chose to invest with the right intention and clarity.

Many get swayed by appearances in magazines and websites but Practicality and Sustainability will always help guide you when you chose the ones right for you.

Practicality refers to suitability of the item for the type of activity you will be participating in and Sustainability refers to being both good for your health and how long you will be able to use those materials.

Practicality and sustainability don't need to mean the cheapest or the most expensive. You can define what they each mean to you by just starting wherever you are right now, on your yoga journey. Then work your way to the best for where you want to go next.

Did this help you?

If you have questions or comments, share them below so we can have a conversation about this.

Why Is Being Present So Hard?

2019-08-21T00:01:00.002-07:00

Hi my friends,

One of the chief complaints with many of my clients is about the unending mind chatter they find themselves in. This is also a big issue as it becomes a cause for relationship breakdowns, communication barriers, limited self expression and loss of joy in life.

It's a commonplace for many experiencing difficulty being present in personal, spiritual, professional activities because of this never ending chatter. And if you look this up you will find many names for this issue like depression, anxiety, stress disorder, schizophrenia and on and on and on.

Has diagnosing helped with the problem yet? What about the medication? Have they helped dissolve the overactive mind's nature to be overactive? Have we been able to medicate without distorting the person's energy and spirit? I am yet to find the perfect example. Not saying medicine does not help but the question is not about the diagnosed condition. The question is about how did the mind get in that condition in the first place? And just to clarify I am here sharing my personal opinion from my own experiences and from having worked with clients that helped me arrive at my understanding of the cause.

And very commonly I found it to be; DISCONNECTION from a very early age.

As one grows and matures, they start to notice their inner uncontrolled mind's way, a growing disconnection appears within their life, their storyline, body, mind and spirit. These minor fractures in connectivity to one's whole self, can also show forms of conscious adaptive behaviors, coping mechanisms, unconscious behaviors and then behavioral patterns to being some acceptable way, that neither changes nor improves the situation. Fear starts to make itself more visible, anxiety increases and everything becomes conditional. Eg: I'll be happy if ____ when ______. Or I will do it when I have ______. Or I can't, not me. Or If s/he does this then I might _____.

When we look at ourselves so closely, having accumulated decades of experiences, is it of any wonder there are so many thoughts and beliefs that need our attention and review? But where most people chose to back off or distance themselves is when they feel guilt or shame arising from not feeling Okay in life (especially being a grown adult)!

Of course education on self-awareness, personal development is never on anyone's priority list since the common man's story is systematized from birth to death starting with academic development, to increasing the net worth, growing the blood line, and keeping up appearances on what's working better than ever. Also because we are not encouraged to seek education on how NOT to dump our stuff on others and practice self-care and be better friends, partners, colleagues and parents.

And sooner or later, the patterns of disconnection do dominate and sabotage success or forward movement.

So what's the solution? CONNECTION. It's also a rite of passage! If you believe you were not born to work, pay bills, and feed mouths and sleep through life only. If you believe that you were born to learn, grow, love and serve, then it is a rite you will be called to take. Yes, your inner / higher self will call you out. The inner chatter will get louder till you do something about it.

Establishing a Connection to your personal life, storyline, body, mind and spirit is a rite to reclaim personal power, integrity and sovereignty.

Connection is also the fundamental pillar of increasing health in all areas of life like finance, career, relationships, vocation, spirituality, business and creativity. But it takes special effort and willingness to develop and open our hearts this way.

So all and all, this article is about understanding and thinking differently to pave a way from disconnection to connection. To invite ourselves to become friends with the inner chatter. Getting out of the falsehood that some day the volatility will vanish in one swoop second. That some mystical experience will take away all the disconnection we have been cultivating by and without choice in all this time.

Ever since I can remember realizing the urgency to respond to my inner chatter's call, I have invested multiple thousands in dollars and hours for developing myself, educating myself for my mind and body. To have cultivated a strong heart to create a life that supports my well being despite the storyline I was born into. And I want you to know that its available for you too.

The dividends come in many and unexpected ways and I am so grateful to get to share with you this possibility of deeper connection with yourself. Allowing your higher self to guide your steps, breaking the ties with disconnection and growing stronger from within.

All my programs are tools of self-awareness and personal development to creating a different mind, body and life trajectory. And if you're curious - go to www.sevayoga.com.au or send a message with your questions.

What did you think of this article? Please comment below with any questions you have or if you had any Aha moments of your own.

Much love,
Supriya Roy (Ayurveda Practitioner, Yoga Teacher Trainer)

Are you Practicing Or Performing yoga?

2019-08-12T23:54:00.002-07:00

Hello my friends,

Scorpion pose / Vrschikasana

Have you ever thought about how the advanced yogis can do a scorpion pose so effortlessly? Think back, maybe you dismissed it thinking "Ah, that'll never be me" and forgot about it?

Okay how about something in the media? Have you thought about how Oprah became one of the most influential women in the world? What about the players in your favorite sport team? How do they keep winning all those games? Last one! That role model at your workplace or your circle of friends? Do you wonder how they manage to show up 110% every single day?

Would you believe me if I said: Because these people are special, born with super-powers, with special privileges over everyone else? Or would you believe me a little more if I told you that it took Oprah many failed attempts to find her personal best, and that every one that shows up extraordinarily today has had to put in their own personal practice to be the person they are with such ease. I have a suspicion you'd believe me if I confirmed that the extraordinary level of presence does not happen overnight, nor is it accidental.

You might say "Of course Supriya, we all know Rome wasn't built in a day" and "That's why I don't really think about these people too much because I don't have that much time to practice like them".

There is another insight to the act of practice and I recently found a great example through an interview I watched on classical Indian music. Arijit Singh (one of my fave) an acclaimed indian singer said that he would never perform classical songs, because it is not for performance to an audience. His guru would never allow him to perform while he was still in training because he went on to share that what is for the audience will always be judged and during a practice we are not doing it for anyone else but just ourselves. Lastly, he said what he sings to practice (classical music) is to understand music, and it is not something the audience has the right to hear.

Proof of extraordinary performance lies in the quality of practice.

We were assigned to instruct Parramatta Eels for a whole year. Before starting we expected to be working with athletes that were ready to tackle yoga poses like they tackle their big games. Much to our surprise, most of them had long term injuries and they needed to be taught yoga poses that helped them manage and improve their healing process. What we noted was that these guys would literally spend 90% of their time practicing, starting from the break of dawn, working with many specilists developing as athletes, and only 10% of their time was spent in games. You all know the rest (I don't) but I'm sure they're a very successful team people can count on.

How can we learn from this?

The awesome yoga videos on Youtube or your yoga instructors are not in practice mode when they are showing you the form. What you don't realise is that there is a personal practice behind the finished product. This is the intelligent way to do things, in any role. It helps prevent injuries and tiring trying to be the teacher and everything else in life. Right?

Then why is it that we forget that our regular practice time is NOT a demonstration?

Yoga is not a supplement for anything else. It is a self-awareness program. Your time for practice is to learn about yourself, how you can better understand your own emotions, energy, body and mind. The more time you spend in practice you get better at listening to yourself and become a better partner to yourself.

We often come to the mat with baggage from our day and automatically start pushing the body in and out of yoga poses, the same way we got to class, without even batting an eyelid. Don't get me wrong yoga poses, the form is an important part of the practice too. However you are not a machine, and you are not performing for a show. Your time on the mat, is that sacred time, to check in, re-fill and return to balance.

On the mat, let your guard down, especially with yourself. Hot Tip: when you are in practice mode, you are not in a place where there is a haste of getting out of the pose. Unless you're in the wrong place. You can change your pose, and should be able to hold steadily for as long as instructed, calmly breathing. So how you set up your mentality matters since auto-piloting is very close to performing.

A yoga practice - be it for a beginner, intermediate or advanced practitioner will always allow room for self-reflection, comfortable breathing and stability before any further progressions are taken from a very safe place of connection to the body.

Connection is everything. Yoga is not a race toward another fancy yoga pose (that comes and goes). But its developing a readiness, a quiet confidence and trust in one self to hear instructions correctly to keep moving forward, steadily. Then you can bet you will sustain your growth and development in whatever you put your mind to. You won't just be a one hit wonder :)

You might be seeking different information on how else yoga can transform your life, your practice and the way you see this world. I'm sharing my 13 years of experience in a yoga teacher training program starting this September. If you've been practicing yoga under a teacher for a couple of years and feel these queries within, you can head over to THIS SITE to see what the course entails and Apply ONLINE. Applications close 10 September 2019 and the next one will commence in 2020.

Please share your comments below and share if this article was useful to you. Has it helped you understand yoga or your practice? Did you have any Aha's reading it? I would love to know.

Thank you for allowing me to share my insights with you.
Supriya Roy (Ayurveda Practitioner & Yoga Teacher Trainer)

3 Tips to Improve Your Yoga Inversions

2019-07-18T02:17:00.001-07:00

Hello my lovely yogis,

Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya

I'll be teaching a workshop called 3 Yoga Inversions in August and there I'll be showing you how to improve your inversion practice in 3 easy ways.

We will learn to apply my 3 tips to each inversion and hopefully you will feel safer, confident and encouraged to take 1 more baby step toward your personal inversion practice.

Tip #1 is STABILITY:
This is a MUST with all inversions since one of the worst enemies of an inversion is that wobbly feeling. So the number 1 practice for when you're on your neck, hands, arms or head is learning how to stabalize the parts that wobble.

Tip #2 is COMFORT:
When it comes to feeling comfort in inversions, you might be thinking "is that even possible?" Yes, when you know that it's a mind trick. Just know that Tip 1 is all about creating that physical comfort and the rest of the discomfort is coming from your mind. If you don't mind your mind, it will give you all the grief. So you must train it to keep the attention from going toward fearful thoughts of landing on the person next to you, face planting or toppling over to the other side.

Tip #3 FOCUS:
Ultimately all inversions are designed to improve your mind body focus. Don't be fooled into thinking you won't lose your focus. In fact, you will need to work even harder at it. So make sure you remember this, just in case your mind thought that by doing an inversion you get focused - no, it's a chance to develop your ability to focus. :)

Well my friends, I hope to see you at the workshop where I'll be teaching you how to put these tips into action in 3 variations of yoga inversions. Hopefully we will try a Headstand, Forearm Balance and Handstand and come out feeling like the books say we should: THE KING / QUEEN OF ALL YOGA POSES.

Workshop will be held at 9am on 11 August 2019 at Seva Yoga studio, Parramatta

>>> By the way, let me know if this article helped you. I'll be sharing more along the way as I have been teaching this stuff to my trainees and students and thought to share it here as well.
>>> Did you like this blog? please give it a like and share it
>>> Got a question? Post it here and I'll write back.

Supriya

2 x Ayurvedic Recipes that are Cooling, Low Cal, High Protein, Pitta Balancing & Tasty

2018-12-29T00:21:00.002-08:00

Hello everyone,

Happy Summer-time in the Southern Hemisphere. I happened to be at Bunnings the other day and the lady working in the fans department shared that we will be expecting 40 degree days most of summer. My Pitta heart sank hearing that but at the same time, I felt excited to get to eat all the summer foods, that are great for me. So I've listed below 2 of those recipes.

Sago / Tapioca is typically great for cooler weather, but because of its sweet post digestive effect it offers a satisfying effect for Pitta dosha and when made dry-style great for Kapha dosha too. This dish is possibly aggravating for Vata dosha as its quite dry and drying but in summer everyone can enjoy it if served with a side of spiced buttermilk drink, Takra (recipe below), which will help with best digestion.

Tapioca is astringent and starchy and will have a lightening and drying effect so make sure you stay hydrated.

SABUDANA (SAGO/ TAPIOCA) KHICHRI

Ingredients:
1 cup of pre-soaked Sago pearls
2/3 cup of roasted peanuts, ground with black pepper and salt to taste (my teachers tip)
2 small boiled and cubed potatoes (Note, in this picture I used bitter gourd)
1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
8-10 curry leaves
1 green chilli chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 tablespoons of grated fresh coconuts
1/2 to 1 teaspoon raw sugar
1/2 to 1 teaspoon lemon juice
3 tablespoon of ghee / vegetable oil
rock salt as required

Method:
1) Mix the coarsely ground roasted peanuts and black pepper with the pre-soaked Sago pearls
2) Heat the oil / ghee in a fry pan and fry the cumin first, till they crackle and brown. Add the cury leaves, chopped ginger and chilli until the raw ginger smell goes.
3) Add the potato and saute
4) Add the Sago pearls and keep stirring, till they lose their opaqueness and become translucent which means they are cooked. Avoid overcooking because they will stick or become lumpy
5) Add the fresh grated coconut, lemon juice and mix all of it well

When serving, garnish with a slice of lemon and some chopped coriander leaves.

It's best served warm.

TAKRA - Ayurvedic Buttermilk drink

Ingredients:

1/4 cup fresh cold yoghurt
3/4 cup purified cold water
1/4 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves / cilantro
1 pinch rock salt

Method:
1) Blend the cold yoghurt for 2 minutes and add the cold water to blend again on low for 2 minutes more
2) Collect and discard the fatty froth from the top
3) Add the 3 spice and herbs and stir in just enough to mix them in evenly.

This drink will balance most doshas and is perfect to improve gut health. Only drink this in the day.

Its best served at room temperature.

Now I usually steer clear from sharing recipes because food is like medicine for some while poison for others. So please don't over do it with any of these dishes. And when you learn to eat Ayurvedically, your diet consists of a variety of foods to support your health and goals. So, just a warning that the sago khichri is not to be had daily.

On another note, let me know how you went making these dishes and if you enjoyed them.

By the way if you don't know what your dosha is, I will soon send through a quiz.

Hope you are enjoying the holidays and have your plans ready to make 2019 count!!

Supriya Roy (Ayurveda Practitioner, Founder of Seva Yoga)

Set Up For Success in 2019 - My 5 Step Health Goal Setting Process

2018-12-12T21:42:00.000-08:00

I'm really sorry that I couldn't host this online as originally intended. But here is the DIY version of my very quick 5 steps to Health Goal Setting process.It should'nt even take more than 60 minutes if you really block the time out for it.

But first, let's connect. Are you one of them who ARE feeling the pressures to up your game in 2019? And feel like 2018 didn't even start the way you planned it back in December of 2017?!!

Or are you half knowingly putting a band aid over things by saying "I'm choosing not to stress. i.e. I'm just going to ignore my shortcomings in 2018 and give it my total best in 2019. It's my year, and I already have my action plan from 2018 ready to go".

Well, I wanted to share with you that neither versions are unnatural because end of a year is always a time for making sense of things to celebrate and draw inspirations from. But just the word GOALS can stir up turmoil in some... so I thank and honor you for reading this far on.

Looking back on my journey, I completely avoided setting goals. It wasn't till I turned 29 that I started to look back and reevaluate my time on this planet. Yes some call it Saturns Return and I had also lost my father. I started to ask for more from my life. Deep inside though I was actually really afraid of failing and feeling let down thinking I'll just give up anyway. Because that's how I knew myself when it came to my health.

Over the years I've been able to overcome my fear of failure by taking 1 step at a time. At 29 I realized that our time on earth is limited and that it was time to take meaningful action to make this life count. It's the value that drove me to learn setting goals in my life. But the goals had to feel right, exciting, inspiring, and that helped me learn and grow into a better version of myself. Learning to set goals also taught me the skill to turn my ideas and dreams into realities infused with my intentions. So I understand if the word goals triggers an emotional response from you, but my goal setting process is something I'd love you to try BEFORE you set your SMART or actual goals.

This 5 step process is a culmination of the common thread of teachings I have learned from my mentors in Yoga, Ayurveda and business development. And that is to start with identifying the Intrinsic values. So there's no 1 name to this process because they each have said it in their own way. And I have learned to create 1 quick process to use daily. It has worked for my clients, and myself and my day to day actions is governed by this process. So I hope it will help you too:

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Think of the last 12 months and write down:

1) What were the top 5 improvements / achievements in your mental / physical health this year? Eg: You might write down a pose you achieved but also write down what was the shift / special energy you felt that marked it a highlight.

2) What did not work in maintaining or achieving your health and energy goal this year and Why?
Eg:
1.What didn't work is getting up at 6am for consistent productive days at work, because I was going to sleep at 12am. Or
2. I caught the common flue 6 times this year and that affected my performance and experience everywhere.

3) From right now, Decide who will you no longer Be? Write down at least 1 for each lesson learned at point 2.

Eg: Lesson 1. What didn't work is getting up at 6am for consistent productive days at work, because I was going to sleep at 12am. = I just don't deprive myself of sleep.

Lesson 2. I caught the common flue 6 times this year and that affected my performance and experience everywhere. = I apply correct self-care to prevent getting the flu.

Not I'm no longer willing to stay up later than 12am or I just prefer not to stay up late. Make it as specific and powerful as
I'm just not _______.
I don't do _________.
I am never ________.
I am not ________.

4) Who do I want to Be when I am in my truth? Select 3 to 5 words that resonate with, for who you want to BE in your day to day activities. Then in 2019 daily set a reminder in your phone or on a journal with messages like:

I am in my truth when I am being Loving, Kind, Generous. Or
I am in my truth when I am Connected, Joyful and Influential. Or
I am in my truth when I am Supportive, Generous, Self-caring.

Pick 5 of your personal values that will motivate you every single day.

Mine are Joyful, Grateful, Courageous, Self-Partnered. And I feel into it everyday when I do my journalling as part of my morning routine.

Now you have a reminder to help you show up as the person you want to BE.

5) Give your health and energy a rating from 1 to 10 with 1 being least satisfactory to 10 being amazing:

10 is for your health and energy supporting all your endeavors, goals and dreams in your life. You are emotionally balanced allowing yourself to feel whatever needs to come up, without stifling or being overwhelmed by it and can accept your emotions without judgement. You exercise 5 days a week, your diet and lifestyle are aligned to your body-mind-energy constitution for the season. And you feel confident, cared for and connected to your body, mind and spirit.

Then write down 1 inspired action you will take TODAY toward improving your health rating. And daily write down / acknowledge / celebrate that 1 thing you did that helped you align to your health goal. Lastly, set yourself another inspired action goal for the next day (you can repeat each one every day if it made sense).

Examples of inspired action could be:
-Take yourself for a 1 hour walk outdoors.
-Switch off all electronics 1 hour before bedtime.
-Do a shopping list of groceries to match your Dosha in this season, so you can start eating right, right now.
-Identify what do you need help with most? Remember you are not meant to do it alone.

Okay my friends, that is it!

Along my journey, I have found taking a values based approach to setting measurable goals have really helped me scale my health and achieve long term success. Once I decided on my values, my path got super clear and results came much faster. I have also found feeling confused is a sign of lacking this direction and so knowing what was truly important, and practicing to BE more of who I am in my truth is what has helped me most along my journey.

Of course if you didn't know I am running a Health and Practice Mentorship in 2019, which is going to be all about living a lifestyle based on values and setting real measurable goals following the Yoga and Ayurveda frameworks. For the handbook and more info send me an email HERE

While I've yet to write an article on Ayurveda, can you let me know one thing? If you could sit down 1 on 1 with me and ask me a question about your Health and Energy; What would you ask? What are you struggling with? What would you love help with?
Send me an email HERE

And if you have feedback on my 5 step goal setting process or wanted to share how you found this article. Please do, your feedback matters a lot. Of course hearing it in person rocks! But feel free to share it with others and leave a comment below as well.

All the best for the rest of 2018, if I don't see you.

Supriya Roy (Ayurveda Practitioner, Yoga Teacher Trainer & Founder of Seva Yoga)

How I described Seva Yoga to Julie Owens our MP

2018-11-26T00:01:00.004-08:00

I had the opportunity to meet with Julie Owens (member of parliament) a couple of weeks ago and you might be wondering why, so I'll tell you quickly.

photographed by: Balzinder Balz

I simply needed guidance from someone that had their finger on Parramatta's pulse and were deeply invested in the community's greater well being. I had met Julie Owens a few times at the local festivals and always found her to be interested in promoting multiculturalism. I found that she saw things from a broader perspective and was highly appreciative of the diversity in Parramatta. So I wanted to reach out to her for some guidance for how I could connect better with this community with the services we offer at Seva.

Our name Seva itself means self-less action and the tag line Compassionate Action is a mindset to serve from a place of having felt our own pain to offer connection to others in a meaningful way. Yoga and Ayurveda have always supported me to care for myself compassionately and I personally think that with the rise of the digital age there is a huge shift toward the laptop lifestyle. This is where its more convenient to do things via a screen than in person which is why there has also been a bigger demand for yoga and alternative self-care education. The education needs to be made available to everyone so they become empowered and know how to support their personal lifestyle with skills and awareness which keep them connected to their body and emotions at all cost.

Even though Julie recognized me, she needed some clarification on how Seva Yoga is different to other studios and alternative arts in the area. She said she had recently met with "Traditional" yoga and "Hot" yoga studio owners from the area and that they were indeed very different from each other, and while I felt sad she had not yet come to visit us, I knew it was my fault for not having advertised our studio better. So I gave her a brief run down on what we are doing differently to respond to the need for better education in mental health and self-care in the community:

1) I explained to her that Seva Yoga is an independent brand of yoga. It is offering mentored training programs that teach students how to integrate yoga into daily life, which goes beyond just the physical practice. Its a brand that promotes an individualized and holistic approach to mental health; an issue our generation is uncomfortable talking about until it goes out of hand. What we mean by individual branding means is that while there is a lineage we borrow our practices from, we follow a person centered protocol to teach ways to adopt individualized practices through mentoring and developing relationships.

2) We offer Ayurveda and Yoga in our curriculum both as regular practice and therapeutically. This means it is a full circle practice and pathway for holistic health care. It considers that to be able to practice and benefit fully from Yoga, we don't practice harder poses without the right preparations. To meditate we don't just keep sitting through pain and distractions. But we begin to take the practice beyond the yoga mat. There has to be an awareness to diet, mindset and lifestyle that prepares and keeps the body in a state to practice yoga and meditation. This is what makes any or all the difference to the person in the long run. Traditionally Yoga is taught 1 on 1 and this is the reason for it. Otherwise we are all like hamsters on a wheel, running the same wheel day in and out.

3) Lastly, it's always been about connection and community at Seva. Whenever possible and successfully throughout the years we host events, completely free to the public and our members. We believe in inclusivity, family, collaboration and involving the community in celebrating life, health and spirituality. Diversity is a big part of the scene at Seva and we appreciate that everyone's culture has so much color and richness that we each can learn from.

During our conversation about the attention to diet and lifestyle, Julie shared about her own morning routine, and tips on how to peel a boiled egg without getting the shell stuck. She mentioned that she mentors other busy people to embrace being inconsistent and okay with self-care (which I will write about on another article) and on the topic of self-care I got to share with Julie how to make gas free lentil curry :) :) she loved the science of it (aka Ayurveda).

She said she will come and visit us but told me to focus a little more on connecting with the right audience in the area.

So it was helpful to meet her in that I came away knowing just how different we are to other studios in the neighborhood. So in 2019 I will focus on raising more awareness of our studio in this way while continuing to run the holistic self-care programs we already run for Corporations and Individuals from Beginners to Masters.

So, I was wondering if you've been reflecting on your yoga journey at Seva at all? Do you feel that you could support yourself better by improving your knowledge on self-care? My only advice is don't put your health at number 2 of your priorities list. If you have any questions, I have some time this year during the week days to chat with you. So feel free to book in a free 30 minute discovery call to know more about our programs or just what you can do right away to support your well being journey.

Our Programs in 2019 to help Personalize Self-care are:
*Private Ayurveda & Yoga Consultations - 2 hour
*200 Hour Practice & Health Mentorship
*500 Hour Certified Integrative Yoga Teacher Training

Supriya Roy (Ayurveda Practitioner and Founder of Seva Yoga)

Hey, if there is something you think we do differently to other studios, and its not mentioned here, let us know HERE!

3 Easy Practices for Better Eyes - Yoga & Ayurveda

2018-11-20T00:03:00.001-08:00

I remember the first time I received a Netra Basti - an Ayurvedic treatment for tired eyes. After the treatment the muscles around my eyes immediately felt rejuvenated. It was only after receiving the treatment I realized how dry and malnourished my eyes really were. Don't laugh but it felt like someone sprayed WD40 into the squeakiest part of my eyes. Another profound effect was a gentler gaze on the world and enjoying a deeper night's sleep which followed for at least a week. I noticed an improvement of upto 3 times in functionality, from just a 30 minute treatment. I was amazed!

Since 2016, as I opened a yoga studio, it was a sudden shift in gear into the entrepreneurial world, studying a full time load, with regular travelling- it was Christmas Eve of 2016 when I handed my assignment in I realised that something had to change. I was either going to have to drop one ball or move forward with a sustainability plan, especially with my personal practices. I made a conscious effort to plan my self-care in such a way that I could sustain it long term, so my body didn't feel cared for one day and ignored the next.

A few years down the track, my daily routine is all maintenance style practices of quarterly regimes. It's been very sustainable and feels really practical for me. I am able to stay aligned to the seasonal changes and that way I feel less reactive to change in seasons. It's given me a feeling of self-confidence and emotional stability along the way.

In the pre-ayurveda (2015) days I used to find it really difficult to stay consistent with my self-care routine. For me, being healthy was an all or nothing kinda' thing. And everything I did felt intense, not to mention not sustainable.

Overwhelm is an attribute of the Fire element in us all that gives us our fire to do better, but if un-managed can also lead to burnouts. The Fire element in Ayurveda makes a part of a combination named Pitta. The Pitta Dosha's qualities are very sharp, intense, light, penetrating and hot and is present in everything like our bodies, organs, systems, personalities and even the way we think. One of the seats of this dosha / element is in our eyes, our sense organ for the sharpness we can perceive the world with.

The sub-type name of Pitta dosha that generates eye sight and gives it's power is called Alochaka Pitta. To maintain Alochaka Pitta's balance we have to live a sustainable lifestyle.

Our eyes are one of our major sense organs of SIGHT, and a source of CONNECTION and LEARNING. They are constantly in use for the Vision. Vision is the way in which we are inspired and experience beauty. The eyes are major gateways for us to engage with and experience life to its fullest.

So a very sustainable way to care for the eyes would be to look at ways in which to give them support EVERY DAY. Why? Because as with anything in life, the more we use it, the better we need to care for it, so it can be kept useful.

When I did a search for the Top 3 causes of eye strain for us urban people, I found and article released in September 2018 by The Eye Practice, which shared:
1) Computer Overuse - Overuse of all digital devices cause eye strain and their patients over time develop Computer Vision Syndrome.
2) Underlying Vision Problems - Uncorrected vision or muscle imbalances from using the eyes for intense tasks like overusing computers or prolonged periods of driving.
3) Poor environmental factors - the brightly lit work spaces, air-conditioned offices and poor ergonomics causing poor posture affect the eyes because our bodies and eyes have not yet evolved to keep up with the digital age.

So while at work or the home office, why not try these 3 tips to reduce daily exposures to risk:

1) Improve your hydration to avoid dehydration from the air conditioned environment.

2) Blink more and set a timer on the computer / phone to look away from the screen every 30 minutes. You can practice some neck movements while looking away.

3) For all digital screens use a blue light filter app like flux.com

4) Check the ergonomics of the desk, chair and keyboard that they are positioned well to support best posture for the 8 to 10 hour days ahead.

When I'm not at the studio, just like everyone else I'm at my office, where I spend as long as 8 hours or so on a desk. I have personally found these systems helpful but I also have other practices in place, of which I wanted to share my Top 3 potent and easy to do practices with you.

I recommend starting with 1 daily and then building up to all 3 for the daily maintenance of your Eye Health:

1) ROSE WATER wash: This is especially great on a hot day and for Pitta dosha people. Daily use a dropper and apply 2-3 drops of organic rose water and use in each eye. Rose water is excellent for soothing dryness, prevents cell damage due to its anti-oxidants, removes dust particles. You can do this for your children that suffer from allergies or dryness too.

2) YOGA for better Eye-sight: You can start with simple circling of the eyes. Starting with your gaze on the nose, make 5 slow, perfect circles in each direction keeping your lips, jaws and mouth relaxed.

3) NUTRITION Ensure you have a good intake of Milk or Vitamin A, dark green leafy vegetables / spinach, Indian Gooseberry, Citrus foods like oranges and lemons and foods rich in B12 and vitamin C, Vitamin E like almonds. These will keep your eyes strong.

Now with all said and done, you or someone you know, might be experiencing regular headaches, have dark circles around your eyes, your sleep might be disturbed, you have tech neck, jaw pain and are having difficulty regenerating the eyes through the daily practices. Consider a deeper treatment to get you back on track.

Book in an Ayurvedic consultation and once we have a good idea about your dosha and your tendencies, you can receive a Netra Basti treatment that will aid with all of the signs you are noticing and put you back on track for new balanced quarter ahead. Click to read what is Netra Basti

I hope this article was helpful and inspired an easy start to daily care for one of your major sense organs.

As my teachers and mentors would tell me - Never underestimate the power of simplicity. The practices might seem easy and simple but with mindfulness and regularity we can regenerate health, naturally.

If you liked this article, please press like, share it with someone that spends a lot of time in front of screens or with weak eyes and lastly, let me know below which self-care practices you will put into place straight away.

Supriya Roy (Ayurvedic Practitioner, Integrative Yoga Teacher Trainer at Seva Yoga)

If you would like to learn more on self-care for specific problems including Yoga for Better Eye care - Reply with your email address + name here..

Prevent Dehydration - The Ayurvedic Way

2018-10-29T23:47:00.000-07:00

NOTE: This article is not about the benefits of drinking water.

Read on to understand your body's signals, what kind of water you need to be drinking to quench the thirst of a dehydrated body and a short story about me and water. :)

One of the key channels (srota) that regulate the water transportation in our body is called the Ambuvaha Srotas in Ayurvedic Medicine.

"Ambuvaha (uddakavaha) srotas: its chief organs are talu (palate) and kloma (pancreas), it gets vitiated by ama, fear, excess of alcoholic drinks, dry foods, suppression of thirst etc. Severe thirst, dryness of the mouth, ringing of the ears and unconsciousness are signs of its vitiation, treatment for these is the same as that of trishna (thirst)." (1)

The channel itself doesn't correspond to a system but shares a functional integrity with the food processing channels. Dr. Vasant Lad explains it as "the mucous lining of the large intestine is the Water carrying channel, whereas the GI tract itself is the digestive process channel." So there is a connection to their functional integrity.

The water carrying channel also corresponds to the very vital physiological function of the body: the fluid and electrolyte balance, for which the Pancreas plays a major role for its endocrine aspect that helps produce insulin from the food / water we eat/drink.

Dehydration is known as a key disorder of this water carrying channel, which can be caused by excessive fluid loss (#hotyogis take note) or having dry mouth and feeling thirsty - pay strict attention that these are all signals of the body being dehydrated.

A recent article in Medical News Today, shared that the top 3 general causes of dehydration seen are:

1. Diarrhea and Vomiting most common with children.

2. Sweating especially as the hotter season approaches for adults.

3. Patients of Diabetes

In Western medicine the most common symptoms and progressions of dehydration are:

Dry mouth, dry eyes, lack of sweating, yellow colored urine, muscle cramps, nausea and vomiting, confusion, dizziness, and eventually coma and death (in the case of diabetics or alcohol related).

The Ayurvedic system understands it as "due to evaporation of saumya (watery) dhatus (tissues), causing trishna (thirst) leads on to dizziness, causing increased tremors all over the body, feeling of increased heat, burning sensation and delusion. General features of dehydration are dryness of the mouth, non-contentment by drinking water, aversion to food, feeble voice, roughness of the throat, lips and tongue...disorderliness of the mind." (2)

So what all this means is that feeling thirsty, should not be taken lightly. By the time the body is feeling thirsty it is already dehydrated and some unwelcome but really common and overlooked symptoms are:

1. Sluggishness

2. Feeling Foggy headed

3. Headaches and

4. Acidic feeling in the body

My personal story with dehydration has been quite a source of reflection for all the problems I faced and the transformations I have experienced in my current life.

I spent the first 13 years of my life in South East Asia, where I grew up drinking fresh coconut water and home made digestive spiced drinks. My family always had to force water down my throat since I found it boring to drink since very young and lead a very active lifestyle with summers being very hot. As we migrated to Australia fresh coconuts or spiced drinks were no longer a regular thing but I found a liking to spiced chai and homemade Lassis but I wasn't as active as before. While I never developed a liking for take away or soft drinks, water was still not a favorite until very hot weather hit Sydney.

Fifteen years later when I started earning and paying for my own drinks, I always opted to pay for a potent beverage, and it wouldn't feel satisfying to have paid for a pot of herbal tea or the room temperature mineral water. Especially when everyone else ordered something sparkling or alcoholic.

Mind you, it was partly my naivety and the social me, that would try to keep up with the rest and end up feeling like crap afterwards for not knowing how to care for myself. A few more years later, frequenting pubs and restaurants became quite a regular thing and I never wanted to pay for water, or a warm tea when out (since I could have just stayed home for that!). Unfortunately I just didn't have the awareness nor the understanding of my personal behaviors in how they were contributing to signs like: Waking up regularly with a dull headache, or feeling lazy first thing in the mornings, and being really emotionally reactive in life.

Funniest thing is I honestly thought that I was living a balanced lifestyle since I was doing a bit of everything in life - but you know, it takes these experiences to learn from and only in 2015 I had a chance to become aware of my personal health. When I reflected, I tracked that every month I had experienced water retention and slight weight gain during the pre-menstrual days but before this, all my friends and a lot of women I knew would just accept these symptoms as PMS and close the book. I also tracked that my lack of desire to drink water was because I found it difficult to retain water so I would drink only minimally since, everytime I would drink I would go immediately and I would find it annoying- so unconsciously I was avoiding drinking water.

So as part of my healing, I got on some herbs, made changes to my diet, mindset, lifestyle and revised my personal values. Slowly the monthly symptoms of water retention and not wanting to drink water passed.

One of the unsuspecting patterns that I had also adopted while constantly being slightly tired was that I ate a lot of foods that were high in sugar or would give me an immediate energy boost. This over time would have lead me to Diabetes, because of the jumps in my blood glucose levels. Mind you I also have family history of Diabetes and various types of Cancer to be concerned for.

I thought I was eating "healthy" energizing foods because I was eating fruits!!! You already know about my story though on how I overcame the low iron issue on this blog.

Along my life and Ayurveda journey I have met many women that talk of drinking liters of water and still have dry skin, feel tired and thirsty. The tiredness is coming from the lack of hydration and drinking the wrong water (yes that's right) is as good as not drinking water when things are so dire.

You see by the time our body tells us we are thirsty, is is already dehydrated. And if we have attempted to hydrate (with the wrong water or sources of sustenance) but still feel thirsty, it can be a sign that the body needs hydrating on a cellular level.

So Ayurveda recommends the following:

Instead of drinking normal temperature water, boil the water to make it sharper and more penetrating.

By making it sharper and warmer, it can enter the tissues that normal or cold water cannot.

Try this Ayurvedic Cleansing Water:

Bring two cups of water to boil in a stainless steel pan (do not use aluminium), let the water boil for 2-4 minutes, then add the following:

1/2 t. whole coriander seeds,1/2 t. whole fennel and let steep two 1” slices of fresh ginger root

Let the tea sit for 10 minutes with the spices releasing their herbal properties into the water. Then strain out the spices to store inside a thermos / flask to sip throughout the day.

This recipe is to quench thirst, aids in digestion and removes impurities from the body's micro channels that cold water cannot reach.

For better results you can drink 1 glass every morning on an empty stomach daily to see the usual fogginess, headaches or indigestion reduce.

I have a question for you:

What is 1 of your single biggest challenge when it comes to keeping hydrated?

Please comment below this article and share your story.

**********************************

1. KR Srikantha Murthy tr. Asthanga Sangraha Sharirasthan Ch 6 quoted from Ashtanga Hridayam Chowkhambha Krishnadas Academy Vol 1 p 403 footnote

2. KR Srikantha Murthy tr. Ashtanga Hridayam Nidanasthanam ch V v 46-49 Chowkhambha Krishnadas Academy, Varanasi

9 Easy Detox Tips for Spring

2018-10-08T22:03:00.000-07:00

Hello Spring!

Or is it hello hay-fever, congestion and feeling sluggish for you?

Spring is a season of birth, new beginnings, renewal, and growth, a time for the earth to make manifest the latent potential within all things. Seeds are germinating, flowers budding, insects buzzing, leaves unfurling. And despite our growing separation from the natural world, we are deeply affected by this gentle stirring around us. Our physiology senses a natural opportunity for a fresh, clean start; our bodies are primed to lighten things up, cleanse ourselves of any accumulated imbalances, and rejuvenate our deepest tissues.

As the natural world emerges from its long winter slumber, it is common to experience a renewed sense of joy and inspiration. But for many, the spring season is also associated with:

- Colds,

- Congestion,

- Hay fever, and

- Allergies

DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE THAT STRUGGLES IN SPRING?

In Ayurveda, Spring is governed by the Kapha dosha, which is one of three Ayurvedic Doshas and it has the qualities of being heavy, dense, wet and cool. As these qualities are naturally increasing during this month in nature, they are also increasing in your mind and body. When Kapha is in balance it provides strength and stamina, immunity, peace, love, generosity, and good memory; it lubricates the joints, as well as provides sufficient mucous to protect the mucous membranes of the sinuses, lungs and stomach.

When Kapha is out of balance, you might feel sleepy, mentally dull or depressed; you may have limbs that feel heavy, sluggish digestion, colds and flus or feel puffy due to fluid retention. One of the most common conditions experienced in spring is the excess production of phlegm and mucous. Sinusitis, asthma, lung conditions, hay fever and allergies are all aggravated and prominent during this month.

As spring is the natural cleansing season, it is best to utilise this energy to clear out excess Ama / toxins and accumulated Kapha to avoid the undesirable conditions mentioned above. So what can we do to support the body’s natural process of detoxification at this time of year?

Here are 9 tips on how you can gently help the body's detoxification at home:

1. Avoid heavy food since they will aggravate allergies, water retention and sluggishness. This includes all dairy, wheat, yeasted breads, meat, refined and processed food, left overs, canned food, baked goods, refined sugar and oily food.

2. Meals should be light, warm and simple – lightly cooked vegetables, grains and legumes cooked in small amounts of ghee or coconut oil.

3. Eat bitter greens such as kale, rocket, spinach, mustard greens, nettle and dandelion leaf as these stimulate the release of digestive enzymes and enhance liver function to support detoxification.

4. Include pungent, warming and drying spices such as ginger, turmeric, garlic, cinnamon, black pepper, cayenne, paprika, cumin, fennel. The qualities of these spices break up Ama and help to combat the mucous forming aspects of Kapha.

5. Increase grains such as barley, quinoa, basmati rice and millet.

6. Avoid ice-cold food and drinks. Drink plenty of room temperature or warm water and sip on warming herbal teas such as ginger, fennel and cumin throughout the day.

7. Enjoy exercise outdoors, daily Yoga such as the Sun salutations sequence and preform exercise vigorously enough to get your heart racing and sweat beading. If possible have steams or saunas. If you can, take a hot bath with Epsom salt a few times per week. Sweating is important as it stimulates the lymphatic system and opens all the minute channels in the body so the toxins can be eliminated easier.

8. Begin each day with a cup of warm water and 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. This will help kick start your metabolism to burn fat and start the cleansing process.

9. Avoid alcohol, coffee, cigarettes and any other toxic vices you might be attached to right now.

Comment below if you found this article a good companion to the last one. I have been meeting a lot of people at the studio feeling heaviness and even though I would normally share this information in my Ayurveda Masterclasses, I thought to share it here. So let me know if it makes sense. Did this article explain WHY we are feeling the way we are? And that there are gentler way to aid the body to naturally detox.

Lastly, I'm curious to know what is the 1 biggest challenge you face with your health when spring comes along? If you don't mind, comment below or send me a private email here.

Until the next one, happy springtime!

Supriya Roy (Ayurveda Practitioner & Founder of Seva Yoga)

How to eat this season....

2018-09-24T02:25:00.000-07:00

The hot topic every spring is DETOX and CLEANER EATING, is it not?
Why is that? Because summer is on its way!

Even if your body is looking swimsuit ready, the ritual and system of eating according to the season is a rite for everyone. Changing eating habits around this time of year is also much easier and we are more likely to succeed and sustain great changes if we learn why and how.

In this article I wanted to share 3 small tips for you to create and sustain healthy changes to your personal eating habits. Just above them, I have also shared about my 30 year search for the secret formula to Eating Right + what helped me make the lasting change.

Scroll down to see my 3 tips to create lasting change...

My food journey...

Tracking back to being a 12 year old, I remember fainting because I decided not to eat for a day. Why? because someone said I was on the heavier side with a look of disapproval.

As I grew older, in trying to fit in with the "health fanatics" I tried the 10 day liquid fast, the no carbs diet, no meat diet, fruit fasts and suffered major relapses of emotional eating habits when no one was watching to cope with the anxieties of life. I recall always feeling insecure about my weight, always having a squirmy feeling in my stomach, never feeling satisfied with what I ate and always wanting to be thinner than I was. Yet, I was always eating the things that I knew were misaligned to my health goals, that made me feel guilty and unhealthy. Talk about being a self-saboteur!

So over time I lost faith in myself because I had created enough evidence that I was never going to change and believed that I didn't have the strength it took to make positive and lasting changes. Oh I also compared my life to Bollywood celebrities, saying "if only I had the whole day to spend at the gym, then I too would be as fit as them" My values were totally out of place!

Later I found others just like me, and got to know it's quite common to go through this before deciding "IT'S ENOUGH" or in my case, I got quite sick while overseas. One day, 9 years ago, I experienced a high fever, my breath felt shallow, I could not move or eat solids for nearly 3 days and I tried to sleep through it, because I told myself I was a "yogi". I was living in Paris then. My weight was great, I was in good shape, and I was practicing yoga daily and sometimes twice a day. So how could I have something going on inside?! On the 4th day I finally made my way to the local GP and found out that my iron levels had dropped so low that if I did not take supplements I would basically become Anemic. Did I know the actual answer as to HOW it got so bad, so quickly? No. Because the doc didn't ask me any more questions. And because I got my quick supplement fix, I was able to move on for the time being.

Shortening it to 4 years ago, when I met my Ayurvedic Mentor, Teacher and Practitioner I finally found out what actually broke my camel's back and became my own research and development project to heal my iron deficiency on a mental, spiritual and physical level.

Now, we all know blood is the juice of life. With good blood flow we breathe. When our breath is great we feel vital. Need I say more about the transformation I have felt healing this way? What helped me get committed though was my realization that I wanted to have a long standing career in serving others to improve their health. I realized that I wanted to live with purpose every day of my life and my nutrition plan needed to match who I wanted to become, so that I could keep serving with vigor, joy and enthusiasm throughout my life and not burn out early in the tracks. I decided to make the changes with new values in place.

Another truth that helped me commit to Ayurvedic eating is when I noticed health is not about quick fixer uppers, or HACKS. Health is the state of the relationship I have with my body and mind.

So while all the public information I was reading lead me to shift my mindset, however to achieve the next level of success I had to personalize my nutrition plan and take responsibility to eating with awareness.

Now I know most of you reading this article are already health oriented, not just for your body but for every area of your life. I know you value overall well being, and are probably already eating to detoxify to transition to the warmer days ahead. So to help you along your journey to sustaining those healthy changes to your diets here are my 3 Tips that I normally share with my private clients now:

1) Be aware of your digestion. Daily notice, how many times you are eating and if your body has fully digested the food you ate last. Sometimes we eat from boredom or sometimes we ignore hunger pains / sensations in the body for when we are meant to be eating. If you are in the habit of not eating for long periods of time, and then eat something to tie you over, over time this will aggravate your digestive fire for eating incorrectly. So, even if you do eat, the food will not be digested correctly to acquire the sustenance and nutrition your body needs. Or you might be the constant grazer that always eats till they fall asleep, you might also be weakening your digestion over time - it is a good thing to take note of tip no. 2 below.

2) Bring awareness to how you feel after you eat your meals. i.e. Do you feel Energized? Or Lethargic and Heavy? Or Bloated or Acidic? noticing the reaction your food is having in your body is a good sign for whether what you are eating is serving you or not. If you feel dull, heavy, bloated or lethargic after your meals, you are eating foods that are making your digestion sluggish. A sign that your digestive system is finding it difficult to break it down. In case you suffer from heart burns or acid re-flux try to drink warm fennel tea after your meals to help with this, paired with correction in your choice of foods.

3) Take note of what you are eating throughout the day and the time you are eating them. One of our biggest problem is that we don't pay much attention to what we are actually eating at the time we are eating them. Why is this important? Because eating even the right foods at the wrong time translates to poison for the body. Example: Eating curd / yogurt at night is a big No in Ayurveda. Why? because while curd is an excellent source of good bacteria and aids in digestion. At night, it will lead to mucus development and increase allergy flair ups, coughs and colds. But if you can't go without it, opt for buttermilk instead.

The above steps are what I ask my private clients to take to help them bring awareness to how they might take responsibility, to make informed choices on what they eat, and to stay motivated to stay committed.

What are your thoughts on this? Let me know how you found my 3 tips and feel free to comment below on any other topic you would like me to write on next.

Until the next one, happy living!

Supriya Roy (Ayurveda Practitioner & Founder of Seva Yoga)

Time to let go - What do you think?

2018-09-15T22:04:00.000-07:00

It's the middle of September and spring is still not here!

Well, it turns out the Australian snow season got extended from August to November so expect a slight delay. However this also means that we can take our time to transition from the cold of winter to a juicy delicious spring this year.

How has winter been for you this year and what comes to mind when you think of transitioning to spring? What are some changes you are looking forward to experiencing?

Also, how do you feel when you hear "It's Time to Let Go" of the old? Does it feel like a big lump in your throat?

Courtney Carver says "Decluttering is not a one-night stand or a sprint to the finish line. It is a day-by-day, step-by-step, inch-by-inch revolution. Instead of a massive spring cleaning, or a big purge, consider the tried and true, proven method of slowly but surely."

Both Yoga and Ayurveda, view change as a part of life and prescribe the slowly but surely method when it comes to creating space on a physical, mental and spiritual level.

The act of letting go is a yogic practice that falls under the Yama / yogic mindset of "Non-possessiveness or Detachment" also known in Sanskrit as Aparigraha.

And under the Ayurvedic system each season has it's own cleansing and maintenance practice that support a healthy physical and spiritual life.

Here are some baby steps to spring clean areas of life that offer a healthy non-possessive way of mind and a peaceful way of transitioning into spring:

Diet

Write down everything you want to change about your diet.
Don’t eat meat on Monday.
Boycott fast food.
Eat sitting down.
Drink more water and less of everything else.

Calendar

Cancel one thing right now.
Leave Friday’s open for the unexpected.
Do errands on Wednesday instead of the weekend.
Track your time.

Money

If there is something you buy almost everyday, don’t buy it for a week.
Track your spending.
Don’t dine out for a month.
Read a Money Mindset book.

Work

Figure out what you enjoying doing.
Connect with other people who do it well.
Help people.
Ask for help.

Distractions

Cancel your cable television.
Close your computer and put down your iStuff.
Don’t check email in the morning.
Turn off all alerts.
Remove Facebook from your phone or just be friends with your actual friends.

Stuff

Keep a box by the door. Drop something in it to donate every day.
Don’t buy anything new for 30 days
Maintain a tiny clutter-free zone
One in One out

Taking a step at a time and having a plan for each area of your life will mean you will be able to create amazing headway daily. It's not at all about just getting organised or spring cleaning but a way to live life without needing to always be busy or full. All it will take is your commitment to stick to your steps and in no time you will have a habit of keeping your life de-cluttered and ready for change always.

In 2019 I am teaching an integrative yoga teacher training course, where you will study the sciences and implement them into your life for best health, mindset and lifestyle. It will go for 12 months with mentoring under a structured guideline that will help you integrate your knowledge and wisdom into your daily life. Here is the prospectus. Enrollments and conditions of entry do apply however this program will encourage those that are wanting to take the steps to living Yoga and Ayurveda in daily life.

If you found the above article helpful, please share it with someone that you can also practice it with.

Until the next one, take care and have a wonderful spring clean.

Supriya (Ayurveda Practitioner, Integrative Yoga Teacher Trainer)

Sun-gazing to Recharge the Soul

2018-08-26T21:23:00.001-07:00

What did you think about my article 6 Highly Effective Habits for More Energy ? Did you find it helpful? How many are you already practicing?

Now, some of you did read my previous article and told me "But Supriya, those practices are too easy- tell me more" so here it is...

Surya aka the sun is our benevolent and very powerful friend that gives life and light to all beings on Earth. One of his functions are photosynthesis, which helps plants grow, which in turn keeps us and our animal kingdom alive. We receive vitamin D, warmth and solar energy for power in many of our electronic utilities. The sun is one of the most magnificent, abundant sources of natural energy for our life here.

In the Vedic system there is a daily routine, called Sun Gazing that devoted students of any age can practice (with caution). The practice of sun gazing has some truly amazing benefits, not only for the physical health, but also for mental and spiritual development.

Some of the benefits of sun gazing include:

Increased energy
Boosts production of the feel good hormones serotonin and melatonin
Improved eyesight
Reduces hunger pains –body is completely nourished by the sun
Stimulation and growth of the Pineal gland
Release of internal emotional blocks
Increase personal potential

Okay while the practice again is very simple there is CAUTION:

1) Practice only during the first hour of the sunrise, or the last hour before the sun sets.

THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT! IF THE PROPER TIMES ARE NOT FOLLOWED EYES CAN BE DAMAGED BY THE UV RAYS FROM THE SUN.

The specific steps are listed further down in this article but let's get into a little bit of research and study.

The Man Who Brought Sun Gazing to the West

Hira Ratan Manek gave this practice the name and brought it to our Western world. He is more commonly known as HRM and is the founder of the Solar Healing center. He is famous for his ability to live off of solar energy and water. That is it. Sometimes he claims to have tea, coffee or buttermilk for social purposes however states in his own words that the sun can be used to heal the mind, body and spirit and claims that as a result of sun gazing we can have better physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. HRM has gone through three strict long term fasts and during those he was under the supervision and observation of various medical and scientific teams to provide statistical evidence of the benefits to this practice.

The first fast went for 211 days in 1995 and 1996 in India. Dr. C.K. Ramachandran, a medical expert on Ayurvedic medicine, directed the study.

The second fast went for an impressive 411 days, right after the last one. That is an astounding time to go with no food at all.

The same study was also directed by an international team of 21 doctors and scientists; lead by Dr. Sudhir Shah in India.

The last and third observed fast went for 130 days, which took place in the United States at Thomas Jefferson University and the University of Philadelphia.

The Studies

A scientist by the name of Vinny Pinto conducted a survey on 56 participants and outlined their experiences in what he called “The First Sungazing List Group Sungazers Survey.” His major findings from the study were:

Health improvements especially among women
People who practiced sun gazing for more than five years and who gazed mid-day (instead of the insisted hour after sunrise and hour before sunset) were more likely to report adverse effects.
35 out of the 51 participants reported to have “increased or greatly increased energy” while only 1 participant reported reduced energy
The number of people who reported a “decreased need for solid food” was approximately equal to the number of people who reported “no significant change in the need for food.” Only 1 person in the study reported an increased need for food.
People who had sun gazed for at least a year for at least 4 times per week were far more likely to report a decreased need for solid food.
The most common physical/mental/spiritual experiences reported from sun gazing were bliss, joy, peace and calmness.
No one from the study reported a decrease in physical health, everyone reported that his or her health was the same or had improved.

While there are many methods The HRM method is safe and popular:

If you are going to modify this method please do your research and do not attempt to stare at the sun during the times with UV radiation present, and also do not stare at the sun for longer than the recommended times.

You can adjust this method with how often you practice it and for your intentions behind it, but aside from that you should try to aim to stick to the general guidelines so that you don’t injure your eyesight or cause permanent retinal damage, this is very serious.

The Practice
It is an important part of the practice that you stand barefoot on bare earth. This helps to keep you grounded and enhances the benefits of sun gazing.
As you are staring at the sun visualize the energy from the sun coming into your body and filling your body and cells with rejuvenating light.

Here is the method that HRM recommends:

Day 1

Begin by spending a maximum of 10 seconds on the first day by looking directly at the sun during the safe hours.

Continue this daily until you have reached 44 minutes. This should take between 9-10 months depending on the weather.

DAY 2 - DAY 10+On the second day aim for 20 seconds, each day after that continue adding 10 seconds to the previous day. So at 10 days you will be looking at the sun for 100 seconds, or 1 minute and 40 seconds.
CONTINUE & DEVELOP
According to HRM this is all you need to gain the benefits described above from sun gazing.
After this you will need to walk for 45 minutes each day for the 6 days following the completion of the 9-10 months of sun gazing.
From there on out, make a conscious effort to continue to walk barefoot on the earth, preferably in the sun whenever you feel like it or get the time.
During this time it is important to stay centered and see what comes up for you.

JOURNAL

It is also a good idea to keep a journal to track your progress and keeping note of how you are physically and mentally feeling.

There are many resources for sun gazing on the internet for the spiritual effects of sun-gazing as well the physical benefits. You might consider watching this documentary called “Eat The Sun.” This documentary follows a man's journey through the HRM practice of sun gazing.

The best part about the whole journey (should you choose to embark upon it) is that you are making sure you are spending time doing something energizing every day and in nature. This is a highly effective habit builder as well and can transform your health and well being in a very short amount of time!

There you have it Yogis... and let me know how you find this practice for you.

There are many other Yogic practices you can study with me next year. If you are keen to study yoga and actually follow a methodical personalized practice, registrations are now open for 2 very specialised training programs I have written starting in January 2019.

They both speak directly to an individual's personal well being, health and practice goals utilising Ayurveda and Yoga as the frameworks.

One of the programs are accredited and the other is for strictly to develop and advance in health & energy.

Integrative Yoga Teacher Training Program

Personal Practice & Health Mentorship

If you are intrigued, send me an email here.

Supriya Roy (Adv. Dip Ayurveda, Yoga Therapy, Founder of Seva Yoga)

Web: www.sevayoga.com.au

5 Signs You're No Longer a Yoga Newbie

2018-08-13T15:52:00.000-07:00

There are tell-tale signs that you’re ready to come off the yoga newbies bench and some of them are quite obvious but we think it’s worth noting for the wins:

Always on Time

You might still remember coming to class late and not worrying about what others thought, since no one knew you back then. Now though, you’re one of the first ones in, ready on your mat, with an ease and greet your fellow yogis as they arrive. You even have a lie down on your bolster and set yourself up in the front row so you didn’t miss a cue. Yes, these are great signs.

Stop the Clock Watch

Back up to last quarter, the 60 minute classes used to feel like an eternity, especially when in Tree pose hold, you would smile wide eyed, feet burning with your eyes wandering over your shoulder to check the clock. Oh and much to your surprise we were only 20 minutes into the start of class. But now you’ve learned to breathe slower, move your body intelligently and can hear the finer instructions that help you relax every step of the way. Eg: SMILEASANA and SIGH like you need it. But also know that they work.

You Won’t Miss Restorative / Yin

Restorative and Yin yoga have always been challenging for the Urban Yogis to take up in the beginning of their yoga journey. Do you remember how hard it was having to hear your mind yap away while you’re being told to relax and find the pleasure in being physically still? It was so hard, because you had never laid down without falling asleep before. It was like being sent to the naughty corner as a big kid. But now you can’t wait to find yourself on your mat just BEING, LAYING STILL, and following your inner bliss for an hour. It’s your weekly staple and are finding this a treat at the end of your week.

It’s about Quality Time

On your first month you were focused on getting on the mat at least 4 times a week. Life was still a little out of control and your schedule was never too planned. So you made it to the studio 4 times but at varying times of the week to realise that a regular practice is essential. Gradually you’ve been scheduling yourself to finish work on time, and be on time for yoga. You realised that the time on your mat is about quality not the number of times you got on it. Your schedule looks a lot more intentional and you’re living life more vibrantly.

The New You Is Reflecting

You’re on a new year, and you are at a cross road between the old you and a possible other you. You learned a lot about your past self in the last year/s of your practice. Truth be told, you haven’t been tracking anything specifically but you were passionately regular. You’ve fulfilled your aim of being regular and that says a lot. It must be working for you. It’s a new year now though and you are feeling a little intrigued about what else you could learn about yourself? Could you be more self-aware? Physically Stronger and Flexible? Take deeper practices to access more energy?

How do you feel you're tracking on this list?

Supriya Roy

The 6 Highly Effective Habits for More Energy

2018-07-24T22:58:00.000-07:00

You’ve all heard of the old used up sentence “Humans are all creatures of habit” often connoting that we are somehow bound to our habits. It might even feel very convincing that you are bound, because for some a habit could be supporting other habits. A common example is keep showing up to work, which pays the bills, which keeps things moving and you make it through the week without stopping then you spend the entire weekend living. When moving through the motions, only some ask how can I do this differently or better?

The Seva philosophy understands and advocates taking small steps, which create big changes. The steps when taken regularly become highly effective habits that have the capacity to move life in the direction of our personal desires.

Have you ever asked yourself, what might you eat, think, feel and act like if you were living your dream life? And what are some of your habits that stop you from aligning your actions (with ease)?

Below are 6 science based steps, prescribed by Ayurveda to make it easier for you to practice them as habits. You’re probably already aware of most of them, but just need to commit to take small and consistent steps to turn them into living habits.

Those habits will then develop you to make better choices with greater ease and you won't even have to talk yourself into it. You will feel better for doing them, than not.

Its a lot like brushing teeth - no one ever said "I'm so glad I didn't brush my teeth today!"

These 6 steps are habit building steps, which will prepare you for personalized habits that will create more effective changes in your life. They will start moving you in the right direction straight away. Think of it like this, they are small changes without it feeling like you're moving a mountain.

To give you a bit of basis for my advice here, both Yoga and Ayurveda are researched and trialed sciences that prescribe individualized lifestyle habits for best health. The following steps will improve your capacity to adopt more personalized changes with ease and will not have any harmful side effects by practicing without guidance.

What these sciences both advocate is that health and vitality are no longer at the mercy of external factors but an inner power that we can cultivate for ourselves. You will always know your center, how to maintain your connection to it and how you can keep topping up when life pushes you off kilter.

So are you ready to get started? WARNING: These steps are very simple but very potent.

Don't let the simplicity and ease fool you. If you can do them for an entire season, you will be ready to take on deeper practices taught at Seva. Are you ready? You must promise to do these daily. Like brushing your teeth. Here they are:

1. HYDRATION - Upon waking drink 2 litres of warm water. Water rehydrates your organs and gets the toxic waste moving in the right direction.

2. TONGUE SCRAPING - Gently scraping the white coating off the tongue each morning promotes better oral hygiene. You will also enhance your taste faculty improving your choice in foods.

3. NASAL RINSE – As a Yoga practitioner you need access to both your nostrils for best breath practice. Nasal rinsing clears the mucosal bacteria and dirt from the sinus cavity that not only helps with an improved sense of smell but your ability to manage your energy better. Your alertness, mood, appetite, speech depends greatly on the rhythm and quality of your breath. When your nasal passage is clear you feel clear minded and make better choices throughout the day. You will dream more frequently, that will aid in clearing subconscious mind clutter.

4. EAT TIMELY - Eat your heaviest meal at 12 and an early dinner by 7pm. Besides eating high quality foods, eating at the incorrect time is a bigger cause for imbalance. Even if you feel you have a high metabolic rate (I hear this one a lot) eating at the wrong times will put digestive organs under strain. All the undigested food will sit in the digestive tract becoming toxic waste that will weaken your digestive fire. This is a cause for much of your mental lethargy, stress and long term health issues.

5. QUALITY REST – Yoga practices help with rejuvenating the body and mind’s fatigue and prepare your body to sleep well. But to have optimum energy in waking hours, without losing focus, or needing to caffeinate, wake up before sunrise and don’t stay up past 10pm. The energy before sunrise in nature increases peace of mind, and adds freshness to the 5 senses. Getting 8 hours of sleep will provide adequate physical rest and improved mental energy.

6. DAILY JOURNALING– Journaling your thoughts in a prescribed context like maintaining a Meditation / Yoga / Pranayama Practice can benefit in becoming better at what habits you are practicing. Journaling has science backing its benefits on the mind and body and proves to be a highly effective habit for self-awareness and making highly informed decisions. You can read my blog article on "5 benefits of keeping a yoga journal" for the benefits.

So, there you have it. The 6 science backed highly effective habit building steps for anyone wanting to generate higher levels of health and energy, for a better performing Body and Mind right away.

Supriya Roy (Adv. Dip Ayurveda, Yoga Therapy, Founder of Seva Yoga)

Web: www.sevayoga.com.au

Adulting - Could we do it another way?

2018-07-04T23:36:00.000-07:00

On the very first day of our Beginner’s Yoga Course, we sit in an open circle and introduce ourselves. We share our personal big why for starting Yoga now. When asked what self-care looks like for each person, many (surprisingly) smirk and share “I showered before I came today” or “Went to the beach last summer and that felt good” and “sleeping in whenever I can” is a popular response.

Some are hilarious to hear and hard to believe but it is a big reality for many working, parenting, highly committed and very dependable adults these days. There are many reasons why Self-care is not a conscious item on our To-Do lists and one major reason research has found is the person’s unconscious belief system on achieving success.

Have you recently asked yourself how success feels and looks for you? What might you eat, think, feel and act like if you were successful? How close are you to feeling like the best version of yourself? Do you regularly stop and check-in on how you are feeling?

Many adults believe sacrificing attention to their own wellbeing is a greater demonstration of their love and commitment to others. Although self-sacrificial, this is how majority of us train ourselves to be “better performing" people in our careers and personal lives. Albeit, mostly unconsciously, this way of thinking also becomes a major reason for failure in performance and enjoyment of success in life.

Self-care is probably commonly associated with signing up to a gym to get "stronger", eating healthy to keep "extra weight off" or enjoying a remedial massage for "pain relief". However self-care is a lot less reactive to health problems, and concerns more with the person’s current state of being. Self-care in fact does not worry about the look, but it delivers better physiology, greater mental clarity and self-awareness that helps navigate through stressful experiences of life. It helps us generate positive states in mind and body to enable better or best overall performance and enjoy the successes of life on a long term scale. Self-care is a tool for perpetual wellness.

If this resonates with you, and you are ready to learn how, we have some useful tips for you to get started right now. We want you to go to the gym and the day spa and we also recommend you spend 10minutes every hour of your day to stop and notice your breath. If you notice that you’re breathing through your chest alone, shallowly and fast we recommend you do this: 1. Sit up straight, 2. Relax your shoulders, 3.Take very slow and long breaths using your abdomen and chest. 4. Mentally say “I am relaxing”.

Do this for 10 minutes every hour of your day for at least 3 days in a row. And check back with us to let us know how you went. One of the fundamental pillars of a Yoga practice is consciously taking deeper breaths giving immense benefits to all its students.

So, self-care ultimately boils down to taking small steps to develop lifelong skills which give you time and energy back with greater appreciation for what really matters. With regularity, each time you practice your self-care routine, you create a perpetual change toward positive emotions and a physiology that gives you a sense of success, regularly and naturally.

Here at Seva, service begins with service to ourselves.

Supriya Roy (Adv. Dip Ayurveda, Yoga Therapy, Founder of Seva Yoga)

Web: www.sevayoga.com.au

5 Benefits of Keeping a Yoga Journal

2018-07-01T21:02:00.000-07:00

Your yoga journalling will be of most benefit if you keep it timely and spend no more than 20 minutes a day. If you are curious about what it takes to start, you can start with 1 x A5 sheet of paper and a pen.

You don’t need to be good at spelling or grammar. In your Yoga journal you will write specifically about your practice experiences. Take my practice journal as an example and you would find pictures, stickers, scribbles, random words, sentences, poetry and even letters through the year’s experiences. So don’t think you’re limited to just pen on paper.

A Yoga journal is like your very private, open green field, and you can run on it however you like with your pen. It’s your time, and space for you to write about anything you like. At the end of this article you can find a guided journal entry page, to help you track your yoga practice, if you should want to use it, like many of my private clients and students do.

Right now I want to touch on WHY I recommend you keep a practice journal for your yoga journey.

So, there are HEALTH BENEFITS to it, Yes! You get to own free space to dump the load of your brain and it’s very good for your overall health! Okay I’ll get to the scientific findings on it:

“University of Texas at Austin psychologist and researcher James Pennebaker argues that regular journalling strengthens immune cells, called T-lymphocytes. Other research also indicate that journaling decreases the symptoms of asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. Pennebaker believes that writing about stressful events help you come to terms with them, acting as a stress management tool, thus reducing the impact of these stressors on physical health.” – Purcell, 2018

With all due respect to research and the science of journalling though, I have personally benefited from it and now use it as a therapeutic tool with my private clients. My intention is to reduce their stress, connect them to their mind and body, and increase their capacity to understand their own potential in achieving their wellbeing goals backed by evidence.

The top 5 benefits I would like to highlight are:

1) Improved Self-Awareness – If you’re thinking that someone else has the answers about what makes you special and the best person to be around. You need to get in touch with the person inside of you and see how much s/he knows about you. Journalling offers a chance to reveal to us our real emotions, opinions, views about how we individually perceive our experiences. You might be shocked to see how wonderfully wise or different you are and how valuable your standpoint really is for the life you are wanting to live. Journalling your real thoughts will help expose your false beliefs and give you a closer look at how the most important person sees you - Yourself. The better your self-awareness the higher your chances to change what you don’t like.

2) Expose the Censors – When journalling your practice, you gain a different perspective on how you are being. As in are you engaging with your experience or does your engagement waiver from time to time? And why? You can write down your deepest fears, what triggers you to hold back or perhaps you feel sensations you’ve never felt before? Write down what you are finding inside of your body, and you will get to know your actual strengths and barriers are toward making change happen.

3) Up your Self-Care – While Yoga itself is a part of your self-care routine, the journal is a sacred tool to discovering new goals, inspirations, and identifying your personal hardships and most importantly uncovering your true needs. You are your main carer and possibly for another 5 people who need you and your energy for their life to function properly. To best serve those you love, don’t you think meeting your own needs has to come first? Truth is most of the times self-care is at the bottom of the to-do list for any person leading an average life. But if you’re looking to live life more vibrantly, you need to up your self-care. Having a journal with your very personal needs list actually is the ULTIMATE best step. It will help you make sure you get your actual needs met. As we say it here at Seva, small steps create big changes.

4) Solve Problems Effectively – For a very long while I recorded the number of classes I took per week, how I felt after each class and what I wanted to heal in my life. And one day when I looked back at my practice journal entries for the past 6 months, I found a tonne of personal data about WHY I could never maintain my engagement through a 90 minute class. The problems were clear to track, and I was able to take accountability for my own shortcomings. I saw that I had to learn to relax more and stop trying to blame it things outside of myself. You too can track your journey and have a place to gather data from to solve actual problems.

5) Gain Clarity- The act of setting some time to contemplate a subject matter is a meditative act. My practice journal has been hands down one of the best companion tools to progress my meditation practice. When you write down everything that is sitting in your mind, this itself is so therapeutic and freeing and with that extra space in your mind, you hold a powerful chance to shift the needle of your life to wherever it is you are meant to be going.

GUIDED SEVA YOGA PRACTICE JOURNAL ENTRY:

Print these questions, and write down the answers in your journal anytime you take a class or do anything Yoga related. This includes reading a book, listening to a podcast, taking a developmental workshop, masterclass, course or retreat. Once you’ve answered those, use the rest of the page to free write about anything else that you felt like writing down. Don’t dismiss thoughts or questions you had come up in your awareness – write them all down. The space is all yours, so let it FLOW out of you! Free that Mind Up!

Date & Time of class:______________

1. Rate your engagement from 1 to 5 (1 = disconnected, 3 = semi-engaged, 5 = connected): 1 2 3 4 5

2. Type of Class taken: _______________

3. Write down 3 main observations of your experience like mood, energy, motivation and limitations: _______________________________________________________________

I hope this article has touched on something of value to you. I’d love to hear about your experience, thoughts and feedback about keeping a Practice Journal. All Seva Yoga courses recommend purposeful practice journaling and it has been a wonderful tool of self-inquiry, self-awareness and evolution for many of our advancing students.

Supriya Roy (Adv. Dip Ayurveda, Yoga Therapy, Founder of Seva Yoga)

APA Reference

Purcell, M. (2018). The Health Benefits of Journaling. Psych Central. Retrieved on June 19, 2018, from https://psychcentral.com/lib/the-health-benefits-of-journaling/

Its June! How are you breathing?

2018-06-04T21:37:00.000-07:00

Let’s admit it, it is challenging to breathe in this cold weather and we Aussies are quite spoilt with sunshine all year round. So any sign of a cloudy day, or cooler weather gets us like we're backed up against a wall, frozen, having a stare off with a yeti. We detest the cold.

Besides our mental resistance to the cold, my heart goes out to those of us that suffer from poor immune systems, allergies, or have respiratory conditions that get aggravated especially at this time of the year.

While there are yoga kriyas, bronchodilators, antibiotics and ayurvedic treatments with herbal remedies that can de-congest you, there is still ONE thing YOU need to do to stay balanced and functional during these winter months and the course of life itself.

Since starting to write this blog, I realised that one blog alone is not enough real estate to list the relationship between Yoga and Breathing. So today, I want to explore just ONE thing; HOW SHOULD WE BE BREATHING?

Did you know that the 3 fundamental pillars of health and life force for us are: OXYGEN / BREATHING, SLEEP/RESTING and EATING/ NUTRITION ? We need all three to maintain the body’s homeostasis, that allows it to function and live life optimally. I could list some stats about the oxygen pressure required in our lungs to maintain blood alkalinity levels but you can look those stats up anywhere. Let's keep exploring the topic of knowing how to breathe.

So, when breathing is restrained / shallow, our cells and organs become oxygen starved and exposed to risks of disorders, which can come from these PATTERNS:

1. Increased breathing with chronically blocked nose and dry mouth

2. Urination increases (especially at night) to maintain ionic balance

3. Muscles become tense, tired, sore, possibly twitchy

4. Numbness, tingling and coldness in hand and feet

5. Increase in illness & infection due to decreased immune response

6. Stomach bloating, constipation, belching, diarrhoea, flatulence

7. Fast, erratic and pounding heart rate

8. Over reactive brain, possible anxiety, poor concentration, nervousness

So my next question is: Besides restrained breathing, do you notice any of the above symptoms?

My point is, you can see now how vital it is to prioritize learning to breathe. Yes as important as learning to eat the right foods and how to relax and recover.

So HOW SHOULD WE BE BREATHING?

Let's do a test to measure your personal breath rate by counting how many breaths you take per minute. 1 breath is = 1 inhale and 1 exhale.

Put a timer on for 30 seconds, count your breaths during this time and simply multiply the number of breaths taken for 30 seconds by 2. Voila, here is your breath rate per minute.

If you were not in a state of anxiety you should have about 8 breaths per minute and if you counted more than 10 breaths per minute it is likely you take shallow, short breaths and it is suggested you practice breathing exercises at least 3 times a day or if possible each hour on the hour for a few days.

From now on, if you notice that you’re breathing mainly from your chest rather than your abdomen or that you sigh too often then pause and practice breathing consciously for a few minutes to replenish oxygen into your bloodstream. In a few weeks you’ll notice your breath rate has decreased.

Breathing slowly and steadily improves the state of our mind, our body’s functions and energy levels. Its one of our body's fundamental functions and need, which is nurtured in a Yoga class. Breathing properly helps with healing any patterns of imbalance listed above and it is probably why a Yoga practice is THE GO TO for anyone suffering from restrained breath patterns.

I hope this article has touched on something of value to you. Please share your thoughts and feedback you might have with me. And of course if you are now feeling inspired to go take a Yoga class, drop by for a FREE Yoga Lesson all day on the 23rd June 2018 at our studio.

Supriya

Yoga is Non-Competitive & How to Practice it

2017-01-23T20:31:00.002-08:00

Hello,

Happy New Year!

Its been a few weeks since we came back to the studio and its great to see everyone motivated to resume their practice. I have been witnessing amazing effort from our yogis wanting to do their best, go beyond last year's progress made and delve deeper into their posture practice. On many occasions though, I've also seen extra effort and physical strain being applied and so I thought to write a little blog on how to get better, feel amazing and go deeper into postures without losing connection to one of the best qualities about Yoga - Santosha; Contentment = To remain Non-Competitive.

Don't get me wrong Hatha Yoga is all about using the right level of force to access physical postures that are normally outside our physical body's general range. However an equal amount of mental and energetic ease is also needed to access deeper layers of yoga poses from wherever your natural range currently is. Unlike normal physical exercise Yoga demands ease in mind, body and breath. This is so that the qualities and benefits we are wanting from the "Yoga pose" is not lost along the way of trying to "achieve" or "do" a yoga pose.

So how do we practice this when the pose is feeling uncomfortable and we know that once we work through this current layer of resistance we will feel much better? Well, in my experience there are 2 things to do immediately:

1) Accept where you are right now - see your struggle in its entirety and instead of pushing through it, learn to breathe into the points of resistance. Relax and make breath the primary focus.

2) Practice all other poses with just as much curiosity and presence.

In sanskrit Santosha is divided into two parts: sam, meaning completely or entirely, and tosha, meaning acceptance, satisfaction, and contentment. Together they create a word that means complete acceptance or contentment. Santosha can be a difficult concept to wrap your head around, particularly if your personal dialogue is filled with negative thoughts like “I’m not good enough," "I'll never get there", or “I’m too this, or not enough that…” it’s hard to see the positive in any situation let alone feel even fleeting moments of contentment, when you’re expending a lot of mental energy knocking yourself down for not being where you "think" you should be. So perhaps it’s time to change your story. If your default story is “This is hard, I can’t do this,” then change it to - “This is difficult, let’s see how I do with it today?”

A Yoga pose means (the physical posture) while being held physically, our awareness must spread to witness the Mind focus on breath and the Breath being kept stable and comfortable. This awareness and practice maintains an adequate level of Prana / vital energy flow to hold muscle tension, reduce strain to the body and keeps the mind calm enough to respond to the body's needs when practising the pose. There is an inherent stretch in each pose and sometimes admittedly many postures can feel like hard work. BUT! practise Santosha - see where you're at right now, focus on breath, then move along to the next pose! Keep inquiring to see how you are feeling in every pose.

From my personal practice I've learned that every yoga pose contains within it a building block for another. Often when I have let go of needing to be better at just one pose I have been able to enjoy the entire practice. This has been my personal approach to many challenging yoga poses where I simply let go of the need to be better at 1 specific pose or aspect of my practice or be somewhere I am not at that point in time and allowed myself to watch myself unfold in the practice as I was.

After all isn't that why we practice in the first place? To want to keep coming back to the mat, to keep connecting to who we are today and to love our body, mind and spirit just the way they are. The Yoga practice guarantees a sense of renewal, calm energy and a loving connection in body, mind and spirit - provided we practice it without competitiveness and a high quality of presence.