प्रण Prana is the unique subtle phenomenon that lies deep within all living beings that gives and promotes the energetic expression in life. It's much more than extracting energy from the food we eat and the air we breath as you can fill a dead body up with this things and nothing will happen yet we are the essence of our diet and mental persona in a mystic exchange of our external environment with our internal physiological make up. Prana enters mainly through the forms of water, food and air as our bodies extract the nutrients, minerals, and oxygen that are needed to sustain life. It seems in modern day many things are happening all at once (is this not the era of instant internet and cell phone gratification) and the nervous system is bombarded with objects that pull the senses outward thus disturbing the even flow of the pranic energies within. Prana has the tendency to flow where your attention goes and if awreness is directed mostly inward prana will remain calm and even though as attenion is pulled outward it becomes something more irregular and superficial known as vata. This is the case in which prana looses its deep roots within the body and the vata qualities of mobility, lightness, and clearness express themselves as poor memory, spaceyness, and unfortunatly fear. As a side note, think, how many people do you know really have a great memory.



The practice of pranayama is to stretch one's prana bringing it from the superficial level to the subtlest levels of the tissues and to find some kind of control over its flow and possible tendency to become vata. In order to stretch your prana the breath must be elongated and slowed and with awareness directed inward, bringing the outer reality into an inner feeling. This can be experienced by completely empting the lungs of air and focusing the awareness about 9 inches from the nostrils, slowly inhale bringing the awareness along with oxygen from the nose inward to about 2 inches behind the naval. To exhale, reverse the path by slowly following the breath from the naval to a point 9 inches from the nostrils. Start with 5 minutes and increase to 15 minutes with the consistency of practice.

Breathing is both a conscious and unconsious act and will have a direct effect on the flow the prana takes. Like increases like and the quality and pace of breath have a unique relationship with the activity of the mind. Simplcity simply starts with being simple and in my simple opinion, a simple mind is a proundlt inspiring mind.

Ojas is the very essence of a human body, which is the end product of all ingested food. It gives strength to both the immune and reproductive systems, which in return produces the qualities of love and compassion as well as creativity or laziness, attachment and dullness if poorly nourished. According to ayurveda it takes 40 days for each ingested meal to become mature ojas that flows within the general circulation, though certain substances such as milk, saffron, and ghee have a special affinity toward directly supporting ojas shorty after its consumption. Ojas is usually depleted when an individual has undergone tremendous physical exertion, excessive sex, insomnia, or general negative distractions of the mind.

Simple practices that develop strong healthy ojas are as follows:

1) Singing in the shower every morning has a special influence toward rasa dhatu which is the precursor for kapha dosha. Ojas is the essence of kapha dosha which is predominately the elements of earth and water and is created from rasa dhatu. Rasa can be translated as juice, sap, melody, or fluid. Thus as you bath every morning let yourself sing a juicy sappy melody while in the environment of so much water the soul is nurtured and harmonized.

2) Every night before bed drink a glass of warm milk with saffron, if vegan or lactose intolerant substitute almond milk. If you take triphala wait at least one hour to drink. Milk is considered the ojas of a cow and are one of the few animals that derive pleasure from being milked. Milk, saffron and almonds act directly on ojas and help strengthen immunity and induces sound sleep.

Put these into practice if so desired, learn from personal experience from what works and what doesn't then adjust to what your body needs.

It's hard to believe that it's already been over a month since my arrival here in Skagway and it's even more interesting to believe that I've worn a jacket everyday since I've been here considering it simmering at 90-100 degrees in most parts of the world (35-40 degrees for the Celsius users). My days are spent tending to the needs of tourist who infiltrate the 20 blocks of Skagway and I'm constantly reminded that loving your neighbor is easier said than done. One of the most unusual encounters that I've been having on a somewhat regular basis is that certain travelers will say they're from a state such as Kentucky and then imply that its a state in the United States of America. From the time I've spent here thus far it's easy to say that Alaska doesn't feel like the rest of the lower 48 and though Skagway is only 20 miles from the border it's far from feeling like Canada, it's a beast all its own.

The word ayurveda is mostly a mystery to the towns 810 residence, which is a reminder that this great science is still hidden from plenty of the western world. Change is difficult but creating something new in daily life is profound and from simple alterations according to the ayurvedic perspective unique things will unfold. Thus my next seris of blogs will elaborate over simple practices that I have found from my personal experience to be of great benefit. So, stay tuned and for the time being be happy. Hari om and amen.

Here again

Trying to update readers of this blog on life of the past six months in this unusual year will take much time and far too many adjectives to create any kind of enjoyment from reading my thoughts and actions. Thus, I shall highlight the themes and adventures of the first half of 2010 AD in a dense bit-size version of anything interesting that has occurred and holds the possibility of bringing a smile or chuckle to the reader's reality.

After sitting in an attentive but at times mentally delirious half lotus posture before Dr. Vasant Lad and the great teachers at the Ayurvedic Institute I have earned the right to call myself a graduate. New Mexico has a special relationship with the ether unlike any other place I've been, the quirky town of Albuquerque has more opportunities for spiritual expansion than may seem upon first glance. We sat in the Lakota sweat lodge as poured by Mr. Steven Bluehorse, drank ghee and castor oil, purified water with cow dung ash, attempted 1000 rounds of kapalabati on a daily basis, read jyotish charts, and attempted to understand the language of sanskrit all while maintaining the trademark Ayurvedic meal, Kitchari.

During the spring travels took me westward to Sedona and Flagstaff then to San Diego to Encinitas to Los Angeles back south to Carlsbad and returning to Albuquerque on I-10. All places unique in their own right and highly recommended with the exception of L.A if you haven't traveled to them already. After completion of my studies at the Institute I headed north to Santa Fe for a trip down the Rio Grande in a rubber raft with fellow students then continued another 65 miles north to Taos for a visit with Hanumanji at the Neem Karoli Baba Temple and a few days of camping in the Taos ski valley (once again, highly recommended, free and open to the public) before returning to the Querque. After accepting a seasonal job I have transplanted yet again and am calling Skagway, Alaska my temporary site of residence while joining my friend and colleague Jose Pomalles. We have settled in a cozy cabin six miles outside of town with no running water or modern plumbing but spectacular views (pictures possibly coming soon). The excursion into town is either a bike ride through the mountains or the classic hitchhike, which has proven to be the best way to meet the most kindest and interesting people in the area. The sun here never sets or rises and my Floridian bones are slowly adjusting to the chill weather as this is my first summer I've had to wear a jacket in July.

Please check back soon. I'll be posting upcoming workshops on Ayurveda and related subjects. More to come when the stars deem it appropriate. Till then......be well.

प्रण तेजस ओजस Prana Tejas Ojas

स्थिरासुखामासनाम

sthirasuhkamasanam

Asana is the perfect balanace between firmness and ease.

The depth of this sutra can be talked about and contemplated for years and still can change into new meanings over the course of its examination. Whether you're sitting in padmasana, savasana corpse pose or sitting in the drivers seat this sutra applies. Prana is the pure essence of vata dosha, the energetic life force, the electric current which is taken from our external environment and brought within our organism in order to continue the walk of life. Tejas is the essence of pitta dosha, the shinning light of our intellect, the pure aspect of inner transformation and the energy that converts all sensory input into knowledge. Ojas is not only the essence of kapha dosha but the essence of all bodily tissue, the substance that creates new life and protect life as our immune system.

Ojas follows prana and when the senses are directed outward our ojas leaves with it. This dilemma is a result of our conditioning and a disconnection from the great source of energy and immunity within. The fifth limb of Patanjali's ashtanga yoga system is pratyahara, sense withdrawal, the answer for proper cultivation of prana, tejas, and ojas and the door for the great journey inside the body, mind, soul trinity. Pranayama cultivates prana, meditation kindles tejas, and samadhi grows ojas. Now the sutra from above becomes vital to the health and natural development of a well functioning body, mind, spirit trinity. When your posture becomes cleansed and purified while upholding a firm foundation in strength and a spirit of ease fills the cells the body becomes inwardly driven. Prana looses its outward momentum and keeps ojas from leaking and oozing while the brilliance of tejas is kindled, all strengthening the vitality and vigour of the organism.

So much philosophy for such a terse and simple sutra. The beginning is observation and the observation is posture. The posture is the balance of being grounded and free. The balance brings the movement to the inner phenomenon. The inner world is where your prana, tejas, and ojas gives you the essence needed to do your dharma, your purpose on this planet.

Mental Ama

View of the Sandia Mountains from my neighborhood here in Alburquerque.


इर्षा क्रोध भय शोक मनास्यामा प्रवर्तते




When ama is in the mind there will be fear, anger, and grief





According to Ayurveda ama is a raw, undigested, morbid, toxic substance that is a result from a previously disturbed dosha or the inability to completly digest food and experience. This substance further leads the body into lethargy, confusion, and the preliminary stages of disease. Having a sluggish digestive system is in many ways the root cause of the numerous problems our body comes into contact with, which can be avoided by a balancing diet and lifestyle. On a more subtle level, slow mental digestion is the root cause of many unresolved emotions and psychological disorders. In the sutra above, the unresolved emotions or sensory experiences will breed fear for the vata individual, anger for the pitta individual, and grief for the kapha all accumulating in their relative organs. A thought needs to be digested and processed just as food needs to be metabolized and utilized for energy and nourishment. When this fails to happen the undigested experience manifest as ama in areas of the body where the immune system is weak, which is known as a khavaigunya. How is this problem approached and how is it resolved? Awareness. Pain, sadness, heartbreak, anger, fear, grief as well as happiness, pleasure, excitement are to be experienced in the light of awareness. To watch emotions rise and fall, to be fully present within your suffering and sorrow is the challenge but healing grace of ayurveda. Be the silent watcher of emotions, not reacting with attachment to a feeling but to fully experience it for what it is and let it leave on its own accord. The exhalation needs to be fully utilized, just as one wouldn't urinate half the amount of urine one should let all digested experience leave with the out breath. By this awareness a new reality dawns and the anger, fear, and grief of emotion looses its grip and can just be seen as the passing clouds within the clarity of the sky.

Karma

Our bodies are truly a unique expression of the universal consciousness which is known as Purusha and our existence as a person is the highest expression of this Divine reality. Thus our past actions and desires become the reason we're all here in this present moment and the understanding of karma will expand our consciousness to better navigate within this current situation.

The are three main types of karma that should be realized and understood which are Sanchita, Prarabdha, and Kriyamana. Sanchita karma is the accumulation of all past actions within this life and all lives previous that are stored in our causal body, asthi dahtu, or our skeleton. These karmas are both known and unknown and are in essence fated to be experienced, which may be painful or non-painful. Prarabdha are the karmas which are ripe and ready to be expressed in this lifetime. Just as Newton's law of physics states that every action has an equal and positive reaction Prarabdha karma is the result or reaction according to our past action(s). Kriyamana are the karma(s) presently being created. The illustration of the rice harvest brought to the storehouse is Sanchita Karma and the portion of that rice which is used to cook and eat is Prarabdha while Kriyamana is that which is being planted for a future harvest.

People that come into our lives for what ever reason(s) is the fructification of Prarabdha karma. We ask ourselves, "why do I feel like I've know this person my whole life" when in reality they have just entered your current life for the first time? Our karmic relationship to our surrounding is a reaction to something that occurred previous to this life. A relationship may ease the intensity of your current state of suffering or unfortunately add to it but in essence when paths cross with other people it was meant and needed to happen. The crossing of paths at times last longer than other relationships and when an encounter with an individual comes to its inevitable end notice any attachment to that situation and let the river of reality take it away. The yogi doesn't try to change the present expression of karma but flows with the current of reality. Our karmas need to be experienced in one way or another and by letting them run their course in our life without fighting is a closer step towards greater freedom. Being aware of our actions, understanding our environment, and staying calm within the storm of our karma is the practice of yoga. Embrace your suffering, know it as karma and let true awareness become the teacher.