This way you get two kinds into one; one side is HOT & Spicy broth with red chili peppers floating; the other side is the Vegetarian mushroom broth delicately flavored – EARTHY but LIGHT – no those red stuff is not chili peppers but Gogi berries floating about. Chinese style hot pot … what’s Japanese style hot pot? It’s a little different – depending on the family, place of origin …your personal preferences. What are we talking about ? Hot pots?
First time visiting – my kind of place !!!
Sun Salutation Wrap !!! Yum!
Srivatsa Ramaswami was a direct student of late Krishnamacharya (known as father of modern yoga) for over 30 years. Other than Krishnamacharya’s son, TKV Desikachar, Ramaswami is probably one of the oldest students, outside of Krishnamacharya’s family. In one of the workshops “Yoga for Internal Organs”, I had the luck of attending, Ramaswami commented how there are people who embrace practice of meditation only and feel no need for other more physical movement based practice, but he says, “it’s both”. You need both. AND true yoga practice is just that – most people associate yoga with just pretzel poses but that’s just one of eight limbs – meditation and pranayama practice is just as important and should be weaved into that “yoga” practice of our’s. Here’s some definitions straight from Wikipedia on Neuroplasticity … which is about how we are empowered to heal and regenerate ourselves – Yoga can play a big part in that process, I am learning.
Meditation
A number of studies have linked meditation practice to differences in cortical thickness or density of gray matter. One of the most well-known studies to demonstrate this was led by Sara Lazar, from Harvard University, in 2000. Richard Davidson, a neuroscientist at the University of Wisconsin, has led experiments in cooperation with the Dalai Lama on effects of meditation on the brain. His results suggest that long-term, or short-term practice of meditation results in different levels of activity in brain regions associated with such qualities as attention, anxiety, depression, fear, anger, the ability of the body to heal itself, and so on. These functional changes may be caused by changes in the physical structure of the brain.Fitness and exercise
Aerobic exercise promotes adult neurogenesis by increasing the production of neurotrophic factors (compounds which promote the growth or survival of neurons), such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), insulin-like growth factor, and vascular endothelial growth factor. Exercise-induced neurogenesis in the hippocampus is associated with measurable improvements in spatial memory.Consistent aerobic exercise over a period of several months induces marked clinically significant improvements in executive function (i.e., the “cognitive control” of behavior) and increased gray matter volume in multiple brain regions, particularly those which give rise to cognitive control.The brain structures that show the greatest improvements in gray matter volume in response to aerobic exercise are the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus;moderate improvements seen in the anterior cingulate cortex, parietal cortex, cerebellum, caudate nucleus, and nucleus accumbens.Higher physical fitness scores (measured by VO2 max) are associated with better executive function, faster processing speed, and greater volume of the hippocampus, caudate nucleus, and nucleus accumbens.
– excerpt from wikipedia
I am so in awe of YOGA because the practice in so many different styles covers both: the need for stillness as well as need for movement – both yielding the benefit of meditation when you engage in yoga. Yoga does not fix any particular disease, illness or a condition; BUT the person engaged in the practice of yoga changes – the PERSON, the practitioner changes – it’s not a cure of the condition but … it’s getting to the person; not the illness. It’s not a prescription – but healing that’s self-generated … in short, it’s a discovery of yourself as a healer of self and then … the world around you. You are the healer when you listen to your inner wisdom and connect to the higher self.
Like many of us, perhaps there were many excesses during the holiday season? Did you have one too many chocolate kisses? A slice of or an extra slice of that special cake ? Rich foods you normally pass up – did you make an exception last week because it’s … the holiday season ? Did your yoga practice or exercise program get off the track because … it’s the holiday season? It’s a celebration feast or you were traveling or … you had out of town guests? They are all valid reasons/excuses … it was the holiday season ! We are lucky to even have this “problem” as sadly, unlike the reports in the mainstream, many had another kind of a problem – a bit of hunger, yes, in USA, supposedly the richest country in the world.
So for the lucky ones who truly experienced if not the spiritual, at least the physical “abundance”, we come back to the mat, the studios, the gyms, the tracks, the weights … with all kind of New Years Resolution – most typically to lead a more healthy lifestyle and on the superficial level, to many lucky ones who got to indulge (I did not say gluttony!) – that means – weight loss.
In that vein, it is noted that if you slip into the excesses, the binges, the let go and eat whatever comes your way during the last 30+ days, most are feeling a bit of “guilt” and go into shaking off that guilt by setting unrealistic New Years Resolution. Guilt is not a good way to start the year – Let go of Guilt, Shame, Fear …
To lose weight – isn’t it simple ? You exercise more and you eat less. Simple, No? Actually No. You can eat more and exercise “right” with intelligence … That “exercise” does not just mean mindless workouts but a work-in to better balance the nervous system and the hormones, glands/chemicals in our body – and for our internal organs to function with more effectiveness and efficiently to keep disease at bay. Seemingly counter-intuitive, yoga style such as Restorative Yoga actually aids in weight management as another name for this style is called a “Rest & Digest” yoga and it’s about not only digesting in a physical sense but in a psychic sense as well … No surprise, I lost 10 lbs once I was doing regular restorative practice – Before, I was burning enough calories and I was eating less calories but … Our body is not based on simple arithmetic of calorie count – it’s more complicated. We are each, complicated but the solution is surprisingly … simple.
So … one thing we do want to do is give our digestion a little break – meaning, it’s been worked to overdrive during the holiday season to digest digest and eliminate and your GIT is a bit … tired. In fact, so tired from the irregularity from travels or excesses from indulging and no longer functioning to digest optimally nor eliminate properly. It’s like after too much partying, one is … tired. Let’s give our GIT a little break the first 2 weeks of 2016. It’s in the Japanese tradition as well to PAUSE 7 days after the New Year by cleansing the system by eating a very simple plain food, “Nanakusagayu” – seven herbs porridge…
It’s not dieting but cleansing… so difficult living in the regular world where “celebration” is synonymous with eating – nothing wrong with that as long as it’s truly nourishing. EAT, Eat, eat … it’s okay after pressing that PAUSE button. Then that REFRESH button.
Apparently Americans on the average gain 5-10 lbs during the holiday season – gasp ! And as I fearfully got on the scale I had avoided, I am an “average” – from 116lb to 121lbs. I am so … normal? I indulged in MOCHI too much … it shows.
So … what to do?
Exploring how to do it without losing my energy and level of activity…
or some might say, “sense of humor”:)
Researching. Just cutting out refined white sugar and any kind of meat may have to do for now.
Kushi’s Macrobiotic-ish meals to start as soon as I finish these wonderful biscotti baked by a student.
Barbara’s Biscotti, Bravo Biscotti is delicious … sharing:)
Thank you Barbara for such a sweet gift ! Your Biscotti is delicious. I love the scent of cinnamon – such a treat.
Thank you !
Reminded, cleansing and purifying is not about austerity but … nourishing and loving everything that was made with love and care – which includes none other than …YOU. When food is made with love and care, it’s all good.
The energy in bedded in that food is that of … love and care. How could it not be …
GOOD.
photos to follow …