Fall is vata season and a season of transition from the hot, bright and extroverted summer months to the cooler and more internalizing autumn months. The qualities of fall are similar to the qualities of vata dosha, which makes this an important time to care for and balance vata dosha which may easily go out of balance during this season, or during the transition to fall (rtu-sandhi).
Author Archives: greencompassion
Meditation and the Path of Integration
“Meditation is not something that can be expressed in words. It must be directly experienced in one’s life.” “Dhyana means absorption. It is the art of self-study, reflection, keen observation and search for the infinite within. It is the observation of the physical processes of the body, study of the mental states and profound contemplation.Continue reading “Meditation and the Path of Integration”
Healthy Sleep through Ayurveda and Yoga
“Happiness and unhappiness, nourishment and emaciation, strength and debility, sexual prowess and impotence, knowledge and ignorance, life and death—all are dependent on sleep.” – Ashtanga Hrydayam – verse 53, Sutra Staana
Sleep (nidra) is one of the three pillars of health in Ayurveda along with Brahmacharya (lifestyle), and Ahara (nutrition). Good quality sleep during the optimum time and of optimum duration is essential to maintaining sound health.
What is healthy sleep? According to Ayurveda, healthy sleep is one that occurs during the proper time, for a proper duration, and most importantly that one feels rested, refreshed, clear and with balanced energy upon waking. Sleep has primarily two stages: deep sleep and sleep with dreams. Deep sleep is needed for the body to feel refreshed and nourished. Dreams are also important for the processing of impressions and memory and for the subconscious mind to express itself. Dreams may also give us insight into what is going on, emotionally, and spiritually which is usually under the surface of our conscious mind, but it is in deep sleep that we truly let go. Deep sleep has been likened to the state of samadhi in which the subject and object are merged into one, except for in deep sleep there is a lack of consciousness of this state.
Ahimsa in Asana
“If the practice of today damages the practice of tomorrow it is not correct practice.” BKS Iyengar, Page 50, Light on Life Early in my practice I injured my hamstring at the attachment by over-stretching. Although I was able to do the asana (from the outside) to some extent, my sensitivity and awareness had notContinue reading “Ahimsa in Asana”
Common Sense + Viveka + Compassion: A Zen Yogi’s Response to a Diseased Planet
Climate crisis, gun violence, racism, sexism, nuclear weapons, deep corruption in the leaders of our world, selfishness, shortsightedness, greed, ignorance. How can a yogi or any person respond? One way is by waking up and by developing common sense and viveka — to see clearly. The Buddha taught that that there is no “sin” as it is taught in some religions, “the root of all evil is ignorance (avidya) and false views” (What the Buddha taught, Walpola Rahula p.3).
life and practice 