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Mind Body Messenger
Issue #27, August 2005
Keeping Up With Heather…
I have just returned from an evening with Amma, and had to share with you my experience. Amma is a living saint from India who occasionally visits Toronto to offer satsang (spiritual gathering) and a beautiful darshan (blessing) in the form of a hug. Amma is known worldwide as “The Hugging Saint”, and to her devotees as “Mother”. She is said to have hugged in excess of 20 million people thus far in her life. Amma’s gift to the world is her tireless efforts to bring peace, love, and compassion to all people. She has built schools, hospitals, shelters and orphanages. She helps to feed, clothe, teach and provide support to men, women and children in her many humanitarian projects. But, most importantly she helps to spread the message of love in all that she does. Amma’s message is simple, “Love is the basis of the universe”. So, it is with gratitude that I share with you the message of Amma. In the next few newsletters I will share quotes, stories, and inspirational messages from the talk, which I attended. I do hope you enjoy them, and I look forward to hearing your feedback and reflections. If you would like to learn more about Amma, please visit www.amma.org
How are we ‘running’ our lives?
A man rushing from work boards a train bound for home. When it
leaves the station he begins running from one end of the car to
the other. Over and over he runs back and forth through the carriage
panting and sweating. Finally, someone approaches the man and asks
him, “why are you running back and forth on this train?”
The man answers, “I am late getting home, I have to hurry.”
This is the same as how we go through our lives. The train will
not go any faster just because you are running and panting and sweating.
Why not just sit back and enjoy the ride?
On Tension…
80% of illnesses today are a result of too much tension. How do
we heal tension? If you cut your hand, will looking at it heal the
cut? We need medicine to heal a cut. Medicine can come in many forms.
Love is the greatest medicine. And, meditation is the path to love
and healing.
On Education…
There is an increase in mental health problems especially in children, who take on their parents’ tension. The educational system doesn’t teach us to know ourselves. Our educational system should teach us how to deal with tension, and how to understand our world and understand the nature of our mind. Meditate…know your true nature.
On Spirituality…
What is spirituality? It is the way you learn to live peacefully and happily in the world. Cultivate spiritual understanding to have a happy worldly life. For instance, if you study the ocean and spend time with the ocean, you can play in the waves without fear.
On Mind Mastery…
With remote controls, cars, microwaves, our bodies are more and more at rest (sedentary) but our minds are restless. Instead of holding the remote control to the television, keep the remote control of your mind in your hand at all times.
Thoughts On…
Always remember that when dusk arrives, it already has the child of dawn in its womb. Darkness cannot remain for long. When it is time, dawn will surely break out and shine.
To be really focused on God is to be fully and absolutely in the
present moment, forgetting the past and the future. That alone is
real prayer.
Don’t let your life got o waste by being a slave to your mind! Don’t barter away a priceless jewel for a piece of candy.
Amma – The Mother
Your Words, Your Wisdom
Hi Heather , I have just read your delightful article on Yoga in
Everyday Life but with it's beginnings of revelation in horse riding.
I just had to write to tell you that I had had exactly the same
experience, although in a more humble context. My daughter has long
been a keen horse rider and kept encouraging me (her 49 year old
Mum with NO riding experience at all) to learn to ride- she would
teach me. We started the lessons and despite some initial nervousness,
I just seemed to 'naturally' use my (limited) experience of Yoga
classes to relax and blend into a balance with the horse. I was
able to soften the reins, keep an erect but relaxed posture, look
to where I was going and 'go with the flow.' As lessons progressed
and we went out trail riding, my daughter was quite proud of my
achievements - trot, canter, gallop- even some little jumps. Other
friends we go riding with have said You're a natural! No I'm not
at all, but Yoga has definitely provided me with an understanding
of body and mind. If I'm feeling tense, I know the horse will pick
up this energy and also get tense, If I am anxious about going down
steep slopes. I consciously try and relax, and I'm sure my horse
is grateful that I let him do what he's best at!! So thanks for
your article it was just 'spot on' for me, Cheers, Jayne
(‘From Slapshot to Sadhana’ can be viewed and downloaded from www.yogainaustralia.com, and while you are there, why not take part in the first ever survey of Yoga in Australia!)
A Bulk of News on…Fibre
Don’t flush this newsletter yet, we are just getting started
on a very important discussion that can help you boost your health,
improve vitality, and add to your “regular” health
maintenance program.
What is fibre?
Fibre is the indigestible parts of plant or grain material that
moves through our system as a kind or organic “pipe cleaner”.
As fibre moves through the system it takes away toxins, waste matter,
and can help to protect against dis-harmony and dis-ease in the
digestive and elimination systems.
What’s the difference between soluble and insoluble fibre?
Soluble fibre is found in fruit, vegetables and legumes, providing
some nutrition and some bulk. Insoluble fibre is found in grain
products. Both kinds of fibre are essential for good health, so
it is important to get a wide variety of whole grains, fruits, vegetables
and legumes in your diet every week.
What’s so good about fibre? I’m glad you asked.
• Fibre prevents diseases of the colon like diverticulitis and colon cancer.
Lowers blood lipid levels.
Prevents some types of heart disease.
Lowers the GI (glycemic index) of many foods and may assist in stabilizing blood sugar.
Most high fibre foods suffer less processing, contain less fat, less transfatty acids, and contain more nutrients and phytochemicals essential for good health.
A good fibre intake can reduce abdominal bloating and release
toxins and wastes from the intestinal tract that promote bloating,
gas, difficulty digesting, and irregularity.
So, what to do to get more fibre in your diet?
Enjoy an array of:
• Fresh salads mixed with of dark leafy greens, and topped with higher fibre vegetables like broccoli, snow peas, and carrots.
Whole grains such as whole brown rice, spelt bread, bran muffins and oatmeal. Remember to avoid the ‘instant’ varieties, as they contain much less fibre, as well as much fewer nutrients.
Legumes such as chick peas, lentils and kidney beans. Use them to top salads and soups, or enjoy in the form of hummus or dahl.
Fresh fruits like apples, pears, and peaches eaten with the peels.
Cut your grapefruit like an orange rather than slicing and scooping, you will get more grapefruit, and more fibre.
Add a sprinkle of nuts to your soups and salads for a protein and fibre boost.
Eat your potatoes with the skins on, they retain more nutrients and the skins contain the majority of fibre.
Better yet, instead of regular potatoes, try roasting or mashing
turnips, sweet potatoes and parsnips instead.
Fibre Booster:
Psyllium husk is the best fibre supplement that I have found to date. It is the hull of the psyllium plant, and contains no nutritional qualities, it just acts to expand in your system and flush out toxins and debris, and promote regularity. It is not a laxative, and does not have any adverse side effects. However, it must be accompanied by a regular daily water intake of 8 glasses. If you take psyllium when dehydrated it can have a constipating effect. Psyllium can be found in most health food stores, and is great mixed in your morning shake, stirred into some juice or water or sprinkled on cereal.
For a more intensive fibre supplement, please see your natural health care practitioner for options that best suit you.
SuperBran Muffins
An ideal breakfast or snack food that contains 6.2 grams of fibre,
is low in fat, and mighty satisfying! This recipe makes a huge batch
of 24 muffins, which refrigerate or freeze well.
Ingredients:
5 cups organic wheat or light spelt flour
5 ½ cups 100% Bran or All Bran cereal
1 ½ cups brown sugar
1 cup chopped raisins or dates
1 tbsp baking soda
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
4 cups buttermilk (or 2 cups unflavoured soy milk & 2 cups yogurt)
1 cup applesauce or mashed banana
4 organic free range eggs
Preparations:
Line 24 muffin tins. Combine all dry ingredients in one large bowl.
Mix together all wet ingredients and then stir into dry ingredients
until moistened. Do not overmix. Spoon batter into muffin cups all
the way to the top. Bake at 375 (190) for 25-30 minutes or until
golden. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy!
Note: batter can be stored in the fridge for a few days and baked
as needed.
Yoga For Mind and Body
Part of an ongoing series offering yoga postures for men, women,
and children to practice at home, school, on the road or in the
office. With special thanks to Ross Pottinger of Wink Photo Design
in Brisbane, Australia for the photos and the support in this project.
And many thanks to Louisa Dick for taking part in the project. Do
check with your health care practitioner before beginning a yoga
practice. Many postures are not suitable for pregnant women, people
with joint replacements, those with hypertension or other medical
conditions. If you have a posture that you would like to see in
this column, I welcome your suggestions. Namaste, H
 To Begin: Lie on your belly with legs stretched flat on the ground, engaging the inner lines of your legs to bring feet and knees together. Place your hands under your lower ribs with middle finger facing forward
 The
Pose: Slowly inhale and lift up through your chin and chest
to create a sweeping arc through your back without putting weight
in your hands. Your legs and feet should remain grounded as you
gently arch your back, expand your chest and lift up through breastbone
and the tops of your ears. Be sure to keep your abdominal muscles
drawing into your spine to support. To release slowly roll back
down onto the ground and follow with the child pose.
 To
Intensify: Separate the legs to parallel for Raja Bhujangasana,
follow the same movements as above, but when you reach your maximal
stretch, you may then press into your hands to lift up until just
the hip bones remain on the ground. For even more intensity, you
may bring your toes in to touch your head. Throughout this pose
you must breath deeply into side and back ribs, and maintain a supportive
belly.
Breathing: Hold the pose for 5 deep
breaths. Try to encourage the breath into the back ribs instead
of the belly so that you can maintain the strength of your belly
as a support.
Focus: Focus your gaze on the tip
of your nose, or on the point between the eyebrows.
Cautions: Keep your shoulders moving
down into the back and elbows close to sides. To reduce compression
or hyper-extension in the lower back and fully engage the posture,
imagine that you are lifting up from the front, back and sides of
the body, like a cobra would.
Benefits: Strengthens spine, improves spinal flexibility, reduces low back pain, boosts immune system, promotes alertness of the mind.
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