 |
|||
|
|||
 |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||
|
I went to a women’s forum a few years ago and the
keynote speaker was a woman that ran the Geriatric
Center of Phoenixville Hospital. It is amazing just
how much you can learn from the seniors of this
world. It just takes some time and a good ear. She
spoke about a ‘happiness and good health study’ that
they were unofficially conducting at the hospital. In
the hospital’s study of the seniors that were in their
center, they found that the individuals had family and
friends come to visit were the ones that were getting
better, feeling better and happier over all. In all the
studies on happiness and good health, hundreds that
are still underway, it has been found across the
board to be the same result that the Phoenixville
Hospital had found to be true. And in many of these
studies, not only are people healthier when they are
happy, but they are living longer too!
I proudly worked for Stiffel Senior Center in South Philadelphia for over three years. I was there in- house art teacher! What wonderful memories I have of working with the lovely men and women that were members of the center, as well as the hardworking staff. I learned very quickly that one of the secrets to staying healthier, as you get older, was to be happy as much as you can, for as long as you can. If someone had an illness they were fighting or a misfortune of a fall they spoke very little about it. And all the words focused on the fact that they were getting better, day-by-day. As my boyfriend, Michael, would say, “the less drama in your life, the better off you are.” It doesn’t take long for the mind to hear all the good thoughts you send it and get the body working hard to get that person feeling better. I watched it happen all the time. And, sadly, some of the members that kept dwelling on their misfortunes, creating more internal drama, were not healing as well or as quickly. But the center was and is a wonderful place for seniors to go and enjoy each other’s company. The members looked forward to the trip to the center each day and knew that many people expected to see them. That connectedness is worth more than gold I believe! In yoga teachings, there is much said about our
internal dialogue. The concept is very simple. When
you think about yourself in a negative way, your mind
conjures the thought, it is heard and then it is filed
away in your mind. But when you say something
negative about yourself your mind thinks it first, then
it is spoken, then it is heard, processed and filed. A
lot more damage is done. The same can be true for
positive thinking and even better, positive dialogue
about you. One of the healthiest things you can do
it surround yourself with people that respect and love
you for who you are. They will fill your mind with
positive thoughts about you. But this positive
dialogue needs to start with you. An easy way of
doing this is to focus on one positive thought each
day or each week that you repeat over and over in
your head, anytime you remember. Someone once
told me it takes doing something 21 times to make it
a habit. Well, look at how happy you will be about
who you are when you have just said a positive
thought about yourself for one month! You won’t
just be happier; you will also be healthier for it!
That’s the least expensive medicine I know for good
health! It’s worth a try.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||
|
Couples are always finding themselves getting busier
and busier, not having any time for one another.
This can be a tragedy in a relationship that, if not
reversed, can lead to each partner growing further
apart. Couples yoga is a wonderful way to reconnect
in your relationship or marriage. You can’t even
imagine all that you take home from just a few
classes of yoga with your partner. Many couples
that take yoga together feel very connected to and
supported by their partner. The trust level between
the two individuals increases and they learn to help
one another physically and mentally throughout the
yoga session. They are also learning to be healthier
together. What more can you ask for?
The postures that you practice in couple’s yoga mostly involve a physical connection. These connections could include holding hands, sitting or standing back-to-back or foot-to-foot and many others. All of the postures that are practiced in couple’s yoga are classical yoga postures. So, they may be familiar to one or both of the partners, if they have taken yoga before. If only one partner is familiar with classical yoga postures and the other is a beginner, it may be a good idea to take a couples class or private couples yoga instead of going it alone at home. This way, one partner isn’t telling the other what to do, therefore possibly creating dominance. It is also much more relaxing, in most cases, to have someone else lead you through the postures instead of being responsible for creating a series by yourself. After just a few professional classes with an instructor, it will become much easier for both partners to translate what they have learned to a home-based couples practice. But, if you would rather enjoy yoga in the comfort of
your home and there are no private yoga instructors
that will come to your house, there are helpful
products out there that can aid you and your
partner. One of these products is “OM Yoga in a Box
for Couples” ($24.95) by Cyndi Lee (a famous yoga
instructor with a studio in NYC). You can pick it up
at any bookstore. If you are both beginners and are
willing to start from home, this can be a wonderful
way to work with each other and problem solve your
way through each posture. It will definitely bring you
closer together. It kind of reminds me of those
crazy ‘reality TV shows’ that are popping
everywhere. In some of the shows, the couples work
together to reach a goal, inevitably bringing them
closer together. Well, couples yoga will do the same
thing, but in a very healthy and –key word here-
relaxing way!
Now what’s all this talk about yoga & chocolate? When you read Yoga Beans’ section on the ‘food of the month’, you will know what chocolate can do for the body. Chocolate contains a compound called Phenylethylamine, which is an antidepressant, and it makes you feel as though you are in love. Some couples yoga classes and retreats now incorporate eating chocolate before you practice your yoga. It has been shown to help bring a couple together on a very spiritual and sensual level, heightening bodily awareness in a way that other foods don’t do. If you haven’t found a way to ‘sweeten up’ your relationship, this may be the answer! Chocolate has also found its way into spas and salons around the country! The detoxing compounds in chocolate (especially dark chocolate) have been infiltrating spas and salons with their use in facials, body wraps, chocolate soak baths, and many other treatments. What a great Valentine’s Day or birthday gift idea for a chocolate lover or a great addition to a vacation. In the section below you will find many chocolate companies that carry fair trade and organic chocolate. You can feel good about these choices physically and mentally! |
||
|
|
||
|
As we know from Yoga Bean’s November newsletter,
fair trade is an organized social movement which
promotes equitable standards for international labor,
environmentalism and social policy in areas related to
the production of labelled and unlabelled goods,
which may range from handcrafts to agricultural
commodities. The movement focuses, in particular, on
exports from developing countries to developed
countries.
Fair trade's strategic intent is to deliberately work with marginalized producers and workers in order to help them move from a position of vulnerability to security and economic self-sufficiency. It also aims at empowering them to become stakeholders in their own organizations and actively play a wider role in the global arena to achieve greater equity in international trade. Definition from Wikipedia, 2006, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_trade. So, essentially, what they are saying here is that fair
trade is literally that-a fair and good trade for the
money. It is also helping countries that are
economically vulnerable to become self-sufficient,
therefore increasing the economic, environmental,
and social health of the globe, not just our little
section of it!
We can do our part to help continue this positive social movement by spending our money on items in the fair trade market. One of the first fair trade items sold was chocolate! Listed below you will find some very good examples of fair trade chocolates that you can indulge in and enjoy! A very effective website that will give you great information on fair trade is http://www.coopamerica.org/programs/fairtrade . Okay, here are the fair trade chocolate companies with very high ratings for taste, quality, and sound environmental and economic practices. Ithaca Fine Chocolate www.ith acafinechocolates.com erika@ithacafinechocolates.com (Chocolate and art come together) The first fair trade certified chocolate company in the US. They use all organic ingredients AND each chocolate bar features an art reproduction on a card inside every wrapper! Endangered Species Chocolate www.chocolate bar.com info@chocolatebar.com 800-293-0160 Each year they contribute 10% of their net proceeds, of their ethically traded, organic products, to a variety of organizations that aggressively aid the survival of threatened and endangered animals. They buy their shade-grown cocoa from small family- owned properties while helping to sustain the habitats and communities they are in. Dagoba Chocolate www.dagob achocolate.com 800-393-6075 All of their ingredients are non-irradiated, non-gmo and organic. They are a fair trade/sustainable crop company that work with farmers directly. After you read the list of their awards, you will not drought what an exceptional company this is. Awards: 2003 Worlds Best Chocolate (CNN/Money) 2005 Best Flavored Organic Chocolate (Time Magazine) 2005 Tastemaker Award (Food & Wine Magazine) 2005 Best Dark Chocolate (San Francisco Chronicle) 2005 Green Power Leadership Award 2005 Socially Responsible Business Award Below is an interesting chocolate company that connects chocolate with yoga and charkas. They also run couples yoga retreats. Vosges Haut Chocolate www.vosge schocolate.com 888-301-9866 They are not the most ‘green’ of the grouping but they are quite unique in their use of flavors and their chocolate and yoga connections. This company actually has a “Yoga –Chocolate Chakra Gift Box” that you can check out. The Vosges Haut-Chocolat mission is to create a luxury chocolate experience rooted in a sensory journey of bringing about awareness to indigenous cultures through the exploration of spices, herbs, roots, flowers, fruits, nuts, chocolate and the obscure. Some of the flavors you will find mixed into the chocolates are: Naga sweet Indian curry + coconut + milk chocolate Named and inspired by the tribes of Northeast India, this truffle strikes a beautiful balance between spiciness, sweetness and color. A must try for the adventurous sort. -or- Black Pearl ginger + wasabi + sesame seeds + dark chocolate A taste of Japan! Ginger and wasabi infuse fresh cream and premium dark chocolate, sprinkled with black sesame seeds. ENJOY!!! |
||
|
|
||
|
CHOCOLATE (Theobrama cacao) –
Theobrama means “food of the gods.” Chocolate comes from the cacao tree. It is an evergreen with leathery, oblong leaves. Within the fruit of the cacao tree you will find 25-60 brown or purple, bitter and somewhat oily seeds. These seeds are the cacao beans, which yield cocoa powder, cocoa butter, and chocolate! In 1519, Spanish conquistador Hernando Cortez saw Mexico’s Aztec ruler, Montezuma, sipping a bitter drink called Xocoatl (translation- bitter water). Cortez became very interested in the bean of the bitter drink when he found out how valuable it was. So, Cortez shipped Xocoatl, which he renamed chocolatl, back to Spain for the king. As chocolatl was expensive, in Mexico it was only consumed by the wealthy or on special occasions, such as, to seal marriage vows. Cortez’s gift to his king became an instant sensation. During the 16th Century, Mexico was exporting some 200 tons of cocoa beans to Spain each year. By the mid-17th Century, chocolate was popular throughout Western Europe. Chocolate was solely a beverage up until the 19th century! It was only about 150 years ago that it transformed into blocks and candies. Now, just in America, we spend an average of $3 billion dollars a year to satisfy our cravings for this bean. Chocolate is not only a decadent treat but it also has been used for centuries to treat many ailments of the body. Here are just a few listed below. So this Valentine’s Day you won’t just be giving one of our most favorite treats of the day, you will also be helping your loved one feel better! It’s the perfect gift. Digestive Problems and Diarrhea
The theobromine in cocoa relaxes the smooth muscle lining the digestive tract. Also, dark, bitter baker’s chocolate is very good to help relieve diarrhea. Just take a piece of the dark chocolate, chew thoroughly before swallowing and then watch it work its magic. Many people also claim that a cup of hot chocolate soothes their stomachs after a meal. Why Chocolate is the Perfect Gift for Valentine’s Day- even if you don’t have a Valentine! Chocolate contains a compound called Phenylethylamine (PEA), which is an antidepressant. This compound is also the same stuff that your brain cranks out when stimulated by the passions of love. It may be why romantically depressed people tend to crave chocolate once in a while and why people in love feel like they are walking on a cloud after eating it. Cocoa Butter removes wrinkles Cocoa butter, from which chocolate is made, can be used to help remove wrinkles around eyes, on neck, and corners of the mouth. Just wash with soap that contains cocoa butter or rub pure cocoa butter into the skin every morning and evening. In just a few weeks you will notice the smaller wrinkles are fainter in appearance and the deeper ones are not so noticeable. Cocoa Powder is not only good to drink! Got dry skin? Cocoa powder is wonderful for softening up dry skin. Add dairy cream (you can probably use soy too) and a little olive oil to about 2 cups or less of cocoa powder to make a paste. It should have a thick consistency that will make it easy to apply to the face without the mixture running. This mixture contains approximately 30% linoleic acid. So what’s the big deal? Well, the main nutrient in a baby’s skin, that gives them such a nice smooth, subtle, and velvety soft look and feel, is none other than linoleic acid. Safety Factors (aren’t there always some with things that taste great!) Even though cocoa contains NO cholesterol, it is high in fat. But different chocolate has different fat content. See below: Chocolate Type & % of Calories from Fat Milk Chocolate 56% Cocoa 65% Bittersweet 75% Baker’s Chocolate 93% Much of the fat in cocoa and chocolate is saturated fat. It is not the same type of saturated fat that raises cholesterol. It will make you gain weight eventually (if you eat way too much and too consistently) but it wont lead to heart disease and cancer because it is not a bad saturated fat. For example, scientists have come up with a formula to provide realistic assessments of the fat content in certain foods containing chocolate and their relationships to health hazards. See the table below for this information. In this table- the higher the number, the worse the fat is for you. Type of food with chocolate & Rating Dark chocolate 4 Semisweet chocolate chips 4.5 Milk chocolate 5.5 Chocolate chip cookie 6 Fudge 7.5 Brownie 9 Ice Cream 10.5 *butter for example 11 CAFFEINE Caffeine is a powerful stimulant and it is found in chocolate. It only contains 20%, on average, of the caffeine in a cup of coffee but it is still enough to cause insomnia, elevate blood pressure and glucose (sugar) levels and increase risk of birth defects. All in all, if you eat chocolate moderately, as with any food, and you are not allergic to it or diabetic, you should be absolutely fine enjoying this delicious treat. CHOCOLATE ALTERNATIVES Carob chips and powder: (easily found at a health food store)- It has far less calories than cocoa or chocolate, because it is sweeter, you use much less in recipes, and it doesn’t have the addictive substance of caffeine in it. It also works very well, similar to cocoa, for diarrhea. Ovaltine: People used to believe that Ovaltine was a chocolate milk substitute but it is not. It contains cocoa, therefore also containing caffeine. Heinerman, J. (1995). New Encyclopedia of Fruits and Vegetables. Paramus, NJ: Parker Publishing Comp. Castleman, M. (2002). The New Healing Herbs. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press. RECIPES: CHOCOLATE SILK PIE Ingredients 12 graham crackers 2-3 Tablespoons of apple juice concentrate 8 oz. Of unsweetened chocolate 2 10-oz. Pkgs. Of silken tofu (don’t be scared!) 1 10-oz. Jar of blackberry preserves 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 1 cup of honey Crust Preheat oven to 350. In a food processor, combine the apple juice and crackers and pulse to make fine crumbs. Press mixture in to the bottom of a springform pan or pie plate. Bake 10 minutes then let cool. Filling Melt chocolate in double broiler or over very low heat. Then add remaining ingredients in a food processor or blender along with melted chocolate. Process until very smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape sides. Pour filling into crust, smooth top, and refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours or overnight. MRS. WISTER’S CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN TRUFFLES This is a recipe I acquired from the mom of a friend of mine from college, Justin Wister (Justin now owns PAIR DESIGN with his twin brother, Jason, in CA. Their website is www.pairdesign.net . Great job guys!). She made these truffles during the holidays and I couldn’t resist getting the recipe, all the while in the back of my mind thinking, “Truffles, boy, this is going to be difficult!” I found out, very quickly, how easy this recipe really is. Go Mrs. Wister! Scrumptious and easy! Ingredients 2 ½ cups of crushed vanilla wafers 1 cup of crushed almonds ¾ cup of sifted powdered sugar 2 teaspoons of cinnamon 1 cup (6oz) of semi-sweet chocolate morsels ½ cup canned pumpkin 1/3 cup apple juice Combine wafers, almonds, ½ cup powdered sugar and cinnamon. Melt chocolate over low heat. Remove from heat and add pumpkin and apple juice. Then add all ingredients together. Form into balls and roll into the rest of the powdered sugar. Refrigerate, covered, overnight. If you have any great recipes with your favorite foods, please send them to me and I will include them in this section of an upcoming issue. Just email me at tina@yogabean.net. Thanks! |
||
|
|
||
|
Margo is a wonderful friend and current yoga student
in my classes. She has been a successful therapist
for many years and an avid yoga student now! She
and her husband went to Antarctica recently where
the amethyst stone is abundant. When I saw them
in the next yoga class I was teaching, they
generously gave me a piece of amethyst they
brought home as a souvenir for me- they are always
bringing me goodies! I am very lucky! And they are
very generous. Along with the stone came a story
that Margo retold to me, as she had heard it from the
merchant she bought the stone from. It goes
something like this.
The Goddess Diana transformed a beautiful young maiden, Amethyst, into a statue of pure quartz in an effort to protect her from vicious tigers created by the vengeful God, Dionysus, the God of wine, intoxication and song. Dionysus, having looked upon the results of his actions wept remorseful tears of wine upon the statue of Amethyst, endowing the stone with the rich purple hue we know today. A few facts about the Amethyst:
It is the birthstone of February. It is the most valued member of the quartz family. It is listed as the suggested wedding anniversary gift at years: four, six and seventeen. Amethyst comes from the Greek word, “methustes” meaning drunkard. Amethyst has been used to help guard against drunkenness and to help overcome addiction. It also has been used to help hearing disorders, insomnia and headaches. How does it help? Well, some people believe that the stone’s energy will help your body fight the ailments listed above, just by wearing it. Others believe that meditating while holding the stone or having it near you will give the same affect. The concept is similar to people that wear the magnetic bracelets for healing. And lots of those people swear by them! |
||
|
|
||
|
Well, we already have some great ideas for this
special day; organic and fair trade chocolate (you
can also purchase this chocolate at specialty food
stores such as “Whole Foods,” “Trader Joes,”
and “Wegmans”), amethyst jewelry, a couples yoga
class or retreat, make a scrumptious chocolate
dessert, what more? Hmmm. Well I saw something
that seems so much fun and a little naughty at
Williams-Sonoma store the other day. It’s called
a “Brushed Stainless-Steel Cream Whipper.” You use
a tiny nitrogen cartridge to make the most wonderful
and fresh whipped cream, which you could never get
at the store. Okay, get your minds out of the
gutter! I was thinking it is something that someone
wouldn’t buy for himself or herself and it is wonderful
to have to top off a hot chocolate or homemade
chocolate cake. I must admit that at $100 it is a
little extravagant! But, if you really love a comforting
hot chocolate, with fresh whipped cream, on a cold
winter day, this is the perfect gift.
Personally, I believe that gifts that are homemade or even a homemade card is an incredibly romantic way to show you care. If you have a tough time getting the right words together when you are talking to your special someone, how about writing it in a card. Online there are numerous “make your own card” websites that allow you to say exactly what you want to in a format that is printable and foldable down to a homemade card. Here are a few websites that can help you with just that. http://www.my
cardmaker.com
This is a website that allows you to make your own card, add your photos, and much more but there is a minimal cost. A one-day membership is $3.99 and a full-year is $19.99 http://www.dltk-cards.com They have simple formatting and design (they walk you through every step of the way) and give you a chance to write your own message inside the card before you print it. And, it’s free! You can also make a card at a kiosk! At American Greeting stores you can go to the “CreataCard” machine and at Hallmark you can use their “Touch Screen Greetings” machine to make your own Valentine’s Day or any special occasion card! It is completely personalized and allows you to insert your own words or helps you out with some loving phrases, so you can say exactly how you feel. Any way you decide to say you love someone is wonderful. And don’t forget your pets! They want as much love as they can get too! * If anyone has any other ideas that they would like to share for future issues of Yoga Bean, please let me know. I’d love to hear all of your ideas. Email me at tina@yogabean.net. Thanks |
||
|
|
||
|
By Yoga Bean’s correspondents on pilgrimage
Miriam Stollar and Deivis Karaliunas
This is not the pot of gold at the end of the Rainbow, but the golden nectar of immortality, or Amrita, of the Indian heavens. Once upon a time, the gods were up in heaven gleefully churning an ocean of ghee (clarified butter, and one of the sacred foods of India), with Mount Meru (mystical mountain on which rests all of creation), concocting the elusive Amrita, immortal nectar of the gods. Suddenly, the demons crashed the party, eager to grab the precious pot for themselves. Some scuffle ensued, and after some roughing up on both sides, the gods of course won- as was written in the heavens- and the pot of immortality remained in the skies, but in the rumble, four drops of Amrita had spilled down to earth, in four places, down in the land of India. And so was born the Kumbh Mela (‘Kumbh’ means pot, and ‘Mela’, gathering), the massive Hindu religious festival taking place in India in these four holy places in periodic rotation, and the largest pilgrimage gathering worldwide. The Kumbh Mela is famously one of the most colorful, chaotic and crowded spiritual happenings ever, enrapturing millions in its spiritual lore, traumatizing others in the nitty-gritty of millions of people massed together, and enlightening a lucky few. A virtual medley of renowned spiritual masters and ashrams with thousands of devotees, lesser known or ‘local’ gurus with handfuls of devoted followers, swarms of renunciants, recluses and wandering ascetics of all kinds of spiritual paths and practices, hordes of pilgrims from all corners of India, and as many beggars from as many corners, so that each and every pilgrim will have the meritous chance to give alms- the Kumbh Mela gives a glimpse of Hinduism in its wildest and most varied forms. The ‘Maha’ (‘Great’) Kumbh Mela takes place according to a complex lunar time table, in a twelve year rotation between the four venerated sites of Haridwar, Allhabad, Nasik, and Ujjain. Sounds simple so far? Hold on- each city has its own series of minor Kumbh Mela, with the ‘Aardh Kumbh Mela’ (literally, ‘Half’) coming in the middle of each city’s ‘Maha Kumbh Mela’ cycle, and in-between these six year intervals, smaller-scale ‘Quarter’ Kumbh Melas are supposed to take place. (While the ‘Half- time’ Melas still attract crowds of tens of millions and full media coverage, the more modest ‘Quarter-time’ events don’t seem to get any attention; in fact, we cannot say whether, in practice, they really take place at all.) Theoretically, in any case, this busy schedule makes catching up with all the various Kumbh Melas no easy task for even the most experienced roadie. But don’t despair; whichever one you do manage to attend, it is sure to be hailed as the biggest, best, and most astrologically auspicious of all. Certainly the two Maha Kumbh Melas that these pilgrims both attended have each been the biggest and most auspicious, according to the various stars and planet alignments. Why all this hustle and bustle around these four sites? Ever since the divine Amrita spilled from the heavens, it is said that bathing in the rivers of these holy sites washes away all sins, and even more, that a bath at certain astrologically auspicious times gives the extra bonus chance to catch the elusive Amrita fallen from the heavens, thereby attaining immortality. Here, the idea of immortality needs clarification. In Indian philosophy, ‘immortality’ does not merely mean to live forever, but carries a much deeper and subtler idea of undying illumination, the reaching of the ultimate wisdom that frees the eternal self, though the physical body itself may pass away. And so, we have the ultimate miraculous ‘new-age’ promise, one being touted since ancient times: just jump in the water and become enlightened! Obviously, the formula still works; ten to twenty million give it a try each Kumbh Mela. At this moment, an ‘Aardh Kumbh Mela’ in Allhabad is wrapping up its forty day long festivities, during which over 10 million people vied for the precious drop of immortal nectar in their dip in the holy water. Allhabad, known in ancient times as Prayag, has been an auspicious site for yogis since time immemorial. It is there that the two holy rivers of Ganga and Yamuna converge. These two rivers represent in fact the two inner nadis of the psychic body, the Ida and Pingala, which traverse the left and ride sides of the spinal cord. This is the very heart of the esoteric yoga alluded to mysteriously in ancient scriptures; it is these two nadis that the yogi aims to balance (through right behavior, asana, pranayama, purification and meditation), thereby awakening the mystical channel of psychic energy, the Sushumna, running along the spinal cord. Somewhere in the convergence of the Ganga and
Yamuna rivers, the celestial river Saraswati is
supposed to run its secret course, symbolizing the
esoteric Sushumna channel lying dormant in all
except awakened yogis. It is through the Sushumna
that the mysterious Kundalini energy must flow in
order to reach the celebrated Amrita nectar, which
exists, in fact, within our very selves. This is the idea
of yogic illumination through practice and discipline.
The devotional version of illumination ‘in one go’ can
seem much easier, which is precisely why the Kumbh
Mela draws so many millions: one dip in the waters at
the right place and the right star-crossed time, and
bingo! (Probability statistics have not been
calculated.)
To reach the water, however, is not always so easy. When eager millions descend at a specific hour for the sanctifying dip, there is a mad rush to get into the water first, and every Mela, some unfortunates will be trampled to death in the process. It is the sadhus- renunciants- who lead the masses in the holy dip, and which school of sadhus will be the very first in the water is always a point of contention. The Naga Babas, established by Shankaracharya in the 10th century to protect and propagate Hinduism, are the most well-known of all the sadhu lineages. The Naga Babas have a high attendance at every Kumbh Mela, as any aspiring Naga renunciant receives his official initiation and sadhu name only at the Kumbh Mela itself. The spear- carrying Nagas, in their eagerness to be the first in the water, are occasionally known to thrust their spears into anyone obstructing their way to the virgin holy waters. From the other side of the tracks, there are the Nath Babas, the anti-Christ of the average vegetarian, non-drinking, celibate sadhus. Indeed, the Nath camp is a sight apart from the other sadhu camps; with its preponderance of black-robed and wild-eyed sadhus with ghoulish, unkempt hair-dos, they tend to look something like the heavy metal punks or Satan worshippers of the eighties. And indeed, this ‘grunge’ group of the sadhu schools permit themselves everything that is taboo and repugnant to others, including sexual relations, drink, and drugs, yet all this in a strictly spiritual practice and ritual with no less than full illumination as their goal. Underneath, they are really a nice bunch of well-meaning guys that might easily have been going through a benign heavy metal phase had they grown up in the West. The Kumbh Mela, like any other gathering of the human species, has its share of political feuds and gossip undertones. While two major sadhu schools, the Shaivates (followers of the god Shiva) and the Vaishnavas (devotees of god Vishnu), battle over who gets the most prestigious camp sites and first place in the bathing procession during the most auspicious astrological alignments, the Nath Babas are said to sit comfortably by their camp fires, as one independent guru said of them, in a highly disapproving tone, “refusing to go to the river, but waiting for the river to come to them.” In any sadhu camp, the common ingredients are chillum (smoking pipe), chai (sugar concentrate with some tea and milk added) and chapatti (bread made over the fire), and generally, a ready welcome. A little gift offering- like a bag of milk, biscuits, or chocolate- will make your welcome that much more hearty, and will show your respect to the sadhu who gives you a place at his dhuni, or campfire, his only home. Note of etiquette- wait for a gesture of invitation before seating yourself at a sadhu’s campfire. If you are a clean-cut, healthy yogi, you may be amazed and somewhat repulsed by the amount of smoking (and hacking coughing) that goes on in these camps, but before judging, remember that these guys have literally renounced their past life, identity, and family, not something to be taken lightly. As such, it is considered impolite and highly improper to ask a sadhu about his past, i.e., “So what were you doing before?” The sadhu’s past is wiped clean. While it is true that this erasing of the past identity and name offers a safe haven for any wanting to flee past debts, family responsibilities or even past crimes committed, these cases constitute only a drop amongst the millions of true sadhus. A growing minority, on the other hand, amongst the ascetic lineages are the Western adherents. Each Kumbh Mela, hundreds of foreigners are drawn in by various sadhu lineages and guru schools, and some handful of them will take the vows of renunciation, dropping their return tickets and worldly goals, jobs, or studies, to turn to a life of simplicity and surrender, one that may last a few weeks, months, years, or a whole lifetime. The ritualistic initiation given by a spiritual master symbolizes the death of the former self, and the surrender of the ego to the teacher. Some may continue to see their family and friends in yearly visits back home, others will renounce their past entirely, including their name and family, to remain in India, known only by the spiritual name given by the teacher. A veritable ‘spiritual bazaar’ of India, the Kumbh Mela is not only the right time and place to take a dip in the most venerated waters of India alongside ecstatic ascetics and Hindu pilgrims from all walks of life, washing away past sins and hoping for that precious drop of Amrita in the waters. It is also the perfect place to learn how to find that Amrita of immortal illumination inside oneself; with tens of thousands of self-proclaimed or mass-acclaimed teachers and gurus, lineage-affiliated or independent, speaking in simple words or in cryptic obtuse remarks, all conveniently gathered in one place at one time, the answers are there, provided you have the right questions. Keep in mind, seeking a spiritual teacher is, by lore, a path filled with obstacles, placed there by the teacher himself to test your nettle. With enough free food given out in banquets every day, all over the Kumbh Mela, in hundreds of different camps, to feed all of New York’s homeless in one sitting, the famous Kumbh pot might also double as the magical bottomless soup pot. Add in the amount of spiritual teachings being solemnly or mirthfully dished out, in roars and in whispers, throughout the Mela, enough to surely create world peace and harmony, if only we were willing to listen. And you have truly the Kumbh Mela, the spiritual food of India, being spooned out to tens of millions eager for the taste of immortal wisdom. Despite the inevitable hustlers and thieves, the chaos and the crowds, the loads of dust to choke even millions, the trucks spraying enough unknown and definitely harmful substance in all directions to keep disease spread and mass hygiene under control, enough scratchy loudspeakers blaring out with different discourses or devotional songs from every camp to make it all one unintelligible cacophony of painfully grating and deafening noise (tower of Babel on bad stereo?), despite all this or maybe flavored by all this, the Kumbh Mela is definitely an experience not to be missed. *If going as a family, keep a close rein on children, especially in crowds. The chaotic Kumbh Mela has unfortunately been an infamously easy working- ground for child-snatchers, and each Mela, hundreds of children disappear. Instruct your child to go immediately to the nearest police post if lost, where his photo will be taken and posted immediately on the police computer data system shared between all police posts throughout the Kumbh Mela. Parents can likewise approach any police post to locate their child through the data-share system. Given the tens of millions of people that pass through the month-plus Kumbh Mela ‘tent city’- an entire temporary city with organized basic facilities, police system and security to manage the massive crowds - the Kumbh Mela is in fact a tremendous feat of organization to be lauded by all. But as in any gathering or city, each visitor must remain aware, keeping an alert eye on family and friends and valuable possessions. |
||
|
|
|
|
Don't forget, please send this to your friends and family so that everyone can be a part of the Yoga Bean family. Talk to you next month!
Sincerely,
Tina LeMar
Yoga Bean
email:
tina@yogabean.net
phone:
610.805.6724
|
|
