Tested Ayurveda Methods

Yogacharya David

I have incorporated a few Ayurvedic Traditions into my morning routine for some time now (a few for many years) , all with good results; I thought I would share these methods with you. Ayurveda (Life-knowledge) is an ancient Hindu medical system that has some easy to apply practices.These practices I describe below are supported by many modern studies to be health enhancing.

  • Tongue Scraping. There are small u-shaped instruments sold for tongue scraping, however you can use a small stainless steel spoon as well. Lightly scrape the tongue from the back to the front of the mouth. You will get a white/gray substance (brown or green are possible) that contains oral bacteria. Its removal reduces bad breath, increases flavors of foods, can boost the immune system by removing harmful toxins, removes bacteria and toxins that lead to periodontal problems, and is said to activate agni (fire element) that will aid digestion.
  • Tongue Scraper
  • Neti Pot: I use a ceramic neti pot (that looks a bit like Aladdin’s Lamp) filled with salt water (I like the Himalayan Institute neti pot design). The neti pot fits into one nostril, while you tilt your head at a 45 degree angle and the water pours from the top nostril through the nasal passage and out the lower nostril. If you tip your head too far back it will run down your throat and make you cough. A little practice and you will find the right angle to pour. After pouring the water through the nostrils blow out the excess water. Mainstream medicine has adopted its use for those who have had operation on the nose, and studies have shown those who suffer allergies get relief by this method. This method loosens mucus and allows the cilia to work more efficiently. I buy a premixed saline solution and add water. You can make your own solution by boiling 1 pint of water and when it is lukewarm add 1 teaspoon of salt. Some people add ½ teaspoon of baking soda and finds that makes it gentler.
  • Neti Pot
  • Oil Pulling: Oil pulling is swishing oil in your mouth for some minutes and then spitting it out into the garbage (not down the sink). Studies have shown that oil pulling helps prevents gingivitis and bad breath by binding microorganisms in the mouth and removing them. I use coconut oil (sesame and sunflower oils are ok too), as coconut oil has lauric acid which is an anti-microbial; it also tastes better than the other oils (even though you are not swallowing it). There are various times for swishing recommended, anywhere from 5 minutes to 20 minutes. I have a routine where I am swishing and jogging on the rebounder, the result is I keep the oil in for about 15 minutes. An added benefit may be that you notice your teeth are whiter. A Kriyaban reported their dentist said that the people he sees with the best oral hygiene are those who do oil pulling.
  • Walking/jogging/running: While not Ayurvedic, part of my morning routine fits in well with Master’s recommendation for walking for five minutes and then running for five minutes. I spend ten minutes on the rebounder (a small trampoline). The additional benefit of the rebounder is its healthy effect on the lymphatic system and getting rid of toxins from the body.

 

You may like to try one or all the above methods for enhancing your health. I would like to hear from you regarding your own results with such methods. It is always interesting to me to find healthy, low cost ways to maintain optimum health and well-being.

Om Namaste Om, I bow to the good and compassionate Creator.

Fall Equinox

Yogacharya David

??????????????The Fall Equinox is on September 22, about 7:30 p.m. The equinox (equal night) is when the days and nights are of the same length and we are halfway between summer (longest day in the northern hemisphere) and winter solstice (the shortest day). The two equinoxes and two solstices are four transitions in the year that have been marked by civilizations since recorded time.

Besides the fall equinox being a time of harvest and thanksgiving it is also known to be a special opportunity for focusing on things spiritual. Spring, summer, fall and winter each have their beginning and end, and each of these yearly cycles correspond to times in the day, early morning, noon, evening and mid-night. Sensitive yogis noticed that these times of the day and times of the year present an opening into higher consciousness for the meditator.

Therefore Sri Yukteswar kept these times for coming together in song, food and a particular focus on spiritual upliftment. In the Autobiography of a Yogi Master writes:

Sri Yukteswar sponsored four yearly festivals, at the equinoxes and solstices, when his students gathered from far and near. The winter solstice celebration was held in Serampore; the first one I attended left me with a permanent blessing.

The festivities started in the morning with a barefoot procession along the streets. The voices of a hundred students rang out with sweet religious songs; a few musicians played the flute and khol kartal (drums and cymbals). Enthusiastic townspeople strewed the path with flowers, glad to be summoned from prosaic tasks by our resounding praise of the Lord’s blessed name. The long tour ended in the courtyard of the hermitage. There we encircled our guru, while students on upper balconies showered us with marigold blossoms.

Many guests went upstairs to receive a pudding of channa and oranges. I made my way to a group of brother disciples who were serving today as cooks. Food for such large gatherings had to be cooked outdoors in huge cauldrons. The improvised wood-burning brick stoves were smoky and tear-provoking, but we laughed merrily at our work. Religious festivals in India are never considered troublesome; each one does his part, supplying money, rice, vegetables, or his personal services.

…By sunset we had served our hundreds of visitors with khichuri (rice and lentils), vegetable curry, and rice pudding. We laid cotton blankets over the courtyard; soon the assemblage was squatting under the starry vault, quietly attentive to the wisdom pouring from Sri Yukteswar’s lips. His public speeches emphasized the value of Kriya Yoga, and a life of self-respect, calmness, determination, simple diet, and regular exercise.

Today, we may mark this day individually, keeping our appointment with God and opening ourselves to the upliftment available on this special date.

Jai Gurus, Victory to those great spiritual masters who have blazed the sadhana trail ahead of us, and even now bless us with their spiritual power of realization.

Fire and Grace

Yogacharya David

My dear Friends,

It was Memorial Day since my last posting. I am now resuming the posts after this summer hiatus.

The intensity of my inner and outer experiences over the summer has been quite something. The Baptism of Fire hinted at by Jesus is an internal conflagration of vast proportions. For some entering the Mystical Crucifixion this baptism of fire is of relatively short duration. But in certain cases, Divine Will uses this fire to help purify not only His devotee, but for the greater good as well. Therefore this fire may extend over many years, or even the span of a life in rare cases.

This fire may or may not create heat in the physical body, but it definitely rages through the subtle body. I have lived with this Baptism of Fire for nearly forty years now. In the beginning the purpose was more to do with this body and the karma associated with it. Then it gradually began to be of help to others, and in this third stage it has to do with being of service to this world. So, the notion of suffering in eternal fire has a certain ring of familiarity to it for me!

It has not been all fire, there is also the settling into the new house. Coinciding with moving in was having Kriya Initiation in our lovely Meditation Hall on the lower floor. Even days before the Initiation Classes were to start a powerful charge began to build in the house; the Masters were gathering. What wonderful souls gathered, each one beginning a new life of spiritual exploration.

We are continuing to settle in, organizing storage mostly. Every day brings new adventure in the Divine. A realization that comes again and again is how vast this search really is. There are some areas where seeing how much there is to know can be disheartening, but not with God. With spiritual realization there is only awe and inspiration to know that infinite reach is a promise of more Light, more bliss, and more revelations of deeper Truth! It is inspiring beyond all words.

And with that Journey of journeys wide open before us, with simply the will to explore needed to do so, I stand with you, hand-in-hand, to begin ever-new the great adventure in God.P1030472.reduced

New Kriyabans!–Reverend Jill helping with the Classes.

Years

Search

Menu