Saturday, June 29, 2019

#Yoga Today -The Troublesome Four


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The troublesome four are detrimental to a fulfilling and happy life. The first of the four is envy. Remember envy no one and that the material world is not a representation of what a soul is worth or valued. Many people are good at acquiring things but fail at achievement.

The second of the troublesome four is jealousy

Jealousy is a morbid emotion that looks for anything that will cause suffering.  With jealousy an individual feels threatened by the loss of control over another person or situation. It is a feeling of suspicion and mistrust. Jealousy corrodes and destroys everything it touches. Jealousy is really a feeling of being unlovable and in constant danger of losing.  It is based in uncertainty and fear.  The opposite of jealousy is trustworthiness. It means to trust in your own ability to rely upon yourself to feel loved, honored and worthy. Trust always has the advantage because trust seeks to create good will and not destroy. Replace jealousy with trust in yourself and give up trying to control others or other situations. Find your balance, your strength and be flexible to the ever-changing nuances of life. Trust yourself.

 Love yourself by focusing on your wonderful qualities. Use your trustworthiness to make the world a better place and jealousy will be replaced with prosperity. Remember this; even love focused entirely on another human being cannot bring fulfillment in the long run.  Focus on your self-worth and you will find the fulfillment you seek. Transcending jealousy we find divine and eternal love. This frees us to rejoice in the pleasures of others without envy or jealousy even while dealing with our own disappointments and problems.

Replace jealousy with self-trust and self-worthiness and the worth of your soul will shine through in all of life’s ups and downs.

Namaste ~ I celebrate the place where our souls meet

Doctor Lynn



Saturday, June 22, 2019

The Troublesome Four


 
 
 

Life will present you with the troublesome four the first of which is envy.

It will require discipline, strength, balance and flexibility to master each and every one of them.

Envy is a widespread feeling today. We think of it as being present only in the business world, but it also rears its ugly head along the soulful path. Secretly individuals may wonder how far the other soul has gotten and whether he or she has already reached a higher level of being. This of course creates conflict as an unhappy soul may wish to inflict misfortune onto others. This conflicts with the guidepost suggestion of doing no harm.

Envy means to feel inferior to others and to desire that which you have not earned. Just remember the material world is not a representation of what a soul has earned, is valued, or worth. Don’t get confused by what appear to be material success. Many people are good at acquiring things, but lack in the ability to achieve success. To achieve requires effort, courage and skill, and with this comes realization and fulfillment. Envy no one and a calm sense of peace will sooth your soul. The opposite of envy is admiration. So admire others and then seek to become your own unique aspect of those qualities.

Remember the material world is not a representation of what a soul has earned, is valued, or worth. Don’t get confused by what appear to be material success. Many people are good at acquiring things, but lack in the ability to achieve success.

 Be content with what you have, take pleasure in your life, count your blessings and then reach out for more as a peaceful and content soul. Everything you desire will be yours; for through your sincere effort you will have earned it. Just remember life becomes what life does. Treat others with admiration, avoid envy and the treasures of life will come to you.

Namaste ~ I celebrate the place where our souls meet

Doctor Lynn



Saturday, June 15, 2019

Food the Essence of Life - Above all else pay attention to your health because you are what and how you eat!


 
 
 
 
 
 
There is a branch of yoga called Anna- Maya- Kosha which simply means to pay attention to what and how you eat because you are what and how you eat. If you begin and continue to practice Anna yoga you will see yourself making healthy choices as you strive to maintain balance and vitality. This is because Anna is the pathway of knowledge leading to an understanding of the importance of the essence of food and our health. Knowledge removes ignorance and when ignorance is removed we make wiser choices. This means we learn to be in balance with nature. Everything in life moves from birth to death and our health is determined by the choices we make in-between. Nature provides everything we need to both survive and to thrive.

Perfect health is not about aiming for restrictions and self-denial, but rather the extinction of physical, mental and soulful imbalances. This means that all things should be approached with moderation, which includes diet.

When you realize the inner temple of your own body, you understand the totality of the universe. This simply means that through balance and moderation we reach an understanding of the unification of the opposing forces of the universe; matter and spirit. These two forces bring about an interaction of self-conscious awareness, which produces illumination. We call this conscious self-awareness. Just remember: you are what and how you eat.

Although most in the West overeat, eat a poor diet and rarely if ever fast, a traditional ancient yoga diet does not necessarily work in our modern day culture. When considering a diet it is important to look at many lifestyle factors. We must take into account that although the ancient scriptures are full of  spiritual advice and prescribe a lifestyle of health and balance, evolution, change and different cultures create the need to expand our consciousness and approach to the essence of the foods we eat.

In fact modern dietician might disagree with all the dairy and fat in the ancient yogic vegetarian diet. Less dairy and fat are usually promoted in a Western healthy diet. However, eating less and exercising more is also promoted. Very rarely do we see fasting promoted for health and in most cases I would agree. Fasting is simply starving the body of life supporting nutrients.

Good nutrition is not about cure, but about life enrichment. This means that although we need foods to help rebuild and heal the body, the Anna yoga approach is a focus of life enhancement and wellness by increasing the life force energies through the choices of foods we eat. If we eat healthy the body-mind finds vitality, strength and balance and this is what is needed to keep us on our soulful path. It has been said that nature provides all that humankind needs to stay healthy and fit.  Therefore, whole natural foods should provide the basis of a healthy diet. You are what and how you eat.

 

Disciplined eating is considered one of the basic moral observances or niyamas and one of the basic abstinences or yamas, which are two of the eight basic stages of the practice of yoga. Yoga teaches us to take care of our body-mind so as to do no harm to both the internal and external environments. Food can uplift or pollute our being. Only a body that is strong and steady and a mind that is clear and sharp can serve our soulful awakening. Therefore Anna yoga teaches that we should observe what we eat, abstain from harming the body with impure foods and take responsibility for our dietary needs, and the health of our entire being; body, mind and soul. You are what and how you eat

 

The body is your vehicle. The mind is your GPS. Your soul is the driver. Without a well running body and a clear sense of navigation it is impossible to make the journey. Take care of your body and your mind. They are the instruments of the soul. Just remember that all of life exists in relationship to and by coexisting with everything else that exist. Nothing exists in isolation.  You are what and how you eat!

(if you would like to know more about the yoga of eating see my book Anna Yoga – because you are what and how you eat) http://www.doctorlynn.com