Knowing Life by the Heart

Knowing Life by the Heart
is challenging in this domain of physical.com.
So many pop-ups
Interrupting.
But Re-member-
It's All Light
when viewed through the Ultimate ISP of LOVE.

Even Shadows

Even Shadows show us the Light-
Their pathways directed by the Source of Brilliance 
Behind every mishap, hurt & meanness.
Look past that darkness into Love
Until you Remember that You Too Shine
And Shadows dissolve before you in the Shimmering of Heart.

Practicing to be Crones During the Fertile Years

The Monthly Cronehood of the Menstrual Cycle

The menstrual cycle contains the experiences of Maiden, Mother, & Crone within it.  We can experience a mini- Cronehood when our premenstrual hormones plummet in those cycles in which pregnancy doesn’t occur. We empty of juice, being low in estrogen and progesterone, while filling with intuitive potential.  These mini-Cronehoods, when fully experienced, can prepare us for the wisewoman, menopausal years and teach us about the power of Knowing.

What are the practices to help us prepare for Cronehood?

-First, be aware.  Notice how your body, emotions, and mind react to this premenstrual time.  If you are feeling to many symptoms, it is good to work on gently cleansing and supporting your liver.  When the hormones are building up in your liver the detoxing that starts to occur premenstrual times can be more harsh---as they can during the menopausal stage as well. 

-Take time for yourself.  Yes, I know how difficult that can be.  But it must be a priority.  In this way you can increase your awareness of what is happening in your body and how to care for it.  You don’t need to take the whole day off—just give yourself ½ hour a day to be free of responsibility to others.  Moms can do this when kids are in bed—mornings &/or evenings.

-Pay extra attention to your inner promptings.  It could be your dreams.  Or your intuition might be telling you what to do. BELIEVE YOURSELF!

-Practice letting go.  This time in your cycle is excellent for getting rid of what is no longer living for you. 

Cultivating Our Native Intelligence - Ayurvedic Wisdom of the Gunas

by Terra Rafael, Ayurvedic Practitioner

There are three main sources of "seeds" for the mind which we have some control over:

     the focus of the mind itself on thoughts & emotions

     the focus of the senses on the sensations

     the balance of energy created in the body and mind by the things we eat & drink.

 Whatever kind of seeds we plant in the soil of our mind will grow there, unless we let them wither, without our attention.  This is what meditation & other spiritual practices can do.  Psychotherapy usually focuses attention on less uplifting aspects to pluck them out. Either method when done without right understanding may actually add energy to seeds which will cloud the mind and spread them in the field of the mind.

Ayurvedic treatment of the mind uses the ancient understanding that all of creation evolves through the interplay of the three gunas or attributes of the Primal Matter (or Primal Mother).  These three attributes are:

            sattva = light, intelligence, clarity, perception, peacefulness, focus

            rajas = movement & action

            tamas = inertia, darkness, dullness and resistance.

Everything in creation has a mixture of these three qualities.  The mind is by nature more sattvic, so that if rajas or tamas become predominant the mind does not perform its tasks according to its inherent nature. 

The mind may be clouded by tamas and therefore the person does not see the proper thing way to behave or relate to others. Delusion may reign, the person being lost in negative or destructive thoughts. 

Or the mind may be agitated by rajas and thus be so active that clarity & intelligence is lost --even though the person knows what is proper, s/he still can not act in accord with it because of distraction from the quiet source of inner wisdom. Thoughtless violence may occur.

Unlike the ayurvedic doshas, rajas & tamas do not balance each other out.  So following one quality after another will just add to agitation. ( Occasionally a tamasic situation will require rajasic means to move it out of tamas.  After that, moving it to sattva would be the most uplifting.)

By avoiding the planting of seeds of tamas and rajas in the mind and by cultivating sattva, the native intelligence called buddhi can shine forth.  This native intelligence can inform us of the proper course of action in the moment -- such as the right foods to eat, the proper way to relate to someone in a given situation.  In this way the light of cosmic intelligence is reflected in our daily life through our own native intelligence.

Ayurveda and Yoga recommend methods to work with these gunas. As your native intelligence grows you will see even more ways to increase it within yourself.  I believe native intelligence is not only the key to spiritual upliftment to the individual, but also the way to harmony between people, with other species, and with the Earth herself.  By its cultivation, we are truly serving all of humanity.

To reduce Rajas guna:

Avoid routinely eating  these foods & substances:

            Stimulants         Coffee  Caffeinated beverages  Hot, spicy or fried foods

            Excess sweets  Garlic    Onions                          Hot peppers

            Tomatoes         Radishes                                  Corn

            Eggs                Fish                  Poultry              Especially red meat

Avoid routine participation in these activities:

            Over exercising             Over work         TV & action-oriented or sexual movies

            Loud stimulating music  Excessive thinking or emoting

            Eating too fast

To reduce Tamas guna:

Avoid routinely eating these foods :

            Aged Cheese    Pickles             Tamari              Vinegar

            Wine, other alcohol                    Drugs               Red meat

            Stale foods, leftovers                Mushrooms       Microwaved food

            Processed foods                      Frozen foods    Fried foods

Avoid Over fatigue

To increase Sattva guna:

            Follow Rajas & Tamas reducing regimes

Regularly include the following in your diet: generally, foods that are light to digest and nourishing

            Fresh foods                  Almonds           Pure Milk          Ghee

            Fresh fruits                   Most vegies      Vegetarianism

            Grains, esp. wheat & brown basmati rice, whole wheat, oats

Maintaining your doshic balance - Vata, Pitta, Kapha is also helpful, so follow the proper doshic diet as well.

Regularly include the following in your lifestyle:

            daily meditation             yoga asanas     pranayama        chanting/uplifting singing

            nonviolence                  work in moderation        keep good company

            enjoy activities & environments which are conducive to positivity and joy

           

            As my Ayurvedic Nutrition teacher Amadea Morningstar says, " These particular categories of sattwa, rajas & tamas are core, essential .. but they are only categories.  Let them be your friends rather than your masters."  In other words - take this with a sattvic attitude.

May the blessings of your own Native Intelligence shine forth in your life!

           

Sources:    David Frawley, Ayurveda Correspondence Course for Health Professionals, American Vedic Institute

                Amadea Morningstar, Ayurvedic Cooking for Westerners

                Sarasvati Buhrman, Ayurveda & Yoga Courses, Rocky Mtn Institute of Yoga & Ayurveda

Wise Womanhood   

wisewomanhood@gmail.com www.wisewomanhood.com     720.628.5015

Terra Rafael - Ayurveda Practitioner, & Maya Abdominal Therapist

Breathing to Relieve Stress- a free way to be healthier

If you are habitually excitable, anxious, or just speeding around in a Type A manner you are acting like a tiger is chasing you all the time. By using your breath in a conscious way you can turn off your adrenal glands and move out of fight-or-flight and into the relaxed mode that allows for good digestion, tuned in sex, and a healthier life in general.  Blood pressure can be reduced. Not to mention the mental pressure.

Daily practice:

Lie on your back, with knees bent up and feet on the floor to relax your lower belly.  Gently place one hand on your belly and one hand on your chest to help you gauge where your breath is going. Just breath naturally in this position for a few breaths, becoming aware of the speed, depth, and location of your normal breath.

Now, breathing through your nose, take a DEEP, slow breath in that fills up your belly like a balloon. The hand on your belly should go up first, then filling the lungs all the way up to the top, your chest hand will go up too.

When it’s time to exhale gently and slowly(don’t hold your breath!) letting the air out of your chest first, feeling that hand sink down as it empties and then, the belly hand goes down at the end of the full exhale.

Don’t force the breath, so much as open up to it coming in and then let the natural force of the air let it move itself back out, in its own time. If you force the breath out you may hyperventilate and feel dizzy or tingling in the fingers. ( If that happens, cup your hands around your nose and mouth and rebreathe your air to bring the balance back to your O2/CO2 levels.)

Continue the gentle, deep breathing for about five minutes—or longer if you want.

Throughout the day:

Whenever you start to notice you’re “revving up” , take a short breathing break.  You don’t have to lie down, just do it sitting or standing upright.  Take at least 3 deep slow gentle breaths—you’ll turn down the adrenals and relax.  YOU DON”T HAVE TO BE TENSE TO ACCOMPLISH THINGS!!!

More helps:

Maya Abdominal Therapy can be helpful in relaxing the upper and lower abdomen and making it easier to take deep breaths.  Other helps to turning off the adrenals can be Rescue Remedy or herbs that Terra can recommend.  Adrenal health is important for overall health, hormonal balance, and healthy menopause.

WiseWomanhood

 women’s holistic health throughout the female lifecycle

Terra Rafael, Registered Midwife & Ayurvedic Practitioner

Ayurveda – Maya Abdominal Therapy – Reiki – Flower Essences – Fertility Awareness

720.628.5015    wisewomanhood@gmail.com

Eating Less, Eating Nutritionally Rich - Living Long, Living Well Part 3

While eating abundantly at will has been a sign of wealth, it has diminishing returns.  Our ancestors had their feast times, and their famines.  Now food is always very available to most of us in the US—but not always full of the nutrition we need to maintain our health.  The obesity  epidemic which is spreading over the world, along with the American lifestyle, is one result of lots of food, not so nutritious.

Understanding & Taming Our Food Instincts

Vata Increasing Foods

Our instincts are for rich and sweet foods.  The fats maintained our ancestors in their hunter –gatherer days and the sweet fruit was the least likely to be poisonous.  Those instincts saved us – until today when fat and sugar–laden junk foods are so readily available.  

Today we must counter our instincts some by carefully choosing healthy fats – coconut oil, ghee, and organic butters – to sustain our tissues and limiting exposure to large amounts of vegetable oils and chemical laden, inorganic meats.  Eat just the best quality.  

And we must avoid foods with sugars and simple carbs that quickly become sugars.  The dangers of obesity include those of diabetes—a major ager.

Quality Over Quantity

Kapha Increasing Foods

Eating our veggies and fruits has been shown to be essential over & over again. I won’t belabor this. The sad thing is that because the quality of most of our soil hasn’t been maintained organically, the nutrients in foods are shown to be lower than in the food our grandparents grew up on. That might be one reason why life expectancy in our country has flattened out after making so many gains.  So organic is bound to be better.  

Artificial means to maintain food looking good in grocery stores can fool our eyes but don’t optimally feed our bodies. One reason that people may over eat is that though they are getting lots of calories, they aren’t getting NUTRITION and their bodies keep trying to get it.

Food picked and eaten soon after is more nutritious because once a plant is harvested it’s nutrients are  slowly deteriorating.  Support your local organic farmers. And grow your own when you can. There’s nothing like eating straight from your own garden!

The Right Amount

One aspect of aging is that our digestive capacity and appetites may diminish.  This means it’s all the more important to eat nutritionally dense foods, as well as learn how to maintain digestion (as in part 2 of the Living Long, Living Well series).  Remember- your stomach is the size of about two handfuls of food.  If the stomach is overloaded it doesn’t digest as well.  

Pitta Increasing Foods

Our eating levels must suit not just our digestive capacity but also our activity levels and our metabolism. People with slower metabolisms may actually live longer -- if they don't over eat.  So if you're a Kapha, by disciplining yourself  and avoid the diseases of obesity you have a great capacity for longevity.  Pittas must avoid inflammatory diseases by reigning in their wish for stimulating, spicy, oily diets and try cool themselves with cucumbers rather than sugar. Vatas must slow down while eating and eat grounding rich foods while avoiding tendencies to going to extremes--while they shouldn't overeat, fasting is also contraindicated to avoid depleting their tissues.  If you need more guidance on this, contact Terra at www.wisewomanhood.com !

It's also important to note that some people eat way TOO LITTLE food or might starve themselves to lose weight.  Our bodies respond to lack of food over time by going into starvation mode, which will cause the body to hold onto weight.  If you want to lose weight, eat vegetables with some protein - avoiding carbs and fats and exercise more---but DON'T try to just skip eating.

Tips for eating less:

• ·         Start with a prayer or several relaxed deep breaths. Slow down at meal time.
• ·         Use smaller plates.
• ·         Chew each mouthful longer.
• ·         Have some healthy fats and different tastes for a balanced satisfaction.
• ·         If you eat carbs, include a protein or fat to slow the burn and avoid ups &downs of blood sugar.
• ·         Avoid working or reading while eating.  
• ·         Always put food on a plate and, if you need it, measure out portions. 
• ·         You can eat lots of veggies, so make them half of your meal.
• ·         Avoid snacking by eating 3 healthy meals a day.

Tips for eating nutritionally rich:

• ·         Buy local, organic food and eat it soon after buying to get the most from your food.
• ·         Cook your own food so you know where it’s from and what’s in it and how old it is.
• ·         Eat lots of veggies and some fruits.
• ·         Eat healthy oils daily.
• ·         Nutritionally dense foods include fresh veggies, fruits, sea vegetables, nuts & seeds, tahini, quinoa, bee pollen, herbal infusions, organic dairy & meat that are raised naturally.

Protecting Your Digestive Fire - Part 2 of Living Long, Living Well

-Eat food at room temperature or a little warmer. Eating with your fingers will make sure it is the right temperature. Test your tea with your little finger. (Cancer of the esophagus can be triggered by habitually eating foods too hot.) Digestive enzymes are temperature specific and evolved to work with room temperature food—not refrigerated , frozen or iced.

-Allow 3 hours between meals to allow stomach digestion to be complete before new food is added to the system. You wouldn't add dirty clothes to the wash machine in the middle of its cycle!

-Don't drink with meals- instead load up on water or tea 1/2 hour before or 2 hours after. This avoids diluting your digestive juices and reducing digestive capacity.

-Chew food mindfully. Poorly chewed food may cause choking and, more likely, poor digestion. The mouth is the first step of digestion--chewing well mixes the enzymes in saliva thoroughly with your food to begin the breakdown necessary for full digestion.

-Use proper food combining as a rule. Occasional lapses may not be problematical, but daily or regular lapses will lead to toxic buildup and more possibilities of serious disease in the long run.

• No fruits eaten with other types of foods
• Melons always eaten alone
• Milk always taken alone except for totally sweet fruit ie. Dates, mangoes, figs or cooked with basmati rice
• Don’t mix milk with dal, fish, or meat—this is definitely a dangerous combination.
• Don’t take yogurt in a meal with meat.

·Relax to allow for proper digestion. Working lunches are bad for digestion and can confuse your prana or life energy flow. Make food a sacrifice to the digestive fire, offered to God. Saying a prayer or sitting quietly for a minute or two before eating will allow you to slow down and let energy & blood go to digestion. The Ayurvedic ideal is to not talk while eating. If that doesn’t work—avoid emotionally upsetting topics & topics you don’t want to take deeply into your body.

· Don’t eat & then sleep—leave 2 hrs between them. Digestion works better in an awake state.

· Don’t eat & then exercise, except for taking 1000 steps after a meal—2 hrs between them.

· Don’t eat & then meditate –leave 1 hour between to avoid poor meditation or bad digestion.

· Follow the diet appropriate for your Aurvedic constitution &/or current condition, as well as the season. If you need help with this, contact Terra at www.wisewomanhood.com